Nationals Farm Authority

In 2006, the Potomac Nationals hired Bobby Holland to be their general manager. On August 15, they added Vice President to his title. Bobby was kind enough to sit down with me for an interview about his first year on the job and other things Potomac Nationals related.

Nationals Farm Authority (NFA): How did you get your start in the business of minor league baseball?

Bobby Holland (BH): Minor League Baseball has always been a big part of my life. I grew up in Richmond where my dad took me to lots of Richmond Braves games; I signed up for a lot of the promotions and collected autographs of the Braves prospects. I played baseball through college at Old Dominion where they offered a degree in Sports Management. The last 12 credits were an internship. I applied with the Richmond Braves and was hired as a Ticket Operations Trainee in 1999.

NFA: What was your first full time job?

BH: I was hired by the Potomac Cannons in 2000 as the Director of Ticket Operations.

NFA: Have you noticed any differences in the organization with regards to the different affiliations?

BH: In 2000, the Cannons were affiliated with St Louis Cardinals. But today with the big league club so close, we are getting a lot more fans coming to see the big leaguers rehabilitating. Just this year, we had John Patterson for two starts, Brian Schneider, Jose Vidro, and both Jose Guillen and Pedro Astacio joined us on the road.

NFA: What impact has the presence of the Washington Nationals had on your attendance?

BH: We lost a lot of sponsors and season ticket holders in the first year (2005), but we have saw a nice improvement in the second year, nearly 12,000 more fans showing up for affordable family entertainment, even with the six rainouts we had in 2006. We extended our working relationship this year with Washington through 2010.

NFA: Has the local media coverage changed given the proximity of the big league club?

BH: We are definitely a small fish in a big pond. With all of the local teams in the area, it’s been a challenge. But the Washington Nationals have been great to us. We have down a lot of work promoting the team in Potomac. The Nationals management has had us on the radio several times to promote what is happening down in Woodbridge.

NFA: Speaking of Nationals management, during your time working with Richmond (he returned to Richmond from 2001-2004) what was your experience with Stan Kasten?

BH: The Braves were a first class organization top to bottom. We were in a unique situation where the major league club owned several of their affiliates. Along with Richmond, they owned affiliates in Greenville, Macon, and Danville. We all followed a similar plan. The leadership will carry over. The Nationals have not made many moves at the big league level but they are building up the minor leagues. We should fare well.

NFA: What are your duties as a minor league baseball general manager?

BH: Anything and everything. A lot of people think I’m in charge of player moves; I actually have no say in the personnel decisions. My job is to oversee eight departments that include box office operations, ticket sales, sponsorship sales, food service (Potomac owns their own food business), stadium operations, hiring clubhouse managers, and coordinating team travel from the hotels on the road to the bus transportation. The most important think to remember is not to let your job title get in the way to what needs to be done. I’ve been up on ladders bolting in signs. It’s all necessary to ensure the fans have a good entertainment experience.

NFA: What do you do in the off-season?

BH: Actually, January through April is our busiest time. We figure out what merchandise to sell, recruit our sponsors, sell program ads/billboards, decide upon promotions, hire/train staff, and this year we are in the process of re-designing our website. Once the season starts, it’s mostly ensuring the fans have a good time.

NFA: What are some of your more popular promotions? Any new ones for 2007?

BH: We are in the entertainment business, so we need to do different things to fit different needs. Monday $1 nights are very popular. Our Saturday night fireworks are also a favorite. In my opinion, we have the best July 4th fireworks in Northern Virginia. We expect to release our full promotional calendar in March. The one thing we are really excited about is the return of the San Diego Chicken to Woodbridge. It still isn’t confirmed, but the organization is very excited by the possibility.

NFA: Is there anything else new for 2007?

