Somerset, New Jersey born, Seton Hall University educated, Potomac Nationals' first baseman Tim Pahuta, the Washington Nationals' 18th Round draft pick, taken 534th overall in 2005, (behind a few names you might recognize like Ryan Zimmerman, Justin Maxwell, Marco Estrada, John Lannan and Craig Stammen, among others), was two seasons into his professional career when he suffered a torn ACL which cost him his entire 2007 season when he was 24-years-old. Pahuta has been tasked, as the P-Nats fight for a pennant in the Class-A Advanced Carolina League's Northern Division, with replacing the top first base prospect in the Nationals' system, Chris Marrero, who was called up to Double-A Harrisburg last week after hitting .287 with 21 doubles, 16 HR's and 65 RBI's in 112 games with Potomac.
Pahuta, who hit 24 doubles, 17 HR's and 73 RBI's in 116 games with the Hagerstown Suns last season, and so far this year has collected 13 doubles, 7 HR's and 35 RBI's in 77 games, reluctantly admits in the interview included below, that at 26, he's an "elder statesmen" on the Class-A team, with the ACL tear having significantly slowed his development, and as such, Pahuta has responded to the increased importance of his role with the team by hitting .294 with 8 doubles, 4 HR's and 19 RBI's in 37 games since the All-Star break. "With just two weeks left in the year and the team in the thick of a pennant race, (Pahuta's) responded very well to the pressures of the position as well as picking up the slack lefty by Marrero," Anthony Masterson, (Broadcast/Media Assistant with the Class-A Carolina League's Potomac Nationals), wrote in a note he sent along with this week's interview.
After Monday night's 5-3 loss to the to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the P-Nats find themselves 2.5 games behind the Carolina League's Northern Division leading Wilmington Blue Rocks, but third baseman Stephen King recently returned from the disabled list and there's a possibility of help arriving soon...From Hagerstown? Mark Scialabba, the Nationals' Assistant Director Of Player Development, said that might be a possibilty when asked if anyone would be joining the pennant race during a Washinton Nationals Bloggers Day interview this weekend. In Mr. Scialabba's own words, someone might be brought up, "If there's a guy who we feel like can help," and only if it's in the best interest of the prospect's development, Mr. Scialabba qualified, like, "last year," when, "...Michael Burgess and Stephen King were promoted, early August and it was great, they added a lot, Michael Burgess ended up hitting 6 HR's and Stephen King played steady third base." Help is on the way in the form of Mr. King, be interesting to see if anyone else joins the P-Nats' race...
AUDIO: Potomac Nationals Weekly Update - Tim Pahuta Interview - Anthony Masterson (Length: 5:53)
Potomac Nationals Weekly Update Archive: (After The JUMP)...
Potomac Nationals Weekly Update Archive:
• 8/20 - Tom Milone Interview - Anthony Masterson.
• 8/7 - Will Atwood Interview - Anthony Masterson.
• 7/26 - Drew Storen Interview - Anthony Masterson.
• 7/23 - Danny Espinosa Interview - Anthony Masterson.
• 7/14 - Boomer Whiting Interview - Anthony Masterson.
• 7/8 - Sean Rooney Interview by Anthony Masterson.
• 6/29 - Chris Marrero Interview by Anthony Masterson.
• 6/15 - Stephen King, Will Atwood.
• 6/5 - Cole Kimball, Sean Rooney.
• 5/25 - Chris Marrero, Jeff Mandel, Sean Rooney.
• 5/17 - Tom Milone, Michael Burgess, Chris Marrero.
• 5/12 - Sean Rooney, Francisco Plasencia, Erik Arnesen, Brad Meyers and Jeff Mandel.