Last Night in the Minors

Much better night for the Phillies minor leaguers last night - every one of the four affiliates in action won a game as the teams combined to go 4-1 (Lakewood split a doubleheader). An fairly lengthy article about Cole Hamels should be ready by the end of the day...consider it prime weekend reading material. On to the minors...

AAA Scranton-WB

• Carlos Ruiz: 0-3, BB, K
• Chris Roberson: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB
• Josh Kroeger: 2-4, 2B, 2 R
• Danny Sandoval: 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R, 2 K
• Brennan King: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• Angel Chavez: 1-4, 2B, R, K
• Chris Coste: N/A
  
  
• Ryan Cameron: 1 IP 1 H 0 ER 0 BB 2 K
• Brian Sanches: 1 IP 0 H 0 ER 0 BB 0 K
  
  
• Ben Francisco (Indians): 1-3, BB, PO
• Andy Marte (Indians): 0-3, 2 K
• Ryan Garko (Indians): 0-3, HBP, CS, PO
  
  
• Fausto Carmona (L, 0-2) 6.1 IP 7 H 6 ER 2 BB 6 K
• Felix Heredia: 0.2 IP 2 H 1 ER 2 BB 0 K
• Dan Denham: 1 IP 3 H 2 ER 0 BB 1 K

That's a pretty strong Buffalo lineup - Francisco, Marte, and Garko are three impressive professional hitters. Dan Denham gets a mention because he was the Indians first round pick in 2001 - why is this important? Well, it isn't really except for the fact that they took him with the 17th overall pick. A year later, the Phillies took Cole Hamels with the 17th pick. Nothing against Denham, but there is very little doubt that the Phillies came out with the better player by far at that spot.

AA Reading

• Michael Bourn: 4-4, 3 R, BB, SB
  
• Tim Moss: 2-4, 3B, 2 R, K, E
• Jason Jaramillo: 0-3, BB, K
• Bryan Hansen: 0-4, K
  
  
• Julio Santana: 1 IP 0 H 0 ER 0 BB 2 K
  
  
• Phillip Hughes (L, 0-1): 6 IP 7 H 4 ER 2 BB 3 K

Michael Bourn with a huge night, great to see him getting on base all five times he hit. As the weather has gotten warmer, so has his bat...his legs seem to be plenty hot as well, he has stolen 12 bases in 12 chances.

This was Phillip Hughes' (Yankees organization) debut performance at the AA level. I mention Hughes way more than I probably should, but I tend to ramble on about prospects I've been 100% impressed with in person - Hughes is one of those guys. I saw him pitch for Charleston last year and walked away convinced he was a future big league star. Even with the iffy AA start, I stick by my claim that he is the best righthanded pitching prospect in all of baseball...and the number two pitcher overall ranked only behind some lefty making the start for Scranton on Sunday...

High A Clearwater

• Mike Costanzo: 3-4, HR, 6 RBI, R, K
• Brad Harman: 0-3, R, BB, K
• Tuffy Gosewisch: N/A
  
  
• Zach Segovia (W, 4-1): 7 IP 5 H 2 ER 1 BB 5 K
  
  
• Marcos Vechionacci (Yanks): 2-4, RBI, SB, K
• Tim Battle (Yanks): 0-3, K

Costanzo takes back the batting average lead over Harman...and in a big way. Hopefully this 6 RBI helps Costanzo turn the corner - keep in mind he was slow to adjust to pro ball right after he was drafted, but then caught fire (not literally, thank goodness) to end the year. Costanzo jumped right past Low-A ball, so it was plenty understandable that he needed a month to adjust - now it's time for the kid to start hitting.

Low A Lakewood

• Greg Golson: 0-7, BB, 2 K
• Welinson Baez: 1-7, 2B, 2 RBI, K
• Lou Marson: 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, K
• Jeremy Slayden: 2-5, 2B, R, BB
• Clay Harris: 1-6, RBI, R, K
• Sean Gamble: 1-3

• Scott Mitchinson: 5 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 BB 4 K
• Andy Barb (S, 3): 1 IP 0 H 0 ER 1 BB 1 K
• Maximino De La Cruz (L, 1-1): 3.1 IP 9 H 7 R 5 ER 1 BB 5 K
• Brett Harker: 2.2 IP 0 H 0 ER 1 BB 2 K

Greg Golson and Max De La Cruz are both starting to worry me...these are not the kind of starts that the Phillies' brass envisioned for the two youngsters. The Lakewood bullpen came through with a big night in the doubleheader...both Barb and Harker pitched extremely well.