Tommy Joseph called up to the Phillies

The 2016 season keeps getting better and more fun. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly, the Phillies have called up long suffering first baseman Tommy Joseph from triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Joseph has been absolutely tearing up the International League this season. In 27 games, he's hit .347/.370/.611 and mashed six homers.

I won't mince words: this is extraordinary. Joseph came to the Phillies as a catcher in 2012 via the Hunter Pence trade with the Giants, and ever since he's had problem after problem. Concussions and other injuries held him back, and made everyone -- even Joseph himself -- question if he'd ever make it to the majors, or even remain with the club.

The Phillies went as far as placing him on waivers last fall, and even removed him from the 40-man roster, which exposed him to the rule 5 draft. On both occasions, all 29 teams passed on Joseph.

For his part, Joseph has had nothing but positive things to say about how the Phillies have handled him. From Jim Salisbury's story on Joseph's call-up:

"I hadn’t been a very reliable player," Joseph said last week. "I hadn’t been a very good player. They could have easily kicked me to the curb and said I was never going to figure it out. But their patience has always been unbelievable and they gave me another opportunity to come to spring training."

There hasn't been a corresponding roster move yet, but I wouldn't oppose Darin Ruf being sent back down, or perhaps being loaded into a circus cannon and launched into the Delaware Valley. After Ruf struck out looking in the 10th inning of last night's game, our own Chris Jones said it best.

Congratulations, Tommy Joseph! You have earned this chance, and everyone at The Good Phight is pulling for you.