Lakewood Observations

4. Lakewood

Nothing is as good for observations as seeing games in person.  This week we got the next best thing from the Lakewood team, a video broadcast of their series against the Lexington Legends.  It is impossible to glean everything from a single series and a single video feed, but you notice plenty of things that don’t appear in a box score.  I didn’t have time to watch all 7 hours of video, but I did watch all of the offensive trips to the plate and all of Drew Anderson‘s time on the mound.

J.P. Crawford – He is everything he is talked up to be.  The patience is there at the plate.  He and Tocci are attempting a decent amount of bunts in sac bunt situations, however the goal seems to be get hits, not sacrifice, and in game 2 of the series Crawford placed a bunt perfectly between the first and second baseman.  The power is not there yet, I won’t be able to say how much it will be there later, but the contact is there if the strength can get there. Continue reading Lakewood Observations →

3 Phillies on John Sickels Top 150 Prospects

Top Prospect Lists

After delays due to a concussion (they really aren’t a joke), John Sickels has released his list of the Top 150 prospects in baseball.  Sickels ranks Maikel Franco #35 (B+), J.P. Crawford #60 (B+), and Jesse Biddle #78 (B+).  You can read Sickels’ entire list here http://www.minorleagueball.com/2014/5/1/5640414/top-150-prospects-for-2014-baseball-john-sickels.

Box Score Recap – 5/1/2014

Box Score Recap

Maikel Franco went 3-5 with a double and a home run, his second on the season. It’s a little early to assume he’s turned a corner from the trash fire that was his first three weeks of the season, but he’s got three doubles and two home runs compared to only two Ks in his last five games, and is OPSing over .800 in his last ten. Encouraging, if nothing else.

Luis Garcia closed things out for Lehigh Valley, allowing a hit and recording three ground ball outs. I could bang the drum again on pushing him to the bigs, but you can just go back and read it again – everything’s the same except all the stats are bigger except for the goose-egg in front of the “R” would now be only a goose-egg in front of an “ER”. I realize Garcia’s not the Savior of the big league bullpen – we all know that’s Ken Giles, (praise be His Name) – but he’s probably got a better shot at not making me yell at my TV and wake up the dogs than Jeff Manship or Shawn Camp.

And a couple notes on Lakewood. Glad to see Drew Anderson shake off the rust – he allowed 1R, 4H, 1BB, with an encouraging 7Ks in 5.2IP in his second start of the year. Deivi Grullon and Jan Hernandez both hit their first full-season home runs, and J.P. Crawford continues to get on base – his OBP sits at .402 after getting on four times in yesterday’s twin bill. He’s got 10BB and just five Ks in his last 10 games. I remain, as always, down with JPC. But I feel like you already knew that, because you’re aware of my ways.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/1/2014 →

Checking in on Severino Gonzalez

Gonzalez, Severino

Ever since his breakout last year, Severino Gonzalez has been a source of much discussion. There have debates not just about his ceiling and profile, but also about how that profile fits into the value scale of a major league team. Last night Severino made his 6th start of the season, and while it is too early to write any conclusions in stone, we can start to look at emerging trends.

So lets start with the overall stats:

G IP ERA FIP BABIP HR/9 BB/9 K/9
2013 25 103.2 2 2.23 0.31 0.43 1.91 10.33
2014 6 34.1 3.67 3.23 0.311 0.52 1.83 6.82

Continue reading Checking in on Severino Gonzalez →

Box Score Recap – 4/30/2014

Box Score Recap

Ken Giles finished up his month with his seventh save, allowing 1R on 1H, 1BB and 1K. He ended the month striking out 25 of the 50 men he faced. Math tells us that’s a pretty good rate of…uh…carry the two…err…Fifty Percent?!?!?! That can’t be right. In all seriousness, the fact that he only walked four of those 50 is almost as impressive, and even more encouraging than the Ks, which we all assumed he’d be able to produce at a high level.

Cameron Perkins continues to hit – I feel like I say that every couple days. He had two doubles last night, and 11 for the month of April, and averaged an XBH every 7PAs or so. Impressive. I’ll guess he’s in line for a promotion to AAA by mid-June at the latest if he doesn’t fall off a cliff, or get swept away by a flood, as it were.

And poor Anthony Hewitt – guy had a really bad April, capped off by ye olde golden sombrero last night. He struck out 22 times in 17 games in the month (48PAs), for a Giles-esque 46% K Rate. Props to Hewitt for how hard he must have worked, and how hard we’ve heard he works, to improve over the years just to make it to AA, but I have a feeling we’re witnessing the end of his Phillies career right now.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/30/2014 →

Hot or Not

Other Stuff

This was by far the worst week that the organization has had since I began the Hot or Not feature four years ago.  There was very little positive to speak of over the time period of April 24-30, with Mark Leiter being the lone positive that I will mention. He has been very consistent and has shown excellent command all year…Two steps forward and one step (or more?) back for Jesse Biddle…Three “toolsy” OF’s land on the not hot list this week (Pointer, Cozens and Hewitt), with I am sure more to come…Two pitchers I was excited about out of the gate this year (Shane Martin and Drew Anderson) hit the not hot list…We can only go up from here.

Hot Hitters: (Min 13AB’s) Harold Martinez (.370, HR, 4RBI, SB); Reid Brignac (.333, 3R, 2SB); Tyler Henson (.333, 4R, 3RBI); Brock Stassi (.320). Honorable Mention: Hill, Serna, Alonso

Not Hot Hitters: Brian Pointer (.091); Anthony Hewitt (.105); Angelo Mora (.122); Justin Parr (.125); Nick Ferdinand (.133);  Dylan Cozens (.158); Jan Hernandez (.158); Clete Thomas (.176); Gabrial Lino (.176); Andrew Pullin (.188)

Hot Starters: Mark Leiter (8IP 4H 0ER 2BB 7K);  Greg Smith (7IP 5H 1ER 0BB 6K); Jon Prosinski (7IP 6H 1ER 1BB 4K); Sean O’Sullivan (7IP 6H 2ER 3BB 2K); Tyler Viza (6IP 6H 2ER 1BB 1K) Continue reading Hot or Not →

Lehigh Valley Weekly Report

Other Stuff

Lehigh Valley finished up a long homestand with a 8-0 rain shortened loss against Pawtucket, and after a day off Wednesday, head to Gwinnett and Charlotte for an 8 game road trip.  Lehigh Valley went 2-4 on the week and are 11-14 on the year, four games behind division leading Pawtucket in the Northern DIvision of the International League.

‘Pigs leaders: Hitting: Reid Brignac is 5th in runs(17); Clete Thomas is tied for the league lead in walks(18)

Pitching: David Buchanan is tied for 5th in wins(3), tied for 9th in walks (13), 7th in IP (28.2), and is tied for the league lead in starts (6); Barry Enright has the 9th worst ERA (5.16) and 8th worst WHIP (1.63); Luis Garcia is 6th in saves (3) Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekly Report →

Box Score Recap – 4/29/2014

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley was shutout over a rain-shortened five inning contest by Red Sox off-season #11 prospect (per BA) Anthony Ranaudo. Phillippe Aumont allowed just one base runner (by walk, of course) and struck out the side in his only inning, if we’re looking for things to be happy-ish about. For a guy who revamped his delivery in the off-season, I have no problem giving him a while to work it out, especially with so many questionable arms (and bats) holding roster spots that aren’t nearly as exciting as his often-filthy movement. I will not, however, refrain from making light of his bad outings with “Aumont is French For”s. I just don’t have it in me.

Cam Perkins had one hit and Ken Giles struck out the side in order in a most-decidedly non-save situation, with Reading down 10-2 in the eighth. Boston’s #7 (BA) Mookie Betts is crushing Eastern League pitching, OPSing 1.159 on the year. He tagged the Fightins with a 3-4, HR, 3RBI performance. Also his name is Mookie Betts. It’s no “Rock Shoulders“, but it’s an easy 70. Also, apparently he was a good bowler in high school. Thanks for that nugget, BA Prospect Handbook!

A thing happened in Clearwater. It resembled a sporting contest, but I don’t think anyone would confuse it with an actual contest. Chad Carman, a guy who’s usually a catcher, was the best pitcher for one side. That’s not normally a good sign.

And, what’s this? Hitting? I don’t believe it!!! Yes, Lakewood used the sticks well in their 9-4 rain-shortened affair with Lexington, pounding out 13 hits, including 8 doubles, in their seven innings at the dish. Notable were Dylan Cozens and Willians Astudillo, who each tallied two doubles, and Samuel Hiciano, Jan Hernandez, and Mitch Walding with two hits a piece, all including one for two bases. Walding is just back from rehabbing after rib-removal surgery, to get rid of the bum rib he possessed that could be broken by getting off a couch. I’m sure there’s a joke to be made there, but I’m struggling to find it. Rest assured, it wouldn’t have been that funny anyway, as most of you probably already assume with most of my material.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/29/2014 →

10 Names For Draft Day

2014 Draft

In past drafts there are definite tiers of players, often headlined by a true first overall pick who projects as a can’t miss beast.  The 2014 MLB draft offers a little less of that flash at the top, but what it does have is incredible depth, especially among prep pitchers.  I am going to kick off our draft coverage by looking at 10 guys who appear near the top of many boards.  Given the volatility of the draft this year, these names could shuffle many times over the next month plus.

Carlos Rodon (NC State):  Rodon came into the Year as the near consensus 1:1 pick.  He has been very inconsistent so far this year.  The fastball has been anywhere from fringe average to plus and the command has been all over the place.  The slider is still an incredibly nasty pitch, and the changeup has flashed potential.  When he is not on he looks more like a 2/3, but when it is all clicking he is a no-shit monster on the mound. Likely Outcome: Top 3 Continue reading 10 Names For Draft Day →

Threshers; April 28, 2014

Game Reports

Clearwater opened a 3 game series with the Brevard County Manatees last night. They took an early 1-0 lead, fell behind 5-1, and rallied to 5-4 before losing 6-5. Jeb Stefan got the start. He threw an impressive 9 pitch, 8 strike first inning. He was on his way to another good inning in the second when, with one out, he struck a batter on a 3-2 pitch. He lost focus long enough to give up a walk and 2 doubles in a 29 pitch, 3 run inning. A lead off home run in the third, 2 walks, and 2 hits led to 2 more runs. Stefan settled down over his next 2 innings, allowing no further damage. Continue reading Threshers; April 28, 2014 →