BlueClaws Manager Dusty Wathan Q&A

Dusty Wathan and Tim Gradoville working with the infielders

PhoulBallz.com checked out the BlueClaws' open practice today and got some face time with new Lakewood manager and former Phillies minor leaguer Dusty Wathan.

-Dusty, do you have any things that stick in your mind from your two seasons as a player in spring training with the Phillies?

Just being able to be around guys and develop friendships with guys that were able to win the World Series last year. It's pretty special to be able to watch that World Series and know that you've been in the club house with those guys, and hung out with them and become friends with them. I think that's the biggest moment I had was getting to see those guys win the World Series and how much joy I had for them.

-What's the coaching staff like with Lakewood and have you worked with the coaches before?

(Hitting coach) Greg Legg was in the system already when I was a player and we got to know each other a little bit. I never played for him or anything like that, but I knew him as an instructor. Ya' know, he's just a tremendous baseball guy and he's been with the Phillies since 1984, as a player or coach and it's just great to have him to bounce some stuff off of since he's been around and been through everything. (Pitching coach) Bob Milacki is new to the Phillies this year, he's been with the Pirates for years. He's a tremendous guy to be around. He really knows his pitching. He pitched in the big leagues for a number of years. I'm very fortunate to have some guys that have been around baseball, know what they're doing and I can really lean on. Also Tim Gradoville will be here for a while with us working with the young catchers. He actually played here. It's just nice to have some guys that you can trust and really lean on for advice.

-Were any of the players here with you last year when you managed short-season ball in Williamsport?

Yes, a couple of them. Troy Hanzawa, our shortstop is one. It'll be exciting...the guys who weren't there I know most of them from instructional league and through spring training this year, so yeah, I know most of the guys pretty well.

-Who's your suspect as the first guy Lakewood might lose to Clearwater, due to promotion?

I don't know. We have quite a few young guys here. Maybe (Travis) Mattair, he was here last year, so I mean he has an opportunity. Ya know, anybody depending on what the situation is- Why there's movement, whether it be somebody doing well, or an injury, ya know anybody could fit that mold.

*********************************

The practice was crisp and cold. I heard some folks around the dugout claiming they heard of a 38 degree measurement. Catcher Sebastian Valle took a moment to teach first baseman Jeremy Hamilton a bit of Espanol..."Hace frio" means "it's cold".

Check out some more pictures of today's practice and stay tuned to PhoulBallz.com for more BlueClaws features in the coming weeks.

Catching prospect Travis D'Arnaud

Jason Knapp throwing his bullpen session as coach Bob Milacki watches on

Troy Hanzawa and Jesus Villegas taking turns turning plays in the middle

Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

TRENTON, NJ- Brad Lidge made his second rehab appearance for the Double A Reading Phillies on Thursday night and it didn't go as well as the veteran reliever or the team had hoped. Lidge struggled with his command and turned in a rather poor outing for the club that entered the night in a playoff race, 1 game behind division rival Trenton for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. On the disabled list since spring training with a strained right rotator cuff, Lidge experienced an elbow strain when he was working back from that issue in late May. In his outing against the Yankees affiliate in Trenton, Lidge displayed difficulty with his control as he threw three wild pitches, hit two batters, walked another and gave up a single, all while letting up two earned runs on 28 pitches in 2/3 of an inning. After the disappointing performance, Lidge was composed and focused on some positive aspects, having reached 89 and 90 MPH on scouts' radar guns, according to some reports. ...

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal...

Drabek Preparing For Next Step

The transition has been easy for Kyle Drabek. In December, he was part of a package of young prospects that was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for ace pitcher Roy Halladay. Now, as though nothing has changed, he's right back where he was last season...the star prospect on the pitching staff of a team in the Double A Eastern League. Drabek has often stated that he wanted to stay in the Philadelphia organization, who drafted him in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft. The 22-year-old thought after the midseason trade rumors, that surrounded him possibly going to Toronto last year, passed with no action that all the turmoil was over and that he could simply relax and focus on getting to the big leagues with the Phillies. That wasn't the case, as the deal eventually came to fruition over the off-season. In the Blue Jays system this season, Drabek doesn't have to worry about being dealt. He only has to concern himself with opposing batters and working on his secondary pit...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog