PHILLIES: Domonic Brown Promotion (Part 2)

“FOR YOUR PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES, BATTING SIXTH, STARTING IN RIGHT FIELD, NUMBER NINE, DOMONIC BROWNNNN.”

Getting chills just thinking about it.

After placing Shane Victorino on the 15-day DL because of a strained oblique, the move that has been anticipated for virtually the entire 2010 season was finally made.

” The Phillies have purchased the contract of OF Domonic Brown.”

Impact of Brown’s Promotion

OF Dom Brown's debut with the Phillies has arrived.

While I wish the move didn’t have to come at the expense of Shane Victorino, I’m never going to complain when the Phillies add a potential 5-tool player to their roster. As I said in my previous post, this may not be the best situation or timing for Brown to make his debut. The team is back in the middle of a pennant race, the pressure to produce in Philadelphia is at a all-time high, and the Phillies now have the added responsibility of figuring out Brown’s role on this team and in the clubhouse.

If they already didn’t have enough to worry about when they were just trying to acquire Roy Oswalt or another SP, a UTIL INF, or a lefty arm out of the bullpen..

But, whether we like it or not, the time has come. Calling Brown up now means he’s here for the long haul.

And by long haul, I mean more like years or decades rather than days or months.

Right now though, I’ll be the first one to admit that Brown’s promotion should be viewed as a saving grace of sorts. Until Shane Victorino comes back from his disabled list stint, it’s almost a certainty that Brown will assume the role as the everyday RF, which will give him a perfect opportunity to make his transition to the big leagues by getting regular at-bats. With Brown’s supreme talent, you won’t see much of a drop-off in production even with Victorino gone.

And that’s saying alot.

So, with Brown settled in RF, that means Jayson Werth, who barring a huge move, will remain a member of the Philadelphia Phillies for the rest of the season because of his explosive offensive ability and defensive versatility (can play all three OF positions), will move over to CF to account for the loss of the Flyin’ Hawaiian.

Once Victorino comes back though, that’s where the work begins, as it is unclear what the Phillies will do with Brown. There is no doubt that he will stay up in the big leagues, but Charlie Manuel may have to do a little shuffling to make sure that he does nothinder the growth of his beloved top prospect.

Here’s a potential proposal (Full Week, 7-Game Schedule).

Raul Ibanez (4 Games in LF), Shane Victorino (5 Games CF), Jayson Werth (4 Games RF, 2 Game CF), Domonic (3 Games RF, 1 Game LF), Ben Francisco (2 Game LF).

May not be completely accurate, but you can bet the Phillies do something like this. Keeping a 38-year old Raul Ibanez fresh and Victorino healthy as he gets off the disabled list is just as important of a process as giving Domonic Brown regular at-bats at this point.

A process that will start on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park when #9 steps onto the outfield grass as he debuts in Phillies red-pinstripes.

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Oswalt + Other Trade Notes

: Since Jayson Werth will most likely stay in Philly for the remainder of the season, a deal for Roy Oswalt will have to include some combination of J.A Happ and top young prospects in order to get done. If a deal goes down though, I say it looks like this scenario.

Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia for J.A Happ and at least two of Vance Worley/Scott Mathieson/Anthony Gose/Jonathan Singleton.

: If the Phillies strike out (no pun intended) on Oswalt, here are two other names that seem hot right now as being linked to the Phillies. Chicago’s Ted Lilly and Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona.

PHILLIES: Introducing Domonic Brown

The title of the post speaks for itself.

This story (yes, an actual story) will also be accessible on ironpigsbaseball.com in the next day or two.

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The “Phuture” Becoming the “Now” for Brown

By Alex Cohen

For almost every major league baseball organization, the month of July brings plenty of uncertainties.

Due to the combination of injuries that coincide with three straight months of daily wear-and-tear on the body, the trade deadline, and the dollars and cents that make up the economy of “America’s Pastime”, the lack of guarantees at this time of season, good or bad, are virtually unavoidable.

