Minor League Games - Thursday, April 4, 2019

[kikutaro]

Rochester Red Wings (1-0) @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (0-1) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Kohl Stewart (1-0, 1.80) vs. N/A

Final (Bottom 9)
Rochester 4, Lehigh Valley 2

Notable

Phil Gosselin 0-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB
Jan Hernandez 0-4, 3 K
Dylan Cozens 0-3, R, BB, 2 K
Sean Rodriguez 0-3, 2 K
Deivy Grullon 1-3, 2 K
Malquin Canelo 0-3, 2 K

Cole Irvin (L, 0-1), 5.0 IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 5K, game score: game_score
Edgar Garcia 2.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 1K

Reading Fightin Phils (1-0) @ Portland Sea Dogs (0-1) 6:00 pm | Gameday
Ramon Rosso (1-0, 0.00) vs. Kyle Hart (0-1, 6.00)

Final (Bottom 9)
Reading 4, Portland 0

Notable

Adam Haseley 1-4, 2B, BB
Mickey Moniak 1-4, RBI, 2B, BB, K
Austin Listi 0-5, 3 K
Darick Hall 1-3, R, 2 K, SB
Cornelius Randolph 0-4, 3 K
Luke Williams 2-4, 2 R, 2 K, SB
Arquimedes Gamboa 1-4, RBI, 2 K
Austin Bossart 1-4, 2 RBI, 2 K
Grenny Cumana 2-3, R, BB, CS

Ramon Rosso (W, 1-0), 5.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 4K, game score: game_score
Luke Leftwich 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 3K

Clearwater Threshers (0-1) @ Dunedin Blue Jays (1-0) 6:30 pm (at spectrum field) | Gameday
Spencer Howard (0-1, 6.23) vs. N/A

Final (Top 9)
Dunedin 11, Clearwater 2

Notable

Simon Muzziotti 2-4, K
Roman Quinn 1-3, 2B, BB, K
Daniel Brito 1-4, 2 K
Edgar Cabral 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR
Madison Stokes 0-4, 4 K

Spencer Howard (L, 0-1), 4.1 IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 7K, game score: game_score

Hickory Crawdads (1-0) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (0-1) 6:35 pm | Gameday
Hans Crouse (0-0, 0.00) vs. Colton Eastman (0-1, 13.50)

Final (Bottom 9)
Hickory 9, Lakewood 4

Notable

Alec Bohm 0-4, BB, SB
Malvin Matos 1-3, SB
Carlos De La Cruz 0-4, 3 K
Jake Holmes 0-3, R, BB, 3 K
Rafael Marchan 1-3, R, BB
Jonathan Guzman 0-3, R, RBI, SB

Colton Eastman (L, 0-1), 4.0 IP, 7H, 6R, 6ER, 1BB, 5K, game score: game_score
Ethan Lindow 3.1 IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 3K

(click on the start time for box scores)

[phillychuck]

Jared Eickhoff for the Pigs tomorrow.

This was their lineup on Tuesday:

Gosselin 2B
Hernandez RF
Cozens LF
Romine DH
Walding 3B
Rodriguez 1B
Grullon C
Robinson CF
Canelo SS

And Reading's Lineup:

Haseley RF
Moniak CF
Listi 3B
Hall 1B
Randolph LF
Lartigue DH
Gamboa SS
Bossart C
Williams 2B

Interesting that Luke Williams played 2B...I don't think I'd seen him there before, although it shows him playing one game there in CLW last year..

[andyb]

Listi at 3B is new. Building more of a utility profile for him I guess.

[phillychuck]

I wonder if they are going to rotate Listi, Williams, and Ali Castillo at 2B/3B?

Honestly, I wonder what the purpose of Ali Castillo actually is...he's 29, he has a lifetime offensive production in AA that is below average by 10-15%, and they have better fielders already on the roster. I also wonder if he might be a candidate for release?

[andyb]

I think they like to have these veterans around that are content to sit on the bench and play whereever and whenever they are needed. They might keep a younger second tier prospect in extended Spring just so they can get more steady playing time. I am never really worried about the AAAA guys. Even all the candidates in AAA are there to be the injury sub for the big club since we really have nobody else on the 40-man roster who would be ready (i.e. Gamboa).

Luke Williams at 2B is interesting also as he was always more athletic than the typical 3B-only candidate. I wonder if they will experiment at 2B with the 3B logjam at Lakewood too. If guys like Senzel and Rendon and Moustakas can play 2B in today's shifted, analytical game, why can't Jake Holmes get some looks there too?

[Philsmania]

Surprised Haseley is still at Reading. I thought he proved all he needed to at that level.

[Squire]

Look for OF Roman Quinn in today's Clearwater lineup on a Rehab assignment.

[andyb]

Quicker than I thought he would be back. This is good, though probably starts a 20-day rehab clock where the team will probably take full advantage. Puts his Philly debut around April 24 if all goes well. He certainly is a better fit on the bench than Altherr because he brings in potential double switches and pinch running (if someone like Franco gets on in the 7th inning or later).

[zambonir]

He certainly is a better fit on the bench than Altherr because he brings in potential double switches and pinch running (if someone like Franco gets on in the 7th inning or later).

Which is all well and good until Altherr is on another team and we're adding Lane Adams to the 40. But here's hoping, I'm sure he'd get more starts than Altherr too.

[andyb]

Which might be why Haseley is still in AA. They want to play Lane Adams regularly because they know they will lose Altherr and are not sure Quinn will stay healthy. It is probably the best strategy they could have with their spare OFs at the moment. One could see Quinn supplanting Herrera under the right situation. It is harder to see Altherr doing that.

Now whether they should move Williams because he has value and is under-utilized at the moment is another question. One might think that they would want to keep Altherr if they traded Williams. They don't seem inclined to do that at the moment though.

[Austinfan]

I think they want most of their minor leaguers to be able to play multiple positions, since other than the top prospects, they're really competing for bench spots in the future.
With only 4 bench spots, it's hard for a player who only plays 1B or LF to win one.
It's not like they have to excel at those spots, just be good enough to play for 4 innings off a double switch.

[julio]

Some notes as Opening Day rosters get finalized:

Lehigh Valley
Yacksel Rios, Matt McBride, and Gift Ngoepe are on the Injured List.
Tom Windle has been added to the AAA roster.

Reading
Connor Seabold is on the Injured List
Garrett Cleavinger, Kyle Martin, and Jose Pujols have been added to the AAA roster; all are on the Injured List.

UPDATE (already!): Clearwater has placed Danny Mayer on the Restricted List. Don't know why.
Both Clearwater and Lakewood rosters are over the 25-man active limit; likely more changes to report later today.

[zambonir]

I remain skeptical that we'll ever see Eickhoff pitch for the Phillies again

Tom Housenick (TomHousenick)

[Squire]

Reading Opening Day Lineup
RF Haseley
CF Moniak
3B Listi
1B Hall
LF Randolph
2B Williams
SS Gamboa
C Bossert
DH Cumana

SP RHP Rosso

Lakewood Lineup
2B Luis Garcia (hmmm)
3B Alec Bohm
LF James Smith
CF Malvin Matos
RF Carlos De La Cruz
1B Matt Kroon
DH Jake Holmes
C Rafael Marchan
SS Jonathan Guzman

SP RHP Colton Eastman

[zambonir]

2B Luis Garcia (hmmm)

SS Jonathan Guzman

Didn't one of the stories say that was the plan? 50-50 for each?

[andyb]

I have seen that 50-50 line, or at least stories where it was expressed that both of them would play both positions. They still see both as shortstops, though I could also imagine a world where Garcia is the better prospect and they prioritize his defense, assuming he'll advance beyond Guzman at some point.

The Lakewood lineup should not be as bad offensively as we initially thought. The addition of Bohm and Smith should shore up the offense at the beginning of the year. Stobbe and Holmes will get some looks at other positions (1B, LF, even 2B) as long as Bohm is there and the priority should be to move Bohm through there as quickly as they can.

[Squire]

Clearwater Lineup

RF Simon Muzziotti
CF Roman Quinn
3B Jake Scheiner
C Rodolfo Duran
LF Matt Vierling
2B Daniel Brito
DH Edgar Cabral
1B Madison Stokes
SS Nick Maton

SP RHP Spencer Howard

[DougLindsay]

I remain skeptical that we'll ever see Eickhoff pitch for the Phillies again

twitter.com

Tom Housenick (TomHousenick)

Change: LHP Cole Irvin starting tonight in place of Jerad Eickhoff --- who is being pushed back.
Enyel De Los Santos, Ranger Suarez, Drew Anderson and Jo Jo Romero will follow Irvin.
@IronPigs

Phillies asked them to move him in case they need him Saturday since the forecast tomorrow might cost them their starter early. Threw a bullpen today and will start Saturday if he remains in LV.

[zambonir]

ah, better news.

[phillychuck]

Very nice start for Rosso in his AA debut. There are worries about his stuff, but he seems to be able to get people out.