Results tagged ‘ Chris Duncan ’

MINOR LEAGUE FREE AGENT LIST ANNOUNCED

Each season players not placed on the 40-man roster that have accumulated at least six years of service time (minors and majors inclusive) are free to sign with any of the 30 major league teams.

Last season the Nationals signed for AAA-Syracuse catchers Carlos Maldonado and Jamie Burke, infielders Eric Bruntlett, Chase Lambin, Pedro Lopez, and Josh Whitesell and outfielders Chris Duncan and Kevin Mench.  Pitchers Chuck James and Joel Peralta.  They also re-signed utility man Pete Orr and pitcher Andrew Kown.

The 2011 group of free agents includes Lambin, Lopez, Duncan, James, Orr and Kown along with 21 additional players from the single A to AAA level.

RHP:  Jimmy Barthmair -Potomac, Zach Dials – Potomac, Luis Garcia – Hagerstown, Jason Jones – Harrisburg, Andre Kown – Syracuse, Dan Leatherman – Harrisburg, Carlos Martinez – Potomac, LHP; Jesse English – Syracuse, Victor Garate – Syracuse, Glenn Gibson – Vermont, Chuck James – Harrsiburg, Yunior Novoa – Harrsisburg.

Catchers; Nolan Brannon – Vermont, Devin Ivany – Harrsiburg.

Infielders; Chase Lambin – Syracuse, Ofilio Castro – Harrisburg, Peter Orr – Syracuse, Wilberto Ortiz – Potomac, Pedro Lopez – Syracuse.

Outfieders; Jason Botts – Syracuse, Leonard Davis – Syracuse, Chris Duncan – Syracuse, Marvin Lowrance – Harrisburg, Edgardo Baez – Harrsiburg, Brad coon – Harrsiburg, Jerry Owens – Syracuse, Jamar Walton – Potomac.

We will follow the Nationals free agent signings during the winter and provide player interviews of possible 2011 Chiefs players.

Dukes, Strasburg and Storen – stories of the week

The Washington Nationals released outfielder Elijah Dukes earlier this week after speing three years in the organization.  The Nationals decided that Dukes who struggled this spring would not be in their plans for the future and gave him his unconditional release.

That opens up the rightfield spot for a number of players who are still in camp:  Speedy slap hitters Roger Bernadina and Willy Taveras add more speed and defense, while prospect Justin Maxwell can provide excellent defense, speed and has more power.

Veterans Kevin Mench and Chris Duncan also have played well and former Chief Mike Morse has impressed Nats brass with his bat as well this spring.

Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen both were optioned to AA-Harrisburg on Saturday and will begin the 2010 season with the Senators.  Both pitchers were impressive in spring training after being drafted number #1 and number #10 in last season June draft.  Strasburg out of San Diego State and Storen from Stanford.

Nationals also optioned lefthanded pitchers Matt Chico and Doug Slaten and catcher Jamie Burke to Syracuse today in another round of cuts.  The Nationals currently have 39 players in camp.

 

 

Stories From Above–Kissimmee edition

Remember those commercials from the early ’90s that tried to coerce you to stay outside of Disney World if you went?  The ones with the targets that illustrated how close Kissimmee/St. Cloud is to Orlando.  I didn’t see a Magic Kingdom nearby.  Lots of pawn shops, roadside motels and IHOPs, though.

The Nationals were the visitors of the Astros today at Osceola County Stadium.  And, well, they led.  Big.  5-1 in the sixth.  And lost 8-7.

Good news:

1) Matt Chico allowed five earned runs in one inning.  The rest of the staff (Olsen, Storen, Capps, Atilano and Burnett) surrendered two runs in seven innings and a third.

2) Justin Maxwell made a heck of a diving catch in right field with the bases loaded in the fifth against Geoff Blum.

3) Drew Storen threw six strikes in his first six pitches.  Looks smooth, folks.  Plus, he’s a really engaging guy.

Bad news:

1) Scott Olsen got one groundout in seven batters faced.  The first two hitters of the game–Jason Burgeois and ex-Tide/Bat Jeff Keppinger–tripled and doubled, respectively.  Burgeois could have made his an in-the-park home run.

2) On the sixth pitch from Storen, Pedro Feliz floated a ball down the first base line.  Chris Duncan was mystified by the 30 mph wind and ended the play on his backside.  It was one of three trips to the deck for Duncan at first today.

3) The bullpen isn’t exactly a SuperMax prison.  Each reliever walked a batter.

So, the Nats have won as many games as you and me.  What that likely means for Syracuse:  A lot of guys on the roster who have legitimate Major-League experience.

Other news:

-Ran into Ian Desmond postgame.  He got married this offseason.  It’s a pandemic.  Everyone’s doing it.  Congrats to Ian.

-Roger Clemens’ son Koby played first base for the Astros today starting in the 8th.  Koby was in Salem with me in 2008.  He’s a brave young man who was willing to talk to all comers that season, a really rough one for his family.

-A little girl sitting four rows behind me took quite a fall mid-game.  A man a few seats down offered to get her some ice.  Very kind.  When he returned, the man told the girl’s father a story about another child he saw fall at a game once.  Very odd.

-Dear Denny’s waitress, A blueberry pancake puppy does not sound appetizing.  It sounds rabid.  Signed, Jason.

Oh, by the way, President George H.W. Bush was here.  Talk about burying the lead, huh?  Secret service agents were all over the third base seats.

26 days until the opener.

Jason

Desmond looking very good

One game does not decide if a player is going to make the team out of spring training but former Chiefs shortstop Ian Desmond certainly made his case on Friday vs the Atlanta Braves at their palace of a baseball stadium at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

In the field he saved two runs, with fantastic plays up the middle, that very few shortstops could make.  But it was at the plate where he would make his mark.  He drove in two runs with a single off Derek Lowe in the 2nd inning and a grand slam to the deepest part of the ballpark – 400 plus feet away two innings later.  In all, Desmond drove in 6-runs on the afternoon.
With Cistain Guzman penciled in to start the season as the Nationals everyday shortstop, manager Jim Riggleman has to wonder how he can send this talented player back to AAA-Syracuse.
Chiefs fans can only hope to see this budding star one more time before he makes it big in the near very near future.
__Lefty Billy Wagner look unimpressive in his one inning of work vs the Nats, never looking very comfortable on the mound.
–Craig Stammen made his first appearance for the Nationals this spring and despite his final line threw the ball good and indicated after the game that he felt fine.
–Lefty Jesse English, who was picked up from the Giants this winter struggled in his one inning of work giving up two long home runs.
–Chris Duncan played first base for the Nationals and swung the bat well with two hits.
Off to Viera, FL to see the Nationals take on the Mets on Saturday.

NATS DELIVER SIGNING FREE AGENTS

The Syracuse Chiefs major league affiliate the Washington Nationals have been busy during the 2010 off-season signing many players at the major league level – catcher Pudge Rodriquez, second baseman Adam Kennedy and pitchers Jason Marquis, Brian Bruney, Matt Capps, Eddie Guardardo, Miguel Batista and Tyler Walker,

At the minor league level, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and his staff were busy replenishing the coffers at the AAA-AA levels.  They include the signing of catcher Jamie Burke, 1B Josh Whitesell, infielders Eric Brunlett, Pedro Lopez and Chase Lambin, outfielders Chris Duncan, Jerry Owens, Pedro Powell and Kevin Mench.  In addition they have resigned pitchers Andrew Kown and Logan Kensing and infielder Pete Orr from last years club.

Other players added by waiver claims and trades late in the year include pitchers Jesse English, Ryan Mattheus, Doug Slaten and Aaron Thompson.

Also expected to be in the mix is veteran lefthanded pitcher Matt Chico who looks to rebound after two injury interupted seasons.

Here is some brief tidbits on the players who could play in Syracuse this season:

Jamie Burke, 38 is a veteran catcher who split time last season between Seattle and AAA-Tacoma and also appeared in six games for the Nationals last season.  Used mostly as a back-up and insurance at the major league level.

Josh Whitesell, 27, orignally drafted by the Nationals in 2003 he was claimed by the Diamdbacks in 2008 and batted .328 wih 26 HR and 110 RBI that season with Tucson-AAA.  Last season he appeared in 63 games for AAA-Reno and batted .293 with 58 RBI before spending the remainder of the season in Arizona.

Eric Bruntlett, 31 spent the entire 2009 season with Philadelphia as a utility player appearing in 72-games.

Pedro Lopez, 26, split his 2009 season between Indianapolis-AAA and Altoona-AA.  he batted .241 in 42 games for the Indians and spent the entire 2008 season in Syracuse with the Chiefs as their everyday shortstop.

Chase Lambin, 30, spent the 2009 season in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines and batted only .192 in 120 at bats.  The season before he batted .300 with 14 HR and 54 RBI at AAA-Albuquerque (Marlins).  He was originally drafted by the Mets in 2003 and played for Norfolk in 2005-2006.  His best season coming in 2005 between Binghampton/Norfolk when he hit 24 HR home runs and batted over .300.

Jerry Owens, 29, lefthanded hitting outfielder with great speed played in only 12-games for the Chicago White Sox last season before being traded to Seattle and spending the remainder of the season with Tacoma.  He batted .323 with 23 stolen bases in 100 games. 

Chris Duncan, 27, batted .227 in 87 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season before being released.  He signed with the Red Sox and played in only 27-games for the Pawsox the rest of the way before being released again.

Pedro Powell, 25 began his career in the Pirates organization before spending the past two years as property of the Tampa Bay Rays organization.  He has never played above the AA-level but has tremendous speed recording 268 career stolen bases in seven minor league seasons.  2004-60 , 2005-46, 2006-63, 2007-67, 2008-29 and 2009-28.

We will look at the new pitchers in the fold later on.

 

 

 

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