However, the current state of the big league club up in Philadelphia is actually creating the opposite regarding the roster of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Whether it’s because of a rumored deal that marks the departure of one of the Phillies all-star caliber outfielders, an empty roster spot, or a chance to expand the MLB roster on September 1^st, it’s becoming quite apparent that one of the IronPigs brightest stars, OF Domonic Brown, could be leaving the home clubhouse at Coca-Cola Park at some point in coming weeks (or days) to make his debut at the big league level.

And for good reason.

The soon-to-be 23 year-old Brown, who is now so highly regarded around baseball circles that scouts from ESPN, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus have recently rated him the #1 prospect in all of professional baseball, has more than lived up to that enormous hype in the month that he has spent in the Lehigh Valley.

As of July 26^th, a glimpse into an stat-line that shows him featuring a team-high .343 BA, 5 HR, and 19 RBI’s in 25 games is visible proof Brown has dominated his Triple-A competition in all facets of the game in his short stint with the IronPigs.

Truth be told though, the prolific minor league statistics and superior natural talent that allowed Brown to receive an invitation to participate in the 2010 Futures Game as a part of this month’s All-Star Weekend in Anaheim (went 1-1 with an RBI single) aren’t the primary characteristics of the self-described “Farm boy from Georgia” that separate him from the other elite prospects.

Since Brown’s arrival to Triple-A competition, it’s his work ethic, humble demeanor, and overall approach to the game of baseball that has drawn even more praise than his on-the-field production from virtually everyone connected to the young phenom.

The growing list of Brown’s admirers, which now has a wide range from those within the organization to the compilation of notoriously harsh critics that make up the Philadelphia media contingent, also includes arguably the most important people of all at this point of his career.

His current teammates.

“The kid is a sponge,” says fellow IronPigs OF Chris Duffy, who with over three years of MLB experience to his name has embraced his newfound role of an approachable veteran and outfield coach to Brown.

“We’ll be running off the field after an inning, and he’ll come right to me or John (Mayberry) and ask what he could have done better on a previous play, or what he should do differently to prepare for an at-bat. He’s always willing to learn, yet he still has THAT swagger that separates him.”

The swagger that Duffy speaks up, which possesses a perfect balance of confidence yet not cockiness, is what allows Brown to tune out those who are demanding his arrival to Philadelphia (a list that is also growing) and just go out there and play the game of baseball.

“It’s not my job to worry about that kind of stuff,” said Brown while referencing his eventual promotion to the Phillies. “I just go out and do what I have to do on the field here, and if I get that call to go to Philadelphia, I’ll be ready.”

Barring a trade or some other unforeseen circumstance, when that call is made by those who make up the front office in Philadelphia, and Domonic Brown makes his largely anticipated debut in the City of Brotherly Love, the undisputed top prospect in the Phillies organization should automatically become a cornerstone in the Citizens Bank Park outfield for years to come.

In fact, it’s almost a certainty that he will.

PHILLIES: A Look at the Farm System

With the trade deadline less than a month away, one part of the Phillies organization that is surely under a large microscope is their farm system. Months removed from trading six of their top 15 prospects in deals to acquire both Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, the current Phillies prospects are not as highly-regarded as they once were. However,  if a trade to acquire a certain utility player or pitching help is to be made, then it is important to recognize those who are not at the big league level within the organization.

This look into the minor leagues is not gauged on who is ranked the top prospects by baseball insiders, but is based on the players who may be gaining notoriety inside the organization or in baseball circles because of their reputation, talent, performance at the minor league level, or trade value come July 31st.

Phillies Minor Leaguers: 10 Prospects To Watch

Stats Updated as of July 5th, 2010.

: OF Domonic Brown: A given on this list.  Not only the #1 overall prospect in the Phillies organization, but ESPN recently ranked him as the #1 overall prospect in all of baseball. Even with all the accolades he’s already received, his play is showing that the hype is warranted. The 22 year-old has graduated through three levels of the minor leagues the last year and a half. He was probably the Eastern League MVP at Double-A Reading through two months, but was promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the middle of June. Since then, in 12 G in Triple-A, his .405 BA, 4 HR, 11 RBI’s is just flat out ridiculous. So is his overall athleticism, in which he was a former baseball and football recruit for the University of Miami before signing with the Phillies.

