Biddle Exits Game with Apparent Injured Knee

LAKEWOOD, NJ- In game 1 of Lakewood's Tuesday night double header against the Hickory Crawdads, lefty pitching prospect Jesse Biddle left a tied contest in the 5th inning with an apparent right knee injury.

With 1 out in the frame, Biddle served up a 2-run game tying double to highly-regarded Rangers prospect Jurickson Profar, and quickly grasped his knee. Biddle, the Phillies' 1st round draft selection last year, was tended to by the team's training staff and walked off the field with a limp, under his own power.

Lakewood coaches were not able to provide details of the injury between games, but updates should be available shortly after tonight's regular season home finale at FirstEnergy Park.

Biddle, 19, was named to the South Atlantic League Post-season All-star team on Tuesday. In his first full season as a professional, Biddle entered action on Tuesday with a 7-8 record, a 2.94 ERA and a .218 batting average against in 24 outings this season with Class A Lakewood.

The start for Biddle, who was already on a 5-innings-per-outing limit, was likely going to be his last of the season. A source stated that if the club missed the post-season, which seems likely, Biddle would not have taken his next turn in the rotation in the team's final game of the season on Monday in Hagerstown.

Biddle is slated to spend time in the month long post-season Instructional League, but that assignment could be in jeopardy, depending on the severity of the leg injury.

*UPDATE*-

According to Biddle, he'll be returning home to Philadelphia and visit a Phillies team doctor on Wednesday or Thursday. Biddle explained that the knee was causing him some discomfort through the entire outing, but he experienced a greater level of pain when he broke to back up home plate on Jurickson Profar's run scoring hit in the 5th inning.

"My knee locked up on me out there," Biddle stated. "It just didn't feel good the whole game and running home to cover behind home plate really made it stiffen up and it didn't really loosen that well for a while, so I just had to come out of the game."

Biddle, who gave up 2 earned runs over his 4 1/3 innings in the contest, admitted that this injury would end his season and expressed displeasure with going out on a down note.

"(My teammates) keep telling me, 'Don't focus on this last outing.' But I just wanted to finish strong and today was a day we could have made our final push for the playoffs, and I just didn't pitch as well as I wanted to."

In a related note, the BlueClaws other Post-season All-star representative, first baseman Jim Murphy, was also sidelined with an injury. In the bottom of the 7th inning of game 2, Murphy came to the plate with 2 runners on in a tie ballgame. After fouling a pitch, the 25-year-old experienced pain in his left hand and was unable to continue. Catcher Cameron Rupp was called upon to pinch hit, and, thanks to a throwing error by Profar, helped the BlueClaws salvage a win and avoid a season sweep at the hands of Hickory.

Murphy will also see a team physician. Early assessment of Murphy's pain suggested that his issue was in the area of the hamate bone.
__________________________________________

Follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

Danny Ozark was the Phillies' manager from 1973-1979. During his tenure as the team's general, Ozark led Philadelphia to three straight division titles. In his playing days, Ozark was a first baseman, who was a career minor leaguer in the Dodgers system. 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 d...

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

Bryson Stott, image- Jay Floyd Shortstop Bryson Stott , the Phillies' first round draft selection this year, has enjoyed a successful initial pro campaign. En route to being recognized as an All-Star for the Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters the 21-year-old UNLV product has tallied a .295 average with six home runs and 25 RBI in 45 minor league contests. Last week I spoke with the lefty hitting Stott to discuss his transition to professional baseball, joining the Phillies organization and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -Obviously, your performance and the production on the field is going well, but how do you feel you have adapted to the pro life? It feels good. You hear about the everyday grind, but you don't really believe it till you feel it. I would say that's the difference between college and the pros, is you're not practicing, you're playing games every day. I would say that's the biggest difference. But I...

Velasquez shut down, Eflin on deck?

Eflin with Reading in 2015, image- Jay Floyd Following Vincent Velasquez leaving his start after just two pitches for the Phillies on Wednesday, righty prospect Zach Eflin was pulled from his start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley at Gwinnett. The 22-year-old sports a 5-1 record with a 3.14 ERA and a .210 batting average against in 10 starts for the IronPigs this season. He could take the place of Velasquez if he is required to miss any additional time. Initial word on Velasquez after he threw two fastballs that clocked in the 86-87 MPH range (considerably slower than the 94 MPH he averages) and was swiftly pulled from his outing, is that he has a biceps strain. He'll be further evaluated in the coming days. Prior to the regular season, Eflin got a taste of competing against big leaguers when he was charged with 12 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits while striking out two and walking one with a wild pitch in three innings of work in an intrasquad exhibition that pitted the Phils...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog