I love Minor League Baseball

My love affair with Minor League Baseball and this is my hat collection. 

Professional Tailgating: One Down One To Go

Last night, I headed to Citizens Bank Park to see my Nationals drop a heart breaker to the Phillies. But on the bright side it was dollar dog night and I saw a big running around the outfield. 

Two days of baseball fun

Nationals at Phillies tonight. South Atlantic League All Star Game in Lakewood tomorrow night. Not a bad two days of baseball.

Prospects Plus: Did the Nationals get first round value in Ward

The Nationals theory of drafting high upside players was shown again in the third round of this years draft. In the third round, the Nationals drafted Oklahoma high school third baseman Drew Ward. So what, you say.

Up until a month ago, many thought that Ward would be a member of the 2014 draft. But that all changed after Drew, who is committed to Oklahoma, graduated early from high school and petitioned to be part of this years draft. After MLB ruled in favor of the Drew, many scouts scurried to see what he was about. 

According to Baseball America,  Ward has a big, strong frame and has a sweet swing from the left side. He plays shortstop for his high school, but fits best at a corner position because of his below-average speed.

Many in the scouting community, had Ward pegged as a 2014 first rounder. The Bleacher Report pegged him as the 13th overall pick to the Padres in a really early mock 2014 draft. 

While the season may not be going as planned, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo always takes the player with the best upside and it looks like he may have gotten a future first rounder for the prices of the third rounder. Now that is good business.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all

Prospects Plus: A Failed Experiment

The book has finally been closed on one of the worst experiments in the history of the Washington Nationals. After five years in the farm system, Jack McGeary is gone from the system. The Boston Red Sox selected the Massachusetts native in the Rule 5 draft during the recently completed Winter Meeting in Nashville.

When McGeary was selected in the 2007 draft he was supposed to be the face of the franchise for years to come. When the Nationals drafted McGeary in 2007, they gave him a $1.7 million signing bonus to buy him out of commitment to Stanford. Little did we know that McGeary would be a huge flop.

I remember seeing him pitch when he was in the SAL and thought what A Waste of Money, So Far. His stuff was not overpowering, his command was not that good and he just seemed disinterested on the mount. During his time in the Nationals system, McGeary put together an 8-18 record with a 4.97 ERA. McGeary never made it pass A-Ball.

At first I was in total favor of the drafting him and paying him, little did I know that he would turn into an example of how much of a crap shoot the baseball draft really is.

Professional Tailgating: Final Trip to the old ballpark

On Thursday the OTWT crew headed to the Nationals Phillies game. It was our final baseball game of the year. The Nationals won the game and Gio got his 21 win of the year on the mound. Here are some of the sites from the game.

Professional Tailgating: The monsters first game

Last night we took in the first place Nationals game against the Phillies. It was a special day for the OTWT Tailgating Family, it was the little monsters first major league baseball game. 

Father and son walk into the ball park. 

Harry K Statue.

Today's lineups 

I was not alone in supporting the Nationals. More Nats fans there last night than I have ever seen

Prospects Plus: Hagerstown Sun's Brian Goodwin

Name: Brian Goodwin 

Organization: Washington Nationals 

Position: Outfield 

Tuesday Stats: against Lakewood BlueClaws:  2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a double 

Strengths: According to Baseball America, he could be a top of the order type bat. His speed is out of this world and that showed during his first at-bat when he made Lakewood outfielder Kelly Dugan pay for an error by stretching a double into a triple. So far this season, Goodwin is hitting .327 with 6 hrs, 31 RBI and slugging .530. Goodwin is the fifth ranked player in the Nationals system. He projects to be a .275 and 20 home runs type of player. 

Weakness: Time. Its going to take time. Goodwin has the potential to be the center fielder of the future in Washington put its going to take time. Goodwin is raw and needs time to develop properly. If the Nationals are going to make any type of deal, Goodwin would be one of the first players that teams ask for. 

OTWT MLB Mock Draft

For the second year in a row the OTWT Scouting Staff has been locked up going over the top prospect in the MLB Draft. Here is our mock draft for the opening round of the Rule 4 Draft. First round:


1. Houston Astros: Byron Buxton, OF, Georgia HS

2. Minnesota Twins: Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
3. Seattle Mariners:Kyle Zimmerman, RHP, San Francisco
4. Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU
5. Kansas City Royals: Mike Zunino, C, Florida




6. Chicago Cubs: Albert Almora, OF, Texas High School
7. San Diego Padres: Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke
8. Pittsburgh Pirates: Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico
9. Miami Marlins: David Dahl, OF, Oklahoma HS
10. Colorado Rockies: Micheal Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M
11. Oakland Athletics: Max Fried, LHP, California High School
12. New York Mets: Devin Marrero, SS, Arizona State
13. Chicago White Sox: Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State
14. Cincinnati Reds: Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State
15. Cleveland Indians: Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson
16. Washington Nationals: Lucas Giolito, RHP, California HS
17. Toronto Blue Jays: Courtney Hawkins, OF, Texas HS





18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Gavin Cecchini, SS, Lousianna HS
19. St. Louis Cardinals (A. Pujols – LAA): Lance McCullers Jr, RHP, Florida HS
20. San Francisco Giants: Nick Travieso, RHP, Florida HS
21. Atlanta Braves: DJ Davis, OF, Mississippi HS
22. Toronto Blue Jays (T. Beede – unsigned): Ty Hensley, RHP, Oklahoma HS
23. St. Louis Cardinals: Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern
24. Boston Red Sox: J.O. Berrios, RHP, Puerto Rico
25. Tampa Bay Rays: Matt Smoral, LHP, Ohio HS
26. Arizona Diamondbacks:Corey Seager, 3B, North Carolina HS
27. Milwaukee Brewers (P. Fielder – DET): Addison Russell, SS, Florida HS
28. Milwaukee Brewers: Stephen Piscotty, 3B, Stanford
29. Texas Rangers:Lucas Sims, RHP, Georgia HS
30. New York Yankees: Stryker Trahan, C, Lousianna HS





31. Boston Red Sox (J. Papelbon – PHI):Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M

Professional Tailgating: A return to the ballpark

Nothing beats your first baseball game of the year and on Saturday the crew headed to the Mets and Phillies game. Here are some of the sights and sounds from the game. The Mets beat the Phillies 5-0.

Buffalo Style Sunflower seeds what could be better

Everyone gathering before the game

After being a jerk, this Mets fan is escorted from his seat

Top of the division

I know it's nine games in but look who is leading the NL East, yes the Nats. Come on boys lets keep this up.

Prospect Watching: Harrisburg Senators

The original reason for making the three hour drive to Harrisburg was to see Bryce Harper play in Double A, but that did not happen after he got hurt and was ruled out for the rest of the season. But that did not stop me from scouting a couple of other Nationals prospects.

After Harper, the next best ranked player in the system is catcher Derek Norris. During game Norris struck out twice and did not look doing it against a left handed pitcher. Norris was the second ranked player in the Nats system coming into the season by Baseball American, but that is going to change after the season is over. My only question is what positions does he play, Wilson Ramos appears to the be the catcher of the future, so does that mean Norris moves to first base. I know he has impressive stats, but I think that he will never make the grade in Washington

 

Professional Tailgating: A trip to Expo's Mecca

For Expos fan, a trip to see the Harrisburg Senators is a like a trip to mecca. For years the Senators have played a key role in player development and that appears to be continuing with Strasburg and Harper suiting up for the them over the last couple of years

Senators = Championships

 Brandon Phillips once part of the doomed Bartolo Colon deal

 You know its Minor League Baseball when the kids are warming up with the players

 Vlad near I say anything else. The banners around the stadium show how many great players that have come through Harrisburg

 Somewhere Phillies rookie pitcher Michael Stutes is smiling 

 Downtown Harrisburg

Also during the game the Senator's gave out t-shirts honoring their 25th anniversary team, later in the look we will take a look at that, I do have some issues with their picks.

