SB Nation - Logan Kensing

Washington Nationals: Free Agent Chatter: Aroldis Chapman?

Ed Chigliak — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:40:26 -0000

More photos » by Peter Morgan - AP

22-year-old Cuban-born left-hander Aroldis Chapman threw bullpen sessions for MLB scouts and even a few GM's today in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

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The Washington Nationals signed six free agents, or re-signed in three of six cases, but it was the fact that they simply "watched" an unsigned free agent that had some of the DC Faithful talking, and wondering if the Nationals could once again make the sort of splash in the international market that they did when they signed one Esmailyn "Smiley" Gonzalez back in 2006. At the same time the team was announcing, or in some cases confirming the signings of, "...right-handed pitchers Joel Peralta, Logan Kensing and Ryan Speier, catcher Jamie Burke, infielder Pete Orr and outfielder Jerry Owens to minor league contracts," in an official team press release, reports coming out of Houston, Texas identified the Washington Nationals as one of 15 teams in attendance at a bullpen session thrown by Cuban-born left-hander Aroldis Chapman for the sake of the scouts, and in two cases, GM's, of teams the international free agent hopes to sign with this Winter.

ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure, Jr., in an article entitled, "Scouts watch Cuban lefty throw", reports that DC GM Mike Rizzo was one of those there to see the 22-year-old, 6'4'' left-hander in action. According to Mr. Arangure, Chapman's working with a slider, change, and most impressive of all, a fastball that was, "...mostly in the 92-93 mph range and topp(ed) out at 96 mph," (though his heater has hit triple digits in international competition). In addition to the article Mr. Arangure, Jr. wrote, he was tweeting about the story as it broke, and twice tweeted about the Nationals' presence at the throwing session:

• "Had two sources confirm #Nationals GM Mike Rizzo attended Chapman's workout..."

• "Rizzo was the only out of town GM to attend the workout. Wade attended but obviously he lives in Houston."

Are the Nationals serious suitors for the most coveted free agent pitcher still on the market? (Sorry, Ben Sheets). Two problems: 1) The price tag - According to Mr. Arangure, Jr., "...the only team known to have made an offer for Chapman," is the Boston Red Sox, who have had a $15.5 million dollar deal on the table for some time, but Mr. Arangure Jr. also notes that Chapman's agent, "Randy Hendricks confirmed there are offers on the table for Chapman but did not disclose details," which leads us to problem No. 2) Hendricks? Randy Hendricks? The Hendricks Bros.? Hendricks Sports Management? Any of this ring a bell? That's right, Aroldis Chapman and Aaron Crow share agents. Luckily, it will be DC GM Mike Rizzo dealing with them this time if the Nationals are actually interested.

Six Free Agents Signed:

Logan Kensing, Jamie Burke and Pete Orr we already know, and the signings of Jerry Owens and Ryan Speier were already public knowledge, but the one new name among the six free agents the Washington Nationals signed today was Joel Peralta, a 33-year-old right-hander who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Athletics back in 1996, and has since pitched for 3 Major League teams, the LA Angels, Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies, posting a combined (4-11) record with a 4.61 ERA in 221 games and 273.1 IP over which he's allowed 140 runs, 43 HR's (1.1 HR/9) and 76 walks (2.5 BB/9), while recording 213 K's (8.0 K/9) in his 5 MLB seasons.

LINKS:

• Washington Nationals: Official Press Release - "Nationals sign six players to minor league contracts".

• Washington Post - Chico Harlan - "Rizzo in attendance to watch Chapman."

The Bill James Handbook 2010 - Projections For The Washington Nationals' Pitchers In 2010 + Fall Notes.

Ed Chigliak — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:30 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

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With the help of The Bill James Handbook 2010 (available 11/1/09) and Acta Sports.com, who made Mr. James' Hitter and Pitcher projections available before the book's publication, we're able to take a look at what the future might hold for the pitchers expected to throw for the Nationals next season. Will Garrett Mock start or work out of the pen? Will some of the older pitchers like Craig Stammen and J.D. Martin make the rotation this time around? What will John Lannan's role be as more and more prospects rise through the system? What should fans expect from the Nationals' bullpen arms like Sean Burnett, Mike MacDougal or Saul Rivera? After that, what one Chicago writer says about the Nationals' managerial search, and another night in the DWL with Ian Desmond...

After The JUMP...

The Bill James Handbook 2010 Hitter Projections For The Washington Nationals' Pitchers:

Collin Balester:

Balester, Collin	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	----	--	-	---	---
'09 Stats	7	7	30.1	20	10	1	4	6.82	0
2010 Projections	11	11	47.0	32	6	2	3	5.38	0

Jason Bergmann:

Bergmann, Jason	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	33	21	139.0	113	20	7	9	4.25	0
'09 Stats	56	0	48.0	40	7	2	4	4.50	0
2010 Projections	73	0	60.0	48	8	3	4	4.35	0

Sean Burnett:

Burnett, Sean	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	67	0	60.0	29	7	2	5	6.27	0
'09 Stats	71	0	57.2	43	6	2	3	3.12	1
2010 Projections	65	0	49.0	27	5	2	3	5.14	0

Tyler Clippard:

Clipper, Tyler	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	---	--
'09 Stats	41	0	60.1	67	9	4	2	2.69	0
2010 Projections	62	0	91.0	84	13	4	6	4.55	0

Livan Herandez?

Hernandez, Livan	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	27	27	150.0	84	19	8	9	4.90	0
'09 Stats	31	31	183.2	102	19	9	12	5.44	0
2010 Projections	31	31	188.0	103	23	8	13	4.98	0

Logan Kensing:

Kensing, Logan	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	43	0	46.0	45	6	2	3	4.33	0
'09 Stats	32	0	35.1	19	8	1	2	8.92	1
2010 Projections	36	0	41.0	38	8	2	3	4.81	0

John Lannan:

	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	29	29	177.0	103	18	9	11	4.08	0
'09 Stats	33	33	206.1	89	22	9	13	3.88	0
2010 Projections	32	32	199.0	101	21	11	11	4.03	0

Mike MacDougal:

MacDougal, Mike	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	----	---
'09 Stats	52	0	50.0	31	3	1	1	3.60	20
2010 Projections	67	0	67.0	59	4	3	4	4.43	4

J.D. Martin:

J.D. Martin	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	---	--
'09 Stats	15	15	77.0	37	14	5	4	4.44	0
2010 Projections	29	29	177.0	125	19	10	10	4.07	0

Shairon Martis:

Martis, Shairon	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	---	--
'09 Stats	15	15	85.2	34	11	5	3	5.25	0
2010 Projections	7	7	43.0	26	26	2	3	5.23	0

Garrett Mock:

Mock, Garrett	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	---	--
'09 Stats	28	15	91.1	72	9	3	10	5.62	0
2010 Projections	31	25	143.0	122	14	8	10	4.91	o

Scott Olsen:

Olsen, Scott	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	32	32	199.0	153	29	10	12	4.58	0
'09 Stats	11	11	62.2	42	11	2	4	6.03	0
2010 Projections	22	22	121.0	91	18	5	8	4.98	0

Saul Rivera:

Rivera, Saul	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	74	0	80	60	3	4	4	3.80	0
'09 Stats	30	0	38.1	21	7	1	3	6.10	0
2010 Projections	43.0	0	59.0	42	3	3	4	4.42	0

Craig Stammen:

Stammen, Craig	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	--	---	--	--	---	--	-	---	--
'09 Stats	19	19	105.2	48	14	4	7	5.11	0
2010 Projections	20	20	120.0	64	13	6	8	4.50	0

Ron Villone:

Villone, Ron	G	GS	IP	K	HR	W	L	ERA	SV
'09 Projections	76	0	42.0	36	4	2	2	4.22	0
'09 Stats	63	0	48.2	33	6	5	6	4.25	1
2010 Projections	71	0	54.0	44	5	3	3	4.33	0

?'s Raised By The #'s:

• Is there any room on the pitching staff for Logan Kensing in 2010? What bullpen arms from last year are you bringing back? Which would you part with?

• Which pitchers will make the twenty-ten rotation? Craig Stammen? Collin Balester? J.D. Martin? Shairon Martis? Do you expect anything from Scott Olsen?

• Mike MacDougal's projections are cleary skewed by the fact that he hadn't saved a game since 2006 before '09's 20 saves? Will MacDougal hold the closer's role throughout the twenty-ten campaign?

• A .500 season from John Lannan? Does that mean he'll finally receive some support this season? Is anyone guaranteed an 2010 rotation spot right now, outside of Lannan?

• Is Livan Hernandez coming back to DC next season?

2010 Skipper Search UPDATE:

If you haven't already read this when it was linked to in the comments of a previous post or elsewhere around the internet, since it was basically the only "news" to come out of DC this weekend, check out Chicago Tribune writer Phil Rogers "On Baseball" column entitled, "Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman in great demand", wherein, Mr. uh, Rogers writes (without citing a source, anonymous or otherwise) that the time for Bobby Valentine to claim a major league managing job may have passed:

"Bobby Valentine may be shut out on the job market. He was a finalist for the Indians job that went to Manny Acta, and it appears the Nationals are close to giving former Cubs manager Jim Riggleman the job he had on an interim basis last season."

Is the Washington Nationals' search for a full-time manager going to end with a promotion?

Saturday Night In The DWL:

The Tigres del Licey and Gigantes del Cibao squared off on Saturday with Nationals' infielder Ian Desmond starting at second for Licey and going 1 for 2 with a walk and a sac fly RBI, but it was Desmond's throwing error in the ninth that allowed the Gigantes to rally to tie the game at 3-3 and eventually steal a walk-off win when Tigres' pitcher Oneli Perez gave up a sac fly to left that ended it. Desmond's first DWL error proves costly. The 24-year-old, who impressed after his September call-up to DC, is now hitting .214 (6 for 28) with 7 RBI's in 8 games. Notes: Atahualpa Severino got a backwards K from the first batter he faced in the eighth after replacing Yhancy Brazoban, but Severino was out after allowing a run-scoring single in the next AB, though the run was Brazoban's.

Final Score: Gigantes 4, Tigres 3. MLB.com Box Score.

Washington Nationals Win Season Finale In 15 Innings, Sweep Atlanta Braves To Finish 2009 59-103.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:23:55 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' Elijah Dukes takes his base with a smile after being walked by Atlanta Braves' Boone Logan during the 15th inning of their baseball game Sunday Oct. 4, 2009, in Atlanta. Dukes later scored on a hit by Alberto Gonzalez to win 2-1. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP!!!!!!!

Game 162 of 2009 took 4 hours, 18 minutes and 15 innings to finish and when it was over the Washington Nationals had completed a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves for their seventh-straight win (and second-straight sweep) to end a 2009 season they started 0-7 before recording their first win...And, yes, that is the first time that's ever happened...DC starter J.D. Martin allows just one-run on 6 hits in 6.0 IP, giving up Nate McLouth's solo HR to leadoff the sixth and put Atlanta ahead 1-0. Braves' righty Tim Hudson gives up just 4 hits through 6.0 IP, but three-straight singles from Alberto Gonzalez, Jorge Padilla and pinch hitter Adam Dunn bring in the tying run in the seventh and it remains tied through fourteen before Elijah Dukes takes a one-out walk and Wil Nieves and Alberto Gonzalez hit back to back two-out singles to score Dukes for the winning run...

Nationals win, 2-1 final.

Miss The Game?

• The DC Faithful Were Watching!!! (634 comments) vs The Talking Chop Open Thread (718 comments)

• "Game 162: Finally, some history we can call our own!" - Doghouse.

• BACKPAGE: Dunn Doesn't Reach 40 - J.D. Martin Finishes Strong - Strasburg To Pitch Tomorrow.

• For The Completist, Full (and I mean FULL) Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals finish 2009 59-103.

BACKPAGE:

• Dunn Doesn't Reach 40...Adam Dunn hit his 38th HR of 2009 on September 22nd against Los Angeles, leaving the Nationals' big left-handed hitting slugger with 10 games to hit the 39th and 40th HR's of 2009. Had he reached 40 HR's for the sixth-straight season, Dunn would've been one of only four players in MLB history (along with Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa and Babe Ruth) to hit 40+ HR's in six-straight seasons, leaving him just one behind Ruth's industry standard of seven-straight 40 HR seasons. Dunn, however, managed just 3 hits in his next 36 at bats (2 of them doubles, but no HR's) heading into today's game, and when he wasn't in the starting lineup, the DC Faithful knew it was over. Having failed to reach 40 HR's for the first time in six seasons didn't seem to upset Dunn too much. The Big Walky, Big Opposite Field, The Big First Baseman, singled in one of Washington's two runs in a pinch hit appearance this afternoon to finish the season with a .267 AVG, 29 doubles, 38 HR's and 105 RBI's.

• J.D. Martin Finishes Strong...With no-decisions in his last 4 starts, J.D. Martin finishes the 2009 campaign (5-4) with a 4.44 ERA, one of only two Nationals' pitchers to finish the season with a record above .500. (Shairon Martis finished (5-3), though he was sent down in mid-June and didn't return). In his final start of 2009, Martin throws 73 pitches, 50 for strikes in 6.0 IP, allowing just 6 hits and 1 ER. The Nationals' 26-year-old right-hander, who was (8-3) with a 2.66 ERA in 15 starts, 1 relief appearance and 88.0 IP with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs before making his MLB debut on July 20th, 2009, might just have pitched his way onto the 20-10 roster.

• Strasburg To Pitch Tomorrow...I know it's a cliche to say that the 2010 season starts the second the final out of 2009 is recorded, but with MLB.com's Bill Ladson writing this afternoon that '09 #1 overall pick, Stephen Strasburg would be making his first appearance as a National tomorrow afternoon in an instructional league game against Detroit, it is actually accurate. Instructional League, The Arizona Fall League, the Dominican Winter League, baseball never really stops, and neither do we...see you...tomorrow.

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At Atlanta Braves. Game 162 Of 162.

Justin Maxwell vs Tim Hudson to start the last game of the season, and a brutal two-strike bender gets J-Max swinging for the first out of the day. Ian Desmond takes a 2-2 fastball on the low outside corner for a called strike three. Pete Orr smokes a single through second for a two-out hit in front of Elijah Dukes. Dukes rolls the third out to first to end the opening frame...Jorge Padilla bounces off the wall as he closes the glove on a fly ball out from Nate McLouth. Pete Orr dives toward the third base line but can’t get to Omar Infante’s line drive double. Martin Prado pops out to second. Garrett Anderson grounds out to first, inning over.

Mike Morse grounds weakly to third to start the second. Josh Bard likes the first pitch he sees and he grounds out to second. Alberto Gonzalez flies to right to end the Nationals’ half...Adam LaRoche flies out to right field. Yunel Escobar gives Dukes more work. Kelly Johnson grounds to Morse at first to end the second.

Jorge Padilla swings wildly over a full-count sinker. J.D. Martin stares strike three all the way in. Justin Maxwell walks with two down. Ian Desmond hits a high chopper that dies in the grass halfway to third, refusing to go foul. Pete Orr grounds to LaRoche at first and it’s 0-0 in the third...Clint Sammons skies one to right for Elijah Dukes to get under. Tim Hudson lines a one-out single to center and the oh-oh-oh-ing starts in Atlanta. Nate McLouth takes a 2-2 slider on the outside edge. Omar Infante flies out to left.

Elijah Dukes takes a low full-count slider but Tim Hudson gets the call. Mike Morse flies out to right. Josh Bard slips a hard-hit grounder by first and hustles his way to second. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to end the Nationals’ fourth...Martin Prado flies out to Elijah Dukes in right. Garrett Anderson pops out over short, and J.D. Martin gets a fly ball from Adam LaRoche to end the fourth scoreless.

Jorge Padilla hits a fly ball out to Nate McLouth in center field for Atlanta. J.D. Martin can’t handle what Hudson’s throwing, but Justin Maxwell just takes and takes and walks, then tries to take more but gets caught trying to steal second, no score after four and a half...Yunel Escobar takes strike three and has few choice bi-lingual words for the Ump. Kelly Johnson singles through second with one down. Clint Sammons flies out to Justin Maxwell in center.

