Phillies Nation

Jesse Biddle was ranked as the Phillies' number 1 prospect by Baseball America

On Monday, Baseball America released its annual list of top 10 prospects in the Phillies organization. The rankings feature some plenty of names that are deserving of considerable regard, but also includes some debatable placement.

Generally, I feel that prospect rankings issued by national writers or their publications are a somewhat questionable, as such members of the media do not get to see many of the same players on a regular basis and, as such, must rely on other people’s accumulated scouting reports and other material to publish full reviews.  Limitations of how frequently a player is viewed over a season can prevent an analyst from witnessing development or getting to see the type of work individuals put in outside the lines.  A player’s progress is key in reviewing his potential and in ranking him among other prospects, as are his age, his proximity to helping the big league team and other factors as well.

What’s wrong with the list-

Failure to include third baseman Cody Asche in the top five is quite an oversight.  The University of Nebraska product ranks 7th on the list and proved to be one of the Phils’ best young talents in 2012 when he posted a combined .324 average with 12 home runs and 72 RBI at Class A Advanced and Double-A during his first full pro season.

Shortstop Roman Quinn holding down the number two spot is not on point.  With other players more deserving, the 19-year-old Quinn having not yet shown the sort of efforts that could solidify such a ranking should be considered for the list, but should not be at the top of it.  Quinn, the Phillies’ 2nd round draft choice last year, batted .281 with a homer, 23 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 66 pro games with short-season Class A Williamsport after debuting as a pro in 2012. Continue reading BA’s Prospect Rankings Up for Debate

It’s another edition of our weekly off-season league updates.  Check it out, as we take a tour around the globe for a look at Phillies talents participating in various autumn and winter league action. Stats are current through games on Saturday.

Mexican League-

Catcher Sebastian Valle (pictured, left) is batting .214 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in 17 games with Los Mochis.  The righty hitting Valle, 22, was an All-Star in the Double-A Eastern League in 2012 prior to earning a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Venezuelan League-

Darin Ruf wrapped up his time with the La Guaira last week. The 26-year-old Creighton product posted a .258 batting average with 10 HR and 27 RBI in 32 games for the Tiburones. Ruf, a 20th round draft choice from 2009, made his big league debut with the Phillies in September and batted .333 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs in 12 games. Continue reading Weekly Off-season League Updates, 11/25/12

It’s another edition of our off-season league updates. Each week, we’ll take a tour around the globe for a look at Phillies talents participating in various autumn and winter action.

Venezuelan League-

Shortstop Freddy Galvis (pictured, left) is batting .321 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs through 14 games with Zulia. The switch-hitter is just 2-for-16 (.125 avg) against lefty pitchers.

Infielder Harold Garcia has been playing some third base for Zulia. The 26-year-old is 4-for-12 with a double and a triple through five contests.

Outfielder Tyson Gillies returned to action on Wednesday after missing nine days with a hamstring strain.  Gillies, who turns 24-years-old this week, is batting.385 with a double, a triple and two RBI in seven games for Lara.  Gillies has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, since joining the Phillies organization as part of the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle in December, 2009.

Phillies rookie Darin Ruf has posted a .213 batting average with a double, six home runs and 13 RBI in 13 games for La Guaira. The 26-year-old righty hitter mashed two homers and drove in six runs in the Tiburones’ 8-2 win on Saturday. Ruf, the Phils’ 20th round draft selection in 2009 slugged a club record 38 homers for Double-A Reading in 2012.  (UPDATE, Sunday, 8:19 PM- Ruf mashed two home runs for the second consecutive game in Sunday’s match up against Anzoategui, bringing his season total to eight in 14 games) Continue reading Weekly Off-season Review, 10/28/12

Just one of the Phillies’ four full season minor league affiliates are headed to the postseason. Taking all 142 games of their schedule to do so, the Double-A Reading Phils clinched their Wild Card berth with a 7-3 win over Portland on Monday, on the final day of the Eastern League’s regular season.

In the Eastern division standings, the R-Phils beat out New Britain by just one game for the right to take on division champ Trenton (Yankees affiliate) this week with a chance to play in the EL championship series on the line.

To open the playoffs, Reading will host the Thunder for games 1 and 2, at Reading’s First Energy Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday. Games 3, 4 and 5 will be played at Trenton’s Waterfront Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, if necessary. Reading finished three games behind Trenton in the season standings, but the R-Phils downed the division champs in seven of 13 contests during the regular season.

Reading’s top offensive performer this season was the EL Most Valuable Player Darin Ruf (pictured), who finished second in the league in batting average with a .317 mark while leading the league in home runs with 38 and RBI with 104.

Ruf had a torrid month of August, batting .371 with 20 HR and 36 RBI in 31 games.  The Phillies’ 20th round draft choice from 2009, cited the meaningful games down the stretch, while his team strived to reach the postseason, as having played a factor in helping him pick up his production.

“The longer we stayed in it, the more meaningful the games were and that way you can’t give up on a game or give up on an at bat. The more meaningful it is, the more you’ll get out of each situation and the better you’ll be, ultimately, for a playoff run,” Ruf stated. Continue reading Developmental End of Season Wrap Up

We’re back with another semi-weekly minor league review, where we take a look at the various developmental levels of the Phillies’ organization and some noteworthy players from each club. This time, it’s a glance at some top performers of late, as well as those that aren’t doing so well.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs…

Who’s hot:

RHP Jonathan Pettibone (pictured, right) has posted a 3-0 record with a 1.80 ERA in three starts this month for the IronPigs. Overall, combined with his time at Double-A Reading this season, Pettibone has tallied a 12-7 record with a 3.10 ERA and 100 strike outs in 142 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old was the Phillies’ 3rd round draft selection in 2008.

Who’s not:

IF Cesar Hernandez is 5-for-31 (.161 avg) in his past eight games. In 16 games since his promotion to Lehigh Valley, the 22-year-old Hernandez has posted a .231 batting average.

Right-handed starting pitcher Scott Elarton has gone 0-3 with a 6.98 ERA in four starts this month. The 36-year-old veteran has not recorded a win since May. Continue reading Weekly Minor League Review, 8/19/12

It’s another sometimes-weekly minor league review, where we take a look at the various developmental levels of the Phillies’ organization and some noteworthy players from each club.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs…

Who’s hot-

Tyler Cloyd (pictured, right) continued his dominance of the year 2012 in his latest start. The 25-year-old righty notched the win against Pawtucket on Thursday, allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work. The victory took Cloyd’s record to 14-1 and his ERA in 1.91 in 22 combined starts at Double-A and Triple-A this season. The Phillies’ 18th round draft pick in 2008 has been making it extremely difficult for the Phillies to not promote him to the big league roster.

Recently promoted second baseman Cesar Hernandez headed into action on Saturday posting the following numbers over the previous week- .476 batting average, three doubles, one triple and the RBI. Additionally, Hernandez hit safely in seven consecutive games beginning last Friday. The 22-year-old was among Reading’s Eastern League All-Star representative’s this season.

Who’s not-

J.C. Ramirez has had a rough time lately for the IronPigs. In the right-hander’s last nine relief outings, he has sported a 1-1 record with a 9.88 ERA. Overall this season, the Nicaragua native has tallied a 2-3 record with four saves, a 4.94 ERA and a .250 batting average against over 34 combined outings with Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. Ramirez will turn 24-years-old on August 16th. Continue reading Weekly Minor League Wrap Up, 8/5/12

Rivals in college, two Phillies draft picks from this year have paired up as battery mates with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. University of Texas product Hoby Milner (pictured, right) and Baylor graduate Josh Ludy regularly faced off, in one of college baseball’s top conferences, but now they must rely on one another to advance in the pros.

Milner, the son of former Major League catcher Brian Milner, earned honors as a second team All-Big 12 Conference representative this season, when he posted a 7-4 record with three saves and a 2.64 ERA in 34 games for the Longhorns.

According to Milner, the transition from facing Ludy to taking signs from him has been a welcome one.

“I’m glad he’s behind the plate and not at the plate, hitting,” Milner said with relief. “I mean, he’s a great hitter and he’s a good catcher too. He hit a 480-foot home run off of me in the last conference series of the year. The next (time) I faced him, I intentionally walked him and I don’t know if I’ve ever got him out, to be honest. But I’m glad he’s hitting for us and not someone else.” Continue reading College Rivals Bonding as Teammates for Lakewood

It’s time for another edition of our semi-weekly minor league round up, where we take a look at some top performers from each team.

Venezuelan Summer League Phillies-

Shortstop Deiber Olivera has been on fire for the VSL club. Through 42 games this season, the 5-foot-11-inch 155-pounder has posted a .400 batting average (2nd in the league) with 15 doubles, 2 triples and 26 RBI. The 19-year-old righty hitter was signed by the Phillies in May 2011.

Left-handed hurler Douglas Parada, who threw a 9-inning no-hitter on Saturday, has a 7-0 record with a 0.69 ERA through 11 starts with the VSL Phils. The 19-year-old has struck out 63 and walked just 7 in 65 2/3 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .158 batting average against. Last year in the same league, Parada posted a 5.40 ERA with 4 strike outs and 4 walks in 5 relief outings.
Continue reading Weekly Minor League Wrap Up, 7/16/12

While 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 league debut last September and posted a 1-0 record and a 2.25 ERA in five appearances. The Oxnard, CA native could be a welcome addition to a struggling Phillies bullpen, if he can get back to full health.

Also with the GCL team, outfielder Dom Brown (pictured, left), who has been dealing with a knee sprain since mid-June, served as the club’s designated hitter and went 2-for-3 (single, double) with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored.

The 24-year-old had posted a .266 batting average with four homers and 22 RBI in 47 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, prior to experiencing the injury.

Brown was selected by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 2006 amateur draft. In 91 big league contests, the 6-foot-5-inch 205-pounder has posted a .236/.314/.382 line.

Continue reading Rehabbing De Fratus, Brown & Gillies Make Progress