The 462 at-bats that corner outfielder Caleb Ramsey had at low Class A Hagerstown represent only a small fraction of the work he puts in at the plate. The 2011 11th-rounder continued to refine his swing during instructional league.
Pitching in the Arizona Fall League was too good an offer for Nationals righty reliever Aaron Barrett to pass up, even with his wedding taking place in the middle of the league's season.
Center fielder Eury Perez had another solid season and made his major league debut with the Nationals in September. For the most part, he simply played like he has since signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2007, yet there's one area where he felt like he improved.
Righthander Christian Garcia pitched so well during a September callup that he went from having a spot on an Arizona Fall League roster to making the Nationals' playoff roster.
With catching in his bloodline, Spencer Kieboom had nothing but good things to say about his first stint as a professional backstop with short-season Auburn. "I went into it with an open mind," said Kieboom, a Nationals' fifth-round pick from Clemson.
Lacy Lusk files his Nationals final report, selecting a best player and best pitcher as well as a player to keep an eye on.
Nationals center fielder Billy Burns worked at batting lefty during instructional league last fall, but unlike his days in college summer ball, this time he stuck with it.
Triple-A Syracuse skipper Tony Beasley said Corey Brown "does so many things to help the ballclub." As evidence, he covered center field for two days and went 3-for-13 with a double, a homer and three runs in six games during his July callup to the Nationals.
A Nationals second-round pick this year, second baseman Tony Renda put his urban development degree on hold when he agreed to terms shortly after the draft.
Though Nationals righthanded reliever Rob Wort expected to have a bounceback season, health permitting, his success at high Class A Potomac took even him by surprise.
Correspondent Lacy Lusk files a midseason report for the Nationals, highlighting a Best Player, a Biggest Leap Forward and a Biggest Disappointment for the first half.
The Nationals demonstrated how much times have changed in one year. Washington faces no beat-the-deadline, above-slot signing bonanzas this summer. Not after the organization drafted 11 college players and one junior-college outfielder with their 14 picks in rounds two through 15.
Even when the Nationals pick 16th overall, they find a way to pick a player who was once projected as a potential top overall selection.
Following a 13-month layoff to recover from a torn labrum, Nationals middle infielder Rick Hague was back at high Class A Potomac and feeling stronger than ever.
The Nationals' Tyler Moore had been expected to play left field every third day at Triple-A, but he earned a promotion to Washington less than two weeks after his pro outfield debut.
It didn't take long for low Class A Hagerstown center fielder Brian Goodwin to show how much patience he has at the plate. However, another kind of waiting had the Nationals prospect itching to get back on the field after he went on the disabled list with a pulled hamstring.
The 23-year-old Steve Lombardozzi made the Nationals' Opening Day roster because manager Davey Johnson felt he could get him at least 300 at-bats. To do that, the player who was drafted as a shortstop and played mostly second base in the minors will learn two new positions on the fly.
At least Sammy Solis doesn't have to look far to find pitchers who have had Tommy John elbow surgery and returned to dominate. The lefthanded Solis, 23, learned early in accelerated development camp in Viera that he would need the same reconstructive procedure performed on Nationals righthanders Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.
After two full seasons at low Class A Hagerstown, righthander Paul Demny advanced a level last year and was enough of a workhorse there to give himself a chance at another promotion this spring. At high Class A Potomac, Demny ranked fourth in the Carolina League with 144 innings and was tied for fifth with 108 strikeouts while walking 54. He is one of 45 minor leaguers at accelerated development camp in Viera, Fla.
Wherever lefthander Danny Rosenbaum starts this season, he plans to be even stronger than he was at the close of a successful 2011.<br/>The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Rosenbaum lost 10 pounds through a daily routine that includes bench pressing and a more sugar-free, high-protein diet. He likely will return to Double-A Harrisburg, where he did not allow a home run in six starts over 39 innings after putting up the second-best ERA in the high Class A Carolina League.
Baseball America
