The attention today at Nationals Park may be centered on Stephen Strasburg, but Brad Peacock, Steve Lombardozzi and a bunch of other players promoted from Class AAA Syracuse deserve their moment in the sun ... er, rain.
Peacock and Lombardozzi were among six players added to the active roster before tonight's scheduled game, joining right-handers Yunesky Maya and Craig Stammen, lefty Atahualpa Severino and outfielder Corey Brown.Combined with five other players who were either called up or activated off the disabled list in the last week -- Strasburg, Tom Milone, Roger Bernadina, Ivan Rodriguez and Doug Slaten -- the Nationals actually have 36 active players at the moment, a staggeringly high number.
In fact, the only four players on the current 40-man roster who aren't actively in the big leagues are Ryan Mattheus (on the 15-day DL) and recent draft picks Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Matt Purke.
To make room for three of the additions today, the Nationals transferred Cole Kimball to the 60-day DL, designated Garrett Mock for assignment and gave Adam Carr his outright release.
Of the players now in the big leagues for the first time, Peacock and Lombardozzi stand out.
Peacock, a 41st-round draft pick in 2006 who had only pitched eight innings in high school -- he actually played third base at the time -- burst onto the scene this season as one of the Nationals' top pitching prospects. The right-hander went a combined 15-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 25 starts between Class AA Harrisburg and Class AAA Syracuse and earned a slot in this summer's All-Star Futures Game.
"That's why I'm so excited to be here," he said inside the clubhouse this afternoon. "I never thought I'd actually be here."
Peacock isn't just here to watch. He's slated to pitch tonight, either in relief of Strasburg or as the game's starter if the Nationals elect not to let Strasburg pitch due to the weather.
Peacock, who had never even set foot inside a big-league ballpark until Chase Field in July for the Futures Game, could barely hide his enthusiasm today.
"Oh god, yeah, it's unbelievable," he said. "It's what I've been waiting for my whole life, and I'm just ready to get out there and get the nerves out. Get on the mound and just do what I do."
Lombardozzi, meanwhile, is in a major-league ballpark only 30 minutes from his home in Columbia, Md. The son of a former Twins and Red Sox infielder of the same name, he hit a combined .309 with eight homers, 52 RBI with 25 doubles and nine triples at Harrisburg and Syracuse.
"To be so close to home, it's a pretty unbelievable feeling," he said.
Lombardozzi has played primarily second base in the minors, but the Nationals plan for him to see time at shortstop as well this month (and perhaps a few innings at third base).
"The more positions, the better," he said.
16 comments:
To make room for three of the additions today, the Nationals transferred Cole Kimball to the 60-day DL, designated Garrett Mock for assignment and gave Adam Carr his outright release.
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I think the braintrust of the Nats Insiders called this perfectly with Garrett Mock being a DFA with the hopes he would clear waivers and be re-signed.
I will sleep extremely comfortably tonight knowing that any major league club could pick up Garrett Mock. Extremely comfortably.
I wish Brad Peacock could get a debut do-over.
They could have DFA'd half the players they recalled and never missed them. Corey Brown?--what a joke!
Time for Espi to take a seat for the rest of the season and let Lombardozzi get some reps at 2B. Opposing teams will be grateful to get some relief from those mighty swings that only generate strong winds.
Let the kids play. The season is a write-off now and we know that several parts of the current club aren't looking like long term contributors to a future contender. What do we expect to learn about Ankiel, Bernadina, Nix, Gomes or even Werth between now and the end of the season? Marrero is already showing some promise, let's see if any of these guys is the least bit ready to contribute at the MLB level. The worst case is the Nats may lose a few more games, but learn that outside help is the only answer, at least in the short term, for next year.
Reposted from the other thread:
And are you KIDDING me-- don't put Peacock in to save his "fragile" confidence. 41st round draft pick, the guy has worked his butt off and you are going to hold him back to get rained out of his debut?????????
Peacock wasn't ready, so Davey held him back a couple of batters and put him in when he was ready. End of story.
Agree, no reason to play Bernie (who is hurt anyway) and certainly don't need to see Nix or Gomes. Werth is practicing CF. Not sure who you would put in RF, but if you got a tryout, sure, slot 'em in.
Horrible misuse of Peacock last night. I think both Desi and Espy should be told they will sit one day a week and Lombo will take their spot so he gets some ABs.
Need a Peacock do-over for real. What was Davey thinking?
Also reposting:
natsfan1a said...
We interrupt this tizzy about a rookie's potential mental state to bring you this report. According to Byron Kerr, Peacock was unfazed by his fate, and had previously relieved in the AFL. Furthermore, it turns out that both the weather and Peacock's readiness to take the mound affected at what point he was called upon. We now return you to your regularly scheduled gloom and doom. Disclaimer: I did also wonder about the move at the time.
Random musing: There likely would have been second-guessing about different move(s) had Peacock started an inning clean and we'd still gone on to lose because, duh, it's the interwebz.
September 7, 2011 10:52 AM
Dang. Evidently links drop out when you cut and paste your own post. I'm still learning this interwebz stuff...
Also, it doesn't work if you truncate the URL. Heh.
Desi and I are going to short-hop tosses to Lombardozzi as our September surprise for the boy wonder.
Cute, Danny. :-)
fwiw, Kilgore seems to agree with Kerr's assessment.
Ok, I heard Davey's explanation about putting Peacock in and I'll buy it. It does appear he had little choice. Still no rationale for even warming Slaten up. Can't he just pitch batting practice BEFORE the game?
No tizzy here, just thought as long as these games are being treated as auditions and Davy doesn't care whether we win or lose, why not give Peacock who has worked his butt off (as hard as SS) his own time to shine. You only debut once, and it was a showcase last night for SS. Of course Peacock handled it fine, but why not let Henry lose it earlier instead of later?
Mark, is the son of Twins 1987 World Series hero Steve Lombardozzi, who ended up getting in a fistfight with teammate and current Twins announcer Dazzle Dan Gladden http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-07-25/sports/8801170589_1_steve-lombardozzi-south-korea-world-boxing-council? Or was that a different Steve Lombardozzi? In any case, did you consider Lombardozzi as an alternative for Leonard? It has a nice World Series ring to it.
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