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| Photo by USA Today |
Karns, 25, is heading to Washington from the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. Relief pitcher Xavier Cedeno will be optioned back to Syracuse to make room on the roster.
The Nationals’ 2012 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Karns will be thrown right into the mix to face the second highest scoring club in the majors. He will be tasked with shutting down the Orioles who beat the Nats 6-2 on Monday behind 12 total hits.
Davey Johnson referred to Karns as one of the team’s top three choices to make the start. The Nats’ skipper liked what he saw out of him in spring training and now wants to see what he can bring to the major league level.
“He’s one of the good young arms in the organization. He’s been throwing the ball pretty good lately,” Johnson said. “It’ll be a good test. We’ll find out.”
This season Karns is 4-2 with a 4.60 ERA across nine starts in Double-A. Last year he held a 2.17 ERA through 24 total appearances split between Hagerstown and Potomac. Baseball America ranks him as the fifth best prospect in the organization.
Catcher Kurt Suzuki will do anything he can to help out the young rookie who will likely be pitching in front of more than 40,000 fans.
“You try to make him as comfortable as possible. We’ll obviously go over scouting reports with [Steve McCatty] before the game,” Suzuki said.
“But when you go out there, it’s all about feel. You can do all the scouting reports that you want, but you gotta pitch to your strengths and that’s the bottom line. Try to keep him calm, he’ll be a little amped up out there. It’s his first start, he’s going to be nervous.”
The Nationals had another player make his major league debut over the weekend in Jeff Kobernus. The rookie second baseman has been around Karns in the team’s minor league system and has faced him in spring training.
“The few times that I’ve faced him in spring training, he’s always looked sharp,” Kobernus said. “He’s got good stuff. He’s got a plus fastball, he’s got a hard breaking ball. He threw well last year so I expect him to come up here and do the same.”
Kobernus has yet to actually make his first MLB at-bat, but has been used as a pinch-runner and a defensive replacement. Getting a small taste of what it’s like to be a major leaguer, he can see the challenge Karns is about to walk into.
“He’s going to get the full taste of it when he’s out there tomorrow.”
46 comments:
Still trying to figure out the rotation. Karns, jZim, Haren, then back to the usual? I was at the game and the scoreboard said 15 hits. Felt like 50 hits and 15 walks. Nats fans did not sell their tickets to Phans from Philly this year, they sold them to people from Baltimore. Sea of orange. Considering they were winning they were quiet most of the game. National Anthem was gorgeous right up until that whole O thing. Awful.
Box score says 15 hits also. Sure felt like more. They were always on base.
This is fun. To me, maybe not to you, but to me. WAY more fun than sailing at 31-19. Now we get to see the team face adversity. Obviously, Davey, McCatty and Rizzo looked at the alternatives with a tough eye and said, "No, not Duke, we tried that. The guys we gave a chance to (Young, Perry), they ain't showing us anything.
Bringing up Karns is probably against the odds, but he's talented, he's worked through injury, he's hungry." This is the kind of thing everyone was admiring Showalter and Duquette for, being quick and flexible with the rosters.
BTW, other than the "O" in the National Anthem, which I knew would happened, I love this series. It's just so cool seeing the orange and red all mixed up. Saw a family as follows: Mom- Jones, Dad- Ripken, daughter - Markakis, Son (all in red) Harper. And they were carrying a bag of Nats gear from the Team Store. Saw two thirty-something buds, one orange, one red. Got a big kick out of the different designs of shirts, backpacks, etc., that people had.
Another reason I'm in a good mood even after a loss is that after all these years, I finally found the perfect way to get home and avoid the mob at the Metro altogether.
Glad to see Storen have a good inning. Lombo did p*** me off though, striking out after Span's triple. Not his best day. I wonder if now that he is in the line-up as a regular, he is getting scouted more my opponents. Saw Danny in the dugout, he was greeting Stammen and giving him man-pats, and generally being supportive of his teammates.
Also, you could really feel the difference between this team and the Fillies. The Fillies are just not a good team. They have some good players but not a good team. The O's have some flaws, but they are a good team.
I feel like Adam has been waiting about a week to steal that base. He looks so healthy right now, his legs are strong. I hope it lasts. Good to see Desi get a solid hit, good to see Tyler Moore rewarding Davey's patience--I know I was at the limit of mine. Old reliable RZimm, getting his hits. Denard Span is the BEST.
Gio--don't walk guys. Just say "no" to walks.
swami it is not rocket sciebce for tge rotation.
Because the off day Det got skipped Friday through Monday regular rest Zin, Heron, Stras, Gio.
zim regular rest would to be Wednesay. kerns tomorrow
The zim Wed, Heron Thursday. stras Friday, and Kern or Det Sunday.
got it.
Swami: Your rotation confusion can be traced back to the open day last Thursday. They were able to skip Ross Detwiller's normal spot (yesterday, I guess) without anyone having to go on short rest. By doing that they were trying to give Mr. Detwiller an extra couple of days (when it looked like he could stay off the DL), but that obviously changed with his latest diagnosis. At least that's how I understand it.
5 walks total today, 4 by Gio. Not going to work. Actually saw some people in a red shirt with an orange hat. These are not drunken phans on charter busses- lots of families. Seriously, everyone on today's lineup is showing signs of hitting- they are just not usually hitting all on the same day or in the same inning. Bernadina crushed it, Moore got the RBI. If they could string it all together that would be fine and dandy. I was very worried about the bullpen, looked like Gio might only go four. HRod ate his inning- it always looks worse than the final numbers. Stammen was - eh-- Storen ok. Did not matter as once again we only scored two runs.
Moore looked fine in second, but his swings from then on looked clueless like he could not see the.
Roger one good swing, but no one followed
Gio's hit was hardest of the day.
I was afraid Span after leadoff triple was going to bre stranded.
Just took me a minute on the rotation. I am so used to Stras, Gio , JZim. I was also expecting Duke again. It's funny how you are out of touch with the information stuff when you are at the game. Got it now. And sometimes it actually is rocket science. Should be fun to watch new guy make his debut. Hope the offense supports him!!
LOL, the Stros walked off in the 12th, you would think they won the WS they way they are celebrating.
With any luck, Karns Gonzalez in the rotation and Gonzalez can fight w/ Duke for the mop-up role.
Wish the hitters would quit waiting to hit.
NatsLady,
Aren't these supposed to be the 'natural rivalry' interleague games? Why not have Texas playing Houston and Arizona vs. Colorado?
My view is that Haren is going to get a lot of rope before Rizzo gives up on his biggest free agent signing of the winter. But if he does run out of rope, Chris Young will join the rotation, not Rosenbaum, not Karns, not Yunesky Maya (thank goodness).
That was me back on April 26. Granted the discussion was about Haren't difficulties, not an injury to Det. But still, I think it's only fair to say, "peric, I was wrong." I would even buy you a virtual drink if you would accept it.
See how easy that was?
Now it pains me to be wrong on this, not because I hate being wrong -- that happens on the time, but because the master plan that had Young stashed in Syracuse for exactly this type of situation, the same situation for which John Lannan was Lannan-ed last year, has apparently failed. I guess that makes it like a lot of other master plans that Rizzo had for this year.
I heard Davey say that Espi might be able to pinch hit in a few days. Bwwwwaahhhh ha ha ha. Pinch hit for who? Not Strasburg. Not Gio. Not JZnn. Not even Dan Haren. At least I hope not. Can Karns get a hit 1 out of every 10 at bats? Look, we already have three bench guys hitting under the Mendoza line. Granted, two of them are doing a lot of starting these days because of injuries to Werth and Harper, but still. We do not need another one.
Has there ever been a winning major league team with four bench bats hitting that poorly? Has there ever been a major league team with four bench bats hitting that poorly? Good Lord.
No NL, this is not fun for me. Glad you're enjoying it though.
Stats are not everything- some of the bench guys had a decent weekend. Lombo and Moore both have ten rbi's -- same as Suzuki. Bernadina is looking better and crushed one today. I think the pitcher's will need to start pinch hitting on their off days. Do we think Bryce can DH in Bal mer?? I feel that the Nats are in transition. Four starters settling in, pen in transition, bench players playing catch up. DL is depressing , especially if you add the two day to day guys. Still think Espi should have done a full stint.
Texas and Houston are in the same division now, so they have plenty of games. Same for Arizona and Colorado.
What are you talking about Eugene? You say interleague rivals tgen say have Texas play Houston and Colirado vs. arizona.
Those would not be interleague. What did you mean?
Oh my; complete brain freeze on Houston moving to the AL -- what was I thinking? Sorry.
And that led me, somehow, to the AZ - CO bit. That's what frustration can do to you.
Wow. Good for Karns. I did not see that coming. Karns becomes the fourth member of the Nats' 2009 draft class to reach the majors, making it one of their best-ever drafts. Surprisingly, I think the 2005 draft yielded the most Nats, with five.
This list includes only players who signed with the Nats the year they were drafted. Please let me know who I left out. Thanks.
2004: Bray, Desmond, Balestar
2005: Zim, Jmax, Marco Estrada, Lannan, Stammen
2006: Marrero, Kimball
2007: Detwiler, JZim, Norris
2008: Espinosa, Milone, TyMo, Lombo
2009: Strasburg, Storen, Kobernus, Karns
2010: Harper
2011: Rendon
While we all saw 2011 (Rendon, Goodwin, Meyer, Purke, Skole) as the watershed draft, the class of 2009 could be the record-breaker.
Rosenbaum and Taylor Jordan have a chance and the team still seems high on converted outfielder Michael Taylor.
Eugene I have done that more than a couple times looking to see what interleafues series were going on.
Addition to Drew's list: Brad Peacock from 2006
The sad thing is seeing how good Machado is. No reason to think Rendon can't be almost as good, but he's languishing in AA while we're stuck with 2 over the hill corner infielders including a 3 hole hitter with 3 HR and no arm and a long term contract. I honestly don;t see how we can really improve that much even with Werth and Harper back because we don't have enough bats.
Pedroia homers Sox 2-0 over phils.
As I type Napili homers 3-0.
Atl 0-0 bottom of two at Toronto.
Good call, SJB -- quite a find in the 41st round.
Thanks.
Colby Rasmus 2 run homer Tor 2 Atl 0
You know how we face teams and they have that new guy who is just called up and he turns into Cy Young against us?? I hope that guy is Karns tomorrow and that team is the Nats. He will need solid defense and some runs! Excited to see the new guy.
A pitcher who couldn't even cut the mustard with the 2013 Astros is a find? If I found that, I'd throw it back!
Just putting on the curly W makes all the difference, right?
Sure, Peacock was a find. The Nationals coaxed a great minor league season out of Brad and used it to help acquire Gio Gonzalez.
Edwin Encarcion 2 run RBI 4-0 OVER atl
Good time for the Jays to wake up. :)
I am a blue jay fan tonight.
Bj off tonight for Braves
Home run kratz 3-1 bottom of 3
Go Blue Jays! Go Red Sox! I'm sorry - that just feels wrong.
Wait! Boston has 5!
So this is what I have reduced to- cheering for AL East teams?
Boston now 6.
I cheer for all AL teams this week except O's
JP Aerincibia 2 run homer 6- 1 Tor
Arencibia just homered to give Jays a 6-1 lead.
Swami -- it's hardly being "reduced to" anything. Enemy of my enemy and all that.
saltlimachia drives in 2 Sox 8-1
Mayberry doing a Delmon Young imitation in RF for Phil's.
edwin Ecernacion smashes 3 run homer off Ciry (Colby' brother) Rasmus. 9-1 Jays
Colby Rasmus doubled against Cory Rasmud
Colby Rasmus is a Braves' killer! He can also hit his Braves' bro.
Let's trade a bunch of Nats for him!!!
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