Results tagged ‘ Potomac Nationals ’
Tuesday tidbits
Joey DeMichele (18) celebrates after his second walk-off hit of 2013 (Laura Marshall/W-S Dash)
With the Dash set embark on a six-game road trip tonight in Salem, Va., let’s take a look back at the weekend that was at BB&T Ballpark in a Tuesday edition of Dash Dots:
DASH DOTS:
- With their three-game sweep of the Potomac Nationals this weekend, the Dash have now beaten the P-Nats 13 consecutive times at BB&T Ballpark dating back to April of 2012.
- After overcoming a two-run deficit with three tallies in the eighth inning to win 5-4 on Friday, the Dash rallied with two outs in the ninth to tie Saturday’s game and eventually win in 10 innings on a walk-off single by Joey DeMichele. Those two last at-bat victories marked the first time since August 13-14, 2012, that the Dash have had back-to-back last at-bat victories.
- DeMichele now has both walk-off hits for Winston-Salem after his walk-off single on Saturday. His other walk-off hit was a three-run home run in the 11th inning on May 8 against Frederick.
- With a pair of singles on Friday and a walk and a triple on Saturday, Adam Heisler has now reached base in 41 consecutive games dating back to the end of last season. Heisler now has the longest such streak in the majors, as High Desert’s Jamal Austin had his 47-game streak snapped when we went 0-for-4 on Friday. However, Heisler did not play in Sunday’s series finale, and he is not in tonight’s lineup.
Myles Jaye has won both of his starts since his call up from Kannapolis (Laura Marshall/W-S Dash).
- Myles Jaye gave Winston-Salem his second straight quality start since he was called up from Kannapolis in Sunday’s 7-3 victory, surrendering three runs in six innings. The righty is now 2-0 and has struck out six in each of his first two High-A starts.
- The Winston bullpen was excellent this weekend against Potomac. Over the three games, Dash relievers did not yield an earned run across 10.2 innings while giving up just six hits. The bullpen also did not allow a walk in the series against the P-Nats while picking up two of the three wins. Terance Marin (3-2) was the winner in Friday’s series opener, and Brandon Hardin (1-0) was rewarded for his three scoreless innings of relief in Saturday’s walk-off win.
- Yesterday was the second off day for Winston-Salem in the last 12 days, but now they will not have another until the All-Star Break. The Dash will now play 28 games in the next 27 days, including a doubleheader against Frederick which the Dash announced today has been moved from Memorial Day, May 27, to May 28.
The Dash open up a six-game road trip tonight with the first of a three-game set at the Salem Red Sox. Join Brian here at 6:50 for the Pregame Dash, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.
- Rob
Grab bag of Monday fun
Jeremy Farrell had hit safely in 10 straight games until Saturday (Dan Barber/W-S Dash).
The Dash are a few hours away from a series finale against the Potomac Nationals here in Woodbridge, Va., and there is plenty of news to discuss. Let’s break it all down with a Monday edition of Dash Dots.
DASH DOTS:
- Despite going hitless in Sunday’s de facto doubleheader, Adam Heisler extended his on-base streak to 38 games thanks to a hit by pitch and a walk. Heisler’s 38-game run is now the second-longest in Minor League Baseball. Jamal Austin of High Desert (High-A, Seattle) has reached at least once in 44 straight contests.
- Heisler jumped to second place after Scooter Gennett of Nashville (Triple-A, Milwaukee) went 0-for-4 against Sacramento on Sunday, which snapped his 39-game on-base streak.
- Dash infielder Jeremy Farrell saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-for-4 showing in the suspended game from Saturday. Farrell fell one game shy of teammate Mark Haddow (April 6-18) and Salem infielder Garin Cecchini (April 22-May 4), whose 11-game streaks are the longest in the CL thus far this season. During this run, the former Pittsburgh farmhand boasted a batting average of .366 (15-for-41) with three homers and 12 RBIs.
- Winston-Salem is in danger of suffering its first four-game series sweep in the Dash era (2009-present). Winston’s last such brooming came in Myrtle Beach from June 2-5, 2008, when the franchise was called the Warthogs.
- The Dash had not lost the first three contests in a four-game set since August 18-20, 2011, here at Pfitzner Stadium. However, Winston-Salem emphatically avoided a sweep by pounding the P-Nats 15-3 in the series finale.
- Speaking of Dash era firsts, Potomac’s Blake Schwartz held Winston to just one hit in Sunday’s seven-inning contest, which marked the first time in Dash history that the club was held to just one hit. The Dash’s previous low-water mark for hits in a single game was two, which occurred five times.
