Series Preview: Reds at Phillies, May 17-19

The Phillies (19-22) continue their home stand as the Reds (25-16) come to town to begin a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. 

Winners of six straight games, the Reds are in second place in the National League central division, 1 1/2 games back of first place St. Louis.  The Phillies, fresh off a two-game split with Cleveland, are in third place in the NL East, 3 1/2 games behind first place Atlanta and three games back of second place Washington.

In the series opener, the Reds will send rookie Tony Cingrani to the mound.  Cingrani, who is a Rice University product, lasted just four innings in his last outing against Milwaukee, but did not factor in the decision.  The Phils will counter with ace Cliff Lee, is undefeated with a 1.83 ERA in his previous five starts against Cincinnati.

The Reds swept the Phillies in three games in Cincinnati last month. 

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key details from this series. 

Friday, 7:05 PM.  Tony Cingrani (2-0, 2.89 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (4-2, 2.86 ERA).  In two road starts this season, the lefty Cingrani is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and a .122 batting average against.  Cingrani was the Reds' 3rd round draft choice in 2011.  In 12 career starts against the Reds, Lee has a 6-2 record with a 3.79 ERA.  Joey Votto is 7-for-16 (.438 avg) with a home run against Lee in his career.  Lee has a 4.35 ERA in three home starts this season.

Saturday, 4:05 PM.  Bronson Arroyo (3-4, 3.76 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (4-1, 2.47 ERA).  In 12 career outings against the Phils, Arroyo has a 3-7 record with a 6.00 ERA.  Arroyo is 1-2 with a 9.60 ERA in three career starts at Citizens Bank Park.  Domonic Brown is 4-for-8 with two doubles and a homer against Arroyo in his career.  In eight career games against Cincinnati, Kendrick has a 3-2 record with a 4.19 ERA.  Kendrick has a 4.01 ERA in four home starts this season.  Kendrick has a 1.84 ERA in his last seven starts.  Jay Bruce is 5-for-14 (.357 avg) with two homers in his career against his Kendrick.

Sunday, 1:35 PM.  Homer Bailey (2-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Jonathan Pettibone (3-0, 3.41 ERA).  In seven career regular season starts against the Phillies, the righty Bailey is 0-3 with a 4.24 ERA.  Bailey has a 1-3 record with a 4.78 ERA in four road starts this season.  Ben Revere is 3-for-6 in his career against Bailey.  Pettibone is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three home starts this season.   Opponents are batting .266 against Pettibone in five big league starts.


In 36 career regular season games against the Phillies, Jay Bruce has a .308 average with 10 homers and 28 RBI.  Bruce is batting .316 with runners on base this season.

Brandon Phillips is batting .324 with five HR and 20 RBI in 17 road games this year.  Phillips is a .262 hitter in 52 career regular season games against the Phils and is a .224 hitter in 26 regular season games at Citizens Bank Park.

Aroldis Chapman has not allowed a run in six career appearances against the Phillies.  Chapman has a 4.76 ERA on the road this season.

Jonathan Papelbon has allowed three earned runs in four career innings pitched against the Reds.  Papelbon has not allowed a run in seven home outings this season.

In 19 home games this season, Domonic Brown is batting .242 with five home runs and seven RBI.

Ryan Howard is batting .302 with four homers and 10 RBI in 18 home games this season.  Howard is a .263 hitter in 60 career regular season games against the Reds.

Reds team OPS- .782 (11th in MLB)
Phillies team OPS- .682 (26th in MLB)

PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast: Episode 26

It's the 26th episode of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast. On this edition of the show, Tug and Jay talk about baseball coming second for many minor league teams, Lakewood's upcoming South Atlantic League All-Star events, the Phillies' bullpen and Tug's annoyance level related to happenings with TheFightins.com. Jay also serves up an exclusive interview with prospect Zach Collier.

Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE.

You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes.

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Prospect Nic Hanson

Right-handed hurler Nicholas Hanson was selected by the Phillies in the 16th round of last year's draft.  The Golden West College product had a tough pro debut with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters, where he sported a 2-3 record with a 7.00 ERA while averaging 5.8 K/9.  This year is a completely different story, however.  In nine outings, Hanson, 21, has tallied a 1-0 record along with a 2.94 ERA and a 7.48 K/9 mark.  Additionally, in his three starts since moving from the bullpen, the 6-foot-7, 210 pounder has allowed just one run.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Nic and he spoke about his success, his best friend who is also a player, his offerings on the mound and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview.


- You're on a hot streak now and doing very well as a starter after relieving to start the season.  What can you tell me about your early success this season?

I'm just kind of getting used to my new stuff.  I started throwing that sinker now and (pitching coach Aaron Fultz) has really been helping me and we're watching video a little bit and I'm kind of getting used to my stuff.  That's basically it, just going out there and learning every time.


- What's your full pitching repertoire right now?

Right now, four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, change up. 


- You mentioned the new addition of a sinker.  Who initiated that?  How did that come about?

I used to throw it as a little kid.  It was the only way I knew how to throw a fastball, I'd kind of throw it differently than a regular two-seamer.  And I felt like I needed another pitch other than a four-season fastball.  My dad told me, toward the end of spring training, "Why don't you throw that pitch?"  So, I threw it the last start of spring training and it worked well.  So, I figured I might as well stick with it and I've been throwing it out here.  It's been getting better every time, so I'm happy with it.


- If I were to ask you to scout yourself, what would you say?

I would say 6-foot-7, strike thrower, good plane when he gets on top, good sinker, slider is the our pitch and the change up's getting there.  It's developing, but it can be good at times. 


- We talked about you changing roles a bit.  Do you have a preference for where you pitch?

I mean, I think most people like to start, but as long as I'm playing baseball, I have fun.  Bullpen, starting, whatever, I have fun.  I'd like to keep going as a starter.  I like knowing when I am going to pitch and getting an opportunity to pitch an extended amount of innings, get in a groove and get the feel for it.


- The draft last year...what was that experience like for you?

It was a little bit of a stressful day for a lot of people.  I didn't go where I thought I was gonna go, but went (as) the Phillies' first pick on the third day.  It was a happy time.  Family was stoked, friends were stoked.  I got an opportunity and wanted to go with it. 


- You spent last season with Williamsport after being drafted.  How do you feel your time in Williamsport went and how was your first exposure to pro ball?

