Nationals Farm Authority

• Across the Affiliates 2007 - DSL (1 of 7)
• Across the Affiliates 2007 - GCL (2 of 7)
• Across the Affiliates 2007 - Vermont (3 of 7)
• Across the Affiliates 2007 - Hagerstown (4 of 7)
• Across the Affiliates 2007 - Potomac (5 of 7)

Disappointing. The only word to describe the Senators in 2007. The Harrisburg Senators won seventeen of their last twenty-six games, yet still finished the season with an Eastern League worst record of 55-86, 5 1/2 games behind the next worst team.

While the Nationals have made great strides in improving a player development system laid barren under MLB’s stewardship, there was no clearer indicator of the work that still needs to be accomplished in the rebuilding effort than the 2007 Harrisburg Senators. They featured only a few players considered “prospects” with the remainder more or less organizational type players. To put things into perspective, of the 27 players who played any time for the Senators in April, only nine players remain with the organization (Rog Bernadina, Seth Bynum, Josh Whitesell, Devin Ivany, Collin Balester, Beltran Perez, Brett Campbell, Gerald Plexico and Zech Zinicola). And only Bernadina and Whitesell are on the 40-man roster (though Balester and Zinicola do not yet have to be placed on it). The steps the Nationals have taken seems likely to bear fruit for Harrisburg in 2008 as players such as Chris Marrero, Justin Maxwell, Ross Detwiler, among others make their likely debuts.

STATISTICS

Hitting

Team	AB	R	H	HR	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	SB
Harrisburg	4622	645	1149	121	492	1088	249	326	381	707	112
Eastern Lg Avg	4683	653	1231	109	472	950	263	335	399	734	97

Pitching

Team	IP	ERA	WHIP	BA	OPS	BAbip	K/9	BB/9	K/BB	HR/9
Harrisburg	1213	4.86	1.51	273	779	307	6.5	4.0	1.6	1.0
Eastern Lg Avg	1217	4.21	1.40	263	734	306	7.0	3.5	2.0	0.8

Offensively, the Senators were not … well, offensive. Hitters like Whitesell and Bernadina provided enough of their skill-set to keep the Senators roughly league average at the plate. Where the Senators ran into trouble was on the mound, whether it was the starting pitching or relieving, the Senators battled inconsistency, injury and overall bad performances to their league worst record. Aside from a few highlights like Balester or John Lannan, the pitching performances left much to be desired.

Team	Hit	Pit
Harrisburg	25.6	25.0
Eastern Lg Avg	25.0	24.8

I’ll once again harp upon the roster composition. As the average age for Harrisburg demonstrated, they were older than the average team. This is even more a factor behind their struggles when you consider the fact that most MLB teams use their Double-A teams as the location where their top prospects get their final challenge before a promotion to the majors. The Nats Double-A team had less than a handful of such players. Their Double-A affiliate was, in essence, a Triple-A team to their actual Triple-A team. Interchangeable players/skill-sets. An assortment of older players who had maxed out in other organizations. Many of these players understood the opportunity available to them with Harrisburg was unlike most other Double-A teams. The Nationals were holding an open casting call for their major league starting rotation, bullpen spots, outfield, first base as well as several bench roles. By playing with the Nationals, these players has the chance to crack a major league roster.

Regular Lineup

HIT	Player	Other
CA	Luke Montz 23	Javi Herrera 25
1B	Josh Whitesell* 25	Steve Mortimer* 26
2B	Dan Dement 29	Ofilio Castro 23
3B	Brandon Larson$ 31
SS	Seth Bynum 26	Marcos Yepez# 25
LF	Dee Brown 24
CF	Rog Bernadina* 23
RF	Frank Diaz 23
DH	Tony Blanco 25
BENCH
CA	John Suomi$* 26	Devin Ivany 24
CA	Brett Logan$ 24
IF	Melvin Dorta 25	Brandon Powell 26
IF	Wade Robinson$ 26	Juan Melo$ 30
OF	Sheldon Fulse# 25
OF	Cristian Guerrero$ 26	Robin Jennings$ 35
PIT	Player	Other
SP1	Collin Balester 21
SP2	Mike Hinckley* 24
SP3	Beltran Perez 25
SP4	Jim Magrane 28
SP5	Mike O’Connor* 26
SP6	TJ Nall$ 26
SP6	Garrett Mock 24
Other	John Lannan* 22	Justin Jones * 22
Other	Anastacio Martinez$ 28	Jerome Williams$ 25
RP	Gerald Plexico* 27	Josh Hall 26
RP	Dan Kolb 27	Jon Albaladejo 24
RP	Alex Morales 24	David Trahan 26
RP	Carlos Martinez 23	Adam Carr 23
RP	Devin Perrin 26	Josh Perrault 25
RP	Dan Foli 26	Danny Rueckel$ 27
CL	Brett Campbell 25	Zech Zinicola 22

‘*’ = lefthanded

‘#’ = switch-hitter

‘$’ = released/traded

There is not much to add here other than to notice the number of players here that were released. Rather than view this as a glass half-full, I suggest that it was an indication the Nationals have begun to turn the page towards an implementation of “The Plan”. The need for organizational type players is moving from a necessity to field a starting Double-A roster to how a successful organizations employs it … complementary pieces to fill out the back end of a Double-A roster.

Top 10 Harrisburg Senators Prospects

1. Collin Balester, RHSP
2. John Lannan, LHSP
3. Garrett Mock, RHSP
4. Rog Bernadina, CF
5. Josh Whitesell, 1B
6. Zech Zinicola, RHRP
7. Jon Albaladejo, RHRP
8. Frank Diaz, OF
9. Dee Brown, LF
10. Ofilio Castro, IF

As it should be clear, this is going to be a challenge to get to ten. Of the top 10 listed above, I’d realistically put the “prospect” tag on only the top 4. The guys at #4-8 can all be major league contributors but I’m not 100% sold on them as anything more than bench guys.

Balester feels like he has been around forever but the righthander is still only 21 years old. He added a change-up to his repertoire to go along with his fastball/curveball in 2007. While his record while in Harrisburg was not that impressive (2-7), his peripherals 7K/9IP, 2.3BB/9IP and 0.8HR/9IP with a 1.29WHIP. He profiles out as a #3 starting pitcher but has the chance to be a solid #2. I’d expect Balester to be given a shot as a minor league invitee in 2008 though there is no real reason to add him to the 40-man unless he really performs in the spring. I’d imagine he starts 2008 in Columbus but is among one of the first options if injury/ineffectiveness in Washington dictates.

Lannan once again appears on a list. The 23-year old lefthander is what he is. He is a soft-tosser who most teams are happy to have. He doesn’t strike out a whole lot of guys and relies on pitching to contact. He seems a best fit as a back of the rotation type of guy and should have every opportunity to make the Nats out of spring training. He’ll either be a #5 in Washington or front the rotation in Columbus.

Mock continues the trend of starting pitchers on this list. The 24-year old righthander had a lost season as he rehabbed from knee surgery and sore arm that cost him most of the season. He’s now pitching in the Arizona Fall League where he is making up for lost time with a 1-1 record, 2.31ERA, 1.03WHIP, with 18K an 8BB over 23 1/3 innings of work. He is another guy who pitches to contact and relies on his defense with a heavy sinking fastball. He’s quickly approaching the make-it-or-break-it stage of his career. Added to the 40-man roster this off-season, he should be given every opportunity to make the Nats rotation in 2008, likely as a #4 or 5. If not, he’ll be in Columbus.

Bernadina is another name that has been bouncing around the organization for a few years. He’s an intriguing outfield prospect but his ceiling is likely as a #4 or 5 outfielder. He has incredible speed and is an above average defensive center fielder. His main issue is going to be plate discipline and getting on base. He was also added to the 40-man this off-season but will most likely be in Columbus to start 2008.

Whitesell had a breakout season for the Senators in 2007. The 25-year old 1B hit 21 home runs for Harrisburg, batting 284/425/512. He was also considered the best defensive 1B in the Eastern League. He does not project to be a starting player but is the best in-house candidate for a utility 1B role backing up Dmitri Young in 2008. I’d hope the Nationals look to Whitesell for that role in lieu of a third season of Robert Fick.

Zinicola had a really disappointing 2007. He regressed quite a bit from the 2006 minor league pitcher of the year. The power righthander is still a bullpen option but needs to work on his control if he has any chance of contributing at the major league level. It would be no surprise if he’s back in Harrisburg in 2008, though Columbus seems a more likely location.

Albaladejo was a pleasant surprise for the Nationals after picking him up after the Pittsburgh Pirates released him. He is a strikeout reliever with a low-90s fastball who finally seemed to harness what made him an option originally in Pittsburgh. He’s going to get every opportunity to fill in the Washington bullpen but much will be dictated by who sticks around at the front end of the bullpen (Chad Cordero & Jon Rauch specifically).

Diaz was removed from the 40-man roster this season and is currently a minor league free agent which should tell you all you need to know about this top ten list. Diaz is arguably one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization but doesn’t have the offensive skills to be anything more than a defensive replacement in the majors (if he makes it). I’d imagine he is playing for another organization in 2008.

Brown seemed to max out in Potomac as he struggled with his promotion to Harrisburg. He has a combination of power and speed but hasn’t proved he can hit at higher levels. He should be back in Harrisburg in 2008.

Castro is a middle infield prospect who also seems to have maxed out in Potomac. He is going to back in Harrisburg in 2008.