A quick update on the transactions and announcements that came out of the complex today:

–Vincent Veslasquez has been named the Phils #5 starter, meaning Adam Morgan, who has been very well in Spring Training has been optioned to AAA Lehigh Valley.

–RP Elvis Arajuo and Luis Garcia both of whom spent the large majority of last season with the Phils have been optioned to AAA Lehigh Valley

–Darnell Sweeney was optioned to Lehigh Valley, while C Logan Moore, INF Angelys Nina, RP Bobby LaFromboise, RP Reinier Roibal and P Chris Leroux were all re-assigned to minor league camp

–OF Will Venable was signed to a minor league deal and is expected to compete with Cedric Hunter and David Lough for the final OF position on the roster.

How often during a sporting event, do you hear that?  I was having a beer with a friend last week at the Lagerhaus Brewery in Palm Harbor when our stammtisch discussion swung toward the worst calls in sports. Continue reading Worst Call Ever …? →

The Phillies acquired RHP Charlie Morton from the Pirates for Clearwater RHP David Whitehead per MLBTR, http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/phillies-acquire-charlie-morton-from-pirates.html.  Morton has avearged between 5-6 IP per game in 69 starts over the past 3 seasons.  The Phillies designated recently claimed right-handed reliever A.J. Achter to make room for Morton.  If he clears waivers, he’ll likely be assigned to LHV.

Limited time tonight to post but I wanted to get something going before Jim expertly fills in the details as he always does.  Kenny Giles was traded this evening to Houston for P Vincent Velasquez, P Brett Oberholtzer, OF Derek Fisher and a player yet to be announced.  Both Velasquez and Oberholtzer spent time with the Astros last year, with Velasquez looking to have a very high upside and likely to join the Phils rotation.  Fisher , a Pennsylvania native split time between A and High A and put up impressive numbers (22HR 87RBI, 31SB, .275 avg) in just under 500 minor league at bats last year.  He was the Astros Supplemental First Round Pick (37th) in the 2014 draft.

With little need for a lights out closer with likely multiple rebuilding years to come, this is a trade that makes sense for the Phils for a host of reasons.

Please excuse the clumsy paraphrasing of a Jimmy Buffet lyric in the title.  This is NOT a prospect article.  It is the promised review of a new restaurant.  It is specifically targeted toward readers who travel to Clearwater for Phillies’ Spring Training and Grapefruit League games and those who live in the Clearwater area. Continue reading Cheese Steak in Paradise →

It was reported today that the Phillies claimed CF Peter Bourjos off waivers from the Saint Louis Cardinals.  Subsequently, the Phillies tried to slip RHP Nefi Ogando through waivers only to have him claimed by the Miami Marlins.

I recall that Bourjos would have been a popular acquisition among readers of this site had the Phillies acquired him a  few years ago, before they traded for Ben Revere.  He put up solid numbers in the 2011 season but saw limited at bats over the next 4 seasons.

Ogando came to the Phillies from the Boston Red Sox in August of 2013 in exchange for INF John McDonald.  He possessed a mid-90s fastball but had control problems.  He flashed a reasonable BB/9 in 2014 in the AFL and DWL, but reverted to form last season.

Steve Adams of MLBTR provides a more extensive write up of the transactions.

The Phillies 40-man roster remains at 38.

With the deadline to protect players from the rule 5 draft approaching, the Phillies have added 3 players to their 40-man roster – Roman Quinn, Jimmy Cordero, and Edubray Ramos.  They have also claimed Twins RHP A.J. Achter off waivers.

The Phillies 40-man roster level stands at 37 going into the rule 5 draft barring any further moves before tonight’s 11:59PM deadline.

MLBTR reported that Jim Salisbury tweeted that the Phillies and D’Backs are working on a trade that would bring RHP Jeremy Hellickson to Philaelphia.  He is in the last year of arbitration and becomes a first time free agent in 2017.  His agent has negotiated deals to avoid arbitration the past two seasons.  This is probably just a one year acquisition since his agent is Scott Boras.

Todd Zolecki tweeted that the trade is being finalized for a Phillies’ low level minor leaguer, since reported to be Sam McWilliams.  (Damn! I like McWilliams.)

Maikel Franco has been activated by his Dominican Winter League team, the Gigantes del Cibao.  He has reported to the team and been added to the roster according to an article by Jake Kaplan (see story).

Franco suffered a fractured left wrist in August that sidelined him until he was activated for the last weekend of the season. He collected 9 PA in three games that weekend after a few appearances in the Instructs.

This is the second in a series of articles reviewing our sleeper and breakout predictions before the 2015 season started.  Earlier, I covered last season’s sleeper predictions.  Today, I’ll go over the break out picks. Continue reading 2015 Sleepers and Breakouts Revisited; Part Two →