Category Archives: 01. Site Features

Organizational Leaders, Hitting

Other Stuff

Runs: Rhys Hoskins (59); Carlos Tocci (57); Malquin Canelo (56); Chase D’Arnaud (54); Aaron Altherr (51); Andy Knapp (50); JP Crawford (48);  Roman Quinn (44); Herlis Rodriguez (43); Damek Tomscha (43)

Hits: Carlos Tocci (116);  Rhys Hoskins (112); Malquin Canelo (107); Brock Stassi (103); Aaron Altherr (103); Andrew Pullin (100); Brian Bogusevic (94); Willians Astudillo (92); Cord Sandberg (91); CHase D’Arnaud (89);

2B: Rhys Hoskins (25); Aaron Altherr (25); Malquin Canelo (25); Andy Knapp (23); Cameron Perkins (21); Brock Stassi (21); Damek Tomscha (21); Carlos Tocci (20); Russ Canzler (20);Jordan Danks (20)

HR:Rhys Hoskins (13);  Aaron Altherr (12); Andrew Pullin (10);Cameron Perkins (9); Brian Pointer (9); Brock Stassi (9); Herlis Roriguez (8); Russ Canzler (7); Art Charles (7); Aaron Brown (7)

RBI: Rhys Hoskins (66); Brock Stassi (65); Andrew Pullin (60); Aaron Altherr (53); Andy Knapp (50); Herlis Rodriguez (47); Willians Astudillo (42); Cameron Perkins (41); Tyler Henson (40); Art Charles (39)

SB: Roman Quinn (29); Tyler Henson (22); Carlos Tocci (17); Chase Harris (17); Chase D’Arnaud (17); Brian Bogusevic (16); Aaron Altherr (14); Grenny Cumana (14); Malquin Canelo (13); Dylan Cozens (12); Herlis Rodriguez (12); Zach Coppola (12)

AVG: (Min 200 AB’s); Carlos Tocci (.316); Willians Astudillo (.311); Rhys Hoskins (.309); Roman Quinn (.306); JP Crawford (.305); Angelo Mora (.301); Aaron Altherr (.297); Brian Bogusevic (.296); Herlis Rodriguez (.296); Andy Knapp (.279)

Box Score Recap – 7/25/2015

Box Score Recap

The big news Saturday was Cole Hamels’ no hitter in Chicago.  The possibility that the game might be his last start for the Phillies, made following the game’s progress mandatory over social media.  I was following on Game Day, and the Threshers’ broadcasters were giving periodic updates.

As the no-no became the story, I became less attentive to the game in front of me.  Then the weather gods stepped in and the field in Clearwater was covered as a light rain suddenly increased in volume.  The field had taken a lot of water over the previous 24 hours, so this was a prudent decision.

With every fan seeking protection from the rain up on the concourse, GM John Timberlake put the MLB feed of the Phillies’ game up on the big screen.  So, we all got to see Hamels get the final three outs live during our rain delay.

I don’t think this will increase the return in any trade that may develop over the next week, but I’m sure it alleviated any worries over Hamels’ last two starts (which should not have decreased the return in any trade).  Of note should be that Hamels FB averaged 94 MPH. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/25/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 7/24/2015

Box Score Recap

GCL Phillies (20-8) postponed, rain. Double header v. Yankees1 Saturday at 10:00AM.

Clearwater (56-42) postponed, rain. Double header v. Hammerheads Saturday at 5:00PM.

That’s a lot of baseball.  The morning games are at the Carpenter Complex.  The evening games are at Bright House Field.  Thankfully, they’ll be seven inning games.

Lehigh Valley (45-55) beat the Syracuse Chiefs 3-2 in 11 innings.  Seve Gonzalez went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 7 hits and a walk.  Dalier Hinojosa, Adam Loewen (2.45), and Juan Gutierrez (1.71) held the Chiefs to one hit and struck out 6 over the last 5 innings.  They faced a line up that included some familiar names – Darin mastroianni, Jayson Werth, and Tony Gwynn. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/24/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 7/23/2015

Box Score Recap

The big news out of Florida is a possible injury suffered by Cornelius Randolph.  The Phillies first round pick was helped from the field after a collision at second base in the first game of a double header against the GCL Blue Jays.

With the game tied 3-3, Randolph walked with one out in the seventh.  Luis Encarnacion grounded to short and Randolph reached second safely with a hard slide into the fielder at the bag.  One pitch later he limped from the field with assistance.  He did not dress for the second game although he was seen walking around the Complex. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/23/2015 →

Lehigh Valley Report

Other Stuff

The ‘Pigs have won 2 of three on this 7 game home and continue at home with one more against Toledo tonight, followed by a weekend series at home against Syracuse.  Since their low water mark of 22-42 in mid June, the ‘Pigs have gone 22-12 including wins in 15 of their last 22 games.  With six weeks left in the season, Lehigh Valley sits at 44-54, in 4th place of the Northern Division of the International League, 8 games behind division leading Rochester.  Next week starts on the road for two in Scranton.

News and Notes: Fan Favorite Erik Kratz returned to Lehigh Valley with a 3-4, 2RS, 2 double effort in his first game back in an IronPig uniform.

–Over his last two starts, Pitcher Anthony Vasquez has allowed just one earned run on 9 hits, spanning 14 innings.

–RP Adam Loewen has been perfect over his last six outings, retiring all 18 batters he has faced. Since returning from AA just over a month ago, Loewen has help the opposition scoreless in 17 of 18 outings, earned 8 saves, and struck out an astounding 35 in 21.1 innings of work.   Continue reading Lehigh Valley Report →

Box Score Recap – 7/22/2015

Box Score Recap

Dylan Cozens returned to the Threshers’ line up on Wednesday.  He was the DH and batted fifth behind Rhys Hoskins.  It looked like Jupiter’s game plan was to feed Cozens a steady diet of off-speed pitches.  He struck out his first two at bats on pitches that broke low and away.  In his third at bat, he jumped on a first pitch fast ball and grounded out sharply to third.  Jupiter finally made a mistake and Cozens made them pay with a tape measure shot to right in the eighth inning.

Ethan Stewart was added to the Clearwater roster from Reading.  The Threshers had been carrying 24 on their roster anticipating Cozens’ return, however a cooresponding move must have been made prior to the game since they currently have 26 players on their roster 13 pitchers and 13 position players. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/22/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 7/21/2015

Box Score Recap

It was Nola Night in Philadelphia.  The Phillies drew 28,703 people to the game to watch Aaron Nola make his long-awaited debut in a Phillies uniform.  They even sponsored a “two-fer” ticket special – two tickets for $27.00.  Nola’s number is 27.  Pretty clever, eh?  I’m surprised they didn’t try to boost receipts by issuing him a higher number.

Nola was impressive in his first major league start.  He held the Rays to five hits and struck out six batters.  He completed six innings and threw 88 pitches, 59 for strikes.  Nola appeared to tire in the sixth when he went deeper in counts and walked his only batter.

Nola’s only blemish was a solo home run by the Rays starting pitcher, Nathan Karns on the first pitch of the third inning.  It was one of the few pitches he got up in the early innings and was in where even a pitcher can drive it.   Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/21/2015 →

Around the System–Relief Pitching–LK, WP and GCL

Other Stuff

Lakewood

Joey DeNato, 23, Phils 19th round pick in 2014; 30 games; 2-2 with a 1.59ERA; 5SV; 45.1IP 29H 11BB 44K; 1HR allowed; .188 opp avg; 0.88 WHIP; 0.63 GO/AO; 2.2BB/8.7K per 9; .234 vs LH, .168 vs RH, .167 opp avg last 30 days; .250 with RISP.  A pitching line that has everything you would want.  DeNato has been consistently dominating.

Jason Zgardowski, 21, Signed as a free agent in 2014; 21 games between Williamsport and Lakewood; 2-1 with a 3.53ERA; 2SV; 35.2IP 24H 16BB 32K; 2HR allowed; 4.0BB/8.1K per 9; .192 opp avg; 1.12 WHIP; 1.19 GO/AO; For Lakewood: 15G; 3.90ERA; .194 opp avg; 1.12 WHIP; .213 vs LH; .176 vs RH.  After being picked up as an un-drafted free agent, Zgardowski clearly has talent, throws hard and has been gaining command of his pitches.

Scott Harris, 22, Phils 27th round pick in 2014; 19 games, 1-2 with a 4.46ERA; 34.1IP 33H 13BB 24K; 3HR allowed; .246 opp avg; 1.34 WHIP; 1.08 GO/AO; 3.4BB/6.3K per 9; .200 vs LH; .263 vs RH, .237 opp avg last 30 days; .350 with RISP.  Harris has been generally productive but gets beat up with runners in scoring position.

Matt Hockenberry, 23, Phils 9th round pick in 2014; 24 games, 4-3 with a 2.34ERA; 8SV; 34.2IP 21H 13BB 36K; 0HR allowed; .178 opp avg; 0.98 WHIP; 1.83 GO/AO; 3.3BB/9.3K per 9; .196 vs LH, .161 vs RH, .190 opp avg last 30 days; .250 with RISP.  Hockenberry has been outstanding minus a few outings just before he went on the DL.  The comments would echo those for DeNato…Hockenberry has done everything you would want him to do, including failing to yield a homer in his 24 outings.

Manny Martinez, 23, Signed as a free agent in 2011; 18 games, 2-1 with a 3.57ERA; 1SV; 22.2IP 19H 14BB 18K; 2HR allowed; .235 opp avg; 1.46 WHIP; 0.92 GO/AO; 5.6BB/7.1K per 9; .208 vs LH, .246 vs RH, .324 opp avg last 30 days.  The walks have really hurt Martinez who has struggled over the last month.

Jairo Munoz, 23, Signed as a free agent in 2015; 5 games between GCL, CW and Lakewood; 0.00 ERA: 6IP 2H 0R 2BB 6K.  Too few games for comment.

Calvin Rayburn, 23, Phils 16th round pick in 2014; 18 games, 2-1 with a 2.51ERA; 1SV; 28.2IP 14H 12BB 17K; 0HR allowed; .152 opp avg; 0.91 WHIP; 1.56 GO/AO; 3.8BB/5.3K per 9; .150 vs LH; .154 vs RH, .106 opp avg last 30 days; Practically unhittable, the large majority of Rayburn’s baserunners have come from the free pass.  That said, he has pitched very, very well after spending some time on the DL.

Note: For Williamsport and GCL Phils, infrequent comments simply because their season is so young.

Williamsport

Sutter McLoughlin, 21, Phils 22nd round pick in 2015; 7 games with GCL Phils, 2-0 with an 0.00ERA; 4SV; 9.1IP 2H 0ER 12K; McLoughlin was promoted to Williamsport based on his start with GCL Phils

Jacob Waguespack, 21, Signed as a free agent in 2015; 4 games with GCL Phils, 0-0 with a 7.94ERA; 5.2IP 9H 1BB 7K. Continue reading Around the System–Relief Pitching–LK, WP and GCL →

Box Score Recap – 7/20/2015

Box Score Recap

Bailey “falters” in GCL outing.  Sorry, this phrase germinated on June 9th when the Phillies made Bailey Falter their fifth round selection in the Amateur Draft.  The seed sprouted today when Falter had a shaky start against the GCL Yankees2.  This was the left-handed pitcher’s second start.  In two previous appearances,  Falter had held the opposition to one unearned run on three hits and a walk while striking out eight.  The lanky pitcher is listed at 6’4 and 175 lbs.  He has long limbs but throws the ball from a tight, compact release that belies his build.  It looks more toward over the top than three-quarters.  He throws all his pitches from the same arm slot.  Today he pitched three batters into the third inning before being relieved.  He got a few of his pitches “up” and the Yankees hitters barreled them.  Still, he struck out four of the six outs he recorded, all swinging. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 7/20/2015 →

Open Discussion: Week of July 20th

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 returned from the All Star break and swept the Miami Marlins.  The Phillies lead for the #1 draft pick was whittled down from 9.5 GB to 7.0 GB, in just three games.  Let’s get Utley off the DL and back in the three-hole.

Aaron Nola makes his MLB debut Tuesday night at home against the Tampa Rays.  Might be one of the largest crowds of the season.

I’m sure expectations are high.  I would hope that we all rein in these expectations.  I found these reports on Nola –

  • MLB – FB 60, SL 50, CH 60, Control 60, Overall 55.  Nola has tremendous command of his three-pitch arsenal. He spots his low-90s fastball to both sides of the plate, and his three-quarters arm slot adds plenty of action to the pitch. His changeup is a plus offering at times, and his slider has improved to give him a third quality offering.  While Nola lacks the ideal size for a right-hander, he has all the necessary tools to succeed as a big league starter.
  • FanGraphs – FB 55/60, CU 50/60, CH 50/60, Command 45/55, FV 55.  Nola creates above average life on his fastball and changeup with the spin he puts on the ball from the low slot. One of the concerns is that his low 3/4 slinging slot allows left-handed hitters seeing the ball too clearly, but Nola’s plus changeup does the heavy lifting here; his above average command and aggressive approach also help keep hitters off balance.  55 FV translates to above average, #3/#4 starter, 2.5 WAR.
  • BA – Grade 60, Risk Medium.  No. 3 Starter (comp, Orioles Chris Tillman) needed some work, fairly polished.

While we all hope he becomes a #2 starter in the rotation, it appears that may be just slightly above his ceiling.  (Note: Cole Hamels is their comp for a #2 starter.)