Category Archives: 01. Site Features

Lehigh Valley Weekly Report

Other Stuff

We officially began the second half of the season on Tuesday evening with a 5-4 win over Buffalo and  Lehigh Valley now sits at 28-45 and in 5th place of the Northern Division of the International League, 14.0 games behind division leading Buffalo. Lehigh Valley is now 7-4 over their last 11 games after losing 15 of their previous 18 contests.   The ‘Pigs begin a 8 game home stand with 3 games against Louisville over the weekend followed by 3 against Scranton early next week.

News and Notes: RP Adam Loewen has a four game scoreless streak spanning 6.2IP.  He has allowed just 3 hits and struck out 14 over that time period.  With the merry-go-round of pitchers getting a shot in Philly, if Loewen strings together another 3-4 good outings, his number may be called.

–Brian Bogusevic, who has a July 1st opt out, has now hit safely in 55 of his 62 starts and has not gone back to back games this season without a hit. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekly Report →

Box Score Recap – 6/23/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (28-45) beat the Bufalo Bisons 5-4.  Seve Gonzalez allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks in 6.0 innings.  He struck out 2 and threw 92 pitches, 56 strikes.  He was in line for the win when the IronPigs pushed ahead in the top of the seventh.  Dustin McGowan preserved the lead and turned the game over to Cesar Jimenez for the eighth.  Cesar blew the save but got the win when the ‘Pigs rallied in the top of the ninth.  Juan Gutierrez earned his second save.  Jimenez’ blown save took Randy Wolf off the hook for the Bison.

Aaron Altherr went 1-3 in his AAA debut.  He doubled, walked, and scored a run.  He was also picked off first.  Brian Bogusevic (.314) went 2-4 with an RBI.  Gabriel Lino went 1-3 with a walk.  Lino has quietly raised his average to .296.

Nola Day!  Aaron Nola (1-0, 0.00) pitches tomorrow.

Reading (37-33) lost to the Akron RubberDucks 9-4.  Tom Windle lasted 4.0 innings.  He gave up 6 runs on 11 hits and 2 walks.  Ethan Martin gave up 2 runs in 2.0 innings  Ryan O’Sullivan gave up 1 run in 2.0 innings and recorded 3 Ks.  Colton Murray pitched a perfect ninth.

J.P. Crawford went 1-3 with 2 walks.  New guy, Ethan Chapman, was inserted in CF and went 0-3 with a walk.  KC Serna went 3-3 with a double, triple, and 2 RBI.  Before he struck out in his final at bat, Crawford had attained a 1:1 BB-to-K ratio with 128 of each in 978 career plate appearances. (Tweeted by Matt Winkelman during the game.)

Mark Leiter (0-1, 3.86) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/23/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 6/22/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (27-45) Off day Monday.  Seve Gonzalez (1-4, 4.23) pitches Tuesday.

Reading (37-32) beat the Portland Sea Dogs 3-2.  Zach Eflin pitched 6.0 shutout innings.  He gave up 6 hits, struck out 4, and walked none.  He threw 65 pitches, 45 strikes.  Nefi Ogando pitched two, one-hit innings.  Stephen Shackleford made it interesting with 2 walks, a wild pitch, and a two-out, two-RBI single before notching his 15th save.

J.P. Crawford went 2-4 with a walk.  Kelly Dugan went 2-4 with a double and an RBI.  Aaron Altherr went 1-3 with a double and a walk.  Brock Stassi went 1-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI.  KC Serna chipped in with 2 hits.

Tom Windle (2-4, 5.00) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/22/2015 →

Pinto Pitches Lights Out; June 22, 2015

Game Reports, , , , , , , , ,

Ricardo Pinto won his first Advanced A last night against the division leading Daytona Tortugas.  The 21-year old began his stint with Clearwater in a high-leverage game.  The Threshers can win the division if they sweep Daytona.  Pinto was masterful through his first five innings.  He allowed a two-out, first inning single then retired 10 Tortugas in a row until a leadoff home run in the fifth.  He responded by striking out the side. Continue reading Pinto Pitches Lights Out; June 22, 2015 →

Around the System–OF

Other Stuff

Lehigh Valley

Brian Bogusevic, 31, Signed as a free agent in 2015; 254 AB’s; .311/.367/.437; 6HR 31RBI; 11/14SB; 8%BB/17%K rates; .270 vs LHP; .328 vs RHP; .298 last 30 days; .304 with RISP; 60 games in the OF; 3 assists; 0 errors; 2.23 R/F.  Bogusevic has been far and away the best player in the Lehigh Valley lineup day in and day out.  He has consistently hit for average, shown some power and decent speed along with playing a very good OF.  He has a July 1 opt out, which I would be surprised if he doesn’t take as it seems clear he wont be getting a chance with the big club.  His opt out may coincide with his selection to the IL all star team.

Jordan Danks, 28, Signed as a free agent in 2014; .241/.286/.292 in 212 AB’s; 1HR 22RBI; 2/4SB; 6%BB/28%K rates; .298 vs. LHP; .219 vs RHP; .227 last 30 days; .321 with RISP; 54 games in the OF with 2 assists and 2 errors (.983); 2.19R/F.  Danks was given a spot on the 40 man in the off season and has done little to impress.  With Altherr and Dugan knocking on the AAA door, a Bogusevic opt out is what may save his roster spot.

Note: Danks and Bogusevic are the only two active IronPigs who have played the majority of their games in the OF.

Reading

Aaron Altherr, 24, Phils 9th round pick in 2009; .292/.369/.478 in 226AB’s; 6HR 29RBI; 8/11SB; 11%BB/16%K rates; .308 vs LHP; .287 vs RHP;.321 with last 30 days; .276 with RISP; 57 games in the OF without an error; 3 OF assists; 2.14 R/F.  Altherr has improved in his areas of weakness and is at a place where he can’t do much more in AA.  With 700 AA plate appearances, it is time for him to move up. Continue reading Around the System–OF →

Open Discussion: Week of June 22nd

Weekly Discussion

Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.

The 2015 Draft Tracker is pinned at the top of the site.  It has also been added with other 2015 draft stuff under the pull-down menu titled “The Draft”.  The Tracker includes bonus information that I have been able to confirm and all signing to date.  I added Luke Williams as signed.  His Twitter account indicates he is a member of the Philadelphai Phillies and an article from a home town paper indicates he signed, probably for slot.

Some random stuff to light a fire –

  • I’ve seen a few bloggers go bonkers over the Phillies selecting SS high in the draft.  One questioned whether Crawford was draft fodder after the Randolph pick.  After the Williams pick, Canelo’s future was questioned.  Comments like these tend to support the contention that some people don’t understand the process.  This is not an indictment of anyone who comments here.  But more of an observation of all the bloggers, twitter accounts, and media I follow.  I understand the level of dislike people have for the current management team.  But, criticism for the sake of criticism gets old.  When the critic displays a lack of understanding, it renders the criticism moot.
  • Drafting the best player available vs. drafting for need.  This is an interesting topic.  Baseball is different from football or basketball where a player can be drafted and immediately be inserted into a first string position.  I’ve only been following the minors for a few years now, so I don’t have a firm position on this.  Since a draft pick is a few years away from contributing at the major league level, I guess I can see taking the best player available with your higher picks.
  • For a really good article on the draft check out the article James posted on June 9th, if you missed it.
  • Sorry, I haven’t been following the Phillies close enough to offer up a subject.  Unless you want to talk about Sandberg and his handling of the bullpen.  I was one who really looked forward to the day when Sandberg would take over as manager.  However, I don’t think I want to see Nola, Biddle, Eflin, et al move up to the majors while Sandberg and McClure are still there.

Box Score Recap – 6/21/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (27-45) lost to Scranton 8-2.  Chad Billingsley went 4 batters before showing he can do what the major league staff can do, give up a three-run home run (by Kyle Roller, a name I remember from his days with the Tampa Yankees when he tormented Threshers’ pitching).  Billingsley then gave up a two-run home run after facing two batters in the second.  Call him up!  He lasted 2.2 innings, gave up 7 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits, 2 walks, and 2 hit batters.  He threw 66 pitches, 44 for strikes (how misleading is that).  The bullpen (Leroux, Gutierrez, and Loewen) came in and pitched 6.1 innings of 1-run ball.  Loewen recorded 2 Ks in his one inning.

Darin Ruf went 1-3 with an RBI.  Gabriel Lino went 0-3.  Brian Bogusevic went 0-4 with the other RBI.  Edgar Duran went 2-3 with a double.  Chris McGuinness had the only other IronPig hit.

Off day Monday.  Seve Gonzalez (1-4, 4.23) pitches Tuesday.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/21/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 6/20/2015

Box Score Recap

Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers out there!

Lehigh Valley (27-44) lost to Scranton 7-5.  Anthony Vasquez went 6.2 innings and gave up 5 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks.  He threw 107 pitches, 66 strikes.  Darin Ruf went 1-4.  Gabriel Lino went 2-3 with a walk and 2 RBI.  Chris McGuinness and Chase d’Arnaud had 2 hits each.

Chad Billingsley (2-1, 4.09) pitches tomorrow.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/20/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 6/19/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (27-43) beat Scranton 5-2.  Jason Berken earned the win with a 5-hit effort over 5.0 innings.  He allowed 2 runs, only one earned.  Cesar Jimenez pitched 3.0 scoreless innings.  Seth Rosin picked up his 3rd save.

Darin Ruf and Russ Canzler had 2 hits each to pace Lehigh’s nine-hit attack.  Cord Phelps and Chris McGuinness had 2 RBIs each.  Tyler Henson stole his 12th base, Brian Bogusevic his 11th.

Anthony Vasquez (3-1, 2.37) pitches tomorrow.  Chad Billingsley pitches on Sunday.  You would think that they could at least photo shop an IronPigs’ cap or Phillies’ cap on his head shot rather than the Dodgers’ cap he’s wearing on the team’s web site.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/19/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 6/18/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (26-43) beat Bufalo Bisons 3-0 in Aaron Nola’s debut at AAA.  In a marquee match up with the Blue Jays #1 prospect (pre-season #4), Daniel Norris, Nola shined.  He needed 98 pitches (66 strikes) to throw 5.0 innings, but allowed only 5 base runners on 4 hits and a walk.  One runner was caught stealing and the walk occured on the second to the last batter he faced.  Nola punctuated his evening by striking out the next batter, his seventh, to end the fifth inning and his evening.  The IronPigs plated a run in the bottom of the inning to give Nola a chance for his first AAA victory and the bullpen took over.  Adam Loewen allowed 2 base runners but struck out 6 Bison in 2 innings.  Juan Gutierrez allowed 2 base runners in each inning but recorded the 2-inning save.

Norris dominated the IronPigs through the first four innings, allowing just 3 base runners.  The ‘Pigs broke through in the fifth when they converted a Jordan Danks walk and a Jayson Nix double into the game’s first run.  They applied more pressure in the sixth when they scored a one-out insurance run on a Darin Ruf single, Russ Canzler single and a Cord Phelps double.  However, that is all they could manage as the Bison brought in a reliever to end the threat.  Lehigh Valley tacked on an additional run on a Darin Ruf single in the seventh inning.

Ruf went 2-4 with a run and an RBI.  Danks added 2 hits.  Gabriel Lino went 1-4 and threw out a would-be base stealer.  Brian Bogusevic (.318) went 1-3 with a walk and stole his 10th base.

Jason Berken (3-4, 3.88) pitches tomorrow.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/18/2015 →