Was out of pocket most of Sunday so today I’ll recap Saturday’s games before discussing Sunday’s …
On Saturday, LHP Mike O’Connor continued his hot start to 2008 with seven innings allowing only a run on eight hits with four strikeouts in a 5-1 Clippers win over the Indianapolis Indians (box/gamer). RHP Brian Sanches struck out the final two hitters for his fourth save on the season. Columbus was led on offense by 1B Larry Broadway (2/4) and recently promoted 3B Yurendell de Caster (1/4), each with two RBI.
Indianapolis scored the first three runs on Sunday, but the Clippers battled back for a 5-3 victory over the Indians (box/gamer). LHP Jason Stanford allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings of work. RHP Steve Shell and LHP Charlie Manning pitched in with 4 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout relief with five strikeouts. Shell was credited with his first win and Manning his second save. RF Jason Dubois was 1/2 with a two-run double and a stolen base. LF Tommy Murphy was 3/5 with a double. CF Ryan Langerhans (1/3), 3B Yurendell de Caster (2/4), and 1B Larry Broadway (2/4) each had one RBI.
Today is an off-day for Columbus
Saturday saw Harrisburg blow out New Hampshire 10-2 (box/gamer). There were stars up and down the lineup. CF Roger Bernadina was 4/5 with two RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. DH Justin Maxwell was 2/5 with two doubles and two RBI. CA Luke Montz was 3/5 with a home run and three RBI. LF/RF Mike Daniel had three hits and RF Jorge Padilla, 1B Andrew Lefave, and 3B/LF Marcos Yepez each had a pair of hits for Harrisburg. This was more than enough offense for RHP Bobby Brownlie who picked up the win, allowing only one unearned run on five hits and one walk over six innings. Notes: Patriot News profile of OF Mike Daniel
Borrowing from the Patriot News … Harrisburg’s series finale against the visiting Fisher Cats, scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Sunday, was postponed by rain. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Aug. 12 when the Senators (11-5) travel to New Hampshire (3-12). This was the Fisher Cats’ only trip to Commerce Bank Park on City Island this season.
Tonight: RHP Shairon Martis (1-0, 4.40) takes the mound as the Senators open a series in Erie at 6:05PM
RHP Adrian Alaniz bounced back from a pair of poor starts with seven strong shutout innings allowing only four hits and one walk in Saturday’s 5-0 blanking of Wilmington (box/gamer). LHP Yunior Novoa finished off the game with two innings of one hit shutout relief. RF Edgardo Baez (3/4 with a double) and recently activated 3B Leonard Davis (2/4 with a homer) each had a pair of RBI for the P-Nats.
Borrowing from the P-Nats website … The final game of the Potomac Nationals’ four-game set with the Wilmington Blue Rocks has been postponed due to heavy rain. The game will be rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, June 7 beginning at 5:35PM
Tonight: RHP Jhonny Nuñez (0-1, 4.30) starts for Potomac as the open a three game series at Winston-Salem at 7:00PM
The Suns losing streak extended to four games with a 14-7 loss to Lake County on Saturday (box/gamer). Hagerstown RHP Brad Peacock and LHP Kai Tuomi were torched for all fourteen runs (thirteen earned) on seventeen hits and one walk over seven innings. RF Michael Burgess (2/3), DH Francisco Plasencia (2/4), and SS (yes SS) Steve Souza (1/4) each had a home run for the Suns.
The Suns snapped their losing streak on Sunday, scoring a run in the top of the ninth to defeat Lake County 3-2 (box/gamer). 2B Trevor Lawhorn (1/4) singled in the game winning run in the top of the ninth. LF Aaron Seuss was 3/4 with a double and a run scored. 3B Steve Souza was 2/4 with a double and one RBI. RHP Jeff Mandel allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings of work. Hagerstown received solid relief from RHPs Clint Everts and Edulin Abreu who combined four four shutout innings of relief, allowing only a pair of hits and three walks. LHP Atahaulpa Severino nailed down his first save, striking out the one hitter he faced.
Tonight: The Suns return to Hagerstown as LHP Randy Matias (0-1, 11.25) takes the mound against Lakewood at 6:35PM
e | 21-Apr-08 at 11:15 am | Permalink
Brian –
Once again, I’d like to commend you on the outstanding work you’re doing. I’d like to get your take on what you think is enough time to elapse before a player is pushed up the ladder (i.e. how many at bats is enough before the organization thinks a batter is ready to try the next level; how many IP’s for a pitcher, etc)? I’m really intrigued by a couple of hitters and pitchers so far this (early) season and was curious to see if the Nats are going to try and move them up to see if they can handle the next level.
More specifically:
Hagerstown — Steve Souza (3B/SS?!), Bill Rhinehart (1B), Aaron Seuss (OF), Cole Kimball (SP), Colt Willems (SP)
Potomac — Marvin Lowrance (OF), Jordan Zimmermann (SP), Cory Van Allen (SP), Zech Zinicola (RP)
Harrisburg — Luke Montz (C), Jorge Padilla (OF), Rog Bernadina (OF), Mike Daniel (OF), Justin Maxwell (OF)
Columbus — Collin Balester (SP), Mike O’Connor (SP), Brian Sanches (RP), Steve Shell (RP)
Pilchard | 21-Apr-08 at 11:54 am | Permalink
Interesting that Bobby Brownlie has pitched very well to start the season in Hagerstown. He was supposed to be star coming out of Rutgers (his agent was Scot Boras, who was asking for the moon, as a result, Brownlie slipped to the Cubs in 1st round), but he was awful and IIRC, ending up pitching in the Indy league at one point. Would be great if he starts to meet the expecatations that many had for him.
That said, despite 4 good starts, he only has 9Ks in 20+ innings, which could indicate that his success may be the result of good fortune rather than great stiff.
Terry Byrom | 21-Apr-08 at 12:42 pm | Permalink
E, as far as moving guys up that just depends on many different things.
I would guess that Daniel is going to be in Harrisburg all season. I would also guess that Maxwell will be here most of the season since the Nats have been fairly public with the fact that they wanted him to spend a “year” in AA.
As for Padilla, Montz, and Bernadina, all three of them are very different situations. I’d guess Montz will be here most of the season and if he continues playing like he has, he’ll most certainly play himself into being a prospect for the Nats or someone else. Bernadina, not sure, but I’d guess he’ll be here a while as well. Not sure about Padilla at all.
Typically the Nats don’t promote “prospects” to AAA during the season.
Keep in mind that though winning in the minor leagues is generally not considered to be important to a major league franchise, the Nats haven’t had a winning TEAM at any level in the minors in five or six seasons, so I’m guessing that they’d love to have at least one team with a winning record this season.
Brian Oliver | 21-Apr-08 at 12:53 pm | Permalink
Terry - Thanks for the first person point of view from Harrisburg
e - I’d imagine that some of the guys at the lower level will get promoted somewhere areound late May/early June (unless there are injuries). Last season the Nats promoted Marrero, Daniel, Maxwell and McMillan in mid-June. It’s tough to promote guys this early outside of injury. Players need to really be struggling to consider cutting or demoting them.
e | 21-Apr-08 at 1:47 pm | Permalink
I realize that the sample size is quite small right now and msot of the people I listed aren’t true “prospects”, but I was wondering if teams use a basic target number before they even think of making call-ups/demotions (i.e. at least 100 AB’s or 50 IP’s)?
Dick | 21-Apr-08 at 2:04 pm | Permalink
Went to P-Nats game Saturday. Alaniz was OUTSTANDING. Not more than a couple of hard hit balls. One bases-loaded jam, got a GIDP to escape. Lots of ground balls and pop-ups. Marrero had the night off, or at least didn’t play. Anyone know why? Also, I see Burgess didn’t play on Sunday. Anyone know anything?
Not to be sarcastic, but the P-Nats were so much more fundamentally sound than the big club! The Blue Rocks played like an A-ball team, too. P-Nats looked like a well-oiled machine!
Tom | 21-Apr-08 at 2:30 pm | Permalink
Terry & Dick, I think after 5 years of loosing at every level in the minors player development has taken a different approach this year. Potomac is the biggest example. Potomac has the most “older players” on this team since the Nat’s took over the operation in 2005. Player Development now wants the prospects to get used to winning so the winning attitude is ingrained in them before the get to the big team. This has been Atlanta’s Plan for the past 25 years and I believe this philosophy is now implementing in the National’s player development system now that the Nations have a significant investment in their minor league system.
If you are a fan in the No VA you just might get a better value for the dollar going to a P-Nat game this season than seeing a Nat’s game.
By the way Harrisburg is seeing the same. Geoff Morrow may be able to do a good interview comparing this year vs the last couple of years in Harrisburg.
Tom | 21-Apr-08 at 2:33 pm | Permalink
Interesting note Bobby Brownlee was drafted ahead of Jason Bergman out of Rutgers in 2002.
Dick | 21-Apr-08 at 4:44 pm | Permalink
Tom: Noted the phenomenon you commented on in your post prior to leaving for the game Saturday. Other than Marrero, I’m not sure they have any position prospects on Potomac. BUT, they sure have a team to give confidence to the young pitchers down there. And they certainly have arm prospects! Interesting that Zinicola and Carr have traded places this season.