With Ian Desmond on the DL, Corey Brown has been promoted from AAA-Syracuse.  Here are some snippets to get familiar with the new guy.

Working out…

» Continue reading “Getting to Know Corey Brown”

Corey Brown has been off to a hot start in Syracuse this season.  Normally, hot starts like his get a lot of attention in the world of the organization.  Brown was cursed with playing at the same time as Bryce Harper, but with Chad Tracy on the DL, he will get a well-deserved shot.

Brown was hitting .297 with a .399 on base percentage in AAA ball.  He also has hit 12 home runs with 30 RBI and 6 stolen bases.  He has a similar maturity to Harper at the plate (though no one should be expected to be that calm in their first major league season).

Another plus with Brown is the chemistry he has with Harper.  The two worked together extensively in the outfield before Harper’s call-up.  They communicate well, and having each other there will only make each feel more comfortable.

Speaking of comfort, the Nats also called up Carlos Maldonado at catcher, since apparently no one on the team can manage to stay healthy.  Maldonado’s line isn’t nearly as impressive: .211 average with 20 strikeouts this year.

» Continue reading “Corey Brown To Get Shot With Nationals”

On Saturday, we got a chance to check in on our AAA prospects in Syracuse.  Yunesky Maya (remember him?) got the start for the Chiefs against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, and led the way to a 4-0 win for the Chiefs’ first ‘W’ of the season.

Everybody was looking towards center field to see what Bryce Harper would do, but instead they found Corey Brown, an outfielder who came to the Nats in the 2010 trade with the A’s for Josh Willingham.

Brown has played center field most of his career, but with the Nats trying to see how Harper could play out in center, the two are alternating between right and center fields.  Saturday was Brown’s turn at center, with Harper in right.

Both feed off of each other very well.  They communicate well in the outfield and combine for some impressive outs. Manager Tony Beasley attributes this chemistry to the pair working a lot together in spring training.

» Continue reading “Nats Farm Report: Moore Finds Stride, Harper, Brown Find Chemistry”

From Nats Enquirer

Ok, so we all know that Syracuse, N.Y. can be a chilly place.  In upstate New York, spring doesn’t really start until May, and even then you aren’t safe (it snowed there on Mother’s Day two years ago).  To a kid from Las Vegas, that could be quite the shock. Enter: Bryce Harper.

Harper debuted for Syracuse the other day in a ski mask.  That’s right, a ski mask.  Normally this is attire saved for playoff baseball in October, but when the temperature in April is that same as it is in October, this is what you get.

He also wore a hat last Wednesday on for Media Day, which isn’t that weird.  In Syracuse it’s not just the cold that gets you, but the wind.  It is damp, windy, and gray roughly eight months out of the year.

» Continue reading “Harper Wears Ski Mask In Syracuse Debut; What He’ll Need To Survive”

Harper sent to Sryacuse

The fate of child prodigy Bryce Harper was decided as he was optioned to minor league camp this afternoon.  Instead of starting in the majors with the Nats, Harper will begin 2012 with the AAA Syracuse Chiefs.

It was a bit of a stretch to expect Harper to go from finishing last season in AA to starting in the majors this year.  While he showed great improvement in spring training, he still isn’t quite ready ot make the jump permanently. Harper had cooled off recently, including a 4-strikeout game this afternoon.

One of the key impacts of the decision was the current outfield situation for the Nats.  Said manager Davey Johnson:

“I know Jayson [Werth] is more comfortable in right field. I think he can handle [center], but I know that would beat him up more, and I want his bat more than I want his defense… I don’t want him beat up by playing center field on an everyday basis while a rookie’s getting his feet wet [in right].”

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» Continue reading “Harper Sent To Syracuse, But Not For Long”