Skip to main content

Schwimer Gets the Call

By
Right-handed reliever Michael Schwimer is set to join the Phillies on Wednesday. The 14th round selection out of the 2008 amateur draft, has been called up by the big club to fill the void left when Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday with a sports hernia.

Through 46 games with the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs this season, the University of Virginia graduate posted a 9-1 record with 10 saves and a 1.88 ERA while 86 striking out in 67 innings pitched.

Schwimer, a 6-foot-8-inch 250-pounder, has been ready for the step upward for a lengthy stretch. An All-star this season, Schwimer has out-shined many of his IronPigs teammates, only to see those players get called up time and time again. Now, Schwimer's chance has finally arrived and, if you ask the man himself, he's been ready for this opportunity for quite a while.

In a recent exclusive interview, Schwimer spoke of his hopes of earning a spot with the big club.

"I absolutely feel like I'm ready," Schwimer stated. "I feel like I've been ready for a while, but...it doesn't matter how I feel. It matters how the scouts feel and the talent evaluators feel and our GM feels. So, I hope they feel that way and I'm just gonna keep pitching to the best of my ability and hopefully that day comes soon."

Schwimer possesses a repertoire that includes a fastball, a plus slider and a solid change up. His fastball has ranged from 92-94 MPH in recent outings.

After being ranked at number 18 in the PhoulBallz.com/PhilliesNation off-season prospect rankings, Schwimer allowed 4 earned runs in 5 innings (7.20 ERA) in 4 games with the Phillies in Grapefruit League action this past spring.

As a new addition to the Phils' bullpen, expect to see Schwimer go hard at opponents when he gets the chance. He's a focused individual that is clearly gifted on the physical side. Combine that with his commanding "my time is now" attitude, and the team could be adding the next homegrown stud to their 'pen, joining the likes of Antonio Bastardo and Mike Stutes.
Link

Additional updates...
The short season NY-Penn League held its annual All-star Game on Tuesday evening in Lowell, Mass. The Phillies' club, the Williamsport Crosscutters, was represented well, as their entire starting outfield, Kyrell Hudson, Aaron Altherr and Kelly Dugan, made the National League club. Righty hurler Mike Nesseth and Dominican reliever Gabriel Arias also made the team.

Hudson, a 3rd round pick in 2009, went 1-for-2, with a single. Altherr, a 9th rounder in 2009, went 0-for-1, while Dugan, a 2nd rounder in 2009, did not play.

Nesseth, a 17th round draft choice last year, allowed 2 earned runs in 1 inning, while striking out 1. The right-handed Arias, a free agent acquisition back in 2007, tossed 2/3 scoreless inning.

_______________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

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

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

By
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...
2 comments
Read more

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

By
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Velasquez shut down, Eflin on deck?

By
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...
Post a Comment
Read more