Phillies Minor League Roundup - April 11-13, 2014

Rochester 4, Lehigh Valley 3 (April 12, 2014 Game 1 of doubleheader)

Sean O'Sullivan - 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 K, 7 GB, 6 FB
Mike Adams - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, K
Clete Thomas - 2 for 4, RBI
Maikel Franco - 0 for 3, K
Leandro Castro - 2 for 3, R, 2B, K, HBP

Sean O'Sullivan with not much better results than his 1st outing. Rochester batters were just teeing off on him all game. Twins prospect Alex Meyer was dealing (as expected). Mike Adams with what looks to be his final minor league rehab appearance before he gets called back up to the Phillies. Maikel Franco continues to struggle.

Rochester 5, Lehigh Valley 1 (April 12, 2014 Game 2 of doubleheader, makeup of 4/11)

Mike Nesseth - 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 K, 2 HR, 3 GB, 2 FB
Kyle Simon - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K
Maikel Franco - 0 for 3, K
Cameron Rupp - 0 for 2, BB, K
Reid Brignac - 2 for 3, HR, K

All sorts of sad in this game. Nesseth has now given up 8 earned runs in 7.2 innings and has also surrendered 13 hits. It was nice to see Kyle Simon bounce back from a rough beginning to the season. Can anyone confirm that he still has his creepy stache from his MILB profile picture? Other than a Reid Brignac solo shot, only one runner ever touched 3B last night for the Iron Pigs. They were 3 hit and shutdown by Rochester pitching.

Lehigh Valley 3, Rochester 2 (April 13, 2014)

David Buchanan - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Brad Lincoln - 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K, 4 GB, 2 FB
Jeremy Horst - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K
Seth Rosin - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER
Clete Thomas - 2 for 2, R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, CS, picked off
Maikel Franco - 0 for 4, K
Cameron Rupp - 1 for 1, 2B, RBI
Leandro Castro - 1 for 3

Buchanan started the game, but was cut short with speculation that he might be needed on the big club for Wednesday this week. Brad Lincoln with a spectacular showing after being demoted and earns the win here. In all sorts of weird to start out the season, Jeremy Horst now has 10 strikeouts in 4.1 IP. Seth Rosin makes his Phillies return after bouncing around via the Rule 5 draft to a couple different ball clubs. He wasn't particularly sharp in his return. Maikel Franco is now 4 for 41 with 4 walks and 10 strikeouts. Don't panic....just yet. Some other unfortunate news from the game is Rupp was removed from the game with an injury (rumored to be oblique). Having him out of the lineup would certainly not be good for both he and the team.

Reading 5, Harrisburg 4 (April 12, 2014 Game 1 of doubleheader)

Perci Garner - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 5 K, 6 GB, 3 FB
Ken Giles - 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Carlos Alonso - 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 B
Cesar Hernandez - 1 for 4, R, K
Cam Perkins - 2 for 3, R, 2B, RBI, CS
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 3, K
Tommy Joseph - 0 for 2, RBI
Brock Stassi - 1 for 2, HR, 2 RBI
Chris Serritella - 2 for 3, RBI

Perci Garner with another solid outing. He has been impressive so far on the young season. Ken Giles continues to strike out guys and Cam Perkins just doesn't like to not hit. As you see Cesar Hernandez was optioned to AA to get some innings at various defensive positions. They obviously like his bat, but want him to basically be as versatile as Freddy Galvis. He manned 3B error-free.

Reading 5, Harrisburg 1 (April 12, 2014 Game 2 of doubleheader, makeup of 4/11)

Luis Paulino - 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, HR, 5 GB, 5 FB
Brody Colvin - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Cesar Hernandez - 3 for 4, 2 R, SB
Cam Perkins - 3 for 4, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, SB
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 3, K
Sebastian Valle - 0 for 2, RBI

Luis Paulino makes his first appearance and start of the season. He has spent a majority of his minor league career as a reliever, making the conversion from reliever to starter last season. The Fightin's got all the runs they needed in the 1st inning, putting up a 3-spot courtesy of a Perkins 2-RBI double and a Dugan RBI groundout. Colvin with his second appearance of the season and yielded positive results. As much as I've given up on him as an actual prospect, I would love to see this kid succeed in some capacity. Dugan remains ice cold at the plate.

Harrisburg 9, Reading 3 (April 13, 2014)

Jesse Biddle - 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 4 GB, 3 FB, 3 errors (pickoff, throwing, fielding)
Cesar Hernandez - 3 for 5, R, K
Cam Perkins - 2 for 5, R, 2B, RBI, K
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 0, HBP (more on this below)
Tommy Joseph - 2 for 3, 2B, 2 RBI
Zach Collier - 0 for 4, 3 K

Oh Jesse, why do you do this to us? Biddle only goes 4 and despite those runs being "unearned", they were all his fault because he apparently fielded his position very poorly last night. What makes Biddle still the best pitching prospect in the system is that he is still missing bats and that is extremely encouraging. If anyone has radar readings for his fastball and how is curveball is being thrown I'd appreciate that feedback. Scary news out of this game, Kelly Dugan was removed after being hit on the wrist by National's prospect AJ Cole's fastball (ouch). Haven't heard much following this, but I doubt he plays immediately.

Lakeland 2, Clearwater 0 (April 11, 2014)

Miguel Nunez - 6 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 5 GB, 6 FB
Tyson Gillies - 0 for 3, K
Peter Lavin - 1 for 3, BB, K
Harold Martinez - 0 for 4
Art Charles - 0 for 4, K (missed catch error)
KC Serna - 1 for 3, CS
Brian Pointer - 1 for 3, K (outfield assist, 2B)
Angelo Mora - 1 for 2, BB, CS

I imagine covering the Threshers this season will be much like covering the Philadelphia 76ers. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Miguel Nunez wasn't sharp, but was effective enough to help this team win. I'm positive this team would struggle against the Camden Riversharks. Should note that Tyson Gillies is back with Clearwater on what should be just looked at as an opportunity to get some innings. Though if he can't hit in these next couple months, you could see him outrighted off the 40 man roster (should have happened long ago...)

Lakeland 4, Clearwater 2 (April 12, 2014)

Cole Hamels - 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 10 GB, 0 FB
Jeb Stefan - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K, 1 GB, 4 FB
Tyson Gillies - 2 for 5, 2B
Peter Lavin - 0 for 4, BB, K
Harold Martinez - 1 for 4
Art Charles - 1 for 3, R, BB, K
KC Serna - 2 for 3, R, 2 2B
Brian Pointer - 1 for 3, 2B, BB

Cole Hamels was dealing in this one and should be very, very close to returning to the Phillies. Jeb Stefan would relieve Hamels and undo all the good. Brian Pointer has been hitting very well, which would do him well because defensively he is already above average. The Threshers went 1 for 14 with RISP, which should tell you that you don't win very many games doing that. Clearwater was looking like they would win this, but as mentioned, Stefan would give up 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to shatter those dreams, like tears in the rain...

Lakeland 3, Clearwater 0 (April 13, 2014)

Colin Kleven - 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 K, 9 GB, 4 FB
Colton Murray - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, K
Peter Lavin - 1 for 3, BB
Harold Martinez - 1 for 3, ,BB, 2 K
Aaron Altherr - 0 for 3, BB, K (fielding error) (outfield assist, 2B)
Brian Pointer - 1 for 3, 2B

The big righty, Colin Kleven, has been the equivalent of a human baseball tee. The Thresher offense was nowhere to be found. Altherr making a rehab appearance until he is surely called up to AA soon. Lakeland sweeps the series with relative ease. Clearwater is a woeful 1-9 to begin the season and have lost 8 in a row.

Hagerstown 5, Lakewood 1 (April 11, 2014)

Alejandro Arteaga - 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 3 K, 6 GB, 7 FB
JP Crawford - 0 for 4, K
Carlos Tocci - 0 for 4, 2 K
Dylan Cozens - 1 for 4, K
Zach Green - 1 for 3
Larry Greene - 1 for 3, K
Gabriel Lino - 1 for 3, R, 2B, K (passed ball)
Willians Astudillo - 1 for 3, RBI (throwing error)

The Lakewood offense has gone silent despite all the hype. If the offense isn't moving, this team is going to struggle to win as their pitching isn't exactly stellar.  Their only run came on an RBI single from Austudillo who then got himself out trying to stretch it to a double.

Hagerstown 6, Lakewood 2 (April 12, 2014)

Ranfi Casimiro - 2.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR, 2 GB, 5 FB (fielding error)
JP Crawford - 2 for 5, RBI, K
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 5, K
Zach Green - 0 for 4, K
Wilmer Oberto - 1 for 3, 2B, BB, K
Gabriel Lino - 1 for 4, R, 2 K (passed ball) (pickoff error)
Larry Greene - 0 for 3, K, HBP (fielding error)
Samuel Hiciano - 1 for 2, R, RBI, BB, K, SB
Willians Astudillo - 2 for 4

Ranfi Casimiro has not been sharp to start the season and Lakewood needs all the help it can get. It was a sloppy game with 3 errors and a passed ball. Crawford with his first hits in 3 games. It seems of late that the bottom of the lineup is having more production and might benefit from moving up. I wouldn't continue to hit Zach Green at cleanup if he is batting 5 for 40 to begin the season.

Hagerstwon 6, Lakewood 1 (April 13, 2014)

Shane Martin - 6 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 K, 13 GB, 2 FB
JP Crawford - 0 for 3, BB, SB, K
Carlos Tocci - 0 for 4, 2 K
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 3, BB, 2 K
Zach Green - 0 for 4, 2 K (fielding error)
Andrew Pullin - 1 for 3, BB, K, SB
Willians Astudillo - 1 for 3

Same lineup, same results. I don't care of Martin only gives up 2 runs in this game, it doesn't change that Zach Green is batting .125 in the cleanup hole and committing errors. Move him down, move Astudillo up. Tocci is also hitting .125 out of the 2-hole for much of the early season, but this doesn't come as much of a surprise. Admittedly, I thought this team would be a little better than they have been just based off of their hitting lineup. That hasn't happened yet, but could still easily turn it around. Everything with Zach Green is a bit troubling so far.