Minor League Games - Thursday, August 17, 2017

[kikutaro]

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (70-54) @ Norfolk Tides (58-66) 12:05 pm | Gameday
Jake Thompson (5-12, 5.13) vs. Tyler Wilson (6-6, 4.30)

Notable

Scott Kingery 2-5, 2 R, RBI, K
J.P. Crawford 2-4, R, BB
Brock Stassi 1-5, 2 RBI, 2B
Andrew Pullin 2-5, R, RBI, 2B
Angelo Mora 2-5, 2 2B
Dylan Cozens 0-5, 3 K
Herlis Rodriguez 1-3, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB, SB

Jose Taveras (W, 2-1), 6.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 6K, game score: 76
Cesar Ramos (S, 1), 1.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K

Bowie Baysox (64-58) @ Reading Fightin Phils (63-59) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Yefry Ramirez (2-0, 4.22) vs. Cole Irvin (5-2, 4.47)

Notable

Zachary Coppola 1-2, BB, SB
Drew Stankiewicz 1-3, BB, K
Jiandido Tromp 0-4, 2 K
Damek Tomscha 2-4
Zach Green 0-3, BB, 3 K
Cord Sandberg 0-3, 2 K

Cole Irvin (L, 5-3), 8.0 IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 7K, game score: 62

St. Lucie Mets (56-66) @ Clearwater Threshers (62-62) 7:00 pm | Gameday
N/A vs. Edgar Garcia (3-4, 4.16)

Notable

Jose Antequera 1-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K, SB
Cornelius Randolph 1-5, RBI, 3B, 2 K
Carlos Duran 0-3, R, 2 BB, K, 2 SB
Edgar Cabral 1-4, R, BB, K
Austin Bossart 2-3, 3 RBI, 2B

Edgar Garcia 6.0 IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 6K, game score: 51
Seth McGarry (BS, 3)(L, 1-2), 1.2 IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 1K

Kannapolis Intimidators (61-60) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (63-60) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Yosmer Solorzano (3-10, 6.26) vs. Mauricio Llovera (1-2, 2.55)

Notable

Mickey Moniak 0-4, 2 K
Henri Lartigue 0-2, 2 BB
Raul Rivas 0-3, 2 K

Mauricio Llovera (L, 1-3), 4.0 IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 1BB, 7K, game score: 42
Jake Kelzer 3.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K
Tyler Hallead 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 4K

Williamsport Crosscutters (26-25) @ Auburn Doubledays (20-33) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Kyle Young (5-0, 1.81) vs. Kyle Johnston (0-1, 3.97)

Notable

Nick Maton 1-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K, SB
Josh Stephen 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 3B
Jhailyn Ortiz 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB
Greg Pickett 0-3, R, 2 BB
Yahir Gurrola 2-5, R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, K
Cole Stobbe 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, SB
Brian Mims 1-4, R, 2 K
Malvin Matos 1-4, R, 2 K

Spencer Howard 1.0 IP, 5H, 6R, 6ER, 2BB, 1K, game score: 15
Zach Warren 4.0 IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 4K
Damon Jones (W, 1-2), 3.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K
Luis Ramirez (S, 8), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K

GCL Phillies (30-16) @ GCL Blue Jays (28-18) 12:00 pm | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A

Notable

Kevin Markham 2-5, 3 R, RBI, BB
Jake Holmes 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB
Jonathan Guzman 1-6, R, RBI, 2 K
Quincy Nieporte 2-3, 3 RBI, 2B, BB
Ben Pelletier 2-5, 3 RBI
Danny Mayer 1-2, R, 3 BB
D.J. Stewart 1-4, R, BB, 3 K
Gunnar Buhner 1-4, R, 2B, BB

Jose Jimenez (W, 2-1), 5.0 IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 5K, game score: 55
Justin Miller 2.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K
Rafael Carvajal 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K

DSL Cubs2 (27-35) @ DSL Phillies White (38-24) 10:30 am | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A
(postponed: rain)

DSL Phillies Red (29-34) @ DSL Twins (44-18) 10:30 am | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A

Notable

Antonio Canizales 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K, game score: 46

(click on the start time for box scores)

[phillychuck]

Phils at the Blue Jays in the GCL to try to retain 1st place.

WMPT slips to .500, CLW not far behind.

[California_Dreamin]

A guy to keep an eye on is 3rd baseman Damek Tomscha, a player who seems to have that very "hit tool" that we talk about so often here. He has made an incredibly seamless move to Reading and the only reason we don't talk more about him is because he has been flourishing during a terrible 6 week period organization wide, down on the pharm.

With 3rd base very much in question for 2018 it would not surprise me if the Phils began to take a closer look at the 25 year old player. Reports from those who have seen him play say he is very athletic and seems to just have that "he knows how to play" look.

At any rate he is a player who I applaud because he continues to improve, play hard and just get better. Obviously, this is one player who has not gotten tired in August.

[Squire]

OF Carlos Tocci promoted from Reading to Lehigh Valley

[bigegypt0417]

OF Carlos Tocci promoted from Reading to Lehigh Valley

Something tells me Tocci will be a trade piece this winter...

[Squire]

Hopefully that trade occurs before the 40 man protection date.

[andyb]

Tocci could also be a useful 4th outfielder by the middle of next season, especially if Quinn starts out in that role and inevitably gets hurt. I do like the idea of having one really good defensive outfield reserve.

[bigegypt0417]

Tocci could also be a useful 4th outfielder by the middle of next season, especially if Quinn starts out in that role and inevitably gets hurt. I do like the idea of having one really good defensive outfield reserve.

That's a viable option as well. I would imagine his current season may have him a little more in demand at least as a secondary trade piece...

[California_Dreamin]

Have they announced TJ surgery for Mark Appel and shoulder surgery for Roman Quinn yet? Because both are coming I think.

[andyb]

Have they announced TJ surgery for Mark Appel and shoulder surgery for Roman Quinn yet? Because both are coming I think.

I just got done reading "The Arm" by Jeff Passan and there is some info in there about an alternative to TJ surgery that requires much less recovery time:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/theres-an-alternative-to-tommy-john-surgery-that-could-cut-recovery-time-163816206.html

That might make sense for a non-pitcher like Quinn especially if he could be ready in 4-6 months (essentially the winter and a little spring training and less rehab needed for a non-pitcher). Note also one of the doctors featured in the book is the guy who did Gowdy's surgery. He is clearly one of the best in the field.

[California_Dreamin]

Zack Green promoted to Reading. Good for him, he and Walding were guys we salivated over and he had certainly persevered through some difficult times. By the way, any reports on Walding's progress? I know he won't be back this year but hope the injury to his inner ear is not career threatening.

[bigegypt0417]

Fangraphs with a top 100

Phillies:

Summer Top-100 Prospects | FanGraphs Baseball

That is the order they are in...pasting it changed the numbering.

J.P. Crawford (34)
47. Sixto Sanchez
59. Mickey Moniak
68. Scott Kingery
71. Rhys Hoskins
80. Jorge Alfaro
90. Adonis Medina
92. Adam Haseley

[allentown]

Well more than our share of top 100.

[bigegypt0417]

LV up 4-0 in the 4th...

2 hits for Kingery and Crawford

[andyb]

GCL up 7-0 with mostly prospects (Jake Holmes, 2-2, 2B, BB) doing the damage.

[California_Dreamin]

allentown...8 of 92 and Williams just missed. Agree with you that Phils are well represented. Nice to see.

[Squire]

Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Year is going to be a heck of a battle between Jose Tavares, Tom Eshelman and JoJo Romero I think.

[phillychuck]

Here is an interesting thing that Taveras' success (and Eschelman's to some extent) has started me thinking about for yet another time.

I really believe that most baseball fans, myself included sometimes, exaggerate the difference between levels in the minors. I think most of the difference is adjustment (and adjusting back), and that basically, players who are having success in Lakewood and Clearwater could very well succeed just as frequently in AA or AAA. We always talk about more junk-ballers and more "pitching backwards" in AAA, but I attend games at Reading, Lehigh Valley, and Lakewood, and I honestly don't see it. A lot of low-A pitchers can snap off a pretty sick curveball, and they throw it for strikes more often than we're led to believe. And, the same for pitchers facing minor league hitters...I hear announcers say "he won't get away with that hanging curve in the big leagues, MLB hitters will crush it", yet I see great hitters pop those pitches up, or pull them foul all the time in the big leagues, just like they do in the minors.

I think we're perpetuating a mythology about the minors; I just wish there were a way to exploit the mythology for competitive advantage. The steps up the ladder just aren't that big.

Of course, a lot of the players believe this, which causes it to be somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it sure is in the interest of big-leaguers to perpetuate that belief...

[Squire]

August Jake Holmes is my kind of player.

[Austinfan]

I'd have to disagree, a lot of players struggle jumping levels, because the quality of stuff and consistency increases at each level.

Now for some players, the "light" goes on and they can quickly advance, a pitcher who masters a changeup or improves command of his FB to the point where he's close to ML ready will shoot up the system, Tavares this season for example. But Kilome has premier stuff, but lacks command of his FB and control of his secondary pitches and has yet to dominate. On the other hand, someone like Eshelman or Suarez has lesser "stuff" but much better command.

And in some cases, it's just a matter of opportunity, Utley spent an extra season in the minors, Hoskins has been slowed b/c they wanted to take a long look at Joseph and Williams.