More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

2 months ago: Dustin Ackley, the Seattle Mariners' top pick in this year's baseball draft, takes batting practice with the team Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, in Seattle. Ackley is an outfielder and also plays first base, and the team said Monday that he will play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League after spending some time with the Mariners' instructional league. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Browse more photos »

5. Dustin Ackley

So you don't get to see the '09 No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg pitch, you do get to see the player taken second overall by the Seattle Mariners, Dustin Ackley, a converted outfielder who hit over .400 in three-straight seasons (with an OBP over .500 in his final two years) at UNC before becoming the first fielder taken in the 2009 First-year Player Draft, and so far in the AFL, Ackley's hit for a .315 AVG with 5 doubles, 1 HR and 12 RBI's, while posting a .412 OBP, .425 SLG and an .836 OPS...the Mariners may already/one day regret having sent Orioles' CF Adam Jones to Baltimore in the Bedard deal, but Ackley will help them forget.

4. Chris Marrero

Adam Dunn's under contract for one more year, so unless the Nationals find some way to convince the big slugger to sign an extension, the top-ranked first base prospect in the DC system is Chris Marrero, a 21-year-old former third baseman and outfielder who's now playing his third position since being selected with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft out of Miami, Florida's Monsignor Pace high school. Marrero hit for a combined .284 AVG, a .358 OBP, .452 SLG and an .810 OPS with 27 doubles, 17 HR's and 76 RBI's at two stops in the Nationals' organization this year, playing 112 games with the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals before moving up for 23 games with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. In 23 games and 83 at bats with the AFL's Desert Dogs, Marrero's hit for a .349 AVG with 7 doubles, 3 HR's and 21 RBI's, a .402 OBP, .542 SLG and a .944 OPS. (ed. note - "And now you too can stare at his 'footwork' at first base and see if you notice anything...")

Reasons No. 3-1 After The JUMP!!...

Continue reading this post »

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, with third base coach Pat Listach in the background, before the Nationals' game against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, July 16, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Browse more photos »

Press Release after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Washington Nationals' prospect Chris Marrero (1B) waits in the on-deck circle at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

View full size photo »

The box score for Thursday's Phoenix Desert Dogs/Surprise Rafters game doesn't mention the most important development out of Arizona, Stephen Strasburg's knee injury and subsequent removal from the starter's role in Saturday's nationally-televised AFL Championship, but it does wrap up the regular season for all of the Nationals' prospects participating in the Arizona Fall League, with SS Danny Espinosa, first baseman Chris Marrero and relief pitcher Josh Wilkie all appearing in the D-Dogs' 7-4 loss. Espinosa was 0 for 2, leaving the 22-year-old infielder with a .345 AVG, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR and 14 RBI's in 24 games, over which he posted a .434 OBP, with a .460 SLG and an .894 OPS. Marrero, 21, goes 2 for 4 with his 10th double and 21st RBI in 20 games and 83 AB's in which he's collected 29 hits, (7 doubles and 3 HR's), for a .349 AVG with 8 walks, 16 K's, a .402 OBP, .542 SLG and a .944 OPS. Wilkie, 25, a right-hander out of George Washington University who signed with DC as an undrafted free agent, gave up a hit in a scoreless inning of work in the fifth, and shortly thereafter received news that could (potentially) change the course of his career...(cont. after the JUMP)...

Final Score - Rafters 7, Desert Dogs 4 - MLB.com Gameday.

Desert Dogs finish AFL Reg. Season: 19-13.

BACKPAGE: 

• Washington Nationals Set 40-Man Roster...

• Elijah Dukes Goes Yard...Again...

Continue reading this post »

Stephen Strasburg suffered a knee injury during BP today according to several reports though the full extent of his injury is as of yet unknown...

View full size photo »

Though the details are sketchy at the moment, word out of Arizona is that the Washington Nationals' '09 No.1 overall pick pitcher Stephen Strasburg has suffered a knee injury that will keep him out of Saturday's AFL Championship game. Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin, in a Nationals Journal post entitled, "Strasburg hurts knee, out of Saturday's AFL title game", reports that Strasburg, "...stepped awkwardly while shagging flies in the outfield, heard a pop, and crumpled to the ground." 

Washington Times' writer Ben Goessling writes, in a Chatter post entitled, "Strasburg out again", that, "An MRI showed inflammation on his left knee, but the team said the injury is not considered serious." According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, Strasburg will fly back to Washington, DC to have the knee examined by, "Nationals medical director Dr. Wiemi Douoguih." 

Stephen Strasburg, the No. 1 Prospect in the Washington Nationals' system no matter which list you look at...

View full size photo »

A little over a week back Baseball America's Aaron Fitt unveiled his list of the Top 10 Prospects in the Washington Nationals' system, and now Minor League Ball.com's John Sickels has posted his own list of DC's top prospects in a post entitled, "Washington Nationals Top 20 Prospects for 2010". Both writers agree on the Top 3 with (RHP) Stephen Strasburg, (C) Derek Norris and (RHP) Drew Storen atop each list, with the first difference of opinion occuring over who is the highest-ranked shortstop in the Nationals' system , as Mr. Fitt places (SS) Ian Desmond fourth, one spot ahead of Danny Espinosa, while Desmond appears further down in Mr. Sickels' list as the 9th-ranked prospect overall in the DC system behind (1B) Chris Marrero, (2B) Jeff Kobernus, and (OFers) Michael Burgess and Justin Maxwell...Here's Minor League Ball.com's John Sickels' list of the Top 10 Prospects in the Nationals' system: (w/their BA ranking in parentheses):

1. Stephen Strasburg - RHP (1)
2. Derek Norris - C (2)
3. Drew Storen - RHP (3)
4. Danny Espinosa - SS (5)
5. Chris Marrero - 1B (6) 
6. Jeff Kobernus - 2B (7)
7. Michael Burgess - OF (9)
8. Justin Maxwell - OF (8)
9. Ian Desmond - SS (4)
10. Bradley Meyers - RHP (N/L) 

LINK:

• Washington Nationals Top 20 Prospects for 2010 - Minor League Ball - John Sickels

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

FILE - Davey Johnson has joined the front office of the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009. The 66-year-old Johnson will work as a senior adviser to general manager Mike Rizzo. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Browse more photos »

Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo Adds Davey Johnson To Front Office:

On June 7th 2006, then-Washington Nationals' GM Jim Bowden brought Davey Johnson on board in DC as a consultant to the GM, describing the former major league infielder and New York Mets' manager in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Bowden reunited with Johnson", as a "tremendous evaluator of players" with a "tremendous understanding of building a championship organization," who would be tasked with, in Mr. Ladson's words, "...evaluat(ing) other team's prospects." 

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's 11/18/09 article entitled, "Nats name Johnson senior advisor to GM", amongst his other contributions during his first stint in Washington, Johnson, "...told the Nationals to select catcher Jesus Flores in the 2006 Rule 5 Draft." The current DC GM, Mike Rizzo, who's announcing that he's brought Davey Johnson in as his own senior advisor, heaps similar praise upon the skipper of the 1986 World Series winning Mets, explaining that, "Davey makes me a smarter general manager,'" :

"'He is a deep thinker. He has done every aspect you can do in the game. Just to be around him, it makes me all that much better.'"

This time around with Washington, Johnson, according to Mr. Ladson, "...will attend Spring Training as a coach, and he will most likely be a scout and roving instructor during the season." 

BACKPAGE: 

Riggleman Brings Back Rick "You Have No Integrity" Eckstein, Steve "McChatty" McCatty and Pat Listach.

Dukes In The DWL: Elijah Dukes In The Dominican Republic.

Continue reading this post »

More photos » by Gerald Herbert - AP

Washington's second '09 1st Round pick, pitcher Drew Storen saved his 4th AFL game this afternoon, lowering his ERA to 0.66 in 12 G and 13.2 IP. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Browse more photos »

AFL Update: 

In a preview of this Saturday's AFL Championship game, the Phoenix Desert Dogs welcomed Peoria, Arizona's second-favorite team, the Javelinas, into Phoenix Municipal Stadium for a tightly-contested one-run game that ended with the Washington Nationals' second 1st Round pick, pitcher Drew Storen striking out two of the five batters he faced and giving up one and two-out singles to put two runners on before the fifth hitter, Seattle Mariners' outfield prospect Joseph Dunnigan, chased an 0-2 pitch out of the zone for a swinging strike three. Desert Dogs win, 7-6 final. Storen throws 19 pitches, twelve for strikes, and earns his 4th save while lowering his ERA to 0.66 in 12 G and 13.2 IP in which the 22-year-old right-hander has allowed 16 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned and 3 walks while striking out 13 AFL batters and winning two games, (2-0). 

The top of the Desert Dogs' lineup gets it done, combining for 9 hits in 17 at bats with 7 RBI's and 3 runs scored between them. DC infield prospect Danny Espinosa, batting second, goes 3 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored and a two-out RBI single in the ninth that keeps the game alive long enough for Oakland A's outfielder Corey Brown and Espinosa's fellow future-National Chris Marrero to tie and then win it with Brown hitting a two-run double and scoring on Marrero's go-ahead single to complete a 6-run bottom of the eighth. Brown ends the game 3 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI's. Marrero's now hitting .342 with a .398 OBP, .532 SLG, a .929 OPS, 6 doubles, 3 HR's and 20 RBI's in 19 games and 79 AFL at bats. Espinosa's RBI is his 14th in 23 games and 85 AB's over which he's hit for a .353 AVG with 5 doubles, a triple and 1 HR, a silly .442 OBP, a .471 SLG and a .913 OPS.  

• Final Score - Desert Dogs, 7 Javelinas 6. MLB.com GameDay.

More photos » by Haraz N. Ghanbari - AP

Can DC GM Mike Rizzo and newly-named permanent field manager Jim Riggleman convince top notch free agents to join the Washington Nationals this winter? . (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Browse more photos »

I was eager to read MLB.com's Bill Ladson's latest article entitled, "Nats interested in free agent Lackey", to see if the Nationals were seriously pursuing 31-year-old free agent pitcher John Lackey until I got to the second paragraph which listed the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and New York Mets as the other teams who have expressed an interest in acquiring the services of the (possibly) former LA Angels' starter. DC GM Mike Rizzo explains in the article that in order to draw a top-notch free agent to DC:

"'You have to show the veteran pitcher what the plan is, our plan for success, how we are built to perform at this level at this given time.

'We have to have a special type of veteran pitcher, who is willing to give of himself as a teacher and mentor type of guy. We have to get a team-oriented person, a person that is going to give his time and his knowledge. It's not an easy task.'"

(cont.)...

Continue reading this post »

Washington Nationals' pitching prospect Jeff Mandel threw 2.0 scoreless today in the Phoenix Desert Dogs' 5-4 loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions.

View full size photo »

AFL:

In a 5-4 Phoenix Desert Dogs' loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions, Washington Nationals' '07 19th Round pick, pitcher Jeff Mandel, a soon-to-be 25-year-old right-hander who split his '09 campaign between Class-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, threw 2.0 scoreless frames, allowing 3 hits and collecting 3 K's while lowering his ERA to 1.88 in 10 games and 14.1 AFL IP in which he's allowed 14 hits and 3 ER with 10 K's total and not a single walk surrendered...Mandel was the only Nationals' prospect in action today in Arizona...NOTES: Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin notes, in an article entitled, "Nats Nuggets: bench coach, Guzman, Flores et al", that, "First base prospect Chris Marrero has missed the past few AFL games with the flu, but is expected back any day now," so hopefully Marrero will be available for Saturday's AFL Championship game against Peoria, Arizona's second-favorite team, the Javelinas. 

• Final Score - Scorpions 5, Desert Dogs 4 - MLB.com Gameday.

Desert Dogs now 18-12.

(ed. note - "DWL: Elijah Dukes was out in right and batting sixth tonight for the Tigres del Licey as they welcomed the Gigantes del Cibao to Estadio Quisqueya for a game that was called due to rain.")

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Pat Listach, (background, left) still awaits word on whether or not he'll be back as a coach with the Nationals, but Jim Riggleman (front, center) announced that John McLaren will become his bench coach. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Browse more photos »

In late October 2007, when new Seattle Mariners' Manager John McLaren hired Jim Riggleman as his bench coach, Mr. McLaren described his relationship with the former Cubs and Padres' skipper to MLB.com writer Jim Street in an article entitled, "Mariners add experienced coaches":

"'We have known each other since the '80s, when we came up as coaches, and we have kept in contact over the years,' McLaren said. 'He is someone I have respected for a long time. He was thrilled when I called him and is excited about coming here.'"

When the Mariners chose to part ways with McLaren in late 2008, it was Riggleman who replaced him, taking over the reins for 90 games, after which he himself was replaced on the bench. Before the Mariners had settled on Don Wakamatsu as the Mariners' manager for 2009, Riggleman had agreed to become Manny Acta's bench coach in DC, with the understanding that he was still in the running in Seattle, but when he didn't get the job, he joined the Nationals, eventually replacing Acta 87 games into the season. 

And now, Washington Times' writer Mark Zuckerman is reporting, in an article entitled, "McLaren hired as bench coach", that Mr. Riggleman has decided to bring Mr. McLaren aboard as his own bench coach for 2010, taking over for Pat Corrales, who'll, "remain in the Nationals organization in another capacity," according to Mr. Zuckerman, who also notes that Mr. Riggleman must still, "...decide what to do with five other coaching positions."