- Following tonight’s game at Potomac, the Dash will entertain first-place Myrtle Beach for a three-game series that begins tomorrow. The Pelicans currently lead the Dash by 6.5 games, Winston’s largest deficit in the standings since the club finished the first half of the 2011 season 8.5 games back of Myrtle Beach. If the Dash want to win the first half title in the Southern Division, this series will be critical.
Join me for the Dash’s finale at Pfitzner Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and the Pregame Dash begins at 6:50 p.m. here.
- Brian
Prospecting for Carolina League prospects
With the season starting tomorrow night, it’s time to see who could make an impact on the seven other teams in the Carolina League. The prospect rankings used for this post are from Baseball America.
Francisco Lindor ranks among the best defensive infielders in the minors (lakecounty-sentinel.com).
Carolina Mudcats: For the second straight season, shortstop Francisco Lindor is the top prospect in the Indians’ organization. The 2011 first-round pick spent all of 2012 with Low-A Lake County, where he was the youngest everyday player in the league at 18.
Scouts say Lindor has an above-average arm and great instincts and rate him as one of the best defensive infielders in the minors. Lindor was given some spring training action for the Indians, hitting .292 while appearing in 10 games. He won’t turn 20 until after the season, meaning his best days are surely ahead of him.
Others to watch for: Outfielder Tyler Naquin (#3 prospect), infielder Tony Wolters (#17), right-handed pitcher Cody Anderson (#29) and outfielder Jordan Smith (#30).
Frederick Keys: After spending all of 2012 with Low-A Delmarva, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez could be set to make an impact for the Keys this summer. In 2012, the southpaw pitched 107 innings for Delmarva and posted a 3.70 ERA.
Rodriguez, listed as Baltimore’s number five prospect, was signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela when he was 17. He will turn 20 during the Carolina League’s opening weekend, and the Orioles hope he will continue to climb toward his very ceiling in his age 20 season.
Others to watch for: Infielder Nick Delmonico (#4 prospect), left-handed pitcher Tim Berry (#11), outfielder Glynn Davis (#14), right-handed pitcher Devin Jones (#18), right-handed pitcher Zach Davies (#20), right-handed pitcher Tyler Wison (#26) and outfielder Brenden Webb (#27).
Lyncburg Hillcats: After his 2012 season was cut short by injuries, outfielder Matt Lipka will be back in Lynchburg to start 2013. The 14th-rated prospect in the Braves’ system, Lipka hit .271 in 51 games for the Hillcats before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.
A former shortstop, Lipka was playing center field for the first time as a professional last year, and scouts say he showed good instincts. With his above-average speed, Lipka could turn into a very good defensive center fielder, but the Braves want him to prove he is healthy and continue to improve before giving him a shot at Double-A.
Others to watch for: Right-handed pitcher Navery Moore (#15 prospect), right-handed pitcher Juan Jaime (#20), third baseman Kyle Kubitza (#25), right-handed pitcher Nate Hyatt (#26) and outfielder Robby Hefflinger (#29).
Like Lindor, Sardinas is among the top defensive infielders in the minors (dallasnews.com).
Myrtle Beach Pelicans: On July 2, 2009, the Rangers signed two 16-year old shortstops from Venezuela. The first one, Jurickson Profar, is one of the top prospects in all of baseball and is close to breaking into the big league lineup. The other signing that day, Luis Sardinas, will be a member of the 2013 Pelicans.
While injuries slowed his progress at the start of his minor league career, Sardinas was mostly healthy last year while playing for Low-A Hickory. He hit .291 and stole 32 bases in 2012 while also showing off a strong arm and overall plus skills in the field. He played mostly shortstop last season, but with Profar ahead of him, he could move permanently to second base, where he played 14 games in 2012.
Others to watch for: Right-handed pitcher Luke Jackson (#6 prospect), infielder Rougned Odor (#11), infielder Drew Robinson (#21), outfielder Zach Cone (#24) and right-handed pitcher Nick Martinez (#27).
Potomac Nationals: After 109 games with Potomac, outfielder Michael Taylor earned himself the number 11 slot on the Nationals’ prospect list. Taylor was drafted as a shortstop, but was quickly moved to center field after turning pro. He is a very good defensive outfielder, but his bat trails behind his defensive skills.
Taylor hit just .242 last year and struck out more than 100 times for the second straight year, two big reasons why scouts believe he will repeat High-A this year. With improvements in his offensive game, though, Double-A should be within his reach before too long.
