The Phillies lost a game in Kissimmee to the Astros, their last trip there since the Astros are moving to another Florida location next spring.  Some guy named Giles got the save.

We had large crowds at the Carpenter Complex yesterday and today.  I have short reports on the action both days, and a little video.  Tuesday, I was drawn to the AAA field to watch five innings of Vince Velasquez.  Uninspiring innings.  I saw a report that stated VV gave up up one earned run.  Wrong, but you be the judge when I cover it later on.  His fast ball was 92-93, and he had some nice movement.  But, his control was erratic.  I saw him earlier in the spring, but not up close like Tuesday.  Maybe a few weeks in AAA wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Velasquez started off well enough.  He struck out his first batter, got a ground ball to first, and then a well hit fly out to center fielder Angelo Mora (yes, Mora).

In his second inning, Velasquez gave up a lead off double and an infield single to put runners on the corners.  Logan Moore made a poor decision on a throw to second  and the ball bounced into center field allowing an unearned run to score and putting a runner on third.  (I judged it to be a poor decision because the runner broke on Velasquez and the pitch was in the dirt and not handled cleanly.  His bad throw bounced into center.)  After a ground out back to the pitcher, Velasquez gave up a clean single to the outfield.  That makes the first run earned and the second run unearned.  A fly out for the second out in the inning ended the inning as the Phillies rolled the inning due to Velasquez’ pitch count.

Velasquez got a ground out to second to start the third inning.

The next batter lined a single to left and was thrown out at second on a strong throw by Nick Williams.  Velasquez got the next batter looking.

A lead off home run to start the fourth would be the second earned run allowed by Velasquez.  He then gave up a double to left.

And then he hit a batter.

At this point, I went looking for other players to watch.

Tuesday notes:

• Moore lined a single to left his first at bat.
• Cozens ground a single through the shift for a single in the second.  I know Cozens is a big kid, but I have also seen him hit to all fields.  I think a shift is premature at this point of his career.
• In the third, Pullin ground a single to right.  Mora came through with a hit-and-run single to left to put runners on the corners.  J.P. Crawford waited out a walk to load the bases.  Moore grounded into an inning double play.

• Jake Thompson pitched on the AA field and got knocked around some.
• David Whitehead appeared for the Pirates AA team and was greeted rudely by his former team mates.  One scoring sequence involved a Rhys Hoskins double off the left field fence and an Andrew Knapp RBI single.
• Hinojosa pitched for the AA squad, Pinto for Group 5.  I passed on both to watch Velasquez.

Wednesday was a camp day.  The teams were loosely based on the work groups.  It looked like G1 v. G2 and G3 v. G5.  Most of the G3 starters were probable Lakewood guys, the Clearwater guys didn’t play.  There were infield drills on one of the other fields.  I recognized Lucas Williams and Scott Tomassetti.  I saw some Jake Fox, Cam Perkins, and Gabriel Lino taking BP with several guys on another field.

I got some random video.  Juan Luis beats out a bunt.

Austin Bossart throws out Luis on a steal attempt.

Zach Coppola singles.

A few notes from Wednesday’s games:

• Tommy Joseph homered to left off John Richy.
• Jose Pujols drove a ball over the left fielder’s head for a double.
• Jiandido Tromp had a couple of knocks on hard hit balls.
• Luis Encarnacion continued to make hard contact with a sharp line drive speared by the third baseman.
• Pujols homered to left.  There’s the in-game power I hadn’t seen until today.
• Andrew Godail froze “C” Randolph on a called third strike.  I thought it was a fast ball.  I told his Williamsport house parents that was a good way to get cut, striking out the top prospect.  I think for a second they thought I was serious.  They were having dinner with him tonight and were going to tell him what I said.  Hope he knows I was kidding.

I finally got confirmation on Murray’s report that Andrew Amaro and Ryan O’Sullivan were released.

Other transactions:

• Jesus Manuel Chavez (the kid who has been on loan to the Mexican League for the last two years) was released last week in the bunch that included Brian Pointer and Art Charles.
• Seve Gonzalez and Colton Murray were optioned to Lehigh Valley.
• John Zgardowski, Denton Keys, and Bryan Martelo were released.
• There were several reports by Phillies’ beat writers on twitter that Lino Gabriel was reassigned to minor league camp.  That’s 47 left on the Phillies’ spring roster.

And, finally, Riley Pint had an auspicious 2016 debut.  He hit a grand slam in his first at bat and struck out 5 of the first 6 batters he face in front of about 75 scouts.   His FB 95-98 CH 86-88 CV/SL 84-88.  And later, 7 k and 1 H through 3 IP; FB 94-96, CV 80, SL 89 from the same scout.  Another report (second hand it appears) had him with a FB 95-99 and CB/CH both flashing plus.