Nationals Farm Authority

As has been already mentioned in the comments, the Nationals announced the signings of three international free agents. The three from the Dominican Republic (age in parentheses) were Elvin Cuello (16), Joseph Cabreja (18) and Alex Romero (18). They were mentioned as three of eight International free agents this year, seven from the Dominican Republic and one from Venezuela. Those signings include three catchers, three infielders, one outfielder and one pitcher. I have made inquiries as to the names of the other five. There was an additional reference to twelve players from the 2007 Dominican Summer League playing in the US in 2008, I know that seven of them are LHP Atahaulpa Severino (Hagerstown), MIFs Dani Arias, Luis Castillo, & Francisco Soriano (all in extended spring), and RHPs Marcos Frias, Juan Jaime, & Jose Pinales (all in extended spring). The other five are still to be determined but possibilities include

• OFs Hendry Jimenez, Alejandro Hodge, Eury Perez, & Juan Beltre
• CA Danny Taveras
• 1B Eduardo Urbina
• 3B Yeurys Tejeda
• LHPs Randy Almonte & Francisco Vizcaino
• RHPs Federico Tanco & Jorge Urena

RHP Steve Shell outdueled Twins prospect Francisco Liriano as the Clippers edged the Red Wings 3-1 (box/gamer). Shell, making a spot start filling in for the recently promoted Jason Bergmann, went seven strong innings allowing only one run on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. It was Shell’s third start of the season for Columbus where he has been 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 11 strikeouts over 17IP. RHP Chris Booker picked up his fourth save of the season with two scoreless innings of relief surrendering one hit and two walks while striking out a pair. DH Alex Escobar was 2/4 with a double and a run scored. With his two hits, Escobar extended his hitting streak to ten games over which he is hitting 0.361. 3B Yurendell de Caster, 1B Jason Dubois, and CA Javi Herrera were all 1/4 with one RBI.

Record: Columbus 23-19, 3rd place IL West (4GB)

Tonight: LHP Mike O’Connor (2-0, 1.96 ERA) at Rochester RHP Phillip Humber (1-4, 5.49) 7:05PM

In Harrisburg, RHP Marco Estrada outpitched top Phillies prospect Carlos Carrasco in a 10-1 defeat of Reading (box/gamer). Estrada struck out eight over six shutout innings of work allowing only two hits and one walk. Over his last four starts, Estrada is 3-0 with a 0.83 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 23 strikeouts over 21 2/3 IP. The Senators broke the game open in the bottom of the eight, scoring six times. Every Harrisburg starter (excluding the pitcher) had at least one hit. Andrew Lefave split time between LF and 1B, going 2/3 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI. RF Jorge Padilla, 3B Ofilio Castro, and CF Roger Bernadina all collected two hits apiece in the winning effort. 1B Dmitri Young was 1/3 in his final rehab appearance. He’ll be activated tonight to DH for the Nationals in Baltimore.

Record: Harrisburg 25-14, 1st place EL South (2.5 games ahead)

Tonight: LHP Cory VanAllen (2-0, 0.71) at Altoona LHP Kyle Bloom 6:05PM

CA Brian Peacock hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to bring the P-Nats within a run and DH Matt Rogelstad followed two batters later with a two-run homer as Potomac beat Myrtle Beach 4-3 (gamer/box). It was Rogelstad’s only hit on the evening but it was enough to lead the P-Nats to a series split with the Pelicans. Peacock was 2/3 with the solo home run and a double. 2B Michael Martinez was 2/4 with a double and a run scored. While he did not get the win, RHP Craig Stammen made another solid start for Potomac, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks over five innings while striking out five. Stammen has been equally solid as both a starter and reliever. Over three starts, he’s 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 16IP with 12 strikeouts. As a reliever, he’s made six appearances with an identical 2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over an identical 16IP with 14 strikeouts. LHP Jack Spradlin picked up the win in relief, tossing two shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out three. RHP Josh Wilkie struck out three in his one inning of work and LHP Yunior Novoa picked up his third save of the season closing it out with a pair of strikeouts in his one inning of work.

Record: Potomac 24-15, 1st place Carolina League North (2 games ahead)

Tonight: RHP Adrian Alaniz (4-0, 2.19) at Salem LHP David Qualben 7:07PM

PH Tim Pahuta hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to rally the Suns to a 7-6 win over Lexington on the road (box/gamer). Over his last twn games, Pahuta is hitting 0.400 and slugging 0.900 with four home runs and seven RBI. LF Boomer Whiting was 4/5 with a double, RBI, two runs, and his fifth stolen base of the season. In nine games since joining Hagerstwon, Whiting is hitting 389/476/556 with eight RBI, twelve runs scored and 5/7 stolen bases. 1B Bill Rhinehart was 1/4 with a double and his league-leading 40th RBI. 3B Stephen King continued his strong return, going 2/5 with a double and a run scored. King is hitting 0.296 and slugging 0.630 since his return from a hamstring injury. RF Michael Burgess was 1/5 with an RBI and CA Sean Rooney and SS Dan Lyons each had a pair of hits. RHP Cole Kimball was wild in his start, walking six in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed only two hits and two runs while striking out five. RHP Erik Arnesen picked up his third win on the season with a perfect inning of relief and RHP Martin Beno picked up his fifth save with a scoreless ninth.

Record: Hagerstown 19-20, 4th place Sally League North (6GB)

Tonight: RHP Colton Willems (2-3, 4.40) home versus Kannapolis at 6:35PM (Note: Thanks to Ryan Mock from Hagerstown who provided me with the updated information, Willems’ last start was postponed by rain so he threw a side session with Nats Pitching Coordinator Spin Williams in lieu of his regular turn in the rotation; no injury concerns).