Monday’s ST game against the Yankees will be on MLB Network at 1PM. I’m not sure of their blackout rules during ST, but if the game is being aired in Philly or New York (its one of them, obviously) then you might be blacked out via MLBN, but you can still watch on whatever the local affiliate is. Probably going to see more of the MLB regulars as the games progress, but still time to catch a bunch of prospects before re-assignments. I’m going to try and catch the game as it happens, and if I can, I’ll post some thoughts in real time.
In the meantime, a few articles. Zolecki talking with Phillippe Aumont about reverting back to his pre-draft mechanics. I’m optimistic about this. Delco Times article on Domonic Brown. He appears to be meeting everyone’s expectations so far in ST.
Check below for my in game thoughts
Update 1:13 – John Mayberry is the only prospect in the starting lineup, Kyle Kendrick starts on the mound. He looked solid in his debut, his delivery seems to have been tweaked a bit and he was getting good movement on his fastball.
Update 1:18 – Great stuff from Kendrick. Threw a beautiful straight changeup to Tex on a 2-1 count and had him way out in front, then jams him inside and gets a flyball to center field. I’ve been impressed with him thus far this spring in my two brief looks.
Update 2:00 – A nice piece of hitting by Ben Francisco there. He looks comfortable at the plate, put a great swing on that pitch and laced it into the gap. 2-0 Phillies. Mayberry follows up with an RBI single as well.
Update 3:02 – Domonic Brown now in the game.
Update 3:14 – Mathieson now pitching. His motion looks a bit more free and easy than it did before his first major surgery. YES had him at 94 mph on the strikeout fastball. Sitting at 92-94, hit 95, and threw a sharp downward breaking slider/curve. It had curveball rotation straight down, but with slider velocity at 84 mph. He then gives up a double and a single, the runner scores on the single though Brown hit the the throw to home plate on the fly, just late and slightly off line.
So a summary on Mathieson. His fastball was 92-95, lots of 94’s, but it was arrow straight, which means he’s going to have be precise with his location and selection. He bounced a few breaking balls, but also threw a few nice ones for strikes right around the plate. His delivery looks fairly smooth, all of the effort that was there back in 2006 looks to have been cleaned up.
Update 3:32 – Rule 5’er David Herndon in. He kind of slings the ball up there, fastball has decent life, but he’s 89-91 and throwing nothing but fastballs. Walks the first guy, then an error, uh oh. And he escapes. His fastball has good movement, and he coaxed 3 groundballs, 1 for an error, 1 for a double play, and one for a 4-3 putout to end the inning. Good stuff.
Update 3:53 – Domonic Brown comes up as the winning run, battles to a 3-2 count, and then flies out to moderately deep RF, having just missed a fastball from Kevin Whelan. A moderately irrelevant observation, but Brown has a toe-tap type timing mechanism before he starts to transfer his weight in his swing, and I wonder how that impacts his overall timing. He showed a nice eye, and though he swung and missed on two high fastballs, it was a nice AB.
That’s a wrap for me.
Phuture Phillies 
FYI, the YES Network is airing the game.
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My first thoughts were that Phillipe Aumont would start in Reading. Now I am convinced that he should start in Clearwater while working on his mechanics. No need to have him get crushed at Double A while working on things.
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This is a little off topic. But the annoucers in the sunday game
went to lengths to explain that Happ had a rib cage injury last year late. Did I miss that or was it yet another coverup that lets the player hang in the wind with a “tired arm”
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RE: nowheels please
I’d hope that the supposed rib cage injury was more of a coverup for why they didn’t start him in the post season than anything else. Happ was the best pitcher next to Lee last year and had we pitched him instead of Hamels, Blanton, or Pedro in the WS, I think the outcome could have be wholly different.
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Nowheels, you missed it. Google “J.A. Happ ribcage injury” and you’ll find reports from last September. You might even note in Happ’s gamelogs that he did not pitch from Sept. 2 until the 18th. I think it was well documented at the time.
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Happ’s injury was well-known and publicly announced.
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I just joined the game, how did we score that run?
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Rollins solo HR
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Damn, another conspiracy theory shot to pieces. There has to be some nefarious reason why Phillies management is trying to keep these guys from having success.
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Rollins’ home run was on the game’s first pitch. Nice Yankee debut for Javier Vazquez!
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I’m looking forward to the latter innings, btw. When the reserves come in it’s a decent preview of the players who’ll make up the Ironpigs and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
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3up3kkk
Did you know Happ was hurt last year or not. Yes or No.
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Alan
Thanks i Knew Happ pitched only a few innings but not why or the extent of his injury. Big,big fan.
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nowheels – I knew. It was in the papers.
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This place never fails to amaze.
