Not only is the MLB season at the two-thirds mark, but there are just five weeks of minor-league baseball left before the Washington Nationals' farmhands pack it in (except for those who'll be getting September callups or Arizona Fall League invitations).

Let's review the performance to date of this year's Nats minor league teams.  We'll also look at some of this season's draft picks and trade acquisitions, and find out which team was the July award magnet.  Win-loss records are as of the end of play on August 2.

• Vermont (short-season single-A, 25-18): After rocketing to a 12-3 start in the New-York Penn League, the Lake Monsters have come down to earth but still started the month two games up on Connecticut in the NY-P Stedler Division.  Outfielder Kevin Keyes, the Nats' 7th-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, and right-handed relief pitcher Aaron Barrett (9th round) have joined shortstop Jason Martinson (5th round), catcher Cole Leonida (6th round) and middle infielder Blake Kelso (10th round) on the Vermont roster.  This year's 15th-round draft pick, catcher David Freitas, was the NY-P Batter of the Week for the period ending July 25.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Freitas	C	.357	.442	.524	1	.994	1 PB, 32% CS
Kelso	2B-SS	.305	.359	.356	4	.967
Keyes	OF	.192	.317	.212	1	.952
Leonida	C	.130	.211	.159	2	.987	2 PB, 24% CS
Martinson	SS	.250	.337	.338	12	.930





Pitcher		IP	H	K	BB	HR	W	L	ERA
Barrett	RHRP	8.2	6	11	8	1	0	1	6.23




• Hagerstown (low single-A, 12-25 second half): The second half of the 2010 season hasn't been a great one for the team, partly due to internal distractions as outfielder J. R. Higley and South Atlantic League All-Star third baseman Steven Souza were suspended mid-month under the MLB drug testing policy.  The Nats' third-round 2010 draft selection, Rick Hague, has been installed at shortstop.  Futures Game participant Eury Perez continues to put up good-looking numbers in the outfield and at the plate.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Hague	SS	.329	.374	.505	5	.991
Higley	CF-RF	.281	.312	.370	3	.976
Perez	OF	.274	.325	.353	5	.976
Souza	3B	.257	.369	.310	10	.978



• Potomac (high single-A, 19-16 second half):  The P-Nats are knotted with Wilmington atop the Carolina League's Northern Division.  Perhaps in karmic recompense for having been rained out of the Futures at Fenway game in Boston, the men of Woodbridge backed up the truck to the hardware store in July.  Right-hander Brad Peacock (since promoted to double-A) was the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Week for the period ending July 11.  First baseman Tyler Moore hauled in the league's Batter of the Week award for each of the weeks ending July 18 and July 25, followed by teammate Bill Rhinehart for the week ending August 1.  Left-handed reliever Joe Testa has joined the organization as part of the trade that sent Washington closer Matt Capps to Minnesota.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Moore	1B	.243	.288	.483	8	.990
Rhinehart	OF-1B	.226	.291	.430	3	.990




Pitcher		IP	H	K	BB	HR	W	L	ERA
Peacock	RHSP	110.1	111	123	28	11	4	9	4.16
Testa	LHRP	56.0	69	52	28	4	2	5	5.30



• Harrisburg (double-A, 56-53):  The Senators are six games back in the Eastern League Western Division.  Metro Bank Park was host this year to the league's All-Star Game, in which shortstop Danny Espinosa reached base on an error and scored a run and first baseman Chris Marrero went 1-for-2 with a run scored.  Left-handed starter Tom Milone pitched two scoreless innings for the Western Division All-Stars and right-handed reliever Rafael Martin earned the win.  Outfielder Jesus Valdez was the league's Batter of the Week for the period ending July 18.  The Harrisburg pitching staff has been fortified by the additions of Tanner Roark and Ryan Tatusko, who were acquired in the trade that sent Nats middle infielder Cristian Guzman to Texas.  Manager Randy Knorr will be busy into late November as he skippers the Nationals-affiliated Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Espinosa	SS	.258	.331	.441	15	.964
Marrero	1B	.295	.354	.453	14	.984
Valdez	RF-LF	.270	.310	.400	2	.987




Pitcher		IP	H	K	BB	HR	W	L	ERA
Martin	RHRP	59.2	43	52	23	5	4	2	2.56
Milone	LHSP	118.0	124	104	21	7	7	5	3.05
Roark	RH Swing	105.0	113	75	33	8	10	5	4.20
Tatusko	RH Swing	100.0	94	58	40	2	9	2	2.97



• Syracuse (triple-A, 56-54):  Neck-and-neck with Scranton / Wilkes-Barre in the International League North Division race for much of the season, the Chiefs have slipped to third place, eight games back of the AAA Yankees.  Catcher Wilson Ramos has been on a tear for Syracuse in the three games since he was acquired in the Capps trade, going 4-for-11 with a home run and three RBI.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Ramos	C	.246	.283	.356	5	.952	2 PB, 49% CS

      

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Pitching for the Single-A Suns on Saturday evening, Nationals pitcher Scott Olsen took another successful step in his anticipated return to the major-league rotation.

The 26-year-old left-hander had gone onto the disabled list immediately after experiencing inflammation in his pitching arm during his May 21 start against Atlanta.  Saturday night saw Olsen make his third minor-league rehabilitation start, in which he delivered just 48 pitches -- 35 of which were strikes -- over his allotted four innings, and allowed one run and two hits to the visiting Rome Braves while striking out four and walking none.

The single run charged to Olsen came on a wild pitch in the fourth inning that scored Rome center fielder Todd Cunningham, who had reached base after being hit by an Olsen inside fastball to lead off the inning.

Speaking with reporters after the game -- which resulted in a 10-3 victory for the low-single-A Hagerstown Suns -- Olsen talked confidently about his progress.

"So far we've met all my expectations," Olsen said.  "We're getting stronger every time out; velocity is getting more consistent."

Olsen sounded pleased about his ability to use his pitch mix effectively.  "Just trying to get ahead in the count," Olsen said.  "Just pound the zone early and get them out with the offspeed stuff."

Olsen didn't hide his eagerness to make it back to the Washington staff.

"Being hurt is one of the most frustrating things that you can go through as a player," Olsen said.  "Then you get this close, you can feel yourself getting ready, and you just want to be there right now."

At that, Olsen recognizes that his return to the majors is a deliberate process that involves gradually increasing pitching loads.  His four-inning start at Hagerstown followed outings of two innings and three innings in the Gulf Coast League.

"The team has a set schedule," Olsen said.  "You increase your pitch count by either an inning or by about 15 to 20 pitches every time out."

"Sometimes it gets frustrating when they pull the cord on you," Olsen said, "but at times you gotta understand, sometimes doing things slower is better."

The next few days will give Olsen and his coaches a chance to evaluate the ability of his pitching arm to recover from the impact of progressively longer outings.

"Tomorrow [Sunday] and Monday are going to be the two telltale days," Olsen said.  "I'll play long-toss [Sunday], 120-150 feet," followed by a regular bullpen session of 45-50 pitches on Monday.

This coming week -- probably on Thursday -- Olsen will make his next rehabitation start.  "I don't know where," Olsen said.  "They're probably going to tell me [Sunday]. . . . It might be double-A, might be triple-A."

"We've got another step in another five days," Olsen said, "and we'll go from there."

      

The full-season minor leagues have chosen their All-Star teams, which will have given various Washington Nationals prospects a turn in the spotlight at several venues in June and July. June was also an award-winning month for several Nats minor-leaguers.

In the summaries below, we'll look at each team's record as of the end of play on July 2, and track the performance of the club's All-Stars and award-winners.

• Vermont (short-season single-A, 12-3): The Lake Monsters are scorching the New York-Penn League with the hottest 2010 start of any of the Nats' minor-league affiliates. Vermont's roster features four of the Nats' top ten selections in last month's First-Year Player Draft: shortstop Jason Martinson (5th round), catcher Cole Leonida (6th round) and middle infielder Blake Kelso (10th round) have all made appearances in Vermont lineups, while right-handed reliever Aaron Barrett (9th round) is awaiting activation.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Kelso	2B-SS	.368	.415	.421	4	.907
Leonida	C	.250	.308	.250	1	.980	0 PB, 67% CS
Martinson	SS	.271	.340	.313	1	.979



• Hagerstown (low single-A, 3-6 second half): The Suns finished the first half of the season with a 36-34 record and are getting the second half off to a middling start so far. Hagerstown sent five players to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game in June: catcher Sandy Leon, third baseman Steven Souza, outfielder Destin Hood and pitchers Trevor Holder and Dan Rosenbaum. First baseman Justin Bloxom was named the Sally League's Player of the Week for the period June 14-20, while center fielder Eury Perez has been selected to the World team for the All-Star Futures Game to be played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Sunday, July 11.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Bloxom	1B	.329	.374	.505	5	.991
Hood	OF	.281	.312	.370	3	.976
Leon	C	.257	.369	.310	10	.978	4 PB, 53% CS
Perez	OF	.249	.290	.306	3	.981
Souza	3B	.221	.302	.413	25	.889




Pitcher		IP	H	K	BB	HR	W	L	ERA
Holder	RHSP	86.1	95	61	9	6	4	4	3.23
Rosenbaum	LHSP	84.0	75	65	19	5	1	4	2.14



• Potomac (high single-A, 3-5 second half): The P-Nats posted a 31-39 record in the season's first half to finish 10 games behind Baltimore-affiliated Frederick. Outfielder Mike Burgess was selected to the Carolina League squad for the Carolina League-California League All-Star Game on June 22. The men of Woodbridge will be traveling to Fenway Park next week where they'll take on Salem in the nightcap of the annual Futures at Fenway doubleheader.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Burgess	RF	.253	.346	.408	5	.991



• Harrisburg (double-A, 38-43): Senators shortstop Danny Espinosa has been making a lot of headlines over the past few weeks. He was named the Eastern League's Player of the Week for the period June 14-20 and will be traveling with Hagerstown center fielder Perez to the Futures Game in Anaheim on July 11. In addition, Espinosa will join five Harrisburg teammates at the Eastern League All-Star Game which will be hosted by Harrisburg on July 14 in renovated Metro Bank Park. The Senators' All-Stars will be Espinosa, catcher Jhonatan Solano, first baseman Chris Marrero, second baseman Michael Martinez, starting pitcher Tom Milone and reliever Rafael Martin.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Espinosa	SS	.252	.334	.415	10	.968
Marrero	1B	.288	.339	.448	10	.986
Martinez	2B	.269	.310	.428	8	.976
Solano	C	.259	.313	.370	3	.993	3 PB, 50% CS




Pitcher		IP	H	K	BB	HR	W	L	ERA
Martin	RHRP	42	31	35	17	0	2	1	2.57
Milone	LHSP	89	97	70	16	6	6	3	3.34



• Syracuse (triple-A, 47-36): The Chiefs are a half-game ahead of Yankees-affiliated Scranton / Wilkes-Barre in the International League North Division race. IL All-Star Chase Lambin is putting up some good-looking numbers at Syracuse, having joined the Nationals' system this year after playing last season in Japan under Bobby Valentine.



Player	Pos	AVG	OBP	SLG	E	FP
Lambin	3B-2B	.296	.365	.495	13	.952

      

If you've been eager to insert some minor-league baseball into an early-summer vacation, your time has come. By the end of June, regular-season action will be under way for all five of the Washington Nationals' top affiliates, some of which will contain new faces that will have been acquired during next week's First-Year Player Draft.

By the way, if you're thinking of making the trek to Syracuse to see Stephen Strasburg, you'd better hurry; he'll be making one final triple-A start there in Buffalo [HT to Brian Dautch for the update] on Friday Thursday.  (That would have practically guaranteed a sellout at Alliance Bank Stadium, whose stated capacity is 11,071 but which reported ticket sales of 13,115 for Strasburg's most recent start last Saturday night.)

Less hailed on Saturday was the debut of onetime Nats rotation regular Collin Balester as a Syracuse reliever.  Balester took over for Josh Wilkie in the top of the eighth with two out and the bases empty, and retired the lone batter he faced.

Here's a look at where the Nats' farm clubs stand at the beginning of June.

• Vermont (short-season single-A): The Lake Monsters will play 76 games during 2010 in the northerly-tilted New York-Penn League, whose general experience level and June 18 opening day will make it the landing spot for some number of June draftees.  Will Bryce Harper be among them? Perhaps, but for that to happen would rest on a lot of assumptions that are worthy of a separate discussion, so let's just say "not in June" for now.  Second-year Vermont manager Jeff Garber will be hoping for a 2010 draft class with which he and the Monsters can better their 2009 record of 33-41.


• Hagerstown (low single-A, 28-23 as of the end of play on May 31): The Suns start the month with a five-game home set against Philadelphia-affiliated Lakewood, with whom they're tied at second place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division.  Helping to keep Hagerstown competitive has been left-handed pitcher Daniel Rosenbaum, a 22nd-round selection in last season's June draft who pitched 37 high-quality innings later in 2009 at the Gulf Coast League.  Named Sally League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 16, Rosenbaum has accrued a 1.53 earned run average thus far in the 2010 season, having struck out 47 batters in 53 innings over which he's issued 42 hits and nine bases on balls. A promotion to Potomac some time in the next few weeks is a reasonable expectation.


• Potomac (high single-A, 23-28): Baltimore-affiliated Frederick is trying to run away with the first-half flag in the Carolina League's Northern Division, but neither the P-Nats nor their other two rivals are out of it yet.  The team may be less immediately concerned about the pennant race than about the return to health of top-prospect catcher Derek Norris and C-DH Brian Peacock, each of whom was recently hit in the helmet by a pitched ball -- Norris on May 21, suffering a concussion, and Peacock on May 30, after which a CT scan came back negative.


• Harrisburg (double-A, 25-26): The Senators are stuck mid-pack in the Eastern League's Western Division, where Pittsburgh-affiliated Altoona is currently in first place at 33-18. Harrisburg will be showing off the renovations to Metro Bank Park as the club hosts the 2010 Eastern League All-Star Game on July 14. Tickets go on sale this week at the Senators' web site, which will be offering a special pre-sale to its Twitter and Facebook followers.


• Syracuse (triple-A, 30-20):  The Chiefs are vying with Yankees-affiliated Scranton / Wilkes-Barre and Mets-affiliated Buffalo for supremacy in the International League's North Division as all three teams hover within a game and a half of first place.  Syracuse skipper Trent Jewett, a veteran minor-league coach and manager who's in his second year with the Nationals organization and first at the helm of the Chiefs, talks minor-league managing (and Strasburg) with David Laurila at Baseball Prospectus.

      

Washington Nationals fans have, for a change, not had to avert their gaze to the minor-league system for solace, having instead enjoyed the pleasant surprise of watching their major-league ball club win 13 of their first 23 games of the season -- a milestone not attained by this franchise since 2003 in Montreal. (Whatever happened to Zach Day, anyhow?)

But that doesn't mean the farm clubs haven't also been producing some pleasant surprises.

• Hagerstown (low single-A, 12-10 as of the end of play on April 30): The Suns are tied for third with Baltimore-affiliated Delmarva in the Sally League's Northern Division. If that doesn't sound so hot, consider that both teams are just a half-game out of first place, which is also in a two-way tie. Hagerstown's attack has been led by outfielder Destin Hood, the Nats' second-round selection in the June 2008 draft who has accrued a batting line of .356 / .368 / .467 in 22 games for the Suns. They'll be going out of town after tonight but will be back later in May for 12 home dates at Municipal Stadium.
• Potomac (high single-A, 9-12): The P-Nats are looking up from the bottom of the well in the Carolina League's Northern Division, but it's a pretty shallow well as only two games separate the division's four teams. Potomac would like to see starter Brad Peacock help them break the logjam; the 22-year-old right-hander has racked up 28 strikeouts against only four walks and 19 hits in 20 2/3 innings of work over four starts, but the hits have come in bunches and dampened Peacock's ERA to a 5.23 mark that should improve through the summer if he keeps it up. There will be 18 home dates in May 2010 at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, and the P-Nats will be heading to Boston in midsummer to take part in the Futures at Fenway on July 10.
• Harrisburg (double-A, 10-11): Three of the Senators' ten April wins were powered by the fastball of Stephen Strasburg, who should be following lights-out closer Drew Storen to Syracuse later this month. Three other wins were recorded by the much less heralded Adam Carr who has logged 11 strikeouts and no walks and given up 11 hits in 12 1/3 innings of relief. Harrisburg will play 20 contests in May at shinily renovated Metro Bank Park.
• Syracuse (triple-A, 14-8): After years of middling performance as a Toronto affiliate, the Chiefs have been contenders in each of their two seasons as Washington's top farm club and are currently a half-game on top of the International League's North Division. The .377 / .426 / .541 hitting line of IL Batter of the Week Roger Bernadina over 69 plate appearances (before being called up to the MLB club this past Wednesday) may have something to do with that. Syracuse will host 14 games at Alliance Bank Stadium in May.

      

To no one's particular surprise, the major-league Nationals soiled their theretofore-undefeated 2010 record on Monday afternoon.  In any event the eyes of the Natmosphere are on the future and the minor-league system is where they'll be looking for a better one.

Here's what's on tap for the farm clubs at the beginning of the 2010 season:

• Hagerstown (low single-A South Atlantic League): The Suns have a sharp-looking new website and are hoping that their Sally League Northern Division playoff chances are also better-looking than they were in 2009, when they finished tied for sixth in the first half at 31-36 and a last-place 25-42 in the second half. Hagerstown will be home to a number of 2009 high-round draftees including left-hander Paul Applebee (10th round) and righty Trevor Holder (3rd round) in the rotation as well as right-hander Dean Weaver (7th round) in the bullpen, while 2009 second-round draft pick Jeff Kobernus patrols the middle infield. Opening night at Hagerstown Memorial Stadium on Thursday at 6:35 will mark the beginning of the first of two eight-game April homestands for the Suns, and also of former Nats catcher Matthew LeCroy's second season at the Hagerstown helm.
• Potomac (high single-A Carolina League): The men of Woodbridge couldn't quite crack the Carolina League post-season playoffs in 2009, playing second fiddle to Northern Division rivals Lynchburg in the first half and Wilmington in the second half. Their 2010 roster will be highlighted by slugging catcher Derek Norris and by right-handed starting pitcher A. J. Morris, whom team media relations director Tripp Miller informs us has stayed back in Florida as he wraps up a stint on the 7-day disabled list. Gary Cathcart will be skippering the P-Nats after spending the last eleven seasons coaching and managing in the Toronto system. They'll have a four-game homestand starting at 7:03 this Thursday evening at G. William Pfitzner Stadium, and will return to the Pfitz a week from Monday for a seven-game homestand that includes a four-game local rivalry series against Baltimore-affiliated Frederick.
• Harrisburg (double-A Eastern League): As if impressively renovated Metro Bank Park weren't going to be enough of a draw in itself -- and even before the upgrades, it has been one of this Hutch's favorite destinations in all of baseball, not excluding the major leagues -- lucky Nats fans in central Pennsylvania will get an up-close glimpse of phenom Stephen Strasburg when he makes his first home start as a Senator on Friday, April 16, against New Britain. Top middle-infield prospect Danny Espinosa will likely be getting in his share of work, while Strasburg's fellow 2009 draftee Drew Storen might make a late-inning appearance on any night of Harrisburg's seven-night opening 2010 homestand, after which they'll hit the road through April 29. The Senators, who in 2009 overcame an abysmal early-season effort to make a late-August run at the Eastern League playoffs (of which they unfortunately fell five games short), will be led on the field in 2010 by veteran Nationals minor-league coach and manager Randy Knorr.
• Syracuse (triple-A International League): The Chiefs will probably kick off their 50th anniversary celebration this Thursday afternoon in relatively sedate style, at least compared to the hoopla that will surround the expected arrival of Strasburg and Storen around the first of May. They'll be led by Trent Jewett whose 2009 season at Potomac included his 1,000th win as a pro baseball manager. April will feature two seven-game homestands at Alliance Bank Stadium.

      

According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Tampa Bay Rays are crafting a trade involving Akinori Iwamura, whom this Hutch would nominate as its candidate for Average Second Baseman of the New Millennium.  Interestingly, although both the Cubs and Dodgers were supposed to have been interested in the 30-year-old, it's now being reported that neither of those teams is in the mix.

That makes us wonder whether the Nats are the mystery suitor.  We wouldn't be surprised if they envision Iwamura as someone who can help them transition from now-departed Ronnie Belliard to an in-system candidate such as Steve Lombardozzi, whom we expect to see advance steadily through the Nats' minor-league ranks after his creditable 2009 performance at low-A Hagerstown.

UPDATE 03-Nov-09 5:00 p.m.: Is it Pittsburgh? Stay tuned...

UPDATE 03-Nov-09 7:30 p.m.: Pittsburgh it is. So much for that foray into prophecy...

      

This is the seventh installment of a series in which we take a look at each of the Nationals' selections from the first ten rounds of this past June's First-Year Player Draft.

We continue with the Nats' fourth-round pick, a right-handed college pitcher from suburban Houston.

Most Recent Performance:

Morris was the Suns' starter on August 4 at Delmarva.  In a five-inning no-decision, he gave up one earned run on six hits and no walks and struck out four.

2009 Minor-League Season Summary:

In four starts at two levels, Morris has pitched a total of 14 minor-league innings.  He has allowed 12 hits and a walk and struck out 12, accruing a 2.57 ERA.

It would be surprising if the Nationals don't have Morris on a very tight leash, as his innings load at K-State more than doubled from 53 2/3 in 2008 to 116 1/3 in 2009.

      

There's barely a month of minor-league baseball left, and we're ready to fit some farm-team visits into our August vacation travel.  With the help of the Big Board at Nationals Farm Authority, we've also been tracking some of the Nats' 2009 draftees at each level.  (Schedule projections and records shown in parentheses are as of the end of play on August 2.)

• Vermont Lake Monsters (short-season single-A, 21-22): Ten of the Nats' selections from June's First-Year Player Draft are in Vermont uniforms, including right-handed pitcher Pat Lehman, the Nats' 13th-round pick.  A product of George Washington University, Lehman has made four starts and three relief appearances for Vermont; in 27 1/3 innings, he's logged a 1.65 ERA, striking out 14 and walking 1. Centennial Field -- whose future as a minor-league venue is discussed in this New York Times article from last Saturday [HT:  poster CoverageIsLacking from the Post's "Nationals Journal"] -- will host 17 Monsters contests in the remainder of the 2009 New York-Penn League season.
• Hagerstown Suns (low single-A, 13-22 second half):  The Suns are fairly well out of South Atlantic League contention, but still enjoy the services of Derek Norris who belted nine homers in July.  (And who unreeled his 15th and 16th errors of the season in Saturday night's game against visiting West Virginia.)  First-round draft pick Drew Storen has moved up to Potomac, making room for fourth-round selection A. J. Morris who has been called up from the Gulf Coast League where he'd thrown five scoreless innings in two starts, striking out four and walking none.  There are nineteen home games left on the Suns' 2009 schedule at Municipal Stadium.
• Potomac Nationals (high single-A, 24-12 second half):  The P-Nats, who fielded a pennant-winning squad in 2008, are looking to re-enter postseason contention as their record over the first 36 of 70 second-half games finds them parked atop the Carolina League's Northern Division.  Third-round draft pick Trevor Holder and first-round draft pick Drew Storen have been marching smartly up the system:  Holder has won three and lost none in six minor-league starts at three levels, striking out 20 and issuing just seven bases on balls in 23 innings, while Storen has shone in relief, posting a 1-1 record with one save, 34 strikeouts, one walk and a 3.00 ERA in 21 innings at Hagerstown and Potomac.  The P-Nats have 13 contests left on the 2009 calendar at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, as well as three games in Frederick at 7:00 p.m. on August 3, 4, and 5.
• Harrisburg Senators (double-A, 49-57):  The Senators have achieved a degree of respectibility in the Eastern League through June and July, especially as compared to their dismal start in April and May.  Lefty reliever Jack Spradlin, recently promoted to triple-A Syracuse, continued to keep Harrisburg's opponents at bay:  in 53 1/3 innings over 35 double-A appearances, he struck out 45, walked 18 and accrued a 2.87 ERA.  Metro Bank Park will host 16 Harrisburg home games over the remainder of the season, and the Senators wrap up the schedule with a visit to Bowie over Labor Day weekend.
• Syracuse Chiefs (triple-A, 56-50):  Even with the major-league Nats raiding the Chiefs at regular intervals for live arms, Syracuse remains in contention in the International League's Northern Division, just four games back of Scranton / Wilkes-Barre in the standings after a 15-15 stretch from July 1 through August 2.  Eighteen games remain on the Chiefs' home schedule at Alliance Bank Stadium.

      

Not to divert attention from the sea of virtual inactivity that has been the Nats' trading desk lately, but if you feel like getting out of town for an evening or longer, here are a couple ideas.

The Nats are in Pittsburgh this weekend, and this Hutch has nothing but praise for PNC Park, one of the most beautiful in the major leagues.  They play Friday, Saturday, and Monday evening at 7:05, with Sunday's game starting at 1:35.  If you go, for heaven's sake don't fail to grab some pierogies at one of the concession stands.  (And for your midnight sandwich, consider picking up some chipped ham at a nearby grocery store.)

All that said, we're inclined to stay a little closer to home for a good cause. The Hagerstown Suns are hosting an autographed ball drawing beginning Saturday night to benefit the Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund.  Here's some information from the Suns' web site:

A Washington County native and graduate of Williamsport High School, Nick Adenhart passed away in an automobile accident on April 9, hours after pitching six scoreless innings in his 2009 debut for the Los Angeles Angels. The Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund was created by Adenhart's parents in memory of their son’s love of baseball, with the goal of providing financial assistance to struggling Little League baseball teams nationwide. . . .

A total of seventeen Major League Baseball teams -- from the nearby Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles to Adenhart's Los Angeles Angels -- donated autographed baseballs to the Suns’ drawing. The entire Suns' roster and coaching staff signed balls as well, bringing the total number of baseballs in the drawing to more than 370. . . .

When the Suns open their gates this Saturday at 6:05 p.m. in anticipation of their 7:05 p.m. game against West Virginia, fans will be able to start participating in the charity drawing. With each $10 donation, fans will be able to draw a numbered ticket that corresponds to one of the over 370 baseballs collected, and take home the autograph of anyone from a current Suns player to a Major League All-Star.

The drawing will take place on the Municipal Stadium concourse, and will continue through every Suns home game until each donated ball is drawn.