PhoulBallz Interview: Matt Hockenberry talks 2019 BlueClaws

Matt Hockenberry, image- Jay Floyd

Over on my Patreon page, I am serving up a multi-part interview with 2019 Class A Lakewood pitching coach Matt Hockenberry.

Part one features Big Hock talking about 22-year-old Dominican righty Rafi Gonell and his progress. Part two includes quotes from Hockenberry discussing righty reliever Albertus Barber's story of reaching the pro ranks and excelling as an undrafted free agent and his progress. Also in part two, the subject of pitches thrown in two-strike counts by the BlueClaws and improving their walk rate throughout the season is addressed.

Part three will land later this week and will include insight on promising hurler Francisco Morales.

To access exclusive content such as these quotes from Hockenberry, please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz and support my work.

Sample of the material included in the Hockenberry interview excerpts...

I think it’s a great story. The fact that (Barber) played some junior college baseball and I think he went a couple other places throughout his collegiate career, but being able to go to Driveline—and from what I heard he sacrificed a lot to be able to go to Driveline. I think he said he was sleeping on somebody’s couch. And being able to go build what he calls his arsenal of pitches and being able to understand the analytical side of the game, such as the movement profiles, whether his ball’s got ride, sink, run, spin efficiencies on his curve ball, his slider. Being able to take his pitches into the game and dominate. Since he’s been here, he’s dominated.

Comments

2017 Phillies Prospects Countdown: #4 OF Mickey Moniak

Mickey Moniak, image- Joe Wombough Taken with the top overall selection in last year's MLB amateur draft, outfielder Mickey Moniak has garnered a lot of attention as a highly promising talent in the Phillies' developmental ranks. After signing out of La Costa Canyon High School for a reported $6.1 million, the lefty batting Moniak had a very good professional debut. In 46 games with the Phillies' Gulf Coast League team, Moniak posted a .284 batting average with 11 doubles, four triples, a home run and 28 RBI. Additionally, he showed some speed, swiping 10 bases in 14 opportunities. Following the regular season, Moniak participated in the Florida Instructional League and spent time at the Phillies' training facility in Clearwater, where he worked to add strength and muscle to his six-foot-two 185-pound frame. At the plate, Moniak, who was committed to play at UCLA prior to the 2016 draft, makes steady, hard contact. He is touted as a line drive hitter tha...

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal...

Heroes- Fight of the Century

VS. It's a big day for your boy, Jay Ballz . No work, X-Men Origins: Wolverine premieres, our Phillies face the Metropolitans for the first time this season and tailgating for BOTH doesn't sound all that absurd to me. Anyway, I surveyed some qualified phans and got several opinions on how exactly a fight might go down if the mutant hero Wolverine faced off against Phillies hero Matt Stairs. Well known blogger, Chris, of I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake , kept it real and said the following- "Wolverine has adamantium ( indestructible metal substance) claws, so that's a great advantage. Stairs' Wonder Bat is neutralized there. See, the problem becomes Wolverine's ability to recover (he has a regenerative power) faster. Stairs is merely human. Sure, he has a goatee, and goatees are great, but they're great for saving sauce, not for defeating mutants. I think Wolverine takes it in a fight to the death in about 15 minutes because Stairs simply doesn'...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog