{"id":633,"date":"2011-02-17T14:10:07","date_gmt":"2011-02-17T19:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=633"},"modified":"2013-08-29T13:56:58","modified_gmt":"2013-08-29T17:56:58","slug":"hagerstowns-2010-rotation-in-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=633","title":{"rendered":"Hagerstown’s 2010 Rotation in Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s a look at Hagerstown’s pitching staff in 2010.<\/p>\n

End of Season Rotation<\/strong>: Demny 21, Hicks 20, Bronson 23, Applebee 22, Ott 22
\n(rotation order<\/strong>: Demny, Hicks, Applebee, Ott, Bronson)
\nbullpen<\/strong>: Wort, Arnold, Vasquez, Weaver, Morrison, Erb, Graham, Garcia, McCatty
\nspot starts<\/strong>: Smoker 22 (demoted for Ott)
\npromotions<\/strong>: Holder, Rosenbaum,
\nup-and-back<\/strong>:
\ndemotions<\/strong>: Gibson
\ndl<\/strong>: McGeary (TJ surgery, out for a while), Clegg
\ncut\/retired<\/strong>: Willems<\/p>\n

Hagerstown’s 2010 staff held three of our system’s biggest disappointments; Colton Willems<\/strong>, Jack McGeary<\/strong> and Josh Smoker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One of the stories of the season was the abrupt retirement of Colton Willems, the latest reminder of the absolute train wreck our 2006 draft was (slight tangent; only 3 players from that draft have even made it onto our 40-man roster; Marrero, Carr and Kimball, and none of these are really expected to compete for 2011 mlb spots).\u00a0 Willems was a supplemental #1 pick whose stuff as a starter seemed to plateau in the low-A league.\u00a0 He wasn’t able to get guys out in high-A in 2009, and was converting to be a reliever for the 2010 season when he retired.\u00a0 His 2010 numbers were bad, but he probably should have given it more time.<\/p>\n

Josh Smoker’s status as a flame out prospect is nearly as bad as Willems.\u00a0 He was a 2007 supplemental #1 pick has yet to show he can get guys out above the rookie league, and while he was slowed by an arm injury in 2009 his performance in 2010 (3-10 with a 6.50 era in low-A) may have buried his career in baseball.\u00a0 2011 Outlook<\/strong>: fully converted to a reliever in Hagerstown, where he has to show he can get guys out or he will be released.<\/p>\n

Another story of the season for the Nats franchise in general was the arm injury suffered by Jack McGeary.\u00a0 McGeary was having a decent start in low-A before blowing out his elbow and getting Tommy John surgery.\u00a0 McGeary was considered a drafting coup of the 2007 draft, signing for 1.8M as a 6th rounder with 1st round talent.\u00a0 But through parts of four pro seasons he’s never really shown the talent to match his pedigree and even post TJ surgery I doubt he will ever pan out.\u00a0 I can see the Nats hanging on to him until he recovers and giving him another shot based on prior investment and his age, but his days seem numbered.<\/p>\n

Hagerstown’s two elder statesmen (Holder and Rosenbaum) both moved up to high-A mid season, leaving a relatively young staff.\u00a0 Lets talk about each guy:<\/p>\n