Minor League Baseball refutes Major League Baseball's claims industry is "heavily subsidized"

Minor League Baseball refutes Major League Baseball's claims industry is "heavily subsidized"
In the ongoing discussion regarding Major League Baseball's intention to eliminate 42 minor league teams in 2020, the two sides met during the Winter Meetings in San Diego. Following the meetings, Minor League Baseball contends MLB misrepresented several of facts "repeatedly and inaccurately" pertaining to the conditions and financial burden undertaken by each team based on the current Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA). A detailed four-page press release was sent out to the media...
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Reetz works on fundamentals as he moves up Nats chain

Reetz works on fundamentals as he moves up Nats chain
Nationals catcher Jakson Reetz finished off his 2019 campaign with work in the Arizona Fall League, batting .333 with a .519 slugging percentage. "It was awesome," Reetz said. "I was really happy that I got the chance to go and play. Nationals guys, I got to play with them. I got to meet a lot of other new guys. Our team was awesome. We had a lot of fun. It was definitely a great experience for me." Reetz, 23, was a third-round pick by the Nats in 2014. He played 96 games for high Single-A...
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Task force created to support minor league teams

Task force created to support minor league teams
Officials from two Nationals affiliates, the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies and the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns, yesterday praised the creation of a task force organized by members of Congress to prevent Major League Baseball from eliminating 42 minor league franchises. U.S. Reps. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Max Rose (D-N.Y.), and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) this week announced the formation of the Save Minor League Baseball Task Force. The four co-chairs said they will closely...
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Rizzo named Baseball America Executive of the Year

Rizzo named Baseball America Executive of the Year
Following the most successful season in Nationals franchise history, which resulted in a first World Series title, president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo has been named Baseball America's Executive of the Year. The 2019 campaign was Rizzo's 11th as head of baseball operations with the Nats and 14th overall with the organization. He has 36 seasons of professional baseball experience. Since 2012, the Nats have posted a .562 winning percentage (730-566), the second-best...
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At World Series DVD premiere, Zimmerman confirms he wants to be back

At World Series DVD premiere, Zimmerman confirms he wants to be back
Nationals fans continued to celebrate the city's first baseball world title in 95 years with the premiere of a documentary about the 2019 World Series before a festive crowd Monday night at The Anthem in D.C. President of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman took part in the festivities. "It's definitely been fun," Zimmerman said during the red carpet walk-up prior to the screening. "The joy in the city,...
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Double-A Harrisburg owner Mark Butler passes away at 61

Double-A Harrisburg owner Mark Butler passes away at 61
The Double-A Harrisburg Senators this morning announced the sudden passing of principal owner and managing partner Mark Butler. Butler, the co-founder and CEO of Ollie's Bargain Outlet, died Sunday with his family, according to a company release. He was 61. "We are just numb. This is a tragic loss for our community. Mark was such an important part of the culture of our organization," said Senators president Kevin Kulp. "We were extremely fortunate to have had him guiding us. We've lost a...
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Podcast provides interesting insight into Nationals analytics department

Podcast provides interesting insight into Nationals analytics department
On his "Sports Info Solutions Baseball" podcast last week, Mark Simon (Twitter: @MarkASimonSays) talked about analytics and how the Nationals use data in several aspects of their baseball seasons. Simon visited with Nationals assistant general manager for baseball research and development Samuel Mondry-Cohen. Mondry-Cohen referred to his department as the "R&D department" within the Nationals organization. He said the development side of the club's analytics study is devoted to...
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Raquet on his slider and experience in the AFL

Raquet on his slider and experience in the AFL
We continue our conversation with Nationals pitching prospect Nick Raquet and get more information on his slider. A left-hander with his best pitch being the slider sounds familiar. How does it compare with Patrick Corbin's slider? "It's definitely my go-to," Raquet said. "I feel like if I'm in a pinch in any situation, I'm throwing my slider. It's probably my best pitch. I kind of grip it and rip it. I've never actually talked to Patrick. I would assume he spins the hell out of it. I...
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Technology and a keen eye helped Raquet turn his curveball around

Technology and a keen eye helped Raquet turn his curveball around
Left-hander Nick Raquet made some nice adjustments early in his 2019 campaign for high Single-A Potomac that allowed him to concentrate on the finer points of his breaking pitch, helping him to end up with a very positive season. In part one of our discussion, we will break down the adjustments he made to turn his year around. Raquet (Twitter: @NickRaquet) made 25 starts at Potomac, going 11-9 with a 4.07 ERA. But in April, he struggled to a 1-4 start with an 8.72 ERA. "Yeah, I felt like I...
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Braymer's bond with Crowe and Barrera helped him in 2019

Braymer's bond with Crowe and Barrera helped him in 2019
Finishing up our conversation with Nationals pitching prospect Ben Braymer, the left-hander talked more about how he changed his grip on his changeup from two-seam to a four-seam so that coming out of his hand it looks even more like a fastball to the hitter. "I had accomplished that in Double-A, having my changeup mirror my fastball as far as arm slot goes and the arm speed on it," Braymer said. "But when I got out to Triple-A the more experienced hitters were able to see a little bit...
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Braymer excited to join 40-man, details adjustments during 2019 season

Braymer excited to join 40-man, details adjustments during 2019 season
Left-hander Ben Braymer got a thrilling phone call on Wednesday from the Nationals telling him he had been placed on the organization's 40-man roster. "I was super excited," Braymer said. "I thought I might have an opportunity for that to happen but when I got the call (Wednesday) morning, I was very, very excited. A lot of positive emotions. It was cool." In part one of our visit with Braymer (Twitter: @B_Braymer), we break down his move to Triple-A and the adjustments he had to make in a...
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Tickets available for premiere of World Series documentary

Tickets available for premiere of World Series documentary
Major League Baseball announced today the premiere of a documentary film, "The 2019 World Series," will take place Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The documentary will show highlights from the Nationals' improbable and incredible run from 12 games below .500 in late May to the franchise's first-ever world championship with 12 wins in October. The red carpet event will include first baseman Ryan Zimmerman - who was the Nats' first-ever draft pick - general manager Mike...
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Condra-Bogan adjusted to heavier workload in 2019

Condra-Bogan adjusted to heavier workload in 2019
In part two of our discussion, Nationals right-handed reliever Jacob Condra-Bogan said he is working on pitches besides his fastball, including the slider and the changeup. "My changeup is probably my best secondary pitch," he said. "It's good, late tumble, low-spin-rate type pitch that moves a lot. I just don't throw it a lot, but when I do throw I think it's a very good pitch." Condra-Bogan said he also throws a slider/curveball that is starting to gain some traction and...
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MLB proposal would eliminate 42 minor league teams, including two Nats affiliates

MLB proposal would eliminate 42 minor league teams, including two Nats affiliates
Major League Baseball has a proposal on the table that would eliminate 42 minor league teams - including the Nationals' short-season Single-A affiliate in Auburn, N.Y., and their low Single-A farm team in Hagerstown - in a reorganization plan first reported by Baseball America and the New York Times. In the statement to the New York Times, MLB said: "We are in discussions with the owners of the minor league teams to reorganize elements of the system with the goal of improving the working...
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How Condra-Bogan's fastball compares to Doolittle's four-seamer

How Condra-Bogan's fastball compares to Doolittle's four-seamer
We continue our conversations with top Nationals prospects with Jacob Condra-Bogan. The first part of our sitdown is a look back on a very good campaign for the Duncan, S.C., native. The right-hander was acquired in 2018 in a trade with the Royals. He is a reliever who can fire upper 90s with his fastball on a consistent basis. Condra-Bogan sits at 95 mph with his fastball and can reach back for 97-98 mph. Condra-Bogan pitched in 38 games over 62 1/3 innings at Double-A Harrisburg, finishing...
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During AFL, Sharp worked on slowing spin rate on sinker

During AFL, Sharp worked on slowing spin rate on sinker
To see how Sterling Sharp is a little bit different athletically than maybe your average baseball player, check out his dunking skills on his Twitter home page: Incase @MiLB or @MLB ever decides to have a dunk contest 🙋🏾‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/ZnE2kgyJir -- Sterling Sharp (@DatDude_Ster42) November 19, 2017 In part two, we continue our conversation with the 24-year-old right-hander in the Nationals system, who demonstrated his...
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Sharp focused on slider and sinker during AFL work

Sharp focused on slider and sinker during AFL work
We continue our offseason capsules getting to know some of the top prospects in the Nationals system who played in the Arizona Fall League. Today the spotlight falls on right-hander Sterling Sharp. The 24-year-old from Southfield, Mich., was a 22nd-round selection in 2016. In part one of our sit-down with Sharp (Twitter: @DatDude_Ster42), we will focus on his return from an oblique injury and his time in the AFL. Sharp worked his way back from the injury early in the season to post solid...
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Banks worked on his approach in Arizona, now preps for 2020

Banks worked on his approach in Arizona, now preps for 2020
In part one of our visit with Nick Banks, an outfielder in the Nationals system, we spoke about his experience in the Arizona Fall League. A valuable part of that experience is meshing with and learning from new coaches. In part two, we look into what Ken Joyce, a hitting coach from the New York Yankees organization, was able to do to help Banks with his swing and his approach at the plate. "I loved him. He really did help me a lot this offseason and in the fall league," Banks said. "Just...
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Kendrick earns first Heart and Hustle Award

Kendrick earns first Heart and Hustle Award
The accolades continue to arrive for Nationals utility infielder Howie Kendrick. Last night in New York City, Kendrick was honored for the first time in his career as the recipient of the 2019 Heart and Hustle Award. The award, voted on by former players, is given to "active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game." Kendrick, the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, worked off the field with...
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Nick Banks making a name for himself with big jump in 2019 season

Nick Banks making a name for himself with big jump in 2019 season
These next few weeks, we will take a look back at the Nationals prospects who played in the Arizona Fall League and get their take on the experience. The Surprise Saguaros, the pretty much unheralded group that included Nats minor leaguers, won their division and went all the way to the championship game, which they lost to Salt River 5-1. One of the stars of the team was outfielder Nick Banks. The 24-year-old left fielder out of Texas A&M hit very well all season at high Single-A Potomac...
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