Monthly Archives: August 2008

Monday musings

2008 Draft, Savery, Joe

I have a few random (and a few not so random) thoughts today, and then I’ll open the floor for discussion. So lets just get right to it.

* I wanted to make a remark about the recent direction the site has been heading. This is NOT a website for discussing the major league team. If you want to discuss the Phillies, the major league team, there are TONS of websites out there, including a really well written blog here. If you just have to talk about the latest Carlos Ruiz AB, you can find tons of message boards and blogs where that would be appropriate. My sole intention for starting this site was to discuss the minor leagues and the amateur side relating to the Phillies, because I felt that was an area that was lacking. Its my intention to keep it that way. I’ve generally been lenient with regard to moderating these types of discussions, and I’ve allowed lots of non-related talk. Well, from this point on, I’m just going to remove comments that are off topic. Its that simple. If your post disappears, its either because you posted tons of links in one reply (those get caught in moderation momentarily, they’ll show up once approved) or because you posted something that has nothing to do with the minor leagues. Its really disrespectful to my volunteers here who put in a lot of time writing a weekly report to have people discussing Jimmy Rollins or Carlos Ruiz in their weekly post. Its not going to happen anymore.

Continue reading Monday musings →

Williamsport and GCL Weekly Report (8/11-8/17)

2. GCL, 3. Williamsport

Williamsport

The Crosscutters kept in line with their season by going 4-4 this week. They remain one game over .500 at 29-28. They remain in fourth place in the NYP Pinckney division, 5.5 GB of first place Batavia. This week the team bid farewell to another key memberwhen Travis D’Arnaud was promoted to Lakewood.

Continue reading Williamsport and GCL Weekly Report (8/11-8/17) →

Phillies sign Jarred Cosart

2008 Draft

Taken from an updated article on the Phillies.com website

The Phillies signed high-school right-hander Jarred Cosart, a 38th-round pick, in the hour leading up to the deadline. His fastball has been clocked as high as 94 mph.

This definitely came out of left field. I was under the impression, based on everything I’d read, that Cosart was unsignable. This is what BA had on him

As an outfielder, Jarred Cosart broke Jay Buhner’s Clear Creek High record for batting average this spring, hitting .506 to Buhner’s .480. But pro teams are more interested in Cosart as a loose, athletic 6-foot-3, 180-pound righthander. He reached 96 mph with his fastball in the fall, but he topped out at 92 this spring. He’s more of a project as a pitcher than he is as a hitter, as he has an awkward pause in the middle of his delivery that compromises his ability to throw strikes or refine his secondary pitches. He wanted top-three-rounds money to sign, which means he’ll likely attend Missouri, where he’ll play both ways.

So we’re talking somewhere around $400K or so, it would seem. It will be real interesting to see whether the Phillies want him to pitch or hit. This is a big signing on a lot of levels.

EDIT —>

PGCrosschecker’s most recent comments on him

Jarred Cosart is a 2008 OF/1B/3B/P with a 6’3”, 180 lb. frame from League City, TX who attends Clear Creek HS. Tall athletic build, outstanding raw tools, recorded highest velocity ever in a workout from the outfield, quick wrists at the plate, solid middle of the field contact, level swing plane, good raw hitting tools, great actions, solid footwork, unbelievable arm strength, quick clean arm action on the mound, balanced delivery, nice extension, sharp 11 to 5 curveball, curveball is an out pitch, nice sink and run on change-up, feel for three above average pitches, strong student, highest level prospect, potential early round draft pick.

EDIT #2 —->

I created a small chart to highlight the Phillies notable picks and how the slotting came into play. You can see it here.

The bonus figures for the first 5 rounds are estimates from BA in terms of the slots, the bonus amounts for everyone but Cosart are confirmed. The Cosart bonus is a pure guess on my part, but its based on what was given to Sampson last year, it could have been even higher. There is no real slot past the 10th round, and even bonuses from the 6th-10th rounds widely vary. This was a huge draft for the Phillies. Not only did they nab a big time arm in the 38th round, but they took a bunch of high ceiling guys in the first 10 rounds and signed all but one. Shreve is an easy guy to overlook because hes out injured, but before the injury he was considered a supplemental first round pick.

This was a huge draft for the Phillies. Huge.

Carrasco makes the BA Hotsheet

Ten Pack/Hot Sheet

We now interrupt draft bickering to congratulate C-Squared on his re-appearance on the weekly hot sheet at BA.

Team: Triple-A Lehigh Valley (International)
Age: 21
Why he’s here: 1-1, 0.75, 12 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 18 SO
The Scoop: After a solid Triple-A debut (6 2/3 innings, two runs, four strikeouts, two walks, six hits), Carrasco flat-out dominated both Buffalo and Scranton this week, striking out 10 and then eight batters—though he was undermined last night by a balk and then a wild pitch, costing him a chance for a win. Nevertheless, Carrasco pitched at 93-96 mph for much of the outing and effectively mixed in his curveball.

Michael Taylor also appeared in the honorable mentions section.

Iron Pigs Report

7. Lehigh Valley

After a 2-3 week, Lehigh Valley now stands at 51-75, in last place in the Northern Division of the International League, 25.5 games behind division leading Scranton.  WIth a little over two weeks left in the season, the ‘Pigs are focused on trying to move out of last place in the North, and further trying to assure that they dont have the worst record in the IL. Continue reading Iron Pigs Report →

Signing deadline today; the crow flies at midnight

2008 Draft

If you find any articles talking about unsigned Phillies picks coming to terms, please post them here. I’ll do my best to check regularly and update this post as things develop, if anything develops. The Phillies drafted tons of high ceiling high school kids and have signed a few of them already, while also adding hard throwing college pitchers as well. I’ll have more thoughts on the draft after the deadline has passed. For now, just post here if you find anything and I’ll update as needed.

Unsigned picks

226. Johnny Coy, 3B (Benson HS, MO)
376. Ryan (James) Weber, RHP (Central Clearwater Catholic HS, FL)
766. Daniel Edwards, RHP (Kansas State)
886. Keon Broxton, 3B (Lakeland High School, FL) [Likely to sign?]
916. DJ Henderson, SS (Southeastern HS, MI)
1006. James Simpson, 1B (Dowagiac Union HS, MI)
1036. Blaine O’Brien, RHP (Scituate HS, MA)
1126. Matthew Johnson, OF (John W North HS, CA)
1156. Jarred Cosart, RHP (Clear Creek HS, TX)
1186. Joseph Pond, RHP (Judge Memorial Catholic HS, UT)
1216. Daniel Marrs, RHP (James River HS, VA)
1246. Michael Petello, OF (Scottsdale CC, AZ)
1335. Charles Law, RHP (Mainland Regional HS, NJ)
1363. Justin Zumwalde, 1B (Sabino HS, AZ)
1390. Giovany Soto, LHP (Advanced Central College HS)
1444. Mark Ginther, SS (Jenks HS, OK)
1471. Michael Russo, RHP (Hun School, NJ)
1498. Josh Hake, RHP (Park University, AZ)

Reading Phillies Weekly Report (8/6-8/12)

Other Stuff

It is a bit sad to write about the Reading Phillies these days.  Many of the prospects who started the year at Reading have moved on, either through promotions, trades, or the Olympics.  However, we are left with a few nice prospects at Reading, mostly arms, who might be able to help the big league club in the near future.  Which is nice, because they aren’t helping the Reading Phillies at the moment, as the club lost 5 of 7 games on the week, mostly because of a putrid offense which scored only 24 runs in the 7 games.  Let’s highlight some of the prospects and take a look at what they have done…

Continue reading Reading Phillies Weekly Report (8/6-8/12) →

Daily Discussion; 8/13

Daily Discussion

We’ll take a quick look at last night’s notables, and then get to today’s action.

* Reading wins 3-2.

Harman 1/4 with a HR, Slayden 1/4 with a HR, Golson 0/4. Carpenter was good.

* Clearwater lost 3-1.

Pitching phenom Rick Porcello got the win. Naylor posted his 2nd straight QS. Berry extended his hitting streak, Michael Taylor returned with a 2/4 night and a HR.

* Lakewood won 4-0.

Stutes again the story, taking a no hitter into the 7th inning. Now has a 0.35 ERA in 4 starts. Rizzotti was 3/3, Galvis 1/3 with a 2B.

Continue reading Daily Discussion; 8/13 →

Michael Taylor, and other misc thoughts

Other Stuff

I’ve searched the interwebs high and low, no official word on Michael Taylor, but the unofficial word I’ve heard is a minor elbow tweak. I expect he’ll be back in a few days. I’ve gotten at least 10 emails asking about him, sorry I haven’t replied, I figured I’d just address it here. Kyle Drabek has now pitched 3 times since returning from TJ surgery, 9 IP – 0.00 ERA – 4 H – 3 BB – 4 K. 2.14 Groundouts to Air Outs. And he’s healthy. This news can only be considered great. And finally, it appears JA Happ isn’t sulking about no longer being in the bigs. He tossed a 6 inning gem two nights ago, striking out 10 and walking only 1 while not allowing a run. He has a 3.05 ERA in his last 59 minor league innings and looks poised to step into the rotation should a need arise. Carlos Carrasco is also loving life in AAA, not allowing an ER in his first two starts, striking out 14 and walking only 2 in 12.2 IP. Today is a good news Tuesday for sure.

Phillies sign Pettibone, hopeful on Weber

2008 Draft

Wow. Just days after reading that Pettibone had hired Scott Boras and things weren’t looking good, the Phillies come to terms with Pettibone, for somewhere in the neighborhood of 500K. And while I’m really happy about that, you’ve also got to love this quote

The Phillies could still lose seventh-rounder Johnny Coy and 12th-rounder James Weber. The team offered Coy, a two-sport standout at Arizona State, the chance to join the organization after the basketball season ends, though he appears to be leaning toward returning to school.

As for Weber, Wolever said, “I wouldn’t rule that one out. There’s definitely a chance. I’m optimistic.”

This draft, without any more signings, is a B+/A- for me. Add in Weber and its the most promising Phillies draft in….well….ever?