Nice work over at Beerleaguer.com today in tracking down the participants in the Florida Instructional League for the Phils. They are as follows:
Pitchers: Gabrial Arias, Phillippe Aumont, Jesse Biddle, Lisalberto Bonilla, Jake Borup, David Buchanan, Garrett CLaypool, Jared Cosart, Jacob Diekman, Sergio Escalona, Craig Fritsch, Percy Garner, Nick Hernandez, Mario Hollands, Steven Inch, Colin Kleven, Tyler Knigge, Derrick Loop, Mike McGuire, Marek Minarik, Brian Morgado, Jon Musser, Hector Neris, Miguel Nunez, JC Ramirez, Juan Sosa, Ethan Stewart and Kevin Walter.
Catchers: Angel Chevarrin, James Klocke, Chace Numata, Cameron Rupp and Sebastian Valle.
Infield: Chris Duffy, Edgar Duran, Maikel Franco, Harold Garcia, Anderson GOnzalez, Cesar Hernandez, Stephen Malcom, Geancarlo Mendez, Cody Overbeck, Joe Savery, Francisco Silva and Jonathan Singleton.
Outfield: Aaron Altherr, Miguel Alvarez, Zach Collier, Kelly Dugan, Kyrell Hudson, Jiwan James, D’Arby Myers, Brian Pointer, Domingo Santana and the previosuly retired Jeremy Slayden.
Surprised to not see Matt Rizzotti. I thought one of the Phils execs said he would be going to the IL to work in the outfield.
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still wondering if Singleton will see some time in LF…that would be huge! I see no signs of Tyson Gillies…or is he playing for the Florida Penial League?
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Didn’t JC Ramirez just have hip surgery? I can’t believe he’s participating.
Good to see Savery listed there as an IF as well as Cosart.
Is Collier healthy enough to participate?
Why am I skeptical of this list?
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I love seeing that Savery is officially listed as an infielder now. Very interested to see where he starts next year. I could see them dropping him a level even though he did seem to hold his own at AAA in very limited time.
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Intersting that they brought Marek Minarik over to the US. That’s a good sign.
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Happy to see Chris Duffy with an invitation. I thought he was a tremendous value pick in the draft. He will be too old for level for another 2 years and may just be a career minor leaguer but having a mature middle of the order hitter at the lower levels would be great. Not sure why he (and Savery and Singleton) is at 1B. All of those guys should get some time in the OF as well but no need to rush it. Let them all concentrate on hitting.
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no sign of sasaki, he must be hurt pretty bad. operation maybe? good to see cosart and inch.
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Sam Soap: Florida “Penial” League? I didn’t know Gillies was a member. But let me prick my memory and think on it. If he’s not in it, they gave him the shaft. That guy runs like a hot rod.
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Rizz is headed to the AFL, I believe. I don;t think they would send anyone to both the FIL and the AFL.
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Jonny 2: I can even see them starting Savery in Clearwater, hoping that he mashes and gains confidence. If he does well, move him to Reading in mid-season. If he does well there, let him come up in September for a taste maybe. Then LV in 2012 and he is in a position to write his own ticket if he has the talent, brains, and work ethic.
It’s one thing when you are a pitcher and under the radar. They will generally give you FBs and you can get some hits, as he did. It’s another thing to play a full season at a level where you will see talent, lots of command of breaking pitches, and teams compiling a book on hitters.
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Specifically, I would start Savery at 1B in Clearwater and play Singleton in LF most games. That team would have a chance to hit really well, with James, Barnes, Castro, Valle, Savery, Singleton in the lineup.
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Question: Looking at the names, there are some raw kids and some more advanced people (both in experience and talent). Do they separate into two groups for instructional purposes? How is FIL organized for instruction?
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I may be the only person, but seeing Jeremy Slayden listed actually excites me. I like his bat early on.
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Wow, didn’t notice Slayden. Cool. Hope all his off-field considerations have been taken care of. He still has potential as a bat off the bench (even if it’s just an emergency guy) if he can hit the ground running next year.
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Ditto on the Slayden return—easy guy to cheer for and a line drive machine when I am at his games.
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Yeah, I could see Slayden getting some time in an extreme emergency role this post season. I wonder if that’s why he’s there? Someone from the Phils brass might have given him a call, and just said “Hey, we really don’t have a ton of LH bats in the minors, and we want to have one or two guys down there in the FIL just incase a doomsday scenario happens. For you’re time, we’ll throw you $5-10K your way.”
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Diamond….if he hits for 4 hours straight he should call a doctor….damn i need spellcheck wherever i type….lol
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I expect that Savery will go to Reading to start. At his age, he needs to move fast or move out and the Phills brass already said he wouldn’t drop down very far if at all. I’m disappointed to not see Eldmire on the list. I guess he hasn’t recovered form his surgery yet. But pleased to see a Zach Collier sighting. I still think he could have a nice future.
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I was also excited to see Slayden. He struck me as somebody who could be a nice 4th or 5th outfielder and I was quite surprised when he retired. Unfortunately for him, because he came out after college, he was not young when he left and he lost a huge year in his development – it will be hard for him to recover, but I’m glad he’s coming back.
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Eveyone on this list except Mathieson & Escalona (both getting ready for possible emergency callup to Phillies) was in “A” Ball or lower this year. (Excluding Savery, who did not play as a hitter and Slayden did not play.)
I am surprised that there are only 5 catchers. With that many pitchers I would expect some more org-type catchers just to provide targets for bullpen sessions.
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Matt re Slayden emergency… my dad retired from the military but they reserved the right to call him up in an emergency. I asked him about that and he defined emergency as Russian tanks rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue.
I think Slayden would fall in the same category this year.
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Rizz is definitely going to the IL then to the AFL.
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For those who were wondering about the “stuff” that J Rodriquez has, this is from KLaw:
Jim (Doylestown, pa)
What’s your take on Julio Rodriguez of Lakewood and JC Ramirez of Reading? Potential #2 starters?
Klaw
(2:42 PM)
I saw Rodriguez work several innings in relief, and thought he’d make a solid mid- to late-rotation starter. Ramirez is probably just a reliever at this point.
I can’t see Klaw liking JRod that much unless he has good velocity on his FB and some type of offspeed stuff.
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Slayden was asked to come back. He obtained his degree since retiring and began working in GA. Got offered a chance to come back and to the FIL he goes to see what’s left (or continuation, in hopeful success) of his career.
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It will be interesting to see how the older pitchers (2010 draftees) shuffle out over the next year.
Note a least a couple had terrible last games. I guess they were ready for a rest.
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Who is Hector Neris?
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28 pitchers- including a couple signed from other organizations after the draft( Mike McGuire and Derrick Loop) . So despite the “complaints” of some of “why are they even here” it seems management does not agree.
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Seems like in past years they had a more experienced team and one lesser so. This offseason looks like they could have 3 platoons and bring in another organization for 3 games in a day.
P- lots of pitchers, divide them up for brief stints
C- 1) Rupp 2) Klocke 3) Chavarin/Numata (Valle can be DH and a back-up after a long season- could leave early)
IF- 1) Savery 1B, H. Garcia 2B, E. Duran SS (most experienced on this list at SS) C. Overbeck 3B
2) Singleton 1B, Cesar Hernandez 2B, S. Malcolm SS, and Mikael Franco 3B
3) C. Duffy 1B, Geancarlo Mendez 2B, F. Silva SS, and Anderson Gonzalez 3B ( since they have but 2 with experience at 3B, the 3 platoon theory would require shifting, Maybe they use the 2 Venezuelan signings in Middle Infield and try Mendez at 3B, or Duffy at 3B where he has experience Mendez at 1B and the Venezuelans.
OF- 1) D. Myers LF, Jiwan James CF, Jeremy Slayden RF
2) Miguel Alvarez LF, Aaron Altherr CF, Domingo Santana RF
3) Z. Collier LF (might be there on re-hab , has been done- if he plays might go on 1st unit for Slayden from time to time), Kyrell Hudson CF, Kelly Dugan RF
( Brian Pointer can work in and fill from time to time)
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I thought mitchell the catcher would go there, he didnt get much playing time,thought especailly since he is a catcher they would use him.
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Yes Jumpin’ – I think that would qualify as the “Doomsday” scenario I described 😉
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I am really happy to see Jeremy Slayden on the list. He had been working in an office.
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not sure where to post this but the phillies have scouted the #6 pick in the draft barret loux who didnt sign due to health concerns
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Marfis–
You, of all people, should know Hector Neris.
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Has anyone seen the FIL schedule of games yet?
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Yeah, you’re right. Right on the Dominican roster, maybe I should start checking the info before putting stuff on. Didn’t recognize the name, don’t check the Latin American rosters as much. But, born in 1989, still in Dominican, don’t see many memorable stats, thought they’d bring some other guys first.
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I’m hearing more and more that Davey Lopes is retiring. I’d hate to see that. If he does retire, I hope the Phils talk him into some part-time work. I’d love to see him work his way through the minor leagues teaching the youngsters about base stealing. He’s a great teacher and he worked well with the Victorino, Utley, Rollins, Werth and anyone else who has attended Spring Training.
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I’m surprised Valle is there, I would think they’d tell him to go rest up after a long season. Since I assume he’ll be playing in the mexican summer league again. Maybe they’re just going to give him light work and have him work on some defensive things.
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Maybe Valle is just going to be a backstop and work with new pitchers. Sorta like the ST thing
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After watching Valle catch three Lakewood home games in the SAL playoffs, he would appear to have little more to prove at A ball or much more to learn at Instructs compared to the other catchers there.
Valle would have been my MVP in the playoffs. His defense blocking and catching errant pitches with the lead runner on third was vital in winning Game three of the finals 2-1. The staff ‘s 1.14 ERA for the 7 games of the playoffs was reflective of his handling the pitching. His bat was crucial in the post season too with a two run, first inning line drive homer to open the deciding game of the first round. His three run line drive shot was the clincher in Game Four of the final round. Valle will hit 30 or more home runs if he gets to AA in 2011 and plays a full year at Reading. Tagg Bozied showed how inviting the left field wall was this year at Reading’s Stadium for right handed bats when he hit 20 homers in a little over 200 at bats. Valle has the potential do just as well if not better there sooner or later.
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