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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...

Throughout the autumn and winter months, I have been checking in with various Phillies minor league players to inquire about how they try to maintain their baseball acumen during the long, drawn-out off-season. This edition features 2009's 15th round draft selection, righty pitcher Austin Hyatt . As a member of the Double-A Reading Phillies in 2011, the 25-year-old Hyatt was named an Eastern League All-Star as he sported a 12-6 record with a 3.85 ERA while striking out 171 batters in 154 1/3 innings. As solid as Hyatt's stats seem over his 28 starts, he really turned things on after the All-Star break, going 5-1 with a 2.78 ERA and a .221 batting average against. The 6-foot-3-inch 205-pounder took some time to answer some questions, from his home in Georgia this week, about his off-season routine, his goals for the upcoming season and more. Read ahead to check out what Austin had to say. -How much time off do you take from throwing during the off-season and what's your r...

According to ESPNChicago , Mark Parent is headed to Chicago to be the new bench coach of the White Sox, beside new manager Robin Ventura, who was named as the replacement for the departed Ozzie Guillen, who parted ways with the team after 8 seasons. Parent, a former big league catcher, had been a manager in the Phillies developmental system for each of the past two seasons. In 2010 he led the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws to their second straight South Atlantic League championship and in 2011, he was at the helm for the playoff bound Double A Reading Phillies. The big league Phillies recently granted the White Sox permission to speak with Parent about their coaching vacancy. Parent played 13 seasons in the Majors, spending time with San Diego, Texas, Baltimore, Detroit and the Chicago Cubs. Another former Phillie, Jeff Manto, is also rumored to a candidate to join the White Sox coaching staff. The new coaches will take over a White Sox team that finished the 2011 season 4 games under .50...

The Reading Phillies' season ended on Sunday night, when they lost their best-of-five playoff series in four games to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Prior to the game, I spoke with R-Phils manager Mark Parent about various topics. Excerpts from that discussion can be heard by checking out the media player below. ___________________________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE

Reading Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis became a rising star this season at the Double A level. Formerly regarded as a player who was strong on defense but lacked the abilities at the plate that would allow him to ascend upward to the highest levels of the sport, the 21-year-old is shining brightly; so much so, the Phillies are moving him up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He'll join the Iron Pigs on Tuesday - one step closer to the top. After batting .188 in 21 games late last year in the Venezuelan Winter League, Galvis' bonus season was cut short by the Phillies, who requested that he report to their spring training headquarters in Clearwater, Florida to work out and increase his physical strength. The off-season training lasted roughly two months for Galvis, who focused on developing his core, but also improved his throwing arm and mostly his ability to drive the ball. Aside from the enhanced physique, Galvis' placement in the batting order has helped his offensive prod...

A poor 2010 season on the mound for Joe Savery seemed to secure the switch for the lefty pitcher into an everyday position player. This time last season, the Phillies were preparing to completely alter the career of their former 1st round draft pick. Now, Savery is back where he started and, some say, better off than he ever was. With increased velocity, reaching 94 MPH with his fastball in recent weeks, Savery has revamped a pitching career that was virtually in forced retirement on opening day. After posting a 1-12 record and a 4.66 ERA mainly as a starter for Triple A Lehigh Valley last year, the Phillies changed Savery to a full-time offensive player in the latter stages of the season. Savery proceeded to bat .348 in 36 games as a hitter in 2010. This season, playing first base, outfield and spending time as a designated hitter, Savery, a Rice University product, climbed the developmental ladder, as he had once done as a hurler, beginning in 2007 after the Phillies selected hi...

Monday night, Joe Savery pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief for the Double A Reading Phillies. A year ago, this information may not have surprised too many people. However, this season, since Savery was converted from pitcher to full-time hitter, it caught plenty of folks by surprise. With Reading in the midst of a stretch of their schedule when they have no days off for more than three weeks and the organization promoting players upward, as injuries command, the R-Phils have been in need of some extra pitching. The 25-year-old Savery, who was drafted in the 1st round by the Phillies in 2007 and pitched four professional seasons, fits the bill to supplement the club's needs. Reading manager Mark Parent addressed the matter today, stating that at the time of Savery's mid-June promotion from Class A Advanced Clearwater, it was known that the left-hander could slide into a relief role at some point. "When he was sent here to DH and to get at bats, to see how he was able...

Before any official release was made by the organization, news came out on Thursday, thanks to social media, that two of the organization's top relief pitching prospects were taking another step toward their ultimate goals of pitching in the Major Leagues. Right-handed pitchers Justin De Fratus and Phillippe Aumont are headed from Double A Reading to the Triple A level Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Both De Fratus and Aumont announced their promotions via Twitter between late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. De Fratus, a 6-foot-4-inch 220-pounder, has been excellent with the R-Phils. In 23 games, De Fratus posted a 4-0 record with a 2.10 ERA and a team leading 8 saves. De Fratus' 43 strike outs in 34 1/3 innings are impressive as well. The 23-year-old was ranked 5th in the PhoulBallz/PhilliesNation 2011 prospect rankings . The Oxnard, California native De Fratus was originally an 11th round draft pick in 2007 by the Phillies, is definitely pleased with the move, but sti...

Here are a few exclusive insider updates on some players in the Philadelphia developmental system. -The Double A Reading Phillies have made a move with their pitching staff, moving 26-year-old Canadian Chris Kissock into the bullpen this week, after he surrendered 6 earned runs in 3 innings in his last start. Kissock had posted a 1-4 record and a 6.81 ERA in 7 starts this season. Filling the void in the team's rotation will be 25-year-old BJ Rosenberg, who previously helped solidify a strong bullpen for the R-Phils. Rosenberg, had never started as a professional, but Reading manager Mark Parent expressed some confidence in the decision to switch the two righty hurlers' roles. "Well, we want to get Kissock back in a role that is comfortable and that he was real successful in. BJ will be able to throw more innings and continue to improve his secondary stuff, which is improving all the time," Parent said on Friday. In his first start on Friday night, Rosenberg, who was s...

As an offensive force, Cody Overbeck has become a leader on the Double A Reading Phillies squad. The multi-positional Mississipian has 8 homeruns and 22 RBI, which are both good enough to lead the Eastern League. Overbeck, who stands 6-feet-1-inch tall and weighs 200 pounds, has improved greatly in each of the past two seasons. Thus far in 2011, Overbeck has posted a slash line of .297/.333/.576 (batting average/on base percentage/slugging percentage). Combined at the two levels last year, Overbeck's output looked like- .276/.354/.490, which was a tremendous improvement over his 2009 statistics. In 96 games with Clearwater 2009, Overbeck's line was an unimpressive .230/.282/.399. Named by the Eastern League as player of the month for April this season, Overbeck's focus as he progresses is on staying in a groove. He credits his hitting coach Frank Cacciatore for providing him with an extra pair of eyes and an experienced baseball mind to helping him make adjustments w...

Last season, former Major League catcher Mark Parent managed the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws to a South Atlantic League championship. This year, Parent is the manager of the Double A Reading Phillies. Thus far this season, Reading has gotten off to a strong start, posting a 16-10 record, which is good enough for a first place tie in the Eastern League's Eastern Division. The R-Phils' pitching staff has been led by the likes of starting pitcher JC Ramirez as well as key contributors like Justin De Fratus, Phillippe Aumont and Josh Zeid. The offensive side of the game has been run by third baseman Cody Overbeck and first baseman Matt Rizzotti, while Freddy Galvis' infield defense has shined as well. Parent speaks about all of those prospects and much more in this exclusive interview. Check out the media player below to listen. __________________________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . You can also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook b...

Four of the Phillies' six minor league clubs will officially have new managers in 2011 after the Phillies announced on Monday that they have given promotions to Mark Parent and Chris Truby. Parent, a former Major League catcher who played with the Phillies, among other clubs, will move up to Double A Reading. Parent, 49, managed the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws to a second consecutive South Atlantic League title in 2010 and then spent time as hitting coach with the Arizona Fall League's Mesa Solar Sox. The Autumn assignment could be more than busy work for Parent, who seems to be a likely candidate for the role of hitting coach at the Major League level in the coming years. Speaking in an exclusive interview following Lakewood's title clincher in September, Parent seemed to be considerably focused on acquiring a big league spot. Replying to an inquiry about the potential realignment among the Phillies' minor league management positions, Parent stated, "The higher you...

MESA, AZ- Matt Rizzotti , who enjoyed an outstanding season in the minor leagues at three levels of the Phillies organization, brought his hot bat to the Arizona Fall League last month. As a member of the Mesa Solar Sox, the lefty batting first baseman from Floral Park, NY has continued his impressive 2010 into the Autumn. The 6'5" Rizzotti has made himself a prospect to be reckoned with by blazing through the minors throughout the Spring and Summer, posting a .343 batting average and a .985 OPS in 125 games. He was also one of just two Phils minor leaguers who moved up two levels to stay, during the season. The other was pitcher Vance Worley. Among Arizona Fall League batters that include top prospects from several Major League organizations, like Seattle's second overall draft choice from 2009 Dustin Ackley, the Angels' Brandon Wood who has played at the Major League level, the Blue Jays' Eric Thames who was an Eastern League MVP candidate this year and Braves...

Mesa, Arizona is the autumn home to seven Phillies minor leaguers as well as players from the Angels, Mets, Pirates and Cubs. Seven players from each of those organizations make up the 35-man roster of the Solar Sox, who sit in 2nd place in the Arizona Fall League's East Division. As recently as Friday, the Sox were tied for first in the division with Scottsdale as both teams sported a 9-6 record, but a head-to-head battle between the 2 teams for the top spot in the division went to the Scorpions in a 9-1 rout on Friday. Following a 15-1 mashing of the Peoria Saguaros on Monday, Mesa has a 10-8 record and sits 1 game behind Scottsdale. In the game, 24-year-old first base prospect Matt Rizzotti went 3-for-5, with a double, a walk and 2 RBI to bring his batting average up to .412 in 9 AFL games. Rizzotti, an Eastern League all-star in 2010, is also averaging more than a walk per game in Fall action and has posted a stunning .545 on-base percentage. Some familiar pitchers also shined...

The Arizona Fall League is a place for aspiring Major Leaguers to go to work on their baseball skills in the Autumn months. As the weather begins to cool elsewhere, the diamond stays hot and for many of baseball's most promising young talents in Arizona. Rosters in the AFL are a mixture of different organizations' prospects, with each Major League club sending 7 players that combine to fill up the 35-man rosters of the league's six teams. With many of the sport's top prospects playing in the league annually, the AFL has become a virtual launching pad to the big leagues. Several players from last year's AFL rosters made their MLB debuts in 2010. The likes of Ike Reese, Mike Leake, Domonic Brown, Starlin Castro, Stephen Strasburg and Buster Posey all made their names known in their respective organization's cities and around MLB this year. Certainly not all of this year's AFL players are gearing up to be playing on their sport's biggest stage within the ne...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- It was a historic day for the BlueClaws as they defeated the Greenville Drive in game 4 of the South Atlantic League Championship Series to lock down their second consecutive championship. After winning the Northern Division title in the first and second halves of the season, Lakewood became the very first team in league history to win both halves and clinch the championship. The current format began with the 2000 season. It was a clutch homerun by catcher Sebastian Valle in the 5th inning and masterful pitching from right-handed reliever Josh Zeid that led the way for the BlueClaws' victory. Valle's 3-run bomb off of Drive reliever Kendal Volz gave Lakewood a lead they would not relinquish thanks to 4 perfect innings of relief from Zeid. "I owed it to my team. I struggled earlier in the year and I finished strong and the team battled all year, so I just really wanted to finish it for them," Zeid stated following the game. Josh Zeid with the SA...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- In a game pushed back one day due to rain, it took until the very last at bat to decide who would have the advantage heading into the final day of the South Atlantic League Postseason, as the Phillies affiliate, the Lakewood BlueClaws, played host to the Red Sox affiliate, the Greenville Drive. The team affectionately known around the region as "The Cardiac 'Claws" locked down their 14th walk-off win of the season when mid-season All-star Jeremy Barnes singled to drive home the go ahead run that gave Lakewood a 2-1 win. In the home half of the 9th, Jiwan James led off with a single and was moved over the 2nd on a Michael Dabbs sacrifice bunt. Slugger Jonathan Singleton was intentionally walked, to set up a force play with one out. Lakewood catcher Sebastian Valle then flied out, setting the stage for Barnes' shining moment against Greenville reliever Dennis Neuman. "To have a walk-off hit in a game like this is huge. This is the highlight of my seas...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- On Saturday night in game 3 of the Northern Division playoffs, Lakewood starting pitcher Jonathan Pettibone took charge early and led his team back to the South Atlantic League Championship. From the start, Pettibone's command was on point and his fastball was a notch faster than normal, coming in at 94 MPH on the FirstEnergy Park radar gun. Pettibone's battery mate Sebastian Valle fed off the energy from his pitcher and slammed a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the 1st inning that scored Michael Dabbs, who singled. Jeremy Barnes also drove in a run in the 1st, when he slapped a single that plated Leandro Castro. Pettibone held opposing batters to just 1 hit while striking out a career high 9 batters over 7 innings, leading the defending league champs to a 6-0 victory and clinching a return to the finals. "The early run support definitely helped my confidence," Pettibone said after the game. "I just tried to go out there and pitch the best I could to...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- With a chance to clinch a spot in the South Atlantic League finals, the Lakewood BlueClaws couldn't muster the offense it was going to take to get themselves an extra day off before travelling to the host city for the next round's opening game. Struggling to put the ball in play when it counted against the Rangers affiliate Hickory Crawdads, the BlueClaws stranded 4 runners in scoring position, with the game tied in the 7th and 9th innings. Lakewood fell short again when they came to the plate trailing in the 10th inning and lined themselves out of a chance to tie the game or walk off with a victory. A lead off walk for Leandro Castro and a double by Jeremy Barnes, that began the 7th inning, were wasted when Hickory reliever Miguel De Los Santos refocused and struck out the next 3 batters. This occurred in the midst of a stretch where 13 of 14 outs made by BlueClaws batters were on strike outs. In the 9th inning Castro led off again drawing a walk. Barnes bunted ...

By now you have heard that the Phillies are back in first place, atop the National League East standings. There's a long road ahead for the big club, with 22 regular season games remaining, as the Phils try to reach the post-season for the fourth straight year. However, the A Level Lakewood BlueClaws begin their quest to repeat as South Atlantic League Champions tonight, as the playoffs get underway in Hickory, North Carolina. Trevor May, a right-handed pitcher who was recently ranked as the #4 prospect in the Phillies organization in a poll done by The Reading Eagle , was a member of the BlueClaws championship roster last year. May is slated to be the BlueClaws' game 1 starter, as they face the Rangers Class A affiliate, the Hickory Crawdads. May, who was also on the Gulf Coast League Phillies roster that won the GCL title in 2008, recently spoke about the team's playoff push. "As of late, we've been playing really well, trying to go into the playoffs running. I...