clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Wire Taps: Washington Nationals' 2010 2nd Round Pick Sammy Solis In Action.

Will the Washington Nationals pursue C.J. Wilson #36 of the Texas Rangers, who may have pitched his last game with the Texas Rangers last night. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Will the Washington Nationals pursue C.J. Wilson #36 of the Texas Rangers, who may have pitched his last game with the Texas Rangers last night. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Getty Images

• AFL Update - Sammy Solis' 4th Start: 22-year-old 2010 2nd Round pick Sammy Solis threw five pitches in a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning this afternoon in his fourth start for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. Solis' first five pitches were fastballs, four at 94 mph and one at 95. After Solis' fellow Nats' prospect Derek Norris doubled and scored on a HR by San Francisco Giants' 2011 1st Round pick Joe Panik to put the Scorpions up 2-0 in the top of the second, Solis, a 6'5'' left-hander out of the University of San Diego, gave up a one-out walk and a two-out RBI double by Peoria Javelinas/New York Mets' 20-year-old infield prospect Wilfredo Tovar in a 20-pitch bottom of the second. 2-1 Scottsdale. Solis' fastball sat around 93-95 in the second as he started to mix his curve (75-76 mph) and change (84-85 mph) in. 

In the bottom of the third, Solis gave up a one-out single by Seattle Mariners' prospect Chih-Hsieng Chang, a 23-year-old outfielder acquired from the Red Sox in the three-team trade that sent Erik Bedard to Boston. A throwing error by Solis on a pickoff attempt got Chang to second, but he was stranded there two outs later when the Scorpions/Nats' left-hander completed a 16-pitch inning. Derek Norris gave Solis a two-run lead when he drove Angels' outfield prospect Mike Trout in with a sac fly in the top of the fourth, 3-1, and Solis responded with a 9-pitch 1-2-3 bottom of the inning that preserved the lead. Tovar singled off Solis in the 5th and scored on a sac fly that made it 3-2 Scorpions, but the Scottsdale lefty retired the next two batters to end his night after a 13-pitch fifth. 

Solis threw 63 pitches, 44 strikes in 5.0 IP in which he gave up four hits, a walk and two runs, both earned while striking out three in his longest and best outing so far this fall. Nats' right-hander Pat Lehman replaced Solis and promptly gave up the lead, blowing the save and eventually taking the loss after surrendering a leadoff single, RBI double and RBI single in a 26-pitch frame. Derek Norris was 2 for 2 with a HR, 2 runs scored and a walk in the loss. The HR was Norris' second AFL blast. Zach Walters was the only other Nats' prospect in action, but he went 0 for 4 with 2 K's. 

• MLB Gameday: Peoria 8, Scottsdale 4. Game Report: LINK.

• There were no games in the Winter Leagues on Monday, so the Nats' prospects in the AFL were the only ones in action. 

• Wilson And Washington?: C.J. Wilson walked five and gave up four hits and two runs, one earned, in 5.1 IP last night in the Texas Rangers' 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Wilson threw 108 pitches, 57 for strikes and struck out three in what could be his last appearance in a Rangers uniform. Both SI.com's Jon Heyman and New York Post writer Joel Sherman listed the Nationals as teams who will bid for the 30-year-old left-hander's services should he opt for free agency.

The NY Post's Mr. Sherman speculates that, "The Rangers are more tied to Japanese star Yu Darvish, who is likely to be posted this winter," and Washington, Florida and Kansas City are among the clubs likely to pursue Wilson. The New York Yankees, according to Mr. Sherman, "As talent goes... like Darvish considerably more than Wilson. They also have some concerns that Wilson, who has a tendency to talk himself into some problems, might not be a good fit for New York."

SI.com's Mr. Heyman says some are speculating that Wilson could get a deal similar to the 5-year/$82 million dollar deals the Red Sox gave John Lackey and the Yankees gave A.J. Burnett, and he quotes a source with the Rangers who says the deals are "terrible." The SI.com writer lists the, "... Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Marlins and Royals," as teams that will likely pursue Wilson.