Columbus rallied for six runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Richmond 8-5 (box/gamer). Notes: LHP Mike O’Connor is done for the season after breaking his nose/orbital bone under eye when he was hit by a foul ball. IF Kory Casto was optioned to Columbus in order to make room on the roster for IF Anderson Hernandez, who will be acquired to complete the Luis Ayala trade. 24-year old LF Frank Diaz was 2/4 with a double, run & two RBI. 28-year old CA David Wallace was 2/4 with a solo home run & three RBI. 27-year old SS Rey Olmedo was 2/4 with a tow-run homer. 30-year old LHP Mike Bacsik allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits and three walks over 5IP with seven strikeouts. 27-year old RHP Levale Speigner picked up the win in relief with two perfect innings, striking out two.
Record: Columbus 64-65, 3rd place IL West (16GB with 13 games left) [eliminated]
Tonight: RHP Craig Stammen (1-2, 7.71) versus Richmond (pitcher TBA), 7:05PM
Harrisburg lost their sixth time in the last seven games, falling 6-4 in Trenton (box/gamer). 23-year old RF Edgardo Baez was 3/4 with a run scored. 25-year old DH Garrett Guzman was 1/3 with two runs scored. And 22-year old SS Ian Desmond was 2/4 with one RBI. 24-year old RHP Adrian Alaniz pitched only 2/3 of an inning, exiting when he developed a blister on his pitching hand after facing just four Trenton batters. 25-year old RHP Zack Segovia took over allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks over 5 2/3IP with five strikeouts.
Record: Harrisburg 68-62, 3rd place EL South (8GB with 12 games left)
Tonight: LHP Cory VanAllen (3-2, 4.99) at Trenton RHP Eric Hacker (6-3, 2.73), 7:05PM
19-year old RF Michael Burgess hit two home runs and drove in six runs as Potomac held on for a 17-14 win in a slugfest at Kinston (box/gamer). Burgess was 3/4 with two two-run home runs, and a two-run single. Since being promoted to Potomac, Burgess is hitting 286/405/771 in nine games with five homers and thirteen RBI. He has struck out ten times and walked five times over thirty-five at-bats. 24-year old CF Francisco Plasencia was 1/5 with a double, two runs & three RBI. 25-year old DH Dee Brown was 3/6 with three RBI & three runs scored. 24-year old 1B Andrew Lefave was 2/4 with a double, two walks, a stolen base, two RBI & four runs scored. 23-year old LF Aaron Seuss was 3/5 with a double & two runs scored. 23-year old RHP Hassan Pena was the starter, allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks over 4 2/3IP with four strikeouts. 23-year old RHP Kyle Gunderson picked up his first win for Potomac with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Record: Potomac 32-26, 1st place Carolina North (5 games ahead with 12 games left) [1st half champs]
Tonight: RHP Jeff Mandel (5-4, 4.34) at Kinston LHP Shawn Nottingham (2-3, 4.70), 7:00PM
Hagerstown did not play on Tuesday.
Record: Hagerstown 21-36, 6th place Sally North (17.5GB with 13 games left) [eliminated]
Tonight: LHP Tommy Milone (0-2, 2.57) versus Delmarva (pitcher TBA), 7:05PM
Vermont was on their All-Star break. The NL All-Stars defeated the AL All-Stars 4-3 (box). Michael Guerrero was the starting RF going 0/2. Derek Norris was a replacement at DH, finishing 0/1 with a walk. RHP P.J. Dean did not play given that he pitched for the Monsters on Sunday.
Record: Vermont 23-34, 4th place NYP Stedler (9GB with 18 games left)
Tonight: No game scheduled
The GCL Nationals game was postponed by rain.
Record: GCL Nationals 29-19, tied for 1st place GCL East (5 games ahead of 3rd with eight games left)
Today: LHP Josh Smoker (2-1, 1.19) at GCL Dodgers, 12:00PM
The DSL Nationals1 lost 3-1 to the DSL Tigers (box). 22-year old RHP Armado De Los Santos started for the Nats1, allowing one run on three hits and four walks over 5IP with seven strikeouts. 22-year old RHP Jonathan Molina took the loss allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits over 3IP while striking out four. 19-year old SS Justino Cuevas was 2/5 with one RBI.
The DSL Nationals2were blasted by the DSL Padres 17-3 (box). The Nats2 made eight errors. The Nats2 made one error each in the bottom of the first and second before making four in the bottom of the third. 19-year old RHP Luis Jimenez was knocked around for eight runs on four hits and six walks over 3IP but the cavalcade of errors led to only three of them being earned. 18-year old SS Angelito Concepcion was 1/2 with a double & RBI. 19-year old 1B Juan Urdaneta was 2/4.
Record: DSL Nationals1 51-16, 1st place DSL S.D. West (22 games ahead with four games left); DSL Nationals2 26-41, 4th place DSL S.D. West (25GB with four games left) [Nats1 in the playoffs; Nats2 eliminated]
Today: DSL Nationals1 versus DSL Padres; DSL Nationals2 versus DSL Tigers; both games at 10:30AM
JayB | 20-Aug-08 at 8:08 am | Permalink
Brian,
I am sorry if I missed your response to similar questions, yet the slide continues it seems for the team in the farm system. I understand that records in minor league baseball have many variables but the team itself had been holding out the overall win loss record of the farm system as a measure of progress. It seems to me headed south in the past month or more. More to the point is our prospects seem to be hitting a wall and falling back as well. Do you agree that the farm has taken a turn downwards and if so, what do you see as the reasons?
Sec 204 Rw K Seat 11 | 20-Aug-08 at 8:22 am | Permalink
I wish O’ Connor well. It appears the injury bug of the NATS is creep down to the minors.
Brian Oliver | 20-Aug-08 at 8:28 am | Permalink
Honestly, all of the injuries at the major league level have happened at the minor league level as well. Also, there have been record number of moves at every level, throwing any sort of continuity out the window.
The wins/losses have some degree of importance but I believe the development of the players is more the focus.
In the end, I think that the early performance of the affiliates was somewhat above expectations across the board.
I don’t believe the farm has taken a downturn as much as it has returned to the level I figured it would have entering the season.
JayB | 20-Aug-08 at 9:28 am | Permalink
Good Point….oh well, over achieving is fun while it lasts.
Thanks
BF | 20-Aug-08 at 9:58 am | Permalink
Burgess, Detwiler, McGeary, and Smiley haven’t hit a wall. It’s their supporting cast, the Rhineharts, who have hit a wall.
Pilchard | 20-Aug-08 at 10:13 am | Permalink
Shout out to Michael Burgess. Realize that he needs to cut down on his Ks, but the kid has ridiculous power. For a 19 year-old to have 23 HRs in 400 ABs is remarkable. Most professional prospects fail to hit their power peak until the mid-to-late 20s. He also has a gun (best arm in the Sally League according to BA).
J. Cole | 20-Aug-08 at 10:23 am | Permalink
BF -
Burgess is showing some good stuff at Potomac, but he was just decent at Hagerstown, not really tearing the league up. Detwiler has hit the wall all season unti his last few starts. He has an ERA near 5. I don’t really get your comment. I think Burgess would hit a wall too, if he jumped up to AA Harrisburgh next week after 2 good weeks at Potomac like Rhinehart did. Read the article on Rhinehart at senatorsbaseball.com
that dude is a pure hitter, he’s pretty chubby though, I honestly think fatigue is a factor for him at this point in the season. He definitely needs to get in better shape, but the guy can flat out hit. Potomac is still going strong and has a good shot at winning the Carloina league title. The other affiliates are slowing down because too many players are moving up and out without the same quality (or at least experienced) players moving in. Nats need another strong draft next year and in 2010 to really have a fully stocked farm system, i.e. covering all levels.
Chris | 20-Aug-08 at 10:33 am | Permalink
If the PNats and Pelicans both win both halfs, how do the playoffs work?
Brian Oliver | 20-Aug-08 at 10:39 am | Permalink
Chris - The next best record in the 2nd half gets an invitation to the playoffs. So Wilmington in the North and Kinston in the South (as of today).
Then best of three with Potomac & Myrtle Beach as the home teams takes place.
Mark | 20-Aug-08 at 11:41 am | Permalink
There definately seems to be an “August Wall” that the organization has hit. I haven’t been following minors for very long - is this a common notion for minors to hit a performance barrier about this time of year?
Chris | 20-Aug-08 at 11:47 am | Permalink
Great, thanks Brian
WebberDC | 20-Aug-08 at 12:10 pm | Permalink
Brian and Chris -
The Carolina League has gone to a best of five in the opening round.
First game is September 3 at Potomac.
http://carolina.league.milb.com/events/page.jsp?ymd=20080715&content_id=432786&vkey=events_l122&fext=.jsp&sid=l122
BF | 20-Aug-08 at 1:08 pm | Permalink
Cole, I was pointing out the top people who weren’t hitting a wall. Maybe they sucked before, but now they don’t.
What the teams are doing right now doesn’t matter as much as our top prospects. If it’s like this a couple years from now, when we should have more depth, then it’s a little worrisome. As long as 30-year-old LHP Mike Bacsik is pitching more than an inning at AAA, I can’t take the records too seriously (though I do wish the Monsters’ were a little better).
Pilchard | 20-Aug-08 at 1:25 pm | Permalink
Complimenting Brian’s comment above, in addition to the injuries among the Nats minor leaguers, the Nats August W-L record was adversely impacted by the injuries, trades and cuts made from the MLB team. Essentially, the Nats by trading Rausch and Ayala, by cutting LoDuca and Felipe and by virtue of the injuries to Dukes, Johnson, Young, Willy Mo, Cordero, Hill (there are probably others), the Nats have 7 to 10 players on the MLB roster that should be playing in the minors. This has a domino effect on every level as players that would be on the Columbus roster are in DC, those that would be in Harrisburg are in Columbus and so on.
Realize that every team has some injuries, but the Nats lost an inordinate number of players at the end of July and in August which has had a cascading impact throughout the organization.
Also, hate to admit this as a follower of the Nats farm system, the system was not as far along as many thought that it was (IIRC, BA had the Nats organization as #9 in talent heading into 2008; Bowden may have claimed it was even better than that). There is some talent, but not enough to compensate for the injuries and other organizational losses that were incurred over the last month.
JMUNats | 20-Aug-08 at 1:35 pm | Permalink
In regards to the minor league playoffs, how does it work for the Gulf Coast League?
Brian Oliver | 20-Aug-08 at 1:39 pm | Permalink
The division winner with the best record gets a bye. The other two division winners meet in a one-game playoff. The winner advances to face the division winner with the best record in a best-of-three series.
expo_ram | 20-Aug-08 at 1:40 pm | Permalink
The org reminds me of my beloved Tide football team a couple of years ago coming off probation. The loss of scholarships thinned the depth chart and had them struggling. Once the probation was over, it took years to rebuild the depth, and that’s where you only have a player for 4-5 years!
Where has Eury Perez been?
Brian Oliver | 20-Aug-08 at 2:09 pm | Permalink
exp - I have asked about Perez
Berndaddy | 20-Aug-08 at 2:11 pm | Permalink
Brian
What in the world do you do for a living? How do you find time to do this, eh?
Brian Oliver | 20-Aug-08 at 2:17 pm | Permalink
Luckily for me, summer is a slower time at work.
Berndaddy | 20-Aug-08 at 2:35 pm | Permalink
Perfect for baseball..
Here’s something I’ve been thinking about or really being bother about. JimBow brings up Estrada and then in the media blurb he puts out that the 2005 draft brings up another person to the majors. It’s hard to swallow when we know that he’s trying to cover his hind places. Does Marco deserve this cup of coffee or do you feel he’s trying to distract the world from his blunders? Is this bull or what and do other teams have a better rate of prospects to major, etc etc?
Where would I find that kind of info?
expo_ram | 20-Aug-08 at 3:39 pm | Permalink
Bern - Estrada was an interesting selection to me - I thought maybe Bascik or O’Connor might have been in line. You make a good point that Jimbo is trying to use this as a success story.
To me Marco is useful, but not this year…Jimbo is just crowing - if he’s not gone next year, he has something on the Lerners! For the record, I think he should go not because of the deals, but because of his lack of professionalism…
Berndaddy | 20-Aug-08 at 4:34 pm | Permalink
EXPO-RAM
Mercy Buckets, mon do!!! Ya, great french, eh.
The idea he has something on the Lerner’s cracks me up. I mean have you ever seen Ted L. I mean have you, ever. I promise he’s not dead, yet…really…