Box Score Recap – 4/16/2014

Box Score Recap

Maikel Franco with his first two hit game of the year, as David Buchanan couldn’t keep men off the base paths. He allowed six hits and walked five over five innings, but managed to only allow three runs. That’s pretty impressive, I guess. Cameron Perkins only had one hit. Wonder if he’s feeling ok. Perci Garner was pulled after four innings and just 67 pitches. He wasn’t pitching poorly, either, though he wasn’t throwing a ton of strikes. Not sure what the story is there. Ken Giles allowed a hit and a walk and struck out two in his inning of work.

Brian Pointer was back in the lineup, while Aaron Altherr had his second triple in as many days, plus his first steal of the year. Miguel Nunez stuck out six in seven innings – he’s got a 16/1 K/BB ratio in 18 innings this year. Stellar. He’s a guy to watch this year, as he’ll need to be protected on the 40-man roster in December to avoid being exposed in the Rule 5 Draft. We’ll see if he earns a spot.

And for Lakewood, Gabriel Lino went deep, and Zach Green had two hits and a walk in support of a quality outing from Tyler Viza – he gave up six hits, walked none, and struck out three in seven shutout innings.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/16/2014 →

Hot or Not

Other Stuff, ,

Week number two in the books and a look back at the time period of April 10-16…Some quick notes…Cameron Perkins keeps the conversation going strong with continued production…Lakewood prospects really struggling at the plate… The Reading bullpen had a very good week, led by Kenny Giles.  I would give him another half dozen or so appearances and then get him moved up….Anyone beginning to notice Cody Forsythe?…Tyson Gillies doing what he does.

Hot Hitters: Cameron Perkins (.524, 7R, HR, 7RBI, SB); Cesar Hernandez (.474, 5R); Willians Astudillo (.471, HR, 4RBI); Angelo Mora (.385); Albert Cartwright (.353), Aaron Altherr (.313, 4R, SB)

Not Hot Hitters: Andrew Pullin (.056); Anthony Phillips (.077); Dylan Cozens (.130); Justin Parr (.133); Zach Green (.136); Ronny Cedeno(.143); Tyson Gillies (.154); Maikel Franco (.167); Samuel Hiciano (.167); JP Crawford (.174)

Hot Starters: Miguel Nunez (2 starts, 13IP 15H 3ER 0BB 10K); Tyler Viza (2 starts, 12IP 11H 4ER 1BB 8K);  Luis Paulino (5IP 3H 1ER 0BB 3K) Continue reading Hot or Not →

Box Score Recap – 4/15/2014

Box Score Recap

You guys were a stellar Aaron Altherr performance and a “curious early removal of Brian Pointer” away from getting another limerick.

Altherr was 3-5, a home run short of the cycle, and scored twice. Pointer had a hit to lead off the first, and was pulled for a pinch hitter in the third. No word from the club or from @BaseballBetsy, who was in attendance at Tampa, as to what happened there. One more note – Deivi Grullon made his FSL debut and had a single and an RBI in four trips to the plate.

Everyone else was rained out.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/15/2014 →

Lehigh Valley Weekly Report

7. Lehigh Valley

Lehigh Valley has gone 2-4 since last weeks report with their scheduled mired by rain, sleet, postponements, roster changes and doubleheaders.  They are currently 4-7 in the Northern Division of the International league, 3 games behind division leading Buffalo. The ‘Pigs remain in Syracuse for three games in two days Wednesday and Thursday, followed by four games in Scranton.

‘Pigs Prospects–Cameron Rupp had a well documented very quick start, during which he set a Lehigh Valley team record hitting 4 homers in as many games.  His bat settled down after that and he is now hitting .231/.394/.731 after 33 plate appearances before going down with an oblique injury on Sunday.  Rupp continues to be very good defensively and his loss will hurt the IronPigs.  No timetable for how long he will be out but I am sure the Phils will want to be careful with the oblique.

Kyle Simon made a very inauspicious AAA debut lasting just 0.1inning and giving up 4 runs on two hits in addition to three walks.  After a couple mediocre outings, Simon looked very good his last time out going three scoreless innings while striking out 4.  Simon’s overall stats: 4 games, 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA, 1.80WHIP. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekly Report →

Box Score Recap – 4/14/2014

Box Score Recap

Severino Gonzalez with what looks like his worst start of the year, 3R/6H/3BB/4K in 5 IP. Ken Giles remains dominant, as it took him just 13 pitches to strike out the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save in a row. He’s allowed just three base runners in six IP on the year.

Cameron Perkins with his first AA homerun. He’s OPSing nearly 1.200 now, and has 10 XBH in 44 trips to the plate. Brian Pointer also remains hot for CLR – he’s OPSing over 1.000 now after a 2-3 with 2BB and a triple. Both numbers are surely sustainable and not at all subject to any mention of small sample sizes. No, sir.

Mark Leiter Jr. got the victory for Lakewood, despite a less than stellar line that reads 4R/7H/1BB/8K over 6IP. Carlos Tocci had four hits and stole a base in that contest, while J.P. Crawford was 2-4 with a walk, a steal and three runs scored.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/14/2014 →

XST Phillies vs. Yankees; April 14, 2014

Game Reports

When I arrive at these games, I have to decide which one to watch.  I look for prospects or rehabbers or starting pitchers.  Lately, I’ve been drawn to the Aaron Altherr game.  Today, Drew Anderson was warming up for the game on Ashburn Field.  Since I couldn’t remember seeing pitch before, I decided to watch that game.  Good choice.  The Phillies won 3-0, and Anderson and Jonathan Musser combined for a 3 hit shutout. Continue reading XST Phillies vs. Yankees; April 14, 2014 →

General Discussion – Week of 4-14-2014 – Tony Gwynn vs. Ben Revere Edition

Weekly Discussion

Here’s your general discussion for all things Phillies. I want to talk about center field.

Ben Revere has been out of the lineup for four straight games now, dating back to the day after he made this remarkable catch against Milwaukee on Thursday. Tony Gwynn Jr. Remains in the lineup for tonight’s game. Seems like either Ryne’s rolling with the hot bat right now, or Revere’s more dinged up than the club’s letting on. So who’s the better choice, anyway? Continue reading General Discussion – Week of 4-14-2014 – Tony Gwynn vs. Ben Revere Edition →

Monday Roster Shuffle

Transactions

Normally roster moves don’t make their own posts unless it is a big promotion, but today was a bunch of shuffling with impact.

Lehigh Valley:
Added: Sebastian Valle (REA), Justin De Fratus (PHI), Tyson Gillies (CLW), Brad Lincoln (PHI)
Lost: Mike Nesseth (REA), Cameron Rupp (DL), Andres Blanco (DL), Justin Friend (Released), Luis Garcia (PHI)

Reading:
Added: Chad Carman (CLW), Mike Nesseth (LHV)
Lost: Aaron Altherr (CLW), Sebastian Valle (LHV)

Clearwater:
Added: Aaron Altherr (REA – DL), Deivi Grullon (EST)
Lost: Chad Carman (REA), Tyson Gillies (LHV) Continue reading Monday Roster Shuffle →

Where have all the pitchers gone?

Other Stuff

There has been a lot said about the lack of pitching in the Phillies system.  A lot of blame has been put at the feet of the development staff for failing to get major league players out of the talent in the system.  There have been other complaints about the prospects traded away or the prospects traded for as well.  The end result has been that I only had 8 pitchers in my Top 30 Phillies prospects and of those only 2 starting pitchers began the year healthy (Biddle and Gonzalez).

The factor that no one seems to be talking about is the composition of the Phillies drafts over the past 6 years.  With the “oldest” prospects in the system being from the 2008 draft class, it seemed like a good place to start.  So here are all the pitchers the Phillies drafted either for high money or are still in the system from the 2008 to 2013 drafts. Continue reading Where have all the pitchers gone? →

Box Score Recap – 4/13/2014

Box Score Recap

David Buchanan threw just one inning in anticipation of A.J. Burnett maybe not being able to go on Wednesday this week. By all accounts, Buchanan would be his replacement. The LV bullpen struck out eight over eight innings to hold off Rochester. Cesar Hernandez, Cam Perkins and Tommy Joseph all with multi-hit games, as A.J. Cole, the Nats #2 prospect, (per BA), got the victory over Jesse Biddle. Biddle pitched fairly well – 3R/0ER/4H/2BB/6K in 4IP – but was relieved after just 79 pitches. He was charged with two throwing errors in the third and another in the fourth, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a big part of why he was pulled.

Cam Rupp left the LV game with what seems to be a back/oblique injury, and Kelly Dugan left the REA game after being hit on the hand/wrist with a pitch. I haven’t seen further update on either man, so let’s cross our collective fingers. (a late note: Chad Carman was on Twitter this morning saying he is on the move. My guess is he fills a hole in AA or AAA while Rupp goes to the DL. If Koyie Hill is next on the big league depth chart, it could be Carman to AAA as his back-up and leave Joseph and Valle to continue what they’re doing at AA).

Aaron Altherr joined CLR for what’s likely to be a very temporary stop on the way to his destination in AA. He had a BB and a K in four trips to the plate, while Brian Pointer tallied The Threshers’ lone XBH – he’s OPSing close to .900 thus far. A decent start from Colin Kleven in that one – 3R/7H/0BB/4K in 6.1IP. Dan Child and Colt Murray also with good outings there in relief, while Manny Martinez and Yacksel Rios‘ relief appearances appear to be the highlight of the Lakewood tilt.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/13/2014 →