: P Jared Cosart: Top 100 prospect who was selected to 2010 Futures game in Anaheim along with Brown. 7-3 record at Single-A Lakewood with a 3.79 ERA and 77 K’s. Upper 90’s Fastball. Currently on the disabled list.

: 1B Jonathan Singleton: Just 18 years old when the 2010 season started. .347 BA, 10 HR, 48 RBI’s at Single-A Lakewood. May have biggest upside besides Brown, and has had the biggest rise this year in baseball circles out of any other member of the Phillies farm system. Will be a top 100 prospect in all of baseball at the start of next season. With Ryan Howard under contract until 2014, if the Phillies were to be involved in a blockbuster trade at any point, Singelton will most likely be the centerpiece if the team involved wants prospects.

: C Sebastian Valle: After the Phillies dealt Lou Marson and Travis D’Arnaud in the last year, that made Valle the top catching prospect in the organization. Remember, he’s still just 19 years old, playing the position that is the most difficult to flourish at when it comes to big league production. .265 BA, 9 HR, 4 RBI’s at Single-A Lakewood shows promise.

: OF Anthony Gose: By far the fastest player in the organization. Had 76 SB in 2008 with Single-A Lakewood. Solid defensively but still very raw at the plate. At 19 years old, he’s at Advanced-A Clearwater with a ways to go.

: P Phillipe Aumont: Top Prospect that the Phillies got back from Seattle in the Cliff Lee trade. The pre-season top 100 prospect in all of baseball drew much criticism when he went 1-6 in two months at Double-A Reading this season. Aumont got sent down to Advanced-A Clearwater in June, where he is 0-0 in 5 games with a 4.91 ERA.

: OF Tyson Gillies: Another highly regarded prospect acquired in the Cliff Lee deal to Seattle. A high energy guy that impressed in Spring Training but has battled injuries and inconsistency all year at Double-A Reading (.238 BA, 2 HR, 6 RBI’s in 26 games).

: OF John Mayberry Jr: Made his debut with the Phillies last year, but struggled to make consistent contact and has spent the entire 2010 season so far at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Got off to a hot start, but since enduring a knee/ankle injury in the middle of June, he’s really struggled. Stat-line curently sitting at .241 BA, 10 HR, 42 RBI’s through 74 games. Behind Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and now Domonic Brown on the organizational depth chart at OF, a move for an infielder to fill-in for Chase Utley and Placido Polanco may include Mayberry. That is, if the teams actually want him.

: P Joe Savery: Former 1^st rounder (2007) out of Rice University. Had 16 wins last year combined at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but as struggled mightily this year as a starter with the Iron Pigs (1-8) and has been converted into a reliever at Triple-A.

: 3B/OF Anthony Hewitt: Former first rounder (2008) out of HS. Has struggled in 2 years in the minors, but is still very raw, and is finally figure out minor league pitching (.271, 7 HR, 33 RBIs at  Single-A Lakewood). Doesn’t have a position yet.

Others You Should Know:

- P Andrew Carpenter: (25 years old. Made big league debut with the Philadelphia in 2009, and started off the 2010 season on the big league 25-man roster as a member of the Phillies bullpen. 7-6 with the 3.21 ERA at Triple-A Lehigh Valley)

- 1B Matthew Rizzoti: (24 years old. 1B prospect that has come out of nowhere this year at Double-A Reading. Hitting a team high .366 with 11 HR and 43 RBI’s since being called up from Advanced-A Clearwater in May. )

- SS Freddy Galvis: (20 years old. Probably the best defensive prospect in the organization. It is believed that the 2010 Eastern League All-star play SS at the big league level right now from a defensive standpoint. Struggles at the dish but is making improvements. .226 BA, 2 HR, 28 RBI’s at Double-A Reading.

- P J.C Ramirez: (21 years old. 2-1 at Double-A Reading in first season with the organization after being the 3^rd prospect acquired by the Phillies via Seattle for Cliff Lee)

- 3B Harold Garcia ( 24 years old. Advanced-A Clearwater. Set team-record with a 36 game hitting streak earlier this season. Named the Phillies minor league player of the month for June.)

- P Jesus Sanchez: (21 years old. 7-4 with a 2.67 ERA at Advanced-A Clearwater)

- P Trevor May: ( 20 years old. A pre-season top 10 prospect in the organization. Has underperformed at bit, 5-5 with a 5.01 ERA at Advanced-A Clearwater)

- OF Cody Overbeck: (24 years old. 9^th round draft pick in 2008. .302 BA, 11 HR, 41 RBI’s at Advanced-A Clearwater)

- P Matthew Way: ( 23 Years old. 7-4 record with a 3.65 ERA at SS Single-A Lakewood)

PHILLIES: Surgery for Utley

And the news isn’t promising.

Early Thursday morning, MLB Network’s Peter Gammons reported that Utley’s thumb will require surgery, something that Phillies Beat Writer David Murphy repeated shortly after. Apparently, the ligaments in his thumb were torn to the extent that they could not heal naturally, and Todd Zolecki has confirmed that the procedure will take place today, likely derailing the all-star 2nd basemen for at least 8 weeks.

The outlook is clearly not good. As I stated in a previous post, the difference between losing Utley for 15 days and losing Utley for 60 days is HUGE. While the Phillies now have to deal with these injuries along with a depleted farm system, they do have some some options if Utley were to have surgery.

In reality, a lot has to do on the health of Placido Polanco. He is in New York right now seeking a second opinion on his chronic elbow condition to his non-throwing elbow, and if the prognosis is good and allows him to come back soon after his 15-day DL stint is complete, then Ruben Amaro, Charlie Manuel, and company have a choice to make.

Do you go out and get a 3rd baseman in FA or via trade, and spare  Polanco to the extent that you can and play him at 2nd?

Do you go out and get a 2nd basemen in FA or via trade, and let Polanco resume his normal duties as the everyday 3rd basemen?

With Castro and Valdez being middle-infielders by nature, I would say to the capacity that you can, keep in Polanco at third. Sure, Hank Blaylock and Garrett Atkins are both on the FA market and are naturals at the hot corner, but they are on the FA market for a reason. Neither are close to the level of Polanco, even at his present injured state, and with him semi-healthy at 3B along with the surprise-of-the-season Wilson Valdez at second for the next month or two to fill in for Utley, the Phillies may actually be able to survive this disaster.

That is IF Polanco can come back healthy. A Big IF.

And Utley of course..

Other Phillies News

: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported Thursday that the Phillies have Dan Haren on their “radar”. Arizona is looking to deal him, along with the 12+ million dollars that he is owed next season. If  this is true, then is shows that the Phillies are seriously interested in adding a pitcher, and that money isn’t as much of deal-breaker than we think. If that’s the case, my question is why don’t you bring back Cliff Lee instead?

: Along with Blaylock and Atkins, here are a couple other names to look at as potential replacements for Utley via trade. Seattle’s Jose Lopez and Baltimore’s Ty Wigginton and Miguel Tejada.

: Surely some Philadelphia  fans were a bit perplexed when the Phillies promoted SS Brian Bocock (.179 BA in 65 games)  from Triple-A Lehigh Valley instead of INF Cody Ransom (International League All-Star selection, 15 HR). Reportedly, Ransom has been dealing with a knee injury which is why he wasn’t called up.  So hitting .238 with a team-high 15 errors at Lehigh Valley, and not being on the 40-man roster at the time of the callup had nothing to do with it?

: Bring back PEDRO FELIZ!

PHILLIES: Happ “anxious” in Triple-A Rehab Start

Multiple times, J.A Happ categorized his latest rehab appearance with Triple-A Lehigh Valley as “anxious”.

In context, I’m not sure if that is grammatically the right type of adjective, but with 100 pitches in 4+ innings, giving up 2 runs, 6 hits, against the Rochester Red Wings, it safe to say he was a bit baffled on all fronts on Tuesday night.

