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In their first move at the annual MLB Winter Meetings, the Phillies announced the signing of free agent right-hander David Hernandez to a one-year deal. The 30-year-old is a veteran of six big league seasons and was originally a 16th round draft selection by Baltimore in 2005. In 40 appearances last season for Arizona, Hernandez sported a 1-5 record along with a 4.38 ERA. This signing by Philadelphia will help to fill out the bullpen, but should not be expected to improve it. As seen in the embedded tweet below, Hernandez has very similar career numbers to departed righty reliever Justin De Fratus . Phils RHP acquisition David Hernandez- 4.15ERA, 1.32WHIP, 9.0K/9, 3.8BB/9. Departed RHP Justin DeFratus- 4.08ERA, 1.37WHIP, 7.9K/9, 3.6BB/9. — Jay Floyd (@PhoulBallz) December 9, 2015 Additionally, reports out of the Winter Meetings also mention continued dialogue between the Phils and Astros regarding closer Ken Giles. Phils and Astros have been talking about Giles all week....

About a month ago, Phillies Nation featured a post with prospects Brian Pointer and Mark Leiter Jr. predicting the outcome of the entire WrestleMania 31 card. Now, as the biggest boxing match in history approaches, those two and others took time to offer their thoughts on Saturday night's huge title match between undefeated Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao with the unified welterweight championship on the line. Read ahead for comments from Pointer and Leiter as well as Phils relievers Justin De Fratus and Mario Hollands , Phillies backstop Cameron Rupp , pitching prospect Matt Imhof , Lehigh Valley righty hurler Tyler Knigge , top prospect J.P. Crawford, Clearwater third baseman Mitch Walding , Reading's speedy center fielder Roman Quinn along with former Phillies All-Star and current minor league coach Mickey Morandini . Pointer - Money Mayweather will win in a unanimous decision. Leiter - I'll take Pac-man. Turn it into a three-fight...

It's the landmark 69th edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast with our special guest Phillies pitcher Justin De Fratus . Joining the program in studio, Justin sat in for an extensive interview talking about his time in the minors, his past "controversial" Twitter comments as well as playing for Charlie Manuel and Ryne Sandberg . He also shares stories about initiating former teammate Brian Gump to Class A ball and how former big league All-Star Brad Lidge impacted his approach after Lidge's retirement plus loads more. 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 61st edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast Tug and Jay are joined by former Phillies hurler Brandon Duckworth , who phoned in to discuss his minor league days, winning multiple Paul Owens Awards, pitching in Japan and plenty more. The guys also chat about Jimmy Rollins ' chase of the all-time Phillies hit record, Severino Gonzalez 's struggles, the progress of Cesar Hernandez and some relief that may be on the way for the big club. 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 . 

Tyson Gillies with Reading in 2013, Image- Jay Floyd Bad luck continued for troubled outfielder Tyson Gillies on Friday, as the Phillies announced that the 25-year-old was suspended for three games. Confirming the rumor that he had taken his frustration out on some equipment after a tough loss for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday night, a game in which Gillies went 0-for-5 and struck out four times, the youngster explained via his Twitter account what took place and resulted in the missed time. "I apologize to everyone for my actions and know this can't happen. Frustration got the best of me and I threw my equipment against the wall," Gillies tweeted . Gillies, a British Columbia native, joined the Phillies in December 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle. The lefty batting speedster has missed loads of time, playing in only 231 regular season games since joining the Phillies. In the past four seasons, Gillies has been plagued by injuries which...

On the 28th edition of the program, Jay and Tug are joined by Phillies relief pitcher Justin De Fratus who talks about seeking guidance from Phils closer Jonathan Papelbon , having a place in team history, his weight lifting prowess and much more. The guys also discuss Domonic Brown 's hot month, Michael Martinez 's lack of big league impact, Cesar Hernandez 's call up and plenty more from the bottom to the top of the Phillies organization. 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 latest episode of Phillies Nation TV, I joined Pat and Corey to discuss the potential contributions of Darin Ruf following his addition to the big league roster as well as the Phils' exciting young bullpen contributors like Phillippe Aumont , Jake Diekman , B.J. Rosenberg and Justin De Fratus . Additionally, the guys also discuss the Phillies' postseason chances and field some viewer questions. Check out the full episode, as seen on Service Electric 2 Sports, in the media player below.

