Category Archives: 04. Prospect Features

Savery ranked 16th among AFL prospects

Savery, Joe, Top Prospect Lists

Just saw this, had to get it up here. BA is doing a chat at 1PM if you have the means, check it out.

16. Joe Savery, lhp, Peoria Saguaros (Phillies)

Like a lot of Rice pitchers, Savery comes with some medical baggage. The 2007 first-rounder had minor surgery last year to shave down a bone growth in the back of his shoulder that was causing some fraying in his labrum. That didn’t affect his reputation too badly, as the Dodgers were ready to take him if the Phillies didn’t in the first round. In the AFL, Savery showed much better stuff than his pro debut. He clearly benefited from the short break between instructional league and the Fall League, finishing 1-1, 0.64 in 14 innings. Savery’s fastball velocity was 87-92, but still struggled to command it at times. His secondary pitches—a slurvy breaking ball and changeup—still need more polish, and his 5-11 strikeout-walk ratio is indicative of that.

Clearwater Threshers Post Season Begins Tuesday

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio

The Clearwater Threshers clinched their first playoff berth since 1999 on Saturday night by sweeping a double header against the Lakeland Flying Tigers.  Andrew Carpenter threw six innings of one-hit baseball in the first game with his only hit allowed being a home run as the Threshers won the first game 11-1.  In the second game of the night Anthony Bastardo got his first start for the Threshers after being promoted from Lakewood.  Bastardo gave up four runs on five hits with 12 ks and three walks in the game.

Word came down in the top of the fifth inning of the second game that both Dunedin and Tampa had lost their games, so a Threshers win would clinch their playoff berth.  At that point the score was tied 4-4 so the game became crucial for the Threshers.  The team went on to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 6-4, but Lakeland made it interesting in the final frame picking up a run and getting two base runners before the Threshers could seal a victory with the 6-5 margin. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Post Season Begins Tuesday →

What a Bastardo…..

Bastardo, Antonio

Antonio Bastardo, that is. I’ve gotten a lot of emails asking me about Bastardo and what I thought of him….my answer is always “I’d love to write more, but I really don’t know all that much about him”, but his numbers this season deserve a mention, and hopefully this fall I can dig up some more info on him. I know that he was signed out of the Dominican, that he spent time in the DSL before coming stateside, and that he is 21, will be 22 in September. Because he is 21 and didn’t make his US debut until last year, you have to bump him down a bit, as the best prospects from the VSL and DSL generally come stateside when they are 17-18, sometimes 19, unless it is a visa issue. He also has a very wiry frame, as he’s 5’11 and only 160 pounds, and he throws hard from the left side. His numbers

2006, GCL: 23 IP, 3.91 ERA, 20 H, 14 BB, 27 K, 1 HR
2007, SAL, 91.2 IP, 1.87 ERA, 63 H, 42 BB, 98 K, 3 HR

The ERA jumps out at you right away, as does the low hit rate. His problem, which we can easily see, is his control and command, as he’s averaging 4.14 BB/9 but he is striking out more than a batter per inning, and while that doesn’t balance out the high walk totals, it does give us a little more reason for optimism. There is one statistical anomaly here, and that is the home run number. Bastardo gives up more fly balls than grounders, and Lakewood greatly suppresses home runs, which means that when he moves to a more neutral park like Clearwater, he’s going to see his HR total climb, and with it, his ERA. Nevertheless, the arm is there, and from what I’ve read, he has a very good fastball. He’s certainly a prospect to keep an eye on. At this point, he’s probably not as good as the numbers would indicate, at least ERA wise, but he’s a good prospect.

Where should Savery start next year?

Savery, Joe

Where should The Savior start in 2008? Lakewood? Clearwater? Reading? Philadelphia? The Phillies have hinted he could start at either Clearwater or Reading, who knows. What do you think?

Joe Savery signs

Savery, Joe

Well, maybe. This article has a headline that includes the word “reportedly”, yet it comes from Phillies.com. So, did he or didn’t he? I’ll assume he did, and if so, that’s one step closer to this draft being at least average, and probably a bit better. Maybe we should insert Savery into the rotation now.

Pitcher or hitter?

James, Jiwan

This debate is one that goes back a bit, as the Phillies have had their share of two way players, and invariably, they always seem to pick the wrong route for that guy. This question is again at the forefront with Jiwan James. James was a gifted two way player in High School, and turned down a commitment to Florida, where he was set to play Wide Receiver, in order to sign with the Phillies. Most were unsure which way he would go, and the Phillies have decided to put him on the mound. There’s no way of knowing if this is permanent, but it likely is. Not surprisingly, I think this is the wrong way to go.

Continue reading Pitcher or hitter? →