It was a learning experience, definitely.  I didn't really know what to expect, coming from junior college, you know.  It was kind of different facing these guys that you see on ESPNU and all these big time prospects and stuff.  But, it was just a big learning experience getting used to the pro baseball way, how to compete and just confidence and all that.


- I know you're a California guy.  Who did you look up to as a player before turning pro?

I was a, well, pitcher- Jered Weaver.  I was a big Jered Weaver fan. Position player...I was a big Garrett Anderson fan. I grew up an Angels fan.


- As a pro now, if you had the opportunity to speak to young players that were hoping to play baseball being high school, whether it's college or professionally, what advice would you give?

Stick with it.  Never give up.  I didn't play baseball my junior year, I was out of the game.  Just kind of didn't know what I was going to do and I got back in the game.  I would just tell them never give up.  Always keep going.  Work hard and stay positive.  


- It seems you've got a connection in the pro ranks that may have had some impact on bringing you back to the game in those high school years.  You know, a close friend named Henry Owens, who is a Red Sox prospect.  Just talk about that a little bit.

Yeah, I grew up with Henry.  Actually, he lives in my neighborhood, right behind me.  We grew up together, playing baseball together, always been good friends.  And once he got drafted, in 2011 and I got drafted last draft, so we lived together in the off-season.  We just worked out together, talked the game together and he had a full season ahead of me and he kind of gave me some pointers and let me know what to expect and stuff and it's been beneficial, definitely.


- I know you're on Twitter (@Nic_Hanson75).  How do you view Twitter?  Some guys might look at it as a way to build their own brand, some guys use it to bond with fans, some guys keep track of friends in other levels.  How do you view it?

I guess, well, right now, being in Single A, it's kind of just communicating with the teammates in the off-season and seeing how other guys are doing.  I guess down the road, being in the big leagues and stuff it can help you be a fan favorite. 

Series Preview: Indians at Phillies, May 14-15

Interleague play returns to Citizens Bank Park as the Indians (21-16) come to town for a quick two-game set against the Phillies (18-21).

Having won seven of their last 10 contests, the Indians look to continue their success against the Phils, who were pounded by a total score of 20-2 over two games, both losses, in Cleveland a couple weeks back.

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and more key details from this series.


Tuesday, 7:05 PM. Scott Kazmir (2-1, 4.87 ERA) vs. Jonathan Pettibone (2-0, 3.63 ERA). The lefty Kazmir has a 2.65 ERA over his last three starts. Kazmir won his lone career start against the Phillies back in 2006. In two home starts, the rookie right-hander Pettibone is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA. Opponents are hitting .154 with runners in scoring position against Pettibone.

Wednesday, 1:05 PM. Corey Kluber (2-2, 5.64 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (1-5, 4.18 ERA). The righty Kluber has a 5.77 ERA in nine career road games. Delmon Young is 3-for-6 with a double in his career against Kluber. Hamels is 0-1 with six runs allowed in five innings pitched in his lone career start against Cleveland. In four home starts this season, Hamels is 0-3 with a 4.71 ERA. Mark Reynolds is 2-for-10 with two home runs in his career against Hamels.


Indians closer Chris Perez has a 5.06 ERA in five career games against the Phillies.

Mark Reynolds is batting .322 in 17 road games this season. In 27 games against the Phils, Reynolds is a .260 hitter with eight home runs and 20 RBI. Reynold is tied for the American League lead in HR with 11.

In 12 career games at Citizens Bank Park, Jason Giambi has a .348 average with five homers and 10 RBI. Giambi is batting .158 in six road games this season.

In 34 career games against the Indians, Ben Revere is a .294 hitter with 13 steals.

Carlos Ruiz is 1-for-16 (.063 avg) in four career games against Cleveland. Ruiz is a career .267 hitter in 365 games at Citizens Bank Park.

Ryan Howard has a .355 average with two homers in eight games against the Indians. In 16 home games this year, Howard is batting .321 four home runs and 10 RBI.

Indians team runs scored- 178 (6th in MLB)
Phillies team runs scored- 138 (25th in MLB)

Indians team bullpen ERA- 2.77 (4th in MLB)
Phillies team bullpen ERA- 4.00 (22nd in MLB)

PNTV Interview: Lakewood Pitching Coach Aaron Fultz

Former Phillies left-handed reliever Aaron Fultz now serves as the pitching coach for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. The Alabama native spent his first season as a pro coach, last year, with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters.

During his playing career, Fultz's best season was 2005, when he tallied a 4-0 record with a 2.24 ERA in 62 appearances for the Phils. Fultz also played in the big leagues with the Twins, the Rangers, the Giants and the Indians.

Early this season, I interviewed Aaron for Phillies Nation TV. The 39-year-old spoke about his time with the Phillies, his transition into coaching and some of his pitching prospects. The segment went unused on the TV program, but we definitely wanted to bring it to the fans anyway. Check out the interview in the media player below and tune into Phillies Nation TV every Tuesday at 6 PM on The Comcast Network. The program also replays throughout the week, so check your listings.

Minor League Notes: the Hot, the Cold, the Injured and the Departed

In the latest rundown of developmental notes, we'll take a glance at some top performers, several guys who aren't doing too well, a couple sidelined prospects and a group of former Phillies minor leaguers...

The Hot List- 

Lakewood pitcher Nic Hanson

Lakewood righty Nic Hanson has not been scored upon in two outings (11 total innings) since moving from the BlueClaws' bullpen to their starting rotation. A 16th round pick in last year's draft out of Golden West College, Hanson, 21, has a 1-0 record with a save and a 3.38 ERA in eight games.

Class A Advanced Clearwater outfielder Cameron Perkins has been performing extremely well this month.  In 10 games, the 22-year-old has posted a .385 average with six doubles, a triple, a homer and six RBI.  Perkins was selected in the 6th round of the 2012 draft out of Purdue University.

Dominican hurler Gabriel Arias has looked great for the Clearwater Threshers, going 4-1 with a 1.25 ERA through nine outings (four starts).  The 23-year-old has regularly had his fastball clocked at 95 MPH over the past year.

Double-A Reading catcher Cameron Rupp, whose batting average had been as low as .211 this past week, decided to shave his goatee for a change of luck.  Since going bald faced, the 24-year-old has gone 5-for-12 with three home runs and five RBI in three contests.  Rupp was drafted out of the University of Texas in the 3rd round in 2010.

With the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, righty reliever Michael Stutes has produced six straight scoreless outings, a stretch of 9 2/3 innings during which he has allowed four hits and two walks while striking out nine.  Overall, the 26-year-old has a 1-2 record with a save and a 3.80 ERA in 15 games.


The Cold List-

Lakewood third baseman Mitch Walding, who had been one of the team's best offensive performers through the opening month of the season, has cooled off quite a bit recently.  In his past nine games, the 20-year-old has gone 5-for-35 (.143 avg).  Prior to the slump, the Phils' 5th round pick from 2011 was sporting a .277 average.

Top 2012 draft pick Shane Watson

In three starts since he tossed five shut out innings against Savannah on April 21st, last year's 1st round pick Shane Watson has gone 0-2 with an 11.70 ERA for Lakewood.  Watson, a 19-year-old, has had his fastball clocked steadily at 93 MPH this season.

Clearwater designated hitter and occasional corner infielder Harold Martinez is batting .154 over his last 10 games.  The 23-year-old prospect was the Phils' 2nd round draft choice out of the University of Miami in 2011.  Overall in 23 games, Martinez is batting .191 with a home run and five RBI.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley infielder/outfielder Michael Martinez is batting .118 over his past nine games.  Overall in 25 games, the 30-year-old has tallied a .224 average along with three doubles and 10 RBI.


The Injured-

Reading left-hander Austin Wright, sidelined with a strained throwing shoulder, has been rehabbing the ailment in Florida.  The 23-year-old threw two innings with the Phillies' extended spring training team this past week and has his next start scheduled with them on Tuesday. Wright was drafted in the 8th round in 2011 out of the University of Mississippi.

Clearwater reliever Kenny Giles, who began the season with a strained oblique on his right side returned in late April to appear in two games, but has returned to the disabled list with an oblique strain on the opposite side.  A source with the Phillies jokingly describes Giles, whose fastball reached triple digits with Clearwater last year, as a bad patient.  The 7th round draft pick from 2011 is said to be anxious to return to the mound and doesn't like missing game action.


The Departed-

Domingo Santana

Outfielder Domingo Santana, who was traded as the player to be named later in the 2011 Hunter Pence deal, had the first three-homer game of his career on Friday for Double-A Corpus Christi. Through 24 contests this year, the 20-year-old Dominican was batting .264 with seven home runs and 17 RBI.

Righty hurler Trevor May, who was dealt last off-season in the Ben Revere trade, threw his second seven-inning complete game shutout of the season for Double-A New Britain on Friday. In seven starts, the 23-year-old is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA. The Washington state native has had two tough outings against Harrisburg this season, including a four-inning outing on April 29th during which he allowed eight earned runs. In his five starts not against Harrisburg this year, May has a 1.15 ERA.

With Triple-A Oklahoma City, right-hander Jarred Cosart is 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA along with 39 strike outs and 14 walks through 33 innings pitched. The Texas native who turns 23 later this month seems to have dominated the tough-on-pitchers Pacific Coast League, but he has not thrown six innings or greater in any of his seven appearances this season.  Cosart was also part of the package sent to Houston for Pence.

Righty pitcher Lisalverto Bonilla, who was traded to Texas in the deal to acquire Michael Young, has a 2-1 record along with a 7.50 ERA in 12 relief outings for the Triple-A Round Rock Express.  The 22-year-old has struck out 26 and walked 11 in 18 innings.

PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast: Episode 25

It's the landmark 25th edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast.  On this epsiode, Jay and Tug discuss Tyson Gillies' rough start to the 2013 season and J.A. Happ's alarming injury.  Additionally, the guys field the challenge of a fan, each naming their five positive things to take from the Phillies organization's season thus far, praising names like Kyle Kendrick, Jonathan Pettibone, Jesse Biddle and Nic Hanson.  Some news related to TheFightins.com is revealed as well. 

Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE.

You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes.

Series Preview: Phillies at D-Backs, May 9-12

The Phillies (16-19) continue their roadtrip as they head to Phoenix's Chase Field to take on the Diamondbacks (19-15) in a four-game series. 

Winners of three straight, the Diamondbacks will send 23-year-old left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound for the series opener.  Arizona has won all six of Corbin's starts this season.  The Phillies will counter with three-time All-Star Cole Hamels, who has a 3.38 ERA in five career starts at Chase Field. 

Last season, the Phils won four of six meetings with Arizona, including two of three in Phoenix. 

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and plenty more stats from this series.


Thursday, 9:40 PM.  Cole Hamels (1-4, 4.34 ERA) vs. Patrick Corbin (4-0, 1.80 ERA).  Hamels is sporting a 2.31 ERA over his last five starts.  In seven career starts against Arizona, Hamels is 4-1 with a 3.47 ERA.  The lefty Hamels is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA three road starts this season.  In his sophomore MLB campaign, Corbin, who was the Angels 2nd round pick in 2009, is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two home starts this year.  Corbin was acquired in the Dan Haren trade in 2010. 

Friday, 9:40 PM.  Tyler Cloyd (1st MLB start this year) vs. Ian Kennedy (1-3, 5.19 ERA).  The righty Cloyd posted a 2-2 record in a 4.91 ERA in six big league starts last year.  In six starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, the 25-year-old Cloyd posted a 1-3 record along with a 5.40 ERA.  Kennedy is 1-1 with a 5.49 ERA in three home starts this season.  In four career starts against the Phillies, Kennedy has a 1-1 record with a 3.75 ERA.  Ryan Howard is 0-for-9 in his career against Kennedy.

Saturday,  8:10 PM.  Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.26 ERA) vs. Trevor Cahill (2-3, 2.80 ERA).  In five career starts against Arizona, Lee has a 3-1 record with a 3.50 ERA.  Lee is 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA in four road starts this year.  Eric Chavez is 2-for-19 (.105 avg) in his career against Lee.  In five home starts this year, Cahill has a 1-2 record and a 2.61 ERA.  Cahill is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in three career starts against the Phils

Sunday, 4:10 PM.  Kyle Kendrick (4-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 6.75 ERA).  In seven career games (six starts) against Arizona, Kendrick has a 0-2 record with a 6.06 ERA.  Kendrick is 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in three road starts this year. Miguel Montero is 6-for-9 (.667 avg) with a double and a homer in his career against Kendrick.  In four home starts this season, McCarthy is 0-2 with a 7.61 ERA.  Michael Young is 7-for-25 (.280 avg) with a home run in his career against the 29-year-old McCarthy.


Delmon Young is a .389 hitter with with a home run and three RBI in nine games against the D-Backs.  Young is batting .130 through eight games this season.

In 41 career games against Arizona, Chase Utley has a .293 average with nine home runs and 23 RBI.

Opponents are batting .116 against Jonathan Papelbon in 13 games this year.  Papelbon has not allowed a run since his initial outing this season, a stretch of 12 games.

In 17 home games this season, Paul Goldschmidt is batting .377 with five homers and 19 RBI.  Goldschmidt is 2-for-18 (.111 avg) in five career contests against the Phillies.

Gerardo Parra is a .197 hitter in 20 career games against the Phillies.  Parra is batting .311 in 15 home games this season.

Heath Bell is 1-1 with nine saves, no blown saves and a 2.48 ERA in 32 games against the Phillies.  In six home games this year, Bell has an 11.57 ERA. 

Phillies team ERA- 4.34 (25th in MLB)
D-Backs team ERA- 3.57 (8th in MLB)

Cameron Rupp Interview Excerpts

Recently, I ran a piece on Phillies catching prospect Cameron Rupp that can be read by clicking here.  Excerpts from my time spent chatting with Rupp last week can be found below.   

- On his transition to the Double-A level-

Our club's got a lot of the same guys that I played with down in the Florida State League, but you see a lot of older guys up here at the higher levels and guys that have a little bit better of an idea of what they're doing out there up at the plate. You know, a lot more consistency throughout the whole game.


- On the progression of lefty pitching prospect Jesse Biddle, who Rupp has caught at three different levels-

He's been unbelievable. He's grown so much. You know, out on the mound, he's grown up. He understands how to control his emotions. His stuff is, it was good when we were in Lakewood, it was good last year, this year it's- it's getting better every year. He's done a lot of good things for us. He keeps us in ballgames, he comes out and works hard, he pounds the zone a lot and that's all you can ask for.


- On what he works on and how he makes sure he's improving at each level of the minors-

Just being consistent. On the field, behind the plate, in the batters box, just being consistent. You're gonna have your days where you go 0-for-4, you're gonna have your weeks where you don't get a hit, but you take the same approach as when you go 3-for-4 when you're seeing the ball really well, and continue to go out every day and give what you've got. Just, you know, you gotta have fun doing it and that's one of the big things, as long as you're having fun and you're consistent you're gonna love the game.


- On being around rehabbing big leaguers-

So far, the guys that have come through, last year (in Clearwater) we had Thome, Nix, Halladay threw for us, Utley. Last year we had a bunch of guys come through and they've been awesome. They've worked with us, talked game, sat down, watched TV with us, even Thome went out and had dinner with us one night. It was awesome. They've been in our shoes, so they understand just like we do and they get up there and they're still the same guys. You know, it's really special.


- On his time spent in big league camp during spring training-

The older guys, they went about it a little differently than some of the younger guys did. I just tried to soak in being up in a big league club house and seeing the guys and watching the games and trying to learn. I just thought it was an unbelievable experience. You get to see how the game is at the highest level that's played and being around those guys you get to learn every aspect of the game. And you can pick more than just one guy's (brain)...and being able to pick their brains, there's no one else better to learn from.

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Prospect Seth Rosin

Last summer, as part of the Hunter Pence trade, the Phillies acquired righty hurler Seth Rosin (Roe-ZEEN). Originally drafted in the 4th round in 2010 by San Francisco, Rosin had mainly been a reliever with the Giants' Class A Advanced affiliate San Jose. Now throwing strictly as a starter, since joining the Phils' organization, the University of Minnesota product, who stands six-foot-six and weights around 250 pounds, has posted a 1-4 record with a 3.17 ERA while striking out 32 and walking seven in 45 1/3 innings.

Recently, I spoke with the 24-year-old about his transition to a new organization, his thoughts about Reading, Eastern League competition and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview.


- Last year, at the time of the trade, how were you notified you had been dealt and what was your reaction?

I got a call from the Giants front office at about 8 o'clock in the morning, west coast time, letting me know I had to leave tomorrow to go to Florida, I was in a trade. So, I was just trying to get everything in order, get my car out to Florida, or whatever, all my clothes. I had a host family, so they were really helpful with that. I was just- I knew I had to get all my stuff in order to get over there. It was a good transition and the Phillies guys welcomed me, so it was a good transition.


- As rattling as that appears to be, from that description, is getting that news also exciting, because you know a team has just dealt an established player to get you?

Yeah. It's a fresh start. All new coaches, everything, I've got to get to know everyone's names and stuff like that. It's a good start and I'm having a good time over here.


- I know that you're a North Dakota and a Minnesota guy. Not a lot of baseball players come out of those colder weather states. Tell me about your first exposure to baseball and maybe what it was like trying to excel at a sport in which it's tough to get a lot of experience in a colder weather state.

I was born in North Dakota and then I lived in Minneapolis, growing up or whatever. I went to college at Minnesota and I always had a chip on my shoulder, when I went out to Cape Cod especially, when they told me that kids from the north couldn't play baseball. So, I took that with me and always wanted to prove them wrong. I think I still take that out with me everyday to the field, just to prove everybody wrong.


- What are your impressions of the town, the facility, the fans here with Reading thus far?

Oh, it's amazing, getting 5 (thousand) to 8,000 a night, every night, is a lot of fun. Seeing the ostriches out there in center field during pregames, hilarious. So, we have fun everyday. Working really hard, trying to get as many wins as possible for the team and hopefully, we can get deep into the playoffs this year.

When you're doing well (the fans) are loving you. When you're not doing well, they can get on you. I think that's my first taste of that. It's pretty cool being a role model to all the kids that come out and want the autograph or the high five.


- What are your thoughts on transitioning from the Florida State League up here to the Eastern League?

Probably the strike zone's a little smaller, but more consistent here in Double-A than in High A. So, you just gotta make sure your get ahead of the hitters, because they'll be selective and they'll take their walks, when they can get them. Just attacking hitters is probably more important here than in High A.


- So, what is your pitch repertoire likes and what are the variances in velocity that you have?

I throw mostly a four-seam fastball, slider and a change up. Velocity, you're gonna have to ask someone else. I don't really ask that kind of stuff. I'm kind of a control kind of guy. I just try to throw it both sides of the plate and keep the ball down and a let my defense play behind me, so I just try to get off the field as quick as possible.


- You've got some highly regarded catching prospects here that you get to throw to. What is it like throwing to these guys and what are your impressions of the depth at catcher for this organization right now?

They're all fantastic. I've thrown to (Sebastian) Valle all my starts this year and I think we're on the same page every innings out there, so, and I know (Cameron) Rupp is fantastic as well, so I'm looking forward to throwing to him as well. I'm just having fun with them. They can all throw guys out, they call a good game, they block well, play good defense, so it's a treat to throw to these guys.


- We talked about you being from the northern states. Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Kirby Puckett was, by far, my favorite player. Being a Minnesota Twin, he's a hometown favorite for winning those two World Series. The Minnesota Twins, growing up, was my favorite. I still have a place in my heart for those guys. It was just a lot of fun watching them growing up.


- Do you have any superstitions or gameday routines that you go by?

I put on my socks the same way every day. I put my left one on, them my right one. I make sure I put my left shoes on first before my right one. And I play catch with the strength coach every day before my start. Those are my two routines, I guess.

Series Preview: Phillies at Giants, May 6-8

The Phillies (14-18) head west to begin a three-game series on Monday night at San Francisco's AT&T Park. The hosting Giants (19-12) have won six straight contests.

The Phils' offense, which ranks second from worst in the majors with a .669 OPS, struggled over the weekend, as they tallied only five total hits in a pair of losses to the team with the worst record in the National League, the Marlins.

The first place Giants were victorious in four of six meetings between these two teams last year.

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key stats for this series.


Monday. 10:15 PM.  Cliff Lee (2-2, 3.46 ERA) vs. Madison Bumgarner (3-0, 1.55 ERA). In five career regular season starts against San Francisco, Lee is 4-0 with a 0.63 ERA and two complete games.   Lee has a 0-2 record with a 5.04 ERA in his last four starts.  Pablo Sandoval is 2-for-12 (.167 avg) in his career against Lee.  Opponents are hitting just .181 against Bumgarner this season.  In three home starts this year, Bumgarner is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA. 

Tuesday, 10:15 PM. Kyle Kendrick (3-1, 2.43 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (2-1, 4.41 ERA). Kendrick is 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in five career outings against the Giants.  Kendrick has thrown 16 scoreless innings in two road starts this season.  Angel Pagan is 5-for-28 (.179 avg) in his career against Kendrick.  In 11 career regular season starts against the Phils, Lincecum has a 5-2 record with a 3.00 ERA.  Chase Utley is 5-for-30 (.167 avg) in regular season action agaisnt Lincecum.

Wednesday, 3:45 PM.  Jonathan Pettibone (2-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. Barry Zito (3-1, 3.06 ERA).  Opponents are batting .286 through three big league starts.  Pettibone earned a win in his lone road outing in which he allowed three earned runs in five innings against the Mets.  In seven career regular season starts against the Phillies, Zito has a 3-3 record with a 4.60 ERA.  In four home starts this season, Zito is 3-0 with a 0.35 ERA.


Through six games, Carlos Ruiz is batting .100.  Ruiz is a .228 hitter with a homer and nine RBI in 31 regular season games against San Francisco.

In 14 road games this season, Jimmy Rollins is batting .200 with no home runs and no RBI.

In 11 career games against the Giants, Michael Young is a .189 hitter with one home run and two RBI.  Young has just one extra-base hit, a double, since April 10th.

Pablo Sandoval is a .268 hitter with four home runs with 14 RBI in 26 regular season games against the Phillies.  Sandoval entered action on Sunday tied for the National League lead in multi-hit games with 13 this season.

In 26 career games against the Phillies, Hunter Pence has a .340 average with 11 home runs and 22 RBI.  Pence is batting .305 in 15 home game this year.

Sergio Romo's 12 saves are tied for the MLB lead.  Romo has a 1-1 record with a 1.64 ERA in 12 games against the Phillies. 

Minor League Notebook: Morandini Quotes Galore

It's our weekly rundown of notes from the minor leagues.  For the most part, I'll serve up some quotes from Class A Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini, as I spoke with him on Sunday.

On his BlueClaws team, that sports a 9-20 record, as a whole:

"Even though the record's not where we want it to be, we're still seeing a lot of good out there, out of the young kids, so, that's the main thing here, is getting these kids better and having them progress as best they can."

On Australian right-hander Josh Warner (1-3 record, 7.50 ERA in six starts), who was demoted to extended spring training on Sunday:

"We just wanted to get Josh down there and get his confidence back.  We're gonna make a few adjustments with where he's standing on the rubber and things, so we just wanted him to go down there and work on that.

He's only 20-years old.  He's got a good breaking ball, a good change up.  He just got in a situation where he was leaving his fastball out over the plate.  And like I said, we're gonna make some changes down there on the rubber, try to get a little more deception, especially against right-handers.  We like Josh a lot, he's had a lot of success, he just went through a rough spell here, so we just thought is was best to get him back down there and work on a few things, then hopefully get him back up here." 

On catcher Chad Carman (24th round pick, 2012), who is slated for surgery to repair a broken finger on his right hand this week:

"I don't know a time table for when he'll be back.  They're going to insert a pin in his finger, so it's not going to be soon.  My best guess would be a reevaluation sometime around the All-Star break, or something like that, and we'll see where he's at." 

On highly rated shortstop prospect Roman Quinn's recent battle (.204 avg. through 27 games) to stay over the Mendoza line:

"Every player knows what he's hitting.  But with Roman, we had a nice conversation a couple days ago about trying to see more pitches, laying off the high pitches for him, he's a low-ball hitter...a guy that needs to hit the ball on the ground, use his speed and keep the ball out of the air.  And the last (few) days, he's been much better.  He's been getting deeper into counts, starting to hit some more ground balls.  So, I'm not worried about Roman.  He's still learning how to hit left-handed.  He's probably got 350-400 at bats left-handed and until we see a higher sampling, in the 1,500 at bat range left-handed, I'm not going to be too concerned with it.  He's got great bat speed from that side, for someone that hasn't hit that much from that side, so I think he's going to be alright left-handed, he just needs to get more at bats."

