Skip to main content

BlueClaws Ready For Repeat Run

By now you have heard that the Phillies are back in first place, atop the National League East standings. There's a long road ahead for the big club, with 22 regular season games remaining, as the Phils try to reach the post-season for the fourth straight year. However, the A Level Lakewood BlueClaws begin their quest to repeat as South Atlantic League Champions tonight, as the playoffs get underway in Hickory, North Carolina.


Trevor May, a right-handed pitcher who was recently ranked as the #4 prospect in the Phillies organization in a poll done by The Reading Eagle, was a member of the BlueClaws championship roster last year. May is slated to be the BlueClaws' game 1 starter, as they face the Rangers Class A affiliate, the Hickory Crawdads.

May, who was also on the Gulf Coast League Phillies roster that won the GCL title in 2008, recently spoke about the team's playoff push. "As of late, we've been playing really well, trying to go into the playoffs running. I've had a ring every year I've been in the minors and if I had another one, it would be great!"

The 20-year-old righty May, who was a 4th round draft pick in the 2008 amateur draft, has a 7-3 record and a 2.91 ERA with 92 strike outs in 65 innings (11 starts) as a BlueClaw this season.



Julio Rodriguez, who was named Phillies minor league pitcher of the month for August, is not scheduled to start for the BlueClaws in the first round of the playoffs. In 6 August games with Lakewood, 2 of which were starts, Rodriguez posted a 1-1 record with a 1.17 ERA while striking out 38 batters in 23 innings pitched.

Manager Mark Parent loves having the 20-year-old Rodriguez at his disposal in case one of his starting pitchers isn't effective or becomes injured. "(Rodriguez) has done nothing but impress us. Anything he does...starting, long relief- he's done very well. I'm impressed with him," Parent said of the Phillies' 8th round draft pick from 2008.


Top prospect Jonathan Singleton, who turns 19-years-old the day that the deciding game 5 of the championship series (if necessary) is scheduled, on Saturday the 18th, is ready to help his team in the 'Sally' post-season. "I've never won a championship and this is my first chance. I'm excited and I'm ready to play," Singleton stated. "(Our confidence level is) very high. We've won a lot of games, so we know what we're capable of. We just have to go out there and play our game."

Singleton, a left-handed hitting first baseman, posted a .290 batting average with 14 homeruns and 77 RBI in 104 games this season with the BlueClaws.

Lakewood finished both halves of the 2010 season as the top team in the SAL Northern Division, and became the first team since Capital City in 2004 to win its division in both halves of the season. A repeat for the 'Claws would clinch their 3rd SAL title in 10 seasons of existence and would mark the first back-to-back league champions since Savannah won in 1993 and 1994.

Phans can listen to all BlueClaws playoff games online on ShoreSportsNetwork.com. Tickets are also still available to catch the home games in person at FirstEnergy Park. Click here for ticket information.

______________________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PhoulBallz Interview: BlueClaws OF Justin Crawford

Justin Crawford w/ junior reporter Evan At the age of 19, outfielder Justin Crawford has played his way into the conversation of being considered as one of baseball's top prospects. The son of four-time MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, Justin has looked every bit as impressive as his position as the 17th overall draft selection last year would have most fans thinking he should be.  He opened the season with Class A Clearwater where, in 69 games, he notched a .344/.399/.478 slash line.  And since mid-August when he was promoted to Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, the younger Crawford has posted a .300/.364/.440 line.  He's also stolen 44 bases in 52 attempts overall. And while the BlueClaws enter the final week of the regular season 1/2 game out of first place in their division, I spoke with Justin Crawford about the team's hopes of making the postseason for the first time since 2018. I also asked Justin about the similarities and differences between his skillset and his father'

Jersey Shore clinches playoff berth on final day of regular season

Ottto Kemp, image- Jay Floyd With an extra-inning victory over first-half division champions Hudson Valley on Sunday, the Class A Advanced Jersey Shore BlueClaws clinched the team's first playoff appearance since 2018, winning the second-half division title. Key performers in the BlueClaws' clincher were righty hurler Jason Ruffcorn, who threw three innings of relief to earn the victory and third baseman Otto Kemp, notched three hits, a walk, two stolen bases and plated the game winning run in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly.  On top of that, Kemp, who turned 24-years-old on Saturday, made an absolute game-saving defensive play to help the club hold their lead in the bottom of the 11th frame. One of Jersey Shore's most consistent performers all season long has been right-handed reliever Cam Wynne.  The Phillies' 20th round draft pick in 2021 out of Nebraska.  In 34 appearances, one start, the 24-year-old tallied a 1-1 record with one save, a 2.44 ERA and a .190 batti

McGwire Stays Phony, Despite Admitting Drug Use

Mark McGwire made an effort to publicly come clean today, admitting to the world that he took performance enhancing drugs during his playing career. Steroids and human growth hormones were among the drugs that McGwire admitted to using. MLB Network featured a one on one interview with Bob Costas and McGwire on Monday evening. The broadcast was virtually garbage, thanks to McGwire. Ahead is a list of quotes from McGwire's interview. McGwire repeatedly stated his point of view that there were no dishonorable intentions involved when taking steroids, and that he was merely using them as a means to recover from varying ailments. When asked if he felt like he cheated... "As I look back now...I can see how people would say that. As far as the talent goes and the hand-eye coordination, the ability, the genetics I was given...I don't see it." "I did not take this for any strength purposes." Denial. Read on for similar B.S. He whined about the abuse he's taken at