Comments on: Minor League Transactions

By: Tofu Dog

Tofu Dog — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:30:21 +0000

I understand that the Nationals are heavily scouting Kyle Skipworth so they may agree with you that they need more help at catcher.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:33:53 +0000

Bob Boone loves him. Workout was scheduled, not sure if it has happened yet, but they are on him.

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Sat, 10 May 2008 04:45:05 +0000

Souza to Vermont, King to Hagerstown. I’m personally sad to see that, as I believe Souza is a better player than King–both offensively and defensively. That said, Souza could probably stand to work on his defense at third a little bit. Still, I think Souza is the better of the two players, and also has more potential.

By: Tofu Dog

Tofu Dog — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:44:00 +0000

Evidently the workout was held a couple days ago for Skipworth and the Nats. On S. King he has been around longer and needs to find himself somewhere somehow. Like you say, Souza can stand to work on stuff in Vermont and he is still very young. But I agree with your assessment. I liked Souza from what I saw in Viera.

By: Nationals Fan

Nationals Fan — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:37:22 +0000

King’s play in Hagerstown last season makes it easy to understand the attitude of Sun’s fan…but keep in mind that King went to Hagerstown right out of High School last year, and did not play competitively in in the 10 monrh period leading up to Spring Training ‘07 He has virtually the same amount of professional experience as Souza, and as as teammates last year in the Gulf Coast League Souza hit .194 with a .340 slugging percentage and 4 Home Runs while King hit .248 with a .466 slugging percentage and a league leading (at the time of his promotion to Vermont) 9 Home Runs. Souza has just played 3B, and struggled with 14 errors in some 23 games in Hagerstown (a couple of games at SS). King played very well at 2nd base (started there in GCL)and was errorless there in his short stint in Vermont. I have been to Viera on many occasions this Spring and am amazed at how well he has played 3rd Base, since it its so different than the middle of the infield. He has also showed signs of making his first major adjustments to pro ball, shortening his stride, less load, and the lunging is gone. He still shows some good pop, but looks like a different hitter…much more contact…and less negative emotions…more of a professional. I think they are both fine young prospects, but don’t allow first impressions of King last year in Hagerstown to cloud judgement. It normally takes many years to learn to become a professional ballplayer, and both Souza (good show with the bat in Hagerstown)and King are making nice strides in that direction…they are very different players, and I don’t see any usefullness in comparisons this early in their careers. In fact, the more days I spend in Viera the more I think that eventually King will be back at SS.continue

By: Gil

Gil — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:20:55 +0000

Great post Nationals fan, thanks for sharing.. I hope both become studs…

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:58:48 +0000

Fair enough, Nationals Fan. I haven’t seen King play this year–he was injured by the time they opened up in Hagerstown.

Souza’s defense wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t great either. A few of his errors were on really tough plays and should’ve been scored as hits. One was really a mistake by Altiano, causing a near-collision, which Souza wisely fell out of the way of. The ball landed on him, so it was scored an error. There are things like that which happen in the minors which can inflate statistics.

What Souza can work on–and this is understandable for a 19 year old kid–is being more even-keeled through the game. If a bad play happens, he’ll get upset. He’s prone to argue with the umpires after a bad call. And I’ve also noticed him turning around to see official score keeper’s decisions on difficult plays where he made a throw but Rhinehart got pulled off the bag. After the error went up on the board, it was a minute of cursing himself.

He needs to learn to let those things go in my judgment. That said, he has good defensive range, a solid arm, and a very good hitting approach–getting lots of singles and getting the ball to center and right field.

I still think Souza is the better of the two players. He’s younger, and in my judgment is way passed the level King was at last year, and is probably at King’s level this year.

I understand the move. King probably needs to be challenged. This said, I think Souza will tear up the NYP League.

By: John

John — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:00:17 +0000

I wonder if they'll work Souza at SS in extended and if they do, does that mean Smiley will be a 2B?

I remember reading Bowden saying that Smiley could join hagerstown halfway through the season. Perhaps they'll both be SS.

Suns and Nationals fan: Do you guys have any thoughts on Souza has an SS as opposed to 3B? An SS with that bat would be a big time prospect IMO.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:38:11 +0000

Nationals Fan-Did you see Whiting this spring? If so, what did you think? He seems to be doing great in Hagerstown.

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:31:16 +0000

Souza can play short. He wouldn’t be the greatest defensive shortstop in the game, but he’d be decent. The problem is he’s a bit tall for short. He has good range. A good arm, and he’s pretty sure footed. He made a couple really, really good plays in Hagerstown (both at Short and at Third). Souza is a fast runner (8 stolen bases). But again, he’s 6′3″, and fielding at short sometimes requires being low to the ground.

Overall, Souza would be a decent shortstop in my view. But he’s psychical make-up make him more of a third baseman. For the record, he had less problems fielding at short in Hagerstown than he had at third.

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:09:42 +0000

On Richmond, a new theory popped into my head: moving the Las Vegas franchise to Richmond. Putting it in the international league. Moving Indianapolis or Louisville to the PCL.

Richmond keeps its Triple A team then. Vegas loses its team--which, from the perspective of big league clubs, is probably a good thing. Playing in a distracting environment is bad for young players. Who knows if that one would work. But it's an idea.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:14:33 +0000

I don’t know why the 51s would want to move out of Las Vegas. They have a good working relationship with the Dodgers, partly because of their proximity.

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Sun, 11 May 2008 12:16:00 +0000

Their attendance is abysmal, which is what led Mandalay to sell the team.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:26:29 +0000

I’ll be seeing Balester on Tuesday in Rochester. Last year I saw Willems.

By: Nationals Fan

Nationals Fan — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:54:20 +0000

I saw Whiting in the Spring, and in extended before his move to Hagerstown. He is a really aggressive outfielder with the speed to play that way. Puts the ball in play, bunts, runs, and does many of the things to help his team win. I really like him, and think he was an outstanding pick for the Nationals. They spent some time checking out his swing from the left side this Spring, but I would assume they have put that off, for at least the time being. I don’t see Souza at SS, as he just doesn’t have the rhythm for that position,and this is critical, and the hardest thing to teach(takes a lot of time)…more likely to move to 1B or the OF if they had to move him, but where he plays is not as important at this point in his career…much more important to continue to develop as a hitter, and he appears to be doing that…he will go to Vermont full of confidence, and that is 90% of the battle, once you agree that he has the tools to play. That was King’s problem last year…too tough a league (SAL), too soon, and the Nationals were quick to get him out of there before he lost his confidence…its important to challenge, but just as important not to place the player in over his head…that’s the main job of the player develpment guys, and I think they are doing a fine job. Oh, and I don’t see Smiley as a SS either, unless he is just hiding it on a day to day basis, I don’t see the arm strength for him to make any plays to his right…when he fields a ball to his right he cannot plant and throw anyone out…this will eventually create some problems in his development as a SS…and I don’t see much arm strength improvement on the horizon, as he looks pretty mature physically to me…can’t see him getting much more athletic…he looked a bit small and overweight to me last summer in the GCL, and he looks exacly the same to me this Spring…seems like a great kid, but I think he will have to move over to 2nd base…sorry.

By: Suns Fan

Suns Fan — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:49:31 +0000

I’ve only seen Whiting play in one game, but what I saw was very, very impressive. Good defensively. Good hitter, solid approach, some power, good speed, and he has a head on his shoulders. He was calling out stuff (the number of outs, etc) from the outfield…leading the team. Good player. Probably beyond the SAL at the moment. For selfish reasons, I’d like to see him stay, but I see no reason why he shouldn’t be up in Potomac–other than the confidence thing.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:18:46 +0000

I saw Whiting play last year for Vermont. It was only one game, but I wasn’t blown away by his ABs. If he can get on base he could steal 2b/3b everytime. He’s can fly.

