Skip to main content

Four Reading Fightins Set for EL All-Star Game

Jesse Biddle, image- Jay Floyd
The Double-A Reading Fightins will have four representatives in Wednesday's Eastern League All-Star Game, which is set to be played in New Britain, CT. Starting pitchers Jesse Biddle and Seth Rosin will be joined by second baseman Albert Cartwright and first baseman Jim Murphy to make up the foursome of Phillies talents in the annual exhibition.

Making their first career All-Star appearances are Cartwright and Rosin, while Biddle and Murphy are each being honored for the second time. Biddle was an All-Star in the Class A Advanced Florida State League last year. Murphy represented Lakewood in the 2011 Class A South Atlantic League game.

The contest will feature loads of top talent from around the EL and Biddle, who has a 3-8 record along with a 3.08 ERA and a league leading 102 strike outs through 17 starts this season, is honored to be listed among that collection of players.

"To be mentioned with the players I'm playing with is unbelievable," Biddle said. "It means a lot to me."

The 21-year-old lefty hurler won't pitch in the EL All-Star contest, as the Phillies prefer to reserve him for a different showcase.  Biddle, along with Reading third baseman Maikel Franco, will participate in the MLB All-Star Futures Game this upcoming Sunday in New York City.

"The Double-A All-Star team, there's some good players in that. It's future big leaguers. The Futures Game is obviously a big deal and it's something that I grew up watching. So, I really wanted to (be in that). Those were two goals that I set for myself going into the year," Biddle declared.

Rosin, 24, was added to the roster late, as an injury replacement. The right-hander, who was acquired from San Francisco in last summer's Hunter Pence deal, is in his first full season as a starter and has tallied a 6-4 record and a 4.13 ERA in 18 games this season. Rosin was a 4th round draft choice by San Francisco in 2010.

The Fightins placed a pitch count on Rosin in his latest start against Trenton on Monday afternoon, to ensure that he'd be able to pitch in the All-Star Game. Rosin threw three innings, allowing one run, for the no decision.

"I wanted to keep going, but Lundy (Fightins pitching coach Dave Lundquist) and the rest of them wanted me to showcase what Reading has to offer in the All-Star Game, since Biddle's not gonna throw," Rosin stated. "It was nice to be chosen to be that representative."

Cartwright, who grew up in the Bahamas, admired All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal as a youngster, since Braves games broadcast on Superstation TBS were his only exposure to televised baseball. At the age of 16, Cartwright moved to the United States to attend high school and to be able to put himself on display for scouts. The 25-year-old was selected by the Astros in the 2007 draft out of college and was later dealt to the Phillies in exchange for left-handed reliever Sergio Escalona.

Thus far in 2013, Cartwright is batting .254 with seven home runs, 27 RBI and 15 steals through 78 games.

Murphy, 27, is tied for second in the EL in homers with 15 and ranks among the top ten in hits, RBI as well as OPS. The righty batting slugger was the Phillies' 17th round draft selection in 2008 out of Washington State University.

Before heading north toward Connecticut, the group of four Fightins got their All-Star break started on Monday night by attending the major league Phillies' 3-2 victory over the Nationals, watching the game from the suite level and dreaming of achieving bigger goals.

Former Phillies pitching prospect Trevor May, who played for Reading last year, will be among the host Rock Cats' six All-Stars. May was dealt to Minnesota last off-season, along with Vance Worley, for outfielder Ben Revere.

Wednesday night's game will get under way at 7:05 PM at New Britain Stadium. Reading's second half begins on Thursday with a four-game series at home against New Hampshire.

Comments

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