Skip to main content

BlueClaws Quotables: Viza, Oliver, Hoskins excited for new season

The Lakewood BlueClaws returned to action over the weekend, going 2-2 against division rival Kannapolis to start their 2015 campaign. Recently, I spoke with several of the team's players about the start of a new year. Read ahead for what righty pitchers Tyler Viza (32nd round pick, 2013) and Chris Oliver (4th round pick, 2014) as well as first baseman Rhys Hoskins (5th round, 2014) had to say about a brand new year in the Phillies organization.

Tyler Viza 4
Tyler Viza, image- Jay Floyd
-Viza, who pitched with Lakewood last year, posting a 3-17 record, spoke about his outlook returning to the BlueClaws...

I'm extremely excited. We've got a great group of guys, got a great coaching staff. I'm happy to be here, to play with these guys and play for these fans again. I'm really excited to be here. Last year's behind me and I'm ready to push forward this year.

-Viza commented on having former Phillies hurler Aaron Fultz as his pitching coach and what advantages he has with Fultz guiding his career...

I had Fultz in the instructional league. He's a great guy, awesome! I love having him as my pitching coach.

Yeah, you know it's kind of nice, you get to pick their brains a little bit about what works and what sort of things didn't work. Maybe what worked for him isn't going to work for us and vice versa, but it's awesome to have that experience at our disposal and to know what works.


-Oliver spoke on his first time in Jersey what people can expect from this new BlueClaws group...

This, for me, is the furthest I've been north since (playing in the Cape Cod League). The team, we're stacked with pitching. The bats are unreal. We've got defense...our defense is fantastic. I don't see us making many errors, really.

-Oliver spoke about how he spent some time over the off-season with a big-timer from the Phils organization, which got him ready for baseball to return...
Actually, I hung out a little bit with Cliff Lee in the off-season. We're with Front Line Agency, we share the same agency, and, so Cliff Lee's an Arkansas guy too, so he kind of talked to me about the ropes and what spring training's like. Cliff actually helped me out a lot in the off-season, talking to him and talking to a big leaguer with his success, you kind of have to listen.
-I asked Oliver what it meant to him to have that time with Lee...
It means a lot to me. He's a big leaguer, he doesn't have to spend his time talking to me, a first-year guy, rookie. He's a good dude, he's really down to Earth, if you just talk to him, you wouldn't know he is a big league baseball player. And, honestly, we talked more about hunting than anything. Good dude, solid guy.
-Hoskins talked about his initial impression of FirstEnergy Park and adapting to the early spring temperatures of the northeast...

First time here. My God, what a beautiful ballpark. It's going to be a great summer playing here. Being a California kid, I'm definitely not used to the cold. We'll see how this first couple weeks goes. Hopefully, it warms up sooner than later.

-Hoskins shared how a few of the returning BlueClaws players were able to prepare him for Lakewood...

They definitely told us it's awesome facilities; you're gonna love it. They definitely brought up the crowd. I knew before that we've led the league in attendance all 14 years of existence, so it's gonna be awesome and be easy to play at home. That's a great thing, having the people behind you at home.


To be part of the 2015 season and to root on the BlueClaws click here or by dial 732-901-7000 option 2 for tickets.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

On Wednesday, Phillies lefty pitching prospect Jacob Diekman made his Arizona Fall League debut. Diekman, who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, was assigned to Mesa late, in order to increase his 2010 innings total, according to Mesa hitting coach Mark Parent, who managed Diekman in Lakewood this past season. Diekman, 23, posted a 2-0 record with 1.90 ERA in 21 games with Class A Lakewood before being promoted to High-A Clearwater on June 24th. In 24 games with the Threshers, Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Combined, Diekman tossed 55 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .187 batting average against at two levels in 2010. However, after not pitching in an official game since he threw a shutout inning to wrap up the Clearwater season on September 5th, Diekman was unable to record an out as all seven batters he faced reached base, six with hits, one on an error. Diekman was charged with 5 earned runs in the outing. Diekman had spent time at instructional ball from

2022 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #24 RHP Cristian Hernandez

Venezuelan born right-hander Cristian Hernandez has begun to earn recognition as one of the Phillies most promising pitching prospects. Signed as a 16-year-old in 2017 for a reported $120,000, Hernandez got his professional career started the following summer as a starter for the Phillies' Red Dominican Summer League club.  There, in 13 starts, Hernandez tallied a 2-3 record with 2.57 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP as well as a 7.0 K/9 mark. An injury sidelined Hernandez in 2019 and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the global pandemic. In 2021, Hernandez saw his first regular season action in the United States, starting his season in Florida Complex League.  After two appearances there, the six-foot-three 185-pounder was promoted to the Class A Clearwater Threshers.  In 20 combined outings (17 starts), Hernandez notched a 2-7 record with a 3.57 ERA, a .228 batting average against and an 11.2 K/9 mark. Projectability is something that baseball folks like about Hernandez.  His size, consistent

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle