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The PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast is back! On the 68th edition of the show Clearwater starting pitcher Colin Kleven and Reading outfielder Zach Collier phone in. Kleven discusses his season as the Threshers' most consistent pitcher, playing in front of smaller crowds in the Florida State League, his teammates Roman Quinn and J.P. Crawford plus plenty more. Collier chats about the secret to his recent hot streak in which he's slugged five home runs and driven in nine runs in his past six games as well as his suspension for a positive Adderall test and much more. Tug and Jay also discuss the Double-A debuts of Aaron Nola and Jacob Lindgren , Jiandido Tromp 's offensive production with Williamsport and Jake Fox 's big season. Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE . You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes .

On the 60th edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast, Tug and Jay talk about prospects galore, including Tyson Gillies , Cameron Perkins and Mookie Betts . The guys also discuss the struggling Clearwater Threshers and their disappointing output. The show also features an exclusive interview with pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., with a sweet vocal cameo from Lakewood standout Willians Astudillo . Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE . You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes .  

Jim Murphy with Lakewood in 2011, image- Jay Floyd Goals are something every baseball player has. Climbing the developmental ladder and striving for that next level is tops on every guy’s list. Reading Fightin Phils first baseman Jim Murphy is not unlike all those other players in that regard. What does set him apart, though, is the path he took to arrive in the Double-A Eastern League and the determination he has to never quit. After five seasons in the Phillies organization, during which he bounced back and forth between Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater, Murphy, who was selected by the Phillies in the 17th round of the 2008 MLB amateur draft out of Washington State University, has, at long last, landed in Reading and does not intend to fall back downward again. The 27-year-old credits a focused approach every time up to bat for his success in the minors and for being ready to play at the Double-A level this season. “I try to go out and compete every d...

Righty hurler Colin Kleven is having a remarkable season for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. The British Columbia native has been the 'Claws' most reliable starter, posting a 4-5 record with a 3.80 ERA in 13 starts. The 21-year-old has stood out so well that he was named as Lakewood's lone representative in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Kleven was drafted in the 33rd round by the Phillies in 2010. He struggled upon making his pro debut with the Gulf Coast League Phillies that season, as he tallied a 0-5 record and a 7.04 ERA. He improved greatly in 2011, when he sported a 4-6 record and a 4.84 ERA in 14 starts for the short-season A level Williamsport Crosscutters. The 6-foot-6-inch 225-pounder is set to represent the BlueClaws in the SAL All-Star Game, on Tuesday night at Charleston, SC's Riley Park, home of the Yankees affiliate Riverdogs. I spoke with Colin recently about his pitch repertoire, his recent success, getting drafted by the Phillies and p...

In place of our usual weekly minor league review where we glance at statistics of players that are on a roll or ones that are performing in the opposite manner, we'll let an inside man have a go at providing information on some Phillies prospects of importance. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to sit down with Gorman Heimueller, the Phillies' minor league pitching coordinator. Heimueller, who has been the Phils' minor league pitching coordinator since 2002, pitched 14 seasons as a pro, including parts of two with the Athletics. Prior to his current position, Heimueller was a pitching coach at the Double-A and Triple-A level for the Phillies. On Saturday, Heimueller offered his thoughts on several young hurlers in the organization's developmental system. Those quotes lie ahead. On Class A Lakewood RHP Colin Kleven , who is the team's lone South Atlantic League All-Star representative... "His career, the way he's come, from when we drafted him, he'...

It's time, once again, for the (usually) weekly Phillies minor league review. In this edition, we'll take a look at some hot performers, some less-than-hot performers and a college draftee headed to the College World Series.   Lakewood BlueClaws, Class A South Atlantic League. 21-41 record, 6th place out of 7 (19 1/2 GB) in Northern division.   Right-handed starter Colin Kleven (pictured, left) was named Lakewood's lone representative in the SAL All-Star Game this past week. The 21-year-old native of British Columbia has posted a 3-5 record with a 3.90 ERA in 11 starts this season.  Kleven was a 33rd round draft choice in 2009. Lefty starting pitcher Ethan Stewart has been on a roll this month, posting wins and an ERA of 3.00 in back to back starts. The New Mexico Junior College product was a 47th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2010. Infielder Stephen Malcolm has had a considerably slow start with Lakewood since joining the team out of extended...

Right-handed hurler Colin Kleven has been one of the most consistent pitchers on the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws roster this season.  The native of Kamloops, British Columbia was a 33rd round draft selection by the Phillies in 2009.  In his first two pro seasons, Kleven posted a 4-11 record with a 5.53 ERA in 24 games (21 starts) combined with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and the Williamsport Crosscutters. This season, the 21-year-old has been much more solid in the starting rotation for the BlueClaws.  Through 9 starts, Kleven has tallied a 3-4 record with 3.59 ERA while holding opponents to a .238 batting average. Take away one start in which Kleven struggled against the Hagerstown Suns, allowing 6 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, in mid-April, and Kleven has a 2.60 ERA this year. The 6-foot-6-inch 225-pounder regularly hits 92-93 MPH with his fastball and has averaged 7.74 strike outs per 9 innings this season. Video of Kleven throwing a bullpen session can b...

LAKEWOOD- Speed, speed, speed and a little power is what the 2012 Class A Lakewood BlueClaws are all about. Aggressive base running, including four stolen bases and one massive hit helped the 'Claws lock down a romp of the Nationals affiliate Hagerstown Suns on Saturday. Two stolen bases by lead-off man Gauntlett Eldemire (pictured) along with single swipes by Aaron Altherr and Kyrell Hudson took Lakewood's stolen base total through 10 games to 25. Meanwhile, heavy hitting third baseman Maikel Franco launched a pitch from Suns reliever Alex Kreis out onto the concourse behind the grass berm in left field for a two-run homerun ( video here ) that capped a seven-run 7th inning for the BlueClaws, who downed the Suns 14-4 to the delight of a near sellout crowd of 6,880 fans. The 23-year-old Eldemire, who missed the past two seasons with wrist injuries, leads the South Atlantic League with 8 steals. The Ohio native made his official pro debut at the start of the 2012 se...