Nationals Farm Authority

The Washington Nationals today promoted Brian Parker to Director of Baseball Operations and Adam Cromie to Assistant Director of Baseball Operations. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

Parker, who spent the last four years as Assistant Director of Scouting, boasts nine years of professional baseball experience. He joined the club prior to the 2003 season after spending two years with the Arizona Fall League, where he served as Director of Baseball Operations for the 2002 season.

Cromie began his tenure with the organization prior to the 2007 season, serving the last two years as an Assistant in Baseball Operations.

The Washington Nationals today promoted Kris Kline to Assistant Director of Scouting/National Crosschecker. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden, Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo and Director of Scouting Dana Brown made the joint announcement.

Kline sports 19 years of scouting experience, the last two spent with the Nationals as Western Crosschecker. Before joining the Nationals in October of 2006, Kline spent the previous seven seasons with Arizona, the last three as the Diamondbacks’ Western Supervisor. He earned a World Series ring in 2001 as the Diamondbacks topped the Yankees in seven games. Before joining the Diamondbacks, Kline spent 10 seasons scouting for the Angels after completing his four-year professional playing career.

Kline’s responsibilities with the Nationals the last two years included—in the weeks prior to the annual First-Year Player Draft—evaluation of the majority of the top prospects on Washington’s draft board, as his talent and makeup opinions outside his western territory were highly valued within the Nationals’ scouting department.

The Washington Nationals today announced the hiring of Deric Ladnier as a National Crosschecker and Special Assistant to the General Manager. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

“Deric is among the elite talent evaluators in baseball and we are excited to add him to our staff,” Bowden said. “Deric has a proven track record in the industry, encompassing both scouting and player development.”

An 18-year veteran in scouting and player development, Ladnier joins the Nationals after serving the last nine seasons as Senior Director of Scouting with the Kansas City Royals. During his tenure with the Royals, he oversaw eight drafts while restructuring and stocking the organization’s player development system with prospects such as 24-year-old Alex Gordon (Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year and named J.G. Spink Award winner as the Topps/Minor League Player of the Year in 2006), 25-year-old Zack Greinke (Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year in 2003), 25-year-old Luke Hochevar (first-overall selection in 2006 First-Year Player Draft), 22-year-old Billy Butler (named best power hitter and second-best prospect in Royals organization by Baseball America entering 2006), 27-year-old Mike Aviles (seventh-round selection in 2003 First-Year Player Draft, hit .325 in 102 games this season and is candidate for American League Rookie of the Year), 20-year-old Mike Moustakas (second-overall selection in 2007 First-Year Player Draft, hit 22 home runs in first full professional season), and 18-year-old Eric Hosmer (third-overall selection in 2008 First-Year Player Draft).

Ladnier began his scouting career as an Area Supervisor with the Atlanta Braves in 1991 and advanced within the organization until he was named Director of Minor League Operations in 1996, serving as a Regional Supervisor and Assistant Director of Scouting and Player Development along the way. During each of his eight seasons with the Braves, they were recognized as having one of the top six player development systems in baseball as ranked by industry-expert Baseball America. They were credited with the top minor league talent pool in four of those seasons.

The 44-year-old began his career in baseball as an infielder in the Royals organization. He was selected in the eighth round of the 1985 First-Year Player Draft and remained with the Royals until his seven-year playing career was cut short by a shoulder injury in 1991. Ladnier played collegiately at the University of Mississippi.

The off-season roster shuffling begins … 

The Washington Nationals today announced that outfielder Ryan Langerhans and right-handed pitcher Levale Speigner cleared waivers and were outrighted to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. The Nationals also announced that left-handed pitcher Charlie Manning was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made these announcements.

The Nationals now have 36 players on their 40-man roster, not including five players on the 60-Day Disabled List.

Here is one early take on the 2009 draft.

As expected, RHP Stephen Strasburg is the choice at #1 overall. I was more interested to see who the choice was going to be at #9A. This mock draft has the Nats grabbing a HS LHP Tyler Matzek. Here is a quick scouting report of Matzek from Saberscouting:

Matzek works at 89-92, touching 94 with a heavy fastball and mixing in a knockout mid-70s curveball. His curveball is a two-plane bender that is regularly above-average now with a chance to be a plus pitch. He also mixes in solid slider and shows feel for a changeup that flashes above-average.

He’s projectable and athletic with a clean arm and simple delivery, throwing from a classic high 3/4 arm angle. That allows Matzek to work both sides of the plate effectively, pounding the zone with advanced feel. He’s got four pitches and command that project for average or better; there’s just a lot to like. One insider said Matzek reminded him of another lefty: the 4th overall pick of the 2008 draft, former U. San Diego hurler and Orioles draftee, Brian Matusz.

One scout that saw Matzek at the Perfect Game National showcase in Minneapolis said, “if his breaking ball develops like you hope, he could be Clayton Kershaw.” That might sound a bit optimistic, and that I’m using too many comparisons, but considering how under-the-radar Kershaw was entering his senior year, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched

Nothing against Matzek, but if the Nats grab an arm at #1, I’d hope they target a bat at #9A (assuming he’s close to the best player available). Of the players still on the board, I’d be intrigued by the selection of OF Kentrail Davis from Tennessee. Here is the Future Focus I had on Davis prior to the 2007 draft. The only question I’d have regarding Davis is his price tag. As a draft eligible sophomre, Davis has the flexibility to return for his junior season and not necessarily impact his draft position (assuming no injuries).

Given the fact the Nats have no safety net with this selection, that would be a gamble I’m not sure they’d take.

UPDATE: Jim Callis at Baseball America has his early top 10 for 2009 with the Nats taking Strasburg and RHP Kyle Gibson at #9A. Gibson is from Missouri and was a member of the same 2008 rotation as the player who led to this compensation.

The Peoria Saguaros outslugged the Scottsdale Scorpions 10-7 (box/gamer). DH Leonar Davis was 1/2 with a stolen base and RBI. 1B Bill Rhinehart was 1/4 with a single, run, RBI and walk. RHP Zech Zinicola pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, blowing a save allowing a home run among his two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Arizona Fall League got underway yesterday with the Peoria Saguaros defeating the Scottsdale Scorpions 9-3 (box/gamer). Leonard Davis played RF and was 0/4 with a run scored. SS Ian Desmond was 2/3 with one run and one RBI. LHP Cory VanAllen started for the Saguaros allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over two innings with two strikeouts. RHP Adam Carr pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout.

To pass the time, here is MiLB.com’s review of the 2008 Nationals season for your reading pleasure.

Not much to quibble with … maybe the classification of Detwiler. I might have pegged him as a “Slippped a Rung” all things being considered.

This two classes and a full time job is a bit more involving than I expected. I’m hoping to get some of the seasons in review up later this week. I have class tonight and Wednesday, so hopefully on Friday.