Domonic Brown has been assigned to the Clearwater Threshers to begin a rehab assignment.
I reported last week that Brown looked hobbled in a DH role in a couple of minor league spring training games. In the Threshers/GCL game Wednesday night, he was running much better, and was able to play right field.
As we start the 2015 minor league season, I thought I would publish your selections for Sleepers and Break Out Players. I received 25 responses, some with multiple selections. So if you are going to count the responses, that’s why they add up to more than 25.
Twenty-one players were selected to have break out years. Dylan Cozens was picked by 4 people to be the break out guy. Playing half of his games in Clearwater should allow him to increase his power output over last season. Continue reading 2015 Sleeper and Breakout Selections
Really no surprises here. This is pretty much what we guessed last week.
Catchers: Willians Astudillo, Andrew Knapp, Jose Mayorga
Infield: Zach Green, Devin Lohman, Angelo Mora, Drew Stankiewicz, Jesmuel Valentin, Mitch Walding
Outfield: Aaron Brown, Dylan Cozens, Chase Harris, Andrew Pullin
Pitchers: Matt Imhof, Colin Kleven, Brandon Leibrandt, Michael Nunez, David Whitehead, Cody Forsythe, Ulises Joaquin, Mark Leiter, Lino Martinez, Edubray Ramos, Lee Ridenhour, Kevin Walter
DL: Chace Numata, J.P. Crawford, Victor Arano, Alejandro Arteaga, Steven Inch, Yoel Mecias, Yacksel Rios, Reinier Roibal
Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.
Let’s see, we have the Phillies openeing day roster, the acquisition of Dustin McGowan, and the Braves/Padres trade to talk about among any other subjects you want to bring up here.
Catchers: Tommy Joseph, Rene Garcia
Infield: Maikel Franco, Cord Phelps, Chase D’Arnaud,Chris McGuiness, Chris Nelson
Outfield: Brian Bogusevic, Darin Mastroianni, Jordan Danks, Tyler Henson
Starting Pitchers: Severino Gonzalez, Miguel Gonzalez, Adam Morgan, Joely Rodriguez, Sean O’Sullivan
Relief Pitchers: Phillippe Aumont, Jason Berken, Paul Clemens, Tyler Knigge, Adam Loewen, Colton Murray, Hector Neris, Seth Rosin
Catchers: Deivi Gruillon, Joel Fisher
Infield: Rhys Hoskins, Derek Campbell, Malquin Canelo, Grenny Cumana, Damek Tomscha
Outfield: Carlos Tocci, Cord Sandberg, Jiandido Tromp, Herlis Rodriguez
Starting Pitchers: Ricardo Pinto, Chris Oliver, Ranfi Casimiro, Tyler Viza
Relief Pitchers: Einiery Garcia, Matt Hockenberry, Joey Denato, Austin Davis, Calvin Rayburn, Alexis Rivero, Josh Taylor, Jason Zgardowski, Jesen Therrien
DL: Drew Anderson, Scott Harris, Nick Rodesky, Samuel Hiciano
Big day…here we go…
Catchers: Logan Moore and Gabrial Lino
Infield: Carlos Alonso, Edgar Duran, KC Serna, Gustavo Pierre, Art Charles, Harold Martinez
Outfield: Brock Stassi, Roman Quinn, Brian Pointer, Cameron Perkins, Aaron Altherr
Starting Pitchers: Aaron Nola, Jesse Biddle, Zach Eflin, Tom Windle, Ben Lively
Relief Pitchers: Elvis Arajuo, Nefi Ogando, Mike Nesseth, RYan O’Sullivan, Stephen SHackleford, Anthony Vasquez, Ethan Stewart
Official rosters haven’t been released yet, but a few player moves hit the transaction pages for the teams within the organization.
The Phillies released RHP P.J. Walters and signed free agent RHP Dustin McGowan (he’s been added to the 40-man roster).
Phillies/Iron Pigs released SS Tyler Greene.
Phillies/Reading released LHP Austin Wright.
Phillies/Threshers released RHP Aaron Baker.
Phillies/BlueClaws released RHPs Jon Prosinski and Frank Rivas.
Phillies/GCL Phillies released RHP Dan Child.
The Phillies minor league squads played their final spring training games today against teams from the Blue Jays organization. I watched Greg Legg’s group win a well-pitched, well-played game by a 4-1 score. Before I report on the game, here’s some roster rumors based on some real good conversations, but not yet verified.
I came right out and asked Coach Legg if today’s line up was pretty much what we could expect of the Clearwater roster. He replied, “Yeah, pretty much”. As an afterthought, I introduced myself as a reporter and he clarified his statement with, “Of course, camp doesn’t end until tomorrow morning (Saturday), there could still be some changes”.
When the players took the field, one of the coaches or players exhorted them with the line, “You’re no longer Group Three, you’re Threshers”. So with that in mind, here is today’s Clearwater Threshers line up –
I heard that Aaron Altherr is beginning the season in Reading with Roman Quinn and Brian Pointer. Brock Stassi started in the outfield today for the AA team.
I heard that J.P. Crawford new a couple weeks ago that he would start the season in Clearwater. That would explain the acquisition of Devin Lohman and his placement in Clearwater after Crawford suffered his oblique injury.
I heard that Nunez and Cleven would start games 4 and 5 for the Threshers and that the first 3 games would be started by new Threshers. In all likelihood, that would be Matt Imhof, Brandon Leibrandt, and David Whitehead.
If any/most of this is accurate, then we will see –
If the Clearwater roster is “set”, then it follows that today’s other game would constitute the Lakewood roster –
Now for today’s game.
Miguel Nunez pitched 4 strong innings. He allowed only 3 base runners on 2 walks and a single. One was erased by Knapp on a steal attempt, another on a double play.
Colin Kleven followed with 4 strong innings of his own. He allowed 4 base runners and a run on 2 walks and 2 hits. But he responded to the Jays RBI single with bac-to-back strike outs to end the inning. Kleven’s repetoire includes a 4-seamer, 2-seamer, slider, and a cutter. His fastball was 92-93mph, his cutter was 88-89 mph.
Edubray Ramos picked up the save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Domonic Brown batted third in each of the first 4 innings. When he reached base, Mitch Walding came in to pinch run for him. brown went 1-2 with a single, walk, sacrifice fly, and an RBI.
The Phillies scored first in the third inning. Stankiewicz opened with a line drive single to right center field. He moved to third on Harris’ single to right. He scored on Brown’s sac fly. Harris moved to third on two stolen bases but was stranded there.
The Phillies scored another run in the fourth inning. Knapp led off with a single. He moved to second on a ground out and scored on Green’s double down the left field line.
The Blue Jays closed the gap in the sixth to 2-1. The Phillies opened up a three run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Stankiewicz led off with a walk. He stole second and moved to third on Harris’ bunt for a base hit. Stankiewicz scored on a sacrifice fly by Devin Lohman. Harris stole third and scored on Mayorga’s line drive single to center.
Today’s box score –
The Threshers ran themselves out of a scoring opportunity in the sixth inning. With one out and Valentin on first, Astudillo singled to right. Valentin tried to go to third but was gunned out by the right fielder. Astudillo was thrown out at second following the play. A rare 9-5-4 double play on a base hit.
Camp breaks tomorrow.
Phuture Phillies 