LHP Mike O’Connor struck out 10 Knights hitters over six innings of work as Columbus edged Charlotte 2-1 (box/gamer). O’Connor allowed only five hits over six innings of work, surrendering the only run on a solo homer in the fourth inning. LHP Mike Bacsik and RHP Brian Sanches finished the Knights off with three shutout innings of one-hit and four strikeout relief. Sanches got his second save of the season. CF Ryan Langerhans was 2/3 with one walk. 2B Bret Boone was 1/3 with a double run scored and the game-winning sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. 3B Pete Orr was 1/4 with the other Clippers RBI and 1B Larry Broadway was 2/4 with a double. Notes: From Clippers Media …OF/INF Kory Casto underwent surgery on his fractured hamate bone in his wrist. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks; OF Alex Escobar says his hamstring is feeling much better and he continues to rehab every day. Escobar could start running soon;CA Jesus Flores did not catch on Monday, he was in the lineup as DH
Tonight: RHP Garrett Mock (0-0, 7.00) opens up the Clippers series in Durham against Bulls RHP Jae Kuk Ryu (0-1, 6.75) at 7:05PM
RHP Bobby Brownlie had his second straight solid outing, allowing only one earned run on three hits and two walks over six innings in an 8-2 Harrisburg victory in Reading (box/gamer). RHP Josh Perrault and LHP Tim Bittner held the Phils to two hits over the final three innings of work, striking out three. CF Justin Maxwell was 1/4 with a stolen base and two RBI and LF Mike Daniel was 0/4 but stole a base and scored twice. 3B Yurendell de Caster continued his hot start, going 3/5 with a run scored and one RBI. 2B William Bergolla was 2/5 with a double and two RBI and SS Ian Desmond was 2/4 with one RBI.
Tonight: RHP Shairon Martis (1-0, 4.82) faces off with Reading LHP Josh Outman (0-1, 1.64) at 6:35PM
The P-Nats just keep on winning, dumping Lynchburg 10-4 in their first game of a brief three-game road trip, extending their winning streak to eight games (box). RHP Adrian Alaniz struggled in his second outing of the season allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks over four innings of work, striking out three. Fortunately for Potomac, the strong relief work continued as LHP Jack Spradlin (3IP) and RHP Adam Carr (2IP) combined for five strong innings of relief, surrendering only two hits and three walks while striking out five. There was more than enough offense to go around, as every Potomac starter had at least one hit and either scored or drove in a run. 1B Chris Marrero was 2/5 with a triple and two runs scored. 3B Ofilio Castro was 2/5 with a pair of double, one RBI and one run scored. LF Dee Brown was 2/5 with a double and solo home run (his first of the season).
Tonight: RHP Jhonny Nuñez (0-1, 5.59) takes the mound against Lynchburg and LHP Tony Watson (0-2, 6.23) at 6:05PM
Former first round draft pick RHP Clint Everts was once considered a promising starting pitching prospect for the then Expos. In 2007, the Nationals finally abandoned developing Everts as a starter moving him to relief for Potomac. He began this season a level down in Hagerstown as their closer. At this early point in the season, things have not got any better as Everts was torched for four runs (three earned) on four hits and one walk in only 1/3 of an inning of work, blowing the save and getting the loss in Monday’s 7-6 defeat to Delmarva (box). RHP Brad Peacock made his second start of the season, giving up three runs on five hits and one walk over five innings with three strikeouts. RHP Kyle Gunderson threw three perfect innings with four strikeouts turning it over to Everts with a 6-3 lead. LF Aaron Seuss was 1/4 with his first home run on the season, a three-run shot in the sixth. 2B Jake Smolinski was 1/5 with a run scored, 3B Steve Souza was 0/4 with a run scored and a stolen base, CF Stephen Englund was 1/4 with one RBI and a stolen base, RF Michael Burgess was 1/3 with a double and run scored, and 1B Bill Rhinehart was 1/2 with a pair of walks and one run scored.
