More photos » by ED ZURGA - AP

2 months ago: Kansas City Royals newly-signed pitcher Aaron Crow talks to the media after he was introduced during a news conference at Kauffman Stadium Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Crow, the Royals first-round draft pick and the 12th overall selection in the 2009 draft, reached a three-year Major League deal with the team. The Royals did not release the terms of the contract. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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AFL Update: 

The Phoenix Desert Dogs took an 8-5 lead with an eight-run seventh only to give up six runs in the top of the ninth and drop just their second of seven '09 AFL games to the Peoria Saguaros. Chris Marrero was the only DC prospect in the game, and the 20-year-old '06 1st Round pick is now 7 for 16, (.483) in 4 games, after going 2 for 5 with a double, a run scored and his 3rd RBI this fall. Tomorrow in Phoenix it's the Desert Dogs and Peoria, Arizona's favorite team, the Saguaros, in the first of three game series which should see Stephen Strasburg start game two on Thursday.

• Final Score - Desert Dogs - 8, Saguaros 11. - MLB Gameday.

Dominican Winter League Update: 

Four games into the DWL season, the Tigres del Licey are 3-1 after Tuesday night's 4-1 loss to Aguilas Cibaenas. Elijah Dukes, who is supposed to be heading down to the Dominican Winter League to play with the Tigres at some point, has yet to get going but there are several Nationals' prospects on the Tigres' roster:

(cont.)... + Aaron Crow Impressing Royals.

Some of the Nationals' Prospects on the Tigres' Roster...

• Juan Jaime - (RHP) - The San Cristobal, DR born Jaime spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League before joining the Gulf Coast Nationals as an 20-year-old in 2008. Jaime pitched with the Class-A Hagertown Suns  and the Potomac Nationals this season, finishing the '09 season with a combined (5-2) record and a 2.10 ERA in 14 G, 12 starts and 55.2 IP, during which he walked 31, struck out 6 and held opponents to a .189 BAA. 

• Atahualpa Severino - LHP - Signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent in 2004, the 24-year-old, 5'9'' left-hander out of Cotui in the Dominican Republic, split the '08 season between Low-A Hagerstown and the Potomac Nationals, and in 2009, with Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, Severino was a combined (10-0) with 15 saves, 66 K's, a 2.62 ERA and a .219 BAA in 44 G and 68.2 IP. 

Over And Over The Crow Cries Uncover The Cornfields...

According to MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo's recent article entitled, "First-rounder Crow making up for lost time", on DC '08 1st Round pick Aaron Crow, (who failed to agree on a deal with Washington and was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2009 Draft), the right-handed starter is impressing the Royals in Instructional League action, throwing, "...a pair of 1-2-3 innings in his first two outings," with a low-to-mid 90's fastball, slider and change. According to Mr. Mayo:

"Crow appears to be so far ahead of the Royals' expectations that they may not shut him down when instructs end on Friday. Instead, they may send the No. 12 overall pick to the Arizona Fall League to pitch more innings and see how he responds to the challenge of that advanced circuit."

Wouldn't a nice Strasburg/Crow matchup be great...Think Rizzo would've signed Crow? Would you give up Drew Storen, who the Nationals chose with the Crow compensation pick, for another chance at the right-handed starter?