Others to watch for: Right-handed pitcher A.J. Cole (#4), right-handed pitcher Taylor Jordan (#13), infielder Jason Martinson (#14), left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (#18) and outfielder Billy Burns (#26).
Salem Red Sox: The Red Sox number five prospect, left-hander Henry Owens, won 12 games for Low-A Greenville in his first professional season last year. Armed with a fastball, changeup, and two different types of breaking ball, the 2011 first rounder led all Red Sox farmhands with those 12 wins and finished second in strikeouts with 130.
The southpaw’s walk numbers were high in 2012, but improved control could limit his time in Salem and quickly send him up to Double-A before all is said and done. If the Red Sox struggle again in 2013, a September call-up to the big leagues may not be out of the question to get Owens’ feet wet.
Others to watch for: Catcher Blake Swihart (#6 prospect), third baseman Garin Cecchini (#7), shortstop Deven Marrero (#10), outfielder Brandon Jacobs (#13), second baseman Sean Coyle (#24), outfielder Keury De La Cruz (#25) and left-handed pitcher Miguel Pena (#30).
Zimmer will start the season with Wilmington but could elevate through the system quickly (mwltraveler.com).
Wilmington Blue Rocks: The top prospect in the Kansas City organization after the big Wil Myers-James Shields trade is right-handed pitcher Kyle Zimmer. Last year’s fifth overall pick, Zimmer has been confirmed as a member of the Blue Rocks’ 2013 staff.
After a giving up just one run in 10 innings for the AZL Royals after signing, Zimmer was promoted to Low-A Kane County and made six starts. He pitched 30 innings for the Cougars, posting a 2.43 ERA. With a fastball that reached 99 mph in college, Zimmer may be on the fast track to the big leagues if he can build upon his strong professional debut.
Others to watch for: Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio (#4 prospect), left-handed pitcher Sam Selman (#6), third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert (#9), left-handed pitcher John Lamb (#11), right-handed pitcher Kyle Smith (#12), right-handed pitcher Angel Baez (#18), shortstop Jack Lopez (#19) and right-handed pitcher Robinson Yambati (#28).
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for these players and other top prospects as they make their way to BB&T Ballpark this summer. The Carolina League is loaded in 2013.
- Rob
Carolina Countdown: Potomac Nationals
We have reached the fifth team in our league-wide countdown. A quick programming note: we will take the weekend off and bring you the final two team previews (Salem and Wilmington) Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Without further ado…
CAROLINA COUNTDOWN: Potomac Nationals
Introduction: The Carolina League affiliate for the Washington Nationals, Potomac has been the High-A affiliate for Washington since the franchise moved from Montreal in 2005. The Nationals play their home games at G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va., which is within the Potomac region.
Last season: In 2012, Potomac finished in second place in the Northern Division in the season’s first half with a 31-39 record, but the P-Nats never truly threatened to win the crown. Their record improved after the All-Star break to 33-36, but it was not enough to get Potomac into the Carolina League playoffs.
Stephen Strasburg and the Nats are legitimate title contenders (Wikipedia).
Manager: Brian Daubach joins the Nationals as their skipper after two seasons managing the Nationals’ Low-A affiliate, the Hagertown Suns, where he went 157-119 with one playoff appearance. Daubach played several different positions in his eight seasons (1998-2005) in the majors, including third base, first base, right field, left field and designated hitter. Throughout his career, Daubach spent time with the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets.
System: The Nationals were a bad baseball team at the right time, “earning” the number one overall pick when Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper were on the board. These two players, among others, have helped the Nats become a World Series contender. The minor league system is right around the middle of the pack now; Baseball America ranks Washington 16th in its annual talent rankings. Third baseman Anthony Rendon and outfielder Brian Goodwin offer the most promise among offensive prospects, while raw right-hander Lucas Giolito, who had Tommy John surgery last year, is the top pitching prospect.
The P-Nats’ promotional schedule is arguably the CL’s most unique (Potomac Nationals).
Best promotion: Among their many promotions in 2013, the Nationals have announced one of the most unique giveaways I have ever seen. In his days with Potomac in 2006, outfielder Roger Bernadina earned the nickname “The Shark” for the way he hunted down fly balls in the gaps, similar to the way sharks hunt their prey. To commemorate “The Shark”, Potomac will be giving away a half-man, half-shark figurine to memorialize Bernadina’s time in Potomac. Christened the “Shark-A-rine”, the giveaway will surely generate a lot of interest, and maybe some confusion, among fans this year.
