PhoulBallz Interview: Reading skipper Greg Legg

Greg Legg, image- Jay Floyd

Last week I spent time with manager of the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, Greg Legg. The skipper offered his thoughts on several players including corner infielder Zach Green, backstop Deivi Grullon, starting pitcher JoJo Romero, outfielder Cornelius Randolph and others. Read ahead to check out the interview.

-Zach Green's been consistent this year. Showing a lot of power, when in previous seasons, due to injuries, maybe he didn't get to show it off that much. Thoughts on him?

I think just being healthy. Getting to play steady and getting to play the field and not having to worry about "Do I have to go down?" He's just taking advantage of the opportunity to play every day and it's been fun for Zach. Years ago, the talent was all there, but now he's getting to showcase it. I think just him playing and being free of injuries is letting him be him and doing what he's done probably his whole life.

-Prior to the season, you were really high on Deivi Grullon and he's done nothing but excel this year. It's exciting to see a guy like him really turn it on at the upper levels. What your impression of him right now?

He keeps growing as a catcher, as a receiver. Starting to take a leadership role, kind of figuring it out. With him, our team's starting to play better. I'm real thrilled for him. With a bat in his hand, he's got a knack for putting the bat on the ball. But now he's just showing more power. I'm real happy for him. I got one right!

-Some of this team's pitchers have been outstanding of late. Mainly JoJo Romero, whose last five starts have been great, the opposite of his first five starts this season. That's a nice turnaround to see. Can you share some thoughts on him and maybe some of your other pitchers?

Hats off to Schrenky (pitching coach Steve Schrenk), the game plans they're coming up with and the work ethic of JoJo. So, it's all them it's all in there and I think with the weather warming up and simplifying the game plan and JoJo just being JoJo. He's done it his whole career and I think we're starting to see the real JoJo come out. Couple other guys: (Edgar) Garcia's really doing the job out of the bullpen. It's good to have (Ranger) Suarez back from his hamstring and we're starting to come together as a group and hopefully good things will happen.

-How about some of these others guys that are sidelined? Zach Coppola's on the disabled list. What is his situation?

Not sure. He's gonna see a doctor in the next few days. He's out with an elbow injury.

-The other Garcia, Elniery. What's can you share on him?

We're just giving him-- we're working on some things. They just put him on the DL, with turf toe.

-Cornelius Randolph, he's performed perhaps as a guy his age, 20-years-old for the first couple months of the season, might have been expected to. What are your thoughts on him?

Real thrilled. The way he's going about his business. The way he's playing. The way he's practicing.
His work ethic's outstanding. Defensively, he's played real well. Offensively, you look at the numbers and you say to yourself, "He's hitting right at .200?!" The at bats have been a lot better than that. The grind-- He's only going to keep getting better. It's a huge adjustment. I don't know what I would have done at 20. I mean, you don't see a lot of 20-year-olds in the league. There's a couple that have success. I think he means more to our team than the numbers he's putting up right now. I look for him to improve.

-Reading's usually pretty well represented in the Eastern League All-Star Game. With your group, do you think there could be a lot of guys in that game?

There's a couple guys that have had good years and I hope they get voted in. The more the merrier. I hope seven or eight of them are in there. We have a lot of good candidates. As do some other teams.

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