Nice article about Meyers time in Harrisburg...
Harrisburg Senators notebook: Brad Meyers left an impressive mark before recent promotion to Syracuse
Unless he's here on a rehab assignment or simply loses his mound mojo, it's unlikely Brad Meyers will suit up in a Harrisburg Senators uniform again.
Former Harrisburg Senators pitcher Brad Meyers, was recently promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.
Because it was spaced out over three seasons, including a 2010 campaign shortened drastically by a foot injury, folks might not be aware of just how dominant Meyers was with the Class AA Senators.
Meyers made 21 starts for Harrisburg after joining the club midway through the 2009 season, and here's what he did:
9-3, 2.43 ERA, 116 strikeouts and 18 walks in 115 innings.
“With Meyers, his only issue was the concern with the foot, and he showed it wasn't a problem,” Senators pitching coach Randy Tomlin said of the 25-year-old, who earned a promotion to Class AAA Syracuse this week after going 3-2 and striking out 31 without a walk in his six starts here.
Doug Harris, a Carlisle native and the Washington Nationals' director of player development, said Meyers' promotion “was a long time coming.”
“He's been extremely consistent and successful over parts of three years in Harrisburg, and had he not experienced some physical setbacks, he would have had this opportunity earlier,” Harris continued. “He is now in position to be considered for a call-up [to the Nationals] in the future if he continues to perform at his current level and the right opportunity presents itself.”
Right on Meyers' tail in that department is another right-handed starter, Brad Peacock, who's been even more impressive in the early part of the Senators' season.
Entering Sunday's start against Reading, the 23-year-old is 4-1 with a 1.16 ERA in five games (four starts). He's struck out 36 and walked only four.
Even at that pace, however, it's unlikely Peacock will follow Meyers to Syracuse for at least another month. He only joined the Senators late last season and could benefit from some extra seasoning with Tomlin.
“Communication is key [with Peacock], reminding him about what he's doing,” Tomlin said. “He's worked really hard from the time he got here last year to make adjustments and refine his delivery. Now it's about repeating those, and so far he's doing a terrific job.”
Harrisburg's other starters – Erik Davis, Ryan Tatusko and Shairon Martis – have so far lacked the consistency of the two Brads, but all have shown flashes and are the key to the Senators' team success through the first half of this season.
“We're very excited about these guys and several others,” Harris said.
STRUGGLING STAR
Derek Norris entered this season as not just the Nationals' No. 2 prospect behind outfielder Bryce Harper, but as one of the top catching prospects in minor league baseball.
While his work behind the plate has been mostly positive, the 22-year-old fourth-round pick from 2007entered Saturday's contest batting just .133 (6-for-45) in 15 games in his first season in Class AA.
Norris is second on the team with 10 walks, but he's whiffed 21 times – the third-highest mark on the team.
Because the jump from Class A to AA is arguably the highest in professional baseball, the Nationals' director of player development, Doug Harris, isn't overly concerned.
“Derek has many components that give him the chance to be a very successful hitter,” Harris said. “He has a relatively simple approach. He has balance, hand quickness and strength. One of his biggest assets is also often his Achilles' heel, and that is plate discipline.
“He has a good feel for the strike zone, but at times becomes overly patient and will get himself into pitchers' counts. Every advancement in the minor leagues comes with a learning curve. It's early and we have confidence that Derek will continue to grow.”
HISTORIC MOMENT
Randy Tomlin wasn't always the Senators' pitching coach. Long ago, he was a standout left-handed starter for Harrisburg on his way to the big leagues.
One of his better games at this level was played May 2, 1990, at RiverSide Stadium against the Williamsport Bills.
Tomlin survived a leadoff triple and hurled a three-hit shutout as the Senators won 5-0 and moved into first place in the Eastern League.
No runner advanced past first base after the first inning, and Tomlin struck out 10 in a 115-pitch effort.
Harrisburg scored all five runs in the second inning, future major league star Moises Alou delivering a two-run single.
Asked about it 21 years later, Tomlin remembers specific details from the game. He also remembers offering this prediction to manager Marc Bombard before the game: “Just get me one run. That's all I'll need.”
AROUND THE ORGANIZATION
Former Senators star Roger Bernadina, our first Patriot-News MVP in 2008, rejoined the Nationals from Class AAA Syracuse Saturday and, reports say, will be given another opportunity to become a big league starter. The 26-year-old OF has spent parts of the three previous seasons with Washington and this year was batting .270 in 18 games with the Chiefs. ... Speaking of struggling Syracuse (9-18), Brad Meyers joins a rotation that features three other former Senators: Ross Detwiler (2-1, 4.33 ERA), Tom Milone (1-3, 4.40) and Craig Stammen (1-2, 3.45), as well as Cuban prospect Yunesky Maya (1-2, 3.73). ... The offense isn't doing much damage at high Class A Potomac (10-17), as no regular is batting better than 1B Steven Souza's .267. But at least the team's .230 batting average is better than Washington's .218. ... OF Bryce Harper carried a 10-game hitting streak into Saturday's game for the Class A Hagerstown Suns (19-9), and the Nationals' top prospect is now batting .368 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs. Asked about a potential promotion to Potomac or even Harrisburg, here's what the Nats' director of player development Doug Harris had to say: “Bryce is in a good place right now. He's swinging the bat extremely well. He's making quality adjustments not just day to day, but within at-bats, which is very rare for such a young player (18). The rest of his game continues to evolve as well ... [but] we have not had discussion of a particular timeline for his advancement at this point.”
