All posts by jimpeyton19

Box Score Recap – 8/20/2015

Box Score Recap

Clearwater (71-53) beat the Brevard County Manatees 11-1.  Yacksel Rios (6-3, 2.81) pitched six, three hit innings.  He walked none and struck out five.  Jesen Therrien (1.93) gave up an earned run in two innings, and Ulises Joaquin (3.00) mopped up.

The starting pitchers were locked in a duel until the sixth inning.  The Threshers staked Rios with an early one run lead on an RBI single by Chace Numata.  The Threshers struck again with three runs in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Numata.  He came home while Mitch Walding was thrown out attempting to steal second base.  They broke the game open with seven runs the next inning on an RBI double by Rhys Hoskins, a throwing error on a ground ball by Andrew Pullin, a throwing error on a double by Aaron Brown, an RBI double by Numata, an RBI single by Malquin Canelo, and a two-run triple by Jessie Valentin.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/20/2015 →

Open Discussion: Mid-Week Special, August 20th

Weekly Discussion

Due to the many changes this week, here’s an open discussion thread to deal with the updates in topics since the beginning of the week.  This will also avoid the long comment threads in the earlier post.

In review, Continue reading Open Discussion: Mid-Week Special, August 20th →

Box Score Recap – 8/19/2015

Box Score Recap

Aaron Altherr started for the Philadelphia Phillies in left field last night and collected his first major league hit, home run, and RBI.  He doubled in his first at bat and drove in his first run in the first inning off Mark Buehrle.  He lined a two-run home run to left in the fifth inning off reliever Bo Schultz .  He finished 2 for 3 with a walk, run scored, double, home run, and three RBI.

Clearwater (70-53) beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 6-2.  The Threshers gave Mark Leiter (5-1, 2.18) an early lead and he held the Jays to two runs on six hits in six innings.  He struck out five.  Alexis Rivero (3.15) earned his second save with three no-hit innings.  He walked one and struck out five, the fourth straight game that Threshers’ pitching reached double digit strike outs.

The Threshers amassed twelve hits on their way to their 70th victory.  The team managed to post a 49-89 record during the torturous 2014 campaign.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/19/2015 →

Utley Trade to Dodgers Agreed Upon

Other Stuff

It appears that the Phillies have agreed to a trade that would send Chase Utley to the Dodgers for two minor league players.  The Dodgers would also likely receive $2M dollars as part of the deal.  More on MLB Trade Rumors and Jon Heyman’s tweet.

At 3:50PM eastern time, this deal has been agreed to but not finalized, pending physicals.

Box Score Recap – 8/18/2015

Box Score Recap

Clearwater (69-53) beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 9-4.  Matt Imhof (7-4, 3.72) gave up two runs in the first inning, but held the Blue Jays to four base runners over over the following four innings.  Overall, he conceded two runs on five hits and two walks.  Imhof struck out six batters.  Alberto Tirado (2.94) made his first appearance against his former team and tossed three no-hit, shutout innings.  Tirado struck out three but walked four.  Harold Guerrero (3.41) gave up a two-run home run in the ninth.

After falling behind 2-0, the Threshers began their comeback in the second inning and mounted a 14-hit attack.  Eight starters had hits, five had multi-hit games.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 8/18/2015 →

Maikel Franco to the DL/Aaron Altherr Called UP

Other Stuff

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.

Box Score Recap – 8/17/2015

Box Score Recap

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

Weekly Discussion

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

Box Score Recap

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

Box Score Recap

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 →