This Week in Phillies Prospects - April 23 - April 29

This is also, of course the completion of the first month of the season. I'm only talking this week here, but we'll look at the month which will give us a very slightly better read on how the farm is doing.

So who had a good week?

Aaron Altherr - Altherr seems permanently pinned here so far this season. This may have been his best week yet with this line: .400/.435/.750, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 2 SB, 2 BB, 4 K. Crazy thing is that wasn't even the best week anyone had this week in the Phillies' system.

William Carmona - This is Carmona's first time on the hot sheet. a .476/.522/.714 line will certainly get you noticed here. Add on 3 doubles a triple and a pair of walks (though 5 K's is higher than preferred, it's not awful).

Kelly Dugan - Dugan came off the DL and produced right away with a .385/.429/.692 line with a double, a HR a walk and 4 K's. Pretty good, but 4 K's is nearly a 30% K rate. It's one week, but that needs to come down for Dugan to be anything more than a AAAA guy or 4/5th OF. As I've noted here before, I think Dugan has the tools to play Right Field in the Majors, Now, it will be a matter of getting that K rate down.

Maikel Franco - Maikel Franco's week looks decent when you see his triple slash of .296/.321/.704. Then you notice the 2 doubles, 10 RBI, 3 HR's and 3 K's in nearly 30 PA's and it looks like a damned good week all of a sudden.

Cesar Hernandez - Cesar should play the lottery this week as he sports a nearly .500 BABiP. Even sans the BABiP, this may be the best week in the system. .500/.567/.769, 2 triples, 1 HR, 4 BB, 4 K, 4 SB and 0 CS. I'm starting to think maybe I was a little harsh on Cesar when I left him off the Top 30 Prospects list.

Cameron Perkins - .500/.538/.750 with 4 doubles and a triple and Perkins actually drew 2 walks. Nice.

Cameron Rupp - 'Twas a good week to be named Cameron, I guess. Only 9 PA's, but the highlight here is 2 doubles and 2 walks.

Jesse Biddle - Jesse Biddle is the truth! One week after striking out 16 in 7 innings with 2 walks, Biddle struck out 10 with 3 walks in 6 innings. Clearly no one told Biddle this whole jump to Double-A thing is supposed to be a challenge. In fact, minus one rough start on 4/10 Biddle has only given up one extra-base hit.

Who was decidely not hot this week?

Cody Asche - Asche had just started getting hot last week. A .222/.273/.278 line is most certainly cold. Having 6 K's in 22 PA's is also not a great week.

Edgar Duran - Remember when I was raving about how well Duran was doing and he may get himself some buzz. Well, this might be the worst week anyone could have at the plate: .000/.043/.000, 6 K's, 1 HBP, 1 SB and 1 R. All that in 24 PA. Yeeesh.

Roman "Candle" Quinn - Well, at least it wasn't Duran's week (though it's in that neighborhood). .050/.095/.050, 1 single, 1 HBP, 1 SB, 4 K. 1 error.

Christopher Serritella - The triple slash isn't as ugly as those above but 9 K in 22 PA's with no walks is pretty attrocious.

Carlos Tocci - I still think there's a breakout coming for Tocci before the Short Season Leagues open. This certainly wasn't it. .176/.222/.235. Still 1 BB and 3 K in 18 Pa is respectable enough for the youngest kid in the league, at 17.

Ethan Martin - 4 IP, 4 K, 6 BB, 6 H, 4 ER

Jake Diekman - 2.1 IP, 0 K, 5 BB, 4 H, 5 ER

Shane Watson - Sometimes the bear eats you. 3 IP, 2 K, 0 BB, 6 H, 4 HR (sweet crap, that's some bad luck), 1 Triple, 6 ER (7 runs total, which means all 7 baserunners scored. That's downright Durbinesque, except they were all his runs.)

Other Notable prospects:

Adam Morgan - As Biddle has heated up, the Captain has cooled off. This week Morgan went 11.2 IP, 7 K, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 13 H, 8 ER

Tommy Joseph - Joseph had a fairly meh week. He did have a HR, but only a few singles otherwise. Also a weird 1 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP week. The lack of K's is great, but I'm afraid it means he's trying to be Vlad Guerrero and just put everything in play, leading to some weak contact and easy outs.

Darin Ruf - Ruf started off the week badly, but finished strong with a total of 3 doubles and 2 HRs the last 2 nights. He also had 3 walks this week, which is a nice trend (though the K rate is still on the high side)

Sebastian Valle - Valle is still struggling mightily. He went 2 for 13 at the plate with 5 K's, 1 BB and a double. He's played some Left, Dh'd and Caught. This a very auspicious start for Valle and too many more weeks like this and he may find himself no longer in the club's future plans.

Percy Garner - Percy continued his wild ways with a 4.1 inning, 6 K, 4 BB, 2 HBP, 5 H, 1 ER performance. Percy probably has a bullpen future, but with the wildness it may be akin to the bullpen stylings of Wayne Gomes and his adventures with the strike zone.

Chace Numata - Decent enough week for the young Catcher. He only went 3 of 13 with a double, but 1 BB and 1 K were nice in 15 PA.

Larry "Fudgie" Greene - Some good, some bad here. 4 for 20 is kinda bad, but that includes 3 doubles. Having 11 k in 20 AB is pretty awful, but having 6 K in 26 PA is pretty damned good (were it not for the doubles I'd be wondering if he was even swinging, frankly). Having a nearly .500 BABiP and still having a .200 BA is pretty crazy. Pairing that with a .385 OBP? That's just nutso.

Brian Pointer - The uber-athletic OF had a fairly mediocre week, which is good news. He went 5 for 18 at the plate (.278) with 2 K, 1 BB, 1 SB and 1 double. Pointer had been scuffling a bit, but getting some hits and not piling up K's is a big change from his first 3 weeks.