From Blue Claws PR: Not the biggest news, but its a start!
Galvis, Mattair, Brown all expected to start campaign with the BlueClaws
Lakewood has already produced a number of Major League stars and it appears a few more former BlueClaws are on their way to Big League fame. The 2008 season could produce the latest crop of future Phillies, with a number of big prospects likely starting the season in Lakewood.
The Phillies 40 man roster no longer contains Lincoln Holdzkom. Either this is a typo/web error on the Phillies end, or they’ve already seen enough to know that he’s not going to stick. Which do we think it is?
I hit the Carpenter Complex to check out the first day of minor league games. It was the Clearwater (Group 3) team and the Lakewood (Group 4) teams against the Orioles. Nothing of terrific interest to report except that I did pick up the newly updated minor league rosters. This version has the guys broken out into five groups not four like the previous version that I had posted a while back. Continue reading Updated 2008 Minor League Rosters (Workout Groups)
With many of the prospects re-assigned to minor league camps, there won’t be as much action to report on from big league games. Ken Mandel, the guy responsible for writing most of the pieces for Phillies.com, keeps a “mailbag” where he answers reader questions, though I have a hard time believing people ask some of the questions that get posted. Anyway, he touched on a few Phillies prospects in yesterday’s version
First and foremost… I’ve always called you Andrew, but I keep seeing you referred to as “Drew” Carpenter around the net. Which is it…Drew or Andrew?
Andrew
I know from talking with you earlier that you said you’ve been in Clearwater working out since January to try to be in better shape this year than you were last year. What sort of goals have you set for yourself in 2008?
I think everyone’s goal each year is to get to Philly because I know mine is. Other than that they are to win another championship, to keep my team in every ball game to give them a chance to win, to keep progressing on my changeup and making that better, and now in AA maybe get a couple of hits this year.
Continue reading The Andrew Carpenter Interview
The Phillies have done some spring cleaning, optioning Joe Bisenius, Scott Mathieson, JA Happ, and Brad Harman to minor league camp, while re-assigning Joe Savery, Lou Marson, and Jason Donald, among others, to minor league camps as well. Players on the 40 man are “optioned”, while non-40 man guys are re-assigned, that’s just the way its designated. To me, this is kind of surprising. I didn’t really think Happ was a choice for the #5 spot in the rotation right out of spring training, but you’d have thought they’d have kept him around a bit longer to face quality big leaguers. Bisenius similarly was a longshot for a bullpen spot out of the gate, but again, he’ll probably be up to the bigs again this year at some point, so it seems odd to option him with 3 weeks left in spring training.
Here’s the question of the day. The Phillies top 3 is Hamels, Myers and Moyer. Kendrick is the #4 for now, though he’s gotten his brains beat in this spring. Assuming he is the #4, and assuming Adam Eaton wisely opens the season on the DL, who starts as the #5? Travis Blackley has had mixed results this spring, Kris Benson is still recovering, and now Happ has been optioned out. Is it Blackley’s job?
Yesterday’s game was shortened to 6 innings, much to the delight of Adam Eaton and Chad Durbin who both got smacked around. No real prospect action to report. This article, albeit from Phillies.com, talks about JA Happ, his rough 2007, and his desire to bounce back this year. I’m still kind of worried about him healthwise, as nothing concrete ever came about with his elbow, but I’m hoping he can put it together this year, as we’ll likely need him at some point. Scott Lauber also has a feature on Drew Carpenter, and how he could possibly be this year’s Kyle Kendrick. I disagree with that notion, only because Carpenter is much more on the radar (at least to people who follow the minors) than Kendrick was at this time last season.
I’ve gotten a handful of e-mails in the last few days, plus comments in various posts, about Greg Golson, and asking how I felt now that he’s played well, and how I’m probably bummed because I’m “anti-Greg Golson”. I’m not anti any of our prospects. In fact, I probably support all of our prospects more than anyone outside of their respective families and friends, and Golson is no different. When you follow the minor leagues closely and you invest time in learning this stuff, you grow attached to these guys. And much like the girl/guy you chase in high school and can’t ever seem to get, you start protecting yourself from getting hurt. Golson has not lived up to expectations yet, and he has a few very clear flaws in his game. Even so, I never stop hoping he’s going to flip the switch and suddenly put it together. He’s Phillies property, and I’ve spent 4+ years hoping he’d make passing on Phil Hughes look smart. I hope he does. But I’ve tempered my expectations, and I still have my doubts that he can recognize/hit a curveball. Do I want him to? Of course. Will I be extremely excited if he turns into the next Eric Davis? Absolutely. I’m far from anti-Greg Golson. I’ve just toned down my expectations to about as low as they can go. Whatever he becomes, as long as it happens in the major leagues at some point, will be a bonus. He’s had a bright spring, lets hope it carries over.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Jason Donald during Spring Training and ask him a few baseball questions.
Jason, you started 2007 in Lakewood before finishing in Clearwater. What were the biggest differences between low-A and high-A baseball?
I think the biggest difference between high A and Low A was as with any level you move up, the game is a little bit sharper and quicker. Plus, there are some older pitchers with more experience that know how to pitch a little bit more. Better off speed and they can use that effectively when they were behind in the count.
Continue reading An Interview with Jason Donald
Yesterday the Tigers beat the Phillies 6-2, as JD Durbin did what JD Durbin does. Greg Golson picked up another hit in his only AB, and Brad Harman went 1/3 with an RBI. Jason Jaramillo’s struggles at the plate continued. You have to wonder if he’s pressing a bit, and if he knew he had a shot to make the club as the backup in ST over Coste, whom we know the org doesn’t trust. Jason Donald went 0/1 and committed his 2nd error of the spring. JA Happ pitched 2 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, and Lincoln Holdzkom went an inning, allowing 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 1 and walking 1.
I missed this article from a few days ago talking about Greg Golson. He says something of interest, when asked about trying to help the Phillies this season at some point;
Golson would love to help the Phillies at some point, but he is focused on the present.
“I got in trouble a couple years ago trying to get somewhere else when I was in Lakewood,” he said. “For two months, I thought I was in Clearwater, and I was in Lakewood.”
Either he’s bad with geography, or he realizes its important to remain focused at the level you’re at and let promotions and demotions sort themselves out.
