Skip to main content

Fightins Quotables: Colvin, Joseph, Dugan, Collier Speak

Following Friday's night's 8-0 loss by the Reading Fightins at the division rival Trenton Thunder (Yankees affiliate), I spoke with several players.  Righty starter Brody Colvin, who took the loss in the contest after being charged with eight earned runs over two innings, offered his thoughts on a discouraging season, catcher Tommy Joseph spoke about dealing with and recovering from his third career concussion, outfielder Kelly Dugan shared his thoughts on making his Double-A debut as well as his 2013 success and outfielder Zach Collier gave some feedback on his 3-for-34 (.088 avg) slump in his last nine contests.

Read ahead for all the quotes from these Phillies prospects...


Brody Colvin:

- I wanted to get your thoughts on what would probably be the exact opposite of what you would find to be an ideal outing for you...

The best thing to say is, (stuff) like that happens.  You know, I've been pretty inconsistent lately.  Up and down.  I guess that's why I'm in Double-A, you know.  I've just got to be more consistent.


- You seem like the focus is right.  You know what the deal is.  Clearly, you've gone back and forth, spending time as a reliever and starting in each of the past two years.  I want to get your thoughts on if maybe that has messed with you at all.

Um, I mean, I can't really say that's what it is.  Just, I really wish I knew what it was that contributed to why I'm so inconsistent and things like that.  Everybody would want to figure out what it is.  I guess you could say that, but, um, I really don't think so.  It's just, I gotta keep a cooler head out there and try to make pitches.  I can't be up in the zone, like I was today.


- You don't want to point a finger at the switch in roles being an issue and that's understandable.  Would you assert that there's any level of frustration with going back and forth (between starting and relieving) though?

No, not frustration.  Obviously, I want to be a starter.  That's why they drafted me.  That's what they want me to be.  You know, and I want to keep starting and just hopefully, figure it out and be more consistent, because really that's what it comes down to and how you hopefully make the big leagues. 


- There was a bit of disappointment in your voice when you said, "this is why I'm still in Double-A".  Would you have expected to be further along with your progress by now?

You know, of course I would like to be further along.  Definitely, who wouldn't want to be?  Basically, I just need to work on keeping my cool while I'm in the game, you know, not try to blow a fastball by everybody.  Just settle down. 


- After an outing like this that some people might refer to as a disaster type outing, and your season ERA being over 7, is there any concern in your mind about a possible demotion at some point?

I mean, who knows?  You know, I mean, if that's what they want to do, that's what happens.  That's out of my control.


- You don't worry about it though?

You can't.  You, really, you can't.


Tommy Joseph:

- I know you dealt with a concussion, then a subsequent shin issue, while you were recovering.  What can you tell me about that whole recovery process?

It was long.  It took a lot longer than anybody expected, including myself.  But, I mean, the good thing is now that I'm healthy and I'm getting back to where I need to be as a ball player and I'm excited about that.


- You come back here to Reading, where you spent time last year.  Any kind of thoughts on being here instead of being assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where you began the season?

No, I'm not worried about that right now.  I'm worried about getting back to being the ball player that I once was and being healthy, which is what I am now, and I'm very happy about that and I'm excited that I get to play with a lot of good guys here on this ball club and play for Dusty (Wathan), who's one of the best guys to be around in all of baseball.


- What can you share about dealing with the concussion.  Have you dealt with that before, what was all of that like and was it different than you thought it might be?

It was my third one, so I've had a few before.  But, I mean, obviously, now, with today's medical science and everything like that, they're very worried about it and cautious and know things that can happen, if they're not handled in the right way, so I'm very happy with the way everybody handled the situation and how I've been treated.  And, so, it's something you never want to experience, but unfortunately, I had to go through it, but I'm happy it's coming to an end.


Kelly Dugan:

- You've done a really solid job, posted great stats (.318 avg, 10 HR, 36 RBI in 56 games) down in Clearwater and earned a promotion to Double-A.  What are your thoughts on your 2013, thus far?

Just trying to keep it going, you know.  No matter where I am.  Now I'm in a different place and I'm just going to try to keep doing what I've done since the beginning of spring training. 


