Report card for starters in WIlliamsport and the GCL, albeit with limited sample sizes. Next up will be the bullpen in Lehigh Valley and Reading.

Williamsport

Alejandro Artega, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2010; 22 starts between Lakewood and WIlliamsport; 4-14 with a 6.13ERA; 111.2IP 160H 20BB 69H 11HR allowed; .341 opp avg; 1.61 WHIP; 1.09 GO/AO; 1.6BB/5.6K per 9; .289 opp avg over last month; Opponents hit Arteaga at nearly a .400 clip in his 9 Lakewood starts before being sent to Williamsport.  After a successful 2013, this year was a step backwards.  Grade: D; 2015: WIlliamsport

Mitch Guellar, 20, Phils Compensation Round Pick in 2012; 13 starts; 5-5 with a 4.69ERA; 63.1IP 65H 29BB 31K; .275 opp avg; 1.48 WHIP; 0.73 GO/AO; 4.0bb/4.4K per 9; .259 vs. LHH; .289 vs. RHH; .310 opp avg over last month; After a very good first half where Guellar was named a NYPL All Star, he had a difficult second half where many of the same issues he went through in 2013 re-appeared.  Guellar was just 1-3 with a 7.25ERA in 5 August starts.  Grade: C-; 2015: He may be back for a third season in Williamsport.

Brandon Leibrandt, 21, Phils 6th round pick in 2014; 12 games(10 starts) between GCL and WIlliamsport; 3-5 with a 2.82ERA; 60.2IP 49H 10BB 67K; .227 opp avg; 0.97 WHIP; 0.61 GO/AO; 1.5BB/9.9K per 9; For Williamsport: 7 starts, 2-3 with a 2.20ERA; .203 opp avg and 0.90 WHIP; Leibrandt was excellent generally overpowering hitters in the NYPL and GCL.  Excellent control and knows how to pitch.  Grade: A; 2015: Clearwater rotation Continue reading Report Card, Starting Pitching, Williamsport and GCL →

The report card for starting pitchers who ended the season in CLearwater and Lakewood.  Reminder on grading…players are graded against pre-season expectation of themselves not each other.  A= Far exceeded expectations; B= Exceeded Expectations; C= At Expectations; D= Below Expectations; F= Far Below Expectations.  Next up, Starting pitching in Williamsport and GCL

Clearwater

Colin Kleven, 23, Phils 33rd round pick in 2009; 24 starts, 6-10 with a 4.83ERA; 136IP 155H 33BB 107K; 13HR allowed; .289 opp avg; 1.38 WHIP; 1.41 GO AO; 2.2BB/7.1K per 9; .285 with RISP; .339 vs. LHH, .252 vs. RHH; Post All STar: 12 starts, 4-3 with a 4.32ERA; Kleven’s numbers are very pedestrian until you consider that he recovered from an extremely significant back injury in 2013 to pitch a full season and become more effective as the year went on.  Grade: C+; 2015: I think he will be challenged to sink or swim in Reading.

Mark Leiter, 23, Phils 22nd round pick in 2013; 27 starts between Lakewood and Clearwater; 9-12 with a 4.35ERA; 149IP 160H 37BB 141K; 10HR allowed; .274 opp avg; 1.32 WHIP; 1.24 GO/AO; 2.2BB/8.9K per 9; For Clearwater: 11 starts; 4-5 with a 4.31ERA; .273 opp avg; 1.30 WHIP; Leiter would throw two outstanding games, followed by an atrocious game and was inconsistent all year.  His final numbers are adequate and show continued promise but he needs to work on his consistency.  2015: Reading; Grade: B-

Miguel Nunez, Soon to be 22, SIgned as a free agent in 2010; 25 games (20 starts); 6-7 with a 4.49ERA; 122.1IP 125H 44BB 95K; 8HR allowed; .263 opp avg; 1.38 WHIP; 0.71 GO/AO; 3.2BB/7.0K per 9; .269 vs. LHH; .257 vs. RHH; .243 opp avg over last month; Since July 1: 4-1 with a 2.32 ERA in 9 starts; Nunez came on to become the Threshers most consistent starter, throwing exceptionally well towards the end of the season.  Grade: B-; 2015: I think he starts in CLearwater but with a quick call to Reading when a Reading starter either falters or is called up to Lehigh Valley Continue reading Report Card, Starting Pitchers, CLearwater and Lakewood →

The news keeps getting worse for Shane Watson, but this time, it is of his own doing.  Watson, the Phillies first round pick in 2012 missed all of last season with a shoulder injury and will now miss the first 50 games of next season due to a suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy.  Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that the violation is not for steroid use, but a “drug of abuse”.   STay tuned for more details as they become available.