I wanted to give a proper writeup on our two short season affiliates, but with work and my moving to a new place in the last two weeks, I’ve kind of been spotty in my coverage here. The draft consumed quite a bit of my time, and now it’s time for the season to begin. So, in lieu of me writing up the work of others, check out these two discussions, one for the GCL team and one for Williamsport, which deal with the players assigned there and likely arrivals as well.
Some random thoughts….
* I think Jesus Sanchez should be in Williamsport, and I think he will end up there, hopefully sooner than later. He and d’Arnaud are the two best catching prospects we have at that level, they should get the bulk of the games behind the plate.
* Michael Durant really better destroy the ball in Williamsport, or his time as a prospect might be close to finished.
* Joe Savery’s assignment is probably going to be predicated on how much he pitches in the remainder of the College World Series. My solution? Send him to Lakewood, let him play 1B or DH, and have him throw side sessions with pitching coach Ed Hodge. Savery’s bat is more advanced than any position player prospect we drafted, and he could provide some quality offense in the infield next to Cardenas. There’s no real need for him to put more innings on his arm in short season games, but it would definitely benefit him to work with professional coaching to get him ready for 2008.
Phuture Phillies 
I like your idea regarding Savery, but i am a little worried that throwing him in for half a season as a batter would confuse him. LIke Drabek we need to make a decision on wether he is a position player or a pitcher
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Well, I think they should simply tell him “you’re going to be a full time pitcher, but we want you to stay in game shape, play the season, and be involved”. By using him in that manner, you control the number of pitches he throws on the side, you don’t run the risk of fatigue with his arm, and he still gets regular game action. I think he should throw lots of side sessions, work on mechanics, etc etc, and that it would be more valuable for him to do that with the pitching coach than for him to go out there every 5th day and throw 40 pitches against a bunch of high school and college kids.
To me, this situation is the best because it allows him to get himself acclimated to pro ball, to work with a pro pitching coach, but it allows him to save his arm and come back in 2008 100% and ready to go.
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I would be shocked if the Phillies simply allowed Savery to play out the string this year as a position player. I am not saying that it would be the wrong thing to do, but if he’s not going to pitch, I would imagine he would probably be placed in some type of summer/fall training program and might even throw some easy innings in very low A ball just to keep sharp as I think the Phillies organization would be shy about looking like they don’t know what they are doing (the Phillies care very much about the perceptions of others in baseball – they won’t admit it, but they do – which is why they are usually followers, not leaders). But, overall, I’m with you – college ball (and high school ball) can really stress a young arm and this fellow is coming off an injury. There’s no reason for him not to get fully rested up and get some ABs in.
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Agreed. And if they are against him playing 1B or DH’ing for the rest of the summer, then I’d just shut him down completely and start him on a strengthening program and have him come out guns a blazin’ next spring.
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Drabek did some DH time last summer, its not completely outside the realm of possibility with the phils- but I don’t think they’d shut him down pitching, get him 3 or 4 starts, and then let him rest- he hasn’t pitched a full load this year compared to most top college starters.
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That’s really a fine, innovative idea. Therefore, I don’t think the Phillies will do it. Fine, innovative ideas don’t usually happen in baseball. They seem to mainly do things because they’ve always done them that way.
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One has to be a little excited about the offense at GCL this year. Quiroz looks to be a high OBP CF with speed. Rincon hit .320 with doubles power in the DSL last year, and Murillo led the VSL in homers. In the outfield both Warren and McDonald have the potential to be power/speed guys that excel in their second try at GCL. Sanchez should also hit in his second go around at the league. For a change it looks like the offense is a little ahead of the pitching, where it is likely that the younger guys (Correa, Roth, Matos, Florentino) will get lots of innings with mixed results. Melendez will probably be the top starter on the team, though he is a little older at age 20 and will have to prove he is a prospect each year at his size (5’11”, 172).
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Hey Andy, would you want to do a little writeup on all of the guys on the GCL squad that played in the VSL/DSL last year? You’ve probably got more info on them than I do.
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OK. I’ll get something up on the non-draft new players in the next day or two. Probably should add Schoenberger to the list from Australia as he is a little bit of a surprise on the roster.
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So, you think that Michael Durant is on the Hot Seat?
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I do. This is his 3rd pro season, and he’s still in short season ball, that’s not a very promising sign. The one thing he has going for him is a lack of 1B prospects in the org that would make him expendable.
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