District on Deck » Rule 5 Draft

Nationals Set 40-Man Roster Before Rule V Draft

Jared Book — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:13:12 +0000

The Washington Nationals added two players to the 40-man roster on Tuesday night before Wednesday’s midnight deadline for players to be eligible for the Rule V Draft on December 6.

July 31, 2012; Washington D. C., USA; Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo (center) talks to reporters prior to the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE

The team added two pitchers to the roster, protecting them from the thievery that is the Rule V draft. Erik Davis and Nathan Karns were the pitchers added and really are desirable for different reasons in the draft and you can see why the Nationals would want to protect them.

Davis is a low-upside guy in the high minors (he spent last year split between Double A and Triple A) and is having a really good winter ball season. That combination is ripe for the Rule V draft because he can easily step into a team’s bullpen who needs bullpen depth and spend the year on the Major League roster. Relievers are usually the players most often selected in the Rule V, and even Johan Santana – one of the more high profile draftees – started off in Minnesota as a reliever before becoming an ace starter. They, along with backup catchers, are the easiest to hide for an entire season if they are young and project to improving. The Nationals picked up Jesus Flores in the Rule V draft and did exactly that with him although the results haven’t been as consistent.

Karns is the other side of the spectrum. He was a top-20 prospect in the organization before last season, and although he wasn’t above A-Ball last year, has enough upside that a team could stash him in the bullpen for a year and send him back to the minors afterwards to let him develop and reap the benefits later on.

Now, don’t get me wrong. A lot of this is not earth shattering. Everyone either added to the 40-man roster, removed from it, or not added to it is flawed in some way. Sometimes a change of scenery is necessary for them to improve. It is not always a case of one team out smarting another. In this draft, a lot of players are returned but also a lot of players can benefit from the acceleration to the Major League level and from a new coaching staff.

The biggest news is that the Nationals still have two spots on their 40-man roster. Ironic, that because they still have to “replace” Adam LaRoche and Sean Burnett who declined their options and are currently not counting towards the Nationals roster. This allows them some wiggle room to sign somebody without immediately removing someone off the roster. It also allows them to be available to teams looking to trade someone to open up a spot on their 40-man roster which is a good way of adding depth pieces at a low cost.

Game 53: Nationals 7, Mets 6 (12 innings)

Stephen Walker — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:24:15 +0000

In a game that had more twists and plot turns than an afternoon soap opera, Bryce Harper delivered his first walk-off hit with a line drive, opposite field single on an 0-2 count with the bases loaded and two out in the 12th inning as the Washington Nationals defeated the New York Mets, 7-6.

Harper’s game-winner marked the third time the Nationals came from a run behind late in the game. In the 8th, Ian Desmond delivered a clutch 2-out singe to score Ryan Zimmerman to tie the game, 4-4.

June 5, 2012; Washington, D.C., USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Bryce Harper (34) is mobbed by teammates after hitting the game winning one-run RBI single in the twelfth inning against the New York Mets at Nationals Park. The Nationals defeated the Mets 7 - 6 in twelve innings. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE

Two innings later, the Mets made several fielding miscues, the most egregious when rookie shortstop Jordany Valdespin booted Desmond’s likely game-ending double play ball. Instead of a save for New York’s hard-throwing closer Bobby Parnell, Zimmerman scored from third to tie the game for a second time. The Nats later loaded the bases, but Parnell rebounded by striking out Washington’s Rick Ankiel with the bases loaded and two outs. Parnell fell behind Ankiel, 3 and 0, but battled back to fan the Washington outfielder on a 100 m.p.h. fastball.

After Scott Hairston gave the Mets a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th with a home run off of Ross Detwiler, the Nats won the game in the 12th against another Mets’ rookie, pitcher Elvin Ramirez. Nationals’ fans may remember Ramirez as the club’s Rule 5 draft pick in 2010, who succumbed to a shoulder injury and missed the entire season. Washington returned the hard-throwing right-hander to the Mets in 2011.

The Nationals solved Ramirez in his second inning of work after he fanned Harper, Zimmerman, and Adam LaRoche in the 11th. Michael Morse, who earned his first hit of the 2012 season earlier in the game, began the Nationals comeback with a double off of the scoreboard in right centerfield. With New York third baseman David Wright playing in to guard against a bunt, Desmond smacked a hard grounder past him for a game-tying two-bagger.

Ramirez then did an excellent Henry Rodriguez imitation, throwing a wild pitch to move Desmond to third, intentionally walking Jesus Flores and then walking Detwiler (the Nationals’ pitcher and Ramirez both hit for themselves in the 12th because each team had already emptied its bullpens) despite his attempts to bunt two pitches well out of the strike zone.

Ramirez found the strike zone again, though, and nearly escaped. LaRoche grounded to Mets’ first baseman Ike Davis, who threw home to retire Desmond, the inning’s second out. Harper quickly fell behind 0-2 before driving the next pitch to left.

The liner dropped a split second before left fielder Vinny Rottino arrived. Rottino dove and tried to convince the umpires he had caught the ball, but it had short-hopped into his glove. As Rottino winced in frustration, Flores scored the winning run and Harper and his elated teammates rejoiced.

Champs of the Game: Harper, 2-7, with 2 RBI and the first game-winning hit of his major league career and Desmond, who went 2-6, with 3 RBI, including game-tying hits in the 8th, 10th, and 12th innings. Despite his impatience and the plate and occasional fielding miscues, Desmond is cool in the clutch.

For the Mets, Hairston 8th home run of the season (in 99 at-bats) appeared to give them a big road victory until Washington answered yet again. Hairston also scored the go-ahead run for the Mets in the 10th, when he singled against Henry Rodriguez, stole second, moved to third on Andres Torres’ grounder, and scored on Rodriguez’s 9th wild pitch of the season.

Chumps of the Game: Rodriguez struggled again, nearly costing the Nats another game with an ill-timed wild pitch. Dishonorable mention goes to Craig Stammen, who failed to protect a 3-2 lead in the 8th, allowing a 2-run triple to Torres that gave the Mets a 4-3 lead.

For New York, Valdespin committed two crucial errors in the 10th, as the Nationals scored the tying run without hitting a ball out of the infield.

Unsung hero: Zimmerman reached based in the 8th and 10th to put the Nationals in position to tie the game. Honorable mention goes to Nationals’ broadcaster Dave Jaegler. With his partner Charlie Slowes taking the night off to attend his son’s graduation ceremony, Jaegler called this 4 hour, 15 minute marathon solo. On Harper’s game ending at-bat, his fading voice went from dejection when it looked as if Rottino would extend the game with a diving catch, to jubilation when the ball finally fell in, meaning his long night was finally over.

Next Game: Tonight, June 6, 7:05 p.m. at Nationals Park. Edwin Jackson (1-3, 3.17) faces Jeremy Hefner (1-2, 5.60). With exhausted bullpens and interleague play looming, both men will need to pitch deep into the game.

Nationals Receive Erik Komatsu Back From Twins

Aaron Somers — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:00:53 +0000

When the Minnesota Twins designated Rule 5 selection Erik Komatsu for assignment late last week it was widely expected that the Nationals could accept him back if the Twins were unable to trade him. Late Tuesday the Washington organization did just that. Komatsu has been assigned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Outfielder Erik Komatsu's return to the organization gives the Nationals some added outfield depth. (Image Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE)

Komatsu had been taken in December’s Rule 5 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and was able to break camp with the team in April. He appeared at all three outfield positions for the Cardinals, batting .211/.286/.211 in 21 plate appearances over 15 games. Despite the limited playing time, he appeared to be a useful piece of the Cardinals roster that was dealing with its own injury concerns early on in the season that plagued their outfield depth. However, once some of those players started to return from injury his spot on the roster was ultimately in danger. St. Louis designated him for assignment at the beginning of May, at which point Minnesota claimed him off of waivers. With the Twins he appeared in 15 more games, batting .219/.297/.219 in 37 plate appearances.

The outfielder has hit well across his minor league career, batting a combined .302/.389/.434 over four seasons. He had never appeared above Double-A prior to this season, but it’s likely the 30 appearances will prove to be invaluable as he continues to develop in Syracuse. Komatsu could potentially see time with the Nationals at some point this season given the team’s continued need for organizational depth.