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NoWheels – dude ur way off topic and who the hell cares. It was well known and was not hidden in any manner. Dont u remember Rodrigo Lopez’s / Kendrick made a few starts while Happ was unavailable
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I have been at all of the games since Thursday, and I am watching on tv today. The young outfielders have looked great. With Gillies in CF and Brown in RF they cover an amazing amount of ground. They have both made some sweet diving catches but more impressive are the balls that look like doubles off the bat that they just coast under and turn in to routine grabs.
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Also noteworthy is the sheer size of Aumont and Rodriguez. These guys are giants. Watching Aumont pitch, he just looks like a closer, not really sure why. He looked much more comfortable in his second appearance, although he still had some control issues.
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Actually Rodrigo made his starts in July when Happ was still healthy. Moyer and Kendrick both starts when Happ was out
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Yes Nowheels, I actually did believe all of the stories in the newspapers and online last Sept that Happ had a rib-cage issue.
Did the Phillies play up the injury, well of course not. Just like they didn’t say much about Lidge’s knee/elbow or Utley’s hip the year before. Teams generally don’t like to announce to potential playoff opponents which players are hurting, how bad the injury is, and which ones are not.
Sorry but you really need to get off of this conspiracy nut kick that somehow the team’s management actually wants certain players to fail. There’s no logic in it…
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As for the actual game, on thing Vazquez can do is give up the longball…
Only concern is Rollins hitting HRs early will get him into uppercut mode early.
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Great to see Mathieson out there pitching.
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When do they start the Minor League Exhibition games?
Is there a schedule somewhere, I remember seeing one last year.
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From what I recall from mathieson’s time in Philly a few years ago, his fastball was very straight back then too. That was my biggest concern then, and will be now. Don’t care how hard you throw, if it’s straight, it will get hit.
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How was his secondary pitches? Or did he just throw fastballs?
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Minor league games start around 3/15.
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never heard mathieson fastball was straight? He has really good stuff, injury the only thing holding him back, is what i have read about him.
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Thanks Murray. I just read on Brian Gump’s website that the position players just reported today, so games starting on the 15th sounds right.
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I seen Mathieson Pitch his debut game against the Devil Rays (yes they were still the devil rays) I remember it well because it was my anniversary. We had great seats in right field so I couldn’t tell you what his fastball was doing but I can tell you they were squaring him up pretty good. Roco Baldelli hit one to right center that I still think is orbiting the earth.
I’m still pulling for him to make something of himself even if its a middle inning relief pitcher.
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What was Kendrick’s final line?
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Mathieson’s fastball looked straight to me.
He struck out the first 2 batters looking, then gave up a double and a single before getting out of the inning.
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I have been looking over the possible Lehigh and Reading rotations and they seem a little crowded. In Lehigh: Duckworth, Vogelsong, Carpenter, Savery and Stutes. In Reading: JC Ramirez, Flande, Worley, E Garcia and Cisco. DeFratus and Aumont are being made into starters. I am probably missing someone. Where are they all going to start?
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Just like Hamels, Mathieson needs to get a cutter working so long as it doesn’t harm his arm. Thus, 3 pitches available: his FB (straight?), his slider and his cutter, if learned. People also say that Hamels’ FB is also straight. His adding the cutter will–I believe-make him one of the best in MLB, IF he learns it well AND can throw strikes with it.
I am less enthusiastic about Hamels’ curve which in 2009 was a “sweeper” staying in the hitting zone seemingly forever screaming “HIT ME”! If he is reconstituting his curve, it needs to have a sharp break DOWNWARD, not across the plate. The question to me is : since he throws from a somewhat 3/4 arm motion that seems to be a bit sidearmed, the downward movement of the ball is sacrificed for the movement of his “sweeper.” Wishing for downward.
There are many MLB pitchers who thrive because of that cutter pitch. Since I believe that Halladay carries a cutter and curve in his arsenal, and is a workout freak, maybe Hamels can learn more from him together with Dubee.
Excelsior!
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Who else thinks that D-Brown JUST missed a 3-run HR there at the end? He got under it a tad, but it was a good swing against a pitcher who looked like he had decent stuff.
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P.S–Can we consider that Moyer is being showcased for trading possibilities?
I would be pleased if that were so.
Holding back younger “ready” pitchers (See Kendrick) is not a good plan.
Yes, I know that the market for a 48 yr old may be slim, but SOMEBODY could use his pitching even if it is not great but just average. Pitching depth remains an issue throughout the 30 teams….
I don’t want to see Kendrick go back to the minors; he has paid his dues and the chance should now open for him. He just might end up improving his status in the starters…moving up.
At least he deserves a full and open chance.
Even if he begins the season in the pen, he could start later after (I hope) Moyer is traded.
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Moyer will be the 5th starter going into 2010…count on it. KK will be the #1 in Lehigh for now. The Phillies have 8 million reasons to see if Moyer can be effective…like Eaton in 08 and Park in 09, he’ll have a shot to be terrible for the first 6-8 weeks of the season.
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Rotation wise I’ll go with the following:
Phils-Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, Happ, Kendrick
Pigs- Savery, Mazone, Carpenter, Duckworth, Vogelsong/Stutes/Bump
R Phils- Stutes (if not in AAA), Flande, Ramirez, Worley, Aumont/Garcia/Cisco (2 outta the 3 in the pen)
In the pen for the minors its a toss up, but I see Chapman going to AAA with maybe Rosenberg being the Pigs closer this year if he gets up there.
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Nepp How did that Eaton thing work out buddy. And it did hold back Happ.
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But you are right Moyer is it for now unless he goes way bad
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Kendrick struck out 3.9 per 9 innings in AAA last season. That kind of performance is NOT sustainable in the big leagues. Counting on Kendrick for 32 starts would be disasterous. He needs to earn his spot yet.
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Drew Naylor has been impressive against both Fla. State and the Rays yesterday. He has struck out 6, given up one hit and no runs or walks in 4 innings so far. I would expect him to be in the Reading rotation. Some of the older minor league starters will probably be released if they prove ineffective like Vogelsong was against the Jays.
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****Nepp How did that Eaton thing work out buddy. And it did hold back Happ****
I’m not defending the decisions, just stating what will inevitably happen. Unless Moyer injures himself or completely and utterly implodes, he’s the 5th starter going into the year.
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The bullpens in Lehigh and Reading are pretty full also. At least on the back end. Lehigh: Mathieson, Rosenberg. Reading: Schwimer, Defratus.
As far as the Triple A starters, even if Vogelsong pitches himself on to the waiver wire, you still have Kendrick, Duckworth, Carpenter, Savery, Mazone and Stutes. I doubt the Phillies will cut Moyer, so Kendrick may be in AAA. I doubt the team keeps Stutes in AA, because he would block some guys from moving up.
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Having prospects, with some potential, at every level both starting & in the bullpen is a good problem to have… Was not long ago we had nothing but fillers in AAA & AA…. I agree but in small sample sizes so far Naylor looked good as did Sanchez, Carpenter, Rosenberg & Zagurski… Staying healthy will be the biggest risk this year…
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You forgot Naylor and Cloyd as starters for Reading…there might be some pitchers going to the pen
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Heads up. Tomorrow’s game will air on the MLB network as well. 7pm ET.
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Tomorrow’s pitchers
PHI: Halladay, Carpenter, Baez, Madson, Escalona
ATL: Kawakami, Wagner, Chavez, Acosta, O’Flaherty
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I saw most of Kendrick’s starts last year in Lehigh, and the one thing he was was consistent. He’d usually go 6-7 innings, give up 2-3 runs, strike out 3-4. I think in the 13-14 starts I saw him have last year, he only had one bad outing.
Also his confidence is back too, which is something I’ve thought he lost all track of after 07. Sending him back to AAA would have him back to square one in that department.
I see Naylor as a pen guy for sure, its going to be a numbers issue, and he’ll be one of the starters going to the pen in AA.
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I think Naylor will be a starter in Reading with Ramirez and Aumont. The other two starters will likely come from Stutes, Worley, Cisco, E Garcia, and Flande. I think Cloyd will start at Clearwater with May, Way, Sanchez, and DeFratus. If they want DeFratus to start to build up innings, he’ll do it at Clearwater. If they move him to the bullpen, there’s a chance he’ll go directly to Reading and that will give Correa a chance to start although they still need to decide if Sampson will remain a starter and where E Garcia fits in.
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It seemed clear that DeFratus is being made into a starter which means he will start in Clearwater as basically everyone has stated that Reading is full.
LHV: Carpenter, Stutes, minorleague fillers (Duckworth/Vog)
Reading: Worley, Flande, Cisco, Aumont, Ramirez
Clearwater: Naylor, Garcia, May, Way, DeFratus
Worley, Cisco, Flande will all probly be given the opportunity to move up to LHV pretty quickly to make room for anyone in clearwater except May. Way is probably the best in probably the best in Clearwater except May but Naylor will be given the first shot at Reading. Not really sure where Cloyd is gonna go but he seems to be the odd man out.
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Naylor is certainly making himself known this spring.
Does anybody have any idea of how hard he is throwing in ST or if he’s doing something different? Usually, even in ST, you don’t make that much progress that quickly unless your velocity has increased or unless you’ve developed an out pitch.
