Former O’s prospect aids Strasburg’s path

By David Driver
Posted: June 3, 2010

Doug Harris, 40, was drafted out of James Madison University in Virginia in the fourth round by the Kansas City Royals in 1990. The right-handed pitcher also pitched in the minor league system of the Orioles, with a stop at Bowie of the Eastern League during his time in the Baltimore organization. He never made it to the big leagues, but Harris is now in charge of making sure as many players as possible do just that.

Harris is in his first year as the director of player development for the Washington Nationals. He was hired by Mike Rizzo, who became general manager of the Nats after last season. Harris spent 12 years as a scout for the Texas Rangers and and was a pro scout in 2009 for the Cleveland Indians. His first year with the Nats is coinciding with the phenom that is Stephen Strasburg, the right-hander pitcher from San Diego State who is scheduled to make his big league debut on June 8 in Washington against the Pirates.

As a native of Harrisonburg, I have followed JMU baseball since the 1980s and was able to see Harris when he played for the Baysox back in the 1990s. I spoke to him a few days ago about Strasburg and he said he has relied heavily on the advice of many in the Washington organization, including Spin Williams, the minor league pitching coordinator for the Nats. Williams, 54, is the former big league pitching coach for the Pirates and spent more than 25 years as an instructor in the Pittsburgh system, in a variety of roles.

“Spin has been outstanding. He has been a great resource for me,” said Harris, who grew up in Carlisle, Pa. “He has been a guy I can go to, not just with pitching help but in confidence with a number of things.” Williams and Strasburg met last August in Florida after the pitcher signed with the club. “I think they have a great relationship,” Harris said. “Stephen was around him from the time he signed.” Williams and Harris both travel through the minor league system to see the Hagerstown Suns, Potomac Nationals, Harrisburg Senators and Syraucse Chiefs. Williams was on hand for two of the five starts Strasburg made for Harrisburg and has seen two of his first five starts with Syracuse. Strasburg is scheduled to pitch Thursday for Syracuse against Buffalo, the Mets’ top farm team whose roster includes reliever and former Nats pitcher Mike O’Connor of Ellicott City.

Harris said he did not think it was necessary for Williams to be on hand for every start Strasburg made this season. And that is how most organizations would handle their minor league pitching coordinator when it comes to the top pitching prospect. But Strasburg is THE best pitching prospect of any club. “We wanted to create some sense of normalcy with Stephen to the point where it is not overkill” with too many voices in his head, Harris said.

This has not been a normal season for the Nats’ minor league system. In addition to the hype around Strasburg, two catchers with Potomac (prospect Derek Norris and Brian Peacock) have been hit in the head with the ball while batting in the past few days but both appear to be out of serious danger. For Harris, the former Oriole prospect, his first year with the Nats is one he won’t forget.

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