Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Mark Parent Announces Playoff Rotation and More
Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview.
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Monday, August 30, 2010
Series Preview: Phillies at Dodgers, 8/30-9/1

Roy Halladay looks to take over the lead in all three pitching triple crown categories (Halladay already leads the National League in strike outs and ERA), as he needs a win to tie Ubaldo Jimenez and Adam Wainwright for the league's top spot with 17 W's.
LA will counter with Japanese born hurler Hiroki Kuroda, who was an excellent history against the Phillies, posting a 1-0 record and a 0.95 ERA against them in 3 starts.
The two teams have met the last two season in the playoffs, with the Phillies coming out on top both times. Philadelphia currently leads the Wild card race, by 1 1/2 games over San Francisco and sits 2 games behind the Eastern division leading Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers are 6 1/2 games behind the Phillies in the Wild card race, while they sit 10 games behind the West division leading Padres.
Continue reading for details on the pitching match ups and plenty more statistical information on this series.
Monday, 10:10pm. Roy Halladay (16-9, 2.22 ERA) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (9-11, 3.56 ERA). In 3 career starts against the Dodgers, Halladay is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA. Former Phillie Rod Barajas is 0-for-9 in his career against Halladay. In 8 starts since the All-star break, Halladay has posted a 6-2 record with a 2.29 ERA. In his last 5 starts, Kuroda is 1-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino are a combined 0-for-19 against Kuroda in regular season games.
Tuesday, 10:10pm. Kyle Kendrick (8-7, 4.64 ERA) vs. Carlos Monasterios (3-4, 3.54 ERA). In 5 career starts against the Dodgers, Kendrick has a 2-3 record with an 8.14 ERA. Over his last 5 starts, Kendrick is 2-3 with a 5.53 ERA. Andre Ethier is 5-for-10 with 2 homeruns against Kendrick. Monasterios, who was once acquired by the Phillies from the Yankees in the Bobby Abreu/Cory Lidle trade, was taken in the Rule 5 draft last off-season by the Mets, who later sent Monasterios to the Dodgers. In 9 games since the All-star break, Monasterios is 0-2 with a 2.89 ERA.
Wednesday, 3:10pm. Roy Oswalt (9-13, 3.12 ERA) vs. Clayton Kershaw (11-8, 3.01 ERA). In 6 starts as a Phillie, Oswalt is 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA. In 6 games at Dodger Stadium, Oswalt is 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA. In 5 career regular season starts against the Phillies, Kershaw has posted a 0-3 record with a 5.67 ERA. In his last 4 starts this season, Kershaw is 1-1 with a 2.02 ERA.
Rod Barajas is a career .348 hitter with an 1.146 OPS in 24 games against the Phillies.
Matt Kemp is a .363 hitter in 27 regular season games against the Phillies. In 43 games since the All-star break, Kemp is batting .242.
In 27 career regular season games against the Phillies, James Loney is a .355 hitter.
In 43 games since the All-star break, Jayson Werth has posted a .321 batting average.
Placido Polanco is 2-for-17 (.118 avg) in his last 4 games. Polanco is 2-for-12 (.167) in his career against reliever Octavio Dotel.
In 20 career regular season games against the Dodgers, Brad Lidge has a 3.98 ERA and has blown 4 of 13 save opportunities.
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Mike Sweetie Embraces Philadelphia
The newest Phillie respects the uniform, plays hard and he is affectionate. What more could a phan ask for?

On Sunday, Sweeney slugged his first homer as a Phillie, helping to lock down a series sweep against the Padres in San Diego. Those who caught the game telecast witnessed Sweeney celebrating afterward by dishing out hugs to teammates and coaches.
After the game, Sweeney spoke with "Sarge" Matthews, on MyPHL 17. Check out the media player below to listen to some excerpts from that interview.
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Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 74

Born in San Diego, Boone attended Stanford University, where he played third base. Boone was converted to a catcher after being drafted by the Phillies.
Boone made his Major League debut as a late season call up in 1972, before taking over as the Phillies' everyday catcher the following season. His strong offensive output (.261 avg., 10 HR, 61 RBI) and his efforts behind the plate earned Boone a 3rd-place finish for Rookie of the Year honors in 1973.
Boone was a 2nd generation Major Leaguer, as his father, Ray, was a third baseman with the Tigers and Indians, among other teams. Bob Boone parented a third generation of Major Leaguers. His sons Bret and Aaron both played ball at the highest level. All four Boone men were All-stars in their careers. The Boones were the first 3-generation family to play in the Majors.
The righty hitting Boone made his All-star debut in 1976. He would also be honored as a National League All-star in 1978 and 1979. In 1977 he won the first of 2 straight Gold Glove Awards. Those feats are even more impressive when considering that future Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Johnny Bench were catchers in the NL at that time.
As a key piece of the team, Boone caught all 6 games of the 1980 World Series, helping the Phillies win their first ever championship. In that series, he batted .412 with 4 RBI.
A knee injury held Boone back in 1981 and his production suffered. As a result, the Phillies sold Boone's contract to the Angels the following off-season.
In 7 seasons with California, Boone won 4 more Gold Gloves and was named to the American League All-star team in 1983. Boone played 2 additional seasons with the Kansas City Royals in 1989 and 1990, where he won one more Gold Glove Award, before retiring from playing.
In 1995, Boone began managing the Royals for parts of 3 seasons. In 2001 he took over as manager of the Reds, but was let go in July, 2003. While in Cincinnati, Boone managed his son Aaron, who played third base for the Reds.
In 2005, Boone was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. In 10 seasons as a Phillies, Boone posted a .259 batting average, slammed 65 homeruns and drove in 456 runs.
Bob Boone currently serves as Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Development for the Washington Nationals.
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Experts Rank Phillies Top 20 Prospects
Normally, these sorts of lists are done by one source, who is not necessarily close to a solitary organization (IE- a national outlet that has correspondents who occasionally view the analyzed players).
In this instance, surveying a dozen analysts, who have seen these players on a regular basis, makes this catalog of Philadelphia prospects the most accurate and reliable one available.
Here are the rankings, including brief reviews for the top half:
1. Jonathan Singleton: Just 18 and in his first full professional season, the eighth-round pick out of Long Beach, Calif., got off to a sizzling start with Lakewood, hitting over .400 his first month and homering 10 times in his first 41 games. He has tired over the second half of the season; before Aug. 1 his walks equaled his strikeout total.
2. Jarred Cosart: The 20-year-old right-hander has electric stuff, with a fastball in the 97-98 mph range. He was blowing away Sally League hitters in his first pro season (77 strikeouts in 71 innings) before being shut down in late June with elbow issues.
Vance Worley
3. Vance Worley: The 22-year-old right-hander bounced back from a rough second half at Double-A last season to excel this season, earning a brief mid-summer call-up to Philadelphia. He's at Triple-A, where he has been strong, and could get a September call-up.
4. Trevor May: The 20-year-old right-hander got off to a poor start at Clearwater (5-5, 5.01), then rebounded when he was returned to Lakewood (85 strikeouts in 59 innings) in early June. A bit of a setback for a guy ranked by Baseball America as the top pitcher in the organization coming into the season.
5. Sebastian Valle: The 20-year-old is the Phils' top catching prospect and has continued to show power at Lakewood, with 16 HRs and 74 RBIs in 115 games. Not great behind the plate or at throwing out basestealers.
6. Harold Garcia: Among the most intriguing players in the system, he was off the radar until a 37-game hitting streak at Clearwater, where he batted .335. He has continued to hit (.293) and show athleticism at second base since his promotion to Reading in July.
7. Brody Colvin: The right-hander appears to be worth the $900,000 bonus the Phils paid him last summer. He has been tremendous over the second half at Lakewood, with a 1.65 ERA over his last 11 starts, and he just turned 20 this month.
8. Scott Mathieson: He has survived two Tommy John surgeries and is throwing as hard, and as well, as ever at age 26. For some reason the Phillies seem hesitant to call him to the big leagues, but he's been a stalwart at Lehigh Valley, with a 2.88 ERA, 24 saves, and 78 strikeouts over 591/3 innings. Could be recalled to Philly in September.
Jiwan James
9. Jiwan James: This converted pitcher is considered the best overall athlete in the Phillies system. Now an outfielder, he has tremendous range and a strong arm, and is just learning to hit. He has held his own with the bat in his first full professional season, batting .274 with 33 steals at Lakewood.
10. Matt Rizzotti: One of the most intriguing players in the system. He and Worley are the only players to advance two levels during the season. He batted .358 at Clearwater before tearing up the Eastern League with increased power in Reading. Had a fast start after moving to Lehigh Valley in early August, but a wrist injury slowed him and now has him on the DL. His .344 batting average is tops in the system. The bat seems legit, but he's blocked by both Ryan Howard at first base and his lack of tools other than his bat.
11. Justin De Fratus, P, Reading
12. Austin Hyatt, P, Reading
13. Michael Schwimer, P, Lehigh Valley
14. Antonio Bastardo, P, Lehigh Valley
15. Jesse Biddle, P, Williamsport
16. Mike Stutes, P, Lehigh Valley
17. J.C. Ramirez, P, Reading
18. Freddy Galvis, SS, Reading
19. Kelly Dugan, OF, Williamsport
20. Julio Rodriguez, P, Lakewood
Read the full piece from the Reading Eagle by clicking here.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
Series Preview: Phillies at Padres, 8/27-8/29

In 36 career games against the Padres, Ryan Howard has a 1.167 OPS. In 16 games at Petco, Howard has a .353 batting average with 4 doubles, 5 homeruns and 19 RBI.
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Embarrassing Sweep
Former Phillies Brett Myers, Michael Bourn, "Jay" Happ and Jason Michaels all performed well to help Houston sweep the Phillies. It was the first time since 2002 that the Phillies were swept at home in a 4-game series.

In game 1 of the series, Brett Myers earned the win, holding the Phillies to just 2 runs over 7 innings while striking out 9 batters.
Mike Bourn had 8 hits in the series. He gets up against his former team and is a career .337 hitter against the Phillies (and just a .260 overall in his career). Bourn and Jason Michaels combined for 5 runs scored in the series, while the entire Phillies team scored just 7 runs.
Last season's Sporting News Rookie of the Year, "Jay" Happ, who was recently sent to Houston in a package for Roy Oswalt, returned to Philadelphia and earned a win. Happ went 6 2/3 innings, allowing just 5 hits and 2 earned runs.

And if getting beat by your own cast-offs wasn't bad enough, the stunning sweep was completed on Thursday afternoon when one of the Beagle Boys, from TV's Ducktales, held the Phillies to 1 run over 7 innings, while striking out 6 batters.
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Thursday, August 26, 2010
Mintken Back With Lakewood, Anticipating Repeat
Last week, the Phillies demoted Mintken to Lakewood, where the organization felt he could be a contributor for the remainder of the season.
A versatile fielder, Mintken has played 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd base and the outfield at the professional level.
Mintken spent last season with Lakewood, helping the BlueClaws lock down a South Atlantic League Championship, the second in team history. Now that he's back, and Lakewood is returning to the playoffs, after clinching the berth with the first half division title, Mintken is excited for the opportunity to repeat as champion. "(I'm) excited to be a part of this team and maybe get another ring," Mintken told PhoulBallz.com in an exclusive interview.
"There are a bunch of new faces here since last year. Looks like they can play some ball. Everyone's anticipating the post-season, so I can't wait for it."
Production has picked up for Mintken since returning to Lakewood, as he has posted a .438 on base percentage in 8 games. Mintken has reached base safely, via hit or walk, in 7 of those 8 game thus far.
Mintken, a left-handed hitter, feels that the move to Lakewood will be beneficial to his progress, as he plans to work closely with his new manager, former Major League catcher Mark Parent. "(Parent) brings a lot of positive energy. He knows what he's talking about. He has a lot of time in baseball...the Major Leagues especially. Hopefully, I'll learn a lot from him."
Parent was pleased to receive the news that the adroit Mintken was being reassigned to Lakewood. In fact, Parent had inquired with the organization about the possibility of Korby joining the BlueClaws. "He deserves the chance to play a little bit and wasn't getting to play that much (with Clearwater)."
Parent has been open about expressing his desire to put the best club possible on the field for the playoffs, including recent statements that, for selfish reasons, he hoped top prospect Trevor May would remain with the team, when a spot became vacant in the Clearwater pitching rotation. Parent has gotten his wishes granted, as May stuck around and Mintken arrived in time to gel with his teammates before the post-season gets rolling in a couple weeks.
Mintken feels the Lakewood fans played a big role in the team's title run last year. "There's just great energy from the crowd," Mintken said. "(There are) so many smart baseball fans in this area that love to see their players do well, so that helps us strive for more."
Playoffs begin Wednesday, September 8th. Lakewood's first home playoff game is on Friday, September 10th. The BlueClaws' first round opponent has not yet been determined.
Fans can order tickets by clicking here or by calling (732) 901-7000.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
One For the Books...
Another solid start by Cole Hamels (7 innings, 2 ER, 8 K, 1 BB) set the stage for some 9th inning heroics, when Jimmy Rollins slugged a solo homerun to deep right field that tied the game at 2 and sent things to extra innings.
The bullpens battled it out, keeping the game locked well past midnight.
Ryan Howard capped off the worst game of his career in the bottom of the 14th inning when, with the Phillies having used all their bench players and down to their last relief pitcher, Howard got ejected after he was rung up for his 5th strike out of the night by fill-in umpire Scott Barry. Howard had already stood with his hands on his hips after a check swing was called a strike by the third base ump, Barry, earlier in the at bat. Barry retaliated by doing the same back to Howard. Howard could be seen on television telling the home plate Greg Gibson that Howard was only mad at himself. Later in the at bat, Barry called the 3rd strike and Howard threw his bat away. Barry immediately threw Howard out of the game, at which time Howard charged Barry and was restrained by teammates, coaches and another umpire, Sam Holbrook.
Ross Gload, who is currently on the disabled list, was also ejected from the game for arguing. Both Gload and Howard could face further disciplinary action.
Howard, who has struck out 18 times in 8 games since his last extra base hit, let his team down with his performance and with his inability to keep his temper in check.
With no offensive substitution options left and the Phillies in a tight spot, Howard completed possibly the worst game a Phillies hitter has ever had...0-for-7 with 5 strike outs, and forcing the Phils to use a starting pitcher, Roy Oswalt, in left field while Raul Ibanez was used to fill Howard's void at first base.
In the 16th inning, the righty Herndon gave up two runs, when Raul Ibanez was unable to handle a throw that could have ended the inning with just 1 run scoring.
Oswalt stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 16th, with two runners on, in the spot vacated by Howard. Oswalt grounded out to third base, locking down a 4-2 loss for the Phillies, who are now tied for the NL wild card lead with San Francisco, who beat the Reds on Tuesday night.
Audio of the aforementioned Andersen's remarkable radio rant that followed the Howard mishap can be heard in the media player below.
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Animated image credit to- TheFightins.
Audio hat tip to @Phylan.
Additional images- AP & Philly.com
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Keoni Ruth Speaks With PhoulBallz.com
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Monday, August 23, 2010
Series Preview: Astros vs. Phillies, 8/23-8/26

The Astros (54-69) are in 4th place in the NL Central and hope to disrupt the Phillies' (70-53) efforts to win their 4th straight NL East title, by sending Brett Myers to the mound to face his former team for the first time. Myers was a 1st round draft pick of the Phillies in 1999 and played 8 seasons with Philadelphia. The Phillies will counter with right-hander Joe Blanton
After a rash of injuries, the Phillies hope to have their 8 positional opening day starters in the lineup for the first time in 3 months. Phillies players Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley and most recently Ryan Howard have all missed significant time with injuries this season.
The Phillies and Astros split four games played at Citizens Bank Park last season.
Continue reading for details on the pitching match ups and more information on this series.
Monday, 7:05pm. Brett Myers (8-7, 3.11 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.54 ERA).
In 13 road starts this season, Myers is 2-7 with a 3.96 ERA. In his career at Citizens Bank Park, Myers has a 27-27 regular season record with 10 saves, a 4.17 ERA and 5 complete games. Myers has pitched at least 6 innings in all 25 of his starts this season. In 7 starts since the All-star break, Myers has a 2.36 ERA. In 11 home starts this season, Blanton is 4-2 with a 4.72 ERA. Blanton in his last 5 starts is 2-0 with a 4.06 ERA.
Tuesday, 7:05pm. Bud Norris (6-7, 5.23 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (7-10, 3.51 ERA). In his last 5 starts, the righty hurler Norris is 4-0 with a 3.31 ERA. In 8 road starts this season, Norris is 3-3 with a 5.24 ERA. In his last 7 starts, Hamels is 0-3 with a 2.87 ERA. In his career against Houston, Hamels is 4-5 with a 3.52 ERA.
Wednesday, 7:05pm. "Jay" Happ (3-2, 3.54 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (16-8, 2.16 ERA). In 5 starts with Houston, Happ is 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA. In 26 career games at Citizens Bank Park, Happ's ERA is 4.42. Happ, a lefty, has a 7.50 ERA on the road this year. Halladay has won 6 straight starts and has posted a 1.37 ERA over that stretch. Carlos Lee is 7-for-23 (.304 avg) with 3 homers against Halladay in his career. In 15 home starts this season, Halladay is 10-4 with a 1.84 ERA.
Thursday, 1:05pm. Wandy Rodriguez (9-12, 4.00 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (8-6, 4.58 ERA). In 12 road starts this season, Rodriguez has posted a 3-7 record with a 5.30 ERA. In his last 5 starts, Rodriguez is 1-1 with a 1.31 ERA. Jimmy Rollins is 4-for-9 (.444 avg) with a homerun against Rodriguez in his career. In his last 6 starts, Kendrick is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA. Kendrick has a 5.48 ERA in 12 home starts this season.
Jason Michaels is a .323 hitter with 2 homeruns and 8 RBI in 13 career games against his former team, the Phillies. In 125 games at Citizens Bank Park, Michaels is a .305 hitter.
Another former Phillie, Mike Bourn leads the National League with 40 stolen bases. Bourn is batting .224 in 30 games since the All-star break.
Brandon Lyon, who is closing for the Astros while Matt Lindstrom is on the disabled list, has a career 9.82 ERA against the Phillies in 12 games.
Placido Polanco's .318 batting average is tied for 2nd in the National League, behind Joey Votto, who is batting .323.
Jayson Werth is batting .329 with a 1.024 OPS in 63 home games this year. Werth is batting .159 with runners in scoring position this season.
Ryan Howard has 10 homeruns in 36 career games against Houston.
Astros team ERA- 4.30
Phillies team ERA- 3.88
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
Ryan Howard Press Conference Excerpts
Check out the media player below.
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Howard Returns to Minor League Roots

Howard was there to test his recovering sprained left ankle and knock off any rust. Greensboro lefty pitcher Chad James wasn't budging, as he walked Howard in his first plate appearance. The Grasshoppers them employed a fielding shift for the slugger in his second at bat, forcing Howard to ground to the second baseman, positioned in shallow right field.
The 19-year-old James held the BlueClaws hitless through 5 1/3 innings, when Howard took his third turn at the plate, following a Leandro Castro walk. Howard broke up the no-hit bid by James with a double that one-hopped the wall in left-center and scored Castro.
Howard also made an error in the field, when he wasn't able to handle a throw from shortstop Alan Schoenberger.
The Phillies were reportedly targeting Monday as a return date for Howard, to be activated from the Major League disabled list. However, Howard described Sunday as a realistic possibility for a return. "The ankle felt good. It's been getting better everyday. It's just a matter of continuing to the rest of the swelling out, and with that the stiffness goes away," Howard said, after testing his ankle for 6 innings, prior to being pulled from the game for pinch runner Jeremy Barnes.
Initially, the BlueClaws had planned to retire Howard's jersey in a ceremony that was scheduled for September 2nd. However, the Phillies' off day was lost when a rained out game against Colorado was rescheduled for that date. With enough notice of Howard's rehab appearance, the Lakewood staff was able to put on a jersey retirement ceremony to be proud of.

The Phillies All-star, who has posted a .292 average, slugged 23 homers and driven in 83 runs this year set the BlueClaws franchise record for RBI's at 92, passing Randy Ruiz and Travis "Moose" Mattair.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Josh Zeid & Jon Singleton Talk About Ryan Howard
Lakewood trainer Mickey Kozack described Howard's assignment as an opportunity to knock some rust off and stated that Howard was not feeling soreness in his heavily wrapped ankle prior to batting practice.
After spending time ripping line drives onto the berm at FirstEnergy Park during batting practice, Howard took to the field to shag some balls, where he spent a considerable amount of time chatting with pitching prospect Josh Zeid and first baseman Jon Singleton. I asked Zeid and Singleton about their time spent chatting with Howard. Check out the media player below to listen to those full interviews.
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Series Preview: Nationals vs. Phillies, 8/20-8/22

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Thursday, August 19, 2010
Stephen Batts Talks With PhoulBallz.com
In high school, Batts was an all-state soccer goalie in North Carolina. He later attended East Carolina University to play both soccer and baseball.
With Lakewood this season, Batts has posted a .281 batting average, 5 homers and 30 RBI in 71 games, becoming a key contributor for Mark Parent's BlueClaws team. Batts recently strung together a 12 game hitting streak for the playoff bound BlueClaws.
Last week I spoke with Stephen about his offensive production, his choice between soccer and baseball, looking forward to the post-season and more. Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview.
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Phillies Notebook, 8/19/10

Expect "Bet your sweet ass" to be this season's quote of the year, a la "Get me to the plate, boys!" If you missed Jayson Werth's remarks about what Charlie Manuel had to say recently about Jimmy Rollins' ability to hit, check out the media player below.
Ryan Howard (sprained ankle) is targeting a Monday return to the active roster. It still remains likely that Howard will make a rehab appearance or two prior to getting back in the everyday Phillies lineup. Where could he wind up? Lakewood is home through Friday, Reading hits the road after Thursday, Lehigh Valley is home Saturday and Sunday, and Clearwater is home Thursday and Sunday.
I spoke with Lakewood pitching coach Steve Schrenk this week about injured minor league starting pitchers Nick Hernandez and Jarred Cosart. Schrenk informed me that both hurlers are expected to be sent to post-season instructional ball that begins on September 15th. According to a reliable source, Cosart threw a successful bullpen session on Tuesday and will throw again on Friday. The 20-year-old righty has been sidelined since late June with an elbow strain. Hernandez, out with an injured shoulder, started Wednesday for the Gulf Coast League Phillies and allowed 3 earned runs in 2 innings. The left-hander pitched in 2 games for the GCL Phils in July before experiencing a setback.

Thursday will mark the Phillies' 100th straight home sell out at Citizens Bank Park. Meanwhile, the first place Atlanta Braves drew just 18,105 fans on Wednesday night. Turner Field seating capacity is over 49,000.
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Phils Prospect Trevor May Speaks With PhoulBallz
A fourth round pick of the Phillies in 2008, May spent that season pitching in the Gulf Coast League, after signing with Philadelphia, where the Phillies' squad won the league championship. May was also a part of the Lakewood team that won the South Atlantic League title in 2009.
This week, I spoke with Trevor about his improvements, getting passed over for a return to Clearwater and his upcoming quest for a third minor league championship in three year. Check out the media player below to listen to the interview.
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Tuesday, August 17, 2010
PhoulBallz Interviews Phillies Prospect Michael Dabbs
Currently riding a 10 game hitting streak, the 23-year-old Dabbs is making it difficult for Lakewood manager Mark Parent to not list his name in the daily lineup.
I recently spoke with Dabbs, a lefty hitting outfielder, about his hitting streak, his teammates and plenty more. Check out the media player below to listen to that full piece.
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Series Preview: Giants at Phillies, 8/17-8/19

will face off for three games as the Giants (67-52) visit the Phillies (66-51) starting Tuesday night.
Chase Utley, fresh off a rehab assignment in Clearwater, Florida, is expected to be activated from the disabled list for this series. Utley was recovering from a fractured thumb. Ryan Howard (sprained ankle), who is also eligible to be activated from the disabled list is likely to play a rehab game or two prior to returning to the Phillies' lineup.
Colorado won just 1 of 3 regular season games in Philadelphia last year, before the Phillies defeated the Rockies 3-1 in the National League Division Series.
Since August 3rd, Giants starters are 0-7 with a 5.88 ERA in 12 games. Barry Zito will try to right the ship as he takes the mound in the series opener. Philadelphia will counter with Roy Oswalt, who will be making his second home start as a Phillie.
Read on for details on the pitching match ups and loads more information on this series.
Tuesday, 7:05pm. Barry Zito (8-6, 3.44 ERA) vs. Roy Oswalt (7-13, 3.34 ERA). In 4 career starts against the Phillies, Zito has a 3-1 record with a 3.38 ERA. In his last 5 starts, Zito has posted a 0-2 record with a 3.18 ERA. Placido Polanco is 9-for-13 (.692 avg) in his career against Zito. In 11 starts on the road this season, Zito is 2-4 with a 4.30 ERA. In 16 career starts against the Giants, Oswalt has a 5-8 record with a 3.59 ERA. Batters are hitting .214 against Oswalt in 3 starts as a Phillie. Aaron Rowand is 3-for-17 (.176 avg) in his career vs. Oswalt.
Wednesday, 7:05pm. Matt Cain (9-9, 3.11 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.69 ERA). In 4 career starts against the Phillies, Cain is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. In his last 5 starts, Cain is 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA. Chase Utley is 6-for-12 with a double and 3 HR against Cain in his career. In 6 career starts against the Giants, Blanton is 1-3 with a 5.08 ERA and a .301 batting average against. In his last 5 outings, Blanton is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA. Pat Burrell is 2-for-9 (.222 avg) with 2 homers against Blanton in his career.
Thursday, 7pm. Jonathan Sanchez (8-8, 3.60 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (7-9, 3.33 ERA). Sanchez has a 2-1 record a 3.38 ERA in 8 games against the Phillies. Jayson Werth is 0-for-9 in his career against Sanchez. Hamels is 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 7 career starts against San Francisco. At home this season, Hamels is 4-4 with a 3.18 ERA. In his last 6 starts, Hamels is 0-2 with a 2.14 ERA.
In 57 games on the road this season, Pablo Sandoval is hitting .215 and has a .564 OPS. By comparison, he has a .327 batting average and a .903 OPS at home.
Aaron Rowand is a .396 career hitter in 17 games against the Phillies with 5 HR and 10 RBI.
In 14 games this month Aubrey Huff is batting .200 with no homers, after posting a .367 avg. with 8 homers in 27 games in July.
Jayson Werth has a career .243 batting avg. in 43 games against the Giants. Werth is batting .361 in 30 games since the All-star break.
In 22 home games this season, JC Romero has a 2.51 ERA. Since the All-star break, Romero has posted a 9.45 ERA in 14 outings.
Raul Ibanez has a career .191 batting average in 15 games against San Francisco. Ibanez is 0-for-18 in 4 games since his career high 18-game hitting streak ended.
Giants team runs- 518
Phillies team runs- 552
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Monday, August 16, 2010
BlueClaws Updates With Mark Parent
Check out the media player below to listen to the audio of the interview.
Parent also spoke about catching prospect Sebastian Valle having an up and down road trip recently. Parent said of Valle, "His periods between good and bad are starting to get shorter." Parent and hitting coach Greg Legg have worked with Valle on his machanics, and have him focusing on keeping his front shoulder down and keeping his head on the pitch.
In 12 August games, Valle is batting .261 with 4 homers, 14 RBI and a .957 OPS.
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Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

When Ozark took over the team in 1973, the Phillies were fresh off 5 consecutive losing seasons and 3 straight last place finishes. During his first season in charge, the Phillies would again finish in last place, 20 games under .500, but as his core of young talent, like Mike Schmidt and Larry Bowa, developed, the Phillies' win totals rose. Within 2 years, the Phillies were above .500 and in the playoff hunt until late in the season and the most successful era of Phillies history was about to begin.
By 1976, the Phillies were headed to the post-season for the first time since 1950. The Phils would enjoy a 10-game lead over their nearest division rival at the midway point of the season. Despite a lul, which saw their lead decrease to just 3 games in September, the team won 101 games, the franchise's highest win total in its history and won the NL East division title. Being swept out of the playoffs by Cincinatti left Ozark's crew wanting more.
The Phillies bounced back in 1977, cruising to another 101 wins to clinch their first repeat playoff appearance in history. This time around the Phils fell to the Dodgers in the playoffs. Fans became frustrated with Ozark after the "Black Friday" game in the League Championship Series against Los Angeles, when Ozark chose to leave Greg Luzinski in left field instead of replacing him with the superior fielding Jerry Martin, like Ozark had done in late innings for much of the season. Luzinski then misplayed a ball hit by Manny Mota, which sparked a Dodgers game turning 3-run 9th inning rally. The Phillies would lose the series in 4 games.
In 1978, Ozark led the Phillies to another division title, but again the team lost to the Dodgers in 4 games in the League Championship Series.
The following year, in a season plagued by injuries, the Phillies were under .500 on August 31 when the organization fired Ozark and replaced him with Dallas Green.
During his time with the Phillies, Ozark was widely known to make memorable statements. He was once quoted saying that a particular player's "limitations were limitless" and that a particular situation was "beyond my apprehension". Ozark once replied in regards to the Phillies' difficulties with morale that, "Morality is not a factor with this team." In addition, when he was relieved of his duties in 1979, Ozark told the media that, "Even Napolean had his Watergate."
Ozark, who was still pals with Tommy Lasorda, from his time in the Los Angeles organization, returned to the Dodgers to coach. Ozark lasted 3 seasons, until he had a falling-out with Lasorda in 1982.
The Dodgers' archrival San Francisco hired Ozark as a coach on Frank Robinson's staff in 1983. When the Giants were stuck in the basement the following season, Robinson was fired and Ozark was placed as the interim manager for the remainder of the season. The Giants stayed in the basement, going 24-32 the rest of the way. Ozark retired after the 1984 season.
Danny Ozark passed away in May, 2009.
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Friday, August 13, 2010
Former Phils Top Draft Pick Hewitt Struggling
Around Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park, however, fans, broadcasters and media alike may begin associating a new name to indicate a .200 average. That name...former Phillies first round draft pick Anthony Hewitt. With an 0-for-4 outing in Thursday's game against the Delmarva Shorebirds, Hewitt's season average dropped to .199. Hewitt, a right-handed hitting outfielder was originally drafted as an infielder out of Salisbury High School in Connecticut.
In 38 games since the South Atlantic League All-star break, Hewitt has posted a .138 batting average and has smacked just 1 homerun. Prior to the break, Hewitt hit .236 with 7 homeruns in 61 games.
Speaking about his own struggles and what he's working on to bounce back, Hewitt, who steadily works closely with his coaches to improve, told PhoulBallz.com in an exclusive interview, "Just staying positive. Not dwelling on the past. It's just a matter of re-grouping, for myself, to get back out there with a positive attitude."
Hewitt's main problem is plain to see. He needs to improve his pitch recognition. Reporters, scouts, photographers, broadcasters, coaches, the opponents and even Hewitt himself are all aware. "You only get one or two fastballs an at bat, so if I can lay off those sliders or change ups, or just balls in general, it'll help out a lot, when I get fastballs," Hewitt said.
In regards to Hewitt being a former #1 draft pick and the expectation levels for his development, BlueClaws manager Mark Parent stated, "(Hewitt's) out there because he's got to be out there. The Phillies still see something in there. He's got to keep playing in some capacity to see if it's going to click."
"I'd like to protect him and put him against this lefty, or that lefty, but I am not afforded that luxury," Parent added.
Lakewood hitting coach Greg Legg has confidence that Hewitt can make the necessary adjustments to improve, and attributes Hewitt's highs and lows to his age. "The younger the hitter, the harder it is to be consistent. The experience factor is important."
Should that argument apply to a 21-year-old playing his third year of professional ball, in a league with plenty of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds? Likely no. But, Hewitt is still young enough and the Phillies have invested enough money in him ($1.38 million upon signing in 2008), that he's still got opportunities before him. And if all else fails, at least Lakewood could still have claim to the updated moniker for the Mendoza Line, thanks to Hewitt.
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Broxton Can't Handle the Chooch



The Phillies trailed the Dodgers 9-2, entering the bottom of the 8th inning. Rally time began there, as the Phils plated 4 runs to decrease their deficit to just 3, after Jayson Werth, Ben Francisco and Wilson Valdez each got RBI hits.
Bonus notes...
BlueClaws Fall in Close Contest
Colvin would allow an unearned run in the first inning, after right fielder Brian Conley doubled and first baseman Mike Flacco grounded a ball that Lakewood third baseman Stephen Batts couldn't handle. The ball was kicked away and Conley scored. Colvin's shine didn't dim after the defensive blunder, however, as he shut down 11 of the next 12 batters, allowing just 1 walk during that stretch.
The BlueClaws had a tough time clapping back in the early going. To start the game, 7 of the first 10 Lakewood batters reached base, including two singles from lead-off man Jiwan James, but the team failed to score, thanks to a poor call by the field umpire on a pick off play, a caught stealing, a fielders choice and a double play.
Lakewood tied the game at 1 in the 5th inning, when recent addition Keoni Ruth, who was signed away from Maui of the independent Golden Baseball League, led off with a double and was driven in when left fielder Leandro Castro laced a single off of Delmarva starter Brent Allar.
Colvin was finished after 5 innings, as his organization imposed per-outing 5 innings limit was reached. Colvin has allowed 0 earned runs in 10 innings over his last two starts, after suffering a loss to West Virginia on July 31st.
"Brody threw very well tonight," manager Mark Parent said after Thursday's match up. "We didn't play very good defense, but he looked really good. His last 2 times out, he has looked really good. The time before that, his mechanics fell apart and he corrected some things and that's what you want to see from a young guy...the ability to correct himself out there on the mound."
Colvin has allowed 0 earned runs in 6 of his last 7 starts.
Regarding the possibility of Colvin's innings limit being lifted as the playoffs approach and games become more important, Parent said, "That's something we've talked about. Chuck Lamar (Phillies asst. general manager in charge of player development) and the other guys are discussing, the closer we get to it, what we're going to do with it."
The 2010 BlueClaws pitching staff's biggest surprise Luke Wertz took the mound in relief of Colvin to hurl 2 shutout innings, while surrendering no hits, walking just 1 and striking out 3 Shorebirds batters. In 18 home games this season, the 24-year-old Wertz has posted a stunningly low 0.25 ERA and held opposing batters to a .133 batting average.
The Shorebirds scored the eventual winning run in the 8th inning, when shortstop Garabez Rosa led off with a double off of reliever Ebelin Lugo. New Jersey native TJ Baxter, Delmarva's left fielder, capped off an 0-for-4 night (bringing his FirstEnergy Park line to 1-for-22 on the season thus far) with a failed sacrifice bunt attempt, as Lugo fielded the ball and threw Rosa out at 2nd base. With one out, Baxter didn't allow his offensive Garden State ineptitude to get the best of him. The 24th round 2008 draft selection jacked his team leading 29th bag to get himself into scoring position. Delmarva third baseman Ty Kelly then followed with a double that drove home the Toms River High School East graduate.
Aaron Swenson earned the win and left-hander Will Startup threw 2 shutout innings to earn his first save with the Shorebirds.
The BlueClaws were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Thursday.
Phillies 2008 first round draft pick Anthony Hewitt went 0-for-4 in the contest for the BlueClaws, bringing his season average down to .199.
Delmarva (51-65) and first half Northern Division winning Lakewood (69-46) continue their 5-game series on Friday at 7:05pm when righty 'Bird Kenny Moreland faces the 'Claws' Trevor May.
Right-hander Joe Esposito, who was recently signed away from the independent Long Island Ducks and served as a reliever for Lakewood was promoted to Clearwater to take Austin Hyatt's spot in the Thresher's starting rotation. Hyatt, an integral pitcher during the BlueClaws' 2009 championship run, was promoted to Double A Reading this week.
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PhoulBallz Talks With Les Savy Fav's Seth Jabour

Currently on Frechkiss Records, the band also consists of Tim Harrington, Syd Butler, Harrison Haynes and Andrew Reuland. The group pumps out creative content, has a considerably large fan base and loves to perform. No questions asked, Les Savy Fav needs to be on your musical radar.
Hoping to reach some news phans, Seth agreed to answer some questions, so check out what he had to say below.
Seth, you're lead guitarist for Les Savy Fav. What's the best thing about being a rock star?
That all depends on what you mean by 'rock star.' I don't drive an Italian sports car or trash hotel rooms. I guess that archetype is dated. But I love to meet people and perform in front of a crowd.
A lot of folks idolize rock stars and pro athletes. Is the travel involved with touring as glamorous as people imagine? And who has it better, athletes or musicians?
We fly coach and generally travel the roads in a van. I sense a bus in our future, so I expect the glamour factor to step up a bit. As for who has it better - depends on your status in your respective field. My guess is that all the A listers have it sweet. We're like the dudes in the minors - just happy to be playing the game and steadily striving to get noticed.
Baseball fans not familiar with the name Les Savy Fav may unknowingly be familiar with the band's music, as it has been included in some video game soundtracks like MLB 2K7 and Grand Theft Auto IV. What sort of attention has video game exposure brought the band and/or how has that benefited the band?
Don't forget NHL 2K8. Our bassist, Syd, is a big hockey fan. As far as gaining exposure through video games goes, I'd say GTA IV got the most attention throughout the blogging community. I'm a fan of the GTA franchise, so it was a nice feather in my cap.
You grew up in NJ, right? Who were some of your favorite baseball players growing up?
Damn right, Jay! I grew up watching Philadelphia TV stations, so I was a Phillies fan. This was back in - oh, let's see now - the early 80's. I was a fan of Pete Rose (that hair!) and Mike Schmidt (that mustache!). I remember going to see the Phillies play the Cardinals in '80 or '81 and I wanted to meet Mike Schmidt. As my family and I made our way back to our car, I asked my dad where he thought Mike Schmidt was parked. I was under the impression that a post-game Mike Schmidt was parked in the same lot as my folks. What a boob I was.
You now reside in NYC. Are you partial toward either the Mets or Yankees or have you managed to avoid that sort of awfulness?
Nah. Does Newark have a team?
Les Savy Fav's latest release Root For Ruin had its release date pushed up in a rushed fashion after the music leaked online. Talk about what the stress level is like for musicians when something like that happens and how did the band react?
Well, we were pretty bummed, but these days it's par for the course. Tim came up with a clever plan to follow our fans on Twitter with an account called "You Stole Our Record" (now defunct). Anytime someone tweeted about liking our new record, Tim would haunt them, urging them to make a donation to our Pay Pal account. It worked for a little while. Some people took it as a witch hunt and were none too pleased. On the other hand, most folks don't steal music by accident. I think we handled it in stride.
Do other members of the band like baseball or are they partial to other sports?
Syd loves hockey. Andrew likes most sports. He occasionally wears a Mets cap. Harrison is a Chapel Hill native, so college basketball is his sport of choice. I like football. Tim likes skateboarding and swimming.

If you were going to compare the band members to the Phillies, which member would be which player?
I think Tim would be the Phillie Phanatic - hairy, no pants, and a sure crowd pleaser.
Syd would be the team manager, Charlie Manuel. He's great at taking charge of the team.
Harrison would be the Carlos Ruiz of the band - calls the shots in over the plate. Writes the set lists!
I'm not sure where that leaves Andrew and I. Infield and outfield. Andrew provides the punch and the power, so- Ryan Howard? I'm partial to improvising and thinking fast on my feet, as well as being able to switch it up, so- Victorino perhaps?
If you had an opportunity - which you do, here- to reach potential new fans, what would you tell them, to convince folks to check out your music or come see a Les Savy Fav show?
We're one of the best live bands working today. Our music is great to sweat to. It's fun without being funny or goofy. I think fans of anything left of center can appreciate our music.
Thanks to Seth for spending time answering the questions. Readers, you can download Les Savy Fav's new album Root For Ruin LEGALLY directly from iTunes. Also, check out Les Savy Fav's website by clicking this link.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Chico Outlaws' Girl Pitcher Gimmick

Plenty of hype surrounded the teenager, after she pitched in 11 games last year for the Kobe Cruise 9 and later earned a victory for Yuma in the Arizona Winter League. Yoshida signed with Chico, of the Golden Baseball League, in April this year and made her debut as an Outlaw in May.
Since then, batters in the independent league have figured out Yoshida's deceptive style. In 3 outings from July 23rd-August 1st, Yoshida allowed no fewer than 6 earned runs each time out. Making her first road start for Chico, Yoshida walked 7 batters in 2 1/3 innings in a recent outing against Victoria. The appearance against Victoria, in British Columbia Canada, made Yoshida the first female to pitch professionally in 3 countries.
Despite the rough stretch this summer, Yoshida, nicknamed "The Knuckle Princess", donated the jersey she wore and the bat she used to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, to be included in a "What's Happening Now in Baseball" display. The items share a case with the cap that Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg wore in his Major League debut in June.
Still looking for her first GBL victory, Yoshida, who stands 5-feet-1-inch tall, has posted a 0-3 record with a 12.68 ERA through 7 games with Chico. A starter, Yoshida has lasted 5 innings only once this season. The Outlaws' pitching staff only has 3 pitchers with ERA's over 4.37 and Yoshida's ERA is nearly 5 runs higher than her next closest teammate.
I recently spoke with manager of the Philadelphia Phillies' Single A affiliate, former Major League catcher, Mark Parent, who previously managed the Outlaws, about Chico's lady hurler. Parent wasn't very familiar with Yoshida, but is friends with current Chico manager, Garry Templeton, another former Major Leaguer, and offered up some pity for his pal. "That must be a head ache," Parent said of the circus atmosphere that goes along with having a female pitcher at the professional level.
Many would be hard pressed to not admit Yoshida's presence on the Outlaws pitching staff is not a gimmick to help draw attention to the team and increase attendance. Nettleton Stadium, the Outlaws' home park, was filled nearly to its capacity of 4,200 for Yoshida's debut, which is roughly twice the typical Chico attendance figure. The team and its league are surely receiving more attention because of Yoshida's presence than they have at any other time. No wonder the Outlaws announced 10 days in advance, on Tuesday, that Yoshida is slated to make her next start on August 20th.
Efforts to exploit a situation aside, there's surely nothing wrong with giving someone a chance. However, when a carnival act proves costly by hurting the team's chances of winning and keeps a more deserving player from receiving a chance to shine, perhaps the plug should be pulled on the princess' opportunity.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Community Happenings

Former Phillies pitcher Mitch Williams, along with RadioShack, is calling on all area residents to join him in the LIVESTRONG Challenge 5K walk/run that’s taking place in Philadelphia on Saturday, August 21. As a co-captain of “Team RadioShack”, Mitch is looking to participate in the 5k with as many athletes, cancer fighters and survivors, baseball fans, and everyday folks that the Philadelphia region can get.
If you are interested in participating, you can sign up to participate along side "The Wild Thing" in support of LIVESTRONG on Radio Shack's website.
On Saturday, August 21st, the Lakewood BlueClaws will be hosting a blood drive from 7am to 2pm. To mark the event, Central Jersey Blood Center Chief Operating Officer Ryan Ragan will camp out on the roof of Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park for the 4 days leading up to the event. Ragan, who stayed on the stadium's roof for a week last year to raise awareness, will only come down for BlueClaws games.
Blood donated to the Central Jersey Blood Center will help to treat premature babies, burn and trauma victims, patients suffering from leukemia and other cancers, cardiac disease, and many other conditions that require blood products for recovery.
The BlueClaws and the Central Jersey Blood Center encourage folks to sign up early. You can do so by clicking this link.
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