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Ryan Howard, image- Jay Floyd In a series that will wrap up the fifth straight season in which the Phillies (70-89) have failed to reach the postseason, the host club will likely see a division rival clinch a playoff berth on their home turf. The Phils will host the Mets (85-74), who hold a magic number of two to lock down a National League Wild Card spot, for a three-game set beginning Friday night. With the Mets in the driver's seat to be able to punch their own ticket toward the postseason, the Phils will counter with something remarkable of their own, when they honor former NL Most Valuable Player and three-time All-Star Ryan Howard with a pre-game presentation on Sunday. The 36-year-old is playing his last days in a Phillies uniform as the team reportedly plans a buy out of their option on the veteran for next season. The lefty slugger has been in the Phils' organization since the team made him their 5th round draft choice back in 2001. The Mets have been vic

On Thursday, the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws will host the South Atlantic League Championship Series for the first time in six years. With the series tied at one game apiece, the 'Claws are slated to host the remainder of the best-of-five title round with games three, four and five (if necessary) being played on successive nights. Prior to the championship series, I spoke with BlueClaws starting pitcher Tyler Gilbert , who posted a 7-9 record with a 3.98 ERA in 23 starts this season. The 22-year-old left-hander chatted about his development this year, the team bonding over rap music and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview. -What are your thoughts on your 2016 season? I like to say that I learned a whole lot throughout the year. In the beginning I was not doing that well and I kind of leveled out and I learned a couple things. (Pitching coach Brian) Sweeney has been working with me like the whole season. I've been learning a lot of stuff. It's just

With a 6-1 loss in game two of the South Atlantic League Championship Series, the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws will return home tied at one game apiece for the remainder of the best-of-five title round. Dominican born right-hander Seranthony Dominguez pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out four. The 21-year-old posted a 2.42 ERA as well as a 9.3 K/9 mark in 10 regular season starts for the BlueClaws. Third baseman Damek Tomscha continued his hot streak (.500 average in four postseason games), going 3-for-3 with a double and a home run. The remainder of the BlueClaws lineup was 1-for-27 in the losing effort. For the Rome offense, Carlos Castro and Austin Riley each drove in a pair. Braves hurler Touki Toussaint went eight strong innings to notch the win. Games three and four are slated for Thursday and Friday at FirstEnergy Park with game five on Saturday, if necessary. Each game time is 7:05 PM.

Franklyn Kilome, image- Jay Floyd Led by standout hurler Franklyn Kilome 's seven scoreless frames, the Lakewood BlueClaws downed the Rome Braves by a score of 5-0 to earn a win in the opening game of the Class A South Atlantic League Championship Series in Georgia on Monday night. The dominant nine-strike-out effort by the 21-year-old right-hander combined with two perfect innings from this year's Phillies 8th round draft pick and righty reliever Grant Dyer marked Lakewood's second combined one-hitter this month. Alberto Tirado , Blake Quinn and Sutter McLoughlin made up the previous contingent that accomplished the feat on September 1st . The Dominican born Kilome entered the 2016 season as the 10th ranked Phillies prospec t.   On offense, right fielder Jose Pujols recorded two hits while first baseman Wilson Garcia slammed a home run, his first of the postseason. Monday marked the first time this year that Lakewood and Rome, which are separated by an a

An exciting season for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils came to an end on Saturday night as the regular season Eastern League Eastern division champions lost their opening round playoff series against the Trenton Thunder.The Fightins, loaded with promising Phillies prospects like catcher Jorge Alfaro , outfielder Dylan Cozens and starting pitcher Ricardo Pinto , dropped the division series three games to one in a best-of-five series with a 3-2 loss at Reading’s FirstEnergy Stadium in front of 4,912 fans. Right-hander Tyler Viza allowed three runs (one earned) over six innings to take the loss. Trenton third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. launched a solo home run while Miguel Andujar notched two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs to help pace the visitors’ offense. Reading, which lead the EL in many offensive categories including batting average, OPS, runs scored and home runs, went 4-for-29 with runners in scoring position in their three losses in the serie

A trio of Phillies affiliates had postseason action on Friday night. Two of those clubs came out victorious with Lakewood winning their first round series and Reading forcing a games four in their opening round match up. However, Lehigh Valley was swept by their division rival. Taveras, image- Jay Floyd In the Class A South Atlantic League, the BlueClaws swept their best-of-three series with a 6-2 win on the road at Hagerstown. Right-hander Jose Taveras went seven innings, allowing two earned runs with four strike outs and no walks while giving up seven hits, to notch the win. Sutter McLoughlin would toss a scoreless ninth for the save. On offense, lead-off man Mark Laird went 4-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base while Wilson Garcia and Damek Tomscha each drove in a pair of runs. Lakewood will face the winner of the Rome vs. Charleston Southern Division Series in a best-of-five series beginning on Monday on the road. Games three, four and five if necessary of the serie

Ben Lively, image- Jay Floyd None of the names honored as the 2016 Paul Owens Award winners were a surprise, as each of the men dominated throughout the season. It was announced on Friday that right-hander Ben Lively was named the top pitcher while Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins were co-winners on the offensive side. Lively, who opened the season at Double-A Reading and helped lead the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs into the postseason following a promotion in May, tallied an 18-5 record along with a 2.69 ERA and a .192 batting average against in 28 combined starts at the two levels. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Reds in the 2014-2015 off-season in the trade for Marlon Byrd , who won the Paul Owens Award in 2000 and 2001. Cozens, the Eastern League's Most Valuable Player, sported a .276 average with 40 home runs and 125 RBI in 134 games with Reading this season. The lefty batting 22-year-old right fielder was the Phillies' 2nd round draft pick out of hi

Elniery Garcia, image- Jay Floyd Trailing 0-2 in the divisional round of the Double-A Eastern League playoffs, the Reading Fightins return home to FirstEnergy Stadium and will need to win out to advance to the league championship series next week. The Fightins will face the division rival Trenton Thunder beginning Friday night with three wins needed to not go home prematurely. At 89-52, Reading sported the best record in the league during the regular season. Trenton finished two games back in the Eastern Division, entering the playoffs as the Wild Card entrant. Game three will see left-hander Elniery Garcia making his Double-A debut after posting a 12-4 record with a 2.68 ERA and 7.0 K/9 mark in 20 outings with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers this season. The 21-year-old Dominican native asserted, following game two, that he doesn't feel pressure heading into a crucial situation. "There's no pressure. I don't feel pressure," Garcia sa

Ricardo Pinto, image- Jay Floyd TRENTON, NJ-- In a game that seemed like a struggle from the moment they fell behind, the Reading Fightin Phils fell behind 0-2 in the best-of-five Double-A Eastern League division playoffs to the Trenton Thunder with a 9-4 defeat at ARM & HAMMER Park on Thursday. Reading scored first in the contest, taking a 1-0 lead in the opening frame when Roman Quinn , who singled, stole second and moved over to third on a ground out, scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Jorge Afaro. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Trenton went ahead 2-1 on a sac fly by Dustin Fowler and an RBI double by Miguel Andujar against Reading starter Ricardo Pinto . Pinto would start the 4th inning, but would not record an out as he left the game after opening the frame surrendering a walk, a single and an RBI double. Jesen Therrien would enter the game at that point, surrendering a sac fly to former Phillies prospect Sebastian Valle that put Trenton up 4-1. Readi

Mark Laird, image- Jay Floyd On Wednesday, four Phillies minor league affiliates took part in postseason play with only Class A Lakewood coming out as winners . Prior to the contest that saw the BlueClaws take a 1-0 lead in the South Atlantic League division series, I chatted with Lakewood outfielder and lead-off man Mark Laird . The 23-year-old 9th round draft selection from last year shared insight on his season, which didn't get rolling until July due to a back injury, the BlueClaws second-half title, the team's pitching staff and more. Read ahead for that full interview. -What is your level of excitement, entering the postseason, the BlueClaws' first time in the playoffs in six years? When I got here, it was kind of a long shot at making the playoffs and I think everyone did a good job staying positive and we really finished strong. I don't know how many games we won out of the last 30 games or so, but it seemed like we hardly ever lost. That has to do wi

