A five-run sixth inning doomed Columbus in a 6-4 loss to Toledo (box/gamer). Tyler Clippard held his own through the first five innings allowing a run on two hits and two walks, but the sixth proved his undoing, allowing two runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter, leaving the bases loaded. Unfortunately for Clippard, reliver Tim Bittner allowed all three runs to score putting the Clippers in a 6-2 hole from which they could not rally. Jorge Padilla was 2/4 with a solo homer, stolen base and three RBI. Ofilio Castro was 2/3 with a run scored in his 2008 debut for Columbus while CA Luke Montz was 0/4. A rehabbing Austin Kearns was 0/2 with a walk and a HBP.
Record: Columbus 45-38, 3rd place IL West (3GB)
Tonight: RHP Garrett Mock (4-2, 3.23) versus Toledo RHP Yorman Bazardo (2-4, 6.05) at 7:05PM
Harrisburg just cannot seem to figure out Bowie, dropping their sixth out of seven games against the Bay Sox 8-2 (box/gamer). Adrian Alaniz allowed six runs on four hits, three walks, and one hit batter over five innings of work with five strikeouts. Bill Rhinehart was 1/4 with an RBI single, Edgardo Baez was 0/4 with three strikeouts, and Leonard Davis was 2/4 … all in their 2008 Double-A debuts. Devin Ivany was 3/4 with a solo home run. Ivany is hitting 0.333 with four home runs over his last ten games.
Record: Harrisburg 44-37, 3rd place EL South (5.5GB)
Tonight: LHP Mike Hinckley (4-2, 4.69) versus Bowie RHP Brad Bergesen (8-2, 2.63) at 6:35PM
Potomac battered Kinston with 17 hits and 17 runs in a 17-3 whitewashing of the K-Tribe (box/gamer). Marvin Lowrance led the way going 3/5 with two homers, three runs and five RBI. Michael Martinez was 3/5 with a three-run home run and three runs scored; Brian Finegan was 2/5 with a three-run home run; and Trevor Lawhorn was 3/5 with a double, solo homer, and three runs scored. Aaron Seuss & Dan Lyons both made their debuts later in the game, both going 0/1. Luis Atilano made the start allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over 3 1/3IP. Joe Norrito picked up the win with 3 2/3IP in relief, giving up only an unearned run on three hits.
Record: Potomac 8-3, 1st place Carolina North (3 games ahead)
Tonight: LHP Justin Jones (2-1, 1.45) at Kinston RHP Jeanmar Gomez (2-6, 5.52) 7:00PM
Hagerstown’s game with Lakewood was postponed by rain. The Suns and BlueClaws will make up the game tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 12:05 p.m. The doubleheader will consist of two seven inning games with a 30 minute break after game one.
Record: Hagerstown 8-3, 1st Sally North (0.5 games ahead)
Today: RHP Cole Kimball (3-3, 6.14) & Pitcher TBD versus Lakewood (pitchers TBD) at 12:05PM
Vermont won their fifth straight game, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 4-1 victory over Tri-City (box/gamer). Tyler Moore was 3/4 with a double; Jesus Valdez wass 2/5 with one RBI; and Derek Norris was 1/3 with two walks, one RBI, and one run scored. Will Atwood made the start, going a pitch count limited three shutout innings, allowing only one hit with one strikeout. Casey Whitmer threw two shutout innings of relief allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three. David Slovak blew the save allowing an unearned run on one hit over two innings but picked up the win striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth.
Record: Vermont 8-6, 1st place NYP Stedler (1 game ahead)
Tonight: LHP Pat McCoy (0-2, 8.31) at Tri-City 7:05PM
The GCL Nationals blasted the GCL Cardinals 17-3 pounding out 21 hits (box). Smiley Gonzalez was 5/6 with a double, three runs and four RBI; Dan Killian was 2/4 with a triple, two runs and four RBI; and Chris Curran was 4/5 with three runs scored. There were two Nationals making a rehab start, Pokey Reese was 2/6 with two runs & one RBI and Jhonny Estrada was 1/2 with one run & one RBI. J.R. Higley was 1/5 with a double and RBI in his debut. Paul Demny made the start allowing a run on two hits over three innings pitched with six strikeouts. Pat Arnold picked up the win with five scoreless innings of relief, giving up three hits and striking out three.
Record: GCL Nats 5-3, 2nd place GCL East (1GB)
Today: GCL Nats at GCL Dodgers 12:00PM
The DSL Nationals1 held off the DSL Padres 7-5 (box). Armado De Los Santos allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk over 7 1/3IP while striking out six to move to 4-1 on the season. Danny Taveras was 3/6 with a run scored; Eury Perez was 3/6 with two runs & two RBI; Justino Cuevas was 2/5 with one RBI and, Samuel Gomez was 1/4 with two RBI.
The DSL Nationals2 were bested by the DSL Tigers 9-7 (box). Wanel Vasquez made the start allowing four runs on four hits and four walks over 4 1/3IP. Jose Altuve was 2/5 with two runs; Joseph Cabreja was 3/4 with a run; and Eleazar Cuevas was 2/5 with a run and RBI.
Record: DSL Nats1 23-3, 1st place DSL S.D. West (9 games ahead); DSL Nats2 7-19, 4th place DSL S.D. West (16GB)
Today: DSL Nats1 at DSL Tigers; DSL Nats2 at DSL Padres; both at 10:30AM
Chris | 01-Jul-08 at 8:34 am | Permalink
Derrick Norris has 16BB in 13 games
Shouldnt Willems be pitching today?
Any chance Smiley is up to Vermont by the middle of the month?
Brian Oliver | 01-Jul-08 at 8:39 am | Permalink
Kimball was scheduled to start yesterday and the rotation spot that was up today is Josh Smoker’s
No idea on Smiley … though I could see that being a possibility
Positively Half St | 01-Jul-08 at 8:41 am | Permalink
Go Smiley, go! I am guessing the Nats won’t make any more “splash” picks in the international signing stage. It makes me wonder what the point was of making such a big show of signing Smiley if they weren’t going to follow it up with any more big picks.
Don’t get me wrong, I am impressed with our DSL #1. I just wonder if the Gonzalez signing had any lasting effects on the Nats’ reputation among Dominicans or any other foreign players.
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 8:45 am | Permalink
1/2 - the point of the “splash” pick of Gonzalez as I recall wasn’t for us - rather it was to show all the
“player-finders” down in D.R. that we were serious players and willing to spend money, so that they’d bring their best recruits to try out. We seem to be getting a reasonable stream of folks now (albeit no huge $4m headlines), but if you think draft picks can be a crapshoot, I can’t imagine a bigger gamble than giving $4m to a 16-y.o. Dominican kid in hopes that he becomes Manny Ramirez.
By the way, if you never read it, Svrluga did a superb series on the Dominican system in the offseason between ‘06 and last year. Completely worth the time to read - four articles, I think.
Positively Half St | 01-Jul-08 at 8:49 am | Permalink
Marc-
Thanks. I remember the series.
I get it now. Even if we don’t sign the big names, we got the attention of the buscones. It seems to be working. I wonder if it makes sense to sign another Smiley type as a reminder.
Chris | 01-Jul-08 at 9:07 am | Permalink
Ok thanks Brain, hoping Smiley is up when they come to Brookyn (July 22) definitely by Staten Island (Aug 15)
Nats fan in NJ | 01-Jul-08 at 9:14 am | Permalink
Brian - As always, thanks.
Marc/Positively Half St. - I agree that the signing of Smiley, while nice on the face of it, was more to let folks know we are players. It’ll be interesting to see how the DSL kids progress through the farm system over the next several years. I think Brian indicated that our DSL 1 team has some older kids, which may be why they are so dominant. That being said, I’m glad to see how active the Nats are down there.
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 9:41 am | Permalink
Nats fan in NJ - funny you should mention that…I was just digging around MiLB’s stats site for the DSL kids - it’s here - http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=t_ibp&cid=1270 - if you’re interested.
The best player to my eyes (who’s OPS-ing 1.109!!! over 92 ABs) is Eury Perez, who just turned 18, and was signed as a free agent last year, so I defer to Brian on that, but I think he’s about the “right” age and might earn himself a call-up to the Vermonsters, too? Jesus Morales, who’s OPS-ing over 1.000 in a much less meaningful 24 ABs, is six months older than that (he was one of the guys signed out of Venezuela back in Jan. ‘07). Alexander Romero, who’s a SS OPS-ing .824 over 65 ABs turned 18 in January.
The pitching slate is a little more deceiving. The staff ace is clearly Osvaldo Rodriguez, who’s 6-0 with a 0.28 ERA and 56 K’s in 32 IPs in six starts. But he’s 24, so there’s one of your “older” guys. The next best guy who’s also been dominant, Juan Martinez (4-0, 0.84 ERA, 36K’s in 32 IP) is 23.
So, I guess, to sum up, there are some younger guys on DSL1 who look like they may be something. I’m heartened, actually, by the fact that I couldn’t find anything from Brian back when these guys were signed, which suggests to me that they were under-the-radar kinds of guys, which is good news. One of the high profile guys (Randy Almonte) is on DSL2 and has pitched 8+ innings in 5 starts. You don’t really need (or want) to hear the damage, but suffice to say his ERA is almost higher than his age.
Andrew S | 01-Jul-08 at 9:47 am | Permalink
Marc, Ramirez grew up in NYC so was drafted by the Indians in the first round but the point is still valid. Its too bad most of the pitchers on DSL 1 are 22-24.
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 9:59 am | Permalink
By the way, Brian DID uncover these guys last year by doing his own digging on the rosters - didn’t mean at all to imply that you’re not incredibly committed to the topic, Brian, just meant to say that the Nats have been active here but haven’t necessarily run out a press release every time they sign some 17-y.o. Dominican kid.
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 10:04 am | Permalink
Andrew, yeah, I meant Hanley not Manny - that’s what I get for posting pre-coffee.
Mark | 01-Jul-08 at 10:20 am | Permalink
Harrisburg got whomped - I thought it was going to be a victory looking at the lineup (Alaniz taking a rare loss). With all the call-ups yesterday, Harrisburg arguably has the best lineup of all our minor league teams, but they just can’t crack the “Bowie Matrix”. On a positive note, RBI machine, aka Rhinehart, got his first RBI at his first at bat. Davis did well going 2/4. Baez will do well, too.
Andrew F | 01-Jul-08 at 10:27 am | Permalink
Promising start for Demny, too. Two good outings to kick off his pro career.
expo_ram | 01-Jul-08 at 11:13 am | Permalink
I don’t know why you wouldn’t throw Rodriguez in Vermont or somewhere a couple of times just to see what happens.
John | 01-Jul-08 at 11:18 am | Permalink
What is the point of having a 24 year old throwing in the DSL? See if he can pitch at another level or don’t keep him.
Andrew S | 01-Jul-08 at 11:40 am | Permalink
My guess is that he is recovering from an injury. The Nats starter tonight is younger than Osvaldo.
Mark | 01-Jul-08 at 11:49 am | Permalink
Osvaldo Rodriguez clearly needs to be promoted to Vermont - now. He has no business pitching to 18 year olds over and over again. I would suggest Hagerstwon due to his age, but the dramatic difference in quality might set him back too much. Eury looks like a winner, but he’s too young for even GCL, IMO. Let him take the same path as Smiley. As for Smiley, he’s jumped in ability during the off-season. I think his performance has caught the FO off-guard and they may wait for more AB in the GCL just to be safe. I see no harm in moving him to Vermont in a few weeks.
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 12:14 pm | Permalink
Well, with a guy that “old” he’s clearly got a past - Osvaldo’s a former Dodger prospect, tore up the GCL and the SAL leagues at 19 (1.18 ERA in GCL, 1.80 ERA in SAL). Then at 20, the wheels seemed to come off a little. He only pitched 50 innings in 2004, according to baseball cube, and did that poorly, putting up a 5+ in three starts in the GCL, and a 5+ ERA mostly as a reliever in the SAL.
He got released in 2004 by the Dodgers, but I wonder if he wasn’t hurt - his numbers basically nose-dived across the board from ‘03 to ‘04. Seems to me he might be a Rijo reclamation project - at any rate, he’s been in the SAL before and is really dominant now - send him to Hagerstown!
Mark | 01-Jul-08 at 12:32 pm | Permalink
Marc - what a great find. Thanks. Looks like he went as far as High A ball. He’s been out of baseball for four years!! This is an intersting discovery and I think worth some research on Brian’s behalf. Brian - feel like making some phone calls?
Brian Oliver | 01-Jul-08 at 12:40 pm | Permalink
Mark - I made the inquiry a couple of weeks ago. Have not been able to confirm any additional details.
Mark | 01-Jul-08 at 12:48 pm | Permalink
Short of traveling down there, you may never be able to…
Marc | 01-Jul-08 at 12:53 pm | Permalink
Wow, I’m only a couple of weeks behind Brian - I’m catching up from my normal months behind!
The only other reference I saw after some light-to-moderate Googling was a BA post from 2006 that he had been released by the Giants, so he may have caught on there, but that’s part of the reason I think he was hurt - if he was with the Giants and playing, chances are he would have registered stats somewhere.
Nats fan in NJ | 01-Jul-08 at 12:58 pm | Permalink
Marc/Brian-I tend to recall now that Brian identified our hitters being “of age” for DSL but the pitchers being older. Thanks for the updates!
John | 01-Jul-08 at 1:02 pm | Permalink
Brian: Is there anything about the Nats in BA’s latest IFA article? Also they’re having a subscriber chat at 2PM.
Over at Sabrescouting a commenter said the Nats are after 3B Roberto Pina.
Brian Oliver | 01-Jul-08 at 1:08 pm | Permalink
John - I did not see the Nationals mentioned in the referenced article. I’m hoping to have a question answered in the BBA chat.
John | 01-Jul-08 at 1:22 pm | Permalink
Thanks Brian. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
It sounds like Yorman Rodriguez won’t be available until August. I’m assuming he turns 16 then.
Marcus | 01-Jul-08 at 2:56 pm | Permalink
Stephen King got ejected today anyone have some info?
Brian Oliver | 01-Jul-08 at 3:00 pm | Permalink
There was a bad call (per the announcer) on a play at 3B. I went to a meeting but I’m going to guess it had something to do with that
Brian Oliver | 01-Jul-08 at 3:07 pm | Permalink
from the BBA chat …
Q: Jeff from Arlington, VA asks:
Ben … throw a Nats fan a bone with this horrendous major league season we have to endure … are the Nationals linked to anyone at all?
A: Ben Badler: I haven’t heard them strongly linked to any of the top players, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be active in signing other players this year.
John | 01-Jul-08 at 3:10 pm | Permalink
Thanks Brian. That’s disappointing, but I seem to remember the Smiley signing as being a surprise, so perhaps they’ll pull one again.
Suns Fan | 01-Jul-08 at 6:18 pm | Permalink
The umpiring today was absolutely horrible. I will have a video of why up on my blog soon. There was a run down king got behind the runner, but Abreiu (the pitcher) was in the right spot at third. Abreiu did a good job of getting to where he should’ve been. King tried to chase the runner down. The runner fell down to avoid King’s tag, when he got back up King tagged him, but the umpire called him safe. King started to briefly argue with the umpire. Darnell Coles got out there pretty quick, and was trying to keep King calm. King was walking away. He used one of the magic words under his breadth on his way back to the bag, and the ump ejected him.
In the second game, Paul Menhart was ejected. A batter was hit by a pitch, but the batter swung at the pitch. The umpire had a really short fuse, and ejected Menhart for saying literally, “He swung at the ball, it should be a strike.”
Later in the second game, the Lakewood pitcher, a left hander, committed balk after balk after balk, but the umpire refused to call a balk.
Truly horrible umpiring. Two decent games. Good pitching performances. Decent hitting. Bad base running is what did the Suns in.
Marcus | 01-Jul-08 at 6:27 pm | Permalink
Thanks for the info suns fan! I’m trying to get some info on IFA from a poster at saber scouting regarding the Nats. His user name is Liquid seems to know a lot but he could be a fraud still can’t hurt to ask tho…
Ppl seem to be posting the most on this post if you want to join in: http://www.saberscouting.com/2008/06/27/july2ndothers/#more-249