Nationals Farm Authority

Jonathan Mayo and Lisa Winston from Around the Minors finally got around to their “Five Faves” from the Nationals (in no particular order):

• Collin Balester, RHP
• Chris Marrero, OF
• Colton Willems, RHP
• Kory Casto, OF
• Zech Zinicola, RHP

They’ll be discussing the Nationals farm system with Mike Rizzo (edit: make that Bob Boone) at 12:00 PM this afternoon on MLB radio.

Also of note, Mel Antonen of USA Today stops by Nationals accelerated spring training.

Stanford OF Michael Taylor

Taylor is built more like a linebacker than an OF. Scouts see huge raw power potential but he has never consistently shown it in games. Scouts believe the tools are there, but whether they develop enough is still open to debate. At present, Taylor is a second round pick. 

VIERA, FL - John Patterson pitched in his first game in six months and looked pretty good doing it. The Washington Nationals lost 7-2 to their crosstown rivals, the Baltimore Orioles. Patterson said “I felt good; I wasn’t comfortable out there on the mound for the first couple of hitters. After that, I felt a little bit better.” He had never worked with presumptive backup catcher Jesus Flores, but they “kept it very simple today by throwing first pitch strikes, working some breaking balls in, and staying ahead of the count.” Patterson threw two innings and 34 pitches and his limit will most likely be increased to three innings or 55 pitches, whichever comes first. He threw his fastball, curveball, and changeup, but he noted that, as planned, “I didn’t throw any sliders [because] the slider is my last pitch to come. Once I find my arm slot and my release point on my fastball and get my curve ball going, then my slider works right off my fastball.” Manager Manny Acta also thought “it was refreshing to see him out there throwing the ball.” But after Patterson’s fastball, Acta said “it’s too much to ask him to have his second and third pitch [in his repertoire] with complete command. He wasn’t very sharp with his breaking ball. To see him go out there and throw the ball nice and free as he did; it was good for me.” Acta wasn’t overly concerned: “yes, the sharpness of the second and third pitches is something that sometimes in the middle of the season guys don’t have. So I don’t worry about. I worry about how he looks pitching.”

Joel Hanrahan, one of the 13-some odd pitchers competing for the four starting rotation slots of the big league club, came out to start the third inning but only lasted for one-third of an inning as he gave up three walks, three hits, and was credited with five earned runs. Hanrahan admitted, “when I got out there, the game started feeling fast,” but he understands that there were only going to be a limited number of opportunities to prove himself anyways. Even though this outing certainly won’t help his cause, he’s not going to let this hinder him from doing what he needs to do as a pitcher in his next outings. Manager Manny Acta expressed similar sentiments as he pointed out that if he changes his mind now on Hanrahan and then “if he goes out there and throws two scoreless innings next time, what am I going to do? Change my mind again? I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt out there.”

Other notes…

Some of the starting position players are still hitting well: Ryan Zimmerman had two singles to bring him to 4 for 5 in spring training and Austin Kearns continues to hit balls solidly. Jesus Flores had a solid double right down the left field line. Flores started the game at catcher since Brian Schneider was away with his newly expanded family as his new daughter, Tatum Elizabeth was born on Saturday at 10:03 a.m. Kory Casto notched his first hit of the spring; Casto has been playing the second half of each game at third base after Zimmerman comes out of the game. Relievers Ray King, Jon Rauch, and Saul Rivera all looked good in one inning of work each.

Manhattan 1B Matt Rizzotti

Rizzotti is a big power threat with a solid eye at the plate. Scouts do not foresee a gold glove in his future at 1B but he is serviceable. He appears to profect out best as a corner OF or DH. He’s likely a second round or later selection.

Acta said matter-of-factly that the first cut is on March 8th. He acknowledged that “For as much as everyone liked me before, they won’t after [the first cut], but that’s just part of the job.” Acta also said that with the arrival of Schneider’s daughter this morning, Schneider won’t need to be back until Monday at the earliest: “He’s not fighting for a spot.”

In a quick chat, Ryan Church said that everything is going good for him and that “the biggest thing now is to stay healthy and to stay consistent.” A similar quick chat with Kory Casto revealed that he is indeed only practicing at 3B and LF, but he said “I just go wherever they tell me. Most of my at bats are going to come from 3B.” I asked him if he had any particular goals for the season: “I’m just trying to get up [with the big club] at some point - that’s the biggest goal for me. Trying to find a way to get up here whether it’s at the beginning of the season, or in the middle of the season, or the end of the season - whatever it is, that’s my biggest goal.”

Jason Bergmann is a nice fellow and pointed out that though he occasionally reads the Nats blogs, he’s not obsessed with them or anything. Bergmann will be starting the split squad game at Houston in Kissimmee on Sunday and noted that “it’s good to get the games started and to get new energy.” Regarding spring training in general, Bergmann pointed out that his “mindset used to be … that you get your rest in the offseason and then you come to spring training to get ready. Now, it’s completely evolved into getting ready for the spring to get ready for the season. You come in ready for game one and then you’re ready to go on from there.” Bergmann has both started and relieved for the Washington Nationals and he continues to want to just “help the team out however I can. I’m not making millions of dollars, I’m a team player, and that’s never going to change. If I do somehow end up making a lot of money, it’s still going to be team first - if they want me to start, to relieve, or to pinch hit or pinch run, I’m there.” As I stated, Bergmann is a nice fellow who just wants to help the team out any way he can.

Below is the Nationals Minor League Spring Training Schedule. All games are at 1PM. (FYI … Camp day refers to a day where the Nationals play games between the levels; i.e. AAA versus AA)

While the Baltimore Orioles concluded their batting practice this morning, Nationals President Stan Kasten answered a few questions regarding the Nationals minor leagues and their expanding presence internationally after initially asking we why I wasn’t down at HCBC in my element (more on my time there later)

The Nationals changed two of their affiliations this past off-season, AAA Columbus (from New Orleans) and Low A Hagerstown (from Savannah). I asked Stan if this was part of a plan to move all of their affiliates closer to Washington. “We took care of the concerns we had [with the moves to] Columbus and Hagerstown,” Kasten replied. He continued, “We are very happy with our affiliates and we’ll see how things go the next two years.” I then inquired whether there had been any thoughts in adding the recently abandoned Pulaski team in the Appalachian League. His reply was a quick no. “We have plenty of capacity for the arms we have now,” Kasten said, “When I was in Atlanta we added an extra affiliate because we had ten pitchers we needed to find space for. We are not there yet [in Washington].”

I turned the conversation to the Nationals expanding their presence beyond the border. He commented that both scout Bill Singer and Director, Baseball Administration, Squire Galbreath were involved in the process in Asia. Kasten stated,”Squire engineered the deal we have with Mexico, and we’re having talks at various levels with many, many different people.” When I pressed him for other areas worldwide the Nationals, Stan was expectedly guarded with his responses jokingly telling me he knew I’d immediately reveal his secrets to the competition.

“When we have news, we will make sure to let the world know,” Kasten concluded.

VIERA, FL - The Washington Nationals started a good game yesterday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL, but they could not finish it out. Ryan Zimmerman hit a 430 foot two-run home run in the top of the 4th to put the team ahead 7-3, but the Nationals lost 12-7 after their relievers gave up nine runs and their second wave of position players only managed two hits. In fact, they had no more than four batters in any one inning after the fourth.

Shawn Hill pitched well overall, notching numerous groundball outs - his bread and butter. Hill said that he left “one pitch up to [Juan] Pierre out over the plate a little bit” that resulted in the only real solid hit that he gave up. The only other hit was a dribbler through the right side of the infield by Ethier that would’ve been an easy out had the infielders not been protecting the lines with two outs and no one on base.

Zimmerman had a good day with a single, the aforementioned home run, and three RBI. He downplayed the home run and said that “getting solid contact is what’s really important right now - whether or not it goes out.”

Kory Casto came in for Zimmerman at third base and played the second half of the game and had a beauty of a catch on a hot liner right at him. Casto said “most of my at bats will come at third base, but I’m working in left field as well.”

After the game, manager Manny Acta noted that the team “gave away 5 outs and that’s what we’ve been stressing this spring: when you have to make over 27 outs and you give outs on the bases, it’s going to cost you.” Acta was complimentary of Shawn Hill’s performance, noting that Hill “could have come out of there without giving up a run.”

D’Angelo Jimenez had a walk, two singles, and the Nationals’ first RBI of the spring, but he also had two errors. Acta noted that they “don’t get mad on physical errors, because those things sometimes you can’t control”, but he reiterated his disdain for giving up outs on the bases.

Yes, the year is early and only beginning. We’ll see how the second chapter shakes out today when the Orioles roll into Viera for the Nationals spring training home opener.

Mississippi SS Zack Cozart

While Horton is arguably the best offensive college SS in the 2007 draft, Cozart is considered by most scouts the best defensive college SS. Scouts describe him with “quick feet, soft hands, easy actions and a strong, accurate arm.” Cozart’s glove was strong enough that he was the Team USA starter. His offense, on the other hand, is still a work in progress. Cozart’s glove could propel him into the supplemental first round, but the second round seems more likely.

North Carolina SS Josh Horton

Horton is the best offensive threat among a weak college SS class. He has gap power, a solid eye, and above average speed on the basepaths. Scouts believe his arm is strong enough to remain at SS, but he needs to prove he can transition from the aluminum to the wood bat. Horton is a likely second round selection.