While covering the Double-A Reading Fightins over the past week, I collected a ton of feedback from many players and coaches. With so much material in the hopper, here are some quotes that I didn’t want readers to miss from 2008’s top Phillies draft pick Anthony Hewitt, U Del product and utility infielder Carlos Alonso as well as team manager Dusty Wathan.
Anthony Hewitt, Image- Jay Floyd
-Hewitt (.139/.149/.181 slash line in 24 games this season) spoke of if there’s any mental impact related to his struggles at the plate thus far in 2014…
Mental impact? I don’t even know. I’m struggling, (but) I’m just going out there every day, grinding, having fun, having a positive attitude, getting my work in on and off the field and, you know, that’s all I can do. It’s a game of failure. Just, right now, no hits are falling. No luck’s turning my way, but I’m sure that tomorrow, today, whenever it’s gonna happen, good luck’s gonna fall my way, hits are gonna start falling my way. Everything comes in bunches and I can’t wait till the bunches start coming my way.
-The 25-year-old Hewitt on if he is discouraged with the lack of offense he has produced, when he was able to be more productive last season at the same level…
No, not discouraging at all. It’s just that’s just the way it is. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. You just gotta stay positive and stay at it and, um, you know, things unfold the way they’re supposed to be at the end of the season. It’s still early. We still got plenty of season to go.
-Hewitt on if he is ever frustrated when his name is not in the lineup…
No, that thought process doesn’t even come to mind. I just come to the field every day ready to work and with the mindset that I’m gonna play and that’s how I feel you gotta keep it. Let’s say someone gets hurt during the day, I’m ready to go. My mindset doesn’t change. I come to the ballpark ready to play and that’s it. That’s the mindset I’m always going to have, whether I’m playing or not.
-Alonso on playing in front of fans in Reading that grew up as true Phillies fans…
Yeah, I mean it’s awesome. Anytime you can be in front of a fan base that’s excited to be there to watch you play, you just kind of feed off the energy in the crowd. Especially, coming from Florida, where the few fans that go are great, but it’s not the same type of excitement, because these are actual Phillie fans. So, there’s definitely a lot of passion and it’s fun to play in front of them.
-Alonso on playing a road series in Trenton that doesn’t feel like a road series because of the favorable turnout…
It’s kind of funny. It’s almost like the crowd is divided. You look over to their side- it’s almost like we’re playing on a neutral field. Because on their side, they got a bunch of Trenton fans, then on our side you see all the red and the Phillies hats and uniforms and stuff. We love the support and it doesn’t almost feel like a road series because we have so much support out there.
-Wathan speaks on outfield prospect Aaron Altherr, who opened the season on the disabled list with a wrist injury…
He’s done well. He stepped into the middle of the lineup and he’s held his own. He’s behind a little bit (after) missing a lot of games in spring training, so, you know, when he first got here, I think his timing was off a little bit and he was trying to catch up with some at bats. But, every day it’s getting a little bit better and I think he’s doing well.
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