Skip to main content

Arizona Fall League Updates, 10/18/11

Autumn is here and the Arizona Fall League is in full swing. The Phillies have several players assigned to the Scottsdale Scorpions, where they merge with prospects from the Giants, Red Sox, Angels and Nationals organizations to fill out a roster that does battle with other clubs' talents.

Below is a list reviewing all of the Phils' players that are seeing action in the annual fall developmental league.

Through 8 games, outfielder Tyson Gillies has gone 5-for-21 (.238 avg) with no extra base hits, 7 walks and 1 stolen base. The Vancouver native, who turns 23-year-old at the end of this month, missed a great majority of the 2011 regular season with hamstring and foot injuries after playing just 28 games in 2010 due to his recurring hamstring problem. He is using this time in the Arizona Fall League as an opportunity to make up for some of the time missed since joining the Phillies organization in the 2009-2010 off-season as part of the return from Seattle for Cliff Lee.

In 3 starts, righty hurler Tyler Cloyd has gone 0-2. Cloyd, who posted a 9-4 record and a 2.77 ERA in 31 combined games with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers and the Double-A Reading Phillies in 2011, looked good in his first two AFL outings. However, in his latest effort on Monday, the 24-year-old allowed 5 earned runs in 4 innings against Phoenix. One positive for Cloyd is that he has struck out 9 batters and walked just 2 in his 9 innings of action for the Scorpions.

Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman has thrown 4 1/3 scoreless innings in 4 appearances for Scottsdale. The 6-foot-4-inch 190-pounder took great strides this year, adding velocity to his fastball which now hits the 94-95 MPH range on a regular basis. In 53 outings for the Double-A Reading Phillies in 2011, Diekman posted a 0-1 record with 3 saves, a .199 batting average against and struck out 83 batters in 65 innings. If Diekman continues to progress, he could be a lefty worth considering for the big league bullpen next season.

Right-hander BJ Rosenberg, who flip-flopped this past season between reliever and starter at Double-A Reading, has allowed an earned run in 2 relief innings thus far for Scottsdale. The once well-regarded relief prospect is now 26-years-old and doesn't seem to have a high ceiling any longer, as he posted a 5-7 record with 2 saves and a 4.28 ERA in 39 games (14 starts) during the 2011 regular season.

First baseman Darin Ruf has had a slow start in the AFL, going just 2-for-18 (.111 avg) with a homerun and 2 RBI. The 25-year-old Ruf, a 20th round draft selection in 2009, had a solid season for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, posting a .308 batting average with 17 homeruns and 82 RBI.

Cody Overbeck, who converted to a first baseman from third base this past season, is doing very well in the Arizona Fall League. Through 8 games the 25-year-old has gone 8-for-25 (.320 avg) with a double and a triple. Overbeck has hit 24 homeruns in each of his past two minor league seasons and could be an option to fill a roster spot with the Phillies early next season, as All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard is expected to miss time while he recovers from left Achilles tendon surgery.

And lastly, righty pitcher Colby Shreve has allowed 3 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings pitched for Scottsdale. The 6th round draft choice from 2008 posted a 2.87 ERA in 40 combined games for Class-A Lakewood and High-A Clearwater this year. The 23-year-old Nevada native stands a very good chance at reaching Double-A Reading in 2012.
______________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook 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

RHP Pipkin headed to AFL after hot August

After completing what was easily the best month of his career, righty hurler Dominic Pipkin is ready to face the tough competition of the prominent Arizona Fall Leage.   Pipkin, who was the Phillies' 9th round draft selection in 2018, has had moderate success in his five years as a pro, posting a 4.93 ERA, a 7.6 K/9 mark and a .260 batting average against mostly at the lower levels on the minors. After missing time this year with an unspecified ailment, the six-foot-four 170-pounder proved to be healthy as he dominated AA competition in nine appearances with the Reading Fightin Phils during August.  Pipkin's impressive production resulted in a 1-0 record with a save and a 0.96 ERA while striking out eight and walking three in 9 1/3 innings. The California native says his efforts to improve have helped him touch 100 MPH on the radar gun, while his fastball velocity is mostly around 96 MPH.   Pipkin's arsenal includes that improved fastball as well as a slider while his curve