Finally That Phone Call Comes

He was the 34th player selected in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft and he was in the fast lane to be the starting centerfielder for the Washington Nationals in 2015 but a shoulder injury slowed down his journey.  His injury and reduction in performance had Brian  Goodwin demoted back to AA in 2015.

Finally injury free Goodwin spent the fall in Venezuela trying to find the mojo to get him back in the good graces of the Washington Nationals.  It worked as the Nationals invited Goodwin to play with the big club in Spring Training and he batted 250.  He was one of the last to be sent to AAA Syracuse in the spring and so far this season was on the International League All Star team and was hitting 284 with 11 home runs and 25 doubles.  Part of Brian's improved batting average has been the reductions of strikeouts per at bat.  His minor league career he has averaged about one strikeout per every three at bats but this season it is one in almost five at bats.

Ryan Zimmerman the Nationals first baseman was hit on the hand Sunday and has not played in any game since so Saturday the Nationals placed Zimmerman on the 15 day injury list retroactive to last Sunday.   That phone call has finally come for Brian Goodwin. The Nationals announced Goodwin will be a backup outfielder.  We have discussed in recent bweeks that Trea Turner since his call up to the Majors has played several positions including centerfield.

It will be interesting to see if Ryan Murphy the National's regular second baseman is moved to first and Turner to second and Goodwin in centerfield.  This call up will last until August 15th so whenever he gets a chance he needs to produce.

Tonight at 9:29 pm in the top of the seventh Goodwin replaced Harper in right field.  He was the fourth batter due up but in the bottom of the seventh the Nationals went in order.  The bottom of the eighth as the lead off batter at 10:03 pm Brian Goodwin first major league at bat was a fly out to right field.

Should another player  get injured for the Nationals between now and the 15th Brian just might get an extended stay.  The centerfielder that started the season Brian Taylor was demoted about three weeks ago and is not playing very well in Syracuse.  Since Taylor has been in Syracuse Goodwin has played right field and and left and has proven he can play all three outfield positions.

Goodwin is the first player from Rocky Mount High School to ever make it to the Major League Baseball and the first player from Rocky Mount since Mike Tyson retired from baseball in 1981 and is only the third player ever from Rocky Mount playing in the Majors.  The other was Chuck Hinton who retired from baseball in 1971.