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There’s no way that Sanchez doesn’t start at Clearwater. His future is in the bullpen in my opinion but he needs innings now to continue to develop and he’s real good. Also, there’s no way that Naylor doesn”t start at Reading. I’m curious why folks think that Stutes will pitch at LHV since he clearly didn’t excel at Reading. If I had to bet, I’d bet on Stutes and Worley to compliment Ramirez, Aumont, and Naylor. This would push Flande and Cisco into the bullpen and push Garcia down to Clearwater. This would put May, Way, Sanchez, E Garcia, and DeFratus at Clearwater and leave Cloyd and Sampson in the bullpen and they might leave Correa at Lakewood to start. This all asumes good health by all which is probably unlikely unfortunately. Lakewood could then start with Correa, Pettibone, Hernandez, Zeid and maybe Lebron and decide what to do with Cosart, Shreve and Colvin. Cosart and Shreve will both start at Lakewood but they might not start until May (the month) like May (the pitcher) did last year to keep the innings down since neither pitched last year. They’ll replace two on that list who could go up or down. For Colvin, his spring training performance will determine where he goes. W port will still have Inch, Angelle and Cespedis plus another draft will occur before then.
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You know, its funny that even with all the good players we traded in the last three years, we still have a pretty good size list of players to watch this year to see who will have that breakout season that might push them to 4 star status. Its unlikely we’ll have too many 5 star guys but they’re hard to find. Brown is really the exception given the late round he was drafted in. If we can develop 4 star players though, they could become major league starters.
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****Naylor is certainly making himself known this spring.****
Two possibilities jump out for me:
1. He’s a late bloomer…something that was somewhat expected as he’s developmentaly a bit behind American players.
2. Small small sample size in the very early parts of ST.
We’ll see which it turns out to be. Hopefully its the first option, eh?
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I watched him on Sunday and his ball was really moving and he looked very fluid. We’ll see but I was very encouraged by what I also hoped was a late blooming Australian.
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I’m wondering if there’s a third possibility, NEPP — that his stuff really plays up in relief. We know he has the good curveball but that his fastball is a bit underwhelming; if he can ramp it up a couple mph out of the pen, it could make all the difference.
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Just finished watching game on MLB vs Atlanta. Carpenter looked. Galvis looks smoth in the field. He had a rbi single. He looks more comfortable from the right side. Is he a natural righty? Brown went o-2 but he hustles. Mayberry had a couple nice swings.
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Let’s say Kendrick doesn’t make the team, know the Phills could go and sign a FA pitcher ala SMoltz/Pedro mid season, does Kendrick actually become a descent trade chip?
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If Kendrick isn’t good enough at that point to be the answer to a rotation issue, then I doubt another team would have much interest in him.
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****I’m wondering if there’s a third possibility, NEPP — that his stuff really plays up in relief. ****
Good point…hadn’t thought about it on that angle. Yup, that’s a decent possibility.
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****Galvis looks smoth in the field. He had a rbi single. He looks more comfortable from the right side. Is he a natural righty?****
99% sure he’s a natural righty that they’ve been trying to convert to a switch-hitter.
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On the surface, if Kendrick can not win the 5th spot in thhe rotation, he should not have value to other teams. I am not so sure in this case. If Kendrick has truly developed a change-up and loses the battle to Moyer based on Moyer’s contract, other teams will know. I might even send Kendrick down to AAA and hope he dominates there. That would add some value to him.
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You don’t trade Kendrick because its almost a guarantee that he will start a good number of games this year even if he starts off the season in Lehigh. Someone will get hurt, someone will be ineffective, etc etc.
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Kendrick is worth more to the Phillies as a player for their team(s) than he is as a bargaining chip in a trade. They probably will and should hold on to him for now.
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Kendrick will be our Happ this year. I think he will start off in the pen but by the break I would not be shocked if he is starting. Then in 2011 he will in our starting rotation full time. I think there is so much respect for Moyer they are going to let him break camp as #5 starter. He will end up a pitching coach in the system in 2011.
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The only issue with keeping him in the bullpen is that he’s right-handed. Other than that, I’d be all for it as would the Phillies most likely.
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Honestly, I think Moyer will try to pitch in 2011 and I think he will, but it probably won’t be for the Phils.
In order for Moyer to retire, unless he just can’t throw anymore, someone will have to pry the ball out of his stone cold hand. He does not want to stop playing baseball and, frankly, who can blame him.
I’m not sure how well Kendrick will do – we’ll just have to watch and see. It doesn’t hurt that he’s spent the entire spring following Halladay around.
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Ramirez had a nice outing today. Three scoreless innings, two hits allowed and three strikeouts. Kyle Drabek pitched two scoreless innings for the Jays in the same game.
Fun note from Jayson Stark. Cody Ransom played in the “B” game in Clearwater and hit a home run. Then he went up to Dunedin and collected a home run there as well.
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5 DPs today. Was it any wonder that Galvis was the SS? He was only in on 2 of them but it made for a nice statement. He also was the only prospect who had a hit (1 for 3). Too many walks from the prospects: Herndon (1), Savery (2) and Mathieson (1). But Mathieson had 2 Ks in his 1 inning of work.
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