By: Nationals Fan

Nationals Fan — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:36:19 +0000

Whiting will have to prove himself in Hagerstown, just like everone else. As a “college guy” I think he will move to up to Potomac rather quickly if he produces, but I think he’ll have to show some steady play for at least a few months before he convinces everyone of a move up. Rate of development can be impossible to predict, although the “college guys” need to, and usually do, move more quickly. The high school guys often get “stuck” for a while because they are dealing with so many adjustments…living away from home, new coaches, crowds at games, nasty fans, the professional game, life on the road,9 inning games,and probably failure for the first time in their baseball lives…all things the college guys are a bit more familiar with. Almost every one of them is going to fail for a while, and its how they handle that failure that will determine who “makes it”. Look at the first six weeks of this year for Chris Marrerro in Potomac. Who could have seen this coming after his offensive numbers last year, at that same level? This may be the first real adversity he has ever faced in baseball, and he will just have to find a way to work through this difficult time…all part of becoming a professional…and probably not the last time he will face this adversity…and all so unpredictable! That’s why its so hard to figure out who is going to “make it” in this game. We just don’t really know what kind of mental make-up they have to handle all this…and that’s why some first rounders don’t ever make it, and some 35th round guy does! Just another thing to love about this game.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:32:41 +0000

Thanks guys, you’ve been a wealth of information. The unpredictability of it all is what makes it so much fun. It’s been said that you never truly have a handle of a prospects potential until they get to AA. I think everything that’s said here underscoresd that. Thanks.

By: Nats Fan

Nats Fan — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:49:05 +0000

What do you think Souza’s chances are of skipping Hagerstown and going to potomac next year? Also What are the Nats gonna do with Davis, King, and Souza?

By: Nationals Fan

Nationals Fan — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:49:03 +0000

If Souza plays well in Vermont he will finish up the year in Hagerstown, and start off there again next year…Marrerro began in Hagerstown last year, moved up to Potomac, but started there again this year so as not to rush too much. If King plays well throughout the Summer in Hagerstown I could see him going to Potomac at the end of the Summer, and then back there next year…if he struggles in Hagerstown this Summer, he will return to Vermont where he finished up last year. He had a tremendous Spring last year to earn that spot in Hagerstown, but it proved to be too much too soon, but after another solid Spring this year I guess the Nationals felt he was ready to handle a full season this year. If his leg problems return they could easily send Souza up to take his place. Most people don’t realize how much speed King has, but with his recurring hamstring problem I don’t think you will see him open up on the basepaths just yet…if they find a solution to his leg problems, I think you would see another dimension to his game, as I saw some great speed this Spring, and in the first few games before his injury this year. Davis put up solid offensive numbers last year(Hagerstown and Potomac), and seems to be doing the same this year in Potomac…he is much older than Souza and King (almost 25), and so I would expect the Nationals to move him much more quickly…he could finish the year with the Senators if he keeps hitting the ball.

By: Zimmerman

Zimmerman — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:07:43 +0000

Is anyone surprised by Souza’s success in Low A? I mean with the numbers he put up last year comparabe to Stephen Englund’s stats what is the difference in adjustments the players made? And not just Souza but what makes a player have a better second year other than experience? Love to hear what the X factor is!

By: Ric

Ric — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:37:09 +0000

The current issue of Baseball America has a blurb on Souza. The full report only can be accessed on the BA website if you are a subscriber. The basic points are (1) Souza added 15 pounds of muscle in the off-season and (2) he has adjusted his hitting approach this season to go to all fields.

By: Mjames

Mjames — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:22:11 +0000

Is the Sens catcher, Luke Montz, a legitimate prospect? How come he does not play more often? Is he hurt? Also is there any chance of getting a shot with the Nats.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:29:34 +0000

Montz is on the DL right now, don’t know why. He was known as a defense first catcher, but his offensive numbers have been fabulous this year. Everybody is waiting to see if he can keep it going all season.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:45:50 +0000

Montz reminds me of a Robert Fick type of player. c-1b-rf with some pop. Obviously I mean the pre-Nats version of Fick ;)

By: Freda

Freda — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:50:21 +0000

Montz is on the DL because he took a foul ball off the face mask in live batting practice on May 5th and sustained a grade 2 concussion.

By: dd

dd — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:51:46 +0000

Correct me if I am wrong, but Montz was not seen as a defensive first catcher. His defense has improved, but his calling card is power.

By: Andrew S

Andrew S — Wed, 14 May 2008 03:21:48 +0000

Yes.