Monthly Archives: September 2019

Open Discussion: Week of September 30th

Weekly Discussion

My wife and I would like to thank all for your kind thoughts and prayers during our recent difficult times.  Several weeks ago, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer when a pea size mass was identified after her annual mammogram.  We prepared for her lumpectomy, but during an MRI a week before the procedure, another smaller mass was detected in her other breast.

Her procedure was delayed a week, and changed to a double lumpectomy and the removal of the lymph nodes under her arms for testing.  The surgery went extremely well.  This past week the we received the news that the pathology on her lymph nodes came back negative.  So, she is cancer free.

Now comes radiology and then five years of chemo.  Yeah, five years. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of September 30th →

2019 Instructs, Second Week, Jay’s Game and a Camp Day

0. Instructional League

The guys here for Instructs are continuing to perform the drills I wrote about in an earlier report.  They ended today’s work outs with a couple more contests.  Apparently they have been divided into teams and are keeping score.  I have no idea how that works.  But, there is some partisan cheering during the events.  And some question as to the judges partiality.

They played games Monday at Dunedin and Tuesday at Spectrum Field.  I was unable to make it to the Dunedin game but heard that they turned away spectators. Continue reading 2019 Instructs, Second Week, Jay’s Game and a Camp Day →

2019 Instructs, First Week’s Intrasquad Games

0. Instructional League

The guys here for Instructs are continuing to perform the drills I wrote about in an earlier report.  They ended Saturday’s work outs with bunting and fielding contests.  They played intrasquad games both days at Spectrum Field.  I love watching a game when both teams wear the exact same uniform (Not!). Continue reading 2019 Instructs, First Week’s Intrasquad Games →

My Top Prospects, 9/2019

Other Stuff

With the Phillies torturing us on their way to missing the playoffs, I thought you might get some mileage out of this.

Last week, Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle canvassed radio and TV personalities, baseball writers, and others who follow the Phillies minor league system for input into his annual end of season top 30 prospect list.

We were asked to rank the prospects based on their present value to the Phillies, their ceiling/potential, age, and performance relative to level.  

Continue reading My Top Prospects, 9/2019 →

2019 Instructs, First Week

0. Instructional League

Players arrived Sunday for Instucts and Strength and Conditioning.  Monday, they began.  And, so did we.  My friend Steve Potter and I arrived around 9:00 AM and waited until the players came out to take part in exercises and baseball drills at 11:00 AM.  They were divided up into groups, and progressed from one activity to another in those groups.  Players were on the field for about 2.5 hours.  Here’s who and what what we saw these first few days. Continue reading 2019 Instructs, First Week →

Open Discussion: Week of September 9th

Weekly Discussion

Well, the Phillies won enough games last week to tease us for another week.  The loss on Nola night was unexpected and heart wrenching.  Oh, well.  The Phillies have gotten back to two games behind the Cubs.  However, the Brewers have caught the Phils, and the Diamondbacks have passed them.  The current standings are – Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of September 9th →

Playoff Recap – 9/6/2019

Box Score Recap

No worries about wasting a great start tonight.  Adonis Medina took the mound and settled things early.  He retired just four batters and dug the Phils an early hole that proved too much to overcome.  The bullpen was little better, giving up an additional seven runs before Julian Garcia and Aaron Brown combined for three scoreless innings. Continue reading Playoff Recap – 9/6/2019 →

Playoff Recap – 9/5/2019

Box Score Recap

The Reading Phils wasted another excellent pitching performance by a starting pitcher.  A night after Spencer Howard held the Trenton Thunder to one run and two infield hits in seven innings (and striking out twelve), David Parkinson shut out the Thunder on three hits in seven innings.  But, whereas the Phils’ bull pen couldn’t preserve a 3-1 lead Wednesday, it was the offense that was deficient Thursday, getting shutout through ten innings. Continue reading Playoff Recap – 9/5/2019 →