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Wire Taps: Nationals' Prospect Brian Goodwin In AFL Fall Stars Game Saturday

Washington Nationals' prospect Brian Goodwin will represent the organization this Saturday night in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, which will be broadcast on the MLB Network starting at 8:00 PM EDT. A former Nats' prospect will be there too...

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

The big news on a slow news day Monday was that 22-year-old Washington Nationals' prospect Brian Goodwin had been selected to appear in this coming Saturday's Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game, which will be broadcast on the MLB Network at 8:00 PM EDT (5:00 PM in AZ). After going 1 for 3 with a single and a sacrifice bunt in Monday night's 3-2 Mesa Solar Sox' loss to the Salt River Rafters, Goodwin, the Nats' 2011 1st Round pick, is 14 for 46 (.304/.347/.348) with two doubles, two walks and 12 Ks eleven games into his second stint in the AFL.


The top-rated outfield prospect in the Nationals' organization, on Baseball America's last list, and the no.1 overall prospect in the system according to MLB.com, is the only Nats' prospect chosen to appear in the showcase. One former Nationals' prospect will be there though. Goodwin's fellow 2011 1st Round pick Alex Meyer was chosen as pitcher for the AFL's West Division Fall Star squad. Traded to Minnesota in return for Denard Span last winter, Meyer, a 6'9'', 23-year-old right-hander out of the University of Kentucky taken by the Nats with the 21st pick in 2011, pitched at Double-A in the Twins' system in 2013.

In 13 starts with the New Britain Rock Cats, the second-year pro was (4-3) with a 3.21 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 29 walks (3.73 BB/9) and 84 Ks (10.80 K/9) in 70 IP. Meyer dealt with shoulder soreness which led to a DL stint in June. He returned to the mound in Double-A in August and went to Arizona to make up some of the innings he lost. Over five AFL starts, Meyer is (2-0) with a 3.63 ERA, five walks (2.60 BB/9) and 18 Ks (9.35 K/9) in 17 1/3 IP. Will there be a Goodwin vs Meyer matchup Saturday night? You'll have to tune in to see. Until then, links and lots of them... starting RIGHT NOW!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "The Nationals will hire Williams not because of hard evidence he can do the job — there isn’t any — but because Rizzo believes Williams will be a good manager." -  "Mike Rizzo puts his faith in Matt Williams" - Adam Kilgore, Washington Post

• NATS BEAT:

• "I guess the Washington Nationals clubhouse lost the election for their next manager." - "Nats' hiring of Matt Williams sends message that Rizzo, not players, makes the call" - Thom Loverro, Washington Times

• "Can he be the fifth starter for the Nationals in 2014? Nationals pitching coordinator Spin Williams believes Roark would make an excellent choice." - "Spin Williams believes Roark can challenge for starting spot" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "Knorr and Williams have the same (unknown) upside: maybe they are or will be good MLB managers. But Williams has one initial advantage: He's 'big time' from the day he shows up." - "Ask Boswell: Redskins, Nationals and Washington sports" - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post

• "About 36 hours from now, we'll find out whether Ian Desmond or Denard Span will wind up taking home a Gold Glove award for their defensive efforts this season." - "Nationals Pastime: Should Span be golden?" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Something of an afterthought at spring training, Ohlendorf opened the season at Class AAA Syracuse and didn’t seem likely to appear in Washington anytime soon." - "Washington Nationals roster review: Ross Ohlendorf" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama):

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "Several evaluators outside the Nationals organization said in recent days they were unimpressed by the choice, with one describing Williams as 'just not a guy who ever seemed like he had a high baseball IQ.'" - "Monday notes: Chicago, Seattle and Washington manager tidbits; The future of NY Mets broadcaster Ed Coleman; bad World Series" - Andy Martino, New York Daily News

• "I think it's fair to raise two questions here: (1) Will Strasburg and Harper ever reach their potential? (2) Will the Nationals be as good again as they were in 2012?" - "Did the Nationals miss their window?" - David Schoenfield, SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

• NATSTOWN:

• "Baseball Prospectus' Jason Parks Really Likes Lucas Giolito" - Joe Drugan, The Nats Blog

• "So the improvement for 2014 isn't to be had in the starting line-up.  It's to be had in the bench..." - "Monday Quickie - Obstructing my pickoff" - Harper, Nationals Baseball

• NATS MINORS/SPRING TRAINING:

• "The name has changed, but the excitement of the sheer star power that will be on the field remains the same." - "Fall Stars Game to feature assortment of top talent" - Jonathan Mayo, nationals.com: News

• "County commissioners are trying to persuade the Washington Nationals to keep their spring training at Space Coast Stadium." - "Washington Nationals receive offer to stay at Space Coast Stadium" - www.wftv.com

• "The Nationals and the franchise’s predecessor, the Montreal Expos, have held spring training at Space Coast Stadium since 2003." - "County makes its pitch to all major league baseball teams" - Dave Berman, FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com

• NL EAST UPDATES:

Braves: "According to [John] Dewan, Simmons led all Major Leaguers by saving 41 runs, a single-season record since Baseball Info Solutions began tracking Defensive Runs Saved in 2003." - "Fielding Bible names six first-time winners" - Adam Berry, braves.com: News

Phillies: "So I decided to double back this morning, mostly because I need something to write, but also because I have heard the argument from several optimistic Phillies fans over the last couple of months: the Red Sox did it, why can't the Phillies?" - "The Red Sox-Phillies myth" - David Murphy, Philadelphia Daily News

Marlins: "Third base prospect Colin Moran, last season's first-round draft pick out of North Carolina, is the lone Miami Marlins representative in Saturday's Fall Stars Game." - "Prospect Colin Moran in Fall Stars Game" - Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

Mets: "Matt Harvey, who is due to miss the entire 2014 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, offered an upbeat prognosis." - "Matt Harvey 'ahead of schedule'" - Adam Rubin, Mets Blog - ESPN New York

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