P-Nats Wrap Up Successful 2009 Season
Though the Potomac Nationals fell just short of a playoff spot, it was still an incredibly successful season on the field for the single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
With their 9-4 victory over Kinston on Labor Day, the Nationals finished the season with a record of 79-58, a game and a half better than last year's Mills Cup championship team who finished 79-61.
Coming into the 2009 campaign with the Carolina League championship in their possession, fans flocked to the Pfitz to see their P-Nats as a record 180,541 Nats supporters walked through the gates, eclipsing last year's total by over two thousand.
Of course, 10,789 of those fans came on the Fourth of July to watch the P-Nats beat the Frederick Keys 4-1, smashing the previous single-game attendance record by over a thousand fans.
There were plenty of highlights to the 2009 campaign which saw the team fight for a playoff spot until the season's final weekend.
The home season began on April 17 as the players who contributed to the 2008 Championship run were given their rings in a ceremony before first pitch. Owner Art Silber was on hand to distribute the rings and thank everybody for supporting the team through all the ups and downs that inevitably come with a 140-game season.
Jesus Valdez had perhaps the most memorable blast of the 2009 season on May 1 in a 13-inning affair with the Frederick Keys. Former Washington Nationals reliever Joe Beimel actually started that game on the mound, giving up five runs in the first, but the P-Nats would storm back to tie the game. In the 13th inning, and the Keys leading 6-5, "Zeus" stepped up to the dish against one of the best reliever in the league, Luis Lebron, and bashed a titanic tater over the scoreboard in left to win the game 8-6, sending everyone on hand into a feverish frenzy.
While there were too many other memorable team moments to count, there were some individual performances in 2009 that opened the eyes of Nationals fans all across the country.
Shortstop Danny Espinosa came into this season as a top prospect, but even he managed to outdo himself with his 2009 season. On the year, Espinosa hit .264 with an outstanding 18 home runs, as the switch-hitter led the team in RBI with 72. He finished first in the league in runs scored (90), second in extra-base hits (53), fifth in home runs, and fifth in on-base percentage (.375), all while playing stellar defense at a premium position.
Starting pitcher Tom Milone wowed not only P-Nats fans with his '09 campaign, but sent batters back to the dugout shaking their heads on a consistent basis. Milone finished the year with a league-leading 12 wins and a 2.91 ERA, good for third in the league. He had an excellent second half which saw him go 9-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 14 starts. Milone morphed into the role of ace by virtue of winning eight of his final nine decisions of the season.
Brad Meyers, Jeff Mandel, and Michael Burgess all made the Carolina League All-Star team in the first half, and Meyers led the league in ERA during his time in Potomac, earning an astounding 1.43 mark in 15 appearances.
Espinosa and first baseman Chris Marrero were also named to the Carolina League's Postseason All-Star team as Marrero played enjoyed his best season at the plate in his young career which warranted his promotion to Double-A Harrisburg.
Though there will be no more baseball played at Pfitzner Stadium in 2009, the schedule has already been released for the 2010 campaign.
The P-Nats open the season with a four-game series against the Salem Red Sox from Pfitzner Stadium on Thursday, April 8 before team hits the road for a six-game trip with the Winston-Salem Dash and the Wilmington Blue Rocks.
The P-Nats will also be hosting the defending Northern Division champion Blue Rocks at Pfitzner Stadium on Sunday, July 4.
For the full tentative schedule, click here:
You can keep up with the Potomac Nationals news and updates through Twitter by going to twitter.com/pnats09 to keep up with the P-Nats all throughout the offseason.
For more information on ticket packages for the 2010 season, update on daily promotions at Pfitzner Stadium, and all things P-Nats call (703) 590-2311 or log onto www.potomacnationals.com.