PhoulBallz Interview: RHP Ben Brown talks TJ recovery, O'Hoppe, cancelled season

Image- MiLB.com

Out of action since last May when it was determined he required Tommy John surgery, righty pitching prospect Ben Brown is using the downtime of the pandemic hiatus to continue his physical recovery.

A 33rd round draft selection of the Phillies back in 2017, Brown made his professional debut that same year, posting a 2.57 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 10 appearances in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.

The following season, Brown began to make a name for himself in the GCL, striking out 16 batters in one July appearance. He would post a 3.12 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) before earning a promotion and finishing the season with a pair of outings with Class A short-season Williamsport.

Brown, a Long Island, NY native, opened last year with Class A Lakewood. In four appearances with the BlueClaws, he struck out 20, walked four and allowed no runs in 13 2/3 innings and looked well on his way to making an impact on betting odds and available promo codes before he was sidelined with the elbow injury.

This week, I talked with the 20-year-old Brown about his rehabilitation progress, missing out on the 2020 season and more. Read ahead for that complete interview.

-Where are you in terms of recovery and what is the routine for you as of late?

I am about 14 months out of surgery now, still continuing to build back arm strength. Im at the point where I really don’t need much 1 on 1 rehabilitation attention but i’m lucky to have great trainers up here to take care of me when I need it. My days consist of early morning yoga, mid day throwing and post throw pilates or lift depending on the day.

-To get a better idea of your recovery, if a minor league season was taking place, where would you be at this stage? Rehab games? Not there yet? Beyond that?

If there were a season I would be right around the point where I would be returning to games. I’m a little pushed back due to COVID, but I will definitely be ready to go and built up for 2021 or any opportunity that might come before that.

-It seems you had the chance to work with fellow Long Islander Logan O'Hoppe a bit. Can you give some thoughts on him and how excited the LI crew was for his inclusion in the Phillies' player pool this year?

Logan is the best. We are all so proud of him and, honestly, we are not surprised at all. He works so hard and is always doing things to mentally and physically better himself. I was able to throw with him before he left and it's hard to believe that he is only 20 years old. He is so advanced behind the plate.

-What was your reaction to the cancellation of the season?

I was really upset. I know that I wouldn’t be back till late this year, but a lot of my teammates and friends were really looking great this spring training and I was looking forward to seeing them succeed.

-What was the hardest part about the injury for you and are there any big lessons you can take from it to help you moving forward?

Hardest part of my injury was definitely the feeling of not having control of whether or not my elbow was gonna recover. There are so many bad days and bad weeks, so I was constantly in a mental and physical battle. Thankfully, I also had a lot of really good days and weeks that would get me through the hard times.

-How much baseball are you watching now that MLB has returned?

I have not stopped watching. I have a pretty good setup with a game playing on the TV and a game playing on my computer every night.

-Do you report on your pitching work to anyone with the Phillies or are you given a program and they trust you to stick to it?

I'm in contact almost every day with the training staff regarding how I am feeling and what my throwing program will be like for the week. They have been awesome and whenever I'm feeling any sort of discomfort they are on the phone with me right away. Very grateful for how I have been treated during the rehab process. Our trainer Alex Plumm is just incredible. As for the baseball side we all have weekly phone calls with pitching coaches and we send in video and things like that.

-Do you have any TV, book or video game recommendations for people still dealing with lockdowns?

Honestly, I haven’t really watched much during this quarantine, besides baseball, and regretfully I have not read anything either. Lots of pitching lessons and landscaping for my uncle’s company take up a lot of that quarantine free time.

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

Danny Ozark was the Phillies' manager from 1973-1979. During his tenure as the team's general, Ozark led Philadelphia to three straight division titles. In his playing days, Ozark was a first baseman, who was a career minor leaguer in the Dodgers system. When Ozark took over the team in 1973, the Phillies were fresh off 5 consecutive losing seasons and 3 straight last place finishes. During his first season in charge, the Phillies would again finish in last place, 20 games under .500, but as his core of young talent, like Mike Schmidt and Larry Bowa, developed, the Phillies' win totals rose. Within 2 years, the Phillies were above .500 and in the playoff hunt until late in the season and the most successful era of Phillies history was about to begin. By 1976, the Phillies were headed to the post-season for the first time since 1950. The Phils would enjoy a 10-game lead over their nearest division rival at the midway point of the season. Despite a lul, which saw their lead d...

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

Bryson Stott, image- Jay Floyd Shortstop Bryson Stott , the Phillies' first round draft selection this year, has enjoyed a successful initial pro campaign. En route to being recognized as an All-Star for the Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters the 21-year-old UNLV product has tallied a .295 average with six home runs and 25 RBI in 45 minor league contests. Last week I spoke with the lefty hitting Stott to discuss his transition to professional baseball, joining the Phillies organization and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -Obviously, your performance and the production on the field is going well, but how do you feel you have adapted to the pro life? It feels good. You hear about the everyday grind, but you don't really believe it till you feel it. I would say that's the difference between college and the pros, is you're not practicing, you're playing games every day. I would say that's the biggest difference. But I...

Patreon Exclusive: Logan O'Hoppe answers Nine Silly-ass Questions

Logan O'Hoppe, image- Jay Floyd Phillies catching prospect Logan O'Hoppe was the subject of a recent player feature I posted here three days early. When I talked with Logan, he was kind enough to not only chat about some serious baseball related topics, he also had some fun with me and answered Nine Silly-Ass Questions! In this interview, the 20-year-old, who was an All-Star with Class A short-season Williamsport last year, offered his thoughts on his experiences playing in Australia last off-season, super powers, some surprising movies he's never seen, teammate Albertus Barber and plenty more. Read ahead for some excerpts from this Silly-ass interview... -You can 4-for-4 and your team loses, or you can get hit in the groin and your team wins...which do you choose? I mean, if we win, then the whole team has a good night, so I have to go with that one. That really benefits everybody. -Tell me, if you can, four words to describe Albertus Barber . One,...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog