Monday Roster Shuffle

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Normally roster moves don’t make their own posts unless it is a big promotion, but today was a bunch of shuffling with impact.

Lehigh Valley:
Added: Sebastian Valle (REA), Justin De Fratus (PHI), Tyson Gillies (CLW), Brad Lincoln (PHI)
Lost: Mike Nesseth (REA), Cameron Rupp (DL), Andres Blanco (DL), Justin Friend (Released), Luis Garcia (PHI)

Reading:
Added: Chad Carman (CLW), Mike Nesseth (LHV)
Lost: Aaron Altherr (CLW), Sebastian Valle (LHV)

Clearwater:
Added: Aaron Altherr (REA – DL), Deivi Grullon (EST)
Lost: Chad Carman (REA), Tyson Gillies (LHV)

All in all not much happen other than Justin Friend is now no longer with the organization and both Rupp and Blanco on the DL.  Altherr being activated and demoted is just to make roster room, he is already rehabbing in Clearwater and the Threshers need someone to take Gillies roster spot.  The big deal is that 18 year old Deivi Grullon is temporarily on a hi-A roster.  the Threshers only had Logan Moore and the only healthy  catchers in EST are Grullon, Jake Sweaney, Wilson Garcia, Jesus Posso, Wilber Torres, and Gregori Rivero, of which Grullon is actually the most experienced.

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About Matt Winkelman

Matt is originally from Mt. Holly, NJ, but after a 4 year side track to Cleveland for college he now resides in Madison, WI. His work has previously appeared on Phuture Phillies and The Good Phight. You can read his work at Phillies Minor Thoughts

17 thoughts on “Monday Roster Shuffle”

  1. That’s a lot of moves. I’m assuming JDF is so he gets some work in? I’m not sure if he needs to work on things, but I’m not sure Sandberg is comfortable with him pitching – wasn’t he kinda blah in his last outing?

    Surprised they let Friend go – guessing they had no room for him with the roster shuffling?

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    1. I think they are letting him get sharper, while they look at Garcia. If Sandberg was going to bury him on the bench, it makes more sense to let him get work in AAA.

      Yeah Friend ended up in a roster crunch as they worked to have some pitching depth in AAA. It is a pity.

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    2. JDF is unreliable. You never know if you’re getting the 94-96 MPH DeFratus or the 89-91 MPH DeFratus and the difference between the two is as stark as the difference in the velocity suggests. Garcia at least throws gas.

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  3. Anyone else find it strange that Grullion was sent to CLW, rather than putting him at LKW and bumping a LKW catcher to CLW? He probably is seen as just an emergency defensive reserve, but I don’t think it would be such a bad thing to let him get some AB at Lakewood.

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    1. Lakewood is home and Clearwater is in Tampa tonight. To get everyone in the right place you end up with only 1 catcher at two different affiliates tonight. Also by keeping Grullon in Clearwater they can keep him on the same routines as he is now. Remember he is still only 18, sending him to Lakewood is a big deal in terms of having a place to live, especially if it is only a week or so.

      Plus the catcher to bump is Mayorga who has 5 ABs above the GCL.

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  4. They put Gruillon at Clearwater because he’s right there in XST anyway. The Carman move is temporary until Rupp is healthy and then Carman is back to Clearwater and Valle is back to Reading. Gruillon is not developed enough behind the plate to be at Clearwater, but neither are any of the catchers at Lakewood. It’s just a bandaid move.

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    1. That is almost certainly it, though I would also guess it is a bit of a reward for Grullon. The Phillies do this all the time with the XST roster (and with their GCL roster later in the season) Hopefully he gets a start or two just to see what it is like.

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        1. Willans Astudillo has been playing 1B, but is also a catcher. How is he defensively? He can hit.

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  5. Am I the only one really pissed off Friend was released without even given any MLB consideration? Seems like a waste of time for him and the organization the last few years.

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    1. Why, getting to the majors is earned with ability. Friend just didn’t have the stuff. I wish him all the best, he put together a hell of a rune for a minor league Rule 5 pick. He wasn’t a waste, was a good reliever for Reading and that is good for the org too

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    2. I have seen Friend pitch probably two dozen times. Super nice guy but not a major league pitcher.

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      1. Seen him pitch at Reading as well a dozen times, he was more then capable of a middle relief career in the big leagues.

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