- You broke the news on Thursday night on Facebook and Twitter that you were promoted.  What was the excitement level for you to get that news (on Thursday) night?

I mean, really excited.  Any time you get a call up, it's an honor to be with a different club and I just wish everybody in Clearwater the best of luck for the rest of the season, 'cause they're good guys over there and I'm just excited to be joining this team.


- People looking at your stats and taking a look at what you were doing in the Florida State League might have felt for a while that you were ready for a promotion.  Did you feel like you were ready and, if so, for how long did you feel ready?

It doesn't matter, for me.  It just doesn't matter.  And it's up to (the Phillies) to decide, whenever they feel like my skills are ready for the next level.  You know, they've been doing this for a long time and they're the ones who are able to judge it.  And a lot of it, maybe, has to do with rosters and stuff, so I felt ready for whatever challenges they want to throw at me. 


- I talked to Mario Hollands last week, and he's down there on that Clearwater team pretty much running that league and dominating.  I asked him if he felt like he had anything left to prove there, in the FSL, and he told me he's always got something to prove...even if he goes back to Williamsport, he'd have something to prove.  Do you feel that way?

Yeah, of course.  You're always going to try to, you know, for me, I always want to try to swing at strikes, no matter who's throwing.  I want to try to do my best and not chase.  And when I'm ahead in the count, make sure I'm swinging at the pitches I want to swing at and just battle all the time.  No matter what situation, whether down or up, it really doesn't matter.


- I took a look at your Clearwater splits and noticed you do really well with runners on base...with a .346 average and a 1.057 OPS.  Do you feel like you thrive more in clutch situations?

I try to take my at bats the same.  You know, I try take what's given to me and I'm not going to try to change what I'm doing just because there's somebody on base.  I'm gonna try to get a good pitch to hit and try to do damage with it, no matter what. 


Zach Collier:

- You're going through a rough stretch right now.  I don't know if you're familiar with the stats, but how much thought do you give to a slump and what are you dealing with right now?

As of right now, I'm not really paying attention at all.  I just gotta have quality at bats, that's my goal right now, every single day, just get something on the barrel.  And there's been a couple games, where that has happened, but just no luck.  So, my approach, at times, has felt pretty good, but at other times, my approach has not worked in my favor, so, you know, I'm just trying to stay positive and kind of visualize those balls getting through and falling in.  So, I just gotta continue to grind it out.


- It seems like at times this year, you go through these cold stretches and then you get it together, average goes above .200, it looks like you're straightening things out and then it falls back down.  Any thoughts on that?

I'm just working on my consistency.  It's definitely, you know, obviously, part of the game, but when it gets good I just gotta keep those things going and keep it rolling out.  Just, it's kind of hard to put into words, but, I feel like I'm handling it well this year, versus me when I was 19, in Lakewood, you know I was a hot mess, so, you know it's just me trying to continue to have fun and keep things simple.  Take things day by day, go at bat by at bat and pitch by pitch and, hopefully, good things will happen as long as my mental is still there. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network.  ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston.  RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA).  In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA.  Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason.  Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston.  In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts.  Verlander has...

PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery.  A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.  The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance.  He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport. Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood.  In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and avai...

2019 Phillies Prospects Countdown: #7 LHP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero, image- Jay Floyd With a growing crop of very talented pitching prospects in the Phillies organization, left-hander JoJo Romero is certainly among the standouts. The five-foot-11 200-pounder was the Phils’ 4th round draft selection in 2016. That year he helped Yavapai College, the same school that the Phillies drafted Kenny Giles from in 2011, clinch the JuCo World Series, leading the way with an 11-5 record, a 3.64 ERA and a 10.2 K/9 mark. He also tossed a complete game gem to earn the win in their title game. After signing with the Phillies, Romero made his professional debut as a member of the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he notched a 2-2 record with a 2.56 ERA while striking out 31 and walking 11 in 45 2/3 innings. In 2017, he got off to a terrific start with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. In 13 starts, Romero tallied a 5-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 9.3 K/9 mark and was honored as a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star. R...