25-year old Andrew Kown had another solid start for Columbus, allowing two runs on seven hits over 5IP while striking out seven and not walking a batter in a 3-2 Clippers win (box/gamer). RHPs Jim Ed Warden, Ryan Wagner, and Brian Sanches pitched the final four scoreless innings allowing only one hit. 24-year old CF Roger Bernadina was 2/4 with a run, RBI & stolen base (his 15th in Columbus). 24-year old 2B Leonard Davis was 3/4 with a solo home run (his 5th for the Clippers). The rehabbing duo of SS Alberto Gonzalez and LF Elijah Dukes were 1/4 with a double & RBI and 0/3 with three strikeouts, respectively.
Record: Columbus 67-69, 3rd place IL West (17GB with six games left) [eliminated]
Today: RHP Tyler Clippard (6-11, 4.43) at Toledo RHP Virgil Vazquez (10-12, 4.90), 7:00PM
28-year old RHP Steve Schmoll allowed three runs in the bottom of the ninth as Harrisburg fell 4-3 in Erie (box/gamer). 27-year old RHP Bobby Brownlie held the SeaWolves to one run on four hits and two walks over 5IP with four strikeouts, but did not figure in the decision. 23-year old RF Edgardo Baez was 2/2 with a walk, double, RBI & run scored. 24-year old LF Marvin Lowrance and 25-year old DH Garrett Guzman each had a hit & RBI for the Senators.
Record: Harrisburg 70-66, 3rd place EL South (11GB with six games left) [six games behind Akron for wild card]
Today: RHP Zack Segovia (2-1, 7.22) at Erie LHP Danny Christensen (7-8, 3.95), 7:05PM
Potomac ran into solid Salem pitching as they dropped a 4-2 decision on Tuesday night (box/gamer). 23-year old RHP Jeff Mandel took the loss, allowing four runs (though only one was earned) on seven hits and one walk over 7IP. 19-year old RF Michael Burgess was 1/2 with a walk, solo homer & two RBI. 24-year old CF Francisco Plasencia was 2/4 with a stolen base.
Record: Potomac 34-30, 1st place Carolina North (3.5 games ahead with six games left) [1st half champs]
Today: RHP Luis Atilano (5-1, 2.03) versus Salem RHP Chad Wagler (4-4, 3.83), 7:05PM
Hagerstown managed only four singles on offense as they lost 8-1 in Lake County (box/gamer). DH Jesus Valdez, DH Garrett Bass, CA Travis Reagan, & 1B Robby Jacobsen (all 23) had the four Suns hits. 22-year old RHP Bradley Meyers surrendered seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and one walk over 3IP with two strikeouts.
Record: Hagerstown 24-40, 6th place Sally North (18.5GB with six games left) [eliminated]
Today: LHP Ricardo Pecina (0-1, 6.14) at Lake County (pitcher TBA), 7:05PM
23-year old LF Jake Dugger hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as Vermont defeated Hudson Valley 7-5 (box/gamer). Dugger was 3/4 with the home run, a double, two runs scored & three RBI. 21-year old CF Marcus Jones was 1/4 with a walk, run & two RBI. 19-year old 2B Jake Smolinski was 4/5 with two double, one run & one RBI. 22-year old RHP Jose Pinales made the spot start, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks over 3IP with three strikeouts. 22-year old RHP David Slovak gave up one run on five hits over 3IP with five strikeouts. And, 22-year old RHP Steven Stewart picked up the win with three innings of relief, allowing a run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Record: Vermont 27-36, 3rd place NYP Stedler (9GB with twelve games left)
Today: RHP Brad Peacock (3-5, 3.32) at Aberdeen (pitcher TBA), 7:05PM
The GCL Nationals clinched the GCL East title with a four-hit 2-0 blanking of the GCL Mets (box). 18-year old LHP Graham Hicks made his professional debut as the starting pitcher, allowing only one hit over 2IP with two strikeouts. 19-year old RHP Paul Demny picked up the win with his six innings of relief, giving up three hits while striking out eight. And, 22-year old RHP Federico Tanco picked up the save, striking out a pair over his one inning of work. 18-year old SS Smiley Gonzalez was 1/3 with a run scored. 18-year old LF Destin Hood was 1/3 with a double & run scored. 18-year old RF J.P. Ramirez was 1/3. And, 18-year old DH Adrian Nieto was 1/3 with a double.
Record: GCL Nationals 33-21, 1st place GCL East (3.5 games ahead of the GCL Dodgers with one or two games left) [Clinched playoffs]
Today: LHP Patrick Arnold (NR) at GCL Marlins, 10:00AM [could be a doubleheader; pitchers in 2nd game TBA]
The DSL regular season has ended. The playoffs began this week.
Record: DSL Nationals1 55-17, 1st place DSL S.D. West (finished 25 games ahead); DSL Nationals2 29-43, 4th place DSL S.D. West (finished 26GB) [Nats1 in the playoffs; Nats2 eliminated]
This Week: The DSL Nationals1 and the DSL Giants both received first round byes. The DSL Angels lead the DSL Rangers1 one game to none and the DSL Twins lead the DSL Mariners one game to none. Both of Tuesdays games were postponed by rain. Game two will take place today.
Nats fan in NJ | 27-Aug-08 at 8:00 am | Permalink
I’m guessing that once Sept 1 rolls around, Bernadina gets called up. Do you think they’ll play him full time (with Milledge & Dukes) to give him another shot over the last 4 weeks of the season?
Brian Oliver | 27-Aug-08 at 8:07 am | Permalink
NfiNJ - I have a posting on that topic that should go up later today. With regards to your Bernadina question, I think he’ll spend most of his time as a defensive replacement/pinch runner.
EdDC | 27-Aug-08 at 8:33 am | Permalink
Nice article on Matt Wieters, the O’s top prospect, in the Post today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR2008082603098.html
Interesting how the Nats and O’s differed on this. In the 2007 draft, Wieters signed a record way-above-slot contract of $6 million in a deal that went up to the wire on August 15. Wieters wasn’t called a greedy jerk by managemnt, who could have walked away from Wieters, blaming him and his agent. Instead, they simply signed him. The O’s are trying to turn things around, after 15 years of futility, and are investing in their future.
Now the article just talk about how Wieters is crushing the ball at AA, not how awful he treated the O’s. Were the O’s stupid for caving?
Chris | 27-Aug-08 at 9:02 am | Permalink
The Orioles have done a very good job lately and have it turned around. We could learn a thing or two
Chris | 27-Aug-08 at 9:03 am | Permalink
Congrats to the GCL Nats and Hicks also. Would love to see a US league championship
A DC Wonk | 27-Aug-08 at 9:20 am | Permalink
Did Weiters demand a major-league contract and refuse a request for an MRI?
Mark L | 27-Aug-08 at 9:31 am | Permalink
Maybe Weiters had the revolutionary idea of actually meeting the people and organization that drafted him. No dumb jock here.
Chris | 27-Aug-08 at 9:52 am | Permalink
Everyone knew that Crow (and Weiters) wanted a major league contract. If you dont want to deal with that, dont draft him
e | 27-Aug-08 at 10:00 am | Permalink
I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, but Burgess is smoking the ball in Potomac.
.283/.371/.679 with 6 homers in 53 AB’s! OK, sure he’s struckout 16 times in that span, but I’d be happy with that many K’s if he’s getting on base that much and smacking the ball all over the place.
J. Cole | 27-Aug-08 at 10:04 am | Permalink
Great to see Graham start off strong. Once again, why couldn’t we get these top draft pciks signed earlier? That way they could get more than 2 weeks of PT before the season ends.
Nate | 27-Aug-08 at 10:12 am | Permalink
J. Cole - for the same reason that when you’re job hunting you don’t just take the first position you’re offered without inquiring about pesky things like salary, benefits and job responsibillities.
Negotiation and leverage.
expo_ram | 27-Aug-08 at 10:51 am | Permalink
Regarding O’s “simply signing” Wieters - as I recall, they didn’t sign picks 2-5 (at least). So what was the deal there?
Regarding the O’s turning it around - outside of Wieters, how do there home grown prospects from the last couple of year look?
Regarding O’s in general - who here cares?
John | 27-Aug-08 at 10:53 am | Permalink
Isn’t the “tragic” number actually 27 since the Nats have then tie-breaker. I may have done the math wrong.
Also, I’m calling it the Strasic number:) Doesn’t quite rhyme, but close enough.
My top 5 if I’m the Nats 1) Strasburg 2) Alex White 3) Matt Purke 4) Grant Green 5)Dustin Ackley
Plus I think there’s a slight chance Kyle Gibson is at #10, although I doubt he gets by Oakland.
One of the HS high ceiling guys like Matzek, Turner, or Maddox is more likely.
Brian Oliver | 27-Aug-08 at 11:10 am | Permalink
You are correct, the Nats hold the tiebreaker with SD & SEA based on prior year’s worse record … so it should be 27.
However, they do not hold the tiebreakers with Florida, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati, ChiSox, San Francisco, or Baltimore [Tampa cannot have a worse record than the Nationals]
Chris | 27-Aug-08 at 11:14 am | Permalink
The Orioles didnt have 2 and 3rd round picks, so that helped. They did sign their top 7 picks tho (including a 5th rdr for 1.1 mil)
Markakis is a stud, and they traded their homegrown Bedard for a CF, SP and Closer
I dont really care about the Orioles but theyve done a great job the last couple of years restocking
Ronny | 27-Aug-08 at 11:20 am | Permalink
John- Would you really want to draft Kyle Gibson, knowing him and Crow are kind of close with each other. I would fear he would pull a Crow on us and make some crazy ass demands. And i’m pretty sure with Crow being bitter about his situation he would tell Gibson how bad the Nats are as an organization and that he should never sign with them. But I don’t know, I might want to stay away from him.
John | 27-Aug-08 at 11:36 am | Permalink
Ronny: That’s possible and I would hope they’d do their research on him.
From what I’ve read about Gibson and read in interviews though, he’s >>>>>> Crow as a person. He is known as a hard worker and a great guy. He’s very self-deprecating(makes fun of himself for needing to gain weight) and down to earth. Also, not to be mean, but if you had an IQ test on both I know who my money would be on.
Still, what you say is possible. I hope he’s not like Crow. Like I said, I don’t think he’ll be there anyway, although I didn’t think Crow would be at #9 this year either.
My dream right now would be Strasburg and White somehow slipping to 10. I think something like Strasburg and Tyler Matzek is more likely though. Of course it’s way, way early for all of this.
Ronny | 27-Aug-08 at 11:47 am | Permalink
Yeah, that’s the key word “Research” because if he’s there when we pick at 10 they(Nats) better know him inside & out. I don’t think I can take another situation next year like the one we had this year, it would kill me.
John | 27-Aug-08 at 11:57 am | Permalink
I think they definitely messed up on Crow. I wondered how he could possibly slip to #9, but now I’m not surprised at all.
I know more about hockey and have better ties to the Caps. Character/makeup is huge for them in selecting players. They’ve let some more gifted players go in order to take a player whose psych profile fit and it’s worked for them big time.
I hope the Nats are able to start doing this. I have no doubt the Caps would have passed on Crow. In fairness though, hockey has a scouting combine where you can be around the players and interview them…ect.
Berndaddy | 27-Aug-08 at 1:33 pm | Permalink
John - I’m with you about the Caps. It would be nice to have a combine for Baseball, although that might build interest for kids that are well conditioned but not basball worthy. 6 or 1/2 dozen etc etc etc…
Great point though…
EdDC | 27-Aug-08 at 2:33 pm | Permalink
You can’t assume that Crow has lousy character, not knowing him. The Nats have ways to check his character anyway.
OK, Crow asked for too much money. The O’s stepped up and gave Wieters $6 million in 2007, while the Nats would not sign Crow for $4 million in 2008.
What I would really like to know is this–should the O’s have passed on Wieters because the kid was too greedy?
John | 27-Aug-08 at 3:14 pm | Permalink
Ed: I’m not assuming anything. I’m judging him based on his actions and interview.
Also, Boras and Wieters actually negotiated with the O’s. This thing with Crow wasn’t about the money, it was about principle. If they had worked with the Nats, I have no doubt they’d have paid $4 million or even more.
I’m very happy they didn’t though. I don’t want a guy like Crow on the team.
EdDC | 27-Aug-08 at 4:26 pm | Permalink
John,
Both sides don’t like the other. How do we know for sure whose spin to believe?
I am fine with letting their top draft pick walk as long as the Nats establish themselves as a mid or large market team (in America’s 8th largest region), with nice-sized budgets at least for the kids, like the draftees and international players. They sure don’t seem like they want to consider themselves as a major player as far as I can see, as their talk about budgets during this process indicates (”If we go over slot on this guy, then our budget doesn’t allow us to sign some other guy”, etc). The Nats financial constraints are remarkable to me, threatening their future. However, if you feel the Nats are extending themselves (including their wallets) then I can respect that.
From today’s Post chat with Chico:
Washington, D.C.: Yesterday Aaron Crow was named the winner of the Roger Clemens award as being the best pitcher in college baseball beating out Brian Matusz, among others. As a consolation to the Nats’ long suffering fans, do you think the club might decide to reduce the price of a beer at the ballpark by 50 cents (so we can cry in our beer without fumbling for change)?
Chico Harlan: Forget 50-cent price reductions. How about 50-cent beer?