Nationals Report: Down on the farm

Date published: 8/31/2006

Right-hander Zechry Zinicola (Harrisburg) and catcher Devin Ivany (Potomac) will join shortstop Ian Desmond (Potomac) and right-hander Marco Estrada (Savannah) in the Hawaiian Winter League, playing for the Waikiki Beach Boys.

There will be several late additions to the Nationals' Arizona Fall League roster, but the team hasn't finalized its selections. A replacement for Larry Broadway (shoulder) will be needed, and shortstop Seth Bynum might also not be able to play. He broke his left hand Friday when he was hit by a pitch.

Outfielder Frank Diaz has left Double-A Harrisburg and returned to Venezuela because of a death in his family.

Diaz is one of the Nationals' top outfield prospects and he was hitting .259 with nine homers and 50 RBIs. He is a member of Washington's 40-man roster, but he is not expected to be called up when major league rosters can be expanded Friday.

It's been a tough start at Double-A Harrisburg for right-hander Garrett Mock , a key part of a trade that sent veteran Livan Hernandez to the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this month.

Mock is 0-4 in four starts with Harrisburg, and in 16 innings, he's given up 29 hits, five walks and 19 earned runs (for a 10.26 ERA).

Left-hander Matt Chico , the other player acquired from the Diamondbacks, is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA.

Right-hander Shairon Martis didn't spend long at Single-A Potomac. Martis, acquired from the San Francisco Giants last month in a trade for Mike Stanton, was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg yesterday after two solid starts with the P-Nationals.

Martis allowed four earned runs and nine hits spanning 12 innings in two starts. He is expected to make one start in Harrisburg before the Senators' season ends Monday.

Date published: 8/31/2006