It's not the Yankees and Red Sox anymore

In the past teams like the Yankees and Red Sox dominated the signing bonus list in Major League Baseball, but this year that all changed. Instead of the Sox and Yanks, the list is topped by the Pirates and Nationals. This shows that other teams are willing to invest in young players.

Professional Tailgating: Seven Unearned Runs, Yes Seven

The OTWT Tailgating Crew made their final regular season trip to Citizens Bank Park to see his beloved Nationals play the Phillies. The only thing that we learned was that defense is something that the Nationals don't care about. They gave up seven unearned runs, yes seven. 

Ground crew takes the tarp off before the game.

Phillies honor alumni that included Tommy Greene and Mark Leiter

 As a rookie, pitcher Michael Stutes has to put up with a lot include carrying this pink backpack to the pen. 

 Since we have had these seats we have seen a variety of different right fielders from Jayson Werth to Dom Brown to John Mayberry Jr. and now Hunter Pence. Hope it ends there. 

 Fans behind us showing their love for Chooch. 

Before the game started, I was able to hook up with my friends over at Sox and Phils and they filled this report.

A September Return?

Stephen Strasburg rehab from Tommy John surgery appears to be going so well that he could be back on the mound for the Nats by September. National's manager Davey Johnson is optimistic about Strasburg progress after watching him throw a simulated game on Monday.

Futures Game Notebook

The MLB Futures game was held on Sunday and here a couple of thoughts on the some of the players.
• For once it looked like Bryce Harper was nervous. Did not look like himself at the plate.
• Phillies prospect Jarred Cosart most impressive of U.S. pitchers. FB all 96-97, got strikeouts w/curveball and change.

• For all of the people who are still killing the Rays for taking Tim Beckham number one overall a couple of years ago it finally appears to be paying off.
• I can not believe that the Futures Game is 13 years old. It was a brilant idea when it started.
• I know it was only one inning but Brad Peacock looks to be a good piece for the Nats. 92 to 94 mph not bad.
• Everytime I see Shelby Miller I think that he is ready to pitch in the majors and today this no different.
• Tampa's Matt Moore might have the most effortless delivery I have ever seen. Hitting high 90s with that little effort is unfair.

What to expect from Strasburg next year

Our friends at The Nats Blog tell us what Jordan Zimmermann's pitch limit means for Stephen Strasburg return next year. I guess we should not expect more then a 160 innings out of Strasburg next season.

Beltway Family Fued

For the next decade, the Harpers and the Bundy's are set to battle it out on the baseball field.

Last year, the Nationals selected Bryce Harper with the first overall pick and we all know how that is going. This year the franchise used a 30th round pick on his brother, Bryan Harper. Bryan Harper is a left handed pitcher at the University of South Carolina. Bryan Harper has a 5.40 ERA and 18/17 K/BB ratio as a reliever this season.

Down the Beltway, the Orioles are putting together their own family, the Bundy Family. In 2008, the Orioles selected righ hand pitcher Bobby Bundy. This year the Orioles used their first round pick to select his brother Dylan (pictured below).

The Bundy brothers have already come outswining against the Harper family.  According to the Washington Post, Dylan Bundy (below) said he we would hit Harper if he blew kisses at him after hitting a home run. 

“Well, if I was pitching the next game, I’d hit him all four at-bats,” the high schooler told Steve Davis on Baltimore’s 105.7 The Fan.

Dylan's brother joined in the fun.

“Same thing,” the other Bundy said. “The kid can’t do that. You know, that was a little over the top. I mean, I guess he did get hit in previous at-bats and maybe he felt like it was for nothing, but still, in baseball etiquette you don’t blow a kiss to the pitcher like that. It’s just not something you do.”

If all four of these prospects meet up in the next couple of years it could be fun, the only issue is that Bryce is the only one that swings a bat, which could be dangerous for him.