Nationals Farm Authority

Columbus Clippers (4-2)

Day	Result
4/17	W 11-8
4/18	L 3-7
4/19	W 5-1
4/20	W 5-3
4/21	no game
4/22	W 5-3
4/23	L 1-4

The Clippers continued their improvement in week three, finishing the week 4-2 and moving their overall record to 9-11 after a 1-6 start. Columbus had a roughly average week across the board in the International League (IL), finishing in the middle both hitting and pitching. Their team ERA was 4.33 compared to an IL average of 4.10. They batted 0.246 compared to an IL 0.252. They scored 30 runs compared to an IL average of 27. Their runs/earned runs were only one run better than league average. There was a significant power outage as the Clippers managed only one home run for the week.

The starting pitching was a mixed bag this week. Their five starters combined for an unimpressive 1-2 record with a 6.00 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over their six starts (30IP). These numbers were buoyed by strong starts from LHP Mike O’Connor and RHP Collin Balester. Removing their two starts, the remaining starters were 0-2 with a 8.47 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over 17IP. Fortunately for Columbus their relief pitching was very good with 3-0 record and 4 saves. They compiled a 2.05 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 22 innings of work, striking out 20 and walking nine.

 Hitter of the week: 1B Larry Broadway - Broadway batted 0.381 for the week while slugging 0.667. The former promising prospect led the Clippers in hits, RBI, and total bases for the week while playing an errorless first base.

 Pitcher of the week: LHSP Mike O’Connor - O’Connor continued his hot start to 2008 with his lone start for the week. The lefty made the most of it allowing only one run on eight hits an no walks in his seven innings of work.

Forgettable performances of the week: OF Tommy Murphy & RHSP Tyler Clippard - Murphy batted only 0.240 for the week with nine strikeouts over 25AB. And it took a solid start from Clippard yesterday afternoon to make his weekly numbers 0-1 with a 9.31 ERA and 1.45WHIP

Harrisburg Senators (4-2)

Day	Result
4/17	W 8-4
4/18	W 5-4
4/19	W 10-2
4/20	ppd rain
4/21	W 4-3
4/22	L 2-12
4/23	L 0-7

The Senators are nothing if not consistent as they completed their third straight week with four victories. And it could have been better given they dropped both of their final two decisions. Continuing a trend from Columbus, Harrisburg was Eastern League (EL) average both hitting and pitching. They were one runoff the EL average of 30 runs scored and two runs above the EL average of 32 runs allowed. They bbated 0.289 compared to EL average of 0.269 but didn’t show as much power (0.368 compared to 0.392). They did show the ability to put the ball in play by striking out only 25 times in comparison to an EL average of 43. They did show some hiccups defensively as nine team errors led to eleven unearned runs for the week.

Again, the Senators echoed the Clippers as it was the bullpen that helped prop up some less than desired starting pitching. The starters lasted 30 2/3 innings in their six starts this past week, finishing 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, walking 12 batters to only 17 strikeouts. The relievers, on the other hand, were 3-0 with 2 saves over 25 1/3 innings. They had a combined 2.13 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 23 strikeouts as compared to 13 walks.

 Hitter of the week: OF Roger Bernadina - This was a tough choice as CA Luke Montz out OPSed Bernadina but I gave the nod to the 23-year old lefty based upon his combination of hitting, power, and speed. Bernadina batted 0.440 and slugged 0.640 while stealing 3/4 bases on the week. He led the team in hits, runs (tied with Bergolla), triples, home runs (tied with Montz), and stolen bases (tied with Maxwell).

 Pitchers of the week: RHRPs Josh Perrault (left) & Beltran Perez (right) - A pair of bullpen arms share the pitching honors for the week. The 25-year old Perrault and 26-year old Perez combined for a 1-0 record and 1 save with 8 2/3 innings with a 1.04 ERA and 0.69 WHIP. They struck out nine hitters and walked only two.

Forgettable performances of the week: SS Ian Desmond & RHP Ismael Ramirez -Desmond had a forgettable week at the plate (150/261/150) as well as in the field (4 errors in six games). Ramirez is again noted here based upon another poor start (four earned runs on seven hits over 5 1/3IP) and a relief appearance allowing another four runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk over 2IP.

Potomac Nationals (3-3)

Day	Result
4/17	L 4-5
4/18	W 6-1
4/19	W 5-0
4/20	ppd rain
4/21	L 0-2
4/22	W 2-0
4/23	L 5-7

The third week of the season saw the P-Nats 10-game winning streak come to an end as they battled through a 0.500 week of play. The strength of the team as a whole this week was its pitching as they threw 52IP with a team ERA of 2.25 (compared to a Carolina League average of 2.95) and a team WHIP of 1.10 (compared to a Carolina League average of 1.23). They struck out two less hitters than the league average of 47 but walked five fewer than the 21 league average. And add to that the fact they had two shutouts on the week. And to think, it could have been better as the P-Nats line for the week without yesterday’s 7-5 loss. Their numbers for the week entering Wednesday’s game were 3-2 with a 0.60 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 44IP with 41K to 12BB. By those standards, the relievers were merely pedestrian (note … sarcasm upcoming). They “only” had an ERA of 2.96 and WHIP of 1.15 over 24 1/3 IP.

As you might have guessed, the P-Nats struggles with the bats were their downfall for the week as the hit a combined 0.224 (Carolina League BA 0.233) and posted a sub 0.300 on-base pecentage of 0.283 [note: MiLB stats do not include HB or SF for batters, so OBP is calculated roughly as (BB+H)/(AB+H) … it’s close enough for government work]. The P-Nats did show some ability on the basepaths, stealing nine bases in ten attempts.

 Hitter of the week: 3B Leonard Davis - Davis wasted no time in making his presence felt after spending the first two weeks of the season on the disabled list. The 24-year old Davis batted 429/467/1071 in his four games this week. He hit three of the P-Nats four home runs. Led the team with 5 RBI and 15 total bases.

[no photo] Pitchers of the week: LHSP Cory VanAllen (left) and RHSPs Jordan Zimmermann (middle), Adrian Alaniz (right), & Jhonny Nuñez (no photo)- I’m going to give the nod to the starting rotation less LHSP Ross Detwiler (more on him next). VanAllen, Zimmermann, Alaniz, & Nuñez were lights out in their four combined starts this week. They were 3-1 with a 0.39 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. Over 23IP, they allowed only one run on eleven hits and five walks while striking out 23. The only blemish on the week was Nuñez’ shutout loss where he struck out ten batters.

Forgettable performances of the week: 1B Chris Marrero & LHSP Ross Detwiler - This is not where you want to see either of the Nationals last two first rounders. Marrero struggled through a week where he managed only a single in 18 AB (056/190/056) while making two errors at 1B. Detwiler also had his struggles (7.71 ERA and 2.78 WHIP over two starts 4 2/3IP) capped by lasting only 2/3 of an inning yesterday afternoon.

Hagerstown Suns (2-5)

Day	Result
4/17	L 4-6
4/18	L 0-2
4/19	L 7-14
4/20	W 3-2
4/21	W 6-2
4/22	L 3-10
4/23	L 1-4

Hagerstown is having a rough start to their season but there are some small signs of things turning around. The Suns finished with their second straight sub-0.500 record based upon below average hitting and pitching. Hagerstown hit a collective 205/271/329 for the week compared to a Sally League average of 254/315/376. They struck out a combined 55 times in 234 AB for the week. A silver lining on offense was the performance of the outfield where Michael Burgess, Francisco Plasencia, and Aaron Seuss led the way with a combined 333/408/613 with four homers and eight RBI.

As uninspiring as those offensive numbers are, the pitching was even worse where Hagerstown had a team ERA of 5.02 (Sally League 3.89) and WHIP of 1.49 (Sally League 1.33). A silver lining was the fact that Suns pitchers showed some control of the strike zone with 47K/19BB compared to a 49/29 Sally League ratio.

 Hitter of the week: OF Michael Burgess. After struggling in his first couple of weeks of 2008, Burgess broke ut big time for the Suns this week. The 2007 supplemental first rounder hit 450/522/900 for the week leading the team in hits, homers, RBI, and total bases. He also improved upon his plate discipline where he struck out only four times in 24 plate appearances.

Pitchers of the week: RHRP Clint Everts (pictured) & LHRP Atahaulpa Severino (no photo). The Suns received solid work from both Severino and Everts. The two relievers combined for 12 innings without allowing an earned run. They had a combined WHIP of 0.67 with eight strikeouts and only three walks.

Forgettable performances of the week: 3B Steve Souza & RHSP Brad Peacock -Souza had a rough second week in the Sally League, hitting only 143/217/333 with four errors in six games. Peacock had a forgettable start allowing nine earned runs on eight hits and three hit batters over only four innings of work.