From the first batter, Happ looked a bit lost. Even though his velocity (87-90 mph) was the best it has been since the start of his rehab, he fell behind eight of his first ten hitters, something that has to be concerning for pitcher that prides himself in his control. In addition to basic control issues, it appears that he doesn’t quite have the “out” pitch yet that most big league pitchers need to be successful. Especially for a player with average big-league stuff at best, this needs to change before Happ makes his jump back to the bigs.

When he is ready, of course.

All in all, as you can tell by the mood of this post, Happ’s outing showed minimal evidence that he should be back in a Phillies uniform, but could have certainly been worse. Happ gave up three extra base hits (including one HR), walked as many batters as he struck out (4), and if not for Domonic Brown stealing the show (outfield assist ended an inning that had 2 runners on base, both inherited by Happ), would have had a final pitching line that could be considered sub-par by most rehab start standards.

All in all, Happ’s four innings at Coca-Cola park Tuesday night most likely bought him one more rehab appearance at either Reading or Lehigh Valley before his DL stint is set to be finished next week.

According to his post-game press conference though, that may not be what J.A Happ is imagining.

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HAPP PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT (Partial because there were plenty of repetitive questions)

How did the forearm feel out there?

Happ:  ”Today was the best I felt. I actually felt normal today healthwise. I got ahead in the counts, and threw a lot of pitches, but besides that I felt real good.”

As you take us through the outing, do you think you showed any signs of rust?

Happ: “I guess. I’ve had enough outings where the rust should be off, but tonight I think it was more of me being anxious. Trying to throw strike one and not being able to do it, it’s a strange feeling. I felt good out there, but I just threw too many pitches and they (Rochester) did a good job of battling and fighting pitches off.”

Do you think some of that is just trying too hard to make it back to the big leagues?

Happ: ” Could be something like that. It is what it is. Hopefully this is my last one, and that’s the way I viewed it. I threw one of my best bullpen sessions in the last couple years here, and believe it or not, sometimes that is a bad sign when you throw a good bullpen like that. I mean, I just went out there, and wasn’t as sharp as I’d like, but I feel like I can correct it because I finally feel good again. Physically, right now, I feel ready.”

Do you have any indication on what your role is going to be when you get back with Philadelphia?

Happ: “We never talked about anything besides coming back as a starter. I feel like that’s why they brought me back, but in the end it’s going to be their decision.”

How sick are you of this rehab?

Happ: “I’m ready man. I’m ready, you guys have no idea. There are not words to explain how frustrating this whole thing has been. From initially thinking it was going to be 10-15 days to here we are however many weeks later and I’m here. So, I’m just really anxious and obviously disappointed I couldn’t go a couple more (innings), but overall I’m happy with the way I feel. I feel real good.”

With your pitch count around 100, the most you have thrown during your rehab, are there any ill-effects or extra soreness from that?

Happ: ” No. I had an extra day because of their (Iron Pigs) road trip, so I feel good. I actually tried to convince Rod (Nichols) to let me in a face a couple more hitters just to try to get my pitch count up there like it would be normally. Hopefully I rebound good, I don’t see why I wouldn’t.”

If they give you one more start here (Lehigh Valley), would you take that is a negative?

Happ: “It’s not up to me. But, with what we just talked about, I’m anxious to get back. It’s not really going to be my choice though.”

With the year you had last year, and now spending all this time rehabbing, do you feel that you are back at “square one” in this whole process of proving yourself again a big league pitcher?

Happ: ” The way it kind of worked out is that this is sort of Spring Training for me. I only had a couple outing before this happened, and I’ve been trying to get back. It’s been a grind, but I feel like I am on the verge. Any day now, it’ll be there.”

PHILLIES: Domonic Brown Promotion

Here is the news you all have been waiting to hear!

DOMONIC BROWN HAS BEEN PROMOTED FROM DOUBLE-A READING…To Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

A little anti-climatic don’t you think?

Sure, there might be some dissipointment for Brown and some Philadelphia fans that the promotion wasn’t directly to the City of Brotherly love, and that is somewhat warranted.

The Phillies #1 overall prospect has been absolutely been tearing the cover off the ball this season with Reading, and was close to approaching the status of Jason Heyward and Mike Stanton as being a top prospect who has the ability to bypass a level in the minor leagues but is still able to perform at a high major league level. While that may be the case, keep in mind though, Heyward and Stanton were both top 100 selections in their respective drafts, while Brown was signed as a 20th rounder who was unsure if he was even going to continue his baseball career just a couple years ago (ended up deciding against a football scholarship to the University of Miami).

Patience guys, patience.

For the Phillies though, as much discussion as there has been about Brown supplanting the aging and, for the most part, struggling Raul Ibanez in the starting lineup, this is still THE CORRECT MOVE.

Yes, I said it, the Phillies made the right choice here.

Next Stop: Triple-A

Sure, bringing Brown up would sure give a certain buzz to a team that has been arguably lacking a certain fire for the last six weeks. I’m not disputing that. But, if you think that Brown, without facing any Triple-A pitching, is going to go out there and hit higher than .250, and hit for more power and have better plate discipline than Ibanez out of the sixth spot in the lineup, you are out of your mind. Obviously, you can make the whole Jason Heyward and Mike Stanton argument, but know that they are two select cases. If you look at the rest of the outfielders in baseball, how many players do you see who succeeded right away after being called up to big leagues, while skipping a level of the minor leagues in the process.

Not very many.

So, to ultimately describe my mindset on this issue, I am going to use a simple cliche.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

The Phillies have won seven out of their last ten games, and have averaged over seven runs a game in their past six contest.  While there is no doubt that Jimmy Rollins is a big reason for this, being that he is is the catalyst of the lineup, he is not one of the five “everyday” players who are surging, hitting over .300 in this recent span. In fact, those players are Placido Polanco, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, and last but not least, RAUL IBANEZ. Let me be clear. There is no reason to put a player, with the contract that Ibanez has (due 11.5 million next year), squarely on the bench to satisfy the buzz of a 22 -year old rookie, especially if there is really no reason for that change.

With that said, even though this recent hot stretch may have bought Ibanez and the rest of the Phillies organization some time, they should certainly keep this move in the back of their minds.

That is, with Domonic Brown at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, will be playing his ball that much closer to Citizens Bank Park, waiting for THE promotion that not only will most likely be his last, but also his most important.

PHILLIES: Rollins Activated (Again); Dobbs DFA

Well, it looks like it’s “The Return of JROLL: Part 2″ in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

As much that has been said about the struggles of the Phillies offense, Rollins may be coming back to an offense that is beginning to heat up. They are averaging a decent 4.2 runs a game in the month of June, and have put up an average of six runs a game in their last six contest, with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth all hitting over .300 in the last week.

Unfortunately, however well he plays, the return of Jimmy Rollins won’t have much of an impact on struggling bullpen and an insufficient back end of the rotation.

Not today’s issue though.

RIP Greg Dobbs as a Phillie.

Earlier in the day, the decision to activate Jimmy Rollins from the disabled list sparked a set of moves that will most likely end up with a Phillies fan favorite leaving the organization.

In order to make room for the former MVP, the Phillies decided to stand pat with both Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez on the roster, and instead designated long-time Phillies fan favorite Greg Dobbs for assignment. For Dobbs, who hit .301 and led the league in pinch hits for in 2008 for the Phillies, he will most likely never play a game for the Philadelphia organization again (unless he plans to continue his career in the minor leagues). Sadly, as much as I liked Dobbs, the move was warranted. The career utility player who has spent time at 1B, 3B, and in the outfield was just hitting a paltry .154 this season with one hit in his last 25 at-bats as a pinch hitter, and has had his playing time decrease in recent days, most likely do to lack of production. Now, he has 10 days to figure out his future plans.  Whether it’s via trade, buyout, outright release, or demotion to a Phillies minor league affiliate, fans will no longer be able to cheer Dobbs’s name at Citizens Bank Park ( unless he signs with another team and is in the visitors dugout).

