Friday, April 07, 2006

Game 3 - Phillies Swept by Cardinals...and Minor League Opening Day

The Phillies go down to the Cardinals again today by a score of 4-2. We're very early in a long season, St. Louis is a good ballclub, etc., etc...all of those things still apply, of course, but it's tough to start a season with such high expectations so poorly. So tough, in fact, that I don't have much to add beyond what has already been said. So there. On to something different...

Minor League Opening Day

The combined winning percentage of all Phillies minor league teams was the lowest in baseball in 2005. I’ll go out on a limb and say that won’t happen again in 2006…even though the start wasn’t pretty. Phillies affiliates went 1-2 last night, but that really isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things – it’s all about the development of the young guys. Many of the organization’s top prospects were on display last night…how did they do? I’m so glad you asked…

*** Skip down to the bottom and check out the Clearwater section to see the news I'm sure most interests Phillies minor league followers - the 2006 debut of Cole Hamels...

For AAA Scranton-WB (lost 13-1)...

Starting lineup:

2B Joe Thurston
CF Chris Roberson
SS Danny Sandoval
1B Chris Coste
C Carlos Ruiz
LF Shawn Garrett
RF Josh Kroeger
3B Brennan King
DH Bobby Scales

Players of note...
  • Carlos Ruiz: 1-4, RBI
  • Chris Roberson: 0-4
  • Josh Kroeger: 0-3, BB
  • Danny Sandoval: 1-3, 2B, BB
  • Chris Coste: 1-3, 2B, R, BB

  • Brennan King: 0-3
King is a deep, deep sleeper as far as prospects go - he is a former second round pick of the Dodgers (pick no. 69 overall in 1999) who enters his Age-25 season matching up against AAA pitching for the first time. He joined the Kansas City organization after the Royals selected him with the first pick of the second round at the 2004 Rule 5 Draft. There is little to get excited about when looking at his career minor league numbers (.265/.333/.371) as his performance at the plate has not been anywhere close to what was expected out of him. Time is running out on the 25-year old to prove himself as a pro, but he is in a very good situation here playing in the Phillies organization - this Scranton team does not have much in the way of high upside talent and the Phillies void at 3B has been well documented. We'll check back up on how King responds to AAA pitching and the added pressure of knowing his window of opportunity is closing throughout the season...

RP's Travis Minix and Ryan Cameron both allowed earned runs in relief (2 for Minix, 1 for Cameron - both guys pitched 1 inning)

For AA Reading (lost 3-1)...

Starting pitcher Scott Mathieson had a final line similar to Cory Lidle's: 5.1 IP 4 H 3 ER 2 BB 5 K

Starting lineup...

CF Michael Bourn
LF Peter Bergeron
2B Tim Moss
DH Jim Rushford
C Jason Jaramillo
1B Bryan Hansen
3B Marc Tugwell
RF Joey Hammond
SS Carlos Leon

Players of note...
  • Michael Bourn: 2-5, R, SB
  • Tim Moss: 0-4, 4 K's
  • Jason Jaramillo: 2-4
  • Bryan Hansen: 1-2, RBI, 2 BB's
For High A Clearwater (won 3-1)...

Cole Hamels: 6 IP 3 H 0 R 0 BB 7 K

He outdueled Blue Jays $55 million man SP A.J. Burnett (rehab start) and dominated Jays backup catcher Gregg Zaun (again, rehabbing)...I'd say that this is a pretty good start, no?

Starting lineup...

CF Brian Burgamy
2B Peeter Ramos
3B Mike Costanzo
1B Michael Dzurilla
LF Branden Florence
DH Brian Sellier
SS Brad Harman
RF J.J. Johnson
C Tuffy Gosewisch

Players of note...
  • Mike Costanzo: 2-4, 2 RBI's
  • Brad Harman: 0-4, E
When the Phillies present isn't going all that well, it's nice to take a glimpse ahead and see what's next, right? It's a change of pace anyway...

posted by XXX at 12:10 AM

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was appalled when I saw a link on your website to Fire Joe Morgan. Though I have been visiting your site for a month now, I have never looked closely at your links.

I don't understand. The same people who like the stupid fat imbicile John Madden as an announcer are the same people who dislike Joe Morgan. I am not sure your preference for a broadcaster, but for me, first and foremost is the ability to describe the nuances - the small fine details, whether it be what the batter/pitcher should do, what the on deck batter should do, what the manager's commonly do, etc. Secondly, I like that Joe Morgan has experience. He understands from a player's view. However, another great thing about him is that he doesn't always take the stupid player's point of view. I enjoy how he feels free to criticize what a player does today.

I guess I am old school, but I prefer someone who reveres baseball and doesn't revere all players just because they play the game. How many times do we hear John Madden jump on a player's or a team's bandwagon. How many times can Tim McCarver stutter/spit and say something utterly useless during a game. Outside of Harry Kalas and Michael Kay, I have never heard a good announcer until Joe Morgan.

I wonder if there is a I hate John Madden website or a John Madden sucks website or the likes. If you would like to go to the I hate Tim McCarver websites, they are listed under my links on my website.

I hope you have the decency to see the good of Joe Morgan and remove that rediculous link from your website.

2:40 PM  
Blogger XXX said...

Though Joe Morgan the ballplayer was before my time, there is little doubt in my mind that he was the greatest second baseman to ever play the game. That's just about all the positives I can say about the man. I think he is a terrible broadcaster who still relies on so many of the tired baseball cliches that have been proven (yes, proven) wrong through the technological and statistical advances of recent years. I think Fire Joe Morgan does a great job of actually holding broadcasters (not just Joe Morgan, by the way) accountable for all the baseless claims they so often make. Plus, they do it in a way that I find hilarious. Personal preference there...if you don't find it funny, more power to you.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree about some of your basic points on Morgan. I happen to think that Joe Morgan is an pro-player apologist more than almost any other color guy out there.

Your hatred of John Madden seems illogical at best...Joe Morgan does have both playing and managing experience, I'll give him that, but John Madden brings the pretty unique perspective of a coach with the best winning percentage in the history of the NFL (103-32-7 career record). I'm no Madden fan per se, but I think he is signficantly better at what he does than Morgan.

It's unfortunate you were "appalled" by the "rediculous" link, but I think Morgan is a terrible analyst. I do not have the decency to remove that link and if it costs me a reader, so be it.

10:29 PM  

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