I’ve noticed a lot of reaction to the season Luis Garcia is having. I did try to get y’all to temper your expectations regarding Garcia. It was never fair of anyone to expect him to rise through the organization like a Ronald Acuna. Garcia is talented in his own right and will develop in his own time.
Mitch Rupert interviewed Driveline’s Jason Ochart and came away with this excellent evaluation that could be applied to ALL prospects as they move up through organization.
Mitch Rupert, “Phillies minor league hitting coordinator Jason Ochart’s view on Garcia’s season is probably a lot different than a fan’s view, but it’s a very reasonable view where success isn’t necessarily derived from the numbers on his BR page, and that’s kind of development in a nutshell.”
Here’s the link to the whole interview.
Clearwater (16-20, 52-50) lost to Bradenton, 2-1.
(Afraid I may have buried the lead, but I have it on good authority that Spencer Howard will be reporting to Reading Thursday. I need to check e-mail more often. Anyway, Gustavo Armas is scheduled to pitch Thursday, TBD on Friday.)
Kyle Glosgoski (1-1, 2.12) pitched five innings. He gave up one run on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out five. Michael Gomez (6.00) gave up a run in two innings on 2 hits. He walked none and struck out four. Zach Warren (3.15) tossed two, one-hit innings. He walked none and struck out four.
The Threshers could only manage one run on Rodolfo Duran’s eighth inning solo HR (6). They collected 9 total hits, but went 0-8 with RISP.
Simon Muzziotti (.275) went 1-4 with a double and a walk.
Jhailyn Ortiz (.220) went 2-5.
Nick Maton (.282) went 1-3 with a double and a walk.
Carlos Duran (.243) went 2-4 with his 6th HR.
Danny Mayer (.206) went 2-4.
Lehigh Valley (48-52) lost to Toledo, 13-0.
Ugly day for most of the IronPigs’ pitchers. Seth McGarry (0-2, 6.10) gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in three innings. Connor Brogdon (4.97) allowed an inherited runner to score and gave up a run in 0.2 innings on a hit and walk. Fernando Salas (1.72) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and was the only pitcher to avoid being involved in the scoring. Tom Windle (4.67) tossed two innings and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk. Yacksel Rios (7.29) pitched 0.2 innings and gave up 6 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. Josh Tols (6.65) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings but allowed 2 inherited runners to score on a hit and 2 walks.
The Lehigh Valley batters scattered 8 hits, went 0-7 with RISP, drew zero walks, and struck out 12 times.
Reading (22-12, 61-41) beat Binghamton, 8-6.
Jose Taveras (3-0, 3.09) pitched five innings and gave up 2 runs on 7 hits. He walked none, struck out four, and gave up 2 solo HRs. Grant Dyer (6.94) gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks in two innings. Jake Hernandez (1.79) struck out two in one inning. Addison Russ (1.99) gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk.
The Phils did all their scoring early. They crossed the plate 4 times in the first inning on Josh Stephen’s RBI single, Jose Gomez’ 2-run double, and Arquimedes Gamboa’s RBI single. They scored twice in the second on Darick Hall’s RBI single and Cornelius Randolph’s RBI double. They added 2 very important insurance runs in the fourth on Hall’s 2-run HR (18).
Luke Williams (.218) led off and played third base. He went 2-5 with a run scored.
Mickey Moniak (.266) went 0-4 with a run scored and a walk.
Darick Hall (.249) went 2-3 with 3 runs scored, a HR (18), 3 RBI, and 2 walks.
Cornelius Randolph (.246)went 1-3 with a run scored, double, RBI, and 2 walks.
Josh Stephen (.256) went 2-5 with a run scored and RBI.
Jose Gomez (.255) went 1-4 with a double and 2 RBI.
Arquimedes Gamboa (.181) went 1-4 with an RBI.
Moniak (13) and Williams (19) successfully stole bases.
Alec Bohm got the day off.
Lakewood (11-19, 40-60) beat Charleston, 4-3 in ten innings.
Dominic Pipkin (4.87) pitched five innings. He allowed 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits and 2 walks. He struck out three. Jhordany Mezquita pitched four innings. He allowed an unearned run on 2 hits and a walk. He struck out six. Albertus Barber (1-0, 0.00) got the win allowing one hit in the extra inning and stranding the OT runner.
The BlueClaws scored their first run on a wild pitch in the first inning. They tied the game with 2 runs in the eighth on Seth Lancaster’s solo HR (2) and Malvin Matos’ RBI single.
Lancaster (.221) went 3-5 with 2 runs scored, a HR (2), and 2 RBI. Jonathan Guzman (.255) went 2-5 with a run scored. Matos (.213) went 2-5 with an RBI. McCarthy Tatum (.262) went 0-2 with 3 walks. Luis Garcia (.189) went 0-5.
Guzman stole his 26th base, Lancaster stole 2 bases (9).
Williamsport (11-27) split with Auburn, losing 3-1 and winning 7-1.
Game One: Jose Conopoima (2.01) pitched four, one-run innings. He gave up 5 hits, including a solo HR, and walked one. Brian Marconi (0-2, 5.59) gave up 2 runs in three innings on 4 hits. Her struck out three.
The Crosscutters scored their only run on Hunter Hearn’s solo HR (3) in the fifth inning, one of their only two hits. DJ Stewart had the other hit. Bryson Stott (.233) went 0-3. Corbin Williams (.260) went 0-1 with 2 walks and stole his 21st base.
Game Two: Hsin-Chieh Lin (3.86) pitched four, one-run innings. He gave up 4 hits, including a solo HR, walked one, and struck out three. Rafael Carvajal (2-2, 4.50) pitched three, one-hit innings, walking one, and striking out four.
The Cutters scored a run in the second inning on Hunter Hearn’s RBI single. They scored 4 runs in the third on Juan Aparicio’s RBI single, Johan Rojas’ 2-run triple (2), and Jake Holmes’ RBI single. They tacked on 2 more runs in the fourth on a ground out and Logan O’Hoppe’s RBI single.
Aparicio (.354) and Rojas (.333) had 2 hits each. Logan O’Hoppe (.237) went 1-4 with a run scored and RBI. Bryson Stott (.206) went 0-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
GCL Phillies East (12-9) no game scheduled.
GCL Phillies West (15-7) lost to the Yankees West, 4-3.
Jack Perkins (2.08) pitched four, shutout innings. He allowed 4 hits and a walk while striking out seven. Daniel Vilchez (3.26) took a over and carried a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning. Thru 3.1 innings, he struck out seven, but gave up 3 runs on 4 hits. Josh Hendrickson (2.61) pitched 0.2 innings and struck out two, but allowed an inherited runner to score to blow the save, and a solo HR to blow the win.
The Phillies scored three runs on a force out in the third inning, Rixon Wingrove’s solo HR (4) in the sixth, and Keaton Greenwalt’s solo HR (3) in the eighth.
The Phillies managed just 3 hits and went 1-8 with RISP.
Jadiel Sanchez (.118) went 0-5.
Rixon Wingrove (.306) went 2-4 with his 4th HR.
Rehabbing Ben Aklinski was hit by a pitch and flew out to center before being replaced in RF.
JC Smith (.306) went 1-2 after replacing Aklinski.
Keaton Greenwalt (.224) went 1-3 with his 3rd HR and a walk.
DSL Phillies Red (28-12) beat the Yankees, 9-3. and have a 2.0 game lead over the Cardinals Blue.
DSL Phillies White (27-18) beat the Cubs2, 12-5 and moved into a first place tie with the Cubs2.
Here’s the affiliate scoreboard from MiLB.
The rosters and lists are up to date as of July 23rd … there are 398 players in the org
- organization’s rosters (7/23)
- organization’s injury list (7/23)
- organization’s Rule 5 eligibility list (7/23)
7/24/19 – Phillies placed 2B Brad Miller on the 10-day IL, right hip flexor strain
7/24/19 – Clearwater sent OF Ben Aklinski on a rehab assignment to GCL West
7/24/19 – Lehigh Valley placed Logan Morrison on the 7-day IL
7/22/19 – RHP Connor Seabold assigned to Reading from Clearwater
7/22/19 – RHP Colton Eastman assigned to Clearwater from Reading
7/22/19 – Reading placed RHP Luis Carrasco on the 7-day IL
7/22/19 – RHP James McArthur assigned to Clearwater from Lakewood
7/22/19 – RHP Dylan Castaneda assigned to GCL West
7/22/19 – LHP Cam Beauchamp assigned to GCL East
7/22/19 – Kyle Dohy assigned to Reading from Lehigh Valley
7/22/19 – Austin Davis activated by Lehigh Valley
7/21/19 – Phillies signed free agent LHP Drew Smyly
7/20/19 – Phillies optioned RHP JD Hammer to Lehigh Valley
7/20/19 – Minnesota traded RHP Mike Morin to Phillies for cash
7/20/19 – RHP Omar Maldonado assigned to Lakewood from Williamsport
Phuture Phillies 
Afraid I may have buried the lead, but I have it on good authority that Spencer Howard will be reporting to Reading Thursday. I need to check e-mail more often. Anyway, Gustavo Armas is scheduled to pitch Thursday, TBD on Friday.
Great news Jim! Thanks for the update!
I can’t recall the last pitching prospect whose arrival we’ve been anticipating this much. Nola was a first rounder and came with expectations. Spencer has risen from relative obscurity and gives us hope for a solid #2 with potential TOR pedigree. That’s exciting.
I guess with Luis Garcia, my question is “What does $2.5 M buy you?” If he had been a $500,000 signing, I don’t think I’d notice. This on top of what I consider the Phils’ abysmal history of international signings. Some enterprising individual will compile the career WAR stats for all international signings over the past 30 years, listed by team. And if the Phils weren’t in the bottom 3 teams for all of baseball, I will be shocked.
Other teams have invested highly in prospects and have got little results..the Evil Empire for one…..they signed Dermis Garcia for $3M about 4/5 years ago, and he still is in the FSL striking out @ a 35% clip.
Sox with Rusney Castillo is another that come to mind….and whatever happened to wunderkind Kevin Maitan (Braves and then the Angels) and his big dollar cash day!.
Bottom line…..you have to keep signing them and hope one strikes it big….plus sign the multiple $100K guys and also hope you get a few diamonds in the rough.
Phillies minor league system coaching hasn’t shown they can develop young talent so Garcia’s slow progress should be a worry.
This is my biggest frustration, especially when you see some teams pulling productive major leaguers out of nowhere (I was watching the Yankees game last night, which made me think about this). Hopefully the new coaching staff can turn this trend around.
Congrats to Howard! Well deserved!
And Mr Howard, congrats to you as well! Proud father, I’m sure!
As for Garcia, I like how they’re testing him. To some he is failing, to others he’s building character. I’ll trust our player development. The people saying Garcia should be demoted are the same that said Moniak should be demoted etc Look how that has turned out…
Could Jason Ochart use any more baseball cliches? I get not scouting the stat line, but all of the excuses he made for Garcia could be used for everyone on that team and in that league, with the exception of age.
It literally sounded word for word like a Kapler quote. I’m pretty sure this organization under Gabe’s direction has prioritized like minded thinking throughout as opposed to diversity of thought when staffing coaching and development positions. There is nothing more powerful in a position of leadership then to surround yourself with smart people who will continuously and respectfully challenge your views. I believe Gabe should go read Team of Rivals on his day off today.
AKA “The League of Smartest Men in the Room”
Exactly, a Kapler statement was what I thought I was reading.
Lol. Gabe is the on-field manager for the MLB team. He doesn’t have that level of authority. This is hilarious.
Was about to say the same thing. Gabe was hired as the manager for the major league club (not very well imo), he’s not running the organization’s developmental staff.
Maybe Gabe and company are parroting the talking points from the executive team and not the other way around?
The regression of Yacksel Rios this year is disappointing. Rios was never a top prospect but he has size and throw mid 90 to high 90s with very good SL. The number of young arms that are under performing this year is alarming.
And…..the number of young pitchers on the Braves who are progressing is also alarming. Soroka tonight and Fried on Sunday is daunting.
good scouting + good coaching/player development work wonders if they do the job right. Pivetta, Eflin, Eickhoff, delos Santos, etc all regressed this year. Nola too as some point, but Nola is cut from another cloth. Even on the young bullpen arms, Arano during ST was troubling, Seranthony, Edgar Garcia, Edubray Ramos and Austin Davis, not showing progress, etc. It is just not an isolated case.
Think you are giving the Braves too much credit on that front. We see the ones that have had success but they’ve had quite a few of their top pitching prospects also struggle in 2019.
Touki Toussaint
Bryse Wilson
Kyle Wright
Mike Foltynewicz
A.J. Minter
Dan Winkler
That’s why they signed Keuchel and are looking for more pitching at the deadline.
True…Wilson and Wright have struggle at the major league level, but they are treading water with their heads above it @Triple A.
Folty and Minter…..just flat out have to write this season off.
Winkler is just too old to be considered a youthful arm IMO
ToTo…..cannot throw strikes consistently but his stuff can be electric..
But Soroka and Fried have almost a combined 6bWAR season and that is noteworthy
Fried has been a solid middle rotation starter. Soroka has been the big success they’ve had so far.
Just think it’s common when we are more fully aware of the Phillies system to recognize the prospects that haven’t worked while only noticing the successes that other teams have.
“True…Wilson and Wright have struggle at the major league level, but they are treading water with their heads above it @Triple A”
Can you say Cole Irvin?
Well the difference is obvious between Wright/Wilson and Irvin…..they are both top 75 MLB prospects and Irvin is not, plus Irvin is also two years older than Wright and 4 years older than Wilson, and has a lower ceiling than both of them.
Don Brown was a #1 rated prospect. Those ratings mean little more that click fodder. The fact is Irvin has been an AAA star just like wright/Wilson
Howard could get his first Double A start tomorrow vs the NH Fisher Cats.
He will be coming off 5 days rest by then.
Congrats S. Howard my hope for your success. Take it slow, enjoy the ride (process) beware of AA burnout, this year historical starting injury/burnout.
Hopes for your success
Congrats to Spencer Howard AA . Enjoy the process
Jake Hernandez is a top ten prospect. Probably top five.
Right on, brother !!!
You’re late to the club. 🙂
@Hinkie – I knew you’ll come!! You’re not frequent lately…that’s the calling you need! I honestly prefer to see Jake the Cake than Jose Alvarez.
KuKo … Welcome aboard the “jaKe the caKe” banwagon. There’s plenty more room for the rest of you.