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After some serious bumps in the road Carlos Carrasco , is headed back to full health and is focused on a successful future in the big leagues. As a highly rated prospect in the Phillies organization, Carrasco once battled for an opening day roster spot with the Phils. During spring training 2009, the right-hander appeared in six games, posting a 2-2 record with a 5.95 ERA. The statistics weren't overly impressive, but "the stuff" was there, just as it had been six months prior when he posted a 1.72 ERA over six starts as a 21-year-old in Triple-A. Phils brass as well as scouts throughout baseball saw great potential in the Venezuelan hurler and he became a sought after commodity. By mid-season that year, Carrasco would become the key prospect dealt in a package that allowed the Phillies to acquire Cleveland ace Cliff Lee . By the end of that season, at age 22, Carrasco had made his big league debut for the Indians, while Lee led a charge to the World Series for the Phi...

The combination of blockbuster moves that landed Roy Halladay for the Phillies, in December, included a trio of players being sent from the Phils' minor league teams to Toronto. That trio was top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, 5-tool outfielder Michael Taylor (who was promptly dealt to Oakland for third baseman Brett Wallace) and...who was that other guy ? Well, regular PhoulBallz readers are plenty familiar with that other guy , Travis D'Arnaud. Travis was a big part of the Lakewood BlueClaws team that won the South Atlantic League title in 2009. He was also regarded highly enough to be invited to big league camp with the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida. I recently spoke with Travis about his off-season, his new team and other topics. Continue downward, and read all about it! Travis, how did the big trade effect your off-season? The trade only effected my off-season by having me travel to Florida for a physical at a moment's notice. I got a call the day after all of the trad...

Pedro Martinez's visit to Lakewood on Sunday was a big deal for all involved. Pedro is looking forward to getting himself ready to pitch in the Majors. Phans are anticipating the Phillies adding another Cy Young Award winner to the pitching staff. The Phillies are hoping that Martinez can contribute and help the Phillies in the pennant chase. The home team BlueClaws tried to play host to the Phillies' pitcher, additional media and an early arriving crowd. I spoke with a couple key BlueClaws in Sunday's happenings, who also thought it was a big deal, catcher Kyle Lafrenz and pitching coach Bob Milacki. Lafrenz was a 2009 draft pick and is the first '09 draft choice to make it to the Class A level BlueClaws. Milacki is a former Major League pitcher and an experienced coach. I asked Kyle about his experience in the roughly 25 minutes he spent warming up with and catching Pedro... You can't beat it. I mean, he's a future Hall of Famer, in my words. But, his stuff...

Cliff Lee is expected to join the Phillies today in San Francisco. American League pitchers have somewhat of a track record of increased success when they initially join a new team in the National League. Here is a look at some excellent cross overs from recent memory. CC Sabathia, 2008. After joining the Brewers midway through last season, Sabathia went 11-2 with 7 complete games, 3 shut outs and 128 K's over 17 starts. Johan Santana, 2008. In his first full NL season with the Metropolitans, Santana posted a 16-7 record with a 2.53 ERA and 206 K's in 34 starts. Bronson Arroyo, 2006. In his first three months with the Reds, Arroyo had a 9-4 record, with a 2.58 ERA and 89 K's in 17 starts. Randy Johnson, 1998. When Johnson left Seattle for Houston, he contributed greatly with a 10-1 record, 1.28 ERA, 4 complete games (all shut outs), with 116 K's in 11 starts. For further consideration, here is a look at those pitchers' statistics with the preceding American Leag...

The Phillies and Indians have reportedly agreed on a deal which would send Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson to Cleveland for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports on the agreement here .

Could future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez be on his way to the Phillies' pitching rotation? Yes, he could be. He could be the annual mid-level addition to the pitching staff that the team, and its phans, have grown accustomed to. Cory Lidle, Kyle Lohse, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton...those are the sorts of acquisitions the Phillies make each year, in July, to make a run at the playoffs. Pedro Martinez is no longer an all star...no longer a Cy Young Award contender...and no longer a staff ace. Toronto's Roy Halladay, who the Phillies were tied to with trade rumors this week, is that #1 pitcher the Phillies always miss out on. The Phillies don't do what it takes to add a top level, front of the rotation, all star, Cy Young Award winning sort of hurler. The team lets money and the risk of trading away prospects get in the way. John Kruk tells a story about how the 1993 Phillies could have added Randy Johnson in a mid-season trade, but the front office was held up on pitching prosp...

Tyler Cloyd is a 21 year old (22 next Saturday) right handed starting pitcher for the Low A ball Lakewood BlueClaws . Over six starts this season, Cloyd is 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 38 innings pitched. His strike out to walk ratio (38:6) certainly stands out and exemplifies his control. He's fresh off an 8 shut out inning performance against Kannapolis on Thursday, in which he struck out 8 and walked none. Cloyd was an 18 th round 2008 draft selection by our Phillies . He began his pro career with the Gulf Coast League Phillies in June and did not allow a run in his first two starts, earning wins in each. He was then transferred to Williamsport , where he pitched for current Lakewood manager Dusty Wathan . At Williamsport he went 5-4 in 65 innings over 12 starts, with a 4.57 ERA. I had a chance to speak with Tyler, and here's how that went down. What thoughts do you have on your early success thus far? Any secrets to you success? There are no secrets really. ...

PhoulBallz.com spoke with Lakewood BlueClaws pitching coach, and former Major League pitcher, Bob Milacki. - I asked Coach Bob to comment on Jason Knapp's sparkling 7 shut out inning/14 strike out performance on Tuesday. Ah, it was impressive. Impressive. I mean you see a guy that throws that hard, that young, and has command of his three pitches, it was fun to watch. - What's his pitch repertoire like? He has a fastball, a good curveball and his third pitch is his changeup. But, ya know, when he had them all working together, and you throw a lot of strikes, it's fun to watch. They were late on his fastball, he overpowered hitters at times, and he changed speeds enough to where they never really caught up to his fastball. It was really impressive to watch. - How much have you had to do with Knapp upping his level of performance? I think it's all him. I mean, he's tremendous at making changes. The pitching coach is here just to guide him in the right direction, but h...

PhoulBallz .com was fortunate enough to meet with Phillies prospect Jason Knapp just one day after he caught the attention of the baseball world with his 7 shut out innings, 14 strike out performance against the Indians' Lake County team. - I asked Jason, the Lakewood BlueClaw , for some thoughts about his big game... I had pretty good command of three pitches (fastball, curve, change up). I was on the same page with my catcher, D'Arnaud , and I ended up, ya know, I felt pretty good. - In a great performance like that, how much credit goes to Travis D'Arnaud , the catcher? More than you might expect, definitely. I didn't shake him off once. He told me what to throw and I do what I'm told. And if it works out, a lot of the credit goes to the catcher. - Does the lack of run support (Lakewood has scored 3 total runs in his 3 starts), in your few starts, increase your stress level, or enhance your focus? No, I just try to go out and do my job every outing. Ya know, we...

Jason Knapp Today's pitching performances from Phillies' minor leaguers were sparkling, exciting and phantastic, to say the least. Gems all around from the Phillies' deep corp of minor league arms, and here is a full report. Carlos Carrasco had a solid outing for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Against the Syracuse Chiefs, the Nationals' triple A affiliate, Carlos threw 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on just 3 hits, walked 1 and struck out 10. Reading Phillie Tyson Brummett faced the Altoona Curve, the Pirates double A affiliate. Brummett gave up just 1 earned run on 5 hits, in 7 2/3 innings, walking none and striking out 5. High A ball Clearwater had former top draft pick Kyle Drabek on the hill tonight. Drabek threw 6 2/3 innings, following a scoreless 1 inning start appearance by Mike Zagurski. Drabek walked 2, gave up 4 hits and allowed no runs, while striking out 10. After all those, the best start of the day came this morning from Lakewood's 18 year old prospect Jas...

Dusty Wathan and Tim Gradoville working with the infielders PhoulBallz.com checked out the BlueClaws' open practice today and got some face time with new Lakewood manager and former Phillies minor leaguer Dusty Wathan. -Dusty, do you have any things that stick in your mind from your two seasons as a player in spring training with the Phillies? Just being able to be around guys and develop friendships with guys that were able to win the World Series last year. It's pretty special to be able to watch that World Series and know that you've been in the club house with those guys, and hung out with them and become friends with them. I think that's the biggest moment I had was getting to see those guys win the World Series and how much joy I had for them. -What's the coaching staff like with Lakewood and have you worked with the coaches before? (Hitting coach) Greg Legg was in the system already when I was a player and we got to know each other a little bit. I never play...