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Showing posts from May, 2018

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading SP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero, image- Jay Floyd Reading starter JoJo Romero has finally arrived.  Well, what I mean is; the JoJo Romero you may have read about during last off-season seems to be doing the sorts of things a highly regarded prospect is supposed to do after not doing those things in the early going this season. After sporting a 7.18 ERA through his first five Double-A starts, the 21-year-old left-hander has tallied a 2.97 ERA in his most recent five starts. This week I talked with Romero, the Phillies 4th round draft choice in 2016, about his turnaround, his team, attention that comes with being ranked highly as a prospect and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -I just want to get your thoughts on your efforts so far in the Eastern League.   I’ve definitely learned a lot over these past couple months, or whatever.  So, you know, just adjusting to that and it’s a very hitter-friendly league, so as a pitcher you have to adjust to that as well.  I’m tryin

Phillies minor league hot list, 5/28/18

As minor league teams have reached roughly a third of the way through the minor league season, here's a quick run down on some of the standouts at all four full-season levels of the Phillies system.   -Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-20, 1st place in the International League North Division)... Cole Irvin with Reading last season, image- Jay Floyd Thus far in the 2018 campaign, the IronPigs' Cole Irvin leads all Phillies minor leaguers in innings pitched with 54.  Through nine starts, the 24-year-old has a 5-1 record with a 3.17 ERA and an 8.2 K/9 mark.  Irvin, a lefty, was the Phils' 5th round draft choice in 2016. His rotation mate Enyel De Los Santos has a 5-2 record with a 1.40 ERA and a .194 batting average against in nine starts.  The right-handed native of the Dominican Republic also sports a 9.8 K/9 mark.  De Los Santos was acquired from San Diego last off-season in a trade for Freddy Galvis. First baseman Joey Meneses has been incredible for the Iron

PhoulBall Interview: Lakewood first baseman Quincy Nieporte

Quincy Nieporte, image- Jay Floyd Lakewood first baseman Quincy Nieporte admittedly hasn't posted the greatest offensive numbers to date this season, but the 23-year-old first baseman is on his way to improving and  is helping the Class A BlueClaws fight for a division title in the South Atlantic League. Nieporte, a righty batter, was the Phillies' 26th round draft selection last year out of Florida State University.  Listed at six-feet-one and 225 pounds, Nieporte made his pro debut last year with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he tallied a .299 average with five home runs and 35 RBI in 41 games.  This year, through 40 games with Lakewood, Nieporte has notched a .224 batting average with three homers and 13 RBI. Recently, I talked with Quincy about welcoming the challenge in Class A, his team's overall success, which Phillies player he learned from and more.  Read ahead for the full interview. -What are your impressions of the league so far

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading reliever Trevor Bettencourt

Trevor Bettencourt, image- Jay Floyd Following a stellar campaign that saw him honored as a Class A All-Star last year, righty reliever Trevor Bettencourt is off to another good start this season.  As a member of the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, the 23-year-old UC Santa Barbara product sports a 1-0 record with a 3.18 ERA, a .226 batting average against and he has averaged more than a strike out per inning. Bettencourt, though, has missed time in recent weeks, sidelined with an injury that was announced by team as a shoulder strain. Recently, I talked with Trevor about the removal of his signature mustache , changes brought on by Gabe Kapler's regime, plus he described some shortcomings this year that could have led to his time on the disabled list.  Read ahead for that full interview. -You’re sporting a new look of late.  The team wants the ‘stache back.  Do you feel any pressure?   It’ll come back quick.  Some people are born with it and I think the mustache

Is it time to be concerned about Mickey Moniak?

Mickey Moniak with Lakewood in 2017 Almost daily I am engaged via Twitter or email or text messages or in person about Phillies prospects. It comes with the gig.  The player that scores the most inquiries is, as should be expected, 2016 top overall draft selection Mickey Moniak . Questions from fans that don't want to seem overly judgmental will ask, “Should we be concerned?” Others, living up to the more stereotypical Philadelphia sports fan reputation, will assert the notion, “He’s a bust!  Somebody didn't do his job right!” For the most part I have responded in defense of Moniak and others, letting people know that the youngster’s skills are real and his coaches stand by them. I’d caution fans that he was young, still a teenager, among the five youngest position players in the Class A Advanced Florida State League (per his team the Clearwater Threshers, as of the end of April), and he just needed time to catch up to the older, more mature pitching at that level.

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading coach Rico Brogna

Former Phillies first baseman Rico Brogna re-joined the Phils organization this year as a coach with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils.  During his playing career, Brogna also took the field for the Mets, Red Sox, Braves and Tigers, the team that drafted him in the first round in 1988.  With the Phillies, he posted two 20-homer, 100-RBI seasons.  Now, he's trying to help develop the Phillies stars of the future. Recently, I talked with Brogna about some of his team's players, his time coaching and scouting elsewhere, his favorite teammate from his playing days and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -Malquin Canelo's been a catalyst through the first several weeks of the season for this lineup.  He's always had a lot of good tools., but in the past maybe he hasn't really stood out compared to other guys on teams he's been on.  Now, though, he's starting to stand out a bit.  What do you think of him? He absolutely is.  I think he'

BlueClaws Quotables: Will Stewart Interview Excerpts

Will Stewart (right), image- Jay Floyd Recently, I ran a feature on Class A Lakewood starting pitcher Will Stewart .  The 20-year-old lefty sports a 4-0 record with a 1.46 ERA through his first six appearances this season. I talked at length with Will and much of the interview didn't make it into the article, so I am publishing excerpts from out chat here.  Read ahead for more of what the Phillies' 20th round draft pick from 2015 had to say. -What would you want fans that are just starting to hear about this guy Will Stewart who is posting great numbers in Lakewood to know about you? I would say to learn more about me, not just the stat line, because there’s going to be times when the stat line does not reflect how I pitched and there’s going to be times where the stat line tells you I got crushed.   Trust that I’m going to work as hard as I can to be here.  We’re not heroes.  We’re regular people that go play a game that’s a lot of fun.  When we do g

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading pitching coach Steve Schrenk

Steve Schrenk, image- Jay Floyd Last week I talked with pitching coach Steve Schrenk about his staff with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils.  The covered mostly all of the team's hurlers including JoJo Romero, Ranger Suarez, Elniery Garcia, Edgar Garcia, Luke Leftwich plus plenty more. Read ahead for my complete interview with "Schrenky". -Related to JoJo Romero (0-4 record, 6.68 ERA), seems like he's not producing the way perhaps he was expected to, thus far. Yeah, he’s not—I don’t think he’s satisfied with what he’s doing right now.  It’s been just a couple innings here and there for the most part.  It’s been a couple pitches, a couple innings.  I think for the most part he’s been throwing the ball okay.  He needs to be a little more consistent with the strike zone and using his off-speed pitches for strikes.  But, he’s done a good job.  It’s like I said, a couple innings here, a couple big hits.  I think he’ll be right out of the funk that he’s

Lakewood pitcher Stewart has the right attitude

Will Stewart (right), image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ - Will Stewart has a chip on his shoulder. It's not a hot-tempered, get-out-of-my-face chip.  Instead it's one that lies underneath, behind a calm demeanor and a steadily approachable mug and he unleashes it only on his opposition. The left-handed pitcher was taken by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 2015 amateur draft out of Hazel Green High School in Alabama.  Getting selected after 693 other guys gave the six-foot-two 175-pounder something to prove. "I think guys in the higher rounds, we have more to prove because we weren’t the guys that we going to come out of high school and get all the love," Stewart shared at Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park last week.  "There’s nothing wrong with that.  If you deserve it, you deserve it.  But the later round guys I feel like we’re hungrier.  We need it more.  We don’t have things, like a big signing bonus, to fall back on." Well, Stewart is doi

PhoulBallz Interview: Lakewood manager Marty Malloy on top performers, injured players, more

Marty Malloy, image- Jay Floyd The Class A Lakewood BlueClaws have a four-game win streak intact entering the weekend.  The team's pitching staff ranks third in the South Atlantic League with a 2.67 staff ERA.  Their offense, however, ranks last in the league with a .221 batting average.  On Friday, I talked with BlueClaws' manager Marty Malloy about a few of his key pitchers and some of the disappointments at the plate.  Prospect discussed include standout starters Will Stewart and Ramon Rosso as well as closer Addison Russ.  Position players Gregori Rivero and Daniel Brito were topics of discussion as were injured offensive contributors Jhailyn Ortiz, Simon Muzziotti and Cole Stobbe.  Read ahead for my full interview with Malloy.  -Left-hander Will Stewart is off to a great start with the team.  He's 20 years old and has a 4-0 record with a 1.46 ERA through six starts.  What can you share about how outstanding he has been? All his starts have been quality. 

PhoulBallz Interview: Clearwater Threshers 1b Darick Hall

Darick Hall with Lakewood in 2017, image- Jay Floyd Clearwater first baseman Darick Hall has been torching Florida State League pitching this season.  The 22-year-old lefty slugger leads this Class A Advanced Florida State League in home runs with 10 and has posted a .289 average and 27 RBI in 33 games. A 14th round draft selection in 2016, Hall made a big splash last year in his first full season as a pro.  With Class A Lakewood, the six-foot-four 235-pounder notched a team record 27 homers.  Overall, combined with the time he spent at Clearwater to close the regular season, Hall posted a .270 average with 29 round trippers and 101 RBI in 121 games. This week I talked with Darick about his powerful production, which coaches and teammates he has learned the most from, the buzz surrounding his offense and more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -You're leading the FSL in homers and enjoying a great start to the season.  Congratulations on that.  Share some thought