Skip to main content

BlueClaws Quotables: Manager Shawn Williams speaks on new team

Entering his second season in the role, Class A Lakewood manager Shawn Williams took time to comment on various topics before and after the BlueClaws' home opener on Thursday. Read ahead for the skipper's remarks

Jiandido Tromp, image- Jay Floyd
Speaking about outfielder Jiandido Tromp, who got off to a hot start this season...

He's just been having good at bats. Really battling with two strikes. He's been getting into hitters counts and he's not missing his pitch. You can just tell his whole mindset- he's on a mission right now.

Commenting on backstop Deivi Grullon and if his improvements are a direct relation to repeating the level...

I think it's a combination of a lot of things. You get older you get more mature, you get smarter, you keep learning the game and I think even a lot of times, like we saw last year with Tocci, guys coming back, you come back and it gives you some confidence and it gives you something to work for, because you want to move up, you want to get out of here, so that's why a lot of those guys, they come back here and they just take off, like (Carlos) Tocci did last year and Deivi (Grullon) and Trompy have gotten off to good starts here this year.

Talking about early struggles at the plate for last year's Phillies first round pick Cornelius Randolph...

For me, he just needs to keep getting at bats. He's been competing in there. You know, he's having good at bats, he's just had a couple guys come out with a diving play here. He's barreling balls up, right at first basemen, borderline balls that could be hits, but they're called errors. He's been having good at bats, he's been competing. It just takes one hit, one clinker, one bunt hit, to get him going.


This has been, really the first time I've ever seen Cornelius play is right now, these seven games and a little bit during spring training, but for me, what I've seen, you forget how young he is because he acts mature for his age. He's only 18. Playing here, which is awesome, it's a good challenge for him and I think he's up to it. I know he hasn't gotten off to the greatest start, but he's had good at bats thus far and he's a tough out. I think it's going to turn around (for him).

Cornelius Randolph, image- Jay Floyd
More on Randolph, speaking about his transition to the outfield after being drafted as a shortstop...

Very quickly he's really taken to the outfield because he looks like he's been playing out there throughout high school and everything. He's getting good jumps, he's making good throws, I mean he looks fine, he's made a transition look easy.

Commenting how he might address the pitching staff issuing a considerable amount of walks in the early going...

It's been addressed. Just be more aggressive early in the count, just attacking hitters. These guys have great stuff, you know, let it show and let it show early in the count, so you can keep pitch counts down and pitch deeper in the ball game.

On the subject of updated ground rules at Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park, which are related to the home run boundary being lowered around much of the outfield...

It's going to be a little bit different, having the pad as the home run. I think it's going to be tricky for these umpires here and for everybody, I mean you've got the little cement part that goes between the pad and the little chain link and if it hits that, it's a home run, but it's going to be tough because it's going to bounce off that thing, bounce off poles. I know looking at last year, I wish we would have had these (current) ground rules because it would have helped us in two games. You know, back to back days it would have saved us six innings in one and it would have probably helped us win another one because it would have been a home run to tie the game. But, it should be interesting.

Speaking about how the home park in Lakewood has often been considered spacious and played very big...

It makes you become a hitter first and I think it really helps with someone like Pujols and Randolph and playing defensively in the outfield, you've got a lot of ground to cover, so for me it helps you become a better outfielder because you've got to cut balls off and you're backing up bases and you're covering so much ground out there, it's going to help you tremendously defensively.

Franklyn Kilome, image- Jay Floyd
Commenting on 20-year-old righty pitching prospect and Dominican native Franklyn Kilome having a pair of rough outings (0-2 record, 14.85 ERA)...

He's learning. And I think the biggest thing he's learned so far, with this being the first times he's ever pitched in the cold and it's been really cold both days, I think it's just something that he's learning. He came in here today and it's almost as if he wanted to pitch today, which is awesome to see. We even saw glimpses his last two innings (of his last start), so I'm looking forward to him turning that into the next start.

I think the biggest thing is learning the cold. It's a little thing, but I think it means a lot for a lot of these kids that have never been in anything less than 50 degrees and they're playing and it's snowing one day and it's ice and it's 30 degrees by game time and they're out there and they've got to try to find a feel for a ball. And it's something they've got to learn and they will, especially when they want to pitch at the most important time- in the World Series in October, and it should be cold then in Philly. I think it's just one of those things you've got to learn and you've got to play in more and more.

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