Looking at the glass half full, Lehigh Valley had a fantastic season, a season in which they completely turned around a team that had been perennially a last place team in their first three years in existence. Now the glass half empty part. Lehigh Valley may have played their worst two games of the season in the seasons final two games, which just so happened to be in the International League CHampionship series, a series they lost 3-1 with their 4-1 loss on Friday evening at Coca Cola Park. Continue reading ‘Pigs Hog Tied; Callups →

Plenty to talk about looking at outfielders around the system.  Look for the final report on Starting Pitchers from the top half of the minor league system (LV, REA, and CW) Monday or Tuesday with the bottom half of the system coming along. late next week (LK, WM, GCL).

Lehigh Valley

Rich Thompson, 32, Re-signed as a free agent prior to 2011 season; .276/.354/.408 in 424 AB’s; 5HR 30RBI; 48/52 SB; .242 vs. LH, .289 vs. RH, .203 with RISP; 8%bb/18% k rates; .271 Post All Star.  117 games in the OF with 2 errors (.992); 6 OF assists; My admiration for the way Thompson plays the game is well documented on the site.  He is the offensive catalyst for the team and plays the game with an aggressiveness and determination that has been unmatched in my four years watching Lehigh Valley.  Excellent defensively and led the league in steals.  Hoping he is back in 2012.

Domonic Brown, 24, Phils 20th round pick in ’06 draft;.261/.391/.370 in 138 AB’s; 3HR 15RBI; 12/16 SB; .273 vs. LH, .253 vs. RH, .167 with RISP; 17%bb/20% k rates.  38 games in the OF with 4 errors (.939); 3 OF assists; Brown was simply a different player in the short time he spent in Lehigh Valley in 2011 than he was in 2010. Not nearly as aggressive at the plate, he lacked his power stroke and was flat out bad in the field.  I think the Phils are left little choice but to bring him back to Lehigh Valley until they are ready to annoint him the everyday left fielder, which I don’t believe they will be come April. Continue reading Around the System–Outfield →

After numerous renditions of 99 bottles of beer on the wall with the traveling media, the IronPigs arrived back in Lehigh Valley at 6:00 a.m. Thursday after a nine hour bus ride,in time to get in a couple of hours of shut eye before arriving back at the park to play Game 3 of the Championship Series against visiting Columbus.  The ‘Pigs played like they shouldnt have gotten off the bus, in their 6-2 loss to Columbus, going down 2-1 in the best of five series.  The game can best be summarized by the 13 IronPigs’ that Joe Martinez struck out (his season high had been 7) and Lehigh Valley walking in 3 runs on 5 walks during the top of the 9th. An ugly night at Coca Cola Park to say the very least.  The questions swirling around Allentown are why relievers Juan Perez and Chance Chapman, two relievers that havent pitched in weeks and are at the very back of the excellent IronPigs bullpen were used in such critical situations in the 9th. Continue reading Bullpen Blown Up; ‘Pigs Lose, Down 2-1 →

An exceptional effort by Nate Bump was wasted on Wednesday evening as Columbus put up four runs in the 8th inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit for a 4-1 win in Game Two of the International League championship series in Columbus.  Bump left the game ahead 1-0 with two runners on and one out in the 8th inning, when he gave way to Mike Zagurski who allowed a game tying sac fly, uncorked a wild pitch allowing the go ahead run to score and then allowed a two run single to give Columbus their margin of victory.  Continue reading ‘Pigs Fall 4-1; Series tied at One →

Paging Ruben Amaro…Brandon Moss is making you look silly as John Bowker continues his quest for his first hit for the Phils.  Moss is tearing the cover off the ball, leading the ‘Pigs to yet another playoff win with his three run homer this evening, giving Lehigh Valley a 1-0 lead in the International League Championship series against Columbus.  Moss, in leading the ‘Pigs to their 5-2 win, has now homered in three of the ‘Pigs four post season games.  The series continues tomorrow in Columbus before returning to Lehigh Valley for the final three games. Continue reading ‘Pigs Win Championship Opener →

A look up the middle…Coming next is the outfield, either Friday or Saturday.

Lehigh Valley

Josh Barfield, 28, Signed as a free agent prior to 2011 season;.257/.284/.365 in 452 AB’s; 6 HR 55RBI; 12/20 SB; .263 vs. LH; .254 vs. RH; .212 with RISP; .217 since August 1. 4%bb/15% k rate.  108 games at 2B with 8 errors (.984); 4.55 R/F; 7 games in the OF without an error. Barfield was decent this year at the plate and good in the field.  My gut tells me he is elsewhere in 2012.

Freddy Galvis, 21, Signed as a free agent in 2006; .278/.324/.392 in 543 AB’s between Reading and Lehigh Valley; 8HR 43RBI; 23/36 SB; 5% BB/15% k rates; .298 Post All Star. 137 games at SS with 19 errors (.967); 4.10 R/F. If you asked the Phillies brass what they would like to see from Galvis this year, he has done it.  Galvis actually hit better in AAA then he did for Reading, where he had very nice stats.  Galvis is currently capable of starting in the major leagues. Knowing the Phils history, I expect Galvis back in AAA to begin next year. Continue reading Around the System–Middle Infield →

The days of Mike Rouse, TJ Bohn, Ron Chiavacci and Dave Huppert are now gone and forgotten as Lehigh Valley have completed their sweep of Pawtucket to move onto the International League Championship Series against Columbus (Indians affiliate).  The names replacing those above are Galvis, Bass, Moss and Ryne Sandberg, along with  21 others who have brought a brand new brand of baseball to the Lehigh Valley that includes aggressiveness ,attention to detail ,and fundamentals. Continue reading ‘Pigs Fly, ‘Pigs Fly →

Three hits by Brandon Moss  including a walkoff RBI single led the way to a 3-2 victory in ten innings  for Lehigh Valley, giving the ‘Pigs a 2-0 series lead.  Moss, who is now 5-7 with 2 homers in the series has been dominating Pawtucket pitching. 

Pawtucket jumped out on Lehigh Valley with a run in the first inning on an RBI double by Lars Anderson.  Brandon Moss answered with a long homerun to dead center to tie the game at one in the 2nd.  When Moss came up again in the third, he broke the tie when he laced an RBI double, scoring Scott Podsednik who had walked. Continue reading Brandon Moss leads Lehigh Valley to a 2-0 series lead →

A look at where we are with Catching throughout the system.  Look for the Middle Infield Report early next week.

GCL

John Hill, 22, Phils 19th round pick in 2011; .226/.315/.258; 0HR and 12 RBI; .357 vs. LH, .188 vs. RH, 11%bb/22%k rate. Caught 31 games with 3 errors (.984); 3 passed balls; 9/33 CS (27%); Look for Hill in Williamsport next season.

Logan Moore, 21, Phils 9th round pick in 2011 draft; .225/.243/.268 in 71 AB’s with 1HR and 9 RBI; .182 vs. LH, .245 vs. RH, .333 with RISP; 3%bb/23% k rates; Caught 28 games with 2 errors (.986); 4 passed balls; 12/37 CS (32%); Look for Moore and Hill to spilt time with the Crosscutters.

Angel Chevarin, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2009; .109/.180/.174 in 46 AB’s with 0HR and 0 RBI; Caught 23 games with 3 errors (.968); 7 passed balls; 6/33 CS (17%); Back to the GCL again for CHevarin next season. Continue reading Around the System–Catcher →

Lehigh Valley jumped to a 1-0 lead in their best of five Division series against visiting Pawtucket with their 4-2 victory on Thursday evening.  As usual, Rich Thompson got things rolling for the ‘Pigs in the first inning, singling, stealing second and scoring on a Kevin Frandsen ground out to put Lehigh Valley up 1-0 early.  The ‘Pigs added a run in the 2nd inning when Erik Kratz homered.  A Brandon Moss homer, a shot that actually left Coca Cola Park put Lehigh Valley up 3-0 in the 4th and ‘Pigs starter Dave Bush was cruising along until Lars Anderson hit a solo homer for the Red Sox in the 6th to cut the lead to two runs. Bush gave way to Joe Savery in the 7th, having thrown 6.2 very effective innings, giving up just one run on 5 hits.  He walked one and struck out 6.

SS Freddy Galvis answered Anderson’s homer with one of his own to put the ‘Pigs back up by three runs, 4-1 in the 7th. On came Phillipe Aumont for Lehigh Valley in the 8th, who immediately got himself in trouble with two walks, one of whom ended up scoring on a fielder’s choice, cutting the ‘Pigs lead back to two. Ryne Sandberg called on Justin DeFratus to pitch the 9th, and DeFratus was lights out, retiring the PawSox 1-2-3 tp secure the victory.

Notes: Ryan Edell is expected to start Game Two at Coca Cola Park,  Brian Bass will get the call in Game Three in Pawtucket.

—Domonic Brown returned to the lineup and went 0-3 with a walk and a stolen base.