Nationals Farm Authority

Bill Ladson reports

WASHINGTON — Nationals left-hander Josh Smoker underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a bone spur from his left shoulder. Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery, and reported that Smoker’s labrum and rotator cuff appeared to be normal.

Smoker, who was a sandwich pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, should begin physical therapy immediately, with the expectation of starting a throwing program in six weeks. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training 2009.

Smoker struggled early on in Hagerstown in 2008 with an 0-4 record over 5 starts (18IP). It would be interesting what role the injury played in his struggles.

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.

Just one Nat appears on this list, at #11 OF Michael Burgess

From the Nationals

The Washington Nationals today announced their roster for players participating in the 2008 Instructional League. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden, Assistant General Manager and Vice President, Player Development Bob Boone and Director of Player Development Bobby Williams made the joint announcement.

The Instructional League (IL) is intended to provide the best and brightest prospects in the Nationals’ system with high-intensity instruction and attention provided by Washington’s top minor-league coordinators, managers, coaches and instructors. During the 25-day slate, players will participate in workouts and play in games on a daily basis. For the second consecutive year, the Nationals will compete in IL pool play with similar squads from the Astros, Braves and Tigers organizations.

Those invited to the IL will report to the Nationals Spring Training Complex in Viera, FL on September 16, with the first workout scheduled for September 17.

Over half of the club’s 47 players participating in the IL were selected in the 2007 or 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

The IL class of 2008 includes shortstop Esmailyn “Smiley” Gonzalez (the 2008 Gulf Coast League batting champion), left-handed pitcher Jack McGeary (Washington’s sixth-round selection in the 2007 Draft, led the GCL with 64 strikeouts this season), outfielder Michael Burgess (paced professional baseball with 28 outfield assists, finished second among Nationals farmhands with 24 home runs and tied for second with 79 RBI this season), outfielder Destin Hood (Washington’s second-round selection in this year’s First-Year Player Draft), shortstop Danny Espinosa (a third-round pick in the ‘08 Draft out of Long Beach State University), left-handed pitcher Graham Hicks (selected in the fourth round of this June’s Draft) and catcher Adrian Nieto (Washington’s fifth-round selection in the ‘08 First-Year Player Draft).

This year’s instructional roster (where they came from/highest 2008 level) …

Pitchers

• RHP Edulin Abreu (international/Potomac)
• LHP Will Atwood (2008 draft/Vermont)
• RHP Martin Beno (2007/Potomac)
• RHP P.J. Dean (2007/Vermont)
• RHP Paul Demny (2008/GCL)
• RHP Shane Erb (2007/GCL)
• RHP Marcos Frias (international/GCL)
• LHP Austin Garrett (2008/Vermont)
• LHP Bobby Hansen (2008/GCL)
• LHP Graham Hicks (2008/Vermont)
• RHP Juan Jamie (international/GCL)
• RHP Cole Kimball (2006/Potomac)
• LHP Kevin Light (undrafted free agent 2008/Vermont)
• LHP Patrick McCoy (2007/Vermont)
• LHP Jack McGeary (2007/Vermont)
• RHP Brad Peacock (2006 … signed as draft-and-follow 2007/Hagerstown)
• RHP Hassan Pena (2006/Potomac)
• RHP Jose Pinales (international/Vermont)
• LHP Atahualpa Severino (international/Potomac)
• LHP Josh Smoker (2007/Hagerstown)
• RHP Steven Stewart (undrafted free agent 2008/Vermont)
• RHP Colton Willems (2006/Hagerstown)

Catchers

• Danny Killian (2008/GCL)
• Sandy Leon (international/GCL)
• Adrian Nieto (2008/GCL)
• Derek Norris (2007/Vermont)
• Sean Rooney (2006/Hagerstown)

Infielders

• SS Dani Arias (international/Vermont)
• SS Danny Espinosa (2008/Vermont)
• SS Smiley Gonzalez (international/GCL)
• 3B Stephen King (2006/Potomac)
• 3B Ronnie Labrie (2008/GCL)
• 2B Steve Lombardozzi (2008/GCL)
• 1B Chris Marrero (2006/Potomac)
• 1B Tyler Moore (2008/Vermont)
• 2B Jake Smolinski (2007/Hagerstown)
• 2B Francisco Soriano (international/GCL)
• 3B Steve Souza (2007/Hagerstown)

