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HELP SUPPORT CONTENT LIKE THIS AND KEEP IT COMING ALL SEASON LONG BY BECOMING A PATRON!  Get early access to articles like this, EXCLUSIVE interviews and more- https://www.patreon.com/phoulballz Lakewood's roster sports two buzz worthy prospects right now with outfield Malvin Matos on an extremely hot streak and pitcher Francisco Morales continuing to draw plenty of interest from prospect heads. Malvin Matos, image- Jay Floyd Matos, a 22-year-old righty batter, wrapped up, on Sunday, a 17-game stretch in which he went 27-for-62 (.436 average) with five doubles, three home runs, 12 RBI, nine walks and seven stolen bases.  He notched an 0-for-4 effort on Monday, but rebounded Tuesday with a pair of hits, including a solo homer, and a walk.  Morales, a 19-year-old right-hander, is one of the Phillies' most well-touted prospects. In 23 outings this year, the talented Venezuelan has posted a 4.05 ERA with a .227 batting average against and an 11.9 K/9 mark. ...

The 2016 season didn't start off the way righty pitcher Skylar Hunter had hoped it might. During spring training, it was announced that the 22-year-old had tested positive for an illegal drug and would miss the first 50 games of the season. Last year after the Phillies drafted Hunter in the 12th round out of the Citadel, Hunter posted a 3-3 record with a 3.38 ERA in 22 relief appearances for short-season A level Williamsport. This year, since being activated, he sports a 1-1 record with a 4.80 ERA in nine outings with Class A Lakewood. This week I spoke with Skylar about the suspension, his season to date, recent news related to police shootings and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview. -With the disciplinary issues that you faced, can that be a big learning experience for you? It definitely is. You get the consequence of your actions and you get a life lesson. I feel like it made me stronger and I feel like I’m ready to go. -When that takes plac...

  Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that Phillies minor league pitcher Alec Asher has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance enhancing drug. Asher was on the disabled list with a lower calf contusion after being hit in the leg with a batted ball for Triple-A Lehigh Valley last month. The 24-year-old posted a 4-2 record with a 2.30 ERA and a .193 batting average against in eight minor league starts this season after opening the 2016 campaign with Double-A Reading. After he was acquired from Texas as part of the Cole Hamels trade last season, Asher tallied a 0-6 record with a 9.31 ERA in seven big league starts. Asher is the second Phillies player busted for this substance in 2016. Rule 5 acquisition and lefty pitcher Daniel Stumpf was suspended earlier this season after appearing in three games for the Phils. Also of note from the farm... CF prospect Roman Quinn hit the disabled list for AA R...

Shane Watson, image- Jay Floyd On Friday, it was announced that injured Phillies pitching prospect Shane Watson would miss the opening 50 games of the 2015 season, after being served with a suspension as a result of testing positive for a banned substance. Reports stated that the illegal substance was not a performance enhancer, but instead was a drug of abuse. The 21-year-old right-hander, who recently announced his engagement to be married via his Twitter account, missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair an enlarged capsule last winter. Watson rehabbed this summer, but experienced a setback which was going to keep him out of action till next spring. Watson's injured status will not impact his suspension. In fact, the required time off could force the young hurler to proceed at a much slower pace and could be good for his physical health in the long run. Watson was chosen with the 40th overall pick by the Phillies in 2012. He sports...

By now, you've heard about the drug suspension imposed upon Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz earlier this week.  Following a second positive test for amphetamines, the 33-year-old Panama native will miss the first 25 games of the 2013 regular season. Following the news, Ruiz issued a statement to apologize to his team as well as the fans.  The Phillies also went public, stating that they were disappointed, but would continue to support their player.  Both of those are typical and were expected.  Also a sure thing are Philadelphia baseball fans' reactions to Ruiz upon his return.  The man they call "Chooch" is an individual that has accomplished a great amount while wearing Phils' red.  The "home grown" player has caught no-hitters.  He has become an All-Star.  He helped lock down a World Series championship and five consecutive division titles.  Philly faithful will absolutely continue to have their guy's back when he gets back on the field...

News broke on Tuesday afternoon that Phillies rookie infielder Freddy Galvis had been suspended for 50 games after he tested positive for metabolite of Clostebol, which is a performance-enhancing substance. Clostebol is a clear violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension is effective immediately for the 22-year-old, who was already out of action due to a back injury. It is unclear when the positive test result was discovered. Galvis, a native of Venezuela, issued the following statement: "A trace amount of a banned substance -- 80 parts in a trillion -- was detected in my urine sample. I am extremely disappointed in what has transpired. I cannot understand how even this tiny particle of a banned substance got into my body. I have not and never would knowingly use anything illegal to enhance my performance. I have always tried to follow the team's strength and conditioning methods, listen to the trainers, work out hard and eat right. Unfo...

In what continues to be a string of bad luck (Utley surgery, Amaro Jr. over-spending on Ibanez, Elton Brand's shoulder injury) since Pat Gillick retired as Phillies GM, news is unveiled tonight that JC Romero has been suspended for the first 50 games of next season. It's all very confusing, especially since the Phillies, MLB and Romero all knew about this during the post season. But it seems Romero purchased a supplement from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, NJ on July 22nd, and was told by a nutrionist, the Phillies' conditioning coach Dong Lien and MLB that the supplement was acceptable to use. 3 months later, it turns out, the supplement was not allowed. Romero was initially informed of the positive results on September 23rd. ESPN reports that during October Romero was told, by the Players' Association, that the case would be dropped because the findings of his drug screening were positive due to pills purchased over the counter. That did not prove true, obviously. Romero...