Open Discussion: Week of April 13th

Weekly Discussion

Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.

Let’s see.  The Phillies are 3-3 and took 2 of 3 from the Nationals.  The Braves are 5-1.  Young Cody Asche (.429) was been benched twice in 6 games in favor of 31-year old, journeyman Andres Blanco (.375).  Eight of 12 roster players are hitting between .222 and .077. Reading’s Brock Stassi has as many home runs (2) as the entire Phillies’ roster in half as many games.

 

131 thoughts on “Open Discussion: Week of April 13th”

  1. I found it interesting yesterday, listening to Ben Davis and mike Schmidt talk. Ben Davis talked about having lunch with Paul Konerko. At lunch paul talked about, if he played today he wouldn’t have the same numbers. He said everyone throws 95, and you hit off the fastball. Its the point I have tried to make. about some of the prospects, when they lack velocity its hard to get excited about them. Yes years ago Maddox won with less velocity, but the game has changed, knuckballers can get away with less, Lefthanders by there natural movement can get away with throwing 93 or 92, in some cases , but if you don’t have pinpoint control, and lack velocity its hard to be a good starter in this league, That is why seeing some of the arms we have don’t excite me. servino to me wont be a good starter, he maybe will hit 90 on a good day. Owens with his ton of off-speed stuff and lack of velocity is the same. Maybe I just saw them on a off day, But as I now if we move cole I want a potential power bat, and a decent number 2 or 3 candidate, but that is just me.

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    1. And if ppl saw Nola in his FIRST START OF THE SEASON they would prob think the same thing, it was a start in early April . . Not exactly the time when you are going to see a pitcher at his best. He’s also like 6’7 and apparently it’s hard to see the ball out of his hand, he also has one of the best change ups in the minor leagues . . 89-92mph from a 6’7 LHP with deception is more then enough, pair that w a plus plus change up and you have a really good LHP prospect.

      As far as velocity goes there are def starting pitchers who bring it but more so he was talking about RP. The highest average FB velocity outta starters last year was 96 by Ventura, the 10th fastest was Strasburg at 94. Compared to RP the faster was Chapman at 100.1 and 10th was Rosenthal at 96. The average FB velocity for starters last year was still under 92 MPH. So does it help to sit 94-96 as a SP of course it helps but you don’t NEED to sit 94 plus to be a good SP.

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        1. I think he inadvertently typed Nola in place of Owens in that sentence. His description pretty much describes Owens, who is 6′-6″.

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          1. He was talking about Owens in his first start so I was saying that if ppl say our top pitching prospect Nola they might say the same thing as he did about Ownes and then I went on talking about Owens. Sorry if that was confusing.

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    4. C Hamels C Lee max out at 92 Hamels has 1 of the Change ups going . C lee Has great control . A great thing for the players we are drafting is that they get better coaching and CA increase there velo. Adam Wainwright fb avg at 91.2 last yr. Nola I believe can get it up too 94 with sink.Most power pitchers now only last about 7 yrs before they start to get injured or lose speed. Harang 36 and pitching is but off for the Phillies.

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      1. I watch a different guy then you tim. Hamels is 94 plus lefthanders get away with less velo. there ball normally has so much movement, Wainwright can hit 96 or better when he has to. keep thinking these right-handers with low velo will be big winners.

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        1. Almost anywhere you look Hamels is 92 he doesn’t have to reach back he has the change up. Fister was 16 and 5 last yr 2.41 Era he’s on the nats his fb avg 88 last . Roark also on the nats was good last yr his fb avg 90. Most major league hitters can hit a 95 mph fb .I think I read only 20 sp last yr avg 94 on their fb . Also their’s some sp that have very good fb but are below avg pitchers.all I’m trying to not all sp who throw 95mph fb are aces. Most hitters would like to hit 95 mph fb they usually have trouble with the breaking balls . micheal Franco has the bat speed to turn on any fb it’s the breaking pitch he has to get down.

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  2. I am so happy you know more than Ben davis, paul and mike Schmidt. And if you read what I said a lefthander can get away with less. But I stand by what I said about owens, imo he wont be a stud or a 2 or good 3 on a good team. less than 500 pitchers, with his ton of offspeed stuff and lack of velocity to keep guys honest. I Said it from the day I saw nola pitch I didn’t see a star, not like people on here do. its just my opinion, Eric you talk average, I Want a guy who when he gets in trouble,to be able to rear back and hit 95 or 96 not on every fastball. he must have that kind of velocity, to use, If any starter goes out and throws each inning that hard he wont get through 6 innings, but must have that type of velo, to win in this day and age, Hitters can know he is throwing a fastball and still cant hit it, how many of the average starters under 92 were top pitchers on good teams or above 500 pitchers? sure we have Kendrick’s with less and he stunk, and there are many out there, I am talking about good to great pitchers, not Kendrick’s types. What you are missing is this, Each team most likely has pitchers under 92 with there fastball, how many are good starters is the point.

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    1. rocco……you don’t want average. There are approx. 150 starters (30 x5) on opening day rosters in the majors ….what percent do you think are true number one’s or ‘aces’? Logically you should be able to say 20%, or 30 of the 150. But you may want to factor in all the variables that affect that number, ie from injuries, to having an off-year, to skill erosion with age, then things change.
      Owens , IMO, still has the pedigree to be a solid upper rotation guy…maybe not the ace everyone wants but a very good 2/3.

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      1. I am looking for good. I know aces are hard to come by. I am just saying the game has changed, and guys need more velocity to compete today. So when I see guys in trade rumors or in the draft with low velocity, I question why we should go for them. Not everyone is a 1 or 2 but even back end guys on a good rotation need more velocity to be successful. that’s my point. When you go into a draft with a top ten pick and take a college guy with less velocity, I just don’t see the upside, to me first round top ten picks should be projected as allstars, or you pass. I might be wrong but owens to me isn’t a top of rotation guy, not with the stuff I saw Saturday, but that was one game,

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        1. Of course , the SPs who do have velo’s off the charts in the mid-to-high 90s, do have a better chance of incurring the baseball version of the plague….the TJ syndrome.
          Then there is the year out of baseball and the realization that after 600 more pitched innings the shelf-life and veklo now has dropped quite a few ticks to average.

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          1. The Nats , based on Rizzo’s analytical takings….will probably let Strasburg and Zimmerman go..he knows what is the probably outcome down the road for both pitchers.
            Mets will have to do the same with Harvey in 2/3 years.

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            1. Looking at the nats with there prospects and money, and starting pitching, they are in great shape for at least next five years, even if they lose one of the two pitchers mention, plus harper, Zimmerman, randon, Taylor. aren’t going anywhere, good everyday talent and great pitching with good prospects, nice problem to have,

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        2. I think Owens will be fine and I’d still like to have him. I think of the Boston prospect pitchers, Rodriguez has higher ceiling. Owens and Nola are very comparable as prospects — both project as solid #3 starters, with a chance to become #2s. Owens has a very large body of work in his favor.

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  3. I loved seeing Bucholtz getting rocked last night by the Yankees. He is not an ace. Nor is Porcello regardless of how much they pay him.

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    1. I think I set the record with thumbs down, 14/15, a few months ago when I mentioned most were ‘basement dwellers’ who posted in anonymity or refused to post.
      But the best procedures is to have the ‘thumbs down’ but it cannot be activated until you make a reply/ response, like philly.com does I think.

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  6. So with Valentin on the shelf with a suspension, does this in anyway change the FO’s view on how to prepare Herrera for the future. I realize he is Rule 5 and Utley is entrenched at 2nd, and the outfield is a vast wasteland already so they need all the help out there they can find but what happens if Utley goes down or accepts a trade. Does the future at 2nd now have Herrera as the favorite?

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    1. I think the Phillies have their eye on the future 2B in the draft. There are a few 2B/SS types coming out of college who may be fas risers at 10.

      If someone offered a knockout 2B prospect I think RAJ would do the deal.

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      1. Pat Gillick yesterday said it in an interview…the draft will be offensive oriented. He is pleased with Ruben’s off-season acquisitions of pitching ‘candidates’, so they will concentrate on the offensive side. So any positional players with good bats are in their cross-hairs.

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          1. Happ will probably be the only one available at 10. With such a shallow draft Bregman and Swanson will be long gone.

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            1. Correct with Matuella and Aiken having TJ. Is Phil Bickford helathy? Bregman and Swanson moving into top 5-6 if they weren’t there already.

              Chris Shaw 1B and power bat from BC was a middle of first rounder but moving up just broke the bone in his wrist.

              Happ last I looked was not having a terrific offensive season at Cincinnati.

              Looks like lots of pitching and mostly High School kids around 10.

              Anyone know how Daz Cameron is doing? I read he slipped over the Summer due to concerns about his bat.

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    2. I don’t think they were planning on Valentin being the heir apparent either way. It would be great if he was some big prospect, but the Dodgers are smart enough not to give up future starting MLer starters for one month of Roberto Hernandez. If they deal Utley, Hernandez is going to play there until something better comes along. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to throw Herrera in there once in awhile though, unless reports on his d aren’t that good.

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            1. Still may get him.
              But Pat Gillick said yesterday before the game against the Nats…..they are going offensive in this year’s draft. He is happy with Ruben’s pitchers he obtained past off-season.

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  7. With Valentin now on suspension, what would be your guess as to the likely outcome? Does the FO change gears and now look at Herrera as the future at 2nd or do they still hold out hope that it was a one time thing with Valentin. If the latter, he is still a few years away from the bigs. Is the current thinking to let Utley hold the position until he retires or does Herrera get work at second this year and over the winter as the new heir apparent

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    1. His ceiling may be a 3….with over 250 IPs and 6.5 K/9, he doesn’t seem to get many swing and misses. Though his BB/9 is very good.

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      1. Still young enough to develop something that generates swings and misses. Hopefully the change could be that, maybe the slider if it improves.

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      2. There’s nothing wrong with being a 3. As long as Eflin makes the rotation and has a decent career, he has beaten big odds to do it. Considering what the Phillies have now (1,4,5,5,5), a 3 would be a revelation.

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    2. According to Portland’s broadcast team, Eflin touched 96 in the first inning. If he starts throwing that hard more regularly he might pick up some more Ks whether he’s looking for them or not. Or maybe as time goes on the Phils will ask him to do some things differently than the Dodgers did.

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  9. Interesting fact. 2014 lakewood pitcher Julio Reyes now lives in williamsport. He’s a garbage man and now plays slow pitch softball.

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  11. O. Herrera was voted as the top defensive 2B in his respective league last year so his D must be AT LEAST average, I would assume better.

    I still don’t think you NEED elite velocity to be a good major league pitcher. Not saying that someone who is throw 86-88 has a good chance of success but for a LHP 89-89plus is enough and as a RHP 90-90plus is fine as well as long as your secondary pitches make your FB play up. I also am big on the height of the pitcher . . I’d rather have a RHP at 6’6 throwing 92-93 then a 6 foot pitcher throwing 93-95. Downward plane is huge.

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    1. One caveat on OH’s defensive game at Frisco in the Texas League….there is only 6/8 teams I think in the league

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  12. At the XST games today Cabrera, who was not here during ST, was the standout in the GCL game. Not only did he throw 2 scoreless innings but he was 93-94 while all the others were 88-89. In the A- game Biter had a double, Encarnacion had two well hit singles(he looks much better than he did last year, maybe he has turned the corner) and Posso had a double and a single. Gamboa played with the GCL group and had a walk and a stolen base while Brito played with the A- team but went hitless. There is video at : https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGkita

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  13. Not sure if this was reported elsewhere, but former Phillies prospect Lisalverto Bonilla needs TJ surgery.

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    1. No surprise TX was really reaching taking a kid that had mostly pitched 1 and 2 inning stints his entire career to running him out there early in spring to 60-70 pitch count games.

      I saw a few of this games and was thinking to myself what are they doing.

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      1. I don’t know how Texas was handling him exactly but he has started before in the Phillies’ system. That’s a bummer anyway; I always liked Bonilla. Still bummed we gave him up for Michael Young.

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  14. Freshly back from my Chicago Trip and had the time of my life. Some take aways

    Many of the coaches and players were embarrassed on opening day by the marketing department having them parade in on convertibles.

    Avi Garcia can hit and looks so much like a young Miggy

    Sale it was said relaxes the entire team on his day to pitch. He’s dominant!

    Robertson might lead the AL in saves this year. A great get by them.

    Adam Eaton a guy I really wish we could have plied away from the D-Backs is a bit of an a$$. His play better start to live up to his mouth.

    Zach Duke is a really cool dude. Jeff Samardja is a really cool dude. Abreu and Flowers are 2 enormous human beings.

    US Cellular was cool but the Bank is better. Eat at Havana a true authentic Cuban experience outside of Miami. Amazing I recommend the pitcher of Mojito’s or 2.

    They love their Pauly Konerko out there but you would have been surprised to know that Scott Posednik and AJ Pierzinski Jersey’s and T’s were all the rage.

    They boo just as much as we do and all the fans I talked to were so negative on the team after they opened 0-4. I think I told every one of them to relax. Once Rodon gets called up they will be a force.

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    1. DMAR…there you go…the reason the Phillies cannot sign creme dela crème of the Cuban players…..Philly does not have a ‘Havana’ with Mojis.
      Once we get our own Havana…..the Cubans will be rolling in on the cigar-train!

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          1. That story about Middleton buying out his sister and mom, and taking a chance on the cigar business. when everyone was suing tobacco company, was unreal. I Want him to be the majority owners so bad, I don’t know him, but feel if he is in control a mistake like Howard he would eat and go on, paying the tax for over cap I feel wouldn’t bother him,

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          2. Romus I was getting confused looking at 2016 draft there is a Bickford in top ten, from Nevada college I believe. I am scouting 2016 cause I think we got to be in top five, and what to see if there are any really cant misses like Strasburg.

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            2. sorry, did not mention…..the asterick after his college indicates he is eligible for the ’15 draft from what I read.

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  15. First week impressions of the Phillies and their fans: We know they are going to be bad, but let’s complain anyway!

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  16. Even though we know they are bad, if we are fans and watching them, you want to see little things. Like good D, like the ability to bunt, not fail 4 times in 1 game, and then have the Manager fail to have Sizemore bunt the next day.. Those are simple fundamentals that the team stinks at, that are inexcusable. So, they deserve criticism. So does the Manager. Just like Asche and Galvis deserve credit for doing well.

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    1. If they are unable to execute a bunt, I don’t understand why you are upset that the manager stopped calling for bunts. Sizemore isn’t a pitcher. I don’t think he needs to bunt (he should be able to, but I think calling on hitters to bunt is way overdone).

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      1. It is a fundamental play, and when you have a terrible offense, you need to do those things. Sizemore is a professional, and I expect him to be able to bunt. And, I expect the Manager to keep playing that way to reinforce its importance. Instead he striking out, did not move the runner, who would have scored when the next hitter flew out, and then got nothing. Aren’t you tired of them not scoring?

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          1. Though Bryce Harper…not in the middle of the lineup….Williams had him bunt the other day….and he can drive the ball a little.

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  18. I would start moving some guys around for a series or two. Galvis and Asche earned a chance to be two hole hitters while other guys get into gear. Brown getting into the lineup will help.

    So far the team is not doing that bad but it is too early to begin drawing conclusions.

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    1. I’d go like this
      1 Herrera CF
      2 Galvis SS
      3 Ruiz C
      4 Utley 2B
      5 Asche 3B
      6 Ruf 1B
      7 Brown RF
      8 Revere LF

      And hope the future looks like this:
      1 Quinn CF
      2 Herrera 2B
      3 Crawford SS
      4 Heyward RF
      5 Franco 1B
      6 Asche 3B
      7 Braun LF
      8 Knapp C
      9 Nola P

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      1. Someone is going to pay Heyward like Porcello got paid. For what he may become not what he is. Heyward is likely to get a much longer contract too and he is hardy a 4-hole hitter.

        Braun LF? Do you mean Ryan? What are you giving up to get him? He is going to get paid a lot of money for his declining years. Also he got someone fired to cover up his own lie. That makes him not much of a human being in my mind.

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    1. Thanks for that information.
      It is definitely interesting to see how the highest velo does not always equate to success.

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    3. Yes! Thank you for posting that. I’m so tired of people harping on and on about fastball velocity and dismissing pitchers because they don’t throw 96. Good pitchers pitch, period. And there’s a lot more that goes into doing that effectively than just velocity.

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    4. Great article and confirms my thoughts towards pitchers.

      I would prefer a pitcher who has command, location, and a variety of pitches to confuse the batters to someone who is pure velocity.

      Pure velocity is throwing. Knowing how to work a count, paint corners, and keep hitters off balance is pitching.

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      1. One could argue that you can teach working the count, painting the corners and keeping hitters offf balance. People forget Maddox was not Maddox until he nwas in the majors and lost a couple of miles off of his fastball. No one is going to argue that you can teach a guy throwing 89 mph to throw 97 mph.

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  20. Franco first blast, Tocci hit a grand slam, never hit Ultey in the with a baseball . Asche and Francoeur with blasts glad to see philies didn’t give up tonight . Imhof pitched a 5 ing shout out tonight. Check out the Nats and R sox box score Matherson gave 5 hr tonight .

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  22. PITCHf/x has collected six years of detailed pitch information. A raw search I just did shows 1,991 pitches over that span thrown at at least 100 miles per hour. Of those, 469, or just under 24%, were thrown in 2013. That one season represents just under 17% of the data. That’s…kind of interesting, and a little bit meaningful, but I probably shouldn’t have started with this. I probably should have started with this:

    This year’s postseason was littered with hard-throwing starters and relievers. It seemed like bullpens were trotting out hard-throwing reliever after hard-throwing reliever, and if you’re at all active on Twitter, you might’ve noticed a few conversations taking place among certain big-leaguers. Prominent among them was Brandon McCarthy, who noted a few times that the landscape didn’t used to look like this, even just a few years ago. The feeling now is that every team has a handful of flamethrowers. The feeling used to be that a flamethrower was something special, something extraordinary to be cherished. The feeling, basically, is that yesterday’s 92 is today’s 96.

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  23. Tim I am done with this now. you keep believing that right-hander with 90 mph fastballs can be good. this is a new era , and you proven my point with that list of 19 the other day, one was petite who was a lefthander, and then you list guys like Kendrick’s. In baseball every thing works off your fastball, except for knuckballers, the day of Maddox are over, guys who cant hit higher velo, will be sub 500 except in rare cases, the odds today favor guys with more velo.

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    1. Did you even read the article? Because the data says you are wrong. FB speed is not highly correlated to WAR relative to other stats.

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    2. rocco….Pat Gillick mentioned it on Sunday….all relievers today come in and throw 95/97 , at least for an inning or two. So hitters, who now see more of this then a decade ago, can adjust to that velo, especially when there is no late movement. So to be effective, as is the case in most instances with the high velo guys…..secondary pitches have to be better then average, ie CU, Sldr or Curve, and also their command and control.

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    3. It is actually the opposite. The days of Maddox are just beginning. Hard throwing guys that blow out their arms and have TJ surgery have shorter shelf life. They will be relegated to bullpen duty.

      What you will see going forward is coaches reign in velocity for location so that arms stay fresh longer.

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      1. I said I wouldn’t comment again about velocity. but after you remarks david I must. Do you just make stuff up? with a smaller strike zone and not getting the 6 inches off the plate that Maddox and Glavine got. they would be sub 500 pitchers today. I read a article which matt wrote on velocity, wish I had it to show you. Right hand pitchers who cant throw 93 or better, aren’t anything , they get killed. I don’t mean average, I mean guys who get in trouble and canT throw some heat to get out of jams. if You understand the game you work off your fastball. your fastball sets up other pitches, without the fear that you can blow it by todays hitters well you get a kendricks. only lefthanders, and knuckleballs get away with less velo. show me guys who cant hit 94 right-handers who are aces, How many, I don’t know if you watch any baseball games. But you saw guys with heat over the last week against the Phillies, and what happen. overmatched, But I guess most on here know more than pros, who have talked about guys velocity. I guess ever one who get tj surgery throws hard? so now only bullpen guys will throw hard, that is so nuts, I just cant stop laughing. okay we put in kenricks for 7 innings then bring in giles and we win the pennant. so silly.

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        1. With a smaller strike zone location will be more important than velocity.

          So what if a guy cannot throw 96 or 97? If he just wings it and cannot paint a cornet the hitter just needs to sit his bat on his shoulder.

          Smaller strike zones point toward location over velocity. You need to paint corners and keep hitters off balance. The target is much smaller.

          A larger strike zone means a bigger target to velocity pitchers who do not have good location. They have a wider target.

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        2. Picture a target. The larger the bullseye means the bigger margin for error from a velocity pitcher. They can get away with hitting the outside of the bullseye and still be on target.

          A smaller bullseye means a lower margin for error from a velocity pitcher.

          Location pitchers favor a smaller target since they can put a baseball on a spot. The margin for error does not change.

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  24. I’m watching the games for the young guys to see if they take this opportunity to make names for themselves in the bigs. I’m impressed with Asche’s start and really like Herrera’s game.

    I wish I didn’t have to look out to RF and see Grady and Frenchy!

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  26. Howard sitting again with a lefty on the mound. And Buchanan better get his act together soon, since Billingsley has said he’ll be ready in May.

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  27. The phillies pitchers are doing well other then Buchanan who is young. Their defense is better in the outfield with Herrera in center Francoeur always been good . What they need is Billingsley to comeback strong Ruff to play more then Howard . Have Franco And Joseph come up add some ugh Need power. Luis Garcia and Ashley have been a big Surpise. I’m not saying there going to win a world series just better. I never said 90 I was saying that Imhof and Gonzalez who throw 89 to 92 can have a good career they do need control and good break ing balls. As J ROLL said when he hit that home run against Broxton ” I put a easy swing on his fb.

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    1. Shockingly big and can’t handle the breaking ball worry me. Not really the kind of guy for whom I’d break the bank and lose out on the next two years of big signings.

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    2. Phillies seem to lean more Ven kids then DR kids in the past…Franco is one exception lately. Maybe Ortiz will blossom into the power bat they will need down the road 6/7 years from now.

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      1. The reports just remind me a lot of Cozens and a little bit of Pujols, Encarnacion, and LGJr; none of whom are blue chippers. I’m not saying it’s not nice to add another to the stables but the cost does not seem to be in line with the risk.

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  29. I rip them a lot of there drafts but looking at past draft like this one, must give them credit, greene a bust, but eveh if no one else makes it and I think Quinn, morgan and murry will they already have giles and asche in the majors, that is a good draft to me, Garvey who so many wanted is a bust, unsigned Zach wright is done with baseball,

    Larry Greene OF L / R 6′ 0″ 235 02/10/1993 CA 39 08/15/2011
    Roman Quinn OF S / R 5′ 10″ 170 05/14/1993 2 66 08/15/2011
    Harold Martinez SS R / R 6′ 3″ 210 05/03/1990 2 90 06/11/2011
    Adam Morgan LHP L / L 6′ 1″ 195 02/27/1990 3 120 07/03/2011
    Cody Asche 3B L / R 6′ 1″ 200 06/30/1990 4 151 06/13/2011
    Mitch Walding SS L / R 6′ 3″ 190 09/10/1992 5 181 08/15/2011
    Zach Wright C R / R 6′ 1″ 205 01/10/1990 6 211 Unsigned
    Ken Giles RHP R / R 6′ 2″ 205 09/20/1990 7 241 08/11/2011
    Austin Wright LHP L / L 6′ 4″ 235 09/26/1989 8 271 06/12/2011
    Logan Moore C L / R 6′ 3″ 190 08/22/1990 9 301 06/19/2011
    Jacob Overbey SS R / R 6′ 2″ 180 11/13/1992 10 331 Unsigned
    Tyler Greene SS R / R 6′ 2″ 175 12/01/1992 11 361 07/21/2011
    Yacksel Rios RHP R / R 6′ 3″ 185 06/27/1993 12 391 06/13/2011
    Colton Murray RHP R / R 6′ 0″ 195 04/22/1990 13 421 06/20/2011
    Trey Ford SS R / R 6′ 2″ 200 07/25/1990 14 451 06/08/2011
    Ryan Garvey OF R / R 6′ 1″ 190 03/30/1993 15 481 Unsigned
    Taylor Black SS R / R 6′ 1″ 180 02/17/1989 16 511 06/12/2011
    Jesen Therrien RHP R / R 6′ 2″ 200 03/18/1993 17 541 08/15/2011
    Drew Hillman 3B R / R 6′ 0″ 200 05/04/1989 18 571 06/19/2011
    John Hill C L / R 6′ 3″ 205 02/11/1989 19 601 06/19/2011
    Peter Lavin OF L / L 5′ 11″ 180 12/27/1987 20 631 06/19/2011
    Riley Moore C S / R 6′ 3″ 185 08/12/1993 21 661 Unsigned
    Matthew Holland OF L / L 6′ 3″ 215 08/21/1987 22 691 06/19/2011
    Cody Fick RHP R / R 6′ 0″ 195 10/20/1987 23 721 06/12/2011
    Matt Campbell RHP R / R 6′ 2″

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    2. That shows what I regard as the major weakness of a lot of the Wolever drafts. As with the very good 2008 draft, the top guy, the one all the big brass fell in love with, and who got the lion’s share of the draft budget was a complete nothing. Gold was found farther down the draft, the points in the draft where you don’t need to sell so hard to management to have the guy drafted. This has suggested to me that the scouts in the trenches were good at spotting talent and the guy running the show wasn’t. In 2008 it was Hewitt, whom the scouting PTB fell in love with, despite his being an over-aged HS kid who played against inferior competition, wasn’t good defensively, and had poor contact skills. The second round pick that year (Zach Collier) didn’t make it, but at least showed reasonable talent. They got a half dozen useful players later in that draft. TPTB in scouting management must have liked Quinn and they seem to have gotten that one very right, but I suspect it was the guys in the trenches who produced Asche and Giles. At that point in the draft it is enough that the scout really likes the guy and knows he’ll sign for slot or at least what the PHillies are willing to pay.

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      1. You are correct…but in fairness both Greene (39) and Hewitt (24) were bottom of the first round guys and were definitely reaches. I assume they wanted to hit the jackpot at that spot…rather then a safe collegiate guy who’s projected best ceiling was a little above-MLB average. But in Biddle and maybe Dugan they have had an opp to be good picks and they were both after top 20 picks.

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  30. Another Wally Joyner student is doing well at the start….former Phil prospect, now Tiger Anthony Gose is out of the gates with a little authority…an OPSf >1. Dom Brown benefitted from Joyner’s expertise in 2013.

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  31. Funny Ruff is the only 1 from his draft left. They took the toolsy high school player that never made it though a ball. When they did go college they did better with Ruff , Asche, Giles, Diekman, Morgan etc. Plus Encarnacion, Pujols are still young Encarnacion is only 19 give them a chance.

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    1. If your comment about Encarnacion and Pujols are in regards to my comments about Ortiz above you missed my point. There is nothing wrong with signing guys like Pujols and Encarnacion. I just think it is a bad idea to blow your budget and lock yourself out of big signings for the next two years on a one tool power hitter with body issues. I am all for them blowing their budget on 5-tool guys and #1 pitchers.

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      1. Interestingly, the Cubs, Yankees, Rangers and Sox have jumped deep into the LA market over the last 6/7 years. I mean big money in the millions….ranging approx. 5/14M per year per team..
        So will see where it gets them. The Sox with Margot and Devers look good, and Luis Severino for the Yankees, and maybe Sanchez also. But have to see.

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      2. Unfortunately thier’s no real 1# pitchers this yr plus Sal one person we can trust. I Agee let’s get 4 or 5 prospects if we do get this kid I hope we sign a few more.

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    2. Um Dugan and Altherr were drafted in that same draft. Also Singleton, who for better or worse, netted Pence.

      Check your facts before you post crap.

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      1. I’ve been trying to give the FO the benefit of the doubt, but if they end up having foregone signing Moncada so that they could sign this 16 year old pudgy kid and nobody else AND stay within their pool, I will be extremely disappointed.

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    2. The $68 million bench player would be much better served playing in AA or AAA ball on a daily basis. Time will tell if Arizona wasted their money or not.

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  34. My friend sent me this it’s fangraphs it show u not only the speed but what percentage of the time they use the pitch.I was surprised at Adam Wainwright, Felix Hernandez, Madison Bum , Cole Hamels , .Doug Fister. Up top they have categories hit onto percentage to win. Romus almost all the hard throws are just kids. Enjoy

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  37. Dear Chase Utley and Ryan Howard,
    You are 2/3 of my favorite all-time Phillies. Please have the dignity and grace to do what Mike Schmidt did in the spring of 1989 and realize you are done. We will love you all the more if you end this with dignity. Please!

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    1. This.

      I have to wonder if the Phillies are talking about a buyout of Howard in private.

      He has already been busted down to the seven spot in the lineup. If Franco continues his hot tear you have to consider the possibilities a month from now.

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      1. IMO, ilo of out-right releasing Howard, I would ask Howard to go on the 60-day DL, go home to Florida and keep working out and visit the Phillies complex to get his work in. If Franco is brought up in another month that’s great.

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  38. You’ve got to give the Phillies big time credit for identifying and drafting Herrera – he’s like a free player. I’m trying to remember the last time a Rule 5 player made a team, was a starter, and did fairly well the same year he was drafted. The last guy I remember was Uggla (great start to his career).

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  39. If Harang keeps pitching like this, and Chad Billingsley returns healthy and also productive….there are two trade chips to contenders come July for more prospects.

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    1. 36 old pitcher and a pitcher that hasn’t pitched in w yrs . If other teams wanted the they could of signed them for cheap like the phillies did. They may get an older prospect or a lower one. A chip is a Hamels or a Crawford a Quinn . I know they received Arano for Hernandez but hernandez was 34 . Harang would be nice to move , Billingsley has too be healthy for a least 5 months. Teams are really holding on to their prospects anymore.

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  40. rocco….your boy is 19th by Kiley McDaniel for the 2015 Draft:
    19. Phil Bickford, RHP, Southern Nevada JC (NV) Video: Bickford is another wild card in this class that flashes top 10 ability some days, has more average stuff with less command on other days and some teams still don’t have a good feel for him as a person. He could go 10-15 spots higher or lower than this and is one of the more polarizing players in the class.

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  41. Yes the phillies won with small ball today. They made Zimmerman pay for his walks today. Both Zimmerman and Strasberg are FA end of the yr they both haven’t started the yr well. With Revere and Herrera now hitting with thier speed they could get things going . The hole league is starting to go speed over power as the hr are going down the stolen are going up. Also it seems like the walks are increasing too .

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