Tonight: The Suns and Shorebirds play a doubleheader (two seven inning games) with RHP Jeff Mandel (0-0, 5.23) and TBD taking the mound for Hagerstown at 6:05PM
Positively Half St | 15-Apr-08 at 7:43 am | Permalink
You have to wonder how long the Nats will keep experimenting with Clint Everts at all.
In the meantime, I admit that I am disappointed that Andrew Lefave (brought in by the Ray King trade last year) is not starting. Is Luis Jimenez (Little Papi) really considered to be a prospect at all? I realize that he is hitting better than Lefave is in limited at-bats.
Still, one complaint about Lefave was that at almost 24, he was too old for the level of competition, yet Jimenez is 2 years older. I guess that Jimenez’z power is the deciding factor.
Tom | 15-Apr-08 at 8:16 am | Permalink
Jesus was the DH on Monday.
Brian Oliver | 15-Apr-08 at 8:17 am | Permalink
Thanks Tom
Chris | 15-Apr-08 at 8:29 am | Permalink
The draft really is amazing. We took Everts before Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir
Dick | 15-Apr-08 at 8:47 am | Permalink
And Everts and Kazmir were high-school teammates so it wasn’t like they didn’t scout him!
Brian Oliver | 15-Apr-08 at 9:40 am | Permalink
Chris/Dick - Take a look at today’s Baseball Analyst, they touched on this draft.
About Everts
Everts is yet another injury victim from the 2002 draft, which explains why many of you may never have heard of him. Everts was a two-way player in high school and considered possibly the second best shortstop in the draft (next to Upton). He was also considered almost as promising as teammate Kazmir.
With his switch-hitting ability, plus speed and stellar defensive play, Everts might be the second-best shortstop in the nation after Virginia high schooler B.J. Upton. Yet he’ll almost certainly be taken as a pitcher, and one scouting director with an early pick says Everts could be the best arm to come out of the draft… Scouts dream about pitchers with his kind of quick arm action. “He’s the sleeper of the whole draft,” one scouting director said. “He’s going to make someone very happy.”
Evert’s calling card on the mound was a killer curveball, which ended up killing his elbow, as he had Tommy John surgery after the 2004 season. It was unfortunately because Evert had adjusted very nicely to pro ball and reached High-A ball in his second season, at the age of 19. Fast forward three years to the end of 2007 and Everts was still in High-A ball and posted 4.81 ERA. He also walked 56 in 97.1 innings (5.18 BB/9) Perhaps it’s time to try a conversion back to the field?
Chris | 15-Apr-08 at 9:50 am | Permalink
Dick: Yeah thats the most amazing thing.
Lets move him back to shortstop, whats the worst that could happen
Dick | 15-Apr-08 at 10:23 am | Permalink
Of course, before we spend too much time lamenting what we could have had with Kazmir, at least we didn’t have him and let him go!
charles | 15-Apr-08 at 10:53 am | Permalink
Why not move him back to the field?
Tom | 15-Apr-08 at 3:02 pm | Permalink
Until Clint got hurt he was the real deal. Mike Hinkley falls in this same category. After all the years of following players I am convince staying healthy is as important as talent. And for pitchers injury is just a matter of time because pitching is not a natural thing for our bodies.
Both are very good people and are trying their best to get “it” back. Our job as fans is to fully support them as they try to come back, not give up on them. The Nats player development people are trying to reinvent Clint and Mike as relievers. Let’s hope they succeed!
dd | 15-Apr-08 at 3:50 pm | Permalink
Well said, Tom!
I remember the fanfare surrounding Hinkley and Everts.
Let’s hope they succeed!
estuartj | 15-Apr-08 at 5:20 pm | Permalink
I remember Daniels and Maxwell moved up from Hagerstown to Potomac just before the SAL all-star game. Is that unusually early for non-injury related promotions? With the fast starts by Chris Marrero and Bill Rhinehart and the Harrisburg 1B not looking like they’re good enough to block prospects when might we expect a move IF everyone continues to play the way they’ve started?
estuartj | 15-Apr-08 at 5:25 pm | Permalink
OK so of course I post something like that and then look at the Harrisburg roster and see that Luis Jimenez OPS is .979. Maybe we can finally cut bait on Larry Broadway and have 3 1B prospects move up…