BH: We ask our fans for suggestions and this year we have some new things. We received numerous suggestions that discussed the traffic challenges faced with our 7:05PM start time. Beginning in 2007, our weekday evening games will now start a half-hour later at 7:35PM. Also, we realized how hot our Sunday afternoon games were in the summer. In 2007, all of our Sunday games from late June through August will now start at 6:05PM.

NFA: How are the plans going for a new stadium?

BH: We are still working with Prince William City and the Prince William County Park Authority. We hope to know by the end of January 2007 if a new ballpark will be available. We are hoping to get it done. Our current ballpark opened in 1984 and it’s showing its age. We want to get a new facility for the fans. We believe this would be very exciting for both the county and the fans.

NFA: What is the plan for the Hot Stove Banquet?

BH: The 12th Annual Hot Stove Banquet is scheduled for January 21. Andy Dunn, Director of Minor League Baseball Operations for the Washington Nationals, is the keynote speaker. He’s going to talk about what to expect on the field in Potomac and elsewhere in the organization. We also have our 2007 manager Randy Knorr coming to discuss his experiences in 2006. He had a very unique year. He spent the first half of the year as our manager in Potomac, but finished off the season as the bullpen coach with the big league club. We also use the banquet as an opportunity to raise money and awareness for a charity. This year we are having a silent auction for Ryan Zimmerman’s ziMS Foundation. The ziMS Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that has affected Zimmerman’s mother. We’ll have items from MLB, NFL, and minor league baseball among others.

NFA: Thank you for your time.

Save any roster moves, NFA will be taking off the next few days for Christmas.

Happy Holidays

Todd Jacobson of the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star was down in the Dominican Republic last week to cover the return of Manny Acta to his hometown. Unfortunately the Free Lance Star website does not have links to his articles (though they are out there).

On Sunday, he gave his perspective on Acta’s return.

On Monday, he reported on the Nationals Dominican academy.

On Tuesday, he explained exactly what ‘buscones’ (Dominican ‘agents’) are.

UPDATE: And today, an article about Smiley Gonzalez.

The Nationals completed their trade for Jose Vidro yesterday, acquiring OF Chris Snelling and RHP Emiliano Fruto from the Seattle Mariners. To make room on the 40-man roster for both players, the Nationals outrighted CA Brandon Harper to Columbus. With the acquisition of CA Jesus Flores in thr Rule 5 draft, Harper’s role as backup to Brian Schneider did not necessitate three catchers on the 40-man roster.

Additionally, the Nationals have signed (or are soon to sign) five players to minor league contracts with likely spring training invitations. The five players are:

1. LHRP Ray King - The soon-to-be 33-year old King has pitched for 5 teams in his eight year major league career. He’s been a situational LHP and a workhorse out of the pen. He’ll likely compete with Micah Bowie for the spot as lead LHRP. Federal Baseball has a solid analysis of King (surprisingly, without a hint of condescension).
2. RHP Jason Simontacchi - A 33-year old former SP for the Cardinals, Simontacchi has not pitched in the major leagues since 2004 after labrum surgery on his right shoulder. Simontacchi had a minor league contract with the Cubs voided in March of 2006. If he sticks, he’s probably bound for Columbus.
3. LHSP Luis Martinez - Martinez will be 27 in January 2007. He began his career playing for the Milwaukee Brewers, and has also pitched with the St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies AAA teams. He’s spent the past two seasons pitching for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. In 2006, he was 6-8 in 21 starts (107.33 IP) with a 4.19ERA, 1.45WHIP, 6.3K/9, and 3.4BB/9. He’ll be among the scrum for the Nationals 2007 rotation, but like Simontacchi, he’s likely Columbus bound if he sticks. According to BBA, his best pitch is a changeup, and he also throws an average fastball and mediocre curveball
4. IF D’Angelo Jimenez - The 29-year old (on Friday) Jimenez has bounced around five major league teams (including Jim Bowden’s Cincinnati Reds) after starting as a top prospect for the New York Yankees in the late 90s (among a group that included current Nats 1B Nick Johnson). Here is Stats, Inc scouting report for Jimenez … “All of his power/average comes from the left side. The disparity has caused some consideration for him to give up switch-hitting. He sometimes will think longball too much early in the count and often overswings, which is a big reason for a too-high strikeout total. However, Jimenez has extra-base pop to all fields and can pull a fastball low in the strike zone for power. In addition to adding muscle, Jimenez’ knowledge of the strike zone also has improved.” And on the basepaths/defense … “With above-average speed and quick acceleration, Jimenez has become a genuine basestealing threat. He at times can be overly aggressive and will make some mistakes on the bases. He came a long way defensively last year at second base, showing good range and a much-improved ability to turn the double play. He has a strong, accurate arm and good hands.” He’ll likely compete with Jose Macias, Josh Wilson, and Bernie Castro for the utility MI role on the Nationals.
5. OF Abraham Nunez - No, not this one. This one is a former OF prospect who has bounced around the minors with one full major league season (2004 with Kansas City and Florida). Mike Rizzo may have some knowledge of him as he played for the Diamondbacks until 1999. He’s a switch hitter who shows almost all of his power from the right side. He projects as a RF with a powerful (yet at times erratic) arm. With the glut of OFs already on the 40-man roster, Nunez faces long odds to make the team.

ALL CAPS ARE HOME GAMES

Back on November 24, I listed some minor league transactions from Baseball America. One of those transactions was incorrect.

The Nationals did not release Richard Caputo, a 2006 24th round draft pick out of Hofstra. It was a data entry error.

Hat tip to reader Freda Tutt for pointing that out.

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms on 2007 contracts with right-handed pitcher Chris Schroder, right-handed pitcher Chris Booker, left-handed pitcher Mike Hinckley, outfielder Kory Casto and catcher Brandon Harper. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The Nationals have now agreed to terms on 2007 contracts with 14 players on their 40-man roster.

Anyone who appears on the 40-man roster needs to have a signed contract. The Nationals have five players with multi-year contracts that include 2007: Brian Schneider, Cristian Guzman, Luis Ayala, Nick Johnson, and (for now) Jose Vidro. An additional four were signed and added to the 40-man back in October: Joel Hanrahan, Tim Redding, Mike Restovich and Josh Wilson.

The remaining 26 players on the 40-man all need to be signed to a contract either through the arbitration process (John Patterson, Chad Cordero, Alex Escobar, Felipe Lopez, and Austin Kearns) or through contracts assigned by the Nationals to those who do not have the necessary service time for arbitration (less than three years, excluding the Super Twos+). This comprises the remaining 25 players.

+ A player with at least two but less than three years of Major League service shall be eligible for salary arbitration if he has accumulated at least 86 days of service during the immediately preceding season and he ranks in the top 17 percent in total service in the class of Players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service. This year it was roughly 2 years 130 days

With the trade of Jose Vidro to the Mariners, the Nationals received two players from Seattle’s 40-man roster. One spot was opened with the dealing of Vidro, but another 40-man spot will have to be opened up for the other component of the deal as prior to the yesterday’s trade, the Nationals were at a full 40-man roster. Of the players acquired, Chris Snelling is a LH corner outfielder and Emiliano Fruto is a RH relief pitcher (though I think the Nationals may consider him a SP option).

Removing Vidro from the list, here are the 39 with the possible candidates for the other necessary spot italicized:

RH Starting Pitchers (5)

• Joel Hanrahan
• Shawn Hill
• John Patterson
• Beltran Perez
• Tim Redding 

LH Starting Pitchers (3)

• Matt Chico
• Michael Hinckley
• Michael O’Connor

RH Relief Pitchers (11)

• Luis Ayala
• Jason Bergmann
• Chris Booker
• Brett Campbell
• Chad Cordero
• Jon Rauch
• Saul Rivera
• Chris Schroder
• Levale Speigner
• Jermaine Van Buren
• Ryan Wagner

LH Relief Pitchers (2)

• Micah Bowie
• Billy Traber

Catchers (3)

• Jesus Flores
• Brandon Harper
• Brian Schneider

Corner Infielders (3)

• Larry Broadway (LH)
• Nick Johnson (LH)
• Ryan Zimmerman (RH)

Middle Infielders (4)

• Bernie Castro (SW)
• Cristian Guzman (SW)
• Felipe Lopez (SW)
• Josh Wilson (RH)

Corner Outfielders (5)

• Kory Casto (LH)
• Tony Blanco (RH)
• Ryan Church (LH)
• Austin Kearns (RH)
• Michael Restovich (RH)

Centerfielders (3)

• Frank Diaz (RH)
• Alex Escobar (RH)
• Nook Logan (SW)

Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post broke the news, the Nationals are going to trade 2B Jose Vidro and $4M of his remaining $16M owed to the Seattle Mariners for 25-year old OF Chris Snelling and 22-year old RHRP Emiliano Fruto.

Who did the Nationals get?

Snelling was Seattle’s #4 prospect according to Baseball America entering the 2006 season. Fruto was ranked #9. Neither guy ranked in Baseball America’s 2007 Top 10 prospects list. Snelling had too many ABs and Fruto just missed according to Jim Callis of Baseball America who put Fruto in the 11-20 range for 2007.

Chris Snelling has been on Seattle’s prospect radar for what feel like a decade. He made his major league debut at 20 in 2002. Scouts have described him as having quick hands, and a solid eye at the plate with solid gap power. He is rated as an average OF defender. The biggest problem Snelling has had in his professional career has been staying healthy. Torn miniscus, sprained knee, broken throwing hand, torn ligaments in left (throwing) wrist, stress fracture in his right ankle, broken right thumb, blown out left knee, bone bruise in his right knee, and the list goes on. He’s in his first year of arbitration eligibility so the Nationals have control over his contract for the next three seasons. If (and that’s a HUGE if) he can stay healthy, he’s a viable option for the OF in Washington, likely in LF.

Fruto was signed by the Mariners out of Colombia in 2000. He made his major league debut in 2006 working out of the bullpen for the Mariners. Baseball America considered him the pitcher with the best pure stuff in the organization. He has a plus changeup (BBA ranked as best in organization in 2007), plus curveball, low-90s fastball, and an average slider. The questions surrounding Fruto have supposedly been maturity and poise. He has a huge upside and the Nationals could realistically consider him an option for the starting rotation in 2007. As previously mentioned, his service clock has just started and he’s at roughly 75 days service time. This means the Nationals will control his salary for the next three seasons and then he’ll be arbitration eligible.

Midnight tonight is the major league deadline for teams to tender contracts to players under their control (i.e. somewhere between three and six years service time). Sometimes players of value are uncovered (David Ortiz and David Eckstein were non-tendered).

As of 8:30PM, the following players have been non-tendered (2006 team):

• Marcus Giles (Atlanta)
• Chris Reitsma (Atlanta)
• Alexis Gomez (Detroit)
• Aaron Guiel (New York [AL])
• Jason Bulger (Los Angeles [AL])

Of the five names, two have associations with employees of the Nationals. Not that this guarantees they’ll be signed by the Nationals, but it means they should at least be on their radar.

Chris Reitsma was acquired by Jim Bowden when he was the GM of the Reds in 2000. He has a mid-90s sinker, decent changeup and a four-seam fastball.

The other guy with ties to the organization is Jason Bulger. Bulger was a 2001 first round draft pick by Mike Rizzo in 2001. He was an an infielder/closer out of Valdosta State (GA). He combines a mid-90s fastball (with sink) and a curveball.

Both best project best as relief pitchers, but it might be worth considering them as options to work out of the end of the starting rotation as #4/5 types.