Outfielders

• Michael Burgess (2007/Potomac)
• Chris Curran (2008/GCL)
• Stephen Englund (2008/Hagerstown)
• J.R. Higley (2008/GCL)
• Destin Hood (2008/GCL)
• Marcus Jones (2008/Vermont)
• Justin Maxwell (2005/Harrisburg)
• Eury Perez (international/DSL)
• J.P. Ramirez (2008/GCL)

Outside of Maxwell, who is likely there on a rehab, there are no players whose highest level was Columbus or Harrisburg. 

The one name I noticed absent from the list was RHP Patrick Arnold. 

(FYI … here is last year’s roster)

UPDATE: Players who are playing in the Arizona Fall League are not included in this list. But, keep in mind, the guys who head to Arizona are almost entirely from Harrisburg and Columbus. The Nationals players playing for the Peoria Saguaros are:

• RHP Adam Carr
• new LHP Ross Detwiler (thanks, Jon)
• LHP Cory VanAllen
• RHP Zech Zinicola
• SS Ian Desmond
• 1B Bill Rhinehart
• OF Leonard Davis

It’s not necessarily the way I was expecting he would get called up to Washington, but when CA Jesus Flores left tonight’s game against Philadelphia with an apparent left ankle sprain, CA Luke Montz received a September call up from the Nationals, per his agent who posts at the Washington Nationals Fan Forum.

9:40PM UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Luke Montz’ agent Joshua Kusnick who relayed what happened today. “I spoke with Luke earlier today about some other business,” Kusnick said, “He is down in Louisiana working out and was disappointed that he did not receive a call-up in September.” Kusnick continued, “At around 8PM, Luke called be back very excited that he got the call to the majors.” Kusnick added, “He was drafted in the 17th round (of the 2003 draft) and it’s a testament to how hard he worked to achieve a lifelong dream.”

10:12PM UPDATE: From the Nationals

Following tonight’s game, the Washington Nationals selected catcher Luke Montz from Triple-A Columbus. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

Montz batted .271 with 22 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs and 71 RBI in 111 games this season for Columbus and Double-A Harrisburg. He began the season at Harrisburg, where he hit .282 with a .368 on-base percentage and led all Eastern League catchers with 14 homers, 53 RBI, 28 extra-base hits and a .554 slugging percentage when he was promoted to Triple-A on June 30. In 48 games with Columbus, Montz hit .256 with eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and 18 RBI.

The 25-year-old threw out 36-of-97 (37 percent) attempted basestealers overall this season, including 23-of-54 (43 percent) while playing with Harrisburg. He was selected by the Nationals in the 17th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft out of Hill (TX) Junior College.

Just in from the Nationals …

The Washington Nationals today recalled, not to report, right-handed pitcher Tyler Clippard, left-handed pitcher Mike O’Connor and right-handed pitcher Ryan Wagner from Columbus of the Triple-A International League. The Nationals also recalled outfielder Justin Maxwell from Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Maxwell was then immediately placed on the 60-Day Disabled List (right wrist). Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcements.

Basically, the players were called up but not put on the active roster. I’m working on getting an explanation.

UPDATE: Chico Harlan over at NJ gives a reason for the moves. Basically, procedural stuff that has little bearing on the product on the field. It will bear watching to see if Ross Detwiler is recalled, not to report when the Potomac season ends.

From the Nationals …

The Washington Nationals tomorrow are expected to recall outfielder Roger Bernadina and first baseman/outfielder Kory Casto from Columbus of the Triple-A International League, and recall from rehab and reinstate shortstop Alberto Gonzalez from the 15-Day Disabled List. The Nationals are also expected to select the contracts of left-handed pitcher Mike Hinckley, right-handed pitcher Shairon Martis and right-handed pitcher Levale Speigner from Columbus. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

Hinckley, Speigner and Martis will be added to the 40-man roster.

Additionally

The Nationals tomorrow will add Triple-A Columbus hitting coach Rick Eckstein and medical and rehab coordinator Steve Gober to their big league staff for the remainder of the 2008 season. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

Reading the print version of the Post this morning, there is a note that the Nationals outrighted RHPs Brian Sanches and Chris Schroder to Columbus. This removes them from the 40-man roster immediately. With this move, the Nationals have 38 players on their 40-man roster leading up to September roster expansion. The Nationals can also transfer OF Wily Mo Pena and RHP Shawn Hill from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. That frees up four spots for the Nationals.

UPDATES: A couple of additional notes … 1B Dmitri Young is listed on the restricted list which means he does not count as part of the 40-man roster. Additionally, I noticed that RHP Chad Cordero is still listed on the 15-day DL on the Nationals 40-man page. I am pretty sure I saw a note that he was moved to the 60-day DL a few months ago. If Cordero is on 60-day along with Young’s placement on the restricted list, the Nationals are at 37 on their 40-man roster. I also neglected to mention that the Nationals can free up two more 40-man roster spots if they choose to make moves on LHPs Matt Chico & Mike O’Connor and OF Justin Maxwell, both are on the DL in the minor leagues and out for the season.

The Nationals have the ability to open up eight spots on their 40-man for September roster additions, though I doubt they will make all five DL moves.

Note: A bit of navel-gazing, but for those interested, I am scheduled to call into the Nationals pre-game show this evening to discuss the 2008 minor league season and other prospect-related stuff. 

On Monday, September 1st, the Washington Nationals will be able to expand their roster beyond the standard 25 to include anyone on their 40-man roster. With the placement of OF Austin Kearns on the disabled list and the activation of OF Elijah Dukes, the Nationals have 25-active players. The remaining 15 players on the 40-man roster are as follows:

• 15-day DL (5): Kearns, IF Alberto Gonzalez, RHP Shawn Hill, 1B Dmitri Young, and OF Wily Mo Pena
• Columbus (8): 1B/OF Kory Casto, OF Roger Bernadina, RHP Tyler Clippard, RHP Brian Sanches, RHP Chris Schroder, RHP Ryan Wagner, LHP Mike O’Connor [injured, unsure if it’s season-ending], and LHP Matt Chico [on the DL, likely out for the season]
• Harrisburg (1): OF Justin Maxwell [on the DL, likely out for the season]
• Potomac (1): LHP Ross Detwiler

I’d imagine the Nationals will recall seven or eight players.

One choices is simple, Gonzalez will be activated from the DL right around September 1st.

Young and Hill have rumored returns for later in September (along with Kearns), so I’ll not include them in any analysis.

That leaves seven spots.

Bernadina and Casto seem likely given their presence on the 40-man and their performances in Columbus. Through Monday’s games, Bernadina is hitting 350/411/509 over 41 games for the Clippers with four homers and fourteen stolen bases. He can fill in at any of the outfield spots and serve as a late inning pinch runner or defensive replacement. Casto was recently optioned to Columbus, but should get a call back up to serve as a lefthanded pinch-hitter and backup at 1B, 3B, and corner OF.

Clippard could possibly get a shot to work out of the bullpen as a long reliever for the Nationals but he has been spotty since his return to Columbus. Over his last ten starts, he has had mixed results with 2-5 record, a 4.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts to 24 walks over 56 1/3IP. Additionally, I believe Sanches will merit consideration out of the bullpen. Sanches had a couple of rough outing in the middle of the month but has still managed a WHIP of 1.00 and 10 strikeouts to only one walk over his last six appearances (6IP). Like Bernadina & Casto, the 40-man spot are in their favor for roster expansion.

That brings the count down to three players.

• You can cross Maxwell and Chico off of the list due to their injuries. O’Connor broke his nose/orbital bone and it appears his 2008 season is over.
• Detwiler’s inconsistent performance in 2008 certainly does not warrant a late season promotion.
• RHRPs Schroder and Wagner … Schroder has all but fallen off of the Nationals radar this season so I’m not sure he’s a consideration while Wagner’s stats have not been too impressive since his arrival in Columbus (0-3, 6.61 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts to 11 walks over 16 1/3IP).

I believe the players we are most likely to see join that list are not presently on the 40-man roster but could be added with a few manuevers. Pena, Chico, and Maxwell can all be moved to the 60-day DL to open up a spot on the 40-man (in the case of Chico and Maxwell, I believe the Nationals can recall them and place them on the 60-day). Additionally, space can be cleared by placing players like Schroder, O’Connor, or Wagner on waivers. Out of those players, I’m not sure that any would be claimed by a team in September, allowing the Nationals to hang onto them if they want. I don’t believe the Nationals will make all six moves, but it would not surprise me to see them make at least three of them to open up spots for a few of the following players.

• CA Luke Montz - Many teams will call up a third catcher when rosters expand and if the Nats choose to do so, Montz is the most likely candidate. He has hit only 236/300/345 since his promotion to Columbus but might earn a promotion based upon his overall results between Harrisburg and Columbus, where he has hit a slightly better 264/339/458 with 16 homers and 71 RBI. The 25-year old Montz would need to be added to the 40-man in the off-season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, for what it’s worth.
• 1B Larry Broadway - A long shot, the 27-year old was a former top prospect for the Expos. He’s enjoyed a solid season for the Clippers, hitting 269/358/414 with nine home runs. He also has a reputation for solid defense at 1B where Triple-A managers ranked him the top defensive 1B in the International League
• 2B/3B/OF Leonard Davis - Of the bats, Davis has had the most meteoric rise (sorry Rhinehart fans). Between Potomac, Harrisburg and Columbus, the 24-year old Davis has hit a combined 305/364/549 with 22 homers and 70 RBI. Like Montz, Davis is Rule 5 eligible this offseason so the Nationals would have to protect him or lose him in the December draft. 
• LHP Mike Hinckley - There have been reports from Jim Bowden himself that the 25-year old Hinckley is a consideration for a September call-up. Since the Triple-A All Star break, he is 0-1 in 16 relief appearances with a 2.65 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. The reports are his velocity is back in the low-90s and he could serve as a LOOGy out of the Nats pen
• RHP Levale Speigner - The 27-year old Speigner has been lights out over the second half of the International League season, going 1-0 over 12 appearances (23IP) without allowing an earned run and striking out 19 batters to only four walks. The main thing working against Speigner is whether he is better than the RHRP options already on the 40-man (Sanches, Schroder or Wagner)
• LHP Justin Jones - The 23-year old Jones was added to the Nats 40-man roster last offseason before a knee injury cost him the spot and what was thought to be the season. But Jones has slowly worked his way back up the organization with stops in Hagerstown, Potomac and now Harrisburg where he is 2-4 with a 4.17 ERA over 10 starts (49 2/3IP) for the Senators with 39 strikeouts. Another longshot.
• RHP Craig Stammen - The 24-year old Stammen has had a solid season between Potomac and Harrisburg but has struggled since his promotion to Columbus. Yet another longshot. 
• LHP Yunior Novoa - The 23-year old Novoa has quietly had a solid season out of the bullpen in both Potomac and Harrisburg where he is a combined 4-2 with 4 saves over 43 appearances (74 2/3IP) with a 1.93 ERA and 75 strikeouts to 25 walks. If my count is right, he is another 2008 Rule 5 eligible which could make him a consideration for a September call-up.

At the end of the day, I do not see any more than three of these guys getting September call-ups. And I don’t see guys like Jordan Zimmermann or Bill Rhinehart getting added to the roster before they have to be. Since I have already suggested three bats (Gonzalez, Casto & Bernadina), I’m only going to add Montz as a third catcher. My wild card is Davis, whose assignment to the Arizona Fall League might warrant a September cup of coffee. Joining Clippard and Sanches, will be Hinckley and Novoa.

Watching the Nats game on MASN where the following was announced. RHP Marco Estrada will be called up from Columbus this week to assume the spot in the bullpen vacated by Luis Ayala.

Estrada is a combined 9-6 between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Columbus with a 3.09ERA and 1.35WHIP with 119 strikeouts and 53 walks over 139 2/3IP.