Skip to main content

The Cody Chronicles, Vol. 3: Asche Focused Strictly on Playing Ball

Fans, Phillies third base prospect Cody Asche is back once again to share his thoughts directly from inside big league spring training in Clearwater, FL.

Asche was a 4th round draft selection in 2011 out of the University of Nebraska. Since then, the 22-year-old has ascended quickly upward in the Phils' system. Last year, in his first full professional season, the Missouri native posted a .324 batting average with 12 home runs, 72 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 130 combined games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Asche also followed that up with a .281/.343/.438 line with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League.

This year, Asche has landed in Major League spring training and is doing his best to make a lasting impression. Thus far in seven contests, the youngster is 3-for-10 with a double and two runs scored.

In the latest edition of The Cody Chronicles, Asche discusses his first start with the big league club, being ranked highly on prospect lists, his concerns over cut days and plenty more.


On being ranked among the top Phils' prospects...

"I've never really been one to delve into the whole prospect rankings area of baseball, but, you know, it's always nice to be regarded highly and thought highly of.  It's a thing that you've just got to take it for what it is.  It doesn't mean anything along the lines of playing time or anything like that.  You've just got to keep working hard.  You're always flattered when you hear or see good things about yourself, but you've got to be careful about always reading what is said about you, so I try not to look into stuff like that too much."


On if he's thinking about where he might begin the upcoming season...

"I have no idea what their plan is for me.  Right now, I'm just taking everything day by day and trying to make the most out of every day I have in Major League camp and I'll just see what happens from there.  I've been lucky to get some good assignments, starting last year in High A.  So, I'll just take whatever they give me and run with it.  I don't have a guess or anything like that."


On what his thoughts were upon learning that he was starting his first big league spring training game against the Yankees at home last week...

"My thoughts were, 'Let's go!  Just go play'.  You just get into that normal preparation mode that you just fall back on and your routine that you develop over all your experience playing baseball.  It just really comes natural to you to get in that mode and go play a game.  It was probably the most memorable thing so far for me in spring training." 


On his level of concern when potential cuts are approaching...

"I think for each person, they think about it differently.  For me, you know, I mean last year I didn't know what to expect down there and I really just tried to take it one day at a time and just tried to earn a job.  And that's the way I went about spring training (last year).  I got down there early, to make sure I was ready to go and, so, whenever it came time for evaluations and putting rosters together, I'd be in conversations.  And that's really the plan of action I took this year too...I got down there early, make sure I'm ready and make sure I'm in a good position that nothing really devastating can happen.  And that's just my way of thinking.  And it's probably different for other people."


On if he's ever experienced any fun with hazing in the pro's or in college...

"Nothing too crazy.  Just small little locker room pranks like back in college we might have thrown a couple guy's shoes in a towel and wet a towel and got their clothes and put it in a freezer during practice, but I've never been on the receiving end of anything like that.  I've pretty much escaped that kind of stuff so far.  You know, it's one of those things that is fun and it's just part of the of camaraderie of teammates and everything.  You can't get mad at stuff like that."


On what video game he's best at and what else he's been doing during his free time this preseason...

"Well, NHL, that's the game I'm playing right now.  I feel like I'm getting worse down here.  It's just tough to keep up and I'm a little rusty right now.  Other than video games, we'll go try to find a little fishing hole and drop a couple lines and see if we can catch something.  The guys I live with, we try to stay pretty low key and relax whenever we have downtime and take full advantage of that."


On if he ever took part in playing fantasy baseball and what his draft advice would be for folks that participate in it...

"I never have done fantasy baseball.  I don't spend a lot of time on the computer and I feel like that takes a lot of time.  I've done fantasy football before though.  I don't know, as far as advice goes, maybe take Mike Trout with your first pick.  I think that's pretty good."

Check back for more from Cody right here in the coming weeks!

Cody Chronicles, Vol. 1- Click here.
Cody Chronicles, Vol. 2- Click here.

Comments

-OBC said…
these are cool. keep them coming.

Popular posts from this blog

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began.  The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas.  Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season.  Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal

Slick fielding Sam is the Champion of the (PhoulBallz) world!

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa