Again from Baseball Betsy’s blog
http://baseballbetsy.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/20130313-130652.jpg
Some Thoughts:
- Joseph is clearly ahead of Rupp and Valle
- Franco drops back a group with the return of Asche as does Altherr with the return of James, Mitchell, and Gillies
- Tocci in a group ahead of Greene and Cozens, speaks to a lack of low minors CF depth but is good for him possibly starting in Lakewood
-Mecias and Vargas still ahead of Gueller
- Josh Ludy drops far down the groups behind Lino and Moore
- JRod in Group 2 looks like he is heading back to Reading
- On a whole Group 4 pitchers might be the most interesting group in the system
Where is Astudillo?
If it were up to me the only HS Drafts from last season that would open in Lakewood would be Watson. I’d hold the rest of them including Tocci back and let them open their season in WPT.
Regarding your comment on the group 4 pitchers: I agree. I thought the same thing when the 1st workout listing was posted. The 5 man rotation for Lakewood has a lot of candidates.
Shane Watson
Lino Martinez
Josh Warner
Franklyn Vargas
Yoel Mecias
Kevin Walter
JD Therien
It will be interesting to see which 5 get the starting spots.
Nick Hernandez in Group 3 pitchers. I suspect that’s the same Nicholas Hernandez we drafted a few years back. Promising lefty if I recall but hasn’t pitched in a few years. Anyone recall his injury history?
Kelly Dugan in group 2. Wonder if he goes to Reading. I think he’s a double candidate but it’s probably just as likely that he slides down in the coming weeks
Looking like Joseph could be the starting C at LV. Certainly not how I would have predicted it, but I think the FO gets this one right. Hopefully Valle hears the message and heads back to Reading on a mission
Tim Kennelly with Group 3 pitchers
i get the feeling that even if Joseph is the starter at LV Valle will be there too as the backup and getting at bats at DH
This would be a good scenario. Valle’s worked hard to become a solid defensive catcher, but his focus now should be on improving (or, more precisely, developing some semblance of) his approach at the plate. Working at DH or 1B, with some games at C to spell Joseph (who needs the reps defensively) might allow him to become more focused on that aspect of his game.
Either way, the org is likely to want to showcase Valle during the first half, with Joseph, Rupp, Lino and others working their way up the chain.
After his performance this spring, I’ve changed my tune and think that Joseph should be a LHV. The club needs to find out if he is at least an option to partially replace chooch next year
Nick hernandez is coming back from labrum tear.
A couple of new names on this, a few names left off – any ideas on what happened?:
New:
C Matt Hitt (Group 5)
P Corey Young (Group 1)
Left off from last list:
C Shawn Williams (Group 1)
C Willians Astudillo (Group 3)
P Ryan Duke (Group 2)
P San Lazaro Solano (Group 4)
i believe duke was released
Yeah. I think Duke was released last summer.
How could he have been released last summer but on the Workout Group list from last week?
He was released though, yesterday. http://www.phoulballz.com/2013/03/phillies-release-rhp-ryan-duke.html
My bad. I was thinking of Ryan Sasaki. Somehow I mixed them up.
Duke was released yesterday morning. He was on last weeks list
–BaseballBetsy
What does the * next to players’ names mean? I can’t seem to figure it out.
What does the * next to players’ names mean? I can’t seem to figure it out.
* is left handed and # is switch hitter, sometimes the records are old though on those
There is one interesting change, Brian Pointer is trying to switch hit. At first I thought it was a typo but I saw him today hitting right handed against a lefty(he made an out). Walding crushed a double to RF gap and Quinn singled on a high chopper up the middle. Quinn also stole a base but the ump called him out, Morandini freaked I thought he was going to get tossed from a Minor league ST game! Inch pitched 2 innings and got 5 ground outs (one a DP) plus a BB. Only saw one Cozens AB a deep fly out. Tocci was listed as a reserve but did not see any action.
How did t.greene do
Woohow – live minor league game action! Thanks for the update gkit!!!
Thanks for the update, its like water on a desert island…. Mickey does get very intense, its pretty cool. That LWood team will certainly have some offensive potential again. Last year, they had a quick start but then shut down until late in the year when Franco and Dugan turned it on. It could be lots of fun this year. CWater again looks to be a weak team, led by Franco, Dugan and Altherr but as Asche showed last year, some guys really do turn it around. I look forward to our annual “who will turn it around/step it up this year?” segment. I’m sure Altherr wil get lots of votes as will Walding (my choice). Another guy could be Hudson. Any votes for Martinez, our 2nd round pick? I didn’t think so…
Where do u think hudson will go…mickey sure was exciting to watch last year ..i went to a lot of claws games last year as I live near there & mickeys a great guy…anyone know what a possible blueclaws lineup or players will be next great thanx
Hudson should be starting CF in LWood with L Greene and Pointer in the corners. Cozens and Tocci are the wildcards. Good spring trainings could put either of them here. Infield should have newcomer Charles at 1B, T Greene (or Pullin or Mora) at 2B, with Quinn and Walding at SS and 3B. The catcher should be Lino, Numata or Moore. Carmona will probably be the veteran DH. The lineup to start could be Quinn, Hudson, Pointer, Charles, L Greene, Carmona, Walding, T Greene, Lino.
Yes, Mickey is a very good dude.
I’m a little surprised there aren’t any comments about Larry Greene jr being semt back to group 4. They have Jonathan Knight in group 3, which would logically be LGjs spot. They did that for a reason.
Looking at Group 3 there is Pointer, Perkins, John (Zach) Taylor, and Lavin all developmentally ahead of him at this point getting corner reps. Group 4 looks like Lakewood/Williamsport so I am not worried too much. Knight is a CF so he isn’t in Greene’s spot.
I know Knight plays CF, but he doesn’t have to play it in that group. Gauntlett Eldemire is a CF, Lavin is a CF, Tocci is CF and Pointer has played a lot of CF. That is Five (5) Centerfielders in that group. The need for CFs is not a good reason for Jonathan Knight to be in group 3, ahaed of LGJ.
Go figure! You need to get Joe Jordan’s twitter account/email address and ask him what’s his reasoning?
I’m just hope that Larry Greene did not come into camp ridiculously out of shape. That is the only reason I can see the team flip flopping him and Jonathan Knight on the workout groups, one week after camp opened.
Lot’s of competition for jobs is going on. I thought the LWood 2B job was between Tyler Greene and Pullin and now I see that Mora played 2B with Quinn yesterday so he’s in the mix too. There are tons of pitchers fighting for jobs and many will ultimately get released. Who will play 3B at Reading? Will they let Martinez have a shot at it? I still think there’s a chance that they’ll trade Valle because there’s no place for him and the bloom is off that rose.
I know its a long shot trade, but what if the Phils want to keep Inciarte bad enough (but not keep him on the team), would him for Valle straight up be a good deal?
No, Valle is still young at a premium position, which he is good defensively at. I don’t like Valle a ton but he is at least a back up.