The Nationals placed backup CA Robert Fick on the 15-day DL with a rib injury. Replacing Fick on the roster is CA Brandon Harper from New Orleans.
With the promotion of Harper and the likelihood of the DL for recently demoted SP Mike O’Connor, New Orleans has added RP Danny Rueckel and OF Tim Raines Jr from Harrisburg.
Continuing the moves, Harrisburg has received OF Cristian Guerrero and RP Chris Thompson from Potomac to fill in for Raines and Rueckel.
The merry-go-round continues to spin with the OF Dee Brown and SP Craig Stammen promoted from Savannah to Potomac.
The final moves are the assigning of recently acquired SP Shairon Martis to Savannah. The other opening has yet to be filled.
Who are all of these people?
Brandon Harper was signed in the off-season as a minor league free agent. The 30-year old Harper has spent the entire season in New Orleans hitting 292/394/425 in 43 games. During the month of July, Harper batted 383/474/574 with 1HR and 7RBI in 43AB. He’s the backup, and assuming that Brian Schneider is okay after having a ball fouled off him in the on-deck circle, Harper will see only the occasional start.
Tim Raines, Jr joined the Senators in mid-May after being signed as a minor league free agent. In 58 games with Harrisburg, the 26-year-old Raines has batted 297/362/421 with 6HR and 24/28SB. In July, Raines hit 288/348/394 while stealing 17/19 bases. He’ll likely jump right into the starting lineup replacing either the struggling Kenny Kelly (246/373/275 in July) or Ty Godwin (253/322/405 in July). All three of them project as #5 OFs at the major league level.
Danny Rueckel returns for his second tour in New Orleans. In his first stint, the 26-year old Rueckel appeared in five games throwing six innings allowing three hits, one run, no walks, and striking out five. His return to Harrisburg in July was a struggle, appearing in seven games, nine innings pitched allowing twelve hits eight runs while walking three and striking out five. He’ll settle into middle relief in New Orleans. He’s an organizational guy at this point.
Cristian Guerrero is a 26-year-old journeyman OF who has bounced back and forth between Potomac and Harrisburg in 2006. In July, Guerrero appeared in 29 games, hitting 229/301/361 with two home runs and three stolen bases. The fill-in role from team to team is his lot in the Nationals organization.
Chris Thompson has been practically everywhere in the Nationals minor-league system in 2006. The 24-year-old has made stops in New Orleans (5 games), Harrisburg (3 games), Potomac (20 games), and Savannah (5 games). July was spent entirely in Potomac. In 10 games, he pitched in 13.33 innings allowing nine hits, seven runs (only three earned), while walking twelve and striking out ten. He is much like Guerrero and is an organizational guy.
Dee Brown is a 2005 10th round draft pick out of the University of Central Florida, the 23-year-old Brown has spent the entire season in Savannah batting 278/326/408 with six home runs and 51 RBI. He has been very hot recently, in July, he batted 336/387/495 in 28 games with two homers and 18 RBI. He should ideally be slotted into the starting lineup for the P-Nats (alongside Rog Bernadina and Ender Chavez) to allow the Nationals to see if Brown has a future in the organization. Brown, the son of late Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman Jerome Brown, is best known for his power.
Craig Stammen was a 2005 12th round draft pick out of the University of Dayton. The 22-year-old RHP has spent his entire season with Savannah. While his record is not overwhelming (6-9 in 21 games), he has pitched well in 113 innings, allowing 111 hits and 55 runs (45 earned) while striking out 93 and only walking 29. In July, Stammen pitched in 5 games, throwing 29.33 innings allowing 29 hits and 20 runs (14 earned) while striking out 19 and walking 9. Stammen has a 88-90 mph fastball, a knuckle curve, and a slider. He should slide right into the rotation in Potomac, probably bumping either Jon Felfoldi or Ricardo Morales into a long relief role.
Martis as previously discussed is the prospect acquired in the Mike Stanton deal. He should fill Stammen’s spot with the Sand Gnats.
Post a Comment