Skip to main content

Minor League Notebook: 4/29/13

Tops on the Phillies' developmental hot list is Double-A Reading Ace Jesse Biddle, who, in his last two outings, has thrown 13 scoreless innings, while allowing just two total hits and striking out 26 batters.  Overall this season, Biddle, who was the Phils' 1st round draft selection in 2010, has a 2-1 record with a 1.74 ERA and a .114 batting average against.

Last week, Biddle locked down a win against Harrisburg, when he struck out 16 and allowed only one hit and no runs over seven innings.

On Sunday, in Reading's 2-1 win over New Hampshire, the left-handed 21-year-old fanned 10 New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto affiliate).  The video clip below features Biddle striking out the side in the 5th inning and speaking to the media following his second consecutive tremendous effort. 



Also performing extremely well lately is Class A Advanced Clearwater third baseman Maikel Franco, who notched a two homer/seven RBI game on Friday and smacked another home run on Sunday.  In 23 games this season, Franco has posted a .296 average with 11 doubles, five homers and 25 RBI.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley slugger Darin Ruf collected four hits in five at bats on Sunday, including two doubles and two home runs while driving in five runs.  The big effort raised Ruf's batting average 39 points to .244 on the season.  It was a nice turnaround for the 26-year-old, who had gone hitless in his previous four games. 


Who's cold-

Clearwater reliever Colby Shreve let up five earned runs in 2/3 of an inning on Sunday.  In six outings this season, the 25-year-old right-hander has a 0-1 record with a 6.19 ERA while walking 12 and striking out 12 in 16 innings pitched.  Shreve was the Phillies 6th round draft choice in 2008.

Reading shortstop Edgar Duran is 0-for-25 in his last six games. This weak stretch has lowered the 22-year-old's batting average by 127 points. Duran, a native of Venezuela, was signed by the Phillies as an international free agent in 2007 at the age of 16.


Injury notes-

RHP Brody Colvin, is slated to return from the disabled list on Tuesday, when he'll return to the mound for Reading.  The 22-year-old has been sidelined since April 14th with a groin strain.  Through two starts this season, Colvin, who was the Phils' 7th round draft choice in 2009, posted a 1-0 record with a 3.97 ERA.

Reading left-hander Austin Wright began a throwing program on Thursday in Clearwater, after being sidelined with shoulder discomfort.  Wright, the Phillies' 8th round pick in 2011 out of the University of Mississippi, was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts this year.  There is no precise time frame for a return, but the goal is to build Wright's pitch count up and make sure his shoulder is pain free before he faces hitters again.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

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...

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

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...

Velasquez shut down, Eflin on deck?

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...