Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Interleague play concludes with what will likely be the Jays' last "rivalry" series with the ex-Expos in the District of Columbia.

Can the Jays keep up their solid play from the Baltimore series against another first-place club? Washington has an excellent bullpen, and scoring runs early in the game will be critical for the Blue Jay bats.

This week's (somewhat abbreviated) Scout features a red-hot home squad, a slap-hitting utilityman with whom a highly respected manager is seriously enamoured and the return of the words "Esteban Loaiza." There, I said it. I even spelled it out.

On to the Advance Scout!

* General: Who'd-a thunk it? Washington kicks off their homestand with a season-high 3 1/2 game lead in the NL East ... D.C. is on a ten-game home winning streak. They haven't lost a series at home since Philadelphia came to town April 25-27 ... The Nats are an impressive 10-5 in interleague play, and 9-3 against AL clubs other than the Jays ... Coming off a 5-4 road trip ... Washington is 11-1 in their last 12 one-run games ... The Nats have gotten 18 wins out of their bullpen ... First-round pick Ryan Zimmerman is 5-for-8 in his last two games for the A-ball Savannah Sand Gnats, including a double, a triple and a homer ... Jose Vidro has declared his left ankle to be pain-free and he may start a rehab assignment next week ... The Nationals have already broken the all-time Washington baseball attendance record. The Senators' best season attendance was a mere 1,027,716, set by the '46 club (which was actually then called the Nationals) ...

* Esteban Loaiza: No longer pitching at the absurd level that forced me to refuse to speak his name ... Missed his last start with a sore neck and back ... Continues to rely on his newfound high-80s cutter as his out pitch, but it's hittable if he leaves it either up or away from lefthanded hitters ... The cutter has late action that causes the ball to both cut and sink ... Easy delivery ... His four-seam fastball isn't overpowering ... Very good slide step with runners on ... Has not received good run support this season ...

* Tony Armas, Jr.: Slider has no better than mediocre movement. It looks like a so-so changeup ... His location has been erratic -- in fact, poor -- with his slider all season ... Unfortunately, his four-seam fastball isn't dominant enough to compensate. It won't blow hitters away up in the zone ... Has lost some of his pre-surgery velocity ... A better pitch is his high-80s two-seamer, with good late movement. It backdoors righthanded hitters ...

* Ryan Church: Goes the other way very effectively ... Stays back nicely on pitches, generating good power ... Good range in left, and made a sensational catch while slamming into the left field fence at PNC Park to preserve the Nationals' victory on Wednesday ... Although he never plays against lefthanders, his small-sample-size stats against lefties are really rather good ...

* Cristian Guzman: Likes the ball out over the plate ... Was actually enjoying a reasonably productive road trip before going 0 for his last 8 ... Dead last among qualifiying hitters in pitches per plate appearance ... Very vulnerable on pitches low in the zone, where he pulls his head off -- especially from the right side ... Smooth pivot on the DP ... Terrible base stealer ... Moreover, he takes risks on the basepaths, sometimes unjustified ...

* Brad Wilkerson: Continues to pound lefthanded pitching from the left side ... Seems to see lefthanded fastballs up and in very well, and he turns on them. Chacin and Lilly should stick with the breaking stuff ... Likes ball on the inner half of the plate in general ... Struggles to catch up with outside heat ... Athletic defender that has become quite capable in centre, with a very strong throwing arm ...

* Jamey Carroll: Punch-and-Judy spray hitter, but a pesky one ... Streaky ... Prefers the ball up in the zone ... Waits on breaking stuff well ... Will lay off pitches away, where he's vulnerable ... Chases up the ladder ... Speedy and very alert baserunner ... Despite his OPS mediocrity, his versatility and attitude have made him popular in the clubhouse and earned him tremendous respect from Frank Robinson. Jose Vidro may return next weekend, and a reporter asked Robinson if Carroll would be demoted to make room. Robinson's response: "If Jamey goes, I'm gone" ...

* Nick Johnson: Great hitter who, like Wilkerson, hits lefties very well ... Very dangerous on pitches out over the plate ... Outstanding glove, too, at first base. He's got surprising range, especially to his right ... Can be pitched to up and in, or with sinkers away ... Occasionally catches opposing defences napping by taking the extra base ...

* Marlon Byrd: Awkward-looking hitter; bats with his elbows tucked in, and has a hitch where he swivels back before swinging ... Good plate coverage but like the ball further in ... Has really impressed with his defence in left, where he's been both rangy and intelligent ... Runs well but not a significant threat on the basepaths ...

* Livan Hernandez: The burly Cuban is the consummate workhorse and will likely be an All-Star this year ... Whips pitches out of a fluid delivery ... Hangs his low-80s curve on occasion, but generally gets enough bite on it that it's hard to hit hard ... 12-to-6 movement on his breaking pitches ... Runs a high-80s two-seamer in on righthanded hitters, and to backdoor lefthanded hitters ...

* Chad Cordero: "Chief" has converted 20 consecutive save opportunities, and is leading the Rolaids Relief standings ... A lock for the NL All-Star team ...

* Junior Spivey: Hangs in very well on the DP pivot -- sometimes for too long, as he absorbs punishing takeout slides ... Boasts a strong throwing arm ... Good speed on the bases ...

* Vinny Castilla: In a deep slump, going just 2 for his last 24 ... When asked if Castilla was bothered by an injury, Frank Robinson sardonically quipped, "A tired bat" ... Will occasionally hurry his throws at third ...


Advance Scout: Nationals, June 24-26 | 7 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
perlhack - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:22 PM EDT (#120617) #
Does anyone else think Livan is a bit like Dave Stieb - he has pitched an absurd number of innings in the past five years or so, with slightly fewer walks than Stieb and about the same number of strikeouts. We've heard prognostications that he's destined for the DL, but it hasn't happened yet. Does anyone think he can sustain this kind of workload into his 30s?
Mike Green - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:32 PM EDT (#120618) #
All right. Here's a managerial strategy question for you. The Nats are throwing 3 right-handed starters at you, and their pen is all right-handed, and you don't have the DH. It'd be nice to have a left-handed bat available on your bench. So, who plays?

Adams, Hudson and Zaun (subject to rest requirements) are obvious. What about 1st and 3rd- Hinske, Hillenbrand and Hill? What about the outfield- Rios, Gross, Catalanotto and Wells?

I'd start Hill every day at third, Hinske 2 days at 1st and Hillenbrand 1. I'd start an outfield of Wells, Gross and Rios, with Catalanotto available to pinch-hit.
Magpie - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 06:50 PM EDT (#120625) #
Does anyone think he can sustain this kind of workload into his 30s?

Well, he's 30 now. So why not? He's got a wonderfully smooth and easy motion, he doesn't strain himself out there throwing 95 MPH, and if it hasn't broken him yet... he's probably good for another ten years.

Rob - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#120626) #
Livan's only 30? Does that make me 7?
Magpie - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 08:55 PM EDT (#120628) #
Oh, did you mean in human years?
Mick Doherty - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 10:53 PM EDT (#120634) #
Ten years? TEN years? Ten YEARS? Mags, the guy has 105 career wins, that kind of longevity starts to put him in Hall of Fame induction discussions.

I think he's out of baseball at 34, one year after going something like 18-13, mysteriously losing his effectivness seemingly overnight.

Plus, he's probably like 43 right now.
Magpie - Saturday, June 25 2005 @ 05:46 PM EDT (#120683) #
Mick, if Livan was an ordinary human pitcher, you'd almost certainly be right. But I thought it had been established that was, in fact, a Cyborg.
Advance Scout: Nationals, June 24-26 | 7 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.