We have about a month of games on the system plus spring training so it is time to take a quick look at the system and some starts to the season.  I am going to start with the cold starters and on Wednesday look at some guys doing what we thought they should do and on Friday look at the guys getting off to great starts.

Slow starts don’t necessarily derail a year or even mean much.  However, there is information to be had especially when looking at what has changed or not changed about a prospect coming into the year.

Don’t Panic:

Tommy Joseph – It hasn’t look great for Joseph to this point, at the plate he is batting .204/.259/.389.  In a small sample size the strikeout rate is a little up and the walk rate is down, the BABIP is also only .211 but he is hitting for power closer to his year in the Cal League.  The receiving is a problem and always will be, but it should improve over time and the passed balls have dropped considerably since the first week.  He may not be ready as quickly as some people may like but it is just a slow start for the 21 year old in AAA. Continue reading Taking Stock A Month In – Slow Starts →

Most of the Phillies’ April was a Waste Land, don’t you agree? Hopefully summer will surprise us. With wins.

Before really ramping into 2013 draft coverage I am going to look back on some prototypical Phillies draft types.  The goal is to find a pattern of success or failure and see if there is a trend in the developmental process.  I am going to look at the tools that caused them to be drafted and how amateur scouts saw them, how they looked a year later when professional scouts had a chance to look them over, and then how it all ended up.

One of the most common complaints of Phillies drafts have been their drafting of “toolsy” outfielders, that just don’t know how to play baseball.  There have been some disastrous picks such as Greg Golson, which is where this series will begin, with the 2004 draft.  Not all of these players were “toolsy” but it should get a larger picture of the type of players drafted and how it turned out.

Greg Golson  – 1st round 2004

What Got him Drafted: 70+ speed, 60 hit / 60 power projection, 60 arm, 60 defense

A Year Later: While the other tools remained the hit tool projection took a big step back when his pitch recognition was not where scouts thought it was.  He struck out 106 times in 401 PAs.

How’d it end up: The Phillies traded him in 2008 for John Mayberry Jr.  He has bounced around organizations since as a AAAA player who can play CF and steal bases.  The hit tool never materialized. Continue reading Draft Retrospective: “Toolsy” Outfielders →

A look at the time period from April 18-24.  Quick Thoughts…I had the opportunity to watch Jesse Biddle live for the first time on Monday evening, and having seen thousands of baseball games, his performance ranks right near the top.  Keep in mind it is one outing, but a pitcher that has the ability to do what he did, is worth being very excited about….Aaron Altherr has been showing all the tools, and its worth starting to follow him every day…After quick starts, Hewitt and Quinn land on the “Not Hot” list this week….There was a good deal of excitement last year about Tyler Knigge who has struggled out of the gate this year, with another difficult week.

Hot Hitters:Cody Asche (.478); Aaron ALtherr (.444, 6R, 4RBI, 2SB);  Carlos Alonso (.417, 5R 5RBI)Jermaine Mitchell (.417, 4R 3RBI, 2SB); Jim Murphy (.400, 4R, HR, 4RBI); Derrick Mitchell (.400); Art Charles (.391, 5RBI) Cesar Hernandez (.391, 3R, SB);Jon Roof (.375); ALbert Cartwright (.360, 6R);  Honorable Mention:Mojica,  Gillies, Perkins, Numata, Mora Continue reading Hot or Not →