RHP Garrett Mock bounced back from two poor outings with five innings allowing one run on five hits in a 5-4 Columbus victory (box/gamer). Mock allowed the only run on a solo home run while striking out four. RHP Steve Shell and LHP Charlie Manning struggled in their three combined innings of relief, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk, but RHP Chris Booker slammed the door in the ninth, striking out the side for his first save of 2008. RF Tommy Murhpy was 2/5 with a pair of runs scored. 2B Bret Boone drove in two runs with a third inning double. CA Jesus Flores started behind the plate for the first time, finishing 0/4 with no errors or passed balls and not being tested on the basepaths.
Today: RHP Collin Balester (1-1, 2.61 ERA) faces Durham Bulls RHP Chris Mason (0-1, 4.66) at 1:05PM
The Harrisburg Senators were shutout by strong Reading pitching for the first seven innings, but managed to tie the game 2-2 before breaking out for six runs in the top of the eleventh inning in an8-2 win over the Phillies (box/gamer). CF Justin Maxwell was 2/5 with second home run of the season and three RBI. LF Mike Daniel was 3/6 with a pair of stolen bases (six on the season) and one run scored. 3B Yurendell de Caster was 1/4 with a bases clearing double in the eleventh and CA Luke Montz went 3/5 with a double and one RBI. RHP Shairon Martis started for Harrisburg and turned in a solid five innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks. The Senators bullpen shut down the Phillies for the next six shutout innings as RHPs Beltran Perez, Steve Schmoll, and Jim Ed Warden limited Reading to two hits and no walks while striking out five.
Tonight: The Senators look for the series sweep with RHP Josh Hall (1-1, 9.35) facing Reading RHP Kip Bouknight (1-1, 5.40) at 6:35PM
It’s now nine straight for Potomac, as the P-Nats rallied for three runs in the top of the tenth inning in a 5-2 win over Lynchburg (box/gamer). CF Frank Diaz was 2/5 and drove in the game-winning runs with a two-run double in the tenth. 1B Chris Marrero was 0/4 and scored the fifth and final run on a wild pitch in the tenth. 3B Ofilio Castro and CA Devin Ivany each had two hits. The pitching remained strong for Potomac as RHP Jhonny Nuñez allowed only one run on four hits and one walk over his five innings of work, striking out five. RHP Zech Zinicola provided 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief allowing only one hit and one walk with two strikeouts to pick up the victory.
Today: The P-Nats look for the series sweep this morning as LHP Cory VanAllen (1-0, 1.93) faces Lynchburg RHP Jared Hughes (0-2, 3.27) at 11:05AM
Hagerstown split a doubleheader with Delmarva, dropping the first game 6-2 (box) before shutting out the Shorebirds 5-0 in the second game (box/gamer). RHP Jeff Mandel was rocked in the first game allowing six runs on thirteen hits over 4 2/3 innings, taking the loss. 3B Steve Souza continued his hot start, going 2/3 with a double and one RBI. 2B Jake Smolinski and 1B Bill Rhinehart were both 1/3. RF Michael Burgess and CF Stephen Englund were both 0/2 with a walk. RHPs Terrence Engles and Martine Beno helped the Suns bounce back holding the Shorebirds to only three hits and one walk in a seven inning shutout. Engles struck out two in his second win of the season. Souza kept at it in the second game, going 3/3 with one RBI, two runs scored and his third stolen base of the season. Smolinski was 2/4 with a double and one RBI. CA Jhonathan Solano was 1/2 with a home run and two RBI. SS Dan Lyons was 2/5 with a run scored. Burgess and Englund were a combined 0/8 in game two.
Tonight: The Suns open a brief two-game homestand/series with at 6:35PM (pitchers TBD)
j | 16-Apr-08 at 8:14 am | Permalink
I realize it’s early, but I am the only one encouraged by the improved play (at least record-wise) of the affiliates thus far? Glad to see the records looking better. Brian, do you think this is early evidence that the talent is improving in the Nats minor leagues?
Brian Oliver | 16-Apr-08 at 8:27 am | Permalink
j - There are some promising signs in the farm system. There are mixed opinions when it comes to record of the team versus development of the player. There is certainly value to “learning how to win” as well as developing as an individual player.
The performance of the various affiliates is something to watch though the only caveat I would mention is the relative age of the key performers on the teams. In Columbus, Harrisburg, and Potomac, several of the players are “old” in comparison to the level at which they are playing.
This is what I’ve used before
AAA: 22-23 years old
AA: 21-22 years old
A Advanced: 20-21 years old
A: 19-20 years old
Short Season and Rookie Ball are often used for rehabilitation and initial introduction to recent draft picks/free agent signings. It’s difficult to really pigeonhole an age for these levels, but suffice it to say if a player spends more than 1 season there, he isn’t likely to be a prospect of note.
Using Potomac as an example, the average age of the SPs is 22.4 (21.75 if you exclude the 24-year old Adrian Alaniz). That’s a good age to level comparison. Excluding the 19-year old Chris Marrero, the average age of the typical IF (Devin Ivany, Ofilo Castro, Seth Bynum, & Michael Martinez or Matt Rogelstad) is 25.3. That’s old. The average age of the OF (Frank Diaz, Edgardo Baez & Marvin Lowrance) is 23. That’s somewhat old.
I’m not saying to ignore the results, but there is a certain degree of impact of having experienced players on the overall performance of the team that needs to be considered to some degree. Believe me, I much prefer following the affiliates when they are winning, it’s easier to do these daily updates, for sure.
The one team that does not have this issue is Hagerstown where the majority of the everyday players are at that age range (or younger).
Positively Half St | 16-Apr-08 at 8:44 am | Permalink
Your point on age is well taken, but I guess that 1) it is better than last year, and 2) AAA is most likely to have some older AAAA players in any franchise.
I am enjoying the better start as well, especially as an antacid to help me deal with how the Nats themselves are doing so far. With age vs. level of competition in mind, how long will players need to succeed before they are considered for a promotion during the season? I am not talking to the big club, but from Potomac to Harrisburg, or Harrisburg to Columbus.
Brian Oliver | 16-Apr-08 at 8:51 am | Permalink
PHS - It is better than last year. As for when to expect promotions, it’s complicated because for every one player promotion, three players are involved … a promoted player replaces an existing player and subsequently the promoted player needs to be replaced. It can be a one for one swap (promote/demote) but typically it seems to be three guys.
I’d imagine the Nationals would want to see at least six weeks of solid performance before the wheels started turning.
e | 16-Apr-08 at 10:48 am | Permalink
Brian –
I like your “chart” of the typical age of a player relative to the level their playing at. But, shouldn’t you also take into consideration the time/length of each stay for a player at each level?
For example, Player A is drafted out of HS (18 years old). Starts in Rookie Ball (18). Next year plays in Short Season (19). Progressively moves up the ladder (new level per year), so by the time he reaches AAA, he would be 23 years old.
Player B, drafted out of college (22). If he proceeds on the same path as Player A (moves up one level per year), he would be 26-27 years old in AAA, which would be deemed “too old” to be a prosepct.
Granted, college players tend to skip a level here and there, but basically both Players A and B would have spent the same amount of time at each level, but Player B would be considered “too old.”
This is why I don’t understand the knock on Justin Maxwell. Some “scouts” felt he was too old to be playing in Potomac last year. But it was only his second season in the minors. He started in 06 in Short Season then moved to A-. Then in 07, he started in A- then moved to A+. This season, he starts in AA and will probably either move up to AAA or straight to DC. Isn’t this the preferred movement up the organization’s ladder for a prospect? Just because he was 22 when drafted, this is supposed to make him “too old” for each level he’s playing at?
Brian Oliver | 16-Apr-08 at 11:11 am | Permalink
e - That certainly is a consideration.
Maxwell was drafted in 2005, didn’t play at all which really wasn’t best from a developmental perspective because it meant a college player was starting his 2006 in Vermont when he should have been in Low-A. Every step was subsequently delayed a season.
Marcus | 16-Apr-08 at 2:04 pm | Permalink
what are you guys oppinions of Burgess’s performance so far…so far it looks like he’s striking out an awful lot looks like he needs to work on his plate discipline…also any word on his defense to date???