I wish I had something fresh, new and exciting to report with the Fightins this past week. Alas, with the team’s 0-6 record, there just isn’t much to talk about here, so we will keep this to a bare-bones recap.
Monthly Archives: June 2014
Tyson Gillies Released
MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Phillies released Tyson Gillies today. I don’t think anyone is surprised that this finally came to be.
Box Score Recap – 6/21/2014
Not a whole lot of note in AAA or AA, so I’ll start with JP Crawford getting his first extra base hit and his first multi-hit game at Hi-A. USA Today’s man in Lakewood Steven Falk reports that Yacksel Rios has taken Drew Anderson’s spot in the rotation while Anderson is out with an elbow injury. Sounds great. Just super. Rios went three innings, allowing five hits and five runs, though only one was earned. Larry Greene walked twice and walked-off in the tenth with a single in his return to Lakewood following a one=game rehab assignment at GCL. Andrew Knapp went deep in that one.
Cord Sandberg kept his season-long hitting streak alive with a 2-3 night, and he added a walk. He’s OPSing .994 in nine games. Damek Tomscha was 3-3, and Jake Sweaney stole two bags for GCL. Jason Marquis started his rehab assignment there today, and Jim reports that after his appearance, he got himself a couple simulated innings to get to 90 pitches. May not be long until he’s pushing for a big league spot, if he’s showing good stuff and getting some guys out when he gets to the higher levels.
First Place Threshers!!! June 21, 2014
The Threshers beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 5-4 Saturday night to break a 6-way tie for first. Although they still remain in a 3-way tie, they are above .500 for the first time this season.
Colin Kleven started and struggled through the first two innings. He gave up 3 runs in a 31-pitch first inning on 3 hits and a hit batsman. He escaped a 25-pitch, bases loaded situation in the second inning where he allowed 1 hit, a walk, and hit two more batters. A 6-4-3 double play early in the inning kept the Tigers off the board. Kleven took control and retired 9 of the next 10 batters. The only Tiger to reach base did so on an error by JP Crawford. Kleven left the game after five innings trailing 3-2. Continue reading First Place Threshers!!! June 21, 2014
GCL Phillies; June 21, 2014
The GCL Phillies posted a 6-1 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays at the Carpenter Complex today. Jason Marquis, on rehab since signing a minor league contact on June 4th, started and threw 5 shutout innings. He overpowered the young Jays allowing 5 singles, and 1 base on balls while striking out seven. He threw around 60 pitches before being lifted to allow some of the GCL relievers to get some work. Marquis threw two simulated innings on an adjacent field against some bench players to get his pitch count up to ninety. Continue reading GCL Phillies; June 21, 2014
Box Score Recap – 6/20/2014
Cam Perkins went 2-4 with 2Ks. He’s been scuffling since his call up, OPSing just .558 at AAA. Hector Neris and Jose Garcia pitched three scoreless innings to close out the Pigs win. Aaron Altherr was 2-5 with a double for Reading. Kelly Dugan left that game after a play down the right field line that Carlos Alonso fielded. Not sure what happened as I wasn’t watching the game. Anyone see it?
Roman Quinn and JP Crawford each walked twice, and Quinn stole two bases and had an outfield assist. Art Charles and Brian Pointer went deep – Pointer’s on a nice stream right now, OPSing .955 over his last ten games. He’s been known to be streaky, so we’ll see how cool he gets after the hotness wears off. MAG pitched an inning out of the CLR bullpen tonight, which makes you wonder if that’s what they’re plan is for him the rest of the year. Could be.
Malquin Canelo was 4-4 for Lakewood, and Jesen Therrien pitched three scoreless innings out of the pen. Cord Sandberg hit in his eight straight game dating back to the last game of 2013. He’s got a pair of home runs on the year now after hitting just two all year last summer in GCL. David Whitehead pitched well in the follow-up to his remarkable pro debut last weekend.
And the GCL season kicked off, with Damek Tomscha hitting his first pro home run and Olvy Marte getting on base three times. Larry Greene was 1-4 with 3ks on his rehab assignment, I think it was Jay Floyd who first reported Greene was going to have surgery, but I guess that didn’t happen. Matt Hockenberry and Brandon Liebrandt worked 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out seven. College starters throwing strikes.
Threshers reach .500!!! June 20, 2014
The Threshers beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 6-5 to even their record at 1-1 in the second half of the FSL North Division. During the game a top prospect reached base for the first time in his FSL career, a refugee rehabber took the mound for the first time in a few weeks, a batter was called out on rare type of interference call on a strike out, and the game ended on a rare double play on a single to the outfield. Continue reading Threshers reach .500!!! June 20, 2014
GCL Phillies; June 20, 2014
The GCL Phillies opened with a 7-3 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays. Luis Morales got the start and pitched 3.1 innings. Matt Hockenberry pitched 2.2 innings and got the win. Brandon Liebrandt pitched the final 3 innings and got the save.
I got to the field a little late and saw that Chris King (StatsKing) from BP was in the tower scoring the game, so I didn’t bother to score it myself, just took notes.
The roster that was posted this morning included 19 pitchers (No Aaron Nola) , 3 catchers (including Jake Sweaney), 8 infielders, and 4 outfielders (including 2 who had been injured all of XST – Carlos Duran and Gustavo Martinez). The first thing I did was take role. Everybody who was listed on the roster was in attendance. So was Larry Greene, who was rehabbing in left field. Aaron Nola was in uniform and on the bench. More on Nola later. Continue reading GCL Phillies; June 20, 2014
Around the System–Starting Pitchers
A look at starting pitching around the system. Some good, more bad, a few ugly. Next up, relievers.
Lehigh Valley
Chris Bootcheck, 35, Signed as a free agent in 2014; 6 starts; 2-3 with a 4.09ERA; 33IP 31H 14BB 19K; 4HR allowed; 0.79 GO/AO; .252 opp. avg; 1.36WHIP; 3.8BB/5.1K per nine; .179 vs. LHH; .313 vs. RHH; .111 with RISP. Bootcheck has been pitched fairly well since coming off the DL in late June. He is a capable innings eater that knows how to pitch.
Barry Enright, 28, Signed as a free agent in 2014; 14 starts; 3-6 with a 4.77ERA; 77.1IP 88H 22BB 45K; 15HR allowed; 0.80 GO/AO; .283 opp avg; 1.42WHIP; 2.6BB/5.2K per 9; .252 vs. LHH; .318 vs. RHH, .288 with RISP. Enright throws strikes but they are often hit for homers. Simply has to allow far fewer gopher balls.
Brad Lincoln, 29, Acquired from Toronto in 2013; 14 games (9 starts); 4-3 with a 4.24 ERA; 51IP 50H 21BB 47K; 4 HR allowed; 0.76 GO/AO; .254 opp. avg; 1.39WHIP; 3.7BB/8.3K per nine; .302 vs. LHH, .208 vs. RHH, .270 with RISP; 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 4 June starts. Lincoln just came off three starts where he did not allow an earned run and has been throwing very well as of late. WIth the lack of depth the Phils currently have, I would put Lincoln as the first call up if there were an injury to a Phillies starter at this stage. Continue reading Around the System–Starting Pitchers
GCL Roster
Rosters out…first game is today. Still looking for Aaron Nola(expect him on Clearwater’s roster by July 1). Quite a few pitchers who should eat up the GCL and expect Jake Sweaney in CF, converted from his catching position.
Catchers: Joel Fisher, Gregori Rivero; Jake Sweaney
Infield: William Cuicas; Grenny CUmana; Luis Encarnacion; Olvy Marte, Jesus Posso; Damek Tomscha, Trey WIlliams, Tim Zier
Outfield: Gustavo Martinez; Carlos Duran, Chase Harris, Jose Pujols
Pitchers: Francibel Alejo; Lewis Alezones; Austin Davis; Jacques Du Gruy; Seranthony Dominguez; Jared Fisher; Scott Harris; Matt Hockenberry; Matt Imhof; Denton Keys; Brandon Leibrandt; Franklyn Kilome; Sam McWilliams; ANgel Mejia; Luis Morales; Chris Oliver; Edubray Ramos; Matt Southard; Gregorio Santos
Phuture Phillies 