Monthly Archives: May 2014

Box Score Recap – 5/31/2014

Box Score Recap

Jesse Biddle returns from a bout with hail-head to pitch pretty well – 3R, 2ER, 5H, 2BB and 3K in 6.1IP. Kyle Simon didn’t do Biddle any favors, allowing both of his Biddle-inherited runners to score. Miguel Nunez made a triumphant return to starting after a couple weeks in XST and the CLR bullpen – he went six scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing just three hits and one walk. Roman Quinn with a hit in that game. He’s still yet to draw a walk in nine games.

Willians Astudillo kept his hitting streak alive at 15, going 2-4 for Lakewood, while Dylan Cozens received a pretty terrible 20th birthday present. It came in a large hat box and it shines like Skinny Elvis’ most famous suit. I think Fat Elvis’ karate jumpsuit is probably more famous than the one from the postage stamp. so I figured I’d point out which iteration of Elvis I was talking about. And for all the young folks out there, Elvis was a rock n roll singer. People used to make music with like their mouths and instruments and stuff instead of computers. Wild, I know.

And DSL started today, with Edwin Rodriguez the most interesting guy to watch, IMO. He’s 16 for a couple more days, and received $100k to sign – Ben Badler from BA reported at the time that he was a “corner outfielder with a nice swing, a good approach, gap-to-gap pop and below-average speed”. The DH was Luis Beaufond, who’s listed as a catcher and will play the year as a 17-year old, so it’s worth watching him as well, I’d say. The more interesting names that were on the roster just a few day ago have been removed, and are likely headed to the Gulf Coast League roster when they kick off a few days after the draft concludes.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/31/2014 →

Threshers; May 31, 2014

Game Reports, , , , , , ,

Tonight, over 5,000 people were treated to an old fashioned pitchers’ duel. Left-handed Orlando Castro of the Bradenton Marauders held the Threshers to 3 hits and 1 run in his 6 innings. He was bested by Miguel Nunez who allowed 3 hits in 6 scoreless innings. The Bullpens matched goose eggs and the Threshers made a first inning run by Roman Quinn hold up. Continue reading Threshers; May 31, 2014 →

XST; May 31, 2014

Game Reports, , , , , , , ,

Today’s game against the Blue Jays started at 10:00AM. It was scheduled for 7 innings. By mutual agreement during the game, the teams extended the contest to 8 innings. In three different innings, the Blue Jays coaching staff asked to pitch to extra batters to make sure their pitchers got their work in. This is evidence that a lot of the young Phillies batters swing early and often. The Jays starter needed to face two extra batters in the 4th inning and still fell short of his 50-pitch limit.

Denton Keys Started for the Williamsport squad. He produced a fine effort. Continue reading XST; May 31, 2014 →

Saturday Chat

Other Stuff

I will be spending the day on a plane and in airports, so with the draft 5 days away, what better time then now to chat about the draft, the farm system, the majors, and non-baseball related topics.

I will answer questions here in the comments and put some of the best questions into this post.  I will also take questions on Twitter, and on the facebook page.  I will answer the questions where ever they appear.

Otherwise, the DSL starts today so everyone have a good weekend.

Box Score Recap – 5/30/2014

Box Score Recap

Colton Murray‘s getting it done at Reading – one hit and three Ks over 2-1 scoreless today, and he stranded the runner he inherited. Gabriel Lino was 2-4 with a 2B and 2Ks, while Brian Pointer was 2-3 with a pair of 2B for CLR.

Willians Astudillo has now hit in 14 straight, but Delmarva’s Hunter Harvey shut down Lakewood pretty well. Again. He did the same a few weeks ago, though this time the Claws managed two hits instead of one and two walks instead of one and scored a whole run instead of, well, not. The Orioles should promote that guy already.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/30/2014 →

Threshers; May 30, 2014

Game Reports,

The Threshers fell 7-4 tonight. I feel like I watched two different games in those 9 innings. In the first game, Adam Loewen and Lee Ridenhour pitched the Threshers to a 4-1 lead thru 7 innings. The offense collected 9 hits and scored in 3 of the first 4 innings. In the second game, two relievers combined to surrender 5 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks in 2 innings. The offense went hitless over the final 5 innings. Continue reading Threshers; May 30, 2014 →

XST; May 30, 2014

Game Reports

Not much to report from XST as camp winds down. Only a few games left. Camp breaks after next Wednesday’s last game, the day before the First Year Player Draft. When these XST squads run into good pitching, the kids might only get 2 at bats., especially when they utilize 2 DH, which the Phillies do everyday.  Today was such a day.

So, Cord Sandberg was with the GCL squad again today. Continue reading XST; May 30, 2014 →

My Fault – Mock Draft

2014 Draft, Other Stuff

Hi folks, you know we’re working on a mock draft. Yeah, I hit post by mistake a minute ago. We’ll post when Matt and I get to a good stopping point, (Top 20, end of round 1, when we get tired of waiting, whatever).

Until then, let’s make this a good excuse to discuss the draft, if you like. Post your own mock lists. Make your Phillies picks. Call me dumb, etc. etc. etc.

Phillies and Cardinals Drafting over the Years

Other Stuff

Every year around the start of the draft the articles start coming out about how the Phillies are failing in every part of their draft. This year the rallying cry has been the lack of pitchers developed by the Phillies and why they should take a college pitcher early to help the big league club. In general the fanbases clamor for college players because they have a quicker impact on the major league club.

Today David Murphy wrote an article about the Cardinals and how they have had college heavy drafts, and hinted that maybe the Phillies should follow that model. My first instinct was that this is a flawed argument and that the differences between the Cardinals and Phillies doesn’t have to do with whether it is HS or college players drafted, but more what are all of the factors that go into it. So lets look at some Cardinals and Phillies drafts head to head.

2006:
Top Picks: Adam Ottavino (Cardinals-30), Kyle Drabek (Phillies-18)
Combined WAR: .1 (Phillies) 28.1 (Cardinals)
Notable Phillies Picks: Drew Carpenter, Jason Donald, Quintin Berry, Domonic Brown
Notable Cardinals Picks: Jon Jay, Allen Craig, Luke Gregerson, Chris Perez, David Carpenter Continue reading Phillies and Cardinals Drafting over the Years →

Game Score

Other Stuff

As a baseball purist, I admittedly dont look as deep into the metrics as perhaps I should. I must admit however that the concept of “Game Score” for starting pitchers has struck my fancy in measuring the quality of performance on a particular night for a particular pitcher.  If you look at the average Game Score of a particular starter, you get a very good idea of what their body of work looks like over the course of a season.  In essence, game score combines durability, control and overall effectiveness to come up with a number to put on a particular outing.

Bill James developed Game Score and the math goes like this:  Start with 50.  Add one point for each out recorded (so three points for each IP); add two points for  each full IP after the fourth; add one point for each strikeout; subtract two points for each hit allowed; subtract four points for each ER allowed; subtract two points for each unearned run allowed; subtract one point for each walk. In essence, Game Score takes the concept of a quality start and expands on it, factoring in control and hittability. The highest Game Score in history went to Kerry Wood who achieved a Game Score of 105 on 5/6/98. He struck out 20, allowing just one hit and didn’t walk a batter.

Game Score allows you to assess a degree of quality on a particular start and extrapolate from there.   Now, looking at Phillies minor leaguers….At the AAA level, the highest Game Score achieved this year was Greg Smith, back on April 17th, who achieved a Game Score of 78.  The lowest Game Score was “achieved” by Brad Lincoln who received a 17 for a miserable start just a few days ago on 5/28/14.  In a system which would categorize a “quality start” at a 50, IronPigs average Game Scores are as follows (Min 4 starts): Pettibone 52, Smith 52, Enright 50; Buchanan 49, O’Sullivan 47n and Lincoln 41. Continue reading Game Score →