PhoulBallz.com

It's the season 2 premiere of the show (episode 18). In this edition Tug and Jay discuss Tug's wedding, some surprising releases from Phils minor league camp, Roy Halladay 's health, fast rising prospects Roman Quinn and Carlos Tocci , the Reading rebranding, Lehigh Valley's new alternate jersey, and much more! Check out the media player below to hear the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE . You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes .

Eldemire and Duffy with Lakewood in 2012 Following releases last week that didn't catch many off guard (details here , here and here ), the Phillies began some more house cleaning on Sunday when they cut ties with a pair of players that many people thought were not at risk of losing their spots in the system, as first baseman Chris Duffy and outfielder Gauntlett Eldemire were both released by the Phils, making each man a free agent. Duffy, a 26th round draft choice in 2010 out of the University of Central Florida, had an outstanding season in 2012 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws.  In 60 games there, the lefty batting slugger posted a .384 average with 11 homers and 56 RBI.  Additionally, in two different stints with Class A Advanced Clearwater last year, Duffy sported a .236 average with two home runs and 15 RBI.  The 25-year-old was credited with helping some of his younger Lakewood teammates excel at the plate as well. Eldemire, a 6th round draft select...

On the latest episode of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast, Tug and I talk about the Phillies' newly acquired prospects from the non-waiver trade deadline ( Tommy Joseph , Ethan Martin , Seth Rosin ), discuss the promotions of some of the Phils' top developmental talents ( Sebastian Valle , Jonathan Pettibone , Cesar Hernandez ) and say goodbye to Shane Victorino with several insider tales. We also speculate over this year's Paul Owens Award winners and we play the Twitter Game. Check out the media player below to hear the full show, or download it by clicking HERE . Additionally, click HERE to listen to previous episodes of the program. You can also subscribe on iTunes .

Lakewood first baseman Kelly Dugan (pictured, left) has been sent to the Phillies' spring traning home in Clearwater, FL to rehab his injured ankle. The switch-hitting Dugan has been sidelined since the Class A BlueClaws' game at Hagerstown on April 20th, when he stepped on first base awkwardly, while taking a throw on a ground out, and turned his left ankle. According to Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini, there is no time frame for a return for Dugan, but the injury is not very serious. "It's basically a twisted ankle. Once the swelling goes down and the pain goes away, he'll resume some strengthening (exercises) and he'll start running again," Morandini stated. Morandini added that Dugan spent some time in a protective boot, after suffering the injury, to limit the range of motion and to keep the swelling contained. The 21-year-old Dugan was the Phillies' top draft selection (2nd round) out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA in 20...

In the early going this season, outfielder Gauntlett Eldemire has proven to be a catalyst for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. Sporting a remarkable .324/.439/.500 line along with a league leading 8 stolen bases and 11 runs scored through his first 9 professional games, the 23-year-old has helped the team get off to a 3-1 start to their first homestand. A 6th round draft choice in 2010, Eldemire was sidelined each of the seasons since then, following wrist surgeries. In the short time since he's been able to take the field at full health for the Phillies organization, the Ohio native has shown glimpses of the five tools that baseball scouts covet so much. Recently, Gauntlett took some time to answer a few questions and talk about the misdiagnosis that led to extended time on the shelf, his coaches, his draft experience and more. Check out the media player below to hear the full interview. _________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by c...

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...