Another look at how relievers are performing at the top half of the Phils minor league system as the trade deadline approaches.  Look for reliever updates for Lakewood, Williamsport and GCL this weekend or next week.

Lehigh Valley

Antonio Bastardo, 24, 7 games with Lehigh Valley and has not allowed an earned run while striking out 10 in 5.2 innings.  Bastardo has bounced around so much the last two years, that the fact that he is still just 24 is easily forgotten.  He continues to have good stuff.  Staying off the DL and command issues are the key.

Alex Concepcion, 25, 22 games, 2-2 with a 5.10 ERA; 30 IP 23H  16BB 18K, 5 hr allowed, 1.30 WHIP; 0.92 GO/AO; .205 opp. avg., .280 with RISP; .260 vs. LH, .161 vs. RH. Concepcion has been hurt badly by the home run ball.  He throws strikes and has a very good change up but needs more consistency.

Brian Gordon, 31, 26 games, 1-1 with a 3.92 ERA; 52.2 IP 50H 13BB 57K, 0.73 GO/AO, .246 opp. avg., .313 vs. LH, .187 vs. RH, .281 with RISP. The converted outfielder has impressed me I must admit.  He dominates righties and struggles against lefties, but he has generally done everything asked of him by Lehigh Valley.

Scott Mathieson, 26, 36 games, 3-3 with a 2.30 ERA, 18 saves, 43 IP 30H 17BB 56K, 1.09 WHIP, 0.63 GO/AO; .197 opp. avg., .232 vs. LH, .169 vs. RH, .175 with runners on base.  My opinion about Mathieson is well documented. He should be in the majors and hopefully will be for good come September 1.  He has thrown multiple innings, back to back nights, and shown strength with several pitches.  Comments regarding his performance with the Phils based on an inning of work are simply ridiculously premature.

Joe Savery, 24, 20 games (14 starts); 1-8 with a 5.01 ERA; 93.1 IP 112H  40BB 55K, 13HR allowed, 1.63 WHIP; .263 vs. LH, .316 vs. RH, .286 with RISP.  Savery has simply been awful this year. No control, no confidence, allowing the home run ball and getting crushed early in the game.  I never thought I would advocate for a switch to first base, but really, whats the harm at this stage.

Michael Schwimer, 24; In Reading: 5-3 with a 3.60 ERA in 32 appearances. 11 saves. 40IP 34H 14BB 58K, 5 hr allowed, 1.20 WHIP; 0.88 GO/AO, .225 opp. avg. Lehigh Valley: 5 scoreless appearances thus far.  Schwimer is moving quickly through the system showing excellent control and some pretty significant domination of AA hitters averaging 13.05 K/9 for Reading. He has been excellent in probably 90% of his outings but when he has been off, he has been way off with a couple of outings significantly inflating his ERA.

Michael Stutes, 23, Reading: 25 games, 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA, 2 saves, 35.2 IP 28H 21BB 37K, 1.37 WHIP; 1.09 GO/AO, .217 opp. avg., Lehigh Valley: 11 games, 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA; 14IP 14H 8BB 15K, 1.57 WHIP; .259 opp. avg., TOTALS: 35 games, 4-0 with a 3.99 ERA; 2 saves, 49.2 IP 42H 29BB 52K, .230 opp. avg. Stutes throws hard and when he is on, he is a force.  His command presents the biggest issue as his stuff isnt quite good enough to allow for a large margin for error.

Oscar Villarreal, 28, 32 games, 2-3 with a 3.20 ERA; 1 save; 39.1 IP 37H 15BB 31K, 1.32 WHIP; 2.35 GO/AO; .252 opp. avg., .350 vs. LH, .181 vs. RH, .350 with RISP; 2.45 ERA since May 31st.  Villarreal has done a pretty good job in his first year back from TJ surgery.  Not major league ready yet, but has flashes.

Mike Zagurski, 27, 35 games, 1-2 with a 3.44 ERA; 2 saves, 34IP 29H 16BB 47K, 1.26 GO/AO, .227 opp. avg., 1.32 WHIP, .267 vs. LH, .191 vs. RH, .212 with RISP. May be suffering from post major league jet lag as he has not pitched well since returning from his stint with the Phils, during which time he did a decent job.

Reading

Jason Anderson, 31, 31 games (4 starts) between Reading and Lehigh Valley.  0-4 with a 3.62 ERA, 3 saves.  54.2 IP, 56H 11BB 39K, 1.03 GO/AO; .265 Opp. avg., 1.23 WHIP. Not quite as effective as last year, but Anderson continues to do a good job in the fluctuating role that he has been given in the organization.

Tyson Brummett, 25, 11 games for Clearwater, 0-0 with a 0.59 ERA, 2 saves, 15.1 IP, 7H 4BB 11K, 2.89 GO/AO, .130 opp. avg., 18 games for Reading, 0-1 with a 6.07 ERA; 1 save, 29.2 IP 33h 9BB 18K, 1.26 GO/AO, .273 opp. avg., 1.42 WHIP, .368 with RISP.  Brummett has struggled since his promotion.  I would think he really needs to show something prior to years end after being switched to the bullpen this year.

Chance Chapman, 26, 18 games, 1-1 with a 5.96 ERA; 22.2 IP 23H 15BB 12K, 1.04 GO/AO, .271 opp. avg., 1.67 WHIP, .278 vs. LH, .302 vs. RH, .217 with RISP. A disappointing season thus far for CHapman who has struggled with injuries this season.  THe Phils 8th round pick in the ’07 draft was very effective for Reading last year, but seems to have hit a speed bump of sorts.

Justin De Fratus, 22, In Clearwater, 29 games, 2-0 with a 1.79 ERA; 15 saves, 40.1 IP, 31H 11BB 43K 1.39 GO/AO, .215 opp. avg., 1.04 WHIP. For Reading, 4 games, 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA.  Still much too early to have an opinion on his AA performance but plenty to be excited about based on his performance this year and last.

John Ennis, 30. 17 games, 2-0 with a 3.23 ERA, 2 saves, 30.2 IP, 30H 8BB 29K, 0.55 GO/AO, .250 opp. avg., 1.24 WHIP. Ennis has pitched well for Reading following his recovery from TJ surgery last year.

Sergio Escalona, 25, 35 games, 1-6 with a 4.19 ERA; 8 saves, 34.1 IP, 33H 15BB 31K, 1.25 GO/AO, .250 opp. avg., .186 vs. LH, .301 vs. RH, .138 with RISP, 1-4 with a 5.93 ERA since May 31.  Escalona has struggled as of late after a good beginning to this year.  Still has been fairly dominant against lefties.

Matt German, 26, 29 games, 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA; 27.1 IP 21H 15BB 24K, 0.84 GO/AO, .210 opp. avg., .237 vs. LH, .171 vs. RH, .192 with RISP, 1.30 WHIP; German’s numbers have been good, but in less than critical situations.  He needs better control to continue to move up.

Note: Both Jason Stephens and BJ Rosenberg have been on the DL for the majority of the year.

Clearwater

Tyler Cloyd, 23, 27 games, 4-2 with a 6.02 ERA; 46.1 IP 62H 13BB 41K, 0.94 GO/AO, .320 opp. avg., .280 vs. RH, .348 vs. LH, .303 with RISP.  Simply bad this year.

Jacob Diekman, 23, Lakewood: 21 games, 2-0 with a 1.90 ERA, 23.2 IP, 16H 15BB 30K, 2.64 GO/AO, .178 opp. avg., 1.30 WHIP; In CLearwater: 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA, 12IP 9H 9BB 10K, 1.50 WHIP, 1.89 GO/AO, .220 opp. avg.  Diekman looked good in Lakewood and other than a very bad night on Tuesday for CLearwater, also has had some success.  His control is his issue.

Jordan Ellis, 24, Lakewood: 33 games, 3-3 with a 2.47 ERA; 11 saves, 43.2 IP 31h 17BB 55K, 1.15 GO/AO, .200 opp. avg. Clearwater: 4 games, 0-2 with a 2.84 ERA, 1 save. Ellis has been a nice surprise this year after struggling through Lakewood last year.  His stuff has been very good, at 11.33 K/9.

Edgar Garcia, 22, 25 games (2 starts), 1-0 with a 4.47 ERA, 48.1 IP 47H  16BB 51K, 7 HR allowed, 1.14 GO/AO, .247 opp. avg., .272 vs. LH, .229 vs. RH, .273 with RISP, 1.30 WHIP. The home run ball has been Garcia’s nemesis. He has been up and down, but is one of those guys who, at age 22 has talent, which unfortunately may end up developed in another organization.

Chris Kissock, 25, 32 games, 6-3 with a 2.44 ERA; 3 saves, 48 IP 46H 8BB 34K, 1.68 GO/AO, .250 opp. avg., .221 vs. LH, .271 vs. RH, .281 with RISP, 1.12 WHIP. A relatively high pick (9th round) in the ’07 draft, Kissock is completely his 2nd season at High A and has now made 79 appearances at this level.  He has had success this year, and at 25, its time to move him up.

Derrick Loop, 26, 2 games, has allowed 1 run in 3.2 innings of work.  Loop was signed last week by the Phils.  He was originally a 23rd round pick by the Indians in the 2006 draft and pitched in the Red Sox organization last season.

Juan Sandoval, 29, 8 games, 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA, 11IP 16H 4BB 9K. Sandoval was signed as a free agent during the end of June after spending 2008 and 2009 in the Brewers organization.

Jon Velasquez, 24, 30 games (4 starts), 2-6 with a 2.78 ERA; 2 saves, 58.2 IP 47H 22BB 47K, 0.52 Go/AO, .222 opp. avg., .190 vs. LH, .250 vs. RH, .228 with RISP, 1.17 WHIP.  Velasquez is one of those guys who has been asked to do just about everything from strating to long relief to mid to late inning work, and has done it well. After a year with a good deal of success last year, Velasquez has looked good once again, a level up.