2008 Following the Minor League Teams

[sportsfan882]

Potomac won the 2nd game of the double header without even getting a hit.  A combination of walks and an error gave them a 3-2 win.  Zech is back to being a Stud again.  He got 2 Ks and the save and has yet to give up a run this season in 11.1 innings.

[sportsfan882]

Zech and Jordan Zimmerman have been lights out.  I wouldn't be surprised for them both to get the call to AA in the next week or so.

[sportsfan882]

Maxwell and Montz homered today in a 8-3 win for Harrisburg.

JMax is batting .233 but has a .412 OBP because he has drawn a staggering 28 walks. He's got 3 HRs 19 RBIs, 8 SBS in 90 ABs.

Montz is batting .385 with a .446 OBP. He's got 6 HRs and 26 RBIs in only 65 ABs. 

[ronnynat]

Montz is batting .385 with a .446 OBP. He's got 6 HRs and 26 RBIs in only 65 ABs. 

If Montz is a good defensive catcher as well, you never know, sportsfan. He could just pass Flores on the organizational depth chart.

[sportsfan882]

If Montz is a good defensive catcher as well, you never know, sportsfan. He could just pass Flores on the organizational depth chart.

It doesn't sound like he is.  He's a hard worker but according to this scouting report his defense is "nothing to write home about."

Like it was already established, Luke Montz will sink or float with his bat. Right now, his defense is nothing to write home about in comparison to strong "catch and throw" catchers in the system, Erick San Pedro and Devin Ivany. His work ethic and ability to work well with a pitching staff will keep him in the mix behind the plate, but a permanent move to first base may eventually be in the cards. This would not only be as a result of his less than stellar defense, but to keep his bat in the lineup and off the disabled list.

That was written in '06 though so it's possible he could have improved. He's only 24.

[sportsfan882]

Wow, apparently he has improved. This article was written a week ago and it and it says he is throwing out 2/3rds of attempted to base-stealers. Rizzo says he has "the best arm in the system".

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080422&content_id=388747&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- It's a generally accepted notion that Washington has penciled in Jesus Flores as its catcher of the future. Though the young backstop is currently calling Columbus home, he's shown he can play at the big-league level, and with a little more polish, he could be a productive player for years.

Luke Montz doesn't dispute any of that. But Montz, who was handed the starting catcher's job at Double-A Harrisburg on Monday when Javi Herrera was promoted to Columbus to be Flores' backup, refuses to believe anything is as permanent as it seems. To that end, he's looking to demonstrate to the folks in Washington, or whatever other front-office people around baseball are watching, that he can also be a Major League catcher -- and a good one.

Based on what he's shown so far this season, he's on his way to proving his point. Montz had been splitting time with Herrera but will now play everyday. Heading into Tuesday night's action with visiting Erie, Montz is hitting .432 (16-for-37) and riding a seven-game hitting streak. He has also thrown out 10 of 15 runners attempting to steal.

With numbers like that, some have questioned why it was Herrera (who was hitting .217 and had thrown out two of eight runners attempting to steal) who got promoted and not Montz. But Montz didn't need any convincing to understand that he is in a good position by staying right where he is.

"When the season started [Harrisburg manager John Stearns] told us we'd each be catching one day on, one day off," Montz said. "Herrera and I are friends, but we were both fighting for the job and competing. I caught fire and now I'm getting a chance to catch every day.

"It's great to see Javi go to Triple-A, but now I have the opportunity to play every day. Flores will be there and he's their main guy. What I need to do is show that I can play five or six days a week and show that I can come in here now and take control of the pitching staff."

Stearns was a former first-round pick and a four-time All-Star during his 11 years in the Major Leagues. He's been a roving catcher instructor and a manager in the Minor Leagues for more than a decade and has liked what he's seen in Montz. While Stearns thinks the youngster still has some work to do defensively -- he believes Montz boxes the ball a bit too much behind the plate and goes to the backhand rather than stepping out as often as he should -- he hasn't found much to criticize.

"He's a legit prospect," Stearns said. "Coming into this year, I had never seen him play and didn't know he was a prospect. But he has really shown me a lot. He's got power, he's got a good bat and a nice swing and he can throw. He has a plus arm and is very accurate, so he has potential to be a Major League catcher.

"The big question now is whether he can play five or six days a week at that position. That's a position that bogs you down. It bogs your bat down; your legs get heavy. But he was earning the right to play more, and we're getting ready to ease Luke into more playing time. He's been a pleasant surprise."

Montz, 24, came into this season with a career .236 batting average. He appeared in 40 games for Harrisburg last year and hit .233 after batting .269 in 60 games for Class A Advanced Potomac. So even he's a bit surprised he's hitting above .400 nearly a month into the season. He knows that won't last, but he's hoping he can be consistent enough this season that April won't be his high-water mark.

One reason he may have an easier time staying consistent throughout the entire season concerns his life off the field. Montz says he's a big family kind of guy, but had been estranged from his father for years. The two reunited this winter and he couldn't be happier. Needless to say, he thinks there is some correlation between that and his quick start.

"It would wear and tear on you as the season went along," Montz said of the fractured relationship. "This past winter was the first time in two years that I went home to my family. Now my family is with me again, though they always supported me. They're backing me and that's been a huge part of my season right now."

Washington's assistant general manager and vice president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Montz has "the best arm in the system" and the club "expects great things from him." So sure, the talk in Washington will primarily be about Flores. But know that the Nats are watching Montz, and he may not be far behind.

[houston-nat]

I hope it's the family stuff that has improved his numbers, and not something ...chemical.

[sportsfan882]

Our High A and AA teams are awesome. Potomac is 18-7 and is in first place. Harrisburg is 17-9 and is in first place.  Those teams are filled with the majority of our great prospects so their amazing records is a great sign. 

[sportsfan882]

The P-Nats have only scored 7 runs in their last 4 games combined.  They are 4-0 in that stretch because they have held their opposition to only 3 runs combined in those 4 games. That sounds awful familiar...

[sportsfan882]

Hagerstown, Potomac, Harrisburg, and Columbus all won tonight. 

J-Max and Montz homered for Potomac.

Marrero homered for Potomac.

Seuss had a HR, 2 doubles and 6 RBIs for Hagerstown.  Englund and Rhinehart (now hitting .350) homered as well.

Balester picked up the win for Columbus while allowing 2 earned runs in 5 innings.

[Air Zimmerman]

i think i made it pretty clear in the game-day thread but in case you missed it...

DUKES DOMINATED IN HIS FIRST GAME WITH THE CLIPPERS:

3/4, 2 RBI, DOUBLE, AND A STOLEN BASE

 

"prove he can hit minor league pitching".  GIMME A BREAK. 

hopefully he'll be with the nationals as they head to houston

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'd like to see Wily Mo Pena or Austin Kearns "prove they can hit minor league pitching" with the way they've both been swinging the bat lately.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Dukes couldn't even hit Single A pitching. Chalk up his performance to offensive fluke until he can start doing that consistently...against minor leaguers.

[sportsfan882]

Zech and Jordan Zimmerman have been lights out.  I wouldn't be surprised for them both to get the call to AA in the next week or so.

Done. Both JZ and Zech have been called up to AA. 

Brownlie was promoted from AA to Columbus.

Stammen is returned back to Potomac from Columbus and Terrence Engles was promoted from Hagerstown to Potomac.

[daveb32]

Done. Both JZ and Zech have been called up to AA. 

Brownlie was promoted from AA to Columbus.

Stammen is returned back to Potomac from Columbus and Terrence Engles was promoted from Hagerstown to Potomac.

Jordan Zimmermann was promoted? I can't find the article can you post it for me?

[sportsfan882]

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/sports/minors/potomac_nationals/article/potomac_wins_set_to_adjust/14890/

Published: May 2, 2008

After a strong start to the 2008 season, the Potomac Nationals may need to adjust to life without some of the vaunted pitching they have been used to.

A flurry of promotions to Double-A Harrisburg over the last week has plucked starters Cory Va-nAllen and Jordan Zimmermann out of Potomac along with reliever Zech Zinicola. Washington had not announced a roster move to replace those three pitchers.

Reliever Craig Stammen was also promoted to Triple-A Columbus earlier in the week. Clint Everts replaced Stammen April 30.

Short on proven-pitching, P-Nats manager Randy Knorr was hoping starter Jhonny Nunez could pitch deep into the second game of a four-game series with Frederick, the Carolina League North-ern Division’s second-place team behind Potomac.

Nunez could not comply with that need, needing 46 pitches to complete two innings, prompting his removal and Everts’ 2008 debut with Potomac. Everts and Yunior Novoa kept the Nationals close enough to strike in the sixth inning for five runs in a 6-4 Potomac win at Pfitzner Stadium Friday evening, extending the Nationals’ win streak to five in front of the 3,942 in attendance.

“They’ve got some sort of competition going on. They don’t want to be the guys that give up the runs,” Knorr said of the bullpen’s effort in the come-from-behind win. “I like it and they’ve been really good. It’s comforting.”

Trailing 4-1, the P-Nats used three home runs against Frederick starter Brandon Erbe (Baltimore’s 10th-ranked prospect by Baseball America) including a three-run homer from first baseman Chris Marrero, his third of the year. Adam Carr recorded his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.

“We’ve been waiting for that (offense),” Knorr said. “We’ve got some good hitters and have seen some good pitching the last couple of days but they’re not getting frustrated. If you get up there and take quality at-bats consistently… you’re going to get better results.”

As satisfying a win as it was, the biggest news was the loss of three of Potomac’s most effective pitchers.

Prior to the start of the Frederick series Stammen was moved to the Senators’ bullpen as well after striking out 14 in 16 innings of work. He had a 2.25 ERA in his six games.

VanAllen’s promotion was announced Wednesday by Washington General Manager Jim Bowden before the parent club’s game against Atlanta in D.C. VanAllen, a left-handed pitcher, was 3-0 with a 0.66 ERA and was coming off three consecutive shutouts.

Zimmermann, a 2007 second round selection (the pick was compensation for Jose Guillen leaving for Kansas City after the ‘06 campaign), was 3-1, 1.65 as a right-handed starter in five games (four starts) with Potomac. The No. 7 prospect in the Nationals organization according to Baseball America, Zimmermann impressed from the start of the year, striking out 31 in just 27.1 innings.

“It’s going to be different, there are much better players there,” said Zimmermann who was ex-pected to start for Potomac on Monday.

An Arizona State University product, Zinicola was 2-0 with three saves in eight games. He had not allowed an earned run in those appearances and was a rock in the bullpen and was the Nationals’ 2006 Minor League Pitcher of the Year while pitching at three levels (short-season A Vermont, High A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg).

“I get along well with those guys (VanAllen and Zinicola) and I know a lot of the guys up there already,” Zimmerman said.

The 6-foot-2 Vermont-native added that the familiarity will help with adjusting to the new environment.

[Air Zimmerman]

clip is pitching 1 hit gem through 6 for Columbus....clip up, chico down.

meanwhile, dukes has cooled off...0 for 3, but scored a run. 

[sportsfan882]

Nice outing for Clip. 6.2 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 6 K

[sportsfan882]

Dukes just smashed an RBI Triple. He's 4/8 with a double, triple and 3 RBIs so far in his 2 games in Columbus. 

[Air Zimmerman]

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT DUKES WAS COOLING OFF, HE TORCHES AN RBI TRIPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HE'S A TRIPLES MACHINE!

 

CALL HIM UP NOW JIM-BO! he better be called up for the Houston series or else i will be heated. 

[ronnynat]

Dukes just smashed an RBI Triple. He's 4/8 with a double, triple and 3 RBIs so far in his 2 games in Columbus. 

That's awesome. We need his bat ASAP.

[sportsfan882]

Bacsik just gave up a 2-run Inside the Park Homer 

Columbus leads 3-2 in the 8th.

[hammondsnats]

Haha hey there's bacsik. 

This is fantastic news concerning Elijah Dukes.  His bat will be a tremendous asset to the club (and he's a pretty decent outfielder as well). 

Also good news for T-Clip.  Cut down on his walks and continues to punch out batters.  Even more impressive that he did it against his former club (who I'm sure knows his pitches very well).

[hammondsnats]

Oh and remember Darnell McDonald?  He's batting .347, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 4 SB with the Rochester Red Wings.  I'm sure he'll get a call-up to the Twins soon.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT DUKES WAS COOLING OFF, HE TORCHES AN RBI TRIPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HE'S A TRIPLES MACHINE!

 

CALL HIM UP NOW JIM-BO! he better be called up for the Houston series or else i will be heated. 

Please, oh baseball gods, forgive us for the sins of Air Zimmerman, for he layeth with the cornrows and put a false idol before ye.  Bless us with the talents of Elijah.