Vermont finished the season with an above 0.500 record, defeating Hudson Valley 8-4 on Friday night (box/gamer). Josh Smoker started the season finale allowing two runs on two hits and two walks over two innings with two strikeouts. Adrian Alaniz picked up his eighth win of the season giving up two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four. LF Boomer Whiting was 1/4 with one RBI and one run scored. He also stole two more bases, finishing his season with league leading 37. DH Garrett Bass (2/5) and 1B Aaron Seuss (1/5) each drove in a pair of runs. CA Sean Rooney was 3/4 with one RBI and RF Michael Burgess was 2/5 with one RBI.
The DSL Nationals1 became the first Nationals affiliate at any level to win a championship, rallying from a 3-1 deficit at home to defeat the DSL Yankees1 5-3, winning the best of five series three games to two (box). Marcos Frias won the decisive game, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks over five innings of work while striking out two. Federico Tanco held the DSL Yankees hitless and scoreless over three innings of relief, striking out four. Carlos Peralta picked up the save with a perfect ninth. LF Juan Beltre (0/4) and CA Yan Carlos Hiciano (1/3) each had a pair of RBI for the DSL Nats1.
Hartmanbirge | 08-Sep-07 at 10:05 am | Permalink
The DSL Championship is a neat accomplishment, but I think might mean a lot more to us fans if we knew a bit more about the talent. I frankly have to admit that I couldn’t tell you if the level there is AAA or high school. I have no idea how the top tier prospects there compare to those who are in the minors here in the U.S. I have no idea what the upside of any of them is. Will any of them be ranked in the Nats’ Top 10 or 20 going into next year? How would the top starting pitcher compare to McGeary or Smoker? Reliever to Zinicola? Outfielder to Burgess or Smolinski? Until we can see some sort of side-by-side comparison it’s tough to put this into context. BUT - it sure is nice to win a championship and it’s double sweet to do so at the Yankee’s expense given that they’ve invested so heavily there!
Tulsa Fan | 09-Sep-07 at 8:00 am | Permalink
Just a note to all that Sickel’s has scheduled that he’ll be doing a review of the Vermont rotation on Thursday. It might be delayed due to some personal stuff going on with him (his father-in-law was in a nasty looking traffic accident). Anyway it should be the first of some offseason reviews of the Nats system.
VladiHondo | 10-Sep-07 at 11:41 am | Permalink
The DSL is a feeder league to the GCL. The good ones from DSL will be promoted to GCL (which is the starting point for drafted high-schoolers), rarely to Vermont (where we our drafted college players). The range of ages is usually 17-21 (avg of 19 for both teams).
Our DSL teams are not all Dominicans, though most are (50). There were 12 Venezuelans and 2 Argentines on the rosters of the 2 DSL teams.
Playing in the DSL the kids are at least in an environment were they can speak the language and there’s no culture shock.