Minor League Games - July 15, 2021

Squire 2021-07-15 12:09:54 UTC #1

DSL: DSL Phillies Red (LHP Joel Valdez) v. DSL Yankees - 10:30AM
DSL: DSL Phillies White (RHP Jayden Estanista) v. DSL Cubs - 10:30AM
Rookie Complex: FCL Phillies (RHP Sam Jacobsak) v. FCL Blue Jays - 10:00AM
Rookie Complex: FCL Phillies (LHP DJ Jerfferson) v. FCL Blue Jays - Game 2
Low A: Dunedin at Clearwater (RHP Mick Abel) - 7:00AM
High A: Jersey Shore (RHP Dominic Pipkin) at Brooklyn - 7:00AM
AA: Portland at Reading (RHP Francisco Morales) - 7:05PM
AAA: Lehigh Valley (RHP Mark Appel) at Buffalo - 7:00PM

Rolling scores here - https://www.milb.com/scores/philadelphia-phillies/2021-07-15

Rolling boxes here - https://www.mlb.com/prospects/stats/affiliates?teamId=143&date=07/15/2021

Squire 2021-07-15 14:47:02 UTC #2

Jamari Baylor with a HR this morning

Squire 2021-07-15 15:37:37 UTC #3

Yemal Flores first hit is a 3-run HR

Squire 2021-07-15 17:41:15 UTC #4

Starting to get interested in Kervin Pichardo.

andyb 2021-07-15 17:49:28 UTC #5

I am always interested in the lineup position clues and he is leading off now (instead of someone like Azuaje who is also playing decently and we know has plus speed). The Phillies make these lineup decisions largely based on who they want to get more ABs (for non rehab players at least). More XBH in less than 20 plate appearances in FCL than he did in 150+ plate appearances in 2019 in the DSL. Power and enough defense to stay in the infield (like a Kendall Simmons) is always intriguing even if he ends up at 3B.

Both Aussie catchers playing pretty well too in the early going. Chris Burke being the really young one (19).

bkox 2021-07-16 00:57:17 UTC #6

Phillies top prospect Mick Abel was removed from Thursday's Threshers game in the 4th inning. He appeared to have some discomfort. A coach and trainer visited the mound to assess his condition. Hopefully, his removal was precautionary. It did not appear to be his shoulder or arm.
— jim peyton ( @jimpeyton19 ) July 16, 2021

Squire 2021-07-16 00:58:11 UTC #7

See above message

Squire 2021-07-16 02:03:16 UTC #8

Boys are clearing the fences tonight.

phillychuck 2021-07-16 03:12:56 UTC #9

Morales has had three great to good starts in a row. The 6 inning no-hitter, a 6 inning, 2 run outing, and another 6 inning, 1-hit outing tonight. Good to see he seems to have figured something out. Still not 22 yrs old.

PS, Squire, how could we not be rooting for a guy whose given name is Kervin?

Austinfan 2021-07-16 03:46:12 UTC #10

What is up with Guthrie, couldn't hit AA pitching, now .312 in AAA.

andyb 2021-07-16 04:22:36 UTC #11

Jadiel Sanchez and Marcus Lee Sang have both quietly moved up to Clearwater and are holding their own. Of course part of the reason is Yhoswar Garcia getting hurt, but both are in the raw toolsy mode where struggles at a higher level would be expected. Two overslot guys drafted 11th (Sang, $440K) and 12th (Sanchez, $300K) in 2019.

bigegypt0417 2021-07-16 13:34:26 UTC #12

https://twitter.com/therealestmuto/status/1416008440170831876?s=19

bigegypt0417 2021-07-16 15:32:22 UTC #13

Have there been any updates on Abel?

Austinfan 2021-07-16 16:09:05 UTC #14

rob, PCEA®
@therealestmuto
·
3h
Francisco Morales through 6/16:
7 starts, 22 IP, 13.50 ERA, 6.49 FIP, .313 opp AVG
28% K and 16.1% BB

Francisco Morales from 6/17 on:
5 starts, 26.2 IP, 1.35 ERA, 3.31 FIP, .137 opp AVG
31.8% K and 10.3% BB

That's pretty darn impressive, and makes you wonder what was going on?
Did they tweak his delivery?
Arm soreness?

andyb 2021-07-16 16:23:54 UTC #15

Looks like half of the difference was bad luck. Then improved control helped (which I am sure decreased the pitches per inning).

It does highlight how people can overreact to small sample sizes especially when the underlying stuff or tools are good. I wondered several times why they did not kick him down a level to Jersey Shore since Reading was a double jump for him. I am sure the Phillies were monitoring what was going on closely and did not see too many things that would concern them enough to demote him a level. It is very possible that nothing dramatic here other than a pitcher getting more comfortable over time with a double jump.

bigegypt0417 2021-07-16 17:05:22 UTC #16

Agreed.

Even with his performance, most of those who write about the system were saying his stuff is undeniable...i'm glad that he may be turning a corner because it would be great if this system could start producing mid-rotation plus pitchers to go along with the back of the rotation...