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On Monday afternoon, in Dunedin, FL, the Phillies won their second Grapefruit League game, as they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 6-3. Read ahead for some key notes from the match up. - Roy Halladay made the start against his former team, earning the win with 2 shut out innings of work. Halladay allowed 2 hits, walked 1 and struck out 1. - Ben Francisco continued to make a firm case to be the Phillies' everyday right fielder to start the season. Through 3 spring games, "Benny Fresh" is batting .571. He collected his fourth RBI in two days with an RBI single off of Jays hurler Carlos Villanueva in the 4th inning. -JC Ramirez, who was named the Phillies' #15 prospect recently by PhoulBallz.com and PhilliesNation, looked tremendous, throwing 2 shut out innings against the Blue Jays starting lineup. Ramirez struck out 4 and walked 1, while allowing a hit and reached 95 MPH with his fastball on the stadium radar gun. - Carlos Ruiz and Placido Polanco ea

Octavio "Cookie" Rojas spent seven seasons as a member of the Phillies during the 1960's. Rojas came up in the Cincinnati organization, where he notched his first Major League hit against Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax. Acquired from the Reds in a trade for pitcher Jim "Bear" Owens after the 1962 season, Rojas helped the Phillies come out on top in that deal, as he became a productive player with Philadelphia for the rest of the decade and Owens never won a game for Cincinnati. At the age of 24, Rojas batted .221 while playing in just 64 games in his debut season with the Phillies. By the next year, though, Rojas began contributing steadily at the plate. In 109 games played in 1964, Rojas batted .291 with 2 homers and 39 RBI. In 1965, the righty hitting Rojas had his best season as a member of the Phillies and became an All-star as he posted a career high .303 average, .736 OPS and 78 runs scored. Rojas was a terrific contact hitter. He struck out just 245 times in

On Thursday, the Phillies opened their exhibition schedule as they do every year with a match up against the Florida State Seminoles. The ACC's top squad wasn't quite a tough challenge for the defending NL East division champions, as the Phillies won by a decisive score of 8-0. Not surprisingly, the Phillies took control early against hurler Tyler Everett when they jumped on the youngster for four runs in the first inning. The key blow in that frame was a two-run double by Ryan Howard . Additionally, other Phillies that drove in runs on Thursday were Carlos Ruiz , Brian Schneider , Pete Orr , Freddy Galvis and Michael Martinez . Aussie pitcher Drew Naylor started the game for the Phillies and struck out 2 while allowing just 1 hit and no runs. Eddie Bonine also pitched 2 scoreless innings. Lefty Juan Perez along with right-handers Mike Stutes, Michael Schwimer , Justin De Fratus and Scott Mathieson each added a scoreless inning of work. Following the win and retiring all

One of 2010's breakout stars in all of minor league baseball was Phillies' prospect Jonathan Singleton . Drafted in the 8th round of the 2009 amateur draft out of Millikan High School in Long Beach, CA, Singleton was already well regarded within the Philadelphia organization before roughing up South Atlantic League pitching last season. The left-handed hitting Singleton made his professional debut as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies as a 17-year-old after signing with Philadelphia. In 31 games there, Singleton batted .290, slugged 2 homers and drove in 12 runs. Nicknamed "The Boss", Singleton really emerged as he helped lead the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws win a second consecutive South Atlantic League title. Singleton actually began the season in extended spring training, but made a massive impact once he was assigned to the Lakewood roster, posting a .423 average in 19 May games. In 109 regular season games with Lakewood, Singleton posted a .290 batting ave

Righty hurler Jarred Cosart was selected in the 38th round by the Phillies in the 2008 amateur draft. Cosart, who turned 20 years old during the 2010 season, has been extremely impressive since joining the Phillies organization, despite some physical hindrances. Cosart's draft position is quite deceiving. He was projected as an early round talent, but the Texas native's firm commitment to attend the University of Missouri had Major League teams avoiding him throughout the selection process. The Phillies took a gamble later in the draft, then followed Cosart, who played outfield and pitched as an amateur, around as he played rec league baseball during the Summer months. At the signing deadline, the Phillies made a hefty $550,000 offer, that both sides view as an investment, and coaxed Cosart to sign a contract. In 2009, Cosart, who stands 6-feet-3-inches and weighs around 180 pounds, made his professional debut as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies, but was limited to j

A 7th round draft selection in 2009 out of St. Thomas More High School, in Louisiana, Brody Colvin was originally committed to attend Louisiana State University, but signed with the Phillies at the deadline. The right-handed Colvin made his professional debut late in 2009, throwing 2 innings in a game for the Gulf Coast League Phillies. He then followed up his brief stint in the GCL by pitching at instructional ball for a month following the season. In 2010, Colvin spent the year as a member of the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws' starting rotation. Colvin began the season poorly in the South Atlantic League, as he sported 2-5 record with an 8.40 ERA after a start against at Greenville on May 12th, in which he failed to go 2 full innings. After that rough start, however, Colvin proceeded to rattle off an amazing string of 13 starts in which he posted a 3-1 record, a 1.38 ERA and 68 strike outs in 78 innings. Colvin's overall regular season ERA of 3.39 in 27 starts was very strong,

If you missed it over the weekend, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is back at it again...offering up his predictions for the upcoming season. In 2007, the Phillies were in the midst of a 14-year postseason drought when Rollins began the season by asserting that the Phillies the team to beat in the National League East division. In the end, Rollins and his teammates clinched the division title on the final day of the season. A year after that, Rollins promised 100 victories. The Phils didn't quite reach that mark during the regular season, but were able to reach the goal during the postseason and eventually brought home their second World Series championship as well. On Saturday, the former National League most valuable player told members of the media, "We'll win 100 games. You know, I really plan on going after, who is it? I know Seattle won 114 or something....we're gonna get somewhere, hopefully, in that range. But that requires everybody doing their job." Thi

Mexico native Sebastian Valle has emerged as a premiere prospect in the Phillies organization. Valle is a promising young catcher who was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 2006 at the age of 16. The right-handed hitting Valle began playing professional ball in the Dominican Summer League in 2007. While there, he batted .284 with an OPS of .802 in 54 games. In 2008, Valle played for the Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he batted .281, hit 2 homers and drove in 18 runs in 48 games. There, he helped guide the GCL Phils' pitching staff to a league championship. The following year, Valle, who stands 6-feet-1-inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds, split time between Class A Lakewood and Low A short season Williamsport. In 50 games for the Williamsport Crosscutters, Valle shined, posting a .307 average with 6 homeruns and 40 RBI. Valle's .866 OPS with the Cutters was impressive as well. The production wasn't quite the same with the Lakewood BlueClaws, however

Right-handed pitcher Justin De Fratus, a California native, who was drafted in the 11th round in the 2007 amateur draft, has shown steady progression since signing his first professional contract with the Phillies. In 2007, as a member of the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies, De Fratus posted a 2-3 record with a 4.30 ERA and a .273 batting average against in 10 games, 8 of which were starts. The following season, De Fratus pitched with the short season Low A Williamsport Crosscutters. In 14 games as a starter, the man known to his brothers and friends as J-Bone went 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA and a .260 batting average against. In 2009, De Fratus was a key piece of the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws pitching staff, taking on both starting and relief duties. In 36 games (12 starts) that season, De Fratus went 5-6 with 3 saves, a 3.19 ERA and a .258 batting average against. After beginning the 2010 regular season with High-A level Clearwater and posting a 2-0 record with 15 saves and a 1.79

22-year-old pitching prospect Nick Hernandez's father helps him stay fit during the off-season Phillies pitching prospect Nick Hernandez spent much of the 2010 regular season on the disabled list with an injury to his throwing shoulder. The 6'4", 215 pound lefty, who was named a mid-season South Atlantic League all-star with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, attempted comebacks twice during the season, making rehab outings for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies, but experienced setbacks that curtailed his return to the mound and kept him from helping his teammates lock down a second consecutive league championship for Lakewood. In 8 starts with the BlueClaws last season, the 12th round draft pick from 2009 posted a 3-1 record with a 1.61 ERA and averaged 7 innings per start. Hernandez's strength is throwing a lot of strikes and he owes some of his success to his father, also named Nick (Dad's full first name is spelled Nicolas, while son's name is spell

Washington state native Trevor May appeared to be on an extremely fast track to the big leagues after two season in the Phillies' system. However, a rough patch in High A ball followed by a demotion seemed to bring May back down to Earth a bit and served as somewhat of a reality check. Now, following improvements in the second half of his 2010 season, May seems to be back on the rise. A 4th round draft choice in 2008 out of Kelso High School, May has won minor league championships in each of his three seasons as a pro in the Phillies system. After signing with Philadelphia, May helped lead the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies to their league title in 2008. In 5 regular season games in the GCL, May went 1-1 and had a 3.75 ERA. The right-handed May began the 2009 season in extended spring training then later was assigned to Class A Lakewood and swiftly became one of the Phillies top rated pitching prospects by blazing through opposing batters with a 4-1 record and a 2.56 ERA

Keeping the rust off during the off-season is a struggle for some players. Phillies infield prospect Alan Schoenberger didn't have that problem. The switch-hitting Schoenberger spent his North American off-season in the Summer heat, down under, playing in the inaugural season of the new Australian Baseball League. Schoenberger, who is 22 years old, returned home to his native Queensland to take part in the Australian Baseball League as a member of the Brisbane Bandits. The ABL had previous incarnations that failed. The current version debuted in 2010 as a new entity that is jointly owned by Major League Baseball (75%) and the Australian Baseball Federation (25%). Australian players all learned of the reinvention of the ABL back in June, while many were playing for their Major League affiliated clubs in the United States. Schoenberger and others were all very excited to learn about professional baseball in this capacity returning to their homeland. It gave them all something to loo

Switch-hitting Phillies prospect Jiwan James earned plenty of recognition last season, as he set the Class A Lakewood hitting streak record at 24 straight games and led the team in runs scored with 85. James, who will turn 22 years old in April, has reported early to Clearwater, well ahead of the March 1st report date for minor league spring training camp. Drafted out of high school as a pitcher in the 22nd round of the 2007 amateur draft, James made the switch to the outfield in 2009 where he played in 30 games with the short season Williamsport Crosscutters. As a member of the Cutters, James batted .264 with a homer and 13 RBI. The positional switch was necessary due to a lingering arm issue that James dealt with during 2008. In 2010, while helping the Lakewood BlueClaws lock down a second straight South Atlantic League title, James, who stands 6-feet-4-inches tall and weighs around 185 pounds, shined batting at the top of the order in manager Mark Parent's lineup. In the longes

Here are some quotes from this afternoon's press conference in Clearwater, FL, where the Phillies' starting rotation met with the media. Joe Blanton on the potential advantages of matching up against other teams' fifth starters: I don't know if it really gives an advantage. I'm kind of facing the other lineup, not the other pitcher. So, maybe, hopefully, the other lineup falls asleep and thinks they don't have to face these four guys. I'll just kind of slip right in. It's just great to be a part of this rotation, like everyone said. We all want to win and I think that's the most important thing. Roy Halladay on the starting staff pushing one another to perform well: I want to go out there and do my best regardless. I hope we have shutouts every single day, no doubt about it. Obviously, the better they pitch, the better our team does. That's great. Whether the guy who pitched the day before me pitched a complete game shutout or gave up 5 (runs) in

As a new season, that Philadelphia players and executives alike feel is "World Series or Bust", approaches, all Phillies pitchers and catchers reported to Clearwater, FL for their entry physical examinations on Sunday, prior to the start of workouts. The biggest story in all of Major League Baseball this off-season, the Phillies' pitching rotation, will jointly be on the field and answer questions from the media for the very first time on Monday. The return of Cliff Lee to Philadelphia completed what many say could be the greatest pitching rotation in modern baseball history, adding him to last year's group of starters, Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton. With the rotation filled to the brim, the Phillies' bullpen has some potential vacancies. Reports out of camp on Sunday had closer Brad Lidge actively campaigning for the return of his close friend, pitcher Chad Durbin, whose contract with the Phillie

Get ready for spring training! Tune in around 1:25pm today (Saturday, February 12th) to hear me talking Phillies baseball with the one and only Tyrone Johnson. With the first pitchers & catchers workout just a couple days away, we'll be discussing the pitching staff, the team's outfield situation and more. If you're not familiar with Tyrone, he is a multi talented Millennium Radio force. Music, politics, current events and sports are all topics you can hear Mr. Johnson discussing on Millennium owned outlets. He hosts The Weekend Sports Guide each and every Saturday, from noon to 3pm, on Atlantic City's 97.3 ESPN. You can listen each week, on the air or ONLINE . Check it out! _______________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter by clicking HERE . Connect with PhoulBallz.com on Facebook by clicking HERE .

Previously drafted by the Braves out of high school, Austin Hyatt was selected as a 15th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2009, having attended the University of Alabama where he pitched as a starter. In his senior season with Alabama, Hyatt posted an 8-3 record with a 3.76 ERA in 15 games in the tough Southeastern Conference before signing his first professional contract with the Phils. Almost immediately, Hyatt began his pro career with the short season Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League. The right-hander dominated as a 23-year-old, posting a 3-0 record with a 0.66 ERA and a .141 batting average against in 17 games, 5 of which were starts. With Williamsport, Hyatt struck out a beastly 81 batters in 54 1/3 innings. The tremendous efforts upon his arrival in the Phillies organization earned Hyatt a bump up to Class A Lakewood where he served as the BlueClaws' set up man for the team's postseason run en route to the South Atlantic League title. Hyatt pit

Last year's first round draft pick, Jesse Biddle , moved up the Phillies' prospect rankings in a hurry once he debuted in the pros. The highly regarded left-handed hurler was the Phils' target from the jump in last season's amateur draft. Biddle, a Philadelphia native and life-long Phillies fan, has had the goal of pitching for the Phillies since he was 12 years old. And it is an ambition that Biddle's always taken seriously, as he wants baseball to be his life. After he began getting attention in high school and received visits from scouts that represented other professional organizations, Biddle remained a Phillies fan, attending World Series games in both 2008 and 2009. Biddle cites another Phillies number 1 draft choice, current starting lefty pitcher Cole Hamels , as someone he looked up to prior to signing his first pro contract. "I went to game 5 of the 2008 World Series, where Cole Hamels pitched in the rain. It was the game that got delayed, the two-p

Tyson Gillies is the third of the three players acquired from Seattle in December 2009, in the trade for Cliff Lee , to appear on this countdown. Gillies struggled with leg injuries during his 2010 season while with the Double A Reading Phillies, but still projects to be a solid contributor at higher levels. Gillies, a lefty batter that primarily plays center field but has played all three outfield positions in his professional career, had multiple stints on the disabled list due to a recurring left hamstring ailment in his first season in the Phillies organization. The injury limited Gillies to just 28 games played in 2010, an issue that Gillies somewhat blamed himself for, as he felt he came back too soon from the hamstring ailment, which caused him to aggravate it a second and third time. A ground ball/line drive hitter that is known for using his speed to help him reach base, Gillies is also pretty well known for his hearing impairment. Diagnosed at an early age with significant h

Friend of this site, Allen Schatz has a brand new novel available exclusively online from SmashWords.com. The backdrop of the murder mystery, titled GAME 7: DEAD BALL , is the 2008 World Series that featured the Philadelphia Phillies. If you are a fan of crime mysteries, books, baseball and especially a combination of those three, this is the story for you. Check out the information from the press release below and click the link to support a local author and baseball fan. Washington, Pennsylvania - February 7, 2011 - Allen Schatz, Philadelphia native and current resident of western Pennsylvania, mixes a love of the game to spin a mystery-suspense yarn where revenge hides at the core. The book, titled GAME 7: DEAD BALL , targeting mystery fans and baseball fans alike, takes place before and during the 2008 World Series. The lead character, umpire Marshall Connors, believes a vacation cut short is a reasonable price to pay for the opportunity to work the games, but that price rapidly in

Scott Mathieson is a long-time Phillies pitching prospect that fans have grown familiar with for the wrong reasons, unfortunately. The right-handed Canadian, who was drafted by Philadelphia in the 17th round of the 2002 amateur draft, had his Major League career sidetracked due to serious injuries and is still battling his way back to the big time. It took Mathieson, who went on the operating table three separate times for his pitching elbow, roughly four years to get back to being a true contender to earn a spot on the Phillies' Major League roster. As a starting pitcher, Mathieson broke into the Majors with the Phillies, at age 22, in 2006. However, his season was cut short when he required Tommy John surgery to repair ligament damage in his elbow. The following season, as Mathieson began rehab work, it was discovered he also needed an ulnar nerve transposition procedure. Then, in 2008, Mathieson had a second Tommy John surgery. In 2009, Mathieson rehabbed and pitched a combined