Damek Tomscha, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- It had been 2181 days since the Lakewood BlueClaws played in the postseason. It was worth the wait as the BlueClaws took a 1-0 lead on Wednesday night in the best-of-three South Atlantic League division series against the Hagerstown Suns (Nationals affiliate) by a score of 6-1 behind excellent relief pitching and clutch hitting. Shortstop Emmanuel Marrero notched the first of his three hits in the 5th inning to tie the game at one run apiece. In the same frame, third baseman Damek Tomscha stroked a two-run ground rule double down the right field line to put the BlueClaws ahead 3-1. "That's exactly what he's done all year," BlueClaws skipper Shawn Williams stated of the righty batting Tomscha. "Seems like he's always up in a big situation and that's what he does- he comes through with a big hit." Those runs would be enough as the Lakewood bullpen was strong. It was righty reliever Grant Dyer

Frank Cacciatore, image- Jay Floyd Throughout the season, the Reading Fightin Phils' offense has been one of the biggest stories across minor league baseball. As the team's collection of strong hitters mashed for power and rocked opposing pitchers all season long in the Double-A Eastern League, the team's hitting coach, Frank Cacciatore, has gotten a good look at the best show in the sport. Over the weekend, I sat down with Cacciatore to gain some insight on the likes of the homer hitting duo Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins along with emerging players such as Scott Kingery and Andrew Pullin . He also offered feedback on talented switch-hitter Roman Quinn as well as veteran Jake Fox and plenty more. Cacciatore played in the Detroit organization in the 1970's and has been part of the Phillies' developmental coaching staff since 2008. Read ahead for my full interview with Coach Frank. -Outfielder Dylan Cozens has had an outstanding season, leading the l

TRENTON-- The Double-A Readin Fightin Phils (89-52) used their last turn at bat in the regular season to remind everyone why they were dominant all season long, launching three home runs in the 10th inning to lock down an 11-6 victory over the rival Trenton Thunder (87-55) on Monday at ARM & HAMMER Park. The heart of the Fightins' batting order did what fans had become accustomed to seeing throughout 2016 from their powerhouse lineup. Outfielder Dylan Cozens , who is a virtual lock to be named the Eastern League's Most Valuable Player, increased his team home run record when he blasted his 40th long ball of the season, deep to right field off of Thunder reliever Cale Coshow. The Cozens blast was the farthest ball I've seen hit into the water of the Delaware River in my 20-plus years of going to baseball games at the former Waterfront Park. Continuing with ways of the "bash brothers", first baseman Rhys Hoskins launched his 38th homer of the season in

Aaron Brown, image- Jay Floyd The Double-A Reading Fightin Phils are headed to the postseason at the Eastern League's East division champions. All season long, the team has been led by its offense, that has seen the club tally a minor league best 182 home runs heading into action on Monday, the last day of the regular season. This weekend I chatted with outfielder Aaron Brown and starting pitcher Tyler Viza about Reading's offense. Brown, a 24-year-old lefty batter, also spoke about learning from those around him as well as his up and down season while Viza, a 21-year-old right-hander, offered thoughts on four levels of the Phillies' minor league system reaching the playoffs in their respective leagues, plus more. Read ahead for those interview excerpts with both players. AARON BROWN: -It's become quite a rivalry here with Reading and Trenton, with the two teams battling over the top spot in the division, know you'll face each other in the opening ro

Dylan Cozens, image- Jay Floyd TRENTON-- Outfielder Dylan Cozens launched a three-run home run in the third inning Saturday and the Reading Fightins (88-51) never looked back against the host Thunder, clinching first place in their division and home field advantage in next week's Double-A Eastern League Division Series. Cozens, a 22-year-old lefty masher, launched three-run shot to right, his 39th, putting the Fightin Phils up 3-1 over the Thunder in the third frame and kept them in the rear view mirror the rest of the way. The long ball was the 39th of the season for Cozens which pushed him past Darin Ruf (2012) for the Reading single season home run record. Cozens, the Phillies' 2nd round draft selection from 2011, is the favorite to be named as the Eastern League's Most Valuable Player, as he sports a .277 average with 39 homers and 123 RBI in 132 games played this season. In the contest veteran Jake Fox slugged his 23rd home run of the season while center