PhoulBallz Interview: LHP Garrett Cleavinger talks about his 2020, big league call up, more

Cleavinger, image- Jay Floyd

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Lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger made his big league debut with the Phillies this year and hopes to continue his career as a big league contributor in the coming seasons.

Cleavinger, a third round draft pick of the Orioles in 2015, was acquired by the Phillies in 2017 in a swap for pitcher Jeremy Hellickson.

In his more than five professional seasons, the Oregon product sports a 19-12 record, a 4.08 ERA, a .217 batting average against and a 12.0 K/9 mark in 140 minor league appearances.

This year in his lone big league outing, the 26-year-old tossed 2/3 inning, surrendered an earned run and struck out one batter.

Recently, I talked with Garrett to get his insight on his promotion to the Phils, what he'll be working on this off-season, which team staffer has helped him the most in his career and much more. Read ahead for that complete interview...

-So can you share some thoughts on your call up to join the big league roster this year?

The call up was pretty unique this year just with the COVID restrictions and like family and friends couldn’t be there so it was kind of weird for sure.

-Inclusion in the taxi squad group...to that point, did the call to be included there kind of have the feeling of a promotion or call up?

The taxi squad was fun, we had a good group of guys that made it competitive everyday. I kind of knew I was going to be on the taxi squad because I was added to the 40 man roster.

-Who has been a big help to you in the Phillies organization, in relation to coaches or teammates?

Aaron Fultz has probably been the biggest help to me. I’ve been lucky to be around him for parts of three seasons and he’s someone who I really like being around. He was the one who introduced a slider to my pitch repertoire and so now it’s fastball, curveball, slider and a little of a change up.

-In those taxi squad games, did you get to face any of the coaches that filled in? What was that like?

I never had any coaches hit off me in the taxi squad games but they played the field behind me quite a bit and it was a lot of fun! So many of those guys played at the highest level and so it’s fun for them to get out there again and fun for us to play with them.

-Any big plans for the off-season?

Biggest goal for the off-season is to get strong and be in the best shape possible for spring so I can win a job in the bullpen.

-How has your family done with the pandemic? Fortunate enough to remain healthy and employed?

Family has been doing well, safe and healthy.

-A couple people commented on the recent Instagram post of you I had, saying you resemble pro wrestler and MMA fighter Jake Hager. Do you know who that is and have you heard that before?

I haven’t heard of that comparison before.

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else. A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began. The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas. Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season. Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against. The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball wi

Slick fielding Sam is the Champion of the (PhoulBallz) world!

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa

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