Nats Farm Report for Week Ending June 12

Posted by Dave Nichols | Monday, June 13, 2011 | , , | 0 comments »

Syracuse Chiefs, AAA International League (26-35)

Pitching Report:
Ross Detwiler:  Thursday he threw 6 1/3 innings of four-hit, two-walk, two-run ball, lowering his ERA to 5.13, and hopefully his terrible month of May (1-5, 8.70 ERA) is behind him.  So far in June (two starts), he’s 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and .200 batting average against.

Brad Meyers: Meyers got roughed up this week, giving up 14 hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings Friday night, and his ERA ballooned to 4.95. In two starts in June he’s given up nine runs and 19 hits in 11 2/3 innings, so hopefully he can straighten out his issues and get back on track. He did have eight strikeouts and no walks in that poor start Friday, so he continues to show good command.

Tom Milone: He tossed a gem on Saturday, giving up one run and eight hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Earlier this week, he gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings (nine strikeouts). He has a 3.10 ERA in three June starts and a 3.58 ERA overall in Syracuse (11 starts). His strikeout to walk ratio is amazing: 76 strikeouts, four walks. He’d have to be the next starter to get a major league call-up, right?

Josh Wilkie: He’s given up runs in three consecutive appearances, but his ERA is still just 2.57 and he has 29 strikeouts in 28 innings. He was passed up for a call-up by Mattheus, but as long as he keeps pitching well, we may see him get a shot.

Collin Balester: I haven’t put Balester in here because I don’t think he’s a “prospect” anymore – we know he can pitch in the majors and he’s mostly been a victim of a numbers game this year. In AAA, he’s got a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings and has given up just three earned runs in his last 14 innings – and two of those came in one bad outing. I was surprised to see Ryan Mattheus get the nod over Balester, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Collin will be back in the bigs this year.

Hitting Report:

Chris Marrero: He went 3-for-4 on Sunday with a double (his 14th) and has four consecutive multi-hit games (three doubles, one home run). He’s hitting ..444/.500/.806 in his last ten games and has three home runs and 12 RBI. The power numbers are climbing, which is very encouraging. His season averages are up to .296/.358/.461 with eight homers and 34 RBIs, leading the Chiefs in both categories.

Matt Antonelli: After a 3-for-5 game Sunday (while batting leadoff), he’s hitting .364/.430/.545 in Syracuse in 77 at-bats. In his last ten games, he’s hitting .368 and has six multi-hit games.

Jesus Flores: He’s continued to slump at the plate, hitting .211 in his last ten games, .236 overall on the season. He has just four walks on the year (in 148 at bats) and he needs to hit much better before the team will consider him a part of the future again. The more he struggles, the more I feel Pudge will stay a National all year.

Corey Brown: He has struggled all season long, and this week he was just 3–for-20 (.150) and is hitting .167 in his last ten. He’s drawing some walks but is hitting for no power and isn’t driving in any runs (just 3 HR, 6 RBI on the season) with a slash of .203/.318/.320.

Harrisburg Senators, AA Eastern League (34-27)

Pitching Report –

Brad Peacock: Peacock started on Sunday, going 6 1/3 innings with six hits, two earned runs, one walk and ten strikeouts (and getting the loss). He also pitched Tuesday night, giving up three runs in five innings with two walks and nine strikeouts. His season ERA is down to 2.33, and it’s clear he has mastered AA batters.

Oliver Perez: The veteran lefty conitnues his comback at Double-A.  Saturday he went 5 1/3 against Akron, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits, walking none and striking out seven.  For the season, Perez is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA with a 21:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Erik Davis: Davis took a loss Wednesday against Binghampton.  He pitched well, though, going six innings and allowing two earend runs on just four hits.  He walked three and struck out eight. For the season, he's 2-2 with a 3.55 ERA.

Hitting Report:

Steve Lombardozzi: Lombardozzi went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored on Sunday, capping off a fantastic week for the second baseman that included four multi-hit games and a hit in every game. He has a nine-game hitting streak and is hitting .385 in his last ten games. Defensively, he has only two errors on the season. His line this year: .312/.365/.457 with ten doubles, six triples (!), four home runs, 22 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Derek Norris: He’s hitting .207/.378/.517 in his last ten games, so he’s still hitting for power and drawing walks even if he’s not hitting for a high average. Just imagine if he could get his average up to .250 without sacrificing walks and power.

Tyler Moore: Michael Morse is holding down first base in Washington and Marrero is hitting well in Syracuse, but Moore is still in the picture as well. He had a rough week (hitless in five games), but he’s hitting .277 on the year with 12 HR and 32 RBI. He’s walking a little more (two this week), but he did slump at the plate.

Potomac Nationals, High-A Carolina League (26-37)

Pitching Report:

Daniel Rosenbaum: In his one start this week, Rosenbaum gave up one run on nine hits in seven innings. He’s got a 0.56 ERA in two starts in June after a 3.18 ERA in May.

Josh Smoker: He’s given up a run in five consecutive appearances (four earned) and has a 4.09 ERA in his last ten appearances. His season ERA is still just 2.38, so hopefully it’s just a bad stretch for the former starter.

Cameron Selik:. Selik pitched Wednesday and gave up three runs (one earned) in five innings with two walks and two strikeouts. His season ERA is now over four at 4.11.

Hitting Report:

Eury Perez: He has no stolen bases in his last ten games, but he had a long hitting streak snapped Saturday. He went 3-for-5 on Friday, driving in a run but also getting caught stealing. He’s been caught six times in 22 times (successful 72.7% of the time), so he needs to improve that ratio a little bit, and he needs to walk more – no walks this week and just three on the year.

Destin Hood: Hood hit a walk-off single Saturday night, driving in Eury Perez to beat the Salem Red Sox 9-8. Hood has continued to stay hot, hitting .342/.390/.474 over his last ten games. He had three multi-hit games this week and drove in four runs to bring his RBI total to 33. After hitting 30 doubles and five home runs last year, he’s already hit 20 doubles and four home runs this year, a good sign that he’s continuing to develop his power.

Jeff Kobernus: He had hits in four games this week, but none for extra bases and just one was a multi-hit game. He’s hitting .220 in his last ten games, and his average has dropped to .249 and his on base is down to .291. He has 23 stolen bases in 27 tries, so that is encouraging, but he needs to get on base more.

Rick Hague: The 22-year old shortstop had season-ending shoulder surgery.

Hagerstown Suns, Low-A South Atlantic League (37-25)

Note: five Hagerstown Suns were selected as South Atlantic League All-Stars: Bryce Harper, Blake Kelso, David Freitas, Taylor Jordan and Christopher Manno.

Pitching Report:

Robbie Ray: Ray started on Sunday, going five innings and giving up three runs. He also pitched six shutout innings on Monday, giving up one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts. His season ERA is still just 1.03, remarkable considering his age.

Taylor Jordan: Jordan gave up six hits and two runs in four innings Tuesday as he took the loss. His ERA is still low at 2.62, and he has yet to give up more than three earned runs in a start.

A.J. Cole: Cole didn’t pitch this week.

Sammy Solis: Solis turned in his best outing of the year so far, going 6 2/3 innings with five hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts. His ERA is down to 3.86 and he could get a call-up to Potomac or Harrisburg after another couple starts like that considering his age and experience.

Christopher Manno: Manno has a 0.66 ERA over his last ten appearances and remarkably, that’s higher than season ERA, which is 0.31. This week he gave up two runs in two innings, but he has 46 strikeouts and just ten walks on the year. He deserved the all-star appearance and hopefully after the All-Star game he’s promoted.

Hitting Report:

Bryce Harper: Jim Callis of Baseball America talked about Harper’s time in Hagerstown over at MASNsports.com and he only had praise for the 18-year-old. He went 2-for-5 on Sunday, and his average is back up to .341 on the year after hitting .424 in his last ten games. He has a lot of strikeouts (51 in 211 at-bats), but he’s also walking a ton (33) and is obviously hitting for power. He also has 12 stolen bases on the year, continuing to show he’s a solid base runner.

David Freitas: Freitas went 3-for-4 on Sunday afternoon with an RBI double and a home run (his seventh). His average is up to .299 and he has 43 RBIs on the year (the same amount as Bryce Harper). His on-base is over .400 now and he is having a great year at the plate.

Blake Kelso: Kelso was named an all-star this week, and he deserves it: he’s hitting .338/.405/.424 this year with two home runs and 31 RBI. He turned 21 in March and has been hitting well, but has 11 errors on the season.
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HITTER TO WATCH:  Chris Marrero.  The first baseman has made tremendous improvement defensively, and his bat is really heating up.  He's been in the organization for a while so most people forget he's won't be 23 until July 2.  He's had a multi-hit game in four straight and six of his last ten games.
 
PITCHER TO WATCH:  Oliver Perez.  With the Nats struggling to find reliable relievers to bridge from the starters to Clippard and Storen in the late innings, the left-handed Perez could find a role in the Nats pen, since the only lefty on the active roster, Sean Burnett, continues to struggle.

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