Phillies Minor League Roundup - July 8, 2014

Indianapolis 4, Lehigh Valley 2

Jason Marquis - 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 5 GB, 3 FB
Hector Neris - 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, K
Tyler Knigge - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, WP
Grady Sizemore - 2 for 4, 2B
Tyler Henson - 1 for 4, R, 2B, K
Darin Ruf - 0 for 3, BB, K
Maikel Franco - 2 for 4, R, 3B, RBI

Between the GCL and International League, Marquis has given up 1 earned run in 23 innings. In AAA, he has struck out 18 in 18 IP, while only walking 6 and allowing 10 hits. If/when the Phillies are able to trade a starter or two, look for Marquis to take a bulk of the innings following the trade/waiver deadlines. Also, I will stop reaping praise on AAA relievers for the time being. I put a hex on Neris and Knigge apparently. Sizemore looks to be about ready to join the Phillies or he will be looking elsewhere following the ASB. Maikel Franco's 2nd resurrection of the 2014 season is in full swing (no pun intended). In his last 10 games he is batting .357/.386/.595 with 6 XBH and 7 strikeouts. Please Ruben, just leave him alone down there and not call him up because he is "swinging the bat well".

Trenton 6, Reading 5

Ryan O'Sullivan - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 9 GB, 3 FB
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez - 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, HR
Kyle Simon - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, K
Carlos Alonso - 1 for 4, K
Kelly Dugan - 0 for 3, R, RBI, K, HBP
Jake Fox - 3 for 4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Aaron Altherr - 3 for 4, R, 2B
Peter Lavin - 1 for 4, 2 RBI
KC Serna - 0 for 4

A definite improvement for O'Sullivan over his last start (his first this season after transitioning from a reliever). MAG blows the save by giving up a solo home run, but also struck out 3 in the process. Matt Hoffman takes the loss, giving up 3 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning of work. After a quiet start to July, Altherr breaks out with a 3 hit game and his 16th double.

Clearwater 3, Tampa 2

Colin Kleven - 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR, 10 GB, 1 FB
Cody Forsythe - 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
Lee Ridenhour - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
JP Crawford - 1 for 5, 2 K
Everett Williams - 1 for 4, R, K (outfield assist, 2B)
Brian Pointer - 1 for 3, R, 3B
Harold Martinez - 2 for 3, R, RBI, BB, K
Gabriel Lino - 2 for 4, 2 K

Kleven pitches a great game where he keeps the ball on the ground. Forsythe has been fantastic since being promoted to Clearwater late June and should be on track to join Reading by the end of the season. Roman Quinn gets a day off and JP Crawford leads off the game. Brian Pointer hasn't stopped hitting for about a month. He is OPSing .971 in his last 10 games.

Hagerstown 10, Lakewood 1

Tyler Viza - 6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 6 GB, 5 FB (pickoff error)
Christopher O'Hare - 1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 ER, BB, K, WP
Julio Reyes - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, K
Herlis Rodriguez - 0 for 4, K
Andrew Pullin - 0 for 3, BB, K
Andrew Knapp - 2 for 4, R (2 passed balls)
Dylan Cozens - 0 for 4
Zach Green - 2 for 3, 2B, RBI, BB
Larry Greene - 1 for 4, K
Willians Astudillo - 1 for 3
Mitch Walding - 0 for 3, 2 K (throwing error)
Malquin Canelo - 0 for 3, 2 K

After a great start his last time against Hagerstown last week, Viza gets roughed up in this one. He picks up loss number 12. O'Hare did the team no favors either and has given up 20 runs (15 earned) in 17 IP this season. Andrew Knapp gets another 2 hits and his average now sits at .298. His bat is likely too old and too good for this league.

Williamsport 8, Mahoning Valley 3

Feliberto Sanchez - 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 5 GB, 4 FB
Mark Meadors - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 5 GB, 1 FB
Cord Sandberg - 1 for 4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Chase Harris - 1 for 5, RBI, 2 K
Jiandido Tromp - 0 for 3, R, 2 BB, K
Derek Campbell - 3 for 5, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI (fielding error)
Rhys Hoskins - 2 for 4, R, RBI, BB, K, SB
Deivi Grullon - 1 for 5, 3 K
Robinson Torres - 1 for 5, R, K
Emmanuel Marrero - 2 for 2, R, BB, SB, HBP (fielding error)

After 4 relatively awful starts, Feliberto leaves this game without giving up a hit in 5 innings, having faced 17 batters in total. Mark Meadors came on in relief and picked up the win. Meadors has not given up an earned run in Williamsport so far this season (5.2 IP). Cord Sandberg has slowed down a bit after that ridiculous start to the season. He is still batting .298/.351/.455 through 88 at bats. Derek Campbell is now the new man possessed. The 2014 20th round pick out of UC Berkeley has a .368/.407/.605 line in 76 at bats, bouncing around between 2nd and 3rd base. He isn't being challenged, but is blocked elsewhere. An organization purge is due soon for these guys to be properly placed.

GCL Blue Jays 10, GCL Phillies 3

Luis Morales - 4 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 GB, 3 FB, WP
Austin Davis - 2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, K, WP
Gregorio Santos - 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, K, WP
Edubray Ramos - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, K
Venn Biter - 0 for 4, 2 K (outfield assist, 2B)
Tim Zier - 1 for 4, K, SB
Damek Tomscha - 0 for 4, 3 K
Trey Williams - 0 for 4, 2 K
Jose Pujols - 1 for 4, R, 2 K
Carlos Duran - 2 for 3, R, 2B, BB, K (outfield assist, 2B)
Luis Encarnacion - 2 for 4, R, 3B, RBI, K
William Cucias - 2 for 4, 2 RBI (throwing error)

Opponents have been just teeing off on Morales to begin the season (.380 AVG) and he has given up 11 earned runs in the process (17.1 IP). Venn Biter is ice cold, going 3 for 25. Jose Pujols is struggling a bit as well, batting .214/.327/.310 over 42 at bats. Matt Winks has commented before that he is making adjustments and being more selective at the plate. Hopefully it starts paying off soon. 16 year old Luis Encarnacion has been heating up after a slow start. He is batting .321/.424/.500 in his last 10 games (28 AB). That is really impressive as he is playing against guys 3-4 older than he is.