Syracuse fell to Rochester 9-4 (box/gamer). LHP Horacio Ramirez was torched for seven runs on ten hits and a walk over 5IP. 1B Mike Morse was 3/5 with three RBI; LF Corey Patterson was 2/5 with a stolen base & run scored; RF Elijah Dukes was 0/5 with a run, RBI & stolen base; CF Justin Maxwell was 1/3 with two walks, a stolen base & two runs scored; and both 3B Kory Casto and DH Brad Eldred were 2/4. Notes: RHP Cory Doyne was removed from the Chiefs roster and RHP Andrew Kown was promoted from Harrisburg. No official word as to Doyne’s status.
Today: Rochester RHP Kevin Mulvey (3-5, 4.17) at Harrisburg RHP Garrett Mock (4-1, 3.14) 7PM
The Senators four-run seventh inning put the game out of reach as Harrisburg defeated Bowie 7-4 (box/gamer). 3B Joel Guzman was 5/5 with a triple, run & three RBI; RF Mike Daniel was 2/5 with one RBI & two runs scored; DH Matt Whitney was 2/4 with a run & RBI; and SS Ian Desmond was 2/5 with one RBI. RHP Erik Arnesen made the start for Harrisburg, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks over 6IP to pick up the win. RHP Josh Wilkie pitched a scoreless inning, striking out one and giving up a hit and a walk. LHP Yunior Novoa earned his second save with two shutout innings of relief, striking out a pair. Notes: Replacing Kown on the Harrisburg roster is LHP Matt Chico who was activated from the 60-day DL and optioned to Harrisburg.
Today: Harrisburg LHP Cory VanAllen (2-4, 5.97) at Bowie RHP Ryohei Tanaka (0-0, 0.00) 12:05PM
Potomac RHP Terrence Engles was solid over his six innings of work as the P-Nats blanked the Pelicans 9-0 (box/gamer). Engles held Myrtle Beach to three hits and two walks while striking out five. The bullpen trio of RHP Chris Estrada, RHP Dan Leatherman, and LHP Atahualpa Severino combined on three shutout innings, giving up one hit & one walk while striking out two. CA Brian Peacock was 2/5 with a two-run homer, triple, & four RBI; LF Jesus Valdez was 3/4 with two runs & three RBI; CF Francisco Plasencia was 2/3 with a two-run homer, double, & three runs scored; and SS Danny Espinosa was 2/4 with a double & run scored.
Today: Potomac RHP Jeff Mandel (7-4, 4.00) at Myrtle Beach RHP Erik Cordier (3-3, 3.32) 7:05PM
Hagerstown’s bats were much quieter in an 8-1 loss in Greensboro (box/gamer). After piling up the extra base hits and runs in the last two games, the Suns were held to six singles. 2B Stephen Lombardozzi was 2/4 with a run scored; CA Derek Norris was 1/4; DH Tyler Moore was 1/3 with one RBI; and 3B James Keithley & LF Valerio Heredia each had one hit. RHP Brad Peacock took the loss, surrendering seven runs on seven hits over 5IP. LHP Austin Garrett gave up a run on three hits and a walk over three innings of relief.
Today: Hagerstown RHP Marcos Frias (4-2, 3.03) at Greensboro (pitcher TBA) 7:05PM
Vermont won the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game 3-2 in 11 innings (box) and then won the regularly scheduled game 9-4 (box/gamer). In the first game, 1B Adam Amar (3/5 with two doubles & one RBI) and 3B Jack Walker (1/5) doubled in the top of the 11th inning to provide the margin of victory. CF Brian Pruitt was 2/5 with a double & RBI. RHP Juan Jaime made the start, striking out seven over five innings of work. He gave up one run on five hits and three walks. LHP Clayton Dill picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief, striking out three. In the second game, RHP Trevor Holder made his professional debut, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings pitched. RHP Pat Lehman picked up the win with 4 2/3 no-hit shutout innings of relief, striking out four. SS Sean Nicol was 3/3 with a double, two runs & two RBI; 2B Jeff Kobernus was 1/4 with one RBI & two runs scored; LF J.P. Ramirez was 1/4 with three RBI; and CF Jat Sferra was 1/4 with a stolen base & two runs scored.
Today: Vermont LHP Graham Hicks (1-1, 6.39) at Oneonta (pitcher TBA) 7PM
The GCL Nationals did not play on Wednesday.
Today: GCL Nationals at GCL Cardinals 12PM
17-year old RHP Danubio Gonzalez was a bit wild in his four innings of work as the DSL Nationals lost to DSL Orioles 2-1 (box). He gave up two unearned runs on one hit and five walks with two strikeouts. 19-year old DH Joseph Cabreja and 20-year old RF Aridio Rodriguez were each 2/4.
Today: DSL White Sox at 21-year old DSL Nationals RHP Antonio Guzman (5-0, 0.91) 10:30AM
#1 by Ronny - July 9th, 2009 at 10:12
Hey Brian, ? about the 2010 draft. It’s most likely we will have the 1st pick in the draft and there’s this kid by the name of Trey Griffin(better than Tim Beckham) out of MLK HS in Georgia. He is a five tool player who can play SS and the OF incredible athleticism, great hands, strong arm. He’s the most talented SS in next years draft. And no matter where Griffin plays, he will hit. He has power to all fields and great bat control for a guy his age. So my ? is instead of breaking the bank on Bryce Harper, wouldn’t it be smart to grab a guy for far less money that can play SS,2B,3B, and all the OF positions? His upside may not be as high as Harpers but he’s damn close.
#2 by Brian Oliver - July 9th, 2009 at 10:17
As of today, Harper is far and away the best player available in much the same way Strasburg was in 2009. He’s going to be $$$, but you cannot pass on him.
Also, if Rizzo is still the GM, the only prep guy I could see him taking that early is Bryce Harper
#3 by dd - July 9th, 2009 at 10:34
I was looking up some stats and noticed how poorly Maxwell stacks up in some hitting categories. In 227 AB, in Triple A, he has struck out 90 times!!! Yes, 90 times!!
#4 by Ronny - July 9th, 2009 at 10:37
So would you say Trey Griffin is a solid #2 pick then?
#5 by cjrugger - July 9th, 2009 at 10:41
I think torched is your new favorite word
#6 by expo_ram - July 9th, 2009 at 10:46
Desmond = Guzman’s replacement post-trade? Morse = Nick’s replacement post-trade? Not sure how I feel about Nick. He probably ends up a Type B comp if we lose him to FA, so I’m leaning toward keeping him unless blown away then offer him a fair 2 year contract (for his injury history).
Glad to see Holder is picking up right where he left off in college. I still think the scouts gave Rizzo a note at the draft telling him to select “P – GA”. The scouts meant Poythress though.
#7 by cjrugger - July 9th, 2009 at 10:51
I hope Mike Morse if never a part of a my favorite major league team. I think the biggest regret from the Crow fiasco is going to be that we passed on Justin Smoak
going to have to add Danubio Gonzalez to the prospect radar as well
#8 by Rich - July 9th, 2009 at 11:05
Nick probably is a type B comp, but wouldn’t he just accept arbitration? I don’t think his value is that high on the FA market. I say we trade him and try to sign him for a deal next year. I don’t think anyone really wants him, because of the injury risk. Heck we could trade him again like Stanton.
Then again I’ve been wrong before… often
#9 by expo_ram - July 9th, 2009 at 11:10
I can’t imagine his arb# being that high – probably a bargain if he stays healthy, but that is a huge if…
cj – what have you got against Morse? I have to be honest – I know very little about him, but he seems to have decent numbers even in the bigs. After thinking about it, Dunn should be put at 1st I suppose long term.
#10 by John - July 9th, 2009 at 11:35
Ronny: # 2 seems to be up for grabs. I’d put either Texas HS RHP Jameson Taillon or Ole Miss LHP Drew Pomeranz as my #2. Other guys I’ve read about that are in the early mix include Ca St.-Fullerton SS Christian Colon, LSU RHP Anthony Ranaudo, and Fla HS RHP AJ Cole.
Griffin has some hype, but I haven’t seen enough out there to lead me to believe he’s really in that mix for #2 yet.
#11 by Va Monarch - July 9th, 2009 at 11:56
Has anyone else noticed that Francisco Plasencia has a 15-game hitting streak at Potomac?
#12 by Ronny - July 9th, 2009 at 12:01
John- I saw one of the first mock drafts for the 2010 season, and it went like this(quick note Bryce Harper wasn’t included because he doesn’t have his GED yet). 1. P-Anthony Ranaudo, 2. SS/OF-Trey Griffin HS, 3. OF-Austin Wilson HS, 4. P-Justin Grimm, 5. P-AJ Cole HS, 6. SS-Christian Colon, 7. OF-Bryce Brentz, 8. C-Yasmani Grandal, 9. SS-Justin O’Connor HS, and 10. P-Josh Osich.
#13 by cjrugger - July 9th, 2009 at 12:06
expo- nothing against him, but theres 100 guys like that in AAA and very very few of them should be starting in the big leagues
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4315902&name=olney_buster
good write up on Norris
#14 by Ronny - July 9th, 2009 at 13:03
Cjrugger, for those who don’t have Insider. What does he say about Norris?
#15 by cjrugger - July 9th, 2009 at 14:10
Before the 2007 draft, Nationals official Bob Boone worked out with a high school kid named Derek Norris to get a read on whether he thought Norris had the tools to become a professional catcher. “We had him throw with the equipment on,” said Mike Rizzo, the acting GM for the Nationals. When it was over, Boone and Rizzo felt that Norris could make it work behind the plate, and they selected him in the fourth round. “We felt like, if this guy can pull it off as a catcher, he might be something that there really isn’t a lot of,” Rizzo recalled.
It appears that gamble could pay off in a very big way. Norris, 20, is destroying pitching in Class A — in a four-game stretch over the past week he clubbed six homers and now has 20 homers, 64 RBIs and an OPS over 1.000 — and he continues to make progress with his defense. “He has really, really improved as far as being a receiver and working on his game-calling skills,” Rizzo said. “The thing we have to see behind the plate is that sometimes he’ll fall asleep for an inning or two — he’ll drop pitches, maybe not maintain his focus. That’s a youthful mistake. He’s got a plus arm. And he can sure roll the poles; he’s a plus-plus power guy, an RBI guy, and he’s going to be a middle-of-the-order guy who can catch or throw.”
“Derek knows that promotions, fall ball opportunities, and hopefully in the future, big league spring training will come” when Rizzo feels like it’s the right time, says Jonathan
#16 by Ronny - July 9th, 2009 at 14:36
Thanks CJ. It was a good write up. I knew Norris would be this good since we drafted him. I just had a feeling.
#17 by Greg - July 9th, 2009 at 14:52
Drop pitches? Wow.
Plus-plus power? Double wow.
#18 by Mark L - July 9th, 2009 at 15:28
Thanks Cj; I was one who didn’t see him being THIS good. Pretty exciting stuff.
#19 by DJ - July 9th, 2009 at 17:32
Brian any update on Marcus Jones?
And when do you think Derek Norris will get bumped up?
#20 by Jane - July 9th, 2009 at 17:42
Andrew Kown, congratulations on your promotion to Syracuse!