Lehigh Valley (19-30) split a double header with the Gwinnett Braves. They lost Game #1 when they were shut out, 3-0. Phillippe Aumont was charged with 3 runs in 3.2innings on 1 hit, 6 walks, and 2 hit batters. He left trailing 1-0 and the bases loaded. Seth Rosin allowed 2 inherited runners to score, giving up a single to the first batter he faced. The IronPigs managed 4 singles in the 7-inning game. The ‘Pigs won the second game in eight innings, coming from behind to tie in the 7th and win in the 8th, 6-4. Jason Berken pitched 6.0 innings and allowed 4 runs, 1 earned. Brian Bogusevic hit a 2-run single to tie the game. Logan Moore drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the first extra inning.
Threshers Split Double Header with Fort Myers; May 28, 2015
The Threshers played two 7-inning games against the Fort Myers Miracle on Thursday to make up for the game postponed Tuesday night. Mark Leiter pitched game one, and David Whitehead pitched the night cap. The Threshers dropped the opener 2-1. They rallied to win game two, 6-3.
Continue reading Threshers Split Double Header with Fort Myers; May 28, 2015
Lehigh Valley Weekly Report
After a six game winning streak, the ‘Pigs have quickly found themselves back mired in a three game losing streak and are facing a doubleheader tonight on the road against Gwinnett before moving on to Charlotte for a weekend series. On the year the ‘Pigs are 18-29 and have finally climbed out of last place in the Northern Division of the International League, now sitting in 5th, 8 games behind division leading Rochester.
News and Notes: Lehigh Valley set a franchise record in allowing 12 walks in their game against Charlotte last Saturday evening.
–Lehigh Valley continue to lead the league in walks allowed by a landslide, having allowed over 12% more walks than the next closest team.
–The ‘Pigs continue to draw well, averaging almost 8,400 fans per game in the early months with a team playing very poorly. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekly Report
Box Score Recap – 5/27/2015
Sorry for the brief reports, but we were locked out of our third story apartment. Got in too late, too tired to go into game details.
Lehigh Valley (18-29) lost to Gwinnett in suspended game, 8-2. Lost the nightcap, 4-1. Vasquez and Rodriguez took the losses. Asche hit first AAA home run. Phillippe Aumont (2-1, 1.64) pitches in game one, Berken pitches game two.
Box Score Recap – 5/26/2015
Lehigh Valley (18-27) and the Gwinnett Braves were rained out again. Tuesday’s game has been postponed. Monday’s suspended game, in which Gwinnett led 1-0 in the second inning and had runners on second and third with nobody out, will resume on Wednesday at 5:05 p.m. as a full, nine-inning game with a seven-inning game following the conclusion of the suspended game. No idea who will take the mound for the suspended game, Anthony Vasquez had been Monday’s starting pitcher. Joely Rodriguez (2-3, 5.18) is still scheduled to pitch game two. Tuesday’s postponed game will be made up as part of a double header on Thursday. Phillippe Aumont (2-1, 1.64) pitches in game one, TBD pitches in game two.
Box Score Recap – 5/25/2015
Lehigh Valley (18-27) and the Gwinnett Braves were suspended in the bottom of the second inning due to rain. Gwinnett led 1-0 at the time and had runners on second and third with nobody out. The game will resume on Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. as a full, nine-inning game with a seven-inning game following the conclusion of the suspended game. No idea who will take the mound for the suspended game, Anthony Vasquez had been Monday’s starting pitcher. Joely Rodriguez (2-3, 5.18) is scheduled to pitch game two.
Open Discussion: Week of May 25th
Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.
Jonathan Papelbon made 2 appearances and finished 2 games this week, converting 2 save opportunities. After 46 games, Papelbon has 18 appearances, 17 games finished, and 11 saves in 11 save opportunities.
Some other random stuff to light the fire –
- More Papelbon – He has as many or more saves than 14 MLB teams; including contenders such as the Chicago Cubs (11 saves/19 opportunities; Rondon 9/12), Pittsburgh Pirates (11/16; Melancon 10/11), Boston Red Sox (10/16; Uehara 10/11), and Los Angeles Dodgers (10/16; looks like closer by committee).
- Other contenders with more blown saves than Papelbon (11/11) and the Phillies (12/14) include Houston Astros (18/22; Gregerson 12/13), Washington Nationals (16/22; Storen 14/15), Atlanta Braves (15/20; Grilli 13/14), Detroit Tigers (14/18; Soria 13/14), KC Royals (14/20), Los Angeles Angels (14/21; Street 14/16), Seattle Mariners (13/18; Rodney 12/13).
- Realistically, it looks like the only teams who would see Papelbon as an upgrade are the Cubs and Dodgers.
- One last Papelbon fact – in his last 3 innings he has struck out 7 of the 9 batters he retired.
- Maikel Franco has 2 home runs and 7 RBI in his first 10 games since being called up.
- Chase Utley has improved to .173/.248/.295/.543. He’s closing in on Rupp (.196) to shed the ignomity of being the lowest AVG among position players.
- Chad Billingsley still has more HR (1) than Blanco, Hernandez, Revere, Ruiz, Rupp, and Sizemore.
- Phillies tied for MLB low 26 HR, but are no longer the NL worst in any of the slash categories with their .241/.295/.351/.650.
- MLB worst 146 runs scored.
- Their team ERA continues to drop and has broken through the 4 RPG barrier (3.99).
- Still allowing the most free passes in the NL (151).
- Their .413 winning percentage leaves them solidly in the bottom 7 in MLB.
- Ryan Howard has come to life. He has the second highest batting average on the team and is starting to pop up on NL leader boards for HR (8th) and RBI (20th). His slash even looks respectable when compared among all first basemen in the majors, especially his SLG and OPS. All he needs to do is disguise his hideous BB/K (8/43) ratio. But there are also a lot of AL DH that he is out-performing.
Box Score Recap – 5/24/2015
Lehigh Valley (18-27) missed their chance to sweep their 4-game series against the Charlotte Knights, 7-5, when the bullpen couldn’t hold onto a 5-3 lead. Adam Morgan survived his 6.0 innings and left with the lead. Clton Murray blew the save and Cesar Jimenez took the loss. The IronPigs managed 5 runs off 37-year old, former major leaguer Brad Penny, mostly with the help of Knights’ miscues. Five of the last six IronPigs’ outs were recorded on strike outs. Cody Asche had an infield single, Dom Brown had a walk. Chase d’Arnaud went 3-5 with a home run and 2 RBI. Anthony Vasquez (1-0, 1.69) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/24/2015
Sunday notes – 2015 MLB draft preview
Hello.
I wanted to spend all of my words today talking about the upcoming MLB draft, which starts on June 8th. I’ve written about the draft in all of my previous notes columns, and I’ll write about it again here. After the draft, I’ll start focusing more on our prospects, the breakouts, the disappointments, etc. But for now, my focus is the draft. Check below the fold
Box Score Recap – 5/23/2015
Lehigh Valley (18-26) beat the Charlotte Knights, 9-5. The IronPigs came from behind with an 8-run fifth inning – the big blow, Brian Bogusevic’s grand slam. Cody Asche had a hit, Dom Brown didn’t. Jordan Danks went 3-4 with a douoble. Phillippe Aumont got the win but had a shaky start. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits in 5.0 innings. However, he threw 98 pitches, 48 balls, and walked eight. Adam Morgan (0-4, 4.81) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/23/2015
