MLB Trade Rumors reported that Maikel Franco will be placed on the DL with a fractured wrist. Aaron Altherr has been called up to fill his roster spot.
Monthly Archives: August 2015
Box Score Recap – 8/17/2015
Clearwater (68-53) beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 6-3. It was Pinto Night again for the Threshers. Ricardo Pinto (7-2, 2.50) breezed through the Jays line up most of the night. The Jays got their first two batters on in the first inning, but Pinto pitched out of the trouble. He scattered four more base runners into the seventh inning. He was relieved after a lead off walk and two strike outs. His line – 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 K. Jesen Therrien (1.80) recorded a strike out to retire the side and strand the base runner. Therrien continued into the eighth where he had mixed results – a single, walk, and 2 doubles while striking out the side. His line – 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Miguel Nunez (3.14) provided some excitement while notching his sixth save. After two quick outs, he loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. He ended the game with his second strike out. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/17/2015
Open Discussion: Week of August 17th
Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.
- The Phillies were swept in a key series by the Milwaukee Brewers. They have re-taken the lead for the number one pick, for now.
- Since being activated by the Nationals on July 29th, Jonathan Papelbon has made 5 appearances in 18 games. Only two were in save situations. The Nats are 5-13 in those 18 games.
- Chase Utley has cleared waivers and waits for a deal that suits him before rescinding his 5-10 rights. (As is his right.)
Finding a suitor for Utley will be difficult. He wants a guarantee of playing time. He wants to play next season. He wants to play for a contender this season. He wants to play in southern California. That greatly limits the field of eligible teams. Even without a guarantee regarding playing time next season, Utley’s contract provides for a $2M buyout on top whatever portion of this season’s $15M remains to be paid.
In 2013, the Phillies flipped John McDonald for Nefi Ogando. This should establish the floor for any trade, I suppose. With all the baggage attached to a trade the ceiling might not be for very much higher. If Utley accepts the fact that he might not get next season guaranteed, kicking in some money (the buyout at the very least) should increase the value of the return. But not by much if Utley becomes just a rental.
Now, I like Utley as much as the next person. Unless the next person is one of those fanatic Utley lovers. I’m a member of a group where the female members all LOVE Utley and can’t bear even talk of his being traded. I’ve seen some of the bloggers I follow lose their objectivity over the subject of an Utley trade too.
Trading Utley is not some vindictive move by the team. It’s an effort to get some value back for a guy who shouldn’t return next season. You sugar coat the trade with the sentiment that he can play for a contender one more time, while avoiding the unpopular decision of not picking up his option next year.
I think a fair return would be a pitcher similar to several we have recently brought into the organization – Eflin, Lively, Pivetta, Eickhoff, Tirado, Windle. Plus whatever else we could get. If the roles were reversed, I certainly wouldn’t give up one of our top 8 prospects for a player like him.
Box Score Recap – 8/16/2015
Clearwater (67-53) lost to the Dunedin Blue Jays 10-2. Victor Arano (4-11, 4.95) retired six of seven batters through the first two innings. Then he reverted to his early season form after a couple of ground ball singles to the bottom of the Blue Jays order. As has happened in the past, the Jays batters teed off on Arano when they saw him for the second time. After a couple hard hit balls, he further lost control firing a wild pitch, hitting a batter, and throwing another wild pitch. One barely cleared the grass cutout of the infield ten feet in front of home plate. Then came the extra base hits. First a double, then a home run by Dickie Joe Thon (son of Dickie Thon). And so, after seven runs Arano was mercifully relieved. Cody Forsythe came in to get the final out on one pitch. And the attention of a lot of fans in the suites turned to the Colts-Eagles game in anticipation of Tim Tebow’s return to a playing field. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/16/2015
Box Score Recap – 8/15/2015
After three innings in Clearwater, the monsoon that had encircled Bright House Field closed in and opened up on players and patrons. Fans ran for cover and the grounds crew ran to the tarp. While we had viewed lightning in the vicinity, mostly over the bay, the intensity of the downpour was Homeric. I have seen this field take on a lot of water and drain well enough to continue play. Not tonight. We have had a lot of rain in recent days, and the “ponding” formed in places that would make continuation of tonight’s game unlikely. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/15/2015
Box Score Recap – 8/14/2015
So, after the Threshers’ game, I was talking to Charlie about Cornelius Randolph. Yeah, I call him Charlie. Charlie Manuel, that is. So, where was I? Oh, I was talking to Charlie about the Phillies’ first round pick Cornelius “C” Randolph. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/14/2015
Lehigh Valley Weekly Report
Lehigh Valley is currently on a three game tailspin, including getting trounced 11-2 last night by Syracuse. Over their last 10 games, the ‘Pigs are 5-5 and now sit at 53-66 on the year, good for 4th place of the Northern Division of the International League, 11 games behind division leading Scranton. Lehigh Valley returns home for a weekend series against Pawtucket, before hitting the road again next week for three in Scranton and three in Pawtucket. 25 games remain in the season.
–Jesse Biddle got hit around last night, lasting just 3.2 innings and gave up 7 runs on 9 hits.Biddle’s ERA in AAA in now approaching 6.
–Since his promotion to AAA, OF Aaron Altherr leads the IL in RBI and is 2nd in Runs.
–OF Brian Bogusevic has hit in his last 10 games, hitting .405 during that time span.
–Newly acquired P Alec Asher is 2-1 with a 2.90ERA in his last 5 starts,4 of those being “quality” starts.
–Over the last two months, SP Jared Eickhoff is 7-1 with a 2.70ERA in his last 11 starts. In his first week in the Phils organization, Eickhoff was named IL Pitcher of the Week, after allowing just one earned run in 14 innings, spanning two starts.
–INF Chase D’Arnaud is hitting .371 over his last 15 games.
–Since getting sent down from Philadelphia, Sean O’Sullivan has been consistently poor, with an ERA over 6 in his three outings.
–RP Colton Murray has been outstanding as of late, going 6-1 with a 1.35ERA since June 23rd, walking just 4 and striking out 21 in 26.2 innings of work.
‘Pigs League Leaders, Hitting: Chase D’Arnaud is 2nd in runs(68), 8th in triples (5) and 9th in SB (24); Brian Bogusevic is 7th in hits (116) and 8th in average (.294); Tyler Henson is 6th in doubles(26); Jordan Danks in 9th in doubles(3); Chris McGuinness is 3rd in walks(55)
Pitching:Cesar Jiminez in 6th in games (41); Seth Rosin is 7th in games (40); Adam Loewen is 9th in saves(10)
Transactions: Comings: David Buchanan (Philadelphia); INF Taylor Pastornicky (Texas Rangers); Dalier Hinojosa (Philadelphia); OF Jordan Danks (Philadelphia)
Goings: P Cesar Jiminez (Philadelphia); INF Devin Lohman (Reading); P Adam Loewen (Philadelphia)
Probables: FRI: Asher; SAT(1): Eickhoff; (2): TBD
Box Score Recap – 8/13/2015
Clearwater (67-51) beat the Tampa Yankees 6-4. Mark Leiter (2.12) had an uneven start. He threw 62 strikes among his 84 pitches (73.8%). He pitched six innings. He walked none and struck out seven. But he gave up nine hits, some of them hit very hard. He uncorked a couple wild pitches. He gave up four runs. But the Threshers outscored his mistakes and the bullpen kept the Yankees off the board down the stretch. Jesen Therrien (5-0, 1.16) picked up the win and Miguel Nunez (3.18) earned his 5th save. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/13/2015
Box Score Recap – 8/12/2015
Clearwater (66-51) beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 10-5. Matt Imhof (3.73) turned in a poor outing. He he gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks including two home runs. He left with one out in the fifth inning, one run in, and the bases loaded. Alexis Rivero (1-2, 4.30), who has had some difficulties of his own since his call-up from Lakewood, came in and induced a double play to strand the three base runners and end the inning. He contributed two more scoreless innings and positioned himself for the win before turning the game over to Ethan Stewart (0.87) for the final two innings.
Box Score Recap – 8/11/2015
Clearwater (65-51) beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 4-1. The Threshers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Dylan Cozens’ two-run triple in the first inning. Ricardo Pinto made those runs hold up. Pinto gave back a run in the bottom of the first, but didn’t allow a hit or a walk after the first inning. The only runner to reach base during Pinto’s second through seventh innings did so on a fielding error. Still nursing a 2-1 lead, Alberto Tirado took the mound in the eighth. He allowed a single but ended the inning with a pick off. The Threshers provided some breathing room for Ulises Joaquin in the ninth, and he pitched around a one-out single to earn his 15th save. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/11/2015
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