Skip to main content

Biddle Staying Positive Despite 0-4 Start

Jesse Biddle, last year's 1st round draft pick by the Phillies, is off to a less than ideal start to his first full season of professional baseball. Currently part of the starting rotation for the 2-time defending South Atlantic League champions the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, Biddle has yet to earn his first win of the season, through 5 starts.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound lefty has posted a 0-4 record and a 5.91 ERA. But the failure to date has not soured the outlook of the smiley faced kid from Philadelphia.

"I don't think (my confidence level is effected) at all," Biddle said. "I had a much better outing last time. It just kind of sucks when all your hard work isn't panning out the way you want to."

Biddle allowed just 1 earned run in 5 innings pitched against Savannah in his most recent outing on Monday night, and walked just 2 while striking out 4, but still got stuck with a loss, when his BlueClaws teammates couldn't muster up much offense and fell by a score of 3-1.

His strike out to walk ratio is an alarming 19:14 in 21 1/3 innings pitched thus far in 2011. Adjustments normally wouldn't be what the doctor ordered for Biddle, but when his difficulty throwing strikes lasted and his walk rate stayed high, he worked with his pitching coach Steve Schrenk to refocus and fix the issue.

"The big thing was to go back to the basics," Biddle stated. "I think I was starting to over-complicate things a little bit. After having a couple bad outings, I really started to feel pressure a little bit and over-thinking things. My focus became just to throw to the (catcher's) glove and not worry about the batter or the baserunner...and that's what we were working on in the bullpen (sessions)."

Despite the slow start, Biddle is living the dream...pitching in the minors with an opportunity to develop into a Major Leaguer with the club he grew up adoring, his hometown Phillies. Always an optimist, Biddle won't let a bit of a losing streak ruin his outlook.

"I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm just going to start having some better starts now."

______________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

You can also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Comments

joenose said…
He'll get it together. It's a shame he didn't get any run support Monday night, he had a good outing. But that too is part of the game. Jesse is a level headed guy. He'll be fine!!!
Anonymous said…
PhoulBallz leaves out the 4th inning standoff on Monday night. Runners on the corners, no outs. The kid didn't fold and battled hard to get the next three hitters out. That was as good an opportunity to show what you're made of as any I've ever seen.

Popular posts from this blog

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

On Wednesday, Phillies lefty pitching prospect Jacob Diekman made his Arizona Fall League debut. Diekman, who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, was assigned to Mesa late, in order to increase his 2010 innings total, according to Mesa hitting coach Mark Parent, who managed Diekman in Lakewood this past season. Diekman, 23, posted a 2-0 record with 1.90 ERA in 21 games with Class A Lakewood before being promoted to High-A Clearwater on June 24th. In 24 games with the Threshers, Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Combined, Diekman tossed 55 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .187 batting average against at two levels in 2010. However, after not pitching in an official game since he threw a shutout inning to wrap up the Clearwater season on September 5th, Diekman was unable to record an out as all seven batters he faced reached base, six with hits, one on an error. Diekman was charged with 5 earned runs in the outing. Diekman had spent time at instructional ball from

2022 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #24 RHP Cristian Hernandez

Venezuelan born right-hander Cristian Hernandez has begun to earn recognition as one of the Phillies most promising pitching prospects. Signed as a 16-year-old in 2017 for a reported $120,000, Hernandez got his professional career started the following summer as a starter for the Phillies' Red Dominican Summer League club.  There, in 13 starts, Hernandez tallied a 2-3 record with 2.57 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP as well as a 7.0 K/9 mark. An injury sidelined Hernandez in 2019 and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the global pandemic. In 2021, Hernandez saw his first regular season action in the United States, starting his season in Florida Complex League.  After two appearances there, the six-foot-three 185-pounder was promoted to the Class A Clearwater Threshers.  In 20 combined outings (17 starts), Hernandez notched a 2-7 record with a 3.57 ERA, a .228 batting average against and an 11.2 K/9 mark. Projectability is something that baseball folks like about Hernandez.  His size, consistent

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle