• AFL:
The only Nationals' prospects in action on Wednesday in the AFL were on the mound as Jeff Mandel and Drew Storen both saw action in the Phoenix Desert Dogs' 11-6 win over the Peoria Javelinas. Mandel, Washington's 24-year-old right-handed '07 19th Round pick, threw a 1-2-3 5th after replacing D-Dogs' starter Mitch Talbot, a second-round pick by the Astros in 2002, who was traded to Tampa Bay, along with Ben Zobrist, in a deal that sent Aubrey Huff to Houston. Mandel gave up a leadoff single and a one-out RBI double in the sixth before back to back groundouts ended the inning. Mandel's Line: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K's, 3.00 ERA, 31 pitches, 21 strikes.
Drew Storen, the Nationals' 2nd '09 1st Round pick pitched a scoreless ninth for Phoenix, striking out Dodgers' catching prospect Jesse Mier with a slider, curve and change all low in the zone in the mid-80s', popping up Tigers' shortstop Cale Iorg with a 1-1 fastball at 95, and giving up a two-out double to LA IF prospect Justin Sellers on a 2-2 slider before a two-out groundout by Trayvon Robinson on a first-pitch fastball ends the game. Storen's Line: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 1.35 ERA, 12 pitches, 9 strikes.
Final Score - Desert Dogs 11, Javelinas 6. - MLB.com's Gameday.
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• DWL Update: Desmond's Still Crushing Pitches.
• Washington Nationals Fans + Reality TV = Ratings Gold.
BACKPAGE:
• DWL Update: Desmond's Still Crushing Pitches.
Ian Desmond's first HR for the Dominican Winter League's Tigres del Licey was a two-run blast and a game-winner that came in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Toros del Este. Desmond ends the game 2 for 4 with a run scored, a HR and 3 RBI's, leaving the Nationals' 24-year-old infielder hitting .227 after 6 games and 22 AB's for Licey.
• Final Score - Tigres 5, Toros 2. MLB.com Box Score.
• Washington Nationals Fans + Reality TV = Ratings Gold.
MASN and We've Got Heart's Kristen Hudak has a post up at MASNSports.com entitled, "Casting Call: Nats Reality Series", where Ms. Hudak reports that IMG Studios is, "...looking for die-hard Nationals fans to appear in a series starting this offseason," which will focus, according to an IMG Studios casting call, on, "...a person or group of friends [who] find it hard to balance an active social, romantic relationship, work or family with the "other person" (the Nationals) in their life." Anyone interested should send a biographical paragraph and a photograph to: muvena@interfacemedia.com.. Good luck...Anyone from Federal Baseball.com who gets on this will be outfitted with a wardrobe of FB gear...