2019 Minor League Spring Training

[phillychuck]

Holmes was a replacement for a player who was scratched late (they said his name had been blacked out on the lineup card with Holmes written in. Don't think he plays much 1B in the minors this season.

On another front, I'm pretty POed that the Phils aren't reporting games in the minors this spring.

[zambonir]

I almost wonder if this seemingly fan-unfriendly move is also meant to be rival team-unfriendly. Or maybe they just haven't filled a job yet? Surely some beat writer (at any level) could find out though.

[Squire]

As always I tend to think its more inadvertence (or incompetence) than malfeasance. But we're like 2 weeks from roster announcements and 2 weeks and 2 days from first games so my disappointment is only temporary.

[phillychuck]

I correspond with one of the PR directors for a minor league team. He reports he has called several people in Florida to no avail. I can't think there are any secrets being kept since the games are open to the public and other teams are present...

[zambonir]

But there's also no way the baseball operations department isn't keeping score (and then some). I'm sure Squire is right and it's just indifference.

[phillychuck]

Report on the Saturday AAA game:

In 7-5 AAA Phillies Win, Moniak, Gamboa, Gomez, Cumana and Lartigue All Get RBI...

Baseball Betsy posted a video of Holmes celebrating his HR and getting his triple and double here:

[Squire]

Random tidbit...Jake Scheiner homered today off a 99 mph fastball from Nate Pearson per JJ Cooper

[phillychuck]

Released yesterday:

Blake Quinn, Austin O’Brien, Justin Miller, Alex Garcia, and Sati Santa Cruz.

I remember having hopes for Blake Quinn.

Video of Scheiner's mammoth HR:

JJ Cooper (jjcoop36)

[andyb]

Miller was a $100K bonus HS pick in the 12th round in 2016 (between Josh Stephen and Andrew Brown). Never pitched that well and mostly stayed at GCL for 3 years. It is always worth taking a shot at these modest-bonus HS guys in case they develop physically (like Ben Brown from 2017 may be doing). When Brown was moved into the GCL rotation last year it was the first sign that they liked him more than some other low dollar prospects.

[phillychuck]

Detailed reports on the group 3 and group 4 games yesterday versus the Braves in CLW from phuturephilies. Bless Jim Peyton, the Phils don't seem to care whether we get any information at all. Interesting note--Jake Holmes in LF for group 3...!!

Spring Training 2019 (March 21st)

[Squire]

The tidbit about Jhordany Mezquita's FB sitting 92-94 was pretty nice to read.

[andyb]

Some videos of today's game on Twitter. Gowdy is back. Stuff seems modest. Morales looks good. K'd the side on 11 pitches, sitting 93 and touching 95.

Bad news from the PhuturePhillies comments is that Jose Pujols has a leg injury. No announcement yet but speculation about the ACL.

Jason Woodell (JasonAtTheGame)

[nycphils]

Nasty loss if Gowdy can’t regain his velocity. Moniak and Gowdy failing (if that is where it ends up) would be a big reason the farm has declined.

[andyb]

Gowdy was never a guy that was more than 92-93, so this is fine for an early Spring appearance. I am guessing they will hold him back in extended till May also to limit his innings (and keep him away from the colder weather in Lakewood).

Now Gowdy is a lanky guy with some projection, so we may have hoped for more velocity. He was just drafted because he was a pretty polished 4-pitch pitcher. That is what I am hoping to see this year, though expecting his command will be shaky because he has pitched so little. Just surviving 80 innings in Lakewood without getting sent down to Williamsport would be a great year for him this year.

[Squire]

The AA Phillies Looked Strong on the Infield Corners as Third baseman Jake...

Scheiner with a 2 HR game
Hall with a HR
Randolph with a 2B

[julio]

It's behind a paywall, but Mike Drago, of the Reading Eagle, is reporting that Haseley, Moniak and Randolph are all expected to open with the AA Fightins'.

Mike Drago (mldrago)

Fightin Phils: Haseley, Moniak could highlight Reading roster

Other info in this article:

Players expected to start in AAA: Dylan Cozens, Mitch Walding, Damek Tomscha, Malquin Canelo, Cole Irvin, Ranger Suzrez and JoJo Romero.

Players expected to start in AA: Adonis Medina, Austin Listi, Darick Hall, Austin Bossart, Connor Seabold and Aaron Brown.

Players expected to start in A+: Alec Bohm.

COMMENT: Tomscha in AAA? Listi in AA? What the heck? The more I look at this, the more I have to doubt the Reading Eagle really has the story here. Romero in AAA? Seven starting pitchers (plus Eshelman) in AAA (Anderson, De Los Santos, Eickhoff, Irvin, Romero, Suarez, Viza)? Seven infielders in AAA (Canelo, along with Gosselin, Ngoepe, Rodriguez, Romine, Tomscha, Walding)? Only three outfielders (Adams, Cozens, Robinson)?

[zambonir]

Seven infielders in AAA (Canelo, along with Gosselin, Ngoepe, Rodriguez, Romine, Tomscha, Walding)? Only three outfielders (Adams, Cozens, Robinson)?

Can't four of those IFs also play OF (five if you were willing to throw Walding into left)?

[julio]

Seven infielders in AAA (Canelo, along with Gosselin, Ngoepe, Rodriguez, Romine, Tomscha, Walding)? Only three outfielders (Adams, Cozens, Robinson)?

Can't four of those IFs also play OF (five if you were willing to throw Walding into left)?

Well, yes. But what an uninteresting bunch. Canelo isn't going to hit, Walding is what he is; the only question is whether Cozens can improve his control of the strike zone. That's it. That and a bunch of guys playing out the string. And they're going to have to figure out the pitching...somebody's going to get pushed back to AA.

[zambonir]

I am not enough of a system junkie to have a strong opinion (though I was able to read the story in incognitor mode). Though I have followed AAA teams enough that I usually expect them to be more dull than not. You also could be right that Drago doesn't have the full picture.

Also, they are probably hoping Haseley is there by July. If only we could say the same for Randolph.

[julio]

You also could be right that Drago doesn't have the full picture.

I'm mostly reacting to his reporting on pitchers. If we assume what he reports, the AAA roster will have:
Drew Anderson
Enyel De Los Santos
Jerad Eickhoff
Tom Eshelman
Cole Irvin
JoJo Romero
Ranger Suarez
Tyler Viza

That's eight potential starters... and only leaves room for five relievers:
Victor Arano
Austin Davis
James Pazos
Yacksel Rios
pick one - or Tyler Viza?

Guys who would seem to be slotted for AA (currently on the AAA roster):
(from the above - Eshelman)
Edgar Garcia
Tyler Gilbert
Brandon Leibrandt
Josh Martin
Josh Tols
Gilmael Troya
Tom Windle

It's going to be interesting to see how this all gets resolved in the next day or so.