Extended Weekend Minor League Update

Ryan Franklin really is as bad as so many Phillies fans had feared. He has now given up six homeruns in 24.2 innings pitched. Who could have possibly seen this coming?

Let's see if we can sum up how bad a move this would be without going on for pages and pages:

1. Franklin doesn't strike anybody out - only 100+ strikeouts in six major league seasons, 427 K's in 811.2 innings, only 93 K's in 190.2 innings in 2005, and a 4.39 K/9 number
2. Franklin is as extreme a flyball pitcher as there is - his GO/AO career ratio is 0.76...that is 1148 flyball outs in his career vs. 812 groundball outs
3. Franklin the flyball pitcher also gives up homeruns at an alarming rate - 34 in 2003, 33 in 2004, and 28 in 2005
4. Franklin is a has-been (or maybe a never-was) - he will be 33 in March and is coming off back to back seasons with ERA's of 4.90 and 5.10 (good for ERA+ of 88 and 85)
5. Frankin is a cheater - on August 2nd, 2005, Franklin became the 8th major leaguer to test positive for steroids and was suspended for 10 games

How appealing is a pitcher on the downside of a mediocre career who would just so happen to be a terrible fit in the Phillies home ballpark? Would it sweeten the deal if he is coming off a career worst season in 2005? Maybe that awful '05 should also include a suspension for steroid use. Now I'm no GM, but this guy sounds like a real winner to me. I can't believe Seattle non-tendered this guy in the first place. I just can't see why nobody has signed him up yet - Pat Gillick better get on the phone with Franklin's agent quick before we lose out on him. Our search for a number one starter could soon be over!

All I can do now is sit and wait until Franklin and Abe Nunez are banished from Philly forever...plenty of minor league stuff to get to (games from Thursday to Monday featured), so on to the minors...

AAA Scranton-WB

• Josh Kroeger: 5-19, 3 2B, 2 RBI, R, 7 K
• Danny Sandoval: 3-18, RBI, BB, 4 K, 2 E (6)
• Brennan King: 2-18, HR, RBI, 2 R, 5 K, E (5)
• Angel Chavez: 2-4, 2B, RBI, R
• Chris Roberson: 2-3, BB, SB, CS
  
  
• Seung Lee (L, 4-3): 4 IP 8 H 7 ER 3 BB 2 K
• Travis Minix (S, 2): 4.2 IP 6 H 3 R 2 ER 3 BB 2 K
• Ryan Cameron: 2.1 IP 6 H 6 ER 5 BB 2 K
• Brian Sanches: 1.2 IP 5 H 3 ER 1 BB 2 K
• Eude Brito (W, 5-2): 7 IP 5 H 1 ER 2 BB 5 K
  
  
• Brandon Duckworth - Pirates - (W, 7-2): 7 IP 5 H 3 ER 0 BB 5 K
• Matt Kata - Reds - : 3-9, 3 2B, 3 R, BB, 2 K
  
• Joe Mays - Reds - (W, 1-1): 6 IP 8 H 5 ER 1 BB 4 K
• Ryan Wagner - Reds -: 0.2 IP 1 H 0 ER 0 BB 0 K (6.26 ERA)

Two former Phillies in action against the Red Barons this weekend: 2.52 ERA for former Phillie Brandon Duckworth in AAA on the year and a .247/.303/.432 line for Matt Kata in the Reds organization...luckily Brian Sanches' rocky weekend was overlooked by the Phillies as he finally got the call to join the big club now that Jon Lieber has hit the DL...

AA Reading

• Michael Bourn: 6-20, 2B, RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, HBP, 2 SB (17), 4 K
• Tim Moss: 3-16, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K, CS, PO

• Jason Jaramillo: DL
• Mike Lieberthal: 1-6, 2 RBI
• Angel Chavez: 1-11, R, HBP, 5 K, CS

• Zack Segovia (W, 2-1): 6 IP 6 H 5 ER 1 BB 3 K
• Scott Mathieson (W, 4-2): 5.2 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 6 K (hit 98 on the gun)
• Daniel Haigwood: 6.1 IP 1 H 1 ER 5 BB 8 K
• Gio Gonzalez (W, 2-4): 7.2 IP 3 H 1 ER 2 BB 10 K

Very nice weekend for Michael Bourn as he continues to reestablish himself as one of the very best hitting prospects in the Phillies system...great outing by Gio Gonzalez, I wonder if the Phillies would give him a thought if injuries continue to strike the big league staff (almost definitely not, but you never know)...Scott Mathieson was involved in one of the most unusual games of the season, a portion of the gamecast is below:

Eliezer Alfonzo hit by pitch.
Defensive Substitution: Carlos Leon replaces shortstop Jesus Merchan, batting 2nd.
Defensive switch from right field to 3rd for Matt Padgett.
Defensive switch from 1st to right field for Jim Rushford.
Defensive Substitution: Brandon Gemoll replaces first baseman Unknown, batting 6th.
Defensive switch from 3rd to 2nd for Joey Hammond.
Defensive Substitution: Trey Johnston replaces catcher Jeff Winchester, batting 8th.
Pitcher Change: Steve Langone replaces Scott Mathieson, batting 9th.
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter RD Spiehs replaces Tyler Von Schell.
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Brian Munhall replaces Eliezer Alfonzo.
Reading Phillies shortstop Jesus Merchan ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Reading Phillies second baseman Tim Moss ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Reading Phillies catcher Jeff Winchester ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Reading Phillies pitcher Scott Mathieson ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Connecticut Defenders catcher Eliezer Alfonzo ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Connecticut Defenders first baseman Tyler Von Schell ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Connecticut Defenders Nate Schierholtz ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Connecticut Defenders third baseman Brian Buscher ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.
Connecticut Defenders shortstop Jake Wald ejected by HP umpire HP Umpire.

So Merchan, Moss, Winchester, and Mathieson all got tossed in this one...on a brighter note, it has been reported that Mathieson hit 98 MPH with a fastball in this game...

High A Clearwater

• Mike Costanzo: 3-14, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, 3 K, E (5)
• Brad Harman: 0-8, BB, 4 K, E (18)
• Bryan Hansen: 2-11, 2B, R, BB, 3 K
• Tuffy Gosewisch: 0-7, BB, K
  
  
• Kyle Kendrick (L, 0-2): 7 IP 4 H 2 ER 2 BB 8 K
• Jeremy Griffith: 6.1 IP 10 H 4 ER 1 BB 4 K
• Julio De La Cruz (L, 2-3): 3.2 IP 3 H 6 ER 6 BB 3 K
  
  
• Ricky Romero (Blue Jays): 6.1 IP 6 H 3 ER 3 BB 5 K

Low A Lakewood

• Greg Golson: 7-24, HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R, 6 K, CS, OF assist
• Welinson Baez: 4-18, 2B, 3 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 7 K, SB, 2 E (16), PO
• Lou Marson: 4-16, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, K, E (5), PB
• Jeremy Slayden: 4-13, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB, 3 K, SB
• Clay Harris: 6-21, HR, 2 2B, RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 5 K
• Sean Gamble: 4-16, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 K, SB, OF assist

• Maximino De La Cruz: 7 IP 12 H 7 ER 5 BB 9 K
• Justin Blaine (W, 1-0): 4 IP 1 H 0 ER 2 BB 2 K
• Andy Barb (L, 2-2): 2 IP 6 H 4 ER 1 BB 4 K
• Brett Harker (2 S, 6): 2 IP 0 H 0 ER 0 BB 2 K
• Scott Mitchinson (W, 3-2): 7.2 IP 5 H 2 ER 0 BB 8 K
• Pat Overholt: 1.2 IP 4 H 3 R 2 ER 2 BB 3 K
• Matt Maloney (W, 5-4): 6.1 IP 8 H 3 R 1 ER 0 BB 7 K
• Carlos Carrasco: 7 IP 7 H 3 ER 0 BB 6 K
• Josh Outman: 3 IP 4 H 7 ER 6 BB 0 K

Tons of information to process here...nice weekends for Golson, Slayden, Blaine, Mitchinson, Maloney, and Carrasco...less than nice weekends for De La Cruz, Barb, and Outman...