On Friday, two players that could potentially provide some help to the big league Phillies roster this season were in action with the organization's Gulf Coast League club, rehabbing their injuries. Right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus (elbow strain) and outfielder Domonic Brown (knee sprain) both looked good in their efforts down Florida. De Fratus, who threw a scoreless frame for the GCL Phils on Friday while striking out two and allowing no baserunners, says that everything feels good and that he is slated to pitch again on Monday with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers. De Fratus last pitched a scoreless inning on Tuesday, in his first official game action since April. At this stage, the 24-year-old is taking his progress on an appearance-by-appearance basis, as the Phillies plan to make sure each outing goes well, without any setbacks, before they make decisions on each subsequent appearance. Additionally, Brown went 2-for-5 on Friday with two doubles and an ...

hile the nation was focused on the big league All-Star Game on Tuesday, some noteworthy rehab activity was going on in the minor for the Phillies. Reliever Justin De Fratus , top prospect Domonic Brown and minor league outfielder Tyson Gillies all saw game action, after some lengthy absences from the diamond. Firstly, with the Gulf Coast League Phillies completed a suspended game from Monday by downing the Blue Jays team 5-4 in the morning hours. Following that, in a shortened seven-inning affair that the Phils won 7-3, right-hander Justin De Fratus (pictured, right) started and threw a scoreless inning, allowing a hit while striking out one batter. De Fratus has been sidelined with a strained flexor tendon in his throwing elbow. The 24-year-old had previously thrown a simulated game on Saturday, which was his first time facing hitters since April 22nd, when he threw for Class A Advanced Clearwater. De Fratus, the Phillies' 11th round draft pick in 2007, made his big le...

On the latest edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast, Tug and I discuss rehabbing Phillies players from recent years, some stand out pitching prospects at Class A, injured OF Kyrell Hudson and we deliver an exclusive update on rehabbing Phils reliever Justin De Fratus . Additionally, we share a special announcement about the show. Check out the media player below to listen to 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 .

Tropical Storm Debby swept through Florida this weekend and impacted the home of the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, Brighthouse Field. In these images tweeted by rehabbing Phillies reliever Justin De Fratus , the flooding left by the heavy rains can be seen. With lingering effects of Debby expected to continue to drop moisture on Florida through Monday, it is unclear exactly how the team's schedule will be affected, as the Threshers are on the road until Thursday. The Gulf Coast League Phillies, who also play in Clearwater, have home games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. The GCL team plays most of its games on the neighboring Carpenter Complex field. Reportedly, other ballparks in the region were affected in similar fashion as well. De Fratus, a right-hander, who is recovering from a strain in his throwing elbow, threw from a mound on Thursday and Saturday and is progressing well. The 24-year-old De Fratus is feeling just fine and is happy to be taking his rehab...

We're back with another brand new edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast. This week, Tug and I talked about the progress of RHP Colby Shreve , Trevor May 's DJ gig the R-Phils game last Saturday, Brian Gump 's progress as a pitcher, the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A White Sox), the short-season Crosscutters' season beginning, R-Phils closer Justin Friend and BlueClaws OF Kyrell Hudson . We also provide updates on the Clearwater Threshers, including exclusive info on LHP Mario Hollands , first baseman Jim Murphy , along with notes on rehabbing Phillies, plus the progress of RHP Justin De Fratus ' elbow. Click HERE to download this episode. You can also listen to the show with the media player below. In addtion, find a backlog of episodes HERE . You can also subscribe on iTunes by clicking HERE .

Just a quick update on right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus, who is on the 60-day disabled list, out of action for the Phillies with elbow troubles... De Fratus confirmed this week that he is taking his recovery quite slowly.  The 24-year-old has been out of action all season with a strained flexor tendon. The native of Oxnard, CA stated that he feels as though he's getting stronger every day.  De Fratus had previously gotten close to a return to regular action when he appeared in an extended spring training game and followed that up with a scoreless inning of work for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers on April 22nd. However, the 6-foot-5-inch 220-pounder experienced considerable discomfort after that outing and was forced to discontinue throwing. Currently, De Fratus is on a throwing program on flat ground.  He does not have a time frame for when he would begin throwing from a mound or facing hitters.  _____________...

A few quick injury notes here from around the Phillies' system.... - Kelly Dugan (pictured), who nastily twisted his ankle last month, has returned to action after missing nearly three weeks of playing time.  On April 20th, the Phillies' top draft pick from 2009 sprained his ankle when he stepped on first base awkwardly, taking a throw on a ground out. According to Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini, Dugan played in extended spring training games on Thursday and Friday and is feeling much improved, running and hitting with no difficulties. For an image of Dugan's awfully bruised and swollen ankle, from the time of the injury, click here . In 15 games with Lakewood this season, the 21-year-old Dugan posted a .245 batting average with 2 doubles, 2 homeruns and 9 RBI. -Lefty pitcher Nick Hernandez is still roughly a month away from facing hitters.  The Phils' 12th round draft pick from 2009 has been out of action for nearly two years.  The 6-foot-5-inch 2...

Righty reliever Justin De Fratus, who has been checking in with this site throughout his delayed 2012 campaign regarding his progress, as he recovers from an elbow ailment, has experienced a setback on his road to recovery. De Fratus told PhoulBallz.com's and PhilliesNation.com's Jay Floyd exclusively last weekend that, following a rehab appearance with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers that he would have a similar outing with Clearwater the following Wednesday.  After experiencing more discomfort with his increasingly aggressive work schedule, De Fratus was shut down by the Phillies, as a precautionary measure to avoid additional problems. Described as a strain on the flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, the ailment is expected to heal fully with rest.  The native of Oxnard, CA is expected to sit out for two weeks and will then be reevaluated for a return to an active throwing program. An 11th round draft pick in 2007, De Fratus made his Major League debut la...

Right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus has recovered from the elbow ailment that kept him out of action throughout all of spring training and has begun facing batters in minor league rehab appearances.  The Phillies' 11th round draft pick from 2007 has been checking in, on a regular basis, and providing exclusive updates directly to the fans about his road back to action at the upper levels, throughout the past several weeks, right here on PhoulBallz.com. De Fratus, 24, went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his Major League debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. This week, De Fratus, who has been on the disabled list for the Phillies since the season began, is back in action, appearing with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers as he works his elbow into shape in somewhat of a delayed spring training....

As right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus recovers from an elbow ailment that kept him out of action throughout all of spring training, the California native has been checking in, on a regular basis, and providing exclusive updates directly to the fans right here on PhoulBallz.com. The 24-year-old reliever went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his Major League debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, who was ranked 5th on the 2012 PhilliesNation.com prospect rankings , hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. For Justin's most recent thoughts on his progression to full health, Phils' rookie infielder Freddy Galvis and more, read ahead and step inside the J-Bone Zone... On his progress and what the next steps will be- Everything's been great. The...

The fan favorite known to his family and friends as "J-Bone" is back with another inside look at his progress to begin a new season. Right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus shares his thoughts, exclusively with PhoulBallz.com and PhilliesNation.com once again, from Clearwater, FL. The 24-year-old hurler, who was selected in the 11th round of the 2007 draft, went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his big league debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, a native of Oxnard, CA, hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. In the latest edition of The J-Bone Zone, Justin discusses his recovery from elbow soreness this spring, his plans to compete in game action, the always dreaded cuts days in minor league camp and much more. Read ahead to get in the Zone. On...

You know him, you adore him and Justin De Fratus is back in the J-Bone Zone. The right-handed reliever joins PhoulBallz.com once again, from Clearwater, FL to offer his thoughts from inside Phillies spring training. The 24-year-old reliever went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his big league debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, an 11th round draft choice in 2007, hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. In the latest edition of The J-Bone Zone, Justin talks about his recovery from his elbow ailment, hunger for game action, Twitter and more. Read ahead for another edition of The J-Bone Zone. On the progression of his elbow, which kept him out of action with soreness for weeks at the outset of spring training... Everything'...

You know him, you adore him and Justin De Fratus is back in the J-Bone Zone. The righty reliever joins PhoulBallz.com live and direct, once again, from Clearwater, FL to offer his thoughts from inside Phillies spring training. The 24-year-old reliever went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his big league debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, an 11th round draft choice in 2007, hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. In the latest edition of The J-Bone Zone, Justin talks about the status of his elbow, what being ranked highly on prospect lists means to him, the team's mentality on hazing younger players and more. Read ahead for another edition of The J-Bone Zone. On the status of his improving elbow, which was sore and kept him out of act...