Fun fact: Last July, the Potomac Nationals were forced to make a very strange roster move as they had to put their mascot Uncle Slam on the 60-day DL, ending his season. The mascot had to sit out the remainder of the 2012 season after sustaining burns when a fire broke out at Pfitzer Stadium. Uncle Slam is expected to be fully recovered and ready for Potomac’s Opening Day.
Nationals in Winston-Salem: Potomac will be in town only once during the season’s first half (May 17-19). In the second half, the Nationals will come to BB&T Ballpark July 8-11 and will be the opponent for the Dash’s final home series of 2013, August 28-30. Last season, the Dash won all 10 games against the P-Nats at BB&T Ballpark.
Up next: The Salem Red Sox are next up on the countdown, and we’ll have that for you Monday. Enjoy the weekend.
- Rob
2013 Schedule Analysis (Second Half)
Bolt is ready for the Dash’s 2013 season. Are you ready to join him?
Winston-Salem’s 2013 schedule came out yesterday, and excitement is already building for the club’s fourth go-around inside BB&T Ballpark.
Yesterday, we broke down the key games of the first half. Now it’s time to examine the important dates during the final 70 games of the regular season:
- July 4 v. Myrtle Beach: The Fourth of July and baseball go together well, and the Dash will play at BB&T Ballpark on our nation’s birthday. Last season, the Dash set a BB&T Ballpark attendance record with 7,285 fans at their Fourth of July loss to Myrtle Beach. Winston will have a chance at revenge against the Pelicans in 2013.
- July 10 v. Potomac: Winston-Salem’s final “early” game of the season comes in the middle of July against Potomac, a team that the Dash swept in all 10 games at BB&T Ballpark in 2012. The Dash will host a pair of 11:00 a.m. games April 24 and May 8 along with two noon games June 26 and July 10. It is always fun to play hookey and take in a baseball game, and this will be the Triad’s final chance next season.
- August 24-26 v. Myrtle Beach: The two best teams in the Carolina League during the regular season were Winston-Salem and Myrtle Beach. The Pelicans challenged the Dash in the second-half division chase and took Winston-Salem to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Southern Division Championship Series, and the Rangers tend to stock Myrtle with solid prospects. This series, which marks the final regular season meeting between the two squads, could be meaningful down the stretch in 2013.
- August 30 v. Potomac: The Dash clinched the second-half crown August 30, 2012. Exactly one year later, Winston-Salem will conclude their home slate with a “Fireworks Friday” clash against the P-Nats. Hopefully the Dash will not be saying “so long” to BB&T Ballpark on this night. Instead, maybe it’ll be a “see you in the playoffs” moment.
- September 2 at Wilmington: Game #140 always features a wide range of emotions, but the main question will be this: what will the Dash do after making the 7-hour trip back to Winston-Salem on Labor Day? Will the playoffs be on the docket, or will the players be heading home?
The games highlighted above will be fun and could be meaningful. Either way, we know what journey the Dash will have to take to get back to the playoffs. I can’t wait to begin that trip to begin April 5 at Carolina.
- Brian
Dash Top 10: #8 – 10-Game Win Streak
Marcus Semien (center) celebrates his grand slam April 25 against Potomac during the Dash’s 10-game win streak (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
This is the third installment of the “Dash Top 10,” where we rehash the top 10 moments from the Dash’s historic 2012 season. Stay tuned to the Dash Board Blog for the rest of the series over the next two weeks.
Previous Top 10 Moments:
#10: Second-half clinch
#9: Hankerd’s walk-off
Moment #8 (May 1): Dash-high 10-game winning streak concludes with 15-6 win at Potomac.
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On April 21, the Dash were 7-8. There was no talk about the best record in the minor leagues or a Carolina League postseason run. Quite frankly, Winston-Salem’s start was not eye-popping.
Fans should not overemphasize early returns in the game of baseball, and the Dash proved this in 2012. Winston-Salem was nothing special through 15 games. Then, Winston did not lose again until May 2.
For the first time since becoming the Dash, Winston won 10 consecutive games from April 22 to May 1. The final victory during this run was a 15-6 blowout in Potomac that featured the Dash’s highest run output of the first half.
Throughout the 10-game winning streak, the Dash outscored their opponents 86-35. Winston-Salem recorded its most lopsided victory of the campaign during the run (14-0 versus Potomac, April 25), and the Dash hit a season-high five homers in their triumph five days later at Potomac.
This 10-day journey also brought about a great feature on Twitter and on the blog: #DashWinStreakFacts. You can relive those facts here and here. A couple of our favorites:
- Wins by the Dash in their last 10 games: 10. Wins by the Charlotte Bobcats in their last 66 games: 7. (From former pitcher Jake Petricka)
- National US avg price for a gallon of gas at start of streak: $3.84. National US avg price for a gallon of gas at end of streak: $3.80. (From Dash Director of Statistical Research Caleb Pardick)
The Dash were the talk of the Carolina League in 2012, and the club’s incredible season truly began with this 10-game winning streak, which propelled Winston-Salem to its second-best season since joining the Carolina League in 1945.
After winning 10 straight, the Dash were definitely for real.
Stay tuned for the Dash’s seventh-best moment from the 2012 campaign, which featured three hours of frustration followed by a 17-minute comeback that stunned even the most optimistic Dash fans. We’ll have that for you tomorrow. Talk to you then.
- Brian
The CL Tour – Pfitzner Stadium
It’s a few days late, but the Dash made their final trip to Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va., this season. Here is a look at “The Pfitz.”
The view from my booth and from the final row of seats behind home plate. A new field was installed prior to this season, and it is a huge improvement from years past.
There are five sets of bleacher seats. The Pfitz is an old-school baseball spot…
Really old school.
The outside of the stadium. Not far from here is where the fire hit Pfitzner Stadium, but the damage was not very noticeable. Outside of some trailers to hold the staff’s offices, the place looks the same.
That fire did claim Uncle Slam, the P-Nats’ mascot. However, Nationals fans can still remember him with this giant inflatable doll.
Stay tuned to the blog tomorrow for a few Dash players who are going bald for a good cause.
- Brian
High Five?
The Dash kick off their final regular season series with Potomac tonight at 7:05, and Winston-Salem has a chance to continue an extremely impressive trend. From 2005-2011, Winston-Salem had won 14 or more games in one season against a single team only twice, yet the Dash have already done it two times this season.
Winston can make it three against the Nationals. Take a look at Winston-Salem’s top four season series showings, including the potential for a fifth with the P-Nats.
1. 16-4 vs. Lynchburg in 2010
2. 15-5 vs. Wilmington in 2012
3. 14-6 vs. Kinston in 2009
3. 14-6 vs. Carolina in 2012
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5. 13-4 vs. Potomac in 2012
The Dash have a chance to register a regular season for the record books (more on that as we get closer to season’s end), but few statistics prove that more than this one. At least one win in Woodbridge would equal a top-five season series, and a sweep over Potomac would match Winston’s best mark against a single team since 2005.
Join me at 6:50 for the Pre-Game Dash here. Talk to you then.
- Brian
Predicting Trayce Thompson’s Home Runs
Dash outfielder Trayce Thompson is tied for the Carolina League lead in home runs with 13, and two of them have been predicted.
We begin with his ninth home run of the season. Winston-Salem and Potomac played three innings before rain suspended play June 12. During the rain delay, this tweet made its way into the universe:
This twitter account is fake, which means that Thompson is not responsible for its tweets. However, someone is using it, and this person predicted a home run for the Dash outfielder.
Sure enough, when play resumed the next day, Thompson crushed a solo shot in the fourth inning, his next at bat. This fake account’s mastermind nailed it.
Let’s fast forward to yesterday’s 16-6 beatdown of the P-Nats. Thompson was at the plate in the seventh inning, and I called the shot on the air:
The Dash did score in all but one inning yesterday, so predicting offense wasn’t exactly like picking the Cubs to win the World Series. Still, pretty cool stuff.
Do you think Trayce will homer tonight? If so, you could add to the accurate predictions.
- Brian
Rienzo Up (To AA), Semien Down (On DL)
Marcus Semien (middle) is on the disabled list for the second time this season (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
In case you missed it Thursday, the Dash made a few roster moves before opening their four-game series with Wilmington.
For the second time this season, infielder Marcus Semien has been placed on the disabled list. He tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday’s home game with Potomac. Semien can come off the DL as early as the second half’s opener Thursday against the P-Nats in Woodbridge, Va.
Semien is hitting .249 with five homers and 25 RBI on the season. He also missed three weeks with a shoulder injury in May. The El Cerrito, Calif., native was 5-for-12 with four runs scored in his previous three games before suffering the injury.
Also, the White Sox announced that right-handed starter Andre Rienzo, who just finished up a 50-game suspension, is heading to Double-A Birmingham for the first time in his career. Rienzo went 3-0 with a 1.08 earned run average in four April starts with the Dash before the suspension.
Rienzo will make his debut for the Barons Saturday night on the road against the Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs’ Southern League affiliate.
- Brian
