Skip to main content

BlueClaws Quotables: Team Speaks on Astudillo's Batting Crown Chase

By
Willians Astudillo, image- Jay Floyd
As Class A Lakewood standout Willians Astudillo continues his quest toward a South Atlantic League batting title, entering the final weekend of the season, his team is backing him.

The 22-year-old missed all of last season with a left knee injury, but has clearly bounced back nicely. Astudillo is 40-for-85 (.471 avg) in his last 23 games, helping to boost his league leading season average to .340.

I spoke with BlueClaws personnel about Astudillo's exciting batting crown chase. Read ahead for those quotes...

Manager Greg Legg-

"He's played the same all year, with the same energy and intensity. I never saw him have a lull. He loves baseball. I think that's the reason he gets up in the morning is to hit. But it has added some excitement to (our final week of the season). It's definitely interesting and if we can do anything to help him, we will."

"It's neat, we got Cozens, who set a franchise record for 15 homers and (stealing) 20 bags. No one else has ever done that. I think he's the only guy in the league to do that this year. So, we've got a couple pluses on the offensive side."

Fellow Venezuelan Carlos Tocci-

"I'm excited because I know Astudillo's going to win that title because he's been hitting his whole life and he's a great hitter. I want to help push him to win that title."

Reliever Joe DeNato-

"I've never seen a better hitter than him. He's got the best hands I've ever seen. He doesn't strike out. And he's consistent too."

Catcher Jose Mayorga-

"Willians is a great hitter. From the first time that he signed, I saw him the whole year, whole season, the whole time I've seen him above .300. He will make it and I think he has a great chance to win it."

Astudillo, who has played first base, outfield and catcher to stay in the lineup, on his defensive versatility-

"I've been working a little bit more than normal, because I have to take ground balls and play the outfield. Plus I have to catch bullpens. It has been hard for me. I'm not used to all the extra work and playing all the positions, but I feel good in all positions. I want to always be in the lineup and if I can make it where the manager wants to use me anywhere, I just want to be in here and help the team."

"I'm always having fun whenever I'm in between the lines. I just try to do the same, having fun, playing hard. I have more fun because I know I'm fighting for the title. Each day, I'm getting closer to the batting title, so chasing the title adds to it also."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rappers in Phillies Caps

By
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...
3 comments
Read more

Drabek Preparing For Next Step

By
The transition has been easy for Kyle Drabek. In December, he was part of a package of young prospects that was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for ace pitcher Roy Halladay. Now, as though nothing has changed, he's right back where he was last season...the star prospect on the pitching staff of a team in the Double A Eastern League. Drabek has often stated that he wanted to stay in the Philadelphia organization, who drafted him in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft. The 22-year-old thought after the midseason trade rumors, that surrounded him possibly going to Toronto last year, passed with no action that all the turmoil was over and that he could simply relax and focus on getting to the big leagues with the Phillies. That wasn't the case, as the deal eventually came to fruition over the off-season. In the Blue Jays system this season, Drabek doesn't have to worry about being dealt. He only has to concern himself with opposing batters and working on his secondary pit...
2 comments
Read more

Anthony Gose Q&A

By
A prospect who has been talked about a whole lot lately is outfielder Anthony Gose. Gose, a 2nd round pick of the Phillies in the 2008 amateur draft played just 11 games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies last year, before getting hurt. Gose, an 18 year older, stole his minor league leading 36th base on Tuesday night, is batting .253 with 21 RBI and 29 runs scored, in 49 games with the Lakewood BlueClaws. Gose took some time to answer some questions for PhoulBallz.com, and here's how that went down... -I've spoken with the coaching staff and they're impressed with you this year. Tim Gradoville even compared your baserunning to Shane Victorino. Can I get your response to the coaches' positive view of your game and speed? I think it's great. I don't watch too many Phillie games. I'm from LA, I'm a big Dodger fan. So, I've never seen too much of how Victorino steals bases. I know they call him the Flyin' Hawaiian. I know he's fast. -Travis D...
4 comments
Read more