The 2009 Ballzy Awards

Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly bring to you the inaugural edition of THE BALLZIES...PhoulBallz.com's annual awards given out for the finest achievements in the Phillies organization as well as related things and stuff. Without any additional delay, let's get this thing rollin'.

Major League Player of the Year- Ryan Howard

Howard

is one of the most consistent hitters in baseball today. He's had four straight seasons with 45 or more homers and over 135 RBI. Howard also won the most valuable player award of the NLCS in 2009. He is one of the greatest Phillies hitters of all time. There's not much else to say.

Minor League Player of the Year- Domonic Brown

The

Phils' #1 prospect hit for a .299 batting average in 106 games while smashing 14 homers, 64 RBI and swiping 23 bags. When watching Brown play it is easy to tell he's got the right tools and he is a pure athlete. Speed on the bases, range in the outfield, an excellent arm, a solid bat...it's all there. Brown projects to be a Major League starter and the sooner Jayson Werth prices himself out of the Phillies' budget, the sooner phans could expect to see Brown in red pin stripes on a full time basis.

Team of the Year- Lakewood BlueClaws

The 'Claws won the South Atlantic League championship this September. Led by great Phillies prospects like Anthony Gose, Trevor May, Travis D'Arnaud, Troy Hanzawa, Sebastian Valle and Jim Murphy as well as manager Dusty Wathan, Lakewood clinched a playoff berth with a strong first half of the season and beat the Greenville Drive for the league title. It was Lakewood's second ever SAL championship.

Game of the Year- NLCS Game 4 Dodgers @ Phillies, Jimmy Rollins walk-off 2 RBI double!

I was there for the most unforgettable game of the year. With 2 outs, my lady grabbed her bag and said she was getting ready to leave. I replied and told her I was getting ready for a WIN! Jimmy Rollins immediately followed with the biggest hit of his career to put the Phillies in control of the National League Championship Series. Tremendous!

Best Non-game Moment(s) of the Year- HK Sign Toast

After winning both the division title and the National League Championship Series and clinching a second consecutive trip to the World Series at home, Phillies players took to toasting the late Harry Kalas with beers and champagne at the left-center field sign that honored him. Without Harry, there could be no more perfect moment.

Best PhoulBallz Interview of the Year- Michael Taylor

Taylor's Q&A can

be found HERE. It's a good look at the prospect who was dealt twice in one day this month as part of the Roy Halladay deal. Taylor was remarkably well spoken and excited about his own blossoming career. Oakland's newest prospect is a 5-tool talent who will join former Phillies prospects Josh Outman and Gio Gonzalez with the Athletics. Expect to see Taylor facing Major League pitching in 2010.

Best Sarge Quote- "You jerk off the ball."

Link to the clip,

brought to you by The Fightins Dot Com. Adding some of his usual questionable color to the game broadcast, Gary Matthews Sr. described the trouble with swinging too hard, during an August Jayson Werth at bat.

Most Influential PhoulBallz Sunday School Subject- Roy Thomas

Thomas was

a turn of the century (1900) Phillie who was so proficient at slapping foul balls that baseball rules were changed. In 1901, NL president William Hulbert grew so frustrated with Roy drawing out at bats the he petitioned the rules committee to institute a new two-strike rule. Prior to that, fouls only counted as strikes if the catcher caught them. If Thomas were still around today, he might be a spokes person for PhoulBallz.

Favorite PhoulBallz reader- YOU

Yeah, winner, you are this site's favorite reader. I bet you are wondering how to know if I am really talking to you, or if this is just some generalized nonsense. Well, star...take my hand and let's shine together while I prove it's you that means so much to me.

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Feel free to honor YOUR OWN best things from 2009 in the comments section. I wish you all the best as you ring in the new year.

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PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery. A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League. The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance. He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport. Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood. In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and avai...

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network. ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston. RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA). In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA. Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason. Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston. In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts. Verlander has...

2019 Phillies Prospects Countdown: #7 LHP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero, image- Jay Floyd With a growing crop of very talented pitching prospects in the Phillies organization, left-hander JoJo Romero is certainly among the standouts. The five-foot-11 200-pounder was the Phils’ 4th round draft selection in 2016. That year he helped Yavapai College, the same school that the Phillies drafted Kenny Giles from in 2011, clinch the JuCo World Series, leading the way with an 11-5 record, a 3.64 ERA and a 10.2 K/9 mark. He also tossed a complete game gem to earn the win in their title game. After signing with the Phillies, Romero made his professional debut as a member of the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he notched a 2-2 record with a 2.56 ERA while striking out 31 and walking 11 in 45 2/3 innings. In 2017, he got off to a terrific start with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. In 13 starts, Romero tallied a 5-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 9.3 K/9 mark and was honored as a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star. R...

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