Here is what I know:
- Moving from the GCL Nationals to Vermont is SS Dani Arias
- Moving from Vermont to Hagerstown is SS Jose Lozada
- Moving from Hagerstown to Potomac are SS Dan Lyons and OF Aaron Seuss
- Moving from Potomac to Harrisburg are OF Edgardo Baez, 1B Bill Rhinehart, and 3B Leonard Davis
- Moving from Harrisburg to Potomac is 1B/OF Andrew Lefave
- Moving from Harrisburg to Columbus are CA Luke Montz and IF Ofilio Castro
- Moving from Columbus to Harrisburg is CA Javi Herrera
Still no word who is heading to Hagerstown to replace Seuss. The Big Board has been updated.
Positively Half St | 30-Jun-08 at 6:34 am | Permalink
Wow.
I am happy for Rhinehart and Montz, and sorry that Lefave wasn’t able to prove folks wrong with continued high batting average. What happens to “Little Papi” in this scenario?
Positively Half St | 30-Jun-08 at 6:36 am | Permalink
Do you think Montz will now be the starter in Columbus?
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 6:52 am | Permalink
Yes, Montz seems to be the likely starting catcher in Columbus.
My guess is Jimenez assumes DH duty until Maxwell returns, then I have no idea.
pahou | 30-Jun-08 at 7:40 am | Permalink
this is the only thing i hate about minor league baseball. Andrew Lafave has done nothing to get sent down for. If any one one the team deserved to be moved down its Luis Jiminez, its either feast or famine with him. Take away his hruns and he would be lucky to bat .200, he really is not all that. Congrats to our players that have moved up especially Roger Bernadina. Hopefully the Senators winning season has not come to a halt, time will tell. Hopefully they are more names to learn, and come to enjoy as ballplayers.
Scott | 30-Jun-08 at 8:04 am | Permalink
Why the jump from Low A to AA for Rheinhart. He just got to Potomac and had a spot to play. What do they do if he is over matched? Could this be too quick?
Also, do you know how Whitesell is doing?
Positively Half St | 30-Jun-08 at 8:33 am | Permalink
I guess the thing about Lefave is that he was only in Harrisburg in the first place because of how he led his league (low-A WV) in batting last year. Harrisburg is a more age-appropriate place for him to play, but he needed to show he could still hit for a high average.
Maybe he would have heated up, but he was hitting only .250. If he starts in Potomac, he will need to get his batting average above .300, or his relative lack of power will cement him as an “organizational” player.
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 8:44 am | Permalink
Rhinehart is 23 years old. The Eastern League is a more appropriate age/level for someone who would be considered a prospect.
Whitesell is hitting 281/373/512 with 16HR and 55RBI for Tucson (Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate)
pahou | 30-Jun-08 at 8:49 am | Permalink
watching Andrew every night both at first and in the outfield, he did a very good job. His at bats were getting better everynight. Andrew did nothing to deserve this demotion but thats baseball. Now on to Bill, reading this blog everyday, the beginning of the year all I heard was Rhinehart was all that and more, why was he in low A, then the Nats promote him and reading this blog the Potomic Nationals fan are writing you can have him back, so they promote him to Harrisburg, go figure, well time will tell. Luke belongs in the majors not AAA but go Luke, its been a real pleasure watching you play this year, as for Ofilio, I’m glad that you signed your bat for me the last night you were in Harrisburg. Good luck in Columbus. Roger Bernadina, Long overdue. Mike Daniels will be next.
Louis J. | 30-Jun-08 at 8:54 am | Permalink
Scott
Whitesell is playing for AAA Tucson in the PCL w/Diamondbacks system. In 76 games this year, his stats are 281-373-512 w/ 17 doubles, 16 HR, 33 walks,66 strikeouts and 7 errors. They have him batting 5 in the lineup. But the PCL is notorious as a hitters league with small ballparks and high attitude parks.
Also, John Patterson was released by the Rangers system last week. He never did pitch for them (I assume because of arm problems, velocity or ???).
Louis J. | 30-Jun-08 at 9:01 am | Permalink
pahou
I like Mike Daniel too BUT he fits the same role that Bernadina does and Bernadina has more power and more steals. Daniel doesn’t have enough power potential for a corner outfield position. Since they are both LHH, it’s either Bernadina or Daniel in CF but not both. The Nats will go with Dukes in LF and Kearns in RF for their power potential.
Suns Fan | 30-Jun-08 at 9:40 am | Permalink
Well deserved promotions for all involved. Rhinehart had a good year with the Suns and was playing just as well with the PNats. The reality is that most of the pitchers he would be facing in the Carolina League in the second half started their season in the SAL. It’s a good idea to challenge him, I think he can live up to it.
Also good to see Leonard Davis be promoted. He was having a great year. He’s a good player, and has major league talent. I wish him well up in Harrisburg.
Double A is where the good minor leaguers get separated from the major leaguers. Double A is a challenge for all involved.
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 9:42 am | Permalink
Just noticed that I need to swap Shawn Hill and Odalis Perez on the Big Board …
Mark | 30-Jun-08 at 10:21 am | Permalink
And so the big moves happen. I think these are all excellent moves, espesially Montz, Davis and Rhinehart. I think there’s a spot on the Nats for Montz and Rhinehart, but what to do with Davis at 3rd? Talented, has ML potential, but isn’t going to displace Zimmerman any time soon. Trade?
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 10:30 am | Permalink
Mark - Not every prospect is groomed to be a starter. Davis seems a good candidate for a bench spot in much the same way Kory Casto is. Play some 3B, some corner OF, and Davis can reasonably handle 2B in a pinch. I don’t necessarily believe Davis would return a whole lot in a trade and would be more valuable as a future bench guy.
Andrew S | 30-Jun-08 at 11:22 am | Permalink
Brian, what does restricted mean on the Big Board? I understand Maekawa’s scenario but the others seem to be “domestic” so to speak not needing the visa.
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 11:24 am | Permalink
Andrew - It could be something as simple as a player has not officially submitted his retirement papers. A team will typically place them on the restricted list until paperwork is completed.
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 11:27 am | Permalink
Frank Diaz was placed on the DL in Columbus which cleans up the Clippers roster to 24.
Mark | 30-Jun-08 at 11:31 am | Permalink
Good point, Brian. I suspect Montz and Davis will make solid backups with spot duty as starters when called upon. Not sure where Rhinehart could fit, but with N.Johnson and D.Young getting injured and old, I have a feeling he could be the most likely farmhand to become a starter from this group. But before we go there, Harrisburg will be a good challenge for big Bill.
expo_ram | 30-Jun-08 at 11:56 am | Permalink
interesting that our system, which has been supposedly bereft of position player talent, is promoting lots of position players.
Quick jump for a couple of SS. Brian, are those guys high ceiling MI’s, or was their move just backfill?
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 12:04 pm | Permalink
expo_ram - The system has only one player who I would classsify as a high ceiling MI (a major league starter or better) … Smiley Gonzalez … and that might be generous. There are some guys who are potential contributors but middle infield is an area that the Nats can certainly improve their depth.
Andrew S | 30-Jun-08 at 1:05 pm | Permalink
I must say the middle infield depth is becoming more promising. Assuming Danny Espinosa signs the organization has a few names which could fit into the big picture. I’ll list Ian Desmond, Espinosa, Stephen King, Jake Smolinski, Smiley Gonzalez, Blake Stouffer, and I am probably forgetting a few. It certainly isn’t great, but it is overlooked in this organization with the ammount of pitching.
Andrew S | 30-Jun-08 at 1:06 pm | Permalink
Oh, and yes I agree with Brian, Smiley is the only high ceiling one with the rest being potential contributors but not impact players on the major league level. But look out for King.
Nationals fan | 30-Jun-08 at 2:08 pm | Permalink
Unless the arm improves(or unless he is hiding it), Smiley does not have the arm to play SS. I agree with Andrew, on King. Remember that King led the GCL in home runs when promoted last year (even more than Burgess), but needed to improve hie BA, OBP, and cut down on his strikeouts. He obviously has made some great adjustments (all have dramatically improved)this year, and I would expect his HRs to be down (they are)with those adjustments…the point is he has made some great adjustments in this his second season of pro ball. The failure to make adjustments is why players don’t make it! He has struggled with some injuries this year, but has, for the most part, stayed in the line-up and been very consistent…I think he has hit safely in 40 of 49 games. If a player is going to “make it”, he must have the ability to adjust, and most every HS player has never had to do this until they get to pro ball. The college guys have already had to adjust to a whole different level of pitching in college. Of course, they are all adjusting to wood. King has also had to adjust to 3B, which is so much different than the middle of the infield…one is so much reaction, and the other is so much rhythm. He still needs to be more consistent on defense, but that is why there is a minor league organization…consistency is the mark of a real pro. King is the “sleeper” in this organization.
tom | 30-Jun-08 at 2:27 pm | Permalink
are the suns going to replace seuss by reactivating smolinski?
Brian Oliver | 30-Jun-08 at 2:34 pm | Permalink
tom - Back on June 4, a commenter here named Jill had the following “Smolinski broke a bone in his thumb during the game Wednesday night. It had to be pinned. He will be out 8 to 10 weeks.”
That would put his return closer to August 4 (or later) than July 4
tom | 30-Jun-08 at 3:18 pm | Permalink
thanks for the update brian
Andrew S | 30-Jun-08 at 3:41 pm | Permalink
Brian, don’t forget to update the big league moves (Balester up, Hill DLed). Thanks!
Andrew S | 30-Jun-08 at 3:43 pm | Permalink
then again the Balester move hasn’t been made official, but just giving you a heads up ;) Hah.
Suns Fan | 30-Jun-08 at 7:06 pm | Permalink
Smolinski did indeed break his hand on a double play. He is still with the team–he is out of the big cast he was in, and is now in a smaller splint.