• Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico Update: The Washington Nationals' top pick in the 2006 Draft, Chris Marrero, is the top first base prospect in the Nats' system, but there's little talk (in the wake of Adam Dunn's becoming a free agent) of the 6'3'', 210lb right-handed hitting slugger taking over at first in the Majors any time soon, with Washington instead talking about testing the free agent and trade markets if they're unable to retain Dunn. Marrero's just going about his business, however, continuing to hit this winter like he did during the 2010 campaign with Double-A Harrisburg, where he smacked 28 doubles and 18 HR's while posting a .293/.350/.450 slash line with the Senators. After launching a solo HR for the second-straight game last night in the Leones de Ponce's 5-1 win over the Gigantes de Carolina, Marrero's hit in 26 of 85 Winter League at bats, (.306 AVG), collecting 4 doubles, 2 HR's and 16 RBI's in 22 games for the Leones.
If Marrero makes it to the Majors any time soon, Danny Espinosa should be playing the infield with him, whether at second or short, and he's playing alongside the Nats' '06 no.1 overall pick now, as the Nats' 23-year-old '08 3rd Round pick works on making more contact in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico. After playing 141 games between Double and Triple-A in the Nats' system and 28 games in the Majors after a September call-up, Espinosa decided to continue playing this Winter, and so far, after going 1 for 4 with a run scored in last night's win, Espinosa's posted a .281/.343/.483 slash line with 25 hits, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 2 HR's and 6 RBI's in 22 games and 89 at bats.
Patrick McCoy, a 22-year-old left-hander and the Nats' '07 10th Round pick out of Tuscon, Arizona, gave up the only run the Gigantes scored last night on, surrendering a leadoff single, stolen base and back-to-back groundouts, the second of which scored the runner from third. In 12 games and 13.0 IP, McCoy's allowed 13 hits, 5 walks and 6 ER so far this winter. Hassan Pena, the Nats' '06 13th Round pick, who pitched for Double-A Harrisburg in 2010, threw a scoreless frame last night in spite of giving up a walk and a hit in his one inning of work. In 13 games and 20.2 IP for Leones, the 25-year-old Pena's allowed 13 hits, 5 walks and 4 ER while striking out 19.
• Elsewhere In The Winter Leagues:
Fielders:
Jesus Flores - VWL - 4 G, .267/.267/.333, 1 2B, 2 RBI's.
Alberto Gonzalez - VWL - 19 G, .214/.257/.257, 3 2B, 3 RBI's.
Michael Martinez - DWL - .298/.315/.394, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI's.
Wilson Ramos - VWL - 17 G, .318/.392/.485, 5 2B, 2 HR's, 8 RBI's.
Pitchers:
Erik Arnesen - PWL - (2-2), 2.87 ERA, 6 G, 31.1 IP, 36 H, 13 R, 10 ER, 3 HR, 6 BB, 14 K's.
Jeff Mandel - PWL - (1-0), 1.46 ERA, 11 G, 12.1 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 11 K's.
Yunesky Maya - DWL - (2-0), 0.69 ERA, 3 GS, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 15 K's.
Cory VanAllen - PWL - (0-0), 4.35 ERA, 9 G, 10.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K's.
Josh Wilkie - VWL - (1-0), 6.14 ERA, 6 G, 7.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.