On 2011 top draft pick Larry Greene Jr.'s early efforts (.146 avg., three doubles, six RBI in 14 games) with Lakewood thus far:

"He's struggling, there's no question about it.  He got off to a slow start and it kind of compounded with some frustration and, so right now, he's just kind of hitting on his heels a little bit, he's not using his back side, like we want him to use his back side, which is forcing his head to move a little bit and he's not getting a good feel for the strike zone.  He's taking a lot of third strikes right now.  We're just working on him trying to get more of a load, use his back side, get off his heels.  I think basically, he needs to go out, get a couple hits and he'll be fine.  We've all been through it."


-Lakewood's Willie Carmona is enjoying some additional playing time, while first baseman Art Charles is sidelined with a sprained wrist.  During a current eight-game hitting streak, the Phils' 11th round draft pick from 2012, Carmona, is 14-for-32 (..438 avg).  Charles is expected to return to the active roster this week.

-Additionally, I heard from outfielder Tyson Gillies, who was demoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley this weekend after posting weak stats with the IronPigs.  The 24-year-old Vancouver native was batting .148 with a homer and three RBI through 18 games in Triple-A prior to the demotion.  Gillies was in good spirits and is looking forward to bouncing back with Double-A Reading, where he went 1-for-6 with a walk in two games this weekend.

-20-year-old third baseman Maikel Franco has looked great this season with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers.  Through 29 games, the Dominican native has posted a .309 average along with 13 doubles, six home runs and an organization leading 27 RBI.

Catching Prospect Rupp on the Rise

Cameron Rupp, image- Jay Floyd

In an organization stocked with catching talent, Cameron Rupp has, at times, been an afterthought.  That isn't the case any longer, as the Phils' 3rd round draft choice from 2010 has forced the team's brass and scouts alike to take notice and hold him in consideration as a potential big league backstop candidate.

While Rupp's numbers (.215 avg, two home runs, six RBI through 18 games) aren't overly impressive thus far this season, it's the overall effort, defensive skills and numbers from previous seasons that have the projected ceiling for the University of Texas product on the rise.

Rupp's manager, Dusty Wathan, who had a 14-year playing career as a catcher, sees a great amount of potential in the six-foot-two 230-pounder and thinks that his future is bright, comparing him to the Phils' current big league All-Star at the same position. 

"Carlos Ruiz came here eight or nine years ago and wasn't very touted and look where he is now.  He has been a big contributor and to the World Series. I just think, hopefully, Cameron Rupp can be in that same mold. A guy that wasn't really touted, wasn't really a big prospect and, you know, has just worked hard and put himself on the map," Wathan asserted.

Ruiz, a .274 career hitter in eight big league season, has the starting job as the Phillies' catcher locked down currently, but is slated to become a free agent following this season, which would open the door for one of the organization's prospects.
 
When Ruiz came up through the Phillies' minor league ranks, he was rarely held in high regard as a potential future big league star. The man who became a World Series champion and represented the Phils in last year's midsummer classic entered his age 25 season with Double-A Reading, in 2004, as a .250 career hitter with 14 home runs and 111 RBI in four professional seasons.

Rupp, who seems to be ahead of the Ruiz minor league curve, entered the 2013 season in Reading as a career .258 hitter with 19 homers and 121 RBI in three professional seasons and, at 24-years-old, Rupp is younger than when the Panamanian born backstop began a season at the Double-A level.

The righty hitting Rupp isn't focused specifically on being the next Carlos Ruiz.  He did, however, absorb a lot from Ruiz during a rehab stop that the now 34-year-old veteran made with Reading last week.

"You watch and you learn. I thought it was really cool, these games, they don't mean a whole lot to him, but he came in there as if they did. He took the losses as tough as we did," Rupp explained.

"He came out, had fun with us and I could pick his brain and I learned a little bit about what he sees, when he sees it and it was a really cool experience."

After the Phillies added Tommy Joseph, who was acquired from San Francisco in last year's Hunter Pence trade, to their already well stocked collection of catching talent, Rupp's status in the system may have seemed to suffer a setback.  Joseph, who is 34 months younger than Rupp, was rated as a top ten Giants prospect prior to being dealt and is now among many national outlets' top five Phillies prospects.  Joseph (.214 avg, three HR, 14 RBI, 19 games),  is the starting catcher with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  He joined Mexican slugger Sebastian Valle, who is 22 month younger than Rupp and has also been a very well regarded catching talent all throughout his career, in the Phils system.  Valle (.155 avg, two HR, six RBI, 18 games) currently splits the catching duties at Reading with Rupp.

Despite what additions the Phillies make and aside from what the other players might be doing, it's Rupp's focus on his own game and his pitching staff that helps him excel.

"I can't really control the moves and things that (the Phillies) make. I can only control what I do out on the field. So, I come out every day, willing to work hard and give everything I've got that day. I've taken catching- defensively, I've learned so much more about the game in previous years. I've gotten the trust of most of these pitchers that I've worked with over the past few years and some of the new guys, I hope to gain their trust," Rupp stated.

Rupp also credits Wathan, whose father John Wathan is a former player and manager in the big leagues, with helping him develop behind the dish.  Dusty, who reached the big leagues with Kansas City, is the first manager that Rupp has ever played for that has been a catcher at the highest levels of the game.

"It's nice to be able to ask questions and have a guy that's been in your shoes and been in the same situations and knows and understands the game," Rupp said.  "And I know (Dusty's) dad was a manager in the big leagues for a long time and, you know, he's got a lot of background. He knows the game in and out and it's helpful for us. We can get a lot of insight calling pitches, situations in the game, when to do things, when not to and it's very helpful."

Rupp had a quick glimpse of the pinnacle of the sport, where Ruiz has enjoyed considerable success, and where Wathan battled for years to simply have a proverbial cup of coffee, as Rupp was in major league spring training with the Phillies this year.  The small sample of the bigs is something that has left the Plano, TX native thirsty for more.  And while his own future may depend on the paths of a few other players, Rupp's objective is clear.

"Getting sent back down to minor league camp was an eye opening experience, just from what it's like up there, but it absolutely makes you want work twice as hard or harder just to get back up there.  That's the goal."

PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast: Episode 24

On the latest edition of the program Jay and Tug talk about hot prospects Jesse Biddle, Cesar Hernandez and Chace Numata and offer some thoughts on highly touted shortstop Roman Quinn's cold spell.  The guys also chat with call-in guest "Baseball Betsy", who offers insight from the teams in Florida, and a memorable exclusive interview with former Phillies first round draft pick Anthony Hewitt is featured. 

Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE.

You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes.

Series Preview: Marlins at Phillies, May 2-5

The Phillies (12-16) are set to kick off a four-game series as host to the Marlins (8-20).  The series marks the returns of Phils Gold Glove Award winner Placido Polanco and speedster Juan Pierre to Philadelphia for the first time since each man parted ways via free agency.

The Phillies have won nine of their last 12 meetings with the Marlins.  Additionally, the Phils were victorious in six of nine games against Miami at Philly's Citizens Bank Park last season.

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key details from this series.


Thursday, 7:05 PM. Alex Sanabia (2-3, 4.85 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (2-1, 2.41 ERA). Sanabia, a 24-year-old righty, allowed one earned run in six innings pitched in his lone career start against the Phillies in 2011. In 13 career road outings, Sanabia has a 4-1 record along with a 3.32 ERA. In three home starts this year, Kendrick is 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA. In 19 career games against Miami, Kendrick has a 10-2 record with a 3.71 ERA, including 7-0 in his last nine starts against them. Greg Dobbs is 1-for-12 (.083 avg) in his career against Kendrick.

Friday, 7:05 PM. Ricky Nolasco (2-2, 3.82 ERA) vs. Jonathan Pettibone (1-0, 4.35 ERA). Nolasco has an 8-5 record with a 3.73 ERA in 19 career games against the Phils. In three road starts this season, the right-handed Nolasco has a 1-1 record with a 3.86 ERA. Domonic Brown is 5-for-9 with a double and a triple against Nolasco in his career. Pettibone was the Phillies' 3rd round draft choice in 2008. In his lone home starts, Pettibone allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, earning a no decision, against the Pirates on April 22nd.

Saturday, 7:05 PM. Jose Fernandez (0-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (1-3, 4.78 ERA). The rookie right-hander, Fernandez, is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in three road starts this year. Fernandez threw six scoreless innings against the Phillies on April 13th and did not earn a decision in that outing. In three home starts this season, Hamels has a 0-2 record with a 5.66 ERA. Hamels has a 3.29 ERA in 25 career starts against the Marlins.

Sunday, 2:35 PM. Kevin Slowey (0-2, 2.15 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (2-3, 6.75 ERA). Slowey has a 10.29 ERA in two career starts against the Phils. Slowey, a right-hander, has a 5.10 ERA in 41 career day games. In three home starts this season, Halladay is 1-1 with a 5.29 ERA. Greg Dobbs is 9-for-21 (.429 avg) with three doubles and a homer in his career against Halladay.


Placido Polanco is a .296 career hitter against the Phillies. Polanco is a .310 hitter in 267 career games at Citizens Bank Park.

Juan Pierre posted a .234 average in 69 games at Citizens Bank Park last season. Pierre is batting .105 with runners in scoring position this year.

Veteran reliever Chad Qualls has a 7.94 ERA in 36 career games at Citizens Bank Park. Qualls has a 2.77 ERA in 11 appearances this season.

Carlos Ruiz is a .270 hitter with six home runs and 34 RBI in 85 career games against the Marlins. Ruiz batted .368 with runners in scoring position last year.

Chase Utley is batting .320 with two homers and seven RBI in 14 home games this season. Utley's 96 career RBI against the Marlins are his most against any team.

Domonic Brown is 9-for-27 (.333 avg) in his last seven games.  In 91 career games at Citizens Bank Park, Brown has a .225 batting average.

Marlins team OPS- .601 (30th/last in MLB)
Phillies team OPS-  .679 (26th in MLB)

Series Preview: Phillies at Indians, April 30-May 1

Interleague play is back, as the Phillies (12-14) head to Cleveland to take on the Indians (10-13) in a two-game series at Progressive Field.

In the series opener, the Phils will send veteran righty Roy Halladay to the mound. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has a 2-0 record with a 1.71 ERA in his last three starts after beginning the season 0-2 with a 14.73 ERA in his first two starts of 2013. The Indians will counter with 25-year-old Zach McAllister, who has never faced the Phils in his career.

The last time these two teams faced one another was in June of 2010, when the Phillies swept the three-game set.

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key notes from this series.


Tuesday, 7:10 PM.  Roy Halladay (2-2, 5.08 ERA) vs. Zach McAllister (1-3, 3.52 ERA).  In 13 career outings against the Indians, Halladay has a 6-2 record with a 3.52 ERA and two complete games.  Halladay is 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA in five career starts at Progressive Field.On the road this season, Halladay is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA.  McAllister is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in two home starts this season.  Michael Young is 3-for-6 in his career against McAllister.  The righty McAllister has a 4.98 ERA in 18 career starts at Progressive Field. 


Wednesday, 7:05 PM.  Cliff Lee (2-1, 3.03 ERA) vs. Trevor Bauer (0-1, 5.40 ERA).  Lee has never faced his former team the Indians.  In 87 career appearances at Progressive Field, Lee has a 40-25 record along with a 3.80 ERA.  Michael Bourn, who is eligible to return from the disabled list for this series, is 0-for-15 in his career against Lee.  Bauer, a former first round draft pick (3rd overall) by Arizona in 2011, was acquired by Cleveland over last off-season in a three-team deal with Cincinatti and the D-Backs.  The right-handed Bauer has a 5.91 ERA in five career big league starts.


In 32 career games against Cleveland, Ben Revere has a .299 batting average with 12 steals and 24 runs scored.  Revere is batting .184 in nine road games this season.

Ryan Howard is 10-for-23 (.435 avg) with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in six career games against the Indians.  Howard currently has a ten-game hitting streak.

Jonathan Papelbon has a 3-0 record with 11 saves and a 1.69 ERA in 16 career games against the Indians.

Delmon Young has been activated from the disabled list by the Phils, after being sidelined with an ankle injury. Young batted .367 with two doubles in seven minor league rehab games.

In 25 career games against the Phillies, Mark Reynolds has a .253 average with five doubles, seven home runs and 18 RBI.  Reynolds has posted a .735 OPS at home this year, compared to his 1.122 mark on the road.

Indians closer Chris Perez has a career 5.06 ERA in five games against the Phillies.  In 122 career games at Progressive Field, Perez has a 6-8 record with 49 saves and a 2.34 ERA.

Drew Stubbs is a .218 career hitter against the Phils.  Stubbs is 5-for-11 (.455 avg) in his career against Lee.

Phillies team bullpen ERA- 4.16 (24th in MLB)
Indians team bullpen ERA- 2.89 (tie, 8th in MLB)

PhoulBallz Interview: Dusty Wathan talks 2013 Fightin Phillies

In his second year with the team, former pro catcher Dusty Wathan has led the Double-A Reading Fightin Phillies to a 12-10 record thus far in the early going.

After his 14-year playing career, Wathan began the next leg of his career, managing, with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters in the Phillies organization in 2008. Since then, the son of former Royals manager John Wathan has climbed up the Philadelphia developmental ranks, making stops with Class A Lakewood, Class A Advanced Clearwater and, of course, Reading.

As a player, Wathan was signed by Seattle in 1994 and went on to compete in the Florida, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Kansas City and Philadelphia organizations. With the Royals, Wathan appeared in three big league games in 2002.

This week, I sat down with Dusty to discuss the collection of well-regarded talent on his roster including top prospect Jesse Biddle, catcher Sebastian Valle, outfielders Anthony Hewitt and Zach Collier, plus plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview.


- Jesse Biddle is a guy that drives great interest from the fans at this point. Clearly, he's always been very well touted, but the dominance he has shown with the strike outs and the batting average against, is that surprising at all to you?

Well, I don't know about batting average against, but I know what his batting average is...he can swing the bat too! He's been outstanding. He works as hard, if not harder, than any other starting pitcher I've ever seen. I mean, I tell these guys, you reap what you sow. And I'll tell you what, he's getting the rewards for it right now. He goes after it as hard as anybody and everything he gets is well deserved. He's got the ability to go with the hard work. A lot of guys don't have the ability that he has and he's got the ability to throw four pitches and be a good major leaguer.


- In the time I have covered this system, the only guy I can recall being on this team and a lot of people wondered this about was Kyle Drabek...when there's chat about a jump to the majors...if that call came, do you think he's ready? Do you think Jesse would think he's ready?

I think Jesse would think he's ready. I don't think he's ready. He's got more stuff to work on. Any player- he better say he's ready, because they better think they're ready. But, we, as player development and front office and stuff, we know when they're ready. You know, with the guys that are ahead of him, the guys that are in Lehigh Valley, there's still things Jesse needs to work on. He's a young guy. There's no need to rush him. He's gonna have a long career in the big leagues and I think where he is right now is the perfect place for him.


- Impressions of shortstop Edgar Duran, who started the season pretty hot?

He's done a great job. He's a guy that, you know, we knew that he could play defense. He had a pretty good year with the bat, last year, and earned his way up here. He started off well. Maybe struggling a bit the last couple days, but he's been solid for us up the middle. Both guys have been, really, so I'm really happy with how things are going with Edgar right now.


- In an effort to get him in the lineup, Sebastian Valle played a game in the outfield, when your club faced a National League affiliate and didn't have the designated hitter. Not a big change, as he's played some outfield in the Mexican Winter League to save his knees, but is that something that could potentially become a more regular or permanent switch for him?

No, I don't think it'll be a permanent switch. The catching position is too important, it's too valuable to be a catcher. And I think it's just way to get his bat- when we play National League games, to get at bats. It gives us a little versatility to get his bat in the lineup, so he's not sitting two or three days in a row. I'm trying not to. Sometimes, it's gonna happen with two catchers, but it's just a way to get him some more at bats, I think.


- Zach Collier and Anthony Hewitt are a couple of guys who were high draft picks and are now in the lineup for this club. Hewitt started out real hot and cooled off, while Collier started slow and has picked it up. What are your thoughts on those guys?

I think Hewitt's a guy we've talked about a lot. He's a guy that has all the ability in the world and we just have to get him to put it together on the field and hopefully, this year, it clicks. For some guys, it takes a little longer. You know, he can hit a ball as far as anyone else and run as fast, if not faster, than anyone else. He's a very special athlete and sometimes it takes a while for an athlete to turn that into baseball and right now I see him doing that.

And Collier, he had a tremendous Fall League with me and I see him really starting to come on here. He struggled early, but the great thing about Zach is he's been through a lot of things, not only in his baseball career, but in his life. He's handling this very well. I mean, he's- the thing a look for is a guy that feels sorry for himself and he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He's starting to hit and he's not having the best luck right now. He's hitting balls hard. So, I'm not worried about him at all. I think, sometimes, struggles are the best thing to happen to a young player because it's easy to do everything the right way when things are going well, when you're having a difficult time, that's when the spotlight gets put on you and he's handling it great.


- Jim Murphy's a guy that produces at every level. People speculate what his ceiling is and some say maybe his future is as a coach. What are your thoughts on Jim being a performer at every level and with you here at Reading?

I think, you know, he's a guy that wasn't signed as a prospect and you don't read about his name everywhere, but he's a guy that is very important to this organization, to this team. He hits in the middle of the lineup everywhere he is. He drives in runs somehow. He's a tremendous leader and guys like to follow his lead and he works hard. The sky's the limit. You never know what's gonna happen. Last year, Darin Ruf- no one would have said he'd be playing in the big leagues, when we sat here at the beginning of the year, last year. Anything can happen. These guys' destiny is in their hands and he has the opportunity to do something. Whether that's making it to the big leagues or that's to be a coach, I don't know. But, right now, he's doing a tremendous job in the middle of our lineup. And his window isn't as big as a guy who is a quote-unquote big prospect, but there's definitely a window there every time you have a uniform on.


- Have there been any pleasant surprises for you on the roster, performance wise, here in April?

There's been...a lot of guys have done well. (Albert) Cartwright has done well this month. You know, after missing a full year, two years ago, trying to come back from his Achilles injury, I think last year, he might tell you he was 100%, but I think it takes quite a while to come back from that injury, not physically, but mentally to trust it. That's a shocking injury when all of a sudden that thing pops. He's done a really nice job playing second base and he's hitting well too, but I really like the way he's played second base. And Tyler Henson's been a nice pick up for us over the off-season. He's only 25-years-old. He plays a bunch of positions and he's done a nice job at third base for us here.