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Showing posts from April, 2011

Interview with Phillies Prospect Domingo Santana

Domingo Santana is an 18-year-old outfielder with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. Signed by the Phillies out of the Dominican Republic at age 16 in 2009, Santana made his professional debut that year with the Gulf Coast League Phillies. In 37 games, Santana batted .288, slugged 6 homeruns and drove in 28 runs. The following year, the right-handed hitting Santana began the season with Lakewood, but struggled. With a .182 batting average and 76 strike outs in 49 games, Santana was sent to short-season Williamsport once their season got rolling in June. With the Cutters, Santana batted .237 and mashed 5 homeruns in 54 games. Thus far in 2011, Santana, who stands 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds, has posted a .239 average with 2 homeruns and 7 RBI through 17 games. In the off-season, Santana, who is regarded as a five-tool talent, was ranked as the Phillies' 14th best prospect . I spoke with Domingo this week about why he chose to sign with the Phillies, his streng

Series Preview: Mets at Phillies, 4/29-5/1

Plagued by a wave of injuries, the Phillies return home to face division rival New York in a three-game series. Starting pitcher Joe Blanton, who was originally slated to face the Mets (11-14) in the series opener, was placed on the disabled list on Thursday with a right elbow impingement. 23-year-old righty Vance Worley has been recalled to take Blanton's turn for the Phillies (16-8). The Phillies have quite a collection of players already on the disabled list, with the likes of Chase Utley, Domonic Brown, JC Romero, Brad Lidge and Jose Contreras already missing time. It remains to be seen if Carlos Ruiz will be added to that collection, as the Phils' catcher left his last game early with a back injury. For game one of the weekend series, the Mets will counter with Mike Pelfrey, who has allowed 20 earned runs in 12 innings pitched (15.00 ERA) over his last 3 starts at Citizens Bank Park. Read ahead for details on each of the pitching match ups for this series and much more i

Injuries Piling Up For Phillies

The Philadelphia area was spared the big storms that other parts of the country have dealt with this week, but the dark injury cloud that has been lingering above the Phillies was sure to rain on some more heads. Right-handed starting pitcher Joe Blanton has been placed on the disabled list with an impingement in the medial side of the elbow on his throwing arm. The fifth starter, Blanton, has a 0-1 record with a 5.92 ERA through 4 starts this season. Blanton's turn in the Phillies' rotation on Friday will be taken by 23-year-old Vance Worley, who has posted a 2-2 record with a 2.78 ERA and a 25 strike outs in 22 2/3 innings in 4 starts with Triple A Lehigh Valley this season. Worley, a 3rd round draft pick in the 2008 draft, made his Major League debut with the Phillies last July, and went 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA in 5 appearances with the big club. In addition, word out of Lehigh Valley on Thursday night was that catcher Dane Sardinha had been dispatched to Philadelphia. Phillie

Jesse Biddle Shows Off His Pitches For You, Phillies Nation

Jesse Biddle was a first round draft selection by his hometown Phillies in 2010. After signing with Philadelphia, Biddle made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and later moved up to the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters. In 12 combined starts, Biddle posted a 4-1 record with a 3.92 ERA. The left-handed 19-year-old has had a rough time getting into a groove this season with Class A Lakewood. Through 4 starts, Biddle is 0-3 with a 7.16 ERA in 2011. Despite the rough start, Biddle took time this week to share his pitching repertoire and show of the grips he uses, for Philadelphia baseball fans everywhere. Check out the video player below for the exclusive footage of Biddle's pitch menu. ____________________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE .

Oswalt Takes Leave of Absence

The Phillies announced on Wednesday that starting pitcher Roy Oswalt has left the team to deal with family concerns in his native Mississippi. Oswalt's hometown of Weir, MS has suffered through devastating storms in recent days, so the righty hurler decided that it was best to travel home and be with his family. A statement released by Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. detailed the organization's opinion on Oswalt's decision to leave the club. "There has been a tremendous amount of tornado activity near Roy's home in Mississippi resulting in several tragic deaths and significant devastation to the area," it said. "Because of this, Roy is concerned about his family's wellbeing. He has chosen to take time to make sure there wasn't significant damage to his home, but more importantly, to make certain that his wife and children are okay. Initially, Oswalt's quick departure from Chase Field without speaking to the media, following an early

Five Minutes with BlueClaws Manager Chris Truby

I had the opportunity to speak with Chris Truby, former Major Leaguer and manager of the Class A level Lakewood BlueClaws about several different matters related to the team. Following Lakewood's 11-1 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs on Tuesday night, I asked Truby about outfielder Zach Collier who had recently sat out of action for a week with a back strain, his pitching staff- including versatile right-hander Garett Claypool, his frequent lineup tweeks and plenty more. Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview. ___________________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE .

BlueClaws' Offensive Onslaught Downs Charleston

With a strong showing at the plate on Tuesday night, first baseman Jim Murphy accomplished a feat rarely seen. When he flew out to the warning track in the bottom of the 8th inning, he received a rousing ovation from the crowd on hand to see the Class A BlueClaws take on Yankees affiliate Charleston RiverDogs. "It was surprising for sure," Murphy said of the nod he received from the appreciative home crowd of 3,644 after his attempt to mash a third homerun in the game fell short. Murphy, who stands 6-feet-3-inches tall and weighs in at 230 pounds, went 3-for-4 on the night while driving in a career-high 6 runs with a single and 2 powerful homeruns. The Phillies' 17th draft selection in the 2007 amateur draft, Murphy, played with Lakewood in 2009 and was with the High A level Clearwater Thresher in 2010. With his 5th and 6th dingers of the season, Murphy is positioned just 2 homeruns from tying the all-time Lakewood lead in homeruns, 22 currently held by Juan Richardson

Brown Set to Begin Rehab with Clearwater

Domonic Brown is nearly ready for a return. A source close to Brown told PhoulBallz.com today that the Phillies top prospect will begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday with the High A Level Clearwater Threshers. The 23-year-old has been out since early March with a broken hook of the hamate bone in his right hand. Brown underwent surgery to fix the problem on March 8. Brown, a left-handed hitting outfielder, has been playing in extended spring training with the Phillies' club for the past week. In action on Tuesday, Brown posted 4 hits in 5 at bats, with 2 homeruns. If Brown, is able to swiftly return to form, he could be an option for a struggling Phillies offense. The only question is; will the Phillies keep him in the minors or bring him back to the majors where he struggled late last season? _________________________________________________ Portions of this post were contributed by Pat Gallen of PhilliesNation . Photo- AP You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE

Series Preview: Phillies at Diamondbacks, 4/25-4/27

Having lost their second closer to an injury, the Phillies will look to continue rolling through National League opponents as they continue their road trip and head to Arizona for a three-game series. On Sunday, the Phillies placed righty hurler Jose Contreras on the disabled list with a strained elbow in his throwing arm. Contreras was 5-for-5 in save opportunities this season in a substitute role for primary closer Brad Lidge, who has not pitched this season due to a strained shoulder. The Phillies have called up Mike Stutes , the Phillies' 11th round draft pick in 2008, to fill the void on the roster. Ryan Madson, who saved two games for the Phillies in San Diego in the Phillies' last series, will take over the closer duties in Contreras' place. The Phillies (15-6), who sport the best record in Major League Baseball, will take on the Diamondbacks (8-12), who are in fourth place, 5 1/2 games behind first place Colorado in the NL West division. The D-Backs won 2 of 3 mee

