Off-season League Notes: 1/13/13

It's time, once again, to travel around the globe as we review how Phillies talents are performing in off-season and winter leagues.  Be warned that news is becoming quite limited, as the closer things get to spring training, the less there is to report. 

In the Caribbean Leagues, teams have begun playing in their second wave of the season, as the top four teams from the Dominican and Puerto Rico leagues as well as the top five from the Venezuelan Winter League meet in a round robin style stretch of contests in their respective leagues, with the top two advancing to each league's finals. 

Shortstop Freddy Galvis (pictured) has been steadily batting lead-off with Zulia during their run in the VWL’s round robin semi-finals. In eight contests in the semi’s, the 23-year-old is batting .353 with 11 RBI. Galvis has seemed rusty in the field this month, after taking some time off at the close of the regular season, committing four errors in his first six round robin games.

Phillies Rule 5 pick Ender Inciarte has not been playing regularly, going 2-for-5 with two sacrifice bunts in two contests for Zulia last week. The lefty hitting center fielder batted .307 with 46 stolen bases combined at Class A and Class A Advanced in the Arizona system in 2012.

In Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente League, righty hurler Julio Rodriguez has struggled for Carolina in the round robin semi’s. In two games, the 22-year-old has tallied a 36.00 ERA. Last season for Double-A Reading, Rodriguez posted a 7-7- record with a 4.23 ERA and a 9.13 K/9 mark in 29 games (22 starts).

Outfield prospect Leandro Castro is 2-for-10 with an RBI in four Dominican League round robin games for Oriente, while Castro’s teammate Michael Martinez is 0-for-4 with two walks in three games.

In the Mexican League, which features a more traditional bracket style playoff system, righty hurler Rodrigo Lopez has helped Culiacan reach the semi-finals.  In seven regular season outings in the Mexican League, RoLo posted a 5-1 record along with a 0.91 ERA.  Additionally, the 37-year-old Lopez let up just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings in his lone playoff start thus far.  


In the Australian Baseball League, which is still in the midst of its regular season...

Tim Kennelly was back in action this week, after the reigning league MVP took seven weeks off at the request of the Phillies. In three games, Kennelly went 4-for-13 with two RBI. Overall in seven games as an offensive player, the 26-year-old has a .276 batting average with a double and four RBI. Additionally, Kennelly has pitched in two contests, allowing three earned runs in two innings (13.50 ERA).

University of Delaware product Carlos Alonso, 24, is sporting a .200 batting average along with one homer and six RBI in 36 games for Brisbane. The righty hitting infielder posted a .278/.363/.352 line for Class A Advanced Clearwater in 2012.

Right-hander Josh Warner, who is a native Australian, has had a tough time in the ABL, posting a 7.11 ERA in five relief outings for Brisbane. On the bright side, the 20-year-old has struck out 10 batters and walked only one in 6 1/3 innings. Warner pitched with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters and the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws is 2012.

Catcher Liam Bedford, also a native of Australia, has posted a .180 average with two doubles and two RBI in 22 games for Melbourne. The 19-year-old tallied a .130 average in 19 games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies in 2012.

Infielder Jeremy Barnes, who played with Clearwater, Reading and Lehigh Valley in 2012, is batting .321 with three homers and 21 RBI in 36 games for Canberra.