I’d like to ramp up my efforts to complete more profile pages in the next few days, and hopefully have a page for every legit prospect by the time the minor league season starts. The 2008 predictions thing was a good idea, I thought, but as mentioned in the comments from yesterday, it just doesn’t seem like people care enough to participate, so maybe I’ll just figure out all of my projections for the rest of our prospects and post them all at once sometime before the season starts. I also got in touch with Kevin Goldstein at BP, his Phillies Top 10 hits the web on Monday, and he agreed to do another Q/A, so that will be interesting.
It seems interest in the blog is starting to wane. What would you like to see here that currently isn’t featured that would make this place more interesting to you? Or are you just feeling the “it’s almost spring training but not quite” blues right now?
Phuture Phillies 
I’m voting for the “it’s almost spring training but not quite” blues. For me at least, it’s just the dead period in the sports calendar: no baseball or football, and hockey and basketball will only really hold my attention come playoff time.
We’ve looked at pretty much everything we can with regard to next season, i.e. breakout prospects, possibilities for the major league roster, etc., and I think accurate statistical projections for these prospects is a little beyond most of us (not meaning to speak for everyone). Maybe the best thing to do would be to have some open-ended discussions like we’ve had in the past, like the “What to expect from Joe Bisenius” and the “What to do with Scott Mathieson” threads. Perhaps something on which infield prospects, if any, could be shifted to third base, or which starting pitchers do you see winding up in the bullpen.
Other than that, I think I’m just excited to see the rest of the profiles go up. That was a great addition to the site and should encourage even casual fans to take a gander at what the Phils have going on in the minors.
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It’s almost spring training but not quite.
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Those profile pages are gonna be useful in the coming days, however and are such a good idea that I hope you do not get discouraged.
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I like PF summarized it pretty well. It’s almost time for baseball again, but it’s been so long since anything has really happened that it’s just a lull.
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Maybe do something about the staffs at each level and their ballparks. Don’t go overboard with info and analysis, just more for informational purposes. Start with the Lehigh Valley staff and new park, then work your way down. I’d be interested to know more about the staffs, atleast the parts that are in place now and their ballparks. Some photos and facts would be fun.
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dont get discouraged you do great stuff. for me it’s hard to project the stats on a player i have never really seen. however, that does not mean i am not reading your blog or what others are saying…how about do a story on a current phillie and what they learned at the big league club that the minors couldnt teach him. how about a series of mock trades where we discuss what it would take from our farm for a bedard or blanton or so. keep up the good work
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I like the idea about more info about the stadiums and their staffs, since a lot of us will probably never get to see half of them.
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I agree with everyone else–it’s just a dead period. But I love the site and have learned a ton. The player profiles are great. I would be interested in learning about the staffs as well, especially the guys who are responsible for teaching hitting and pitching across the organization. It seems like the Phillies do a good job teaching guys to throw change-ups, for example, but I can’t remember any prospect who throws a cut fastball (I’m probably totally wrong here, so please forgive my ignorance)–does that have something to do with who is instructing these guys? I’d be curious about stuff like that.
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Getting up all the profiles would be great. Like everyone else, I think it is just a dead period in baseball. We have talked about all of the off season topics that are imaginable, and at this point, I just want to see some games and start seeing how these prospects are panning out. We can talk about prospects’ futures for only so long, we need to see those futures now!
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At one point I think you had said you might do a comparison of the phillies system to other systems, which i think is something that would be very interesting. The sense i get from what i read is that the phillies try to put as little money as possible in to the draft and farm system, to get enough prospects to maintain the team. I think given you’re knowledge of the players in the system, comparing those players to the body of players in other systems would be very interesting. Especially considering where the players come from, the money spent and the phillies seeming interest in reaching untapped parts of the world, with several Aussie players already, and now them reaching into Eastern Europe. Regardless, I wouldnt be discouraged by the lack of interest, this blog is incredible for what it does, and there really isnt anything like it out there. As spring training starts, interest will surely pick back up.
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I like the profiles, please continue with those….
I know its hard to find video of our minor leaguers on the web, but is there anyway to get some more video on some of these players?? I’ve searched and searched and there is some out there, but not really that great….
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Don’t worry about the momentary lull, James. You still provide excellent content and maintain an unusually civil and cogent atmosphere. I’m here several times a day even if I don’t always post.
I refrained from making detailed stat predictions because it feels more arbitrary than anything else, like predicting the weather six months from now or plotting a course to Neptune.
I used to do it but I found that emotion always got the better of reason anyway. Just ranking prospects by position is difficult enough, let alone accurately predicting stats.
As soon as Spring Training starts, you’ll see interest spike back up where it belongs.
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Thanks guys for the suggestions. I’m really not “worried”, the site still gets lots of hits every day, but I’m just trying to figure out what else I can add, and what else people are interested in reading. Some good ideas here, and some things I’ll work on. I do plan on providing my Top 100 prospects list next week, just need to tinker with it a bit more. So that will be something to discuss. And I do want to compare our system to the others in the division.
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I love this site, im here everyday. thank you so much.
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Good chance to scout the AA and AAA teams when Reading and Lehigh Valley square off in a pre season exibition game in Reading at 6;30 on April Fools Day.
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This is just a dead period and it’s hard to put up new and interesting stuff every day. By this time next month we’ll have so much to talk about it’ll keep everyones head spinning. But for now all we have is “are they gonna sign Benson?” and “will howard win his arbitration hearing?”- BTW- I bet yes on both and hope to get seats behind anna benson when Kris pitches
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I actually just recently stumbled across the site and I really enjoy reading it. It has helped me get through some slow afternoons at work.
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I hate to sound so rude, but this site kind of sucks as of late. You haven’t done ANYTHING remotely interesting, except the player profiles. If you want your hits to stay up, write something worth reading. If you have to, go off topic from the Phillies. What are your thoughts on the Bedard trade? About Schilling’s shoulder? Will he come back?
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Don’t underestimate the interest from so many of us that fall into lurker mode. Life is busy, sometimes we don’t have the knowledge or stats to participate. But that doesn’t mean we’re not here EVERY day reading and “getting educated” on our favorite team and topics. Keep up the great work!
Alex
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All your profile photographs seem gleaned from the internet- but maybe I just missed others. I’d be interested in seeing you put out a request to gather photos from readers of players- and also views from the park’s themselves. As part of a gallery, and to add to profiles.
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Things will become hot & heavy in just a couple weeks.
As we know, spring training is a joy to see/read about as a confederation of hopes for the forthcoming season of surprises, anxieties, and satisfactions.
This lull will end soon enough as everybody takes a deep breath to determine just where the team is and shall be….with excitement generated by the “maybes” and hints of things to come.
So…the lull will end with the “bang” of ST, not the present “whimper.”
An uncensored site for these discussions will continue to draw Phils fans who look to the immediate and longer term possibilities for the club. The casual and Johnny-come-lately fans may have to learn the benefits here…and become more knowledgeable about the game and this team through free discussions without censorship or harrying those who may disagree.
Good!
Keep on truckin’
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How about some info on Michael Durant? Will he be another Ryan Howard or another Jeff Jackson?
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I liked the projections but I just felt I had no basis on which to project and I’m sure many feel like me. I’m sure there are lots of people like me who prefer as a whole to read rather than comment, although I do take the time to say something stupid from occasionally.
I think one things start happening again the action will pick up. We’re in a dead spot in the year as far as baseball news.
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The site is great. Nothing is going on right now that hasn’t been discussed in the off season already. I guess we are all the point where it is almost spring training so lets just wait and see.
keep up the good work
Nick
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xfactor said:
“I refrained from making detailed stat predictions because it feels more arbitrary than anything else, like predicting the weather six months from now or plotting a course to Neptune.”
I felt the same way, but I read every post, so I think it was worthwhile. Just seemed that after a few predictions, the average was already there and would not change significantly. It did generate qualitative comments, which I learned from.
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I posted this on Questions/Topics earlier and thought I would repeat it over here as many of you seem “ready for the fight” with ST right around the corner.
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Having never been to Spring Training, can some of our veteran members spend a little time explaining what goes on every day? Sure the Phillie Team plays almost everyday against the other Big League guys in the area, but what are all the prospects doing? What is their day like? Do they have games scheduled, and are they “moved around” at all from squad to squad? Do they scrimmage, play other clubs, or what? Are they housed by the team? Where?
Might sound elementary or mundane to some of you, but to some of us, it’s new and intriguing.
Will someone be down there reporting back to us? Not just on the Big Team, but on the rest of the guys as well?
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Stick to the knitting. The site is great and interest will pick up soon. Predicting stats is a real reach for me, so I’ll pass on that.
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I’m with most others on here in that its just a dead period right now. Once spring training games begin and we get a better idea of who’s being assigned where, things will pick-up.
As for the projections, I don’t get to see enough of these players to give an educated guess but I enjoy reading others thoughts.
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I thought I read somewhere that Zach Segovia pitched all last season with shoulder problems( which might account for his horrible season) and that it seems to be OK now. Do you have any information about this?
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I still check the site everyday, but not a big fan of trying to project actual numbers for prospects. Its basically a guessing game and Im more into actual stats and actual prospect qualities than playing a number guessing game. But keep up the good work…..its almost springtime!!
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Wonderful blog, making the projections I do not think is as rewarding as many of the other things you have done.
More open handed questions, your opening discussions would be great…. like Lets talk about the AA READING, or lets talk about who might make it to the Phillies who is not currently on the 25 man roster, or who are we going to lose to waivers?
Not in any way a complaint, just a suggestion to the best blog of its type anywhere. Thanks again.
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This a great site. I continue to read almost every day but it is, as others have said, a dead time. Also, I think that as the popularity of the blog has increased, the comments have become less educated, and sometimes less intelligent. But with all success, there are unintended consequences. Your analysis is still excellent and remains a reason in and of itself to return to the blog every day.
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I like getting opinons of others who have seen the propects play. Try to get from them who the Phils prospects play like or remind them of. I have read that Dominic Brown was compared by a manager in NY-Penn league to a Darryl Strawberry; or Tavis Mattair to a Scott Rolen by the Phils minor league dept. for example.
Also which starting pitcher, reliever and postion player at each level in the organization, once the rosters are set, will have break out 08 years to move them from suspect to prospect status. My picks: Fabio Castro (SP) at AAA; Brad Harman (Pos) at AA; Darren Byrd (SP) at high A ; Joel Naughton (Pos) at A for example.
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First… Sean, the site is about P-H-I-L-L-I-E-S. If you don’t like the content… Contribute something that doesn’t suck or start your own blog (Good luck with that!) or go find another blog. Constructive criticism is great. Destructive criticism SUCKS!
Second… Things are starting to heat up, here in Clearwater. Some of the players have arrived. Informal workouts have begun. I’ll have pics next week. PP… let me know where to send.
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Alex.. Minor camp starts in early March. Like the majors… They stretch and tune up for a week or so. Then they play a series of games. They are split into two groups based on how they project. (But not locked in) AA/AAA and A and below. Every day both groups play games against their counterparts from the Reds, Rays, Jays, Yankees, Pirates and Orioles. For example: Phils AA/AAA will host the Yankees AA/AAA at Carpenter Complex. The Phils A and below will play at the Yankees complex.
They break camp about a week after the majors. Most head for assignments at the various minor league levels. Those in rehab will stay in extended spring training. They are joined with others destined for short season Williamsport and others not quite ready for life at the low A level. (MLB guys on rehab work out with these guys too. Last year I saw Lieber start a tune up game against the Threshers.)
For anyone planning to come see the Phils train… Stop at the Carpenter office. They have minor camp game schedules. The games usually start at 1pm. It’s open to the public and free! It’s a great way to see Phils (and other team stars) of the future up close.
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thresherfan- i have started my own blog. In the winter, I don’t post too much, but when I do, it’s quality work. Check it out some time
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Sean,
Hmmm…You have a blog… But, in the winter you “don’t post too much.” Yet here, you complain “You haven’t done ANYTHING remotely interesting, except the player profiles. If you want your hits to stay up, write something worth reading.” So, without current content… your blog must SUCK! Why give advise on running a blog when you can’t do it yourself?
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ThresherFan,
You’re the only one who has said (s)he’ll be at ST. I hope you’re going to be our eyes and ears for this. Sittin’ here in the snow is getting real old. We’re gonna’ want to know EVERYTHING!
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ThresherFan, don;t knock my site until you see it. I have been RECRUITED by MLBHub.com to write for them because they think I have an amazing site.
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Ok Sean, you win. You are indeed the world’s greatest authority on blogging. This blog should be honored to be blessed with your advice. We are all lucky to have witnessed your pearls of wisdom. Thank you for preferring to blog here, instead of your own site. May your part time blog be fertilized with the same types of comments as the ones that you have left here.
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ok fellas, that should do it. No more back and forth, or I’ll just remove the comments. Most people were constructive in terms of suggestions, some weren’t. We’ll move on.
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The profiles are obviously great as the scouting reports are a great addition to getting a feel for the players. Part of it may be the off-season blues, but another part of it may be the fact that looking at the Phils minor league system is kind of depressing. If the system was better, then there would probably be more interest, though that is obviously out of your hands.
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