Nationals Farm Authority

The Javelinas came up on the short end of a 14-11 slugfest with the Surprise Rafters (box/gamer). CA Devin Ivany had a memorable 2007 AFL debut going 2/4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI. Defensively, Ivany allowed one stolen base, had a throwing error, and a passed ball. Justin Maxwell made his second straight start in right field, going 0/4 with one walk and two strikeouts. He was also charged with one fielding error. Adam Carr made a relief appearance allowing one run on two hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings while striking out two. Carr hit one batter and threw a wild pitch.

Today: The Javelinas visit the Peoria Saguaros at 3:35PM EDT

The Arizona Fall League got underway on Tuesday afternoon with the Peoria Javelinas rallying for a 3-2 victory with a run in the bottom of the ninth (box/gamer). Garrett Mock started for the Javelinas and was sharp over two perfect innings, striking out two. Alex Morales pitched two innings, blowing a save allowing one run on one hit and one walk with one strikeout. Morales allowed base runners in both innings, walking a runner in the fifth and a double in the sixth. He also threw a wild pitch and balked a runner to third leading to his only run. Zech Zinicola picked up the win with a perfect ninth. Kory Casto started at DH going 1/3 with a single and a walk, he left a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs in the fifth inning. Justin Maxwell started in RF finishing 1/4 with a single and a run scored. He also struck out once and grounded into a double play.

Today: The Peoria Javelinas play their first road game of the season at 3:35 PM EDT. They visit the Surprise Rafters, pitchers TBD.

The Arizona Fall League gets underway this afternoon for the Peoria Javelinas. Adam Carr, Garrett Mock, Alex Morales, Zech Zinicola, Devin Ivany, Kory Casto and Justin Maxwell will make their 2007 debuts for the Javelinas who wost the Surprise Rafters at 12:35PM MST (3:35PM EDT).

Bill Ladson had the following note:

Catcher Jesus Flores will not play in the Arizona Fall League after all. The Venezuelan Winter League denied Flores from playing in the league. According to Flores, he was promised that he will play everyday in his country. In the past, he was a bench player during the winter ball season.

Replacing Flores on the roster will be Devin Ivany. Ivany batted 237/293/352 in 63 games split between the GCL, Hagerstown, Vermont and Harrisburg. Ivany is considered the best defensive catcher in the Nationals farm system.

Tip of the cap to Mark Zuckerman who provided me with the attendees for the Nationals Fall Instructional League. Update: Doing a little digging uncovered this Scout.com interview with Mike Rizzo when he worked with the Diamondbacks. I imagine it has applicablity to what to expect from the Nationals this fall.

• The Instructional League really aren’t about evaluation. We evaluate the players during the season, in Spring, really all year long, and this League is about taking what we have seen, focusing on specific deficiencies we’ve spotted during the season, and working on them.
• We really get a chance to delve into things with the players, and get them one on one, sometimes even four on one, instruction.
• We’re definitely monitoring the pitcher’s game time innings, and they’ll all be on pretty strict pitch counts, but this is really an important time for the pitchers. We’ve got a lot of great coaches down there, and a lot of great pitching coaches down there. What we’ll do with these guys is focus on a pitch, or on a certain aspect of their delivery, and really try to refine it. It’s not about the quantity of innings there, it’s about the quality of innings
• We don’t consciously say we’re going to spend more time with the best players, but I think everyone, including the players, recognize who the really top prospects are. You look at a guy who’s got average ability, and there’s only so much you can do for that guy, but if you see somebody with exceptional stuff, with something special, and you want to work with them as much as possible. It’s the great thing about this league though, there are so many coaches that just because you’re working with one guy you can still work just as hard with another, which is just something you can’t do during a season
• You get to experiment with guys in ways that you can’t do during a season when players are trying to win games, and this is just a great vehicle for that. Pitchers especially benefit, because they have three or four pitching coaches and those guys feed off one another. A kid gets to sit down with each one of those coaches and take it what they have to offer

Minor League News & Notes … Mark Zuckerman has a few of the names of the Nationals farmhands attending the Instructional League “Forty-nine Nationals farmhands will participate in the Fall Instructional League. Workouts begin Sept. 17 in Viera, Fla., with a 16-game schedule beginning Sept. 22. Among the organization’s top prospects playing this fall are pitchers Luis Atilano, Glenn Gibson, Josh Smoker, Colton Willems and Jordan Zimmermann; infielders Stephen King and Esmailyn Gonzalez; and outfielders Michael Burgess, Mike Daniel and Chris Marrero.” … I am working on getting the complete list of attendees … speaking of fall/winter league baseball, I have confirmed that given the Nationals will be holding an Instructional League, they will not be sending any players to the Hawaii Winter Baseball League

Columbus had a forgettable evening in Indianapolis, dropping the game 9-3 (box). Billy Traber allowed eight runs (four earned) on nine hits in only 3 2/3 innings. 2B Bernie Castro was 2/4 with a run scored; 1B Larry Broadway was 1/3 with a solo home run; and 2B Brent Abernathy was 3/4 with a double, run scored and RBI.

Tonight: Columbus opens up their final home stand of the season, a two-game series against Toledo with Clippers LHP Chris Michalak (5-7, 3.13) versus Mudhens RHP Virgil Vasquez (12-5, 3.48) at 7:25PM

Harrisburg fell behind early and never got back into it, losing 7-2 to Erie (box). Garrett Mock made his final Eastern League start of the season surrendering all seven runs (four earned) on nine hits and five walks over six innings, striking out five. Devin Perrin and David Trahan provided a combined three shutout innings of relief, allowing only one hit and striking out three. CF Roger Bernadina was 2/4 with his 40th stolen base of the season. And, DH Josh Whitesell was 1/3 with a double, run, and RBI, returning to the lineup after back spasms caused him to miss the last week.

Tonight: Harrisburg opens their final series of the season, a four-game home stand with Reading. Senators LHP Justin Jones (1-0, 4.91) matches up with Phillies RHP Carlos Carrasco (6-3, 4.48) at 6:35PM

Potomac won their tenth straight game, riding strong pitching from Marco Estrada and home runs from Justin Maxwell and Ian Desmond to a 3-2 victory over Lynchburg (box). Estrada finished hisCarolina League season 5-3 after throwing six innings allowing two runs on six hits with nine strikeouts. Estrada finished the month of August 4-1 with a 2.61ERA and 1.03WHIP with 33 strikeouts and only five walks in 31IP. CF Justin Maxwell was 2/4 with a pair of solo home runs. Maxwell now has twenty-six combine home runs, twelve in the Carolina League, and ten alone in the month of August. SS Ian Desmond was 2/4 with a double and a solo home run. And LF Mike Daniel was 3/3 with a walk.

Tonight: Potomac plays their final home game of the season tonight against Lynchburg. P-Nats RHP Shairon Martis (13-8, 4.47) throws against Hillcats RHP Derek Hankins (8-5, 5.20 ERA) at 7:35PM

Hagerstown’s game with Delmarva was called due to inclement weather in the eighth innings with game knotted at 2-2, neither teams will be credited with a win or charged with a loss, but the statistics will count (box). Chris Lugo pitched five innings allowing only one run on six hits. Yader Peralta threw two shutout innings of relief allowing one hit and two walks. Josh Wilkie allowed the game-tying run on one hit in one inning of work. SS Michael Martinez was 3/3 with a run scored. RF Joe Napoli  was 1/3 with one RBI. And, CA John Poppert was 2/3 with one RBI.

Tonight: Hagerstown opens their final home series of the season, a two-gamer against Lakewood at 7:05PM. Suns LHP Zach Baldwin (4-5, 3.76) faces BlueClaws LHP Antonio Bastardo (9-0, 1.87)

Vermont finally got back on track with Jordan Zimmermann starting in his second straight shutout, blanking Oneonta 6-0 (box/gamer). Zimmermann allowed only one hit in his five innings of work, walking one and striking out nine to move to 5-1 on the season. Zimmermann is 3-0 in August with a 1.17ERA and 1.09WHIP with 31 strikeouts and seven walks in 23 IP. Caleb Staudt and Luke Pisker pitched the final four innings allowing only one additional hit and striking out a combined six. SH Boomer Whiting was 1/5 with his 31st steal of the season (in 54 games). 1B Aaron Seuss was 2/3 with a run and RBI. RF Michael Burgess was 3/3 with one run and one RBI. CF  Stephen Englund was 1/4 with one RBI.

Tonight: LHP Glenn Gibson (4-2, 2.79) wraps up the quick two-game home series with Oneonta at 7:05PM. He’ll be opposed by Tigers RHP Jay Sborz (0-0, 4.32)

The DSL Nationals1 got their first taste of playoff action as they rallied from a 9-8 deficit to walk off with a 10-9 victory over the DSL Angels on an Eduardo Urbina single in the bottom of the ninth (box). Urbina was 2/4 with a double and three RBI. RF/LF Valerio Heredia was 1/4 with three runs scored and one RBI. DH Danny Taveras was 2/4 with a double, stolen base, two runs, and two RBI. LF Juan Beltre was 2/4 with a double, one RBI and two runs scored. Federico Tanco started for the DSL Nats1 allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings,s triking out six. Juan Jamie pitched 1 1/3 innings allowing a run on two hits but getting all four outs on strikeouts. Carlos Peralta blew the save allowing an unearned run in his two innings of work but picked up the win when the Nats rallied in the ninth.

Today: The DSL Nationals1 look to close out the best-of-three series with an 11:00AM game in San Pedro de Macorís at Anaheim’s Complex. The winner of this series will take on the winner of the DSL Yankees1 and DSL Pirates series (Yankees1 leading 1-0) 

The Nationals have announced the players who will be participating in the 2007 Arizona Fall League. On the 2007 Peoria Javelinas are the following seven Nationals …

• RHPs: Adam Carr, Garrett Mock, Alex Morales, and Zech Zinicola
• CA: Jesus Flores 
• IF: Kory Casto (listed as an IF)
• OF: Justin Maxwell

The Nationals are sending one starting pitcher and three relievers to Arizona. Mock will likely be a member of the starting rotation given that of the fifteen pitchers named to the Javelinas, Mock is one of only five pitchers who have started (and one of those Steven Jackson has pitched out of the bullpen for the Yankees in Triple-A). Colorado still has four arms and Seattle one, so Mock could have more competition more starts. Carr, Morales, and Zinicola are among ten RHRPs on the roster. Flores will be competing for playing time with Mariners top prospect Jeff Clement (selected with the pick before Ryan Zimmerman in 2005). Christian Colonel is also listed as a 3B meaning Casto will likely compete for ABs with him. At present, there are only four OFs listed on the Javelinas roster, meaning Maxwell will likely see regular ABs, but as is the case with Casto, some of the infielders could play the OF.