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Less than two years after he was drafted by the Phillies in the 4th round, infielder Adam Buschini was stunned to learn that the team he had hoped to grow with and help win games for had given up on him. Buschini played through a serious injury during his junior season in college and into his pro career, hoping his own toughness would result in success for his teams, but sometimes such fortitude can prove thankless and it did for this heard-nosed ballplayer. As the California Polytech State University baseball team reached the Tempe Regional tournament for the first time in 2009, Buschini, who starred as the Mustangs' offensive leader, refused to succumb to a broken hand suffered on a hit by pitch. That year, he led the Mustangs in batting average (.422), home runs (11), RBI (61) and several other categories. With high hopes of leading his team to post-season glory, Buschini stuck it out, but Cal Poly fell to Kent State and Buschini's college career was complete. Qu...

A source confirmed on Monday night that the Phillies released at least ten minor league players from their contracts earlier in the day. According to a source within the Phillies organization, the following players were notified of their release on Monday in Clearwater: Justin Beal , Bradley Blanks, Matt McConnell, Adam Buschini, Drew Rundle, Heitor Correa, Matt Hutchison, Marco Davaillo, Mike Bolsenbroek and Eric Massingham. Beal, 24, posted a 2-3 record with a 2.88 ERA in 20 games with Class A Lakewood and went 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 4 games with short-season Williamsport in 2010. The right-hander was a 28th round draft pick in 2009 out of Missouri Southern State. Blanks, 26, was signed as a minor league free agent last July and posted a 4-1 record with a 2.73 ERA in 16 games as a reliever for the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2010. McConnell was a 36th round draft selection in 2009. In 46 combined games last year at Williamsport and Lakewood, the 24-year-old shortstop batted ...

In the A-Level South Atlantic League, division leaders at the midseason mark and at the end of the regular season advance to the postseason. Lakewood had a 2 game lead over rival Hickory with 2 games remaining till the deadline. The "magic number" for the BlueClaws was 1...either a victory by the 'Claws or a loss by Hickory would lock up another postseason berth for the defending SAL champs. Saturday night the BlueClaws seemed to have everything in order to clinch a playoff berth for the second straight season at the midway point. The BlueClaws were facing the last place Kannapolis Intimidators with their staff ace, 97 mph fireballer Jarred Cosart, on the mound. The (non-alcoholic) bottles that the BlueClaws had on ice, ready to be popped, will have to wait another day at least. No playoff trips were locked on Saturday, as Kannapolis came out on top and Hickory knocked off Greenville, which dropped Lakewood's lead in the division to just 1 game. The BlueClaws have alr...