Ian Desmond grounds out to third. Pete Orr pops out to third. Elijah Dukes hits a two-out single to left field, but Mike Morse’s infield pop ends the top of the sixth...J.D. Martin gives up a long fly ball to right on an 0-1 change to Nate McLouth, who puts it over the wall for a 1-0 lead. Jorge Padilla sprints to the corner to catch the first out off of Omar Infante’s bat. Martin Prado drives a single by a lunging Ian Desmond at second. Garrett Anderson lines out to Jorge Padilla in left for out No. 2. Adam LaRoche lines to left field, Jorge Padilla comes up throwing and nails Prado trying for third.

Josh Bard leads off the seventh against Tim Hudson. Bard grounds out to second. Alberto Gonzalez singles to center and Jorge Padilla follows with a second-straight single and Adam Dunn gets a PH chance. Dunn lines a hanging bender to right to score Gonzalez from second for a 1-1 tie!!! Justin Maxwell K’s/fails swinging through an 0-2 fastball upstairs and inside. Ian Desmond grounds out to first to strand two. 1-1 in the seventh...Yunel Escobar sends the first pitch from Tyler Clippard soaring into center field for Justin Maxwell. Kelly Johnson K’s swinging through a two-strike change. Clint Sammons K’s looking at a fastball inside.

Pete Orr grounds out to second to start the Nationals’ eighth. Braves’ reliever Peter Moylan walks Elijah Dukes with one down. Mike Morse grounds to Yunel Escobar to Kelly Johnson to Adam LaRoche at first, double play...Chipper Jones guides a high outside heater through short for a single. Nate McLouth gets a sac bunt down and gets tagged out by Clippard as Chipper moves up. Pete Orr looks Chipper back to second and throws out Omar Infante on a weak grounder. Martin Prado flies to deep center, but Justin Maxwell gets there, no problem.

Josh Bard pops up a 2-1 pitch from Rafael Soriano. Alberto Gonzalez takes a one-out walk in front of pinch hitter Josh Willingham. The Hammer K’s swinging through a high heater. Cristian Guzman grounds out to end the Nationals’ ninth...Ron Villone gets a groundout to third from Garrett Anderson. Adam LaRoche K’s swinging through a 2-2 bender upstairs. Yunel Escobar keeps hope alive for Atlanta with a two-out single through second. Kelly Johnson hits a broken bat blooper to second and the last game will take more than nine innings to decide.

Kris Medlen gets Justin Maxwell swinging to start the tenth. Ian Desmond rrrrips a grounder by third base and into the corner for a one-out double to left. Pete Orr pops out to short center. Elijah Dukes grounds out to second to end the top of the tenth...Ron Villone’s back in the tenth against Clint Sammons, who flies out to left. Pinch hitter Greg Norton takes a one-out walk. Nate McLouth K’s swinging through a looping bender over the middle. Jason Bergmann on for Villone against Omar Infante. Infante battles, but K’s swinging through a full-count slider!!

Kenshin Kawakami vs Mike Morse in the eleventh. Morse sends a dribbler by Adam LaRoche at first and Omar Infante misplays it to give Morse second. Wil Nieves tries the sac bunt and hits it too hard, Morse cut down at third. Alberto Gonzalez grounds to Yunel Escobar to Kelly Johnson to Adam LaRoche, double play...Saul "Sa-ool" Rivera pops up Martin Prado. Reid Garecki K’s swinging through a high fastball. Adam LaRoche grounds to first to end the eleventh.

Josh Willingham singles to left and takes second on a sac bunt from Saul Rivera. Justin Maxwell vs Kenshin Kawakami. Maxwell can’t hold up and he K’s swinging at a low fastball for the second out. Ian Desmond up when a wild pitch from Kawakami gets by Clint Sammons. Hammer to third. Ian Desmond lines to left and it’s...caught, Omar Infante makes a shoestring catch to rob Desmond...Saul Rivera gets a weak grounder from Yunel Escobar for the first out. Kelly Johnson rips one to first, Mike Morse knocks it down and tosses to Rivera covering. Clint Sammons shatters his bat but singles with two down. Pinch hitter Brian McCann grounds back to the mound and it’s on to the thirteenth.

Eric O’Flaherty takes over on the mound for Atlanta in the thirteenth. Pete Orr grounds out to second. Elijah Dukes flies out to center. Mike Morse K’s swinging...Nate McLouth flies out to the track in center field for Justin Maxwell. Omar Infante lines a double on one hop and over the wall in center with one down. Saul Rivera walks Martin Prado in front of Brooks Conrad, who flies out harmlessly to center. Adam LaRoche grounds out to first, and it’s on to the fourteenth...

Manny Acosta takes over against Wil Nieves, who walks to start the frame. Alberto Gonzalez flies out unproductively to center field. Josh Willingham can’t hold up on a low two-strike heater. Pinch hitter Ryan Zimmerman drives a double to center, McLouth cuts it off and Nieves stops at second. Justin Maxwell walks to load the bases for Ian Desmond...Logan Kensing’s on for DC. Yunel Escobar starts the Braves’ half with a line drive single to left. Kelly Johnson grounds to second, Alberto Gonzalez to Ian Desmond to Mike Morse, double play. Clint Sammons grounds back to the mound.

Pete Orr K’s looking to start the fifteenth. Boone Logan, the Braves’ right-hander, walks Elijah Dukes with one down. Mike Morse flies out unproductively to left. Wil Nieves singles to short right to move Dukes up. Alberto Gonzalez lines an RBI single to the left-center gap!! Dukes scores, 2-1 Nationals!!! Josh Willingham K’s looking to end the top of the frame...Logan Kensing vs Javier Vazquez. Vazquez grounds one off Logan Kensing’s pitching hand, Ian Desmond picks it up and throws out the pinch hitting pitcher. Nate McLouth K’s swinging over a sinker. Omar Infante singles up the middle with two down. Martin Prado drills an 0-2 pitch to left center, second and third with two down. Brooks Conrad K’s trying to check his swing and it’s over. Nationals win, 2-1 final.

Nationals finish season 59-103.

Washington Nationals Win Sixth-Straight, 6-4 Over Atlanta Braves.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:08:46 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' Justin Maxwell is congratulated in the dugout after his winning two run homer against the Atlanta Braves during the eleventh inning of their baseball game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009, in Atlanta. Washington won 6-4. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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Ryan Zimmerman hits an RBI single in the first to score Willie Harris from second for the first run of the game and Ian Desmond leads off the fourth with a HR to left off Braves’ right-hander Jair Jurrjens as the left side of the 20-10 Nationals’ infield gives Washington a 2-0 lead that Ross Detwiler preserves through five innings on the mound. Saul Rivera takes over for DC in the sixth and gets two outs, but leaves two on for left-hander Ron Villone, who’ll have to face Brian McCann, representing the tying run at the plate. McCann singles through short and it’s tied at 2-2 after six...

The exciting conclusion...AFTER THE JUMP....

• Miss The Game?:

• The DC Faithful In The GameThread (452 comments) vs The Talking Chop OpenThread (216 comments).

(cont.)...

• (ed. note - "I’d love to go into more detail about what happened, but FOX decided to finally broadcast a game involving the Nationals when they thought (early this week) that the Braves might still be in contention, and therefore I’m FOX’d out of the next-to-last game of 2009 since they’re showing the Royals and Twins on the northeastern market's broadcast...Just want to thank, FOX! Thanks...thanks for that...")

• DC lefty Ross Detwiler goes just 5.0 innings in his last ‘09 outing, allowing 1 hit and 4 walks, but no runs. Detwiler's replaced on the mound by Saul "Sa-ool" Rivera. Rivera gets two outs, but gives up a walk and a single and is lifted for Ron Villone, who comes on to face left-hander Brian McCann, and surrenders a two-run single that ties the game at 2-2. Villone gets out of the sixth, throws a scoreless seventh and comes back out for the eight, striking out Brooks Conrad and then hanging a slider to Nate McLouth that's lifted to center for a double. Jason Bergmann's called upon with a runner on second and one down and he strikes out Martin Prado and Chipper Jones to end the eighth!! Don't Make Bergmann Angry!!!!

• Braves’ backstop Brian McCann singles to start the bottom of the ninth, and Yunel Escobar’s sac bunt puts McCann in scoring position. Still tied at 2-2. Jason Bergmann walks Garrett Anderson to set up the DP and Omar Infante plays along, grounding to second, Pete Orr to Ian Desmond to Adam Dunn, double play!!! Extras. Nationals' 10th, Ryan Zimmerman doubles with two down, Adam Dunn gets the intentionals and Cristian Guzman shocks THE WORLD! with a two-run double to right that sets DC up to win its sixth-straight in the next-to-last game of '09...

• DC Manager Jim Riggleman...calls upon Zack Segovia to get the save. Leadoff single by Adam LaRoche and a pinch hit double by Kelly Johnson, NO NO NO!!! LaRoche scores on Johnson's hit. 4-3 DC. Nate McLouth flies out, Martin Prado pops out, Chipper Jones gets the intentionals to bring up pinch hitter Greg Norton, (ed. note - "Heck, worked for the Nationals last inning, right?")...Norton rips a line drive single to center, Kelly Johnson crosses, 4-4 after ten.

• Mike Morse grounds out, Pete Orr singles, Justin Maxwell steps to the plate, and it'll have to be another Braves' comeback, Justin Maxwell goes yard to make up for two questionable plays in the outfield, and the Washington Nationals are once again ahead by two, 6-4 courtesy of Maxwell's 4th HR in 85 AB's with DC...Logan Kensing will pitch the Braves' 11th...NO NO N...I mean GO Logan!!! Garrett Anderson grounds out, Omar Infante pops out, and Adam LaRoche K's swinging!! Kensing gets his first save since June 6th 2006...and the Washington Nationals win their 58th game of 2009...

Nationals now 58-103.

(ed. note - "LAST GAME OF THE SEASON TOMORROW!! STOP BY, SAY HI, OR GOODBYE TIL NEXT YEAR!!! LURKERS? You're part of the DC Faithful too, stop in and say hi in tomorrow's GameThread, and see how much we like new folks in the GameThread!!! ONE MORE GAME LEFT...Make it a good one...")

Philadelphia Phillies Sweep Washington Nationals, 4-2 in Philly. Win Season Series 15-3.

Ed Chigliak — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:44:59 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

"That guy in gray going to be sad when he opens his eyes..." -- Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman pulls in a pop foul out by Philadelphia Phillies' Chase Utley in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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(ed. note - "Handing Philadelphia the East does not sit well with me. If the Nationals had put up any kind of a fight there might be a race in the NL East, but instead DC ends the season series with the Phillies 3-15. 3-15. The Nationals drop five of the last six games with the Phillies and are swept out of Citizens Bank Park for the second straight series...")

Lefty vs Lefty...Cole Hamels Has People Thinking...

Both starters, Cole Hamels and Ross Detwiler started with two scoreless, though Hamels dominated, throwing just 23 pitches and retiring six straight, while Detwiler gave up two hits and threw 46, 29 for strikes....Hamels retires the first twelve he faces, with Detwiler not nearly as clean but so far keeping up. 1-2-3 5th for Hamels, who strikes out two of three for 4 K’s through 5.0 scoreless. Detwiler finally fails to hold serve, walking Pedro Feliz to start the bottom of the fifth and giving up a two-out double to Jimmy Rollins to make it 1-0 Philly...Mike Morse breaks up Cole Hamels' no-no in the top of the sixth with a single to left...

Big Blow If It’s Bad...

Wil Nieves rolled a dribbler back to the mound in the third and had to take an odd step to avoid Ryan Howard who backed into Nieves’ path. Nieves pulls up lame holding the back of his knee and when the Nationals retake the field, Josh Bard’s behind the plate. If Nieves is injured the Nationals are going to have to make a quick move...(ed. note - "Later in the game it's identified as a hamstring issue...")

UPDATE: Nationals acquire C Jamie Burke from Mariners? -MLBTraderumors.com

Updates? After The JUMP...

Phillies win, 4-2.

• "Game 146: Cole Hamels is no Joe Blanton..." - by Doghouse.

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

• Check Out the SB Nation's Philadelphia Phillies Blog: The Good Phight GameThread.

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals now 50-96.

• Tyler Clippard’s Long Inning...

• Tyler Clippard took over for Ross Detwiler in the sixth and got the first out courtesy of Ryan Zimmerman's over-the-tarp catch of a foul ball featured in the photo above. Clippard then walked Ryan Howard...and Jayson Werth...and gave up a single to Ben Francisco to load the bases with one out and the score just 1-0 Philly. Carlos Ruiz is up next, and Detwiler walks him, throwing a wild pitch on a full-count change...2-0 Phillies. Clippard's lifted for Saul Rivera, who surrenders an RBI single to Cole Hamels...who ends up with the game winner...3-0 Philly after six...

Clippard: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB...

Dukes gets DC on the board...

After 6.1 scoreless, Cole Hamels finally gave up a run. Hamels saws off Zimmerman and Josh Willingham, but they both power singles to right and left, respectively, in front of Elijah SSSSUPER DUKESSS, who rrrrips a single through short for the Nationals' first run, scoring Zimmerman from second to make it 3-1 Philly...

Bases Loaded Fail in the seventh...

3-1 Phillies after Dukes' RBI single...DC rookie Ian Desmond walks, and it's bases loaded for tonight's first baseman Mike Morse...(ed. note - "Was something wrong with Dunn tonight? No PH? No...Okay, moving on...")...Morse flies out unproductively to right. Josh Bard, forced to come in for the injured Wil Nieves...strikes out looking to strand three...still 3-1 Philly.

A Few More Wild Pitches....

Down 3-1 after six and a half...The Nationals bring Ron Villone out when the Phillies send Raul Ibanez up to hit, and Villone gets his man, striking out Ibanez looking...then Villone walks Chase Utley...and throws a wild pitch to Ryan Howard to move Utley up...Howard's groundout moves Utley to third, Washington brings out Logan Kensing...who uncorks the second wild pitch of the inning to bring Utley in for a 3-run, 4-1 Philly lead...

Oh, Dukes scored the Nationals' second run after tripling with one out in the ninth and scoring to just make Brad Lidge think a little about an otherwise decent outing...Phillies win 4-2.

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At Philadelphia Phillies. Game 146 Of 162.

Pedro Feliz grabs Justin Maxwell’s one hopper on the infield grass and throws to first to start tonight’s game. Cole Hamels drops an 0-2 change into the top of the zone to get Cristian Guzman looking. Feliz waits for Ryan Zimmerman’s grounder and the throw to first ends the top of the frame...Jimmy Rollins yanks a single to left to start Philly’s first. Josh Willingham tracks a line drive off Shane Victorino’s bat and dives to make the play. Chase Utley rips a single through second. Jimmy Rollins stops at second when Elijah Dukes fields it coming in. DC lefty Ross Detwiler throws a two-strike fastball by Ryan Howard for the second out of the inning. Jayson Werth grounds back to the mound, Detwiler tosses to Mike Morse.

Josh Willingham flies out to Ben Francisco in left. Elijah Dukes goes the other way with a line drive to right, right to Werth. Ian Desmond’s fly gets as far as the track in right center...Ben Francisco chases a high full-count fastball. Pedro Feliz rolls the second out to Morse at first. Carlos Ruiz grounds to Guzman.

Mike Morse barely connects with a roller back to Hamels. Wil Nieves grounds to the mound and injures himself taking an odd step at first. Ross Detwiler K’s looking...Bard’s behind the plate when Detwiler retakes the mound. Cole Hamels K’s swinging through a fastball. Josh Willingham catches a fly ball from Jimmy Rollins. Shane Victorino grounds out to short.

Justin Maxwell pops up foul of first for Ryan Howard. Cristian Guzman grounds to Howard at first, Hamels covers. Ryan Zimmerman rips a line drive right into a leaping Raul Ibanez’s glove, four scoreless for Hamels...Ross Detwiler gets Chase Utley swinging through a fastball. Ross Detwiler hits Ryan Howard in the hand with an 0-2 pitch. Jayson Werth powers a shattered bat single over second to put two on for Ben Francisco. Francisco grounds to third, Ryan Zimmerman steps on the bag and throws to first from his hip for the improbable DP.

Cole Hamels drops a 2-2 curve on Josh Willingham to get the thirteenth straight out of the game. Elijah Dukes flies out to center. Ian Desmond takes strike three, but doesn’t like it. 15-straight for Hamels...Pedro Feliz walks to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Carlos Ruiz grounds off Detwiler’s glove, and the lefty recovers to throw out the catcher at first. Detwiler gets Hamels swinging. Jimmy Rollins pulls a high fastball to left for an RBI double, 1-0 Phillies when Feliz scores. Shane Victorino takes a called strike three, he doesn’t like it, but he takes it.

Mike Morse sends a single screaming to left to bring an abrupt end to Hamels’ chances of a special outing. Josh Bard K’s looking and understands Victorino’s complaint. Jorge Padilla takes strike three, this time it’s a fastball inside. Justin Maxwell has to run it out after he K’s swinging over a change in the dirt....Tyler Clippard takes over for Detwiler in the sixth. Ryan Zimmerman tracks down a foul pop from Utley and leaps over the tarp to make a brilliant catch. Clippard walks Ryan Howard with one down. Werth takes the second straight walk. Ben Francisco singles to center to load the bases for Pedro Feliz. Feliz pops out to the catcher. Carlos Ruiz works the count full and takes ball four on a pitch in the dirt that gets away from Bard. 2-0 Phillies. Cole Hamels will face Saul Rivera. Hamels singles by third, 3-0 Phillies. Jimmy Rollins pops out to center to end the sixth.

Cristian Guzman leads off the seventh with a swinging K. Ryan Zimmerman drops a single over first and into short right. Josh Willingham shatters his bat singling to left to move Zim up to second. Elijah Dukes rrrrips the third straight single through short to score Zimmerman from second, 3-1 Phillies. Ian Desmond walks to load the bases. Mike Morse pops out high over right. Josh Bard takes a 2-2 change inside for a called strike three. Nationals strand three...3-1 Philly...Raul Ibanez comes out to start the Phillies’ seventh, and Jim Riggleman pulls Saul Rivera. Ron Villone vs Ibanez. Lefty vs Lefty. Ibanez takes strike three on the high inside corner. Villone walks Utley. Ryan Howard steps in. Utley takes second on a passed ball wild pitch and takes third on Ryan Howard’s groundout. Logan Kensing replaces Villone. Jayson Werth’s up when Kensing throws another wild pitch. Utley scores, 4-1. Werth lines out to short.

Alberto Gonzalez starts the eighth with a fly ball to the corner in left, Raul Ibanez leaps at the wall to make an amazing grab. Justin Maxwell hits a one-out double into the left field corner. Maxwell takes third on a groundout by Guzman. Cole Hamels throws a two-strike change by Ryan Zimmerman. 4-1 after seven and a half...Marco Estrada’s going to pitch the eighth for DC. Ben Francisco pops out to first. Pedro Feliz grounds out to Dukes in right. Carlos Ruiz chops out to Zim, and Estrada’s got a quick scoreless frame.

Brad Lidge vs Josh Willingham. Josh Willingham flies out to center. Elijah Dukes flies to deeeep center, Jayson Werth slides in for it, and almost collides with Ben Francisco as the ball drops to the ground. Desmond grounds out to short to score Dukes. 4-2 Philly. Willie Harris flies out to center to end it. Phillies win, 4-2 final.

Nationals now 50-96.

First It Rains, Then It Pours, Washington Nationals Whipped, 11-3 By Florida Marlins.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:52:48 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

3 months ago: Washington Nationals' Marco Estrada delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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A three hour and ten minute game after a two hour and thirty-minute rain delay is enough to test any fan's patience, and an 11-3 loss that featured the end-of-'09 Syracuse Chiefs' bullpen marching out to the mound to get pounded one after another got old real quick. The difference early was that the Marlins were cashing in on the runners Marco Estrada let on, or at least Jorge Cantu was. Hanley Ramirez K’d looking and hit into a force in his first two RBI chances tonight and Cantu followed Ramirez with a 3-run HR in the first after a leadoff single by Chris Coghlan and a walk to Nick Johnson, and a two-run double in the third for a 5-1 lead that chased Estrada after the right-hander gave up back to back walks to Coghlan and Johnson to start the frame. Estrada's out with one down in the third, having thrown 61 pitches, 35 for strikes and allowed 3 hits and 5 ER.

The Nationals, however, when it was still a game, came up short in several opportunities. Ian Desmond walked his way on in the first and Ryan Zimmerman singled, but Adam Dunn followed with his 159th K of '09, and Josh Willingham struck out to let Marlins' starter Anibal Sanchez off the hook on a first and second, no-out chance. Ian Desmond doubled to start the third, but only got within 90ft of home before he was stranded. In the fifth, after Ryan Zimmerman hit into a double play with Willie Harris on second and Ian Desmond at first, Adam Dunn finally cashed one in, scoring Harris from third with an RBI double to make it 5-2. By the end of the sixth though, once Logan Kensing had given up 3 runs on a solo home run, a single and a two-run blast before he recorded an out, the game was completely out of reach, then Victor Garate, who allowed a solo HR and a two-out double in his DC debut gave up an RBI double and a sac fly to score two in the seventh and Zack Segovia, who gave up a grand slam in his first appearance with Washington, surrendered a leadoff triple, a walk and a sac fly to start the eighth before retiring the next two Marlins in order.

Marlins win, 11-3 final.

Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Stuck With It...

Check Out The SB Nation's Florida Marlins Blog: FishStripes - Open Thread And Ichthyomancy.

"Game 142: Another Fun Collapse" - by Doghouse

BACKPAGE:

• Maxwell And Desmond Get It Done.

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals now 49-93. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...7.)

• Maxwell And Desmond Get It Done.

The Nationals’ one early run comes on a big opposite field blast by Justin Maxwell, his first of the season, and it goes out to deeeep right to leadoff the second, and Maxwell comes back with his second of the year on a second-deck job to left in the the eighth when the Nationals are already down 10-2. Ian Desmond was 4 for 4 with a walk tonight, and two games into his MLB career, the 23-year-old rookie shortstop is 6 for 8 with 3 doubles, 1 HR and 4 RBI's, and he also made slick play on a grounder from Hanley Ramirez with runners on first and second in the third, sliding to his right side to field a sharp grounder and throwing from his back to get a force at third. Ryan Zimmerman goes 1 for 5 with 2 K's and the Nationals' third baseman strands 6, grounding into two double plays for 22 GIDP in '09, good for 4th in the NL behind Kevin Kouzmanoff (25), Yadier Molina (26) and Miguel Tejada (28).

GAME REPORT:

Florida Marlins At Washington Nationals. Game 142 Of 162.

Anibal Sanchez gets Willie Harris looking to start the first, then issues a one-out walk to Ian Desmond, who’s starting at short tonight in Florida. Ryan Zimmerman moves Desmond up with a single to right. Adam Dunn K’s chasing a 2-2 fastball outside for out number two. Two on, two out for Josh Willingham. The Hammer gets a two-strike change and K’s way out in front...Marco Estrada, the DC right-hander making his debut as a starter, gives up a leadoff single to Chris Coghlan who snaps a grounder through second. Nick Johnson doesn’t see anything he likes, and the ump agrees. Single and a walk to put two on for Hanley Ramirez. Estrada gets squeezed on the inside corner when he "misses" with a 2-2 heater, but he hits the outside edge to get Hanley Ramirez looking with two on and no one out, uh, before the K, that is. Jorge Cantu battles and finally gets a fastball up that goes out in a hurry for a 3-0 Marlins’ lead early. The Mustachioed John Baker takes a two-strike fastball. Dan Uggla doesn’t see the 1-2 curve coming and it’s 3-0 Fish after one.

Justin Maxwell starts the second with a fly, ball, to, right and GONE!!! J-Max hits one all the way the other way into the second deck in right. 3-1 ballgame. Josh Bard grounds out to second, but Alberto Gonzalez gets one through the middle of the infield for a one-out single. Marco Estrada gets down a good enough bunt for Gonzalez to move up. Willie Harris pops out to third to end the Nationals’ second...Cody Ross rips a low liner to third, but that’s where Zimmerman plays. Brett Carroll pops out to second. Marco Estrada gets the opposing pitcher swinging.

Ian Desmond doubles off the old-timey scoreboard in left, sliding in headfirst ahead of Coghlan’s throw. Ryan Zimmerman K’s chasing an 0-2 heater outside. Adam Dunn hits a weak grounder toward third to at least move Desmond up. Josh Willingham walks in front of Justin Maxwell. J-Max flies out to Brett Carroll in short right...Chris Coghlan walks to start the Marlins’ third. Nick Johnson takes the second straight walk. Hanley Ramirez grounds to short, Ian Desmond makes a sliding play and throw to third for the force from his back. Jorge Cantu knocks Estrada out with a two-run double to the left-center gap for a 5-1 Florida lead. John Baker grounds back to the mound as DC righty Saul Rivera settles things down. Ian Desmond can’t barehand a weak grounder up the middle by Dan Uggla, but Cantu almost gets nailed going to far around third. Cody Ross up with runners on first and third. Ross swings through a two-strike change.

Josh Bard grounds out to start the fourth. Alberto Gonzalez hits a low liner to Uggla at second. Pinch hitter Jesus Flores flies deeep to right, but Cody Ross robs him with a catch as he hits the wall...Ross Detwiler gets back into the action for the first time since his September call-up. Detwiler vs Brett Carroll. Carroll grounds out to Desmond at short to start the bottom of the fourth. Detwiler walks Anibal Sanchez. Chris Coghlan pops out over the mound. Nick Johnson grounds out to Dunn to end the fourth.

Willie Harris walks to start the fifth and moves up a base when Ian Desmond smacks a single through second. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to short, Hanley Ramirez to Dan Uggla to Nick Johnson double play. Adam Dunn lines a single up the middle to score Harris from third, 5-2 Marlins. Josh Willingham vs Anibal Sanchez. Hammer walks and Sanchez is out. Tim Wood gets Justin Maxwell to chase strike three to end the DC fifth...Hanley Ramirez takes a leadoff walk in front of Cantu. Cantu flies out to Willie Harris in straight center. John Baker goes the other way with a line drive out to left. Dan Uggla shatters his bat lining out to first.

Josh Bard starts the sixth at the plate. Fly ball to left for the first out. Tim Wood gets a ground ball to second for Dan Uggla to handle. Jorge Padilla K’s in a pinch hit appearance...Logan Kensing takes over for DC and gives up a HR to left to Cody Ross for a 6-2 lead in the sixth. Brett Carroll hits a single to center. Gaby Sanchez gets hold of a hanging slider over the middle and he hits it real far, two-run HR, 8-2 Marlins. Chris Coghlan grounds out to first. Willie Harris hits the wall hard while catching Nick Johnson’s deep fly. Logan Kensing gets a line drive to short from Hanley Ramirez to end the sixth.

Brendan Donnelly gets Willie Harris to drill one straight down for the catcher to handle. Ian Desmond rips a one-out double to left on a line drive. Zimmerman swings through a two-strike fastball inside. Adam Dunn will not swing at the fastball outside, even with two strikes...Victor Garate takes over for the Nationals against Jorge Cantu. Leadoff walk. John Baker gets hit by a pitch. Dan Uggla flies out to left. Cody Ross doubles off the wall in left center to score one. 9-2. Brett Carroll flies out to center to score Baker. 10-2. Pinch hitter Wes Helms flies to left to end the seventh.

Josh Willingham K’s to start the eighth. J-Max hits a flat-out bomb off Matt Lindstrom!!! Deeeeep to left and into the upper deck!! One to each side tonight. 10-3 Florida. Josh Bard flies out to left. Alberto Gonzalez lines to center to end the Nationals’ eighth...Zack Segovia takes over for DC. Chris Coghlan triples to the wall in center, and probably could’ve scored on an error on a throw in. Nick Johnson walks and is replaced by Andy Gonzalez. Hanley Ramirez hits a sac fly to center. 11-3 Marlins. Jorge Cantu takes strike three. John Baker grounds out to first to end the eighth.

Renyel Pinto’s on to end it. Pinch Hittin’ Pete Orr singles through short to start the ninth. Willie Harris flies out to left. Ian Desmond singles on a short fly to right that drops in front of Brett Carroll. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to second, Dan Uggla tags Desmond and throws to first, double play to end it. 11-3 Marlins win.

Nationals now 49-93.

Washington Nationals: September Call-Ups: Ross Detwiler, Zack Segovia, Marco Estrada, Logan Kensing and IAN DESMOND!!!

Ed Chigliak — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:55:11 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

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Washington Nationals Call Up Detwiler, Segovia, Estrada, Kensing and Desmond.

• Everyone in DC knows Ross Detwiler, who's been plying his trade with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs since he was sent down in July after going (0-5) with a 6.40 ERA in 10 starts and 52.0 IP with Washington. In his first stint at Triple-A, Detwiler, a 23-year-old left-hander taken 6th overall in the '07 Draft by the Nationals, who'd jumped from Double-AA Harrisburg to DC to make his debut as a starter on May 18th of '09, was (4-2) with a 3.10 ERA and 42 K's over 10 starts and 49.1 IP for the Chiefs, over which he walked 20 and allowed 56 H, 23 R, 17 ER and 2 HR to opponents who hit for a .281 AVG with Detwiler on the hill...

• Zack Segovia is a former Philadephia Phillies' prospect who was signed by the Nationals as a free agent on June 18, 2008. Segovia, a 2nd Round pick, taken 58th overall by the Phillies in the 2002 MLB Draft, underwent Tommy John Surgery that cost him his 2004 season when he was just 21-years-old. In 3 years, Segovia recovered from surgery and rose through every level of the Phillies' system even making one start in the majors against the Florida Marlins in 2007, but when he signed with Washington he started back and in the GCL as a 25-year-old in rookie ball. According to an article by Geoff Morrow of the Patriot News (a local paper covering Harrisburg, PA) entitled, "Segovia's seven stops", when Segovia was released by Philadelphia:

"The Washington Nationals quickly snatched him up, knowing that he was still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery..."

(continued after the JUMP...)

(cont...)

Segovia ended the '08 season in Double-AA Harrisburg, and started there in 2009, going (1-3) with a 3.68 ERA and 39 K's in 44.0 IP before moving up to Syracuse where he saved 5 games and finished the year with a (2-2) record and a 2.54 ERA in 27 appearances and 28.1 IP over which he allowed 18 H, 8 ER, 1 HR and 8 BB's and collected 27 K's, while holding opposing hitters to a .184 AVG.

• Marco Estrada And Logan Kensing...Estrada hasn't pitched in the Majors since the end of September 2008, when he made 11 appearances with the Nationals. In 12.2 IP, Estrada, who failed to record a decision, posted a 7.82 ERA and allowed 17 hits, 13 runs, 11 earned, 4 HR and 5 walks while striking out 10 batters. When Estrada was drafted by the Nationals with the 174th pick in the 6th Round of the 2005 Draft, scouting director Dana Brown told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Nationals excited with draft results", that when Estrada arrives in the Majors:

"...he will be an innings eater and a fifth starter-type guy. He was valued because of his pitch ability. He really throws a lot of strikes..."

Estrada, now 26, appeared solely as a reliever in 2008 with the Nationals, but in Syracuse this season, he made just 2 relief appearances, starting 25 times and posting a (9-5) record with a 3.63 ERA in 136.1 IP in which he gave up 13 hits, 55 ER, 10 HR and 33 walks while piling up 98 K's. Estrada was also named the Topps IL Pitcher of the month for August, an honor that's bestowed monthly, according to a Chief's press release, "...by the field managers within the 14-team (International League)," Logan Kensing? Kensing, another 26-year-old right-hander has already had two stints with the Nationals this season, and he's (0-2) with a 10.46 ERA in the 26.2 innings he's pitched for Washington. With Syracuse, Kensing is (2-1) with a 2.97 ERA in 31 games and 33.1 IP. Kensing's walked 15 and given up 6 HR's in 23 games with the Nationals. In 31 games with Syracuse he's walked just 6 and allowed 2 HR's. Maybe the third time is the charm for Mr. Kensing...?

• Ian Desmond...Finally!!!

The Montreal Expos' 3rd Round pick, 84th overall in 2004, Ian Desmond, 23, has played at every level in the system in his 6 years with the franchise, but only this season did he finally rise up to Triple-AAA where the shortstop hit for a .354 AVG in 55 games and 177 at bats, after having put up a .306 AVG with 12 doubles, 6 HR's and 18 RBI's at Double-A Harrisburg. Once with Syracuse, Desmond lifted his .372 Double-AA OBP to an impressive .428 OBP as a Chief. In August, Desmond was 36 for 100, for a .360 AVG with a .413 OBP, .510 SLG and .923 OPS, and he ended the season with a 12-game hit streak in tact.

• ?'s For The DC Faithful...

• Will Ian Desmond force the Nationals to move finally move Cristian Guzman out at short?

• Do you expect anything different from Logan Kensing?

• Had anyone been paying attention to Zack Segovia before yesterday afternoon? Seriously?

• Are you surprised Shairon Martis didn't get the call?

• Anyone else you wish had been called up?

• Which of the September call-ups will have the biggest impact?

Washington Nationals: Final Minor League Minute. September Call-Ups...

Ed Chigliak — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:44:37 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

We won't be seeing Shairon Martis this September. Washington Nationals announce September Call-ups. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Minor League Minute...

On the last day of the season for the Washington Nationals' affiliates, four teams were in action, (with the notable exception of the GCL Nationals who captured the GCL Title last week and the Vermont Lake Monsters, whose season ended last night), and at the end of the day several players and one manager from the Triple-AAA affiliate in Syracuse, NY got the call to come down to DC for Tuesday night's game against the Phillies.

• Syracuse Chiefs (Triple-AAA) - The Pawtucket Red Sox ended the 2009 International League schedule in Syracuse, where they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Chiefs, who rallied for a 3-run eighth to overtake the Red Sox' Triple-A affiliate. Shairon Martis was on the mound for Syracuse, and the former DC starter threw 102 pitches over six innings, allowing 6 hits and 3 ER to end the '09 campaign with an (0-3) August in which he allowed 44 hits, 24 ER and 6 HR's in 6 starts and 36.1 IP. Martis did not get the W for the Chiefs though, and he didn't get the call back to the big leagues either, instead, RHP Zack Segovia got both the win and the ticket, joining fellow Syracuse pitchers Logan Kensing, Ross Detwiler, Marco Estrada and infielder Ian Desmond as the September additions to the Nationals' roster. (ed. note - "Syracuse skipper Tim Foli will also join the Chiefs making the trip to the big leagues, as announced by MLB.com's Bill Ladson yesterday in a blog post entitled, "Craig Stammen has surgery; Foli to be called up"...)

• Syracuse Chiefs - MiLB.com 2009 Team Stats.

Continued After the JUMP...

(cont.)...

• Harrisburg Senators (Double-AA) - Rain ended the Senators' season finale after six and a half, and the Nationals' Double-AA affiliate beat the Bowie Bay Sox (BAL) 5-3 to improve to 70-72 on the season, good for 5th out of 6 teams in the Eastern League's Southern Division. Right-hander Bradley Meyers improves to (5-1) with the win and ends the '09 campaign with a 2.25 ERA in 9 starts and 43.0 IP with the Senators after being called up from Class-A Potomac, where he'd been (6-2) with a 1.43 ERA in 15 G and 88.1 IP. Meyers ends 2009 with an (11-3) record overall and a combined 1.72 ERA with 32 walks and 108 K's in 136.1 IP over which he allows just 26 earned runs while holding opponents to a .223 BAA. 1B Chris Marrero goes 2 for 3 with a double, his 6th, and his 12th RBI in 23 games at Double-AA after he'd hit for a .287 AVG with 21 doubles, 2 triples, 16 HR's and 65 RBI's in 112 games with the P-Nats.

• Harrisburg Senators - MiLB.com 2009 Team Stats

• Potomac Nationals (Class-A Advanced) - The P-Nats beat the Kinston Indians 9-4 Monday with 4 runs in each of the last two innings on their '09 schedule, which ends with the P-Nats second overall in the Carolina League's Northern Division, 4.0 games behind the Kansas City Royals' Class-A affiliate, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The P-Nats started the seventh down 4-1 but rallied with RBI singles by center fielder Boomer Whiting and second baseman Michael Martinez, a game-tying RBI triple by SS Daniel Espinosa and a game winning RBI double by right fielder Michael Burgess. After four more in eighth, Potomac stopper Cole Kimball closes out the '09 campaign with his 9th save of the season.

• Potomac Nationals Weekly Update Archive

• Potomac Nationals - MiLB.com 2009 Team Stats

• Hagerstown Suns (Class-A) - The Suns dropped their season finale 4-2 to the Lake County Captains, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, when the Captains rallied for a 3-run fourth off Hagerstown starter A.J. Morris. Morris, the Washington Nationals' 4th Round pick in this year's draft, was taken 112th overall after having completed a (14-1) season at Kansas State University, where he posted a 2.09 ERA and collected 100 K's in 116.1 IP. Morris started his professional career with the GCL Nationals after signing and moved to Class-A Hagerstown where he was (0-4) with a 3.82 ERA in 8 starts and 37.2 IP over which he walked 8 and struck out 36.

• Hagerstown Suns - MiLB.com 2009 Team Stats.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:12:04 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Ronny Cedeno was one of three Pirates to homer last night. Before the game, it had been 53 innings since any Pirate had hit one.

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Some things to read while building two forts.

The Brewers allowed nine runs to the Pirates last night, the 25th time in 41 games they've allowed an opponent to score at least five runs. Some pther notes:

The Pirates home run in the second inning last night was their first in 53 innings.
As Tom H. notes, the Pirates had gone more than 400 innings without scoring five runs in an inning, and 699 innings without recording seven hits. They did both in the third last night.

With that said, the Brewer offense has improved a bit. After getting a few games and a nice small sample size, management is evaluating the results of the pitcher batting eighth. Here's some quick analysis, if they need the help:

When the pitcher bats eighth and Mike Rivera starts: 2-0
When the pitcher bats eighth and Jason Kendall starts: 1-3

Speaking of Kendall, Tristarscoop has found a good use for the Brewers' complaint line. Kendall did not, however, make Miller Park Drunk's list of reasons to leave early.

The deadline for signing 2009 draft picks has come and gone, and the Brewers agreed to terms yesterday with Supplemental pick Kentrail Davis, 4th round pick Brooks Hall and 16th round pick Scooter Gennett. The Brewers went over slot on all three picks, spending roughly $2.2 million on the three players, but managed to sign each of their top 23 picks from the June draft. I'll have a little more on the draft later today. In the meantime, here's a hometown paper story on Brooks Hall.

Is it too early to start looking ahead to free agency? Maybe, but Eli Greenspan of MLB Daily Dish thinks the Brewers should pursue Jason Marquis and Jarrod Washburn this offseason.

On Power Rankings and playoff odds:

WhatifSports moved the Brewers up from 20th to 17th in their rankings.
CoolStandings has the Brewers' playoff chances at 2%.
MLB Playoff Odds has the Brewers at 1.1%.

Around baseball:

Braves: Placed Nate McLouth on the DL with a sore hamstring.
Mets: Alex Cora will undergo surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumbs and miss the rest of the season.
Nationals: Designated pitcher Logan Kensing for assignment.
Rangers: Released Vicente Padilla.
Red Sox: Released John Smoltz.
Tigers: Acquired Aubrey Huff from the Orioles for a low level pitching prospect and designated pitcher Chris Lambert for assignment.
Yankees: Russ Ortiz exercised a clause in his contract allowing him to become a free agent.

As the draft signing deadline passed with several picks receiving major league contracts, it's time for another note on baseball roster rules: U.S.S. Mariner has a primer on what it means for a prospect to get a major league deal.

One of the prospects receiving such a deal was Stephen Strasburg, which is why the Nats had to clear a roster spot yesterday. Obviously, Strasburg's deal is being covered ad nauseum elsewhere, but here are notes about it I found interesting:

Prince Fielder is on Sam Mellinger's list of players making less than Strasburg in 2009.
The Biz of Baseball estimates that Scott Boras, agent for Strasburg and four other first round picks who signed yesterday (and one who didn't), took home over $2 million in commission on yesterday's deals.
Thankfully, the Nationals won't need this jersey.

His last name is Gwynn so many won't notice, but Ducksnorts points out that Tony Gwynn Jr. has regressed to the mean a bit in San Diego, hitting just .252/.310/.299 since the All Star Break.

Do you live in Atlanta and like pancakes? Then you might be interested in the guest speaker at Atlanta's Fellowship of Christian Athletes breakfast on August 29th. Get there early if you want coffee.

On this day in 1997, the Brewers were one-hit by future Brewer Rick Helling. Fernando Vina picked up the only hit, and was caught stealing. In 1999 Dale Sveum, in the last season of his major league career, had one of the best days of his career, homering from both sides of the plate as the Pirates beat the Reds, 12-6.

Happy birthday today to Jayson Durocher, who appeared in 45 games for the Brewers between 2002 and 2003 and turns 35 today.

Oh, and I'm thinking of changing the site name to Brew Crew Ball and Sons. Your thoughts?

Drink up.

Washington Nationals/Stephen Strasburg Deadline Thread...(12:05 pm EST Update)

Ed Chigliak — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:50:38 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

6 months ago: FILE - In this April 3, 2009, file photo, San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws during a game in San Diego. The Washington Nationals selected Strasburg with the No. 1 overall pick in the baseball draft on Tuesday, June 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

Browse more photos »

12:05 pm EST - SI.com's Jon Heyman via the Twitter:

"strasburg appears to be close to agreeing to a deal for $15 mil, sources say. #nats."

12:00pm EST...???????????

11:50 pm EST...Should know within 15 minutes...

11:21 pm POLL RESULTS...

With a little over a half-an-hour to the Signing Deadline, there is still no news on whether or not the Washington Nationals have been able to sign Stephen Strasburg, though everyone's hinting that things are getting serious now. The Federal Baseball.com Readers are serious, and after 1,522 votes have been cast in the latest poll which asks, "Will The Washington Nationals Sign Stephen Strasburg? Yes or No?" these are the results:

Yes. Stephen Strasburg Will Be A National On August 18th. = 733 votes = 48.5%

No. The Nationals Will Not Be Able To Reach An Agreement With Stephen Strasburg. = 789 votes = 51.5%

I've just added the POLL below, optimism will prevail...

11:05 pm EST - SI.com's Jon Heyman via Twitter:

"#nats are upping their bid from 12.5 mil, according to sources. the game's not over quite yet. 54 mins to go."

10:57 pm EST...

With one hour remaining...there is absolutely no news to report. Washington Post writer Chico Harlan checks in an the one hour mark with a Nationals Journal post entitled, "As The Decision Nears", where he speculates about where the negotiations might be right now....Mr. Irrelevant's Jamie Mottram has an article up about MASN's Rob Dibble's opinion on the Strasburg situation...(ed. note - "I'm just gonna leave the title out unless you want to click there.")

9:50 pm EST - An open letter to Michael Wilbon:

"I forgot to include this with the PTI quotes below by Michael Wilbon, and since there's no new news right now, I though I'd clear something up for anyone who comes here looking for Strasburg updates...In the PTI segment Michael Wilbon said:

"This is a franchise that has proven to be incompetent so far, at every turn, including being unable to get the uniform, names spelled correctly on the uniform, Danny."

"For the last time, let's set the record straight. Mr. Wilbon, read THIS. The link is to an article by MLB.com's Bill Ladson, and it's entitled, "Majestic apologizes for misspelling", and in this article, Majestic Athletic apologizes for the mistake THEY MADE by leaving the "O" out of Nationals on Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn's jerseys. MAJESTIC ATHLETIC made the mistake!!!! I know it fits nicely into the mainstream media's "The Nationals are a joke" narrative, but it's just not true...you know, factually...does that matter?"

9:12 pm EST - ESPN.com's Peter Gammons is quoted in a MASN.com article by Pete McElroy entitled, "Four Hours To Go", stating that, "...all of the Top 10 picks have signed except for Strasburg, even though they haven't been announced yet," which could be a good thing, Mr. McElroy believes, since "Scott Boras, Strasburg's advisor, now can give the Nationals his undivided attention since he also represents six other first rounders."

UPDATE: Someone passes this quote on to MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo via the Twitter. Mr. Mayo's response:

"Not that I know of and based on history of deadline deals, I'd say it's not quite true, with all due respect to Peter."

8:42 pm EST - Alright, three hours to go, what have we got? We've had a fake Stephen Strasburg on Twitter. (Jonathan Mayo says on his Twitter that it wasn't Strasburg at least...If that is the real Jonathan Mayo...)...We've had a tweet by SI.com's Jon Heyman that reported on an offer Washington apparently made to their '09 1st Round pick, but as Mr. Heyman writes, "offer to phenom stasburg is for $12.5 million, sources say. yes, it's a record. but there's still a big gap." I assume it's really Jon Heyman, at least...? Logan Kensing was DFA'D? According to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan's article entitled, "Logan Designated For Assigment"...Uh...other than that?...There's...Well a lot of people have opinions on what will happen...

• Michael Wilbon on PTI, is asked by guest co-host Dan Le Batard whose fault it will be if the Nationals and Strasburg don't come to an agreement? Scott Boras' fault?

MIchael Wilbon: "Why would I blame his agent for doing what agents are supposed to do? You engage an agent to take care of you. Not the club. Not the fans who say the ticket prices are too high, not the sponsors. Take care of me! I'm the client...

Dan Le Batard: "Not if it means sitting out a year, nobody wants to sit out a year, nobody wants to do that..."

Michael Wilbon: "Wait a minute? If he sits out a year and makes more money or enhances himself."

Dan Le Batard: "That's a giant if, Mike?"

Michael Wilbon: "But the point is, you blame the Nationals. This is a franchise that has proven to be incompetent so far, at every turn, including being unable to get the uniform, names spelled correctly on the uniform, Danny."

Dan Le Batard: "But wait, Mike, they've offered him more money than anyone in the history of the sport? $12.5 million dollars last report?"

Michael Wilbon: "Danny? Get him signed. This is not hindsight. I wrote about this before they drafted him. If you're not going to be certain you can get him signed, don't draft him."

Dan Le Batard: Mike, get him signed for what? $50 million? The $50 million dollars that he wants?

Michael Wilbon: Then don't draft him! It's real simple...

How aboot Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein on MLB on XM's On Deck? Will He Sign?

• Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein on MLB on XM's On Deck

"...sure Scott Boras can talk about how he's worth $50 million, and he might be right, but when you talked to people in the industry, even in June, or, forget that, in May before the draft even happened you know, 'What do you think Strasburg's gonna get?' Everyone talked, now forget about the bonus, just total package, $20-$25 million dollars and I think in the end that's what's going to happen..."

• MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo on the MLB Network, Talks Strasburg:

"Obviously, Strasburg is a guy everyone is wondering about...I still say that it gets done. This is something that Boras does each and every year with his top guys, they wait til the last minute. Everyone knew we weren't going to find out about him until 12:01, 12:02, and I think that's going to happen..."

So What Have You Got? What are you hearing? I'll be here all night...

Poll

Will The Washington Nationals Sign Stephen Strasburg? Yes Or No?

Yes. Stephen Strasburg Will Be A National On August 18th.

794 votes

No. The Nationals Will Not Be Able To Reach An Agreement With Stephen Strasburg.

813 votes

1607 votes | Poll has closed