Category Archives: 01. Site Features

2011 Reader Top 30, #1

2011 Reader Top 30

We may as well start this one now, since I don’t envision it even being close. For those of you new to the site, here’s how it works. We start with #1 and work our way to #30. Once a player wins the vote for a spot, you can’t vote for him again. Obviously. Most votes will be open for 2 days before a new one is opened up. In the event that the voting for a spot is within a few votes, a run-off will be done, the winner gets the first spot, the runner up gets the 2nd spot, and we move on down the line. Its easy, you’ll get the hang of it. Also, if you decide to vote “Other”, make sure you include who you are voting for in the comments section of the post.

So, here we go.

1.

Hardball Times Top 10 Prospects

Top Prospect Lists

The Harball Times published its Phillies Top 10 today–usually a good source of major league info, but the inclusion of Villar on this list makes detracts from credibility on the minors side (as does the inclusion of Worley as a Top 10).  There are brief writeups on each guy on the site.

  1. Domonic Brown
  2. Jonathan Singleton
  3. Jarred Cosart
  4. Trevor May
  5. Brody Colvin
  6. Vance Worley
  7. Sebastian Valle
  8. J.C. Ramirez
  9. Jesse Biddle
  10. Domingo Santana

(Note:  THT corrected the list and removed Jonathan Villar–everyone slotted up one and Santana was added.)

MILB.COM Organizational All Stars

Top Prospect Lists

Milb.com published their list of the Phillies Organizational All Stars last evening, with some notable comments by Chuck LaMar, which I have attached after each listing.  Check out the full article at http://www.milb.com .

C Sebastian Valle-“He had a good year and improved in all facets of the game…His receiving, his throwing and his ability to see the whole field and his power is unquestioned. He has improved immensely and definitely a Major League prospect for us.”  Honorable Mentions” Joel Naughton, Tim Kennelly Continue reading MILB.COM Organizational All Stars →

Mailbag Responses

Mailbag

Thanks to everyone for submitting questions. Some of you submitted like 10 questions each. I’m gonna have to pick and choose. First question

Dan asks

Thank you for taking my question. I am wonder what the prospects are for Jeremy Barnes, both next year and beyond? He seems to be a forgotten man among fans on your website. When healthy last year he hit extremely well and played all over the infield.

At 23, turning 24 in April, Barnes needs to move real fast, and has to really hit if hes going to make the majors. His .292/.383/.441 line at Lakewood is decent, but not for a 23 year old. He split time between 2B and 3B, and his future lies as a utility infielder if he can hit enough to get there. He didn’t show much home run power, but did end up with 38 doubles in 461 PA. He needs to finish at Reading this year and prove he can hit quality pitching if he’s going to end up making it to the bigs.

Check below for the rest.

Continue reading Mailbag Responses →

Mailbag questions

Mailbag

Hey everyone. I’ve been meaning to write some stuff for the site recently, but every time I sit down and make time to do it, I forget what I wanted to write about. So I think this would be a good spot for a mailbag, maybe some of your questions would spur me on and give me ideas for longer posts. One thing I am going to do this winter, with my top 30 prospects, is release a Top 30 that also includes every prospect traded in the last few years who is still prospect eligible, ie, Drabek, Taylor, Cardenas, etc etc, which I think should be interesting. But anyway, if you have a question you want me to answer, follow these simple steps. Send an email to phuturephillies at gmail dot com. In the title, put “mailbag”. DO NOT POST YOUR QUESTION HERE, I WONT ANSWER IT!

Simple enough. I’ll try and post my answers either Friday or Saturday, depending on the response!

Singleton to LF

Other Stuff

Reports from the Phillies indicate that they have been extremely impressed with the work of Jonathan Singleton in the OF, and as a result, they expect him to begin next year playing LF in Clearwater.

Ready, set, discuss.

The Return of Travis Mattair

Other Stuff

3B Travis Mattair, the Phillies 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft has made a decision to return to the baseball diamond after a one year “retirement”.  Excellent work over at http://www.phoulballz.com in picking up the story and interviewing Mattair.  Mattair, who is soon to be 22, spent both 2008 and 2009 in Lakewood and hit .236/.326/.333 in a disappointing 2009 campaign. In 450 AB’s, Mattair had 3 HR and 39 RBI to go along with 12 SB.

Mattair has placed himself behind the eight ball underperforming in 2009 and then with his self-imposed exile (trying to earn some minutes on the Boise State basketball team) last year, however, with that being said, he is a player who the Phils put a good deal of stock into at one point.  It should be interesting to see what Mattair can do to earn a minor league roster spot in 2011 after a full year away from the game.

BA’s Top 20’s: FSL and Eastern League

Top Prospect Lists

Sorry, I’ve been kind of tied up with other things (and the Phillies), so I didn’t get a chance to update this in real time. BA posted its FSL Top 20 and EL Top 20’s this week. The Phillies on the list:

FSL

9. Trevor May, RHP

EL

1. Domonic Brown, OF

So far, to date

GCL (2): Biddle and Altherr
NYPL (3): Hernandez, Santana, Altherr
SAL (5): Singleton, Colvin, Cosart, May, Valle
FSL (1): May
EL (1): Brown

I expect Brown will make the International League Top 20 as well. That’s probably it. Not a bad run. Per usual, the bulk of the Phillies best guys are in the lower levels. Discuss.

Michael Schwimer Interview

Other Stuff

Lehigh Valley reliever Michael Schwimer gave me an opportunity to ask him several questions which he has graciously answered.  We at Phuture Phillies, thank him for the interview.  As we have documented, Schwimer had an excellent year, first in Reading and then following his mid-year promotion, in Lehigh Valley. After successfully closing games in Reading, Schwimer was used along with Mike Stutes as the primary set up men for Scott Mathieson in Lehigh Valley.  Schwimer, who will be 25 entering Spring Training, was the Phillies 14th round draft pick out of the University of Virginia in the 2008 draft. In 2010 he was a combined 7-5 with a 2.85 ERA and 11 saves in his 48 appearances between Reading and Lehigh Valley.  Most impressively, he walked an average of just 3.2/9 innings while striking out 11.4/9. Opponents hit just .221 against him in AAA. Continue reading Michael Schwimer Interview →

5 Phillies on the BA SAL Top 20

Top Prospect Lists

Quite a haul. Head over to Baseball America to read the scouting reports. Don’t paste them here, that’s illegal. If someone has access and wants to share a few tidbits (and I stress a few), then go for it, but don’t copy/paste. Thanks.

1. Jon Singleton, 1B
4. Brody Colvin, RHP
7. Jarred Cosart, RHP
8. Jonathan Villar, SS (yeah yeah, I know, just posting for reference)
11. Trevor May, RHP
19. Sebastian Valle, C

Discuss!