Phils Prospect Malcolm Sent Home For Misconduct

Stephen Malcolm, the Phillies' 8th round draft pick in last year's MLB amateur draft, has been sent home from extended spring training by the Phillies. The situation is described as a suspension based on a violation of team rules related to alcohol consumption, according to a source. Malcolm, who turned 21-years-old earlier this month, remains under contract with Philadelphia and hasn't been in Clearwater, at the organization's training facility, since the punishment was handed down roughly two weeks ago. The 6-feet tall, 170-pound shortstop signed with the Phillies for a reported $125,000 last summer after being selected out of San Joaquin Delta Community College in California. Malcolm made his professional debut last season with the Gulf Coast League Phillies. In 27 games, Malcolm posted a .253 batting average with 3 doubles, 10 RBI and 7 steals. ____________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connec

Brown Progressing Well, Returns Stance to Previous Form

Outfielder Domonic Brown has been playing with the Phillies' extended spring training team in Clearwater, FL since Monday. In his debut there, Brown posted 2 hits in 3 at bats. In the games that followed, Brown merely reached base via a free pass, but he has steadily been hitting the ball hard and appears to be making progress. Brown was sidelined in early March with a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his right hand that required surgery and kept him out of action for six weeks. The 6-foot-5-inch, 200-pound Brown struggled in spring training, starting out on a 0-for-15 skid before recording his first hit in the same game that he suffered the injury to his hand. Brown reported to spring training more than a month early and had adjusted his batting stance, lowering his hands. However, as can be seen in the above image, taken earlier this week, Brown is back to his old ways, with his hands positioned at cranium level. Asked how his heeling hand feels, Brown stated, " Great

Series Preview: Phillies at Padres, 4/21-4/24

After leaving his last start early with lower back tightness, Roy Oswalt is back to work, on schedule, as the Phillies (11-6) travel to San Diego to take on the Padres (8-10) in a 4-game series. Oswalt, who has a history of back injuries in his career prior to coming to Philadelphia in a trade with Houston last summer, will start the series opener for Philadelphia. The Padres will counter with right-hander Mat Latos, who began the season on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue. The Phillies won 5 of 7 meetings with the Padres in 2010. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups for this series as well as loads more statistics and info. Thursday, 10:05PM. Roy Oswalt (2-0, 2.50 ERA) vs. Mat Latos (0-2, 5.84 ERA). Oswalt allowed 1 earned run over 6 innings in his lone road start this season. In 18 career games against San Diego, Oswalt has a 10-2 record with a 2.45 ERA. Jorge Cantu is 3-for-8 (.375 avg) with 2 HR and 5 RBI in his career against Oswalt. In 2 career starts a

Minor League Round Up, 4/21/11

The season is still brand new, but there have already been plenty of performances worth noting throughout the Phillies developmental system in the early going. A reputation that has become attached to the Philadelphia organization is that the club is stacked with extremely good talent, but only at the lower levels. From the looks of things this year, the Phillies have players at every level that can and will help the big club in the future. Here is your report on the Phillies' minor league system through games played on Wednesday, April 20th. The Triple A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs have a 7-6 record, which ranks them third in the International League's North Division, 1 game behind first place Scranton and 1/2 game behind second place Pawtucket. Infielder Ronnie Belliard leads the team in batting, with a .348 batting average through 13 games played. Belliard was an American League All-star in 2004 with Cleveland. Delwyn Young's 3 homers lead the IronPigs club, but he is bat

LHP Prospect Hernandez Has Shoulder Surgery

Phillies left-handed pitching prospect Nick Hernandez underwent successful shoulder surgery on Wednesday in Delaware. The Phillies' 12th round pick in the 2009 amateur draft out of the University of Tennessee, Hernandez, described the current issue as a flare up of his labrum. He began the 2011 season on the disabled list with Lakewood, but stayed behind in Clearwater, FL when the team came north, while members of the training staff continued to evaluate his progress. The surgery, conducted by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Craig Morgan, will force Hernandez to miss the entire 2011 season. Hernandez, 22, was an All-star last season with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws in the South Atlantic League, as he posted a 3-1 record with a 1.61 ERA and a .197 batting average against, through 8 starts. However, he was sidelined with a shoulder strain in May. Later in the summer, he made two rehab appearances with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and experienced a setback that kept him from compet

A Healthy Collier Has Sights Set High

LAKEWOOD, NJ- For Zach Collier, a year away from baseball served as a lesson for what is important to him. The 20-year-old outfielder missed the entire 2010 season with various injuries and is back attempting to climb the ladder in the Phillies' developmental system this year with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. After being selected out of high school in the supplementary round (34th overall) of the 2008 amateur draft, making his pro debut with the Gulf Coast League Phillies that year and a shaky campaign in 2009, in which he spent time with Lakewood and the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters, while batting .221 in 116 games combined at the two levels, Collier experienced repeated injuries in 2010 that began prior to spring training and kept him from competing for the entire season. Heading into spring training in 2010, the 6-foot-2-inch 185-pound Collier was dealing with a break of the hamate bone in his right hand that required surgery. In the process of doing rehab work fo

Series Preview: Brewers at Phillies, 4/18-4/20

As the core of Philadelphia's highly regarded pitching staff has shined in their most recent outings, it will be up to the team's often forgotten fifth starter Joe Blanton to keep things rolling as the Phillies (10-4) host the Brewers (7-8) for a 3-game series. Blanton's struggles have been clear in the early going this season. His 10.45 ERA over two starts sits a great distance away from the combined 2.96 ERA of the other four starting pitchers (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels), over their 12 starts. In the series opener, Milwaukee will counter with their top hurler, righty Shaun Marcum, who was acquired last off-season in a trade with Toronto. Marcum recorded a victory over the Phillies last year, while with the Blue Jays, as he allowed just 1 earned run and struck out 6 batters in 6 innings of work. The Phillies won five of the six meetings between these two teams last season. Read ahead for more details on the pitching match ups and plenty more sta

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 92

Woodrow "Woodie" Fryman was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1968-1972. The left-handed Fryman made his big league debut in 1966 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his two seasons with the Pirates, Fryman posted a 15-17 record and a 3.91 ERA in 64 games. Following the 1967 season, Fryman was among the group of four players that the Phillies got in exchange for hurler Jim Bunning. A powerful lefty, who relied on his fastball, Fryman started strong with Philadelphia in 1968. In his third start of the season, he threw a 2-hit shutout against the Astros and in May he tossed back-to-back shutouts against the Cardinals and Metropolitans, allowing a total of 8 hits in those games. Fryman became the Phillies' lone representative in that summer's All-star Game. Despite the outstanding start that season, a troublesome second half left the Kentucky native, Fryman, with a 12-14 record by season's end, but his 2.71 ERA was evidence of the solid efforts he put forth a

Series Preview: Marlins at Phillies, 4/15-4/17

Fresh off a pair of exceptional pitching outings in which Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee tossed the first back to back complete game for the Phillies (9-3) in 12 years, the 4-time defending National League East Division champions return home for a three-game series against the Florida Marlins (7-5). Against the Nationals on the road this week, Halladay and Lee were strong on the mound. The Marlins will be fortunate to miss each of those pitching stars, but will attempt to take down the balance of the Phillies' well regarded pitching rotation. In game one of the series, Roy Oswalt looks to remain undefeated in his career at Citizens Bank Park. He will face veteran hurler Javier Vazquez, who hasn't had the same sort of success in Philadelphia. Read ahead for details on that pitching match up and the others, as well as loads more statistics from this weekend match up. Friday, 7:05PM. Javier Vazquez (1-1, 8.64 ERA) vs. Roy Oswalt (2-0, 2.25 ERA). The righty Vazquez is 12-8 with a

Aaron Altherr Interview with PhoulBallz.com

After splitting his second season of professional baseball with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and the Williamsport Crosscutters, outfielder Aaron Altherr is already turning heads and moving up the Phillies prospect rankings at a fast pace. A 9th round selection in the 2009 draft, the 20-year-old Altherr is known to be a contact hitter and an outfielder with terrific range. The right-handed hitting Altherr debuted with the Gulf Coast League Phillies after signing his first professional contract in 2009 and batted .214 with 1 HR, 11 RBI and 6 steals in 28 games. In 1 less game played in the GCL this past season, Altherr showed improvement and posted a .304 batting average with 1 HR, 15 RBI and 10 steals. He was promoted to Williamsport on July 22nd. With the short-season Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League, Altherr continued a strong season with a .287 average, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 10 RBI and 2 steals in 28 games. Now playing with the Class A level Lakewood BlueClaws in the South

Garett Claypool Game Footage & Postgame Comments

On Wednesday, relief pitcher Garett Claypool made a spot start in game 2 of Class A Lakewood's double header against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins affiliate). Claypool, an 11th round selection by Philadelphia in last year's amateur draft, performed great. In 4 innings, the 22-year-old right-hander struck out 7 batters, walked 1 and allowed no runs while scattering 4 hits. The California native, who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds, pitched with short-season Williamsport last season, after signing with the Phillies. In 12 games (4 starts) with the Crosscutters in 2010, Claypool posted a 3-3 record with 45 strike outs in 34 innings. Check out the media player below to see footage of Claypool's wind up and hear his comments from an exclusive postgame interview. Also, click HERE for the game story. _____________________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connect with PhoulBallz

BlueClaws Split Double Header

LAKEWOOD, NJ- After dropping somewhat of an agonizing contest in the front end of the double header Wednesday night, the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws rode strong pitching and some luck into a split of the two seven-inning games. In the opener, the Marlins affiliate, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, touched up Lakewood starter Ervin Manzanillo for 7 earned runs over 2-plus innings pitched, and the defending South Atlantic League champions cold not bounce back. Greensboro downed the BlueClaws 9-2 in the night's first game. First baseman Jim Murphy homered to lead off the bottom of the second inning, in the night cap, to put Lakewood up 1-0. Murphy bats in the 2nd game of Wednesday's double header The BlueClaws offense struggled to get much more done throughout the remainder of the game, but managed to add 3 more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning, when catcher Torre Langley plated Aaron Altherr with a sacrifice fly, and a double steal led to two runs. With runners on 1st and 3rd, A

Catching Prospect Cameron Rupp Interview

Cameron Rupp is a catching prospect currently playing with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. The righty hitting Rupp was drafted in the third round of the 2010 amateur draft by the Phillies, after his junior season at the University of Texas. Rupp, who lives in Plano, TX, a suburb of Dallas, was assigned to short-season Williamsport after signing his first professional contract last year. In 55 games with the Crosscutters in the New York-Penn League, Rupp posted a .218 batting average with 5 homeruns and 28 RBI. Following the season, the 22-year-old Rupp participated in the Florida Instructional League. Off to a slow start, batting .182 through 3 games with Lakewood, Rupp is anxious for the weather and his bat to heat up, as he plans to help the BlueClaws chase a third consecutive South Atlantic League championship this year. Last week, I spoke with Cameron about his draft process, his new home ballpark, joining the Twitter community and plenty more. Check out the media player below

Series Preview: Phillies at Nationals, 4/12-4/14

The big story of the Phillies vs. Nationals series will, of course, be Jayson Werth's first meeting with his former team after signing a massive free agent contract last off-season. After helping the Phillies win four straight National League East Division championships, Werth signed a 7-year $126 million deal with the Washington Nationals. Werth, who is off to a slow start, is looking to help his new club turn things around in the division as his 4-5 Nats host the 7-2 Phillies for a three-game series at Nationals Park. In the opening game of the series, right-hander Joe Blanton, who is hoping to put a weak season debut behind him, will take on veteran righty Livan Hernandez. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and more key details on this series. Tuesday, 7:05PM. Joe Blanton (0-0, 14.54 ERA) vs. Livan Hernandez (0-1, 4.76 ERA). In 12 career starts against the Nats, Blanton has a 3-3- record with 5.73 ERA. In 14 road games last season, Blanton posted a 5.47 ERA.

Barnes Benefits From Training and MLB Exposure

LAKEWOOD, NJ- Minor leaguer Jeremy Barnes is starting out the 2011 season with the same team he was with last year, but if you ask Barnes, he'd tell you that he has absolutely made progress. Barnes, an infielder with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, spent his winter in the home town of his MLB parent club, the Philadelphia Phillies, working on improving himself as an athlete. Barnes was selected in the 11th round of the 2009 amateur draft out of the University of Notre Dame. As a member of the Fighting Irish, Barnes had his first connection to the Phillies organization even before he was drafted. While there, he wore the same jersey number, 20, that Philadelphia reliever Brad Lidge once sported while on the Notre Dame baseball team. Barnes, who turns 24-years-old this week, has been an all-star in each of his two professional seasons. In 2009 he batted .287 with 4 homers and 27 RBI in 55 games to become an all-star for the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn

RHP Prospect Colvin to Disabled List

In Sunday's Clearwater Threshers contest against the Dunedin Blue Jays, highly regarded starting pitcher Brody Colvin was pulled from the game after pitching just 2 innings in his High A level debut. In the game, Colvin's pitch count was reportedly on the high side and he gave up 3 hits, walked 1 batter, struck out none and was charged with 3 runs, 2 of which were earned. According to two sources within the Phillies organization, the circumstances related to Colvin's brief outing were "not serious". Those who follow the minors closely might recall top pitching prospect Jarred Cosart 's brief 2/3 inning outing last June in Delmarva, when he was a member of the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. The initial statement on Cosart's early removal was that the decision was simply related to his high pitch count. However, it was later revealed that Cosart left the game with elbow discomfort and he missed the remainder of the season, as he allowed the ailment to heal.

Converted Pitcher Savery Off to Torrid Start

Former Phillies top draft pick Joe Savery has been on an early season rampage since the minor league season began on Thursday. The 25-year-old is beginning his first full professional season as an everyday offensive player, after the Phillies made the decision late last season to convert the 6-foot-3-inch specimen from a pitcher. Savery was selected 19th overall by Philadelphia in the opening round of the 2007 amateur draft out of Rice University. In four seasons as a pitcher in the Phillies' organization, Savery posted a 28-31 record with a 4.29 ERA. The Texas native was named an all-star of the Double A Eastern League in 2009 when he posted a 12-4 record before being promoted to Triple A Lehigh Valley. Last year, as a member of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Savery struggled and posted a 1-12 record and a 4.66 ERA in 28 games (19 starts) on the mound. However, at the plate, Savery shined, going 16-for-48 (.348 avg) with an OPS of .826. Now, down a pair of levels and focusing stri

Eric Pettis Speaks with PhoulBallz.com

Righty pitcher Eric Pettis was drafted by the Phillies in the 35th round of the 2010 amateur draft. After signing with the Phils, Pettis was assigned to short-season Williamsport where he proceeded to mow down opposing batters in the New York-Penn League and proved himself to be a late round steal. In 20 games (5 starts) with the Crosscutters, Pettis posted an 8-0 record with 7 saves, a 1.37 ERA and 67 strike outs in 59 innings pitched. The 22-year-old Pettis later joined the Class A BlueClaws for their run into the postseason and helped the club lock down a second consecutive South Atlantic League title. Now, back with the BlueClaws to make a run at a threepeat, Pettis will be sharing duties at the back end of the bullpen. This week, prior to the BlueClaws' exhibition game against the Monmouth University Hawks, I spoke with Eric about his coaches, his spring training highlights and more. Check out the media player below to listen to the interview. You can follow Eric Pettis on