New Orleans (AAA) [Defeated Tucson 7-6]

• Brandon Watson RF - 2/4 2R 1BB
• Ty Godwin LF - 1/5 1R 2E
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco 3B - 2/5 1R 2RBI double
• Brendan Harris 2B - 1/3 1BB 1K
• Jason Bergmann RP - 2IP 1H 1R(1ER) 2BB 4K 1HR 1WP; BS & Win

Harrisburg (AA) [Lost to Bowie 10-7]

• Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 2/4 2RBI 1BB 1K
• Edgar Gonzalez DH - 05/ 1K
• Larry Broadway 1B - 1/4 1R double
• Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 0/4 2K
• Josh Labandeira SS - 1/3 2R 1HBP double
• Armando Galarraga SP - 5.2IP 12H 8R(8ER) 2BB 5K 1HR 1BK; Loss

Potomac (High A) [Lost to Winston-Salem 9-4]

• Ian Desmond SS - 0/3 2R 2BB
• Frank Diaz CF - 2/5 2K
• Kory Casto 3B - 3/5 1R 1RBI 1K; 2 doubles

Savannah (Low A) [Lost to Rome 7-2]

• Rogearvin Bernadina CF - 0/2 1E
• Devin Ivany CA - 0/4 1R 1GIDP 1E
• Edgardo Baez RF - 1/4 1R 2RBI 1K 1HR
• Collin Balester SP - 5IP 7H 5R(4ER) 2BB 4K 1HR 1WP 1HBP; Loss

Vermont (SS) [Defeated Lowell 6-5]

• Mike Daniel RF - 2/4 2R 1BB 1K 2SB
• Dee Brown LF - 0/3 1RBI 1BB 1SF
• Andrew Lane 2B - 1/4 2RBI 1K double

GCL Nationals (R) [Lost to GCL Marlins 7-6 in 11 innings]

• Brian Peacock DH 0/5 1K 2GIDP

New Orleans (AAA) [Defeated Las Vegas 9-3]

• Brandon Watson CF - 1/5 1R 1E
• Ty Godwin LF - 2/4 3R 1BB double 1SB
• Rick Short 2B - 1/1 (left the game due to an injured foot/ankle)
• Brendan Harris 2B - 1/3 3R 1RBI 1BB
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco 3B - 2/4 1R 3RBI 1K double

Harrisburg (AA) [Defeated Bowie 7-3]

• Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 1/5 1RBI 2K double; picked off 2B
• Edgar Gonzalez DH - 1/5 1RBI 1K
• Larry Broadway 1B - 2/4 2R; double
• Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 2/4 2R; double
• Josh Labandeira SS - 2/4 1R 1RBI
• Danny Rueckel RP - 2.1IP 1H 0R 0BB 4K; Save

Potomac (High A) [Lost to Winston-Salem 5-2]

• Ian Desmond SS - 1/4 1K
• Frank Diaz CF - 0/4 2K 1CS
• Kory Casto 3B - 2/4 1K double
• Salomona Manriquez CA - 0/4 1K 1PB
• Josh Whitesell 1B - 0/3 1R 1BB 1K

Savannah (Low A) [Lost to Charleston 12-8]

• Rogearvin Bernadina CF - 1/3 2R 2RBI 2BB 1K 1HR
• Edgardo Baez RF - 1/5 1R 1RBI 3K

Vermont (SS) [Lost to Lowell 7-3]

• Mike Daniel RF - 1/5 1R 2K triple
• John Howell DH - 2/5 1K
• Dee Brown LF - 1/4 1R 2RBI 1K 1HR
• Jeff Taylor RP - 1IP 0H 0R 1BB 3K

GCL Nationals (R) [Defeated GCL Marlins 4-1]

• Brian Peacock CA - 1/2 1RBI 2BB
• Mike Watkins RP - 2IP 3H 1R(1ER) 1BB 2K

New Orleans (AAA) [Lost to Las Vegas 11-8]

• Brandon Watson CF - 2/4 3R 2BB double
• Ty Godwin LF - 2/4 1R
• Rick Short 1B - 1/3 1RBI 1BB 1SF 1HBP
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco 3B - 0/4 1BB 1K 2GIDP 2E
• Brendan Harris 2B - 4/4 1R
• Bill Bray RP - 1IP 1H 3R(0ER) 1BB(1IBB) 1K 1HBP

Harrisburg (AA) [Lost to Akron 4-3]

• Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 0/4 1K 1E
• Edgar Gonzalez DH - 0/5 2K
• Larry Broadway 1B - 1/4 1R double
• Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 1/4 1RBI 2K
• Josh Labandeira SS - 1/4 1RBI double
• Darrell Rasner SP - 6.2IP 6H 2R(1ER) 3BB 3K
• Saul Rivera RP - 1.1IP 2H 2R(2ER) 0BB 0K 1HR; Loss

Potomac (High A) [Defeated Winston-Salem 8-6]

• Ian Desmond SS - 0/4 1RBI 2K 1SF
• Frank Diaz CF - 2/5 1R double
• Kory Casto 3B - 0/3 1R 2BB 2K
• Salomon Manriquez CA - 0/3 1BB 2K
• Mike Hinckley SP - 7IP 9H 6R(6ER) 2BB 2K 2WP 1BK 1E

Savannah (Low A) [Defeated Charleston 4-3]

• Rogearvin Bernadina CF - 0/4 1R 1BB 1K 3SB
• Devin Ivany CA - 0/3 2K
• Edgardo Baez RF - 0/3 1RBI 1BB

Vermont (SS) [Defeated Lowell 5-3]

• Mike Daniel RF - 3/4 1R double
• Dee Brown LF - 1/4 1R 1RBI 1K
• Craig Stammen SP - 6IP 3H 2R(1ER) 0BB 3K 1HR; Win
• Rehab Assignment: Clint Everts RP - 2.2IP 4H 1R(1ER) 2BB 5K 1WP 1HBP

GCL Nationals (R)

• Game scheduled with GCL Mets. No box score.

RHP Kip Bouknight has been promoted to New Orleans. As of this time, there has been no move made to replace Bouknight on the Senators roster so the active roster stands at 21 players with Henry Mateo still with the team on rehab from the Washington Nationals.

Bouknight was 4-4 with a 4.01ERA in 20 appearances including 13 starts this year with the Senators. He was signed by the Nationals this past off-season after having split time last season between the Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays organization. Bouknight has previously pitched in AAA with Colorado Springs and Syracuse last season.

As you can tell by his stops in with two other teams, the 26-year old Bouknight is not a premium prospect and projects as a long relief/spot starter if he were to make the major leagues.

I just wanted to highlight one paragraph from today’s Jim Bowden article in the Washington Examiner:

Our plan is not to trade all of our top prospects in the minors. The plan is to build the franchise to win year after year. The only way we’ll trade a top prospect is if we get a No. 1 or No. 2 pitcher who would make a major difference in our chances of winning the World Series

A fact I hope is true but given the speaker, I don’t necessarily believe it.

New Orleans (AAA) [Lost to Las Vegas 6-4]

• Brandon Watson CF - 2/4 2R double
• Rick Short LF/1B - 2/4 1RBI 2K 1CS
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco 3B - 0/4 1K 1GIDP
• Brendan Harris 2B - 1/3 1R 1BB 2E
• Ty Godwin LF - 0/1 1K

Harrisburg (AA) [Lost DH to Akron 11-4 & 7-3]

• G1: Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 3/4 2R 1SB 2 doubles
• G1: Edgar Gonzalez DH - 0/2 1RBI
• G1: Larry Broadway 1B - 0/3
• G1: Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 2/3 1R 2 doubles
• G1: Josh Labandeira SS - 0/3
• G1: Josh Karp SP - 4IP 7H 5R(4ER) 3BB 4K; Lost
• G2: Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 1/4 1RBI 1K
• G2: Edgar Gonzalez DH - 1/4 1R 1K double
• G2: Larry Broadway 1B - 0/3 2K
• G2: Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 0/3 1K 1E
• G2: Rich Rundles SP - 6IP 8H 7R(2ER) 1BB 3K

Potomac (High A) [Defeated Myrtle Beach 2-0]

• Ian Desmond SS - 0/3 1BB 1GIDP
• Frank Diaz CF - 1/4 1K
• Kory Casto 3B - 0/2 1R 2BB 1SB
• Josh Whitesell 1B - 3/4 1R 1RBI 1SB double

Savannah (Low A) [Defeated Charleston 6-3]

• Rogearvin Bernadina CF - 1/4 2K
• Devin Ivany DH - 1/3 1R double 1HBP
• Edgardo Baez RF - 0/3 1R 1BB 1K

Vermont (SS) [Defeated Staten Island 7-2]

• John Howell DH - 1/3 1R 1BB
• Dee Brown LF - 2/4 1R 1BB double
• Andrew Lane 2B - 2/5 1RBI 1K 1E
• Marco Estrada RP - 4IP 1H 0R 0BB 3K; Save

GCL Nationals (R) [Lost to GCL Mets 5-4 in 10 innings]

• Brian Peacock CA - 2/5 1R 1RBI 1BB 1K
• Tim Pahuta 1B - 1/3 1RBI 1BB 1K double

John Sickels, a highly respected authority on MiLB, has revisted his Preseason Nationals Top 20 Prospects. He echoes much of what is readily apparent about the Nats farm system, lots of injuries and much work to do to repair what MLB destroyed. A few of his positives are:

2 Bill Bray, LHP 27 innings of work at 3 levels, 3-1 with 6 saves, 33/9 K/BB ratio, 3.04 ERA. Sample is small but his numbers are pretty strong.

5 Ryan Church, OF Hitting .313/.370/.523 in 69 games for the Nationals. Doing just fine.

11 Kory Casto, 3B Solid year, hitting .303/.393/.555 with 20 homers, 52 walks at Class A Potomac. That’s damn good, actually, “solid” is an understatement. Moving up the list.

13 Rogearvin Bernadina, OF Hitting .250/.370/.393 with 24 steals, 56 walks at Savannah. Good speed, high walk rate, nice OBP. Power still developing. An interesting guy but should not be rushed.

That’s it, according to Sickels. I’d add Armando Galarraga to the list of prospects, a definite top 10 caliber guy.

New Orleans (AAA) [Defeated Las Vegas 7-3]

• Brandon Watson CF - 2/5 1R
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco LF - 2/4 1R 1RBI double
• Rick Short 1B - 2/4 2RBI 1K
• Brendan Harris 2B - 0/4
• Bill Bray RP - 1IP 2H 1R(1ER) 0BB 1K

Harrisburg (AA)

• Postponed by rain

Potomac (High A) [Lost 11-2 to Myrtle Beach]

• Ian Desmond SS - 2/3 1R 2BB; 25th SB; 25th E
• Frank Diaz CF - 1/5 2RBI double; OF assist (runner @ HP)
• Kory Casto 3B - 1/4 double 1HBP
• Salomon Manriquez CA -/3 1K; 1PB
• Greg Bunn SP - 1.2IP 7H 9R(9ER) 4BB 2K 1HR 1WP

Savannah (Low A) [Defeated Charleston 1-0]

• Rogearvin Bernadina CF - 3/4 Solo-HR 1BB 1K
• Devin Ivany CA - 2/4 1K
• Edgardo Baez RF - 0/2 2BB 1K 1GIDP

Vermont (SS) [Lost 6-2 to Staten Island]

• John Howell DH - 1/3 Solo-HR 1BB 1K
• Dee Brown LF - 1/4 1K
• Mike Daniel RF - 1/3
• Ricky Shefka SP - 3.1IP 8H 5R(4ER) 0BB 2K
• John Lannan RP - 3IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K; picked off runner

GCL Nationals (R) [Lost 9-3 to GCL Dodgers]

• Ryan Delaughter RF - 0/4 2K
• Brian Peacock DH - 0/4 1K
• Tim Pahuta 1B - 1/4 1R 1K
• Eduardo Pichardo RP - 0.2IP 3H 6R(6ER) 3BB 0K 1WP 1HBP
• Mike Watkins RP - 1.1IP 3H 0R 1BB 4K

Carolina League - Kory Casto, Potomac 7 G, 27 AB, 9 R, 12 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 11 RBI, .444 AVG, .531 OBP, 1.111 SLG, 0 SB Now that Leo Daigle is gone, Kory Casto may very well be the best hitter in the Carolina League. The 23-year-old third baseman won the league’s Offensive Player of the Week award for the second time in three weeks and the third time this season by cranking six home runs and driving in 11 runs for Potomac last week. Casto nearly single-handedly beat Salem on July 18, when he went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers, three runs scored and three RBIs in a 6-4 win. That outburst sparked quite a run for University of Portland product as he homered in each of his next three games and drove in 10 runs in a four-game span. Casto’s home run streak ended July 22, but he was back at it in the Nationals’ next game, going 2-for-4 with another homer — his team-leading 19th of the season. On the season, he ranks second in the league in RBIs (70), hits (109), extra-base hits (48) and runs scored (64), third in homers (19) and fourth in slugging percentage (.550).

Eastern League - Armando Galarraga, Harrisburg 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 0 SV After being signed by the Expos at the age of 16 and spending his first five seasons at the Rookie level, Armando Galarraga is beginning to flourish. The 23-year-old Venezuelan tossed his first career complete-game shutout on July 19, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning and limiting the Trenton Thunder to just three hits and a walk while striking out seven. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four starts with Harrisburg since his promotion at the end of June and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 16 innings. Galarraga was 3-4 with a 2.48 ERA in 14 starts at Class A Potomac, striking out 79 batters in 80 innings and holding opposing hitters to a .228 average.

New Orleans (AAA) [Lost 5-2 to Albuquerque]

• Brandon Watson CF - 0/5 1K 1E
• Ty Godwin LF - 1/4 1R 1RBI 2K 1HR
• Rehab Assignment: Nick Johnson 1B - 0/3
• Brendan Harris 2B - 0/1
• Rehab Assignment: Tony Blanco 3B - 3/4 1R 1RBI 1K 1HR
• Rick Short 2B/1B - 1/4

Harrisburg (AA) [Defeated Akron 7-6]

• Rehab Assignment: Henry Mateo 2B - 0/5 2K
• Edgar Gonzalez DH - 3/5 1RBI double
• Larry Broadway 1B - 1/4 1BB
• Dutch Zimmerman 3B - 3/5 2R 1RBI double
• Josh Labandeira SS - 1/4 1RBI 1K double 1HBP
• Armando Galarraga SP - 6.1IP 8H 4R(4ER) 2BB 1K 1HBP
• Danny Rueckel RP - 1IP 3H 2R(2ER) 0BB 2K 1WP; Win
• Saul Rivera RP - 1.2IP 1H 0R 0BB 1K

Potomac (High A) [Defeated Myrtle Beach 5-1]

• Ian Desmond SS - 1/5 1R 1RBI double 1SB
• Frank Diaz CF - 0/5 1K 1CS (picked off 2B)
• Kory Casto 3B - 1/4 1R 1RBI 1BB 1HR
• Salomon Manriquez CA - 0/5 1K
• Josh Whitesell 1B - 1/4 1R 1K

Savannah (Low A)

• No game scheduled

Vermont (SS) [Defeated Staten Island 5-4]

• John Howell DH - 2/4 2R 1RBI 1BB 1K 1HR
• Dee Brown LF - 1/5 1R 2RBI 2K 1HR
• Mike Daniel RF - 1/3 1R 1BB 1K 1SB 1E
• Andrew Lane 2B - 0/4 1RBI 1K

GCL Nationals (R) [Defeated GCL Dodgers 17-0]

• Brian Peacock CA - 1/3 1R 2RBI 1BB 1K
• Ryan Delaughter RF - 1/6 3K
• Tim Pahuta 1B - 1/5 2R 2RBI 1BB 1K 1GIDP