That does happen by the way. If my memory serves me correctly, Jim Thome was applauded as a member of the Minnesota Twins this weekend when they played the Phillies, even after he hit a homerun in front of the home crowd. Honestly, I loved Thome as much as anyone, but that just isn’t right.

One other move to note.

Apparently, taking a bat to the back of the head is a dangerous. After bearing the brunt of a Jason Kubel swing on Friday, Carlos Ruiz was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 18th. In his absence, Brian Schneider will start, and Dane Sardinha will be the primary backup. With one roster spot available, the Phillies purchased the contract of LHP Mike Zagurski from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Zagurski, who like friend and teammate Scott Mathieson will get his first call-up to the bigs since having Tommy John surgery in 2008, posted a 2.35 ERA in 30.2 innings of relief duty with the Iron Pigs.

PHILLIES: Time To Panic?

As one Philadelphia team is one step away from reaching the championship in there respective sport, the team in the City of Brotherly love who has most recently reached the top of the totum pole is beginning to struggle.

J-Roll is out of the lineup once again for at least two weeks.

Losers of four out of their last six games, and averaging an anemic two runs a game over that span, the Phillies are obviously not playing there best baseball. In past years, losing streaks have correlated with offensive futility for Philadelphia, and this stretch isn’t much different. While losing Jimmy Rollins to the disabled list for the second time this season to a calf injury may be playing a large part to this rough patch, injuries are part of baseball, and unfortunately, the games are still going to count for Philadelphia despite them losing their perennial all-star SS, again.

Is it time to panic?

When it comes to the overall struggles of the Phillies, probably not. Even without Rollins, the lineup is too good to struggle like this over a long period of time. I know losing two out of three to the Red Sox and getting shutout for 16 combined innings by Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield may make you think otherwise, but remember, in each of the last two seasons, the Phillies have had the same fate when playing Boston, losing two games in a three-game series.

In addition to this, the Red Sox have always matched up well with the Phillies, and have even had success against Roy Halladay when he was with Toronto (Halladay had a career 4.39 ERA against the Red Sox before this past weekend), so I’m not all that surprised or concerned with the outcome of the series or Halladay’s subpar start (5.2 IP, 7 ER) on Saturday.

Is it time to be concerned though?

It may be.

A second stint to the D.L for J-Roll for a calf injury is most worrisome. This is the same player who was plagued with injuries during the first-half of last season, tried to play through them, and ended up hitting around .200 until he was presumably taken out of the lineup by manager Charlie Manuel so he could heal. Placing Jimmy Rollins back on the disabled list was the smart move, but the fact of the matter is, this injury may be one that will linger the entire season, meaning that J-Roll would have to play the remaining three months at less than 100%. It also doesn’t help when Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, and J.A Happ will be on the disabled list with him.

No player is ever 100% at this part of the season, but it is never a good sign when every other team in baseball knows it.

While the Phillies offense has been prone to struggle at times, the defense has been just as bad lately, which is quite out of ordinary. Yes, losing a gold-glove SS to an injury would allow that to happen, but the worst part about the Phillies recent defensive struggles is that they are coming at the most inopportune times. Case and point, in the last four starts for Phillies ace Roy Halladay, the Phillies defense has committed 10 errors, which for all you math majors is a whopping 2.5 errors a game. That may be acceptable in Little League, but not at this level of baseball, and certainly not with arguably the best team in the NL when their ace is on the mound.

In all honesty, these issues are most likely going to be temporary. They will have minimal affect when October comes around and the final standings etched in stone. But the fact of the matter is these games count towards the ultimate goal, and right now, they aren’t going well.

OTHER NOTES

: Wilson Valdez is becoming quite familiar with the Philly area. Six hours after clearing waivers and arriving back at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Valdez was shipped down the NE Extension back to Philadelphia as he was back on the 25-man roster with Jimmy Rollins being placed on the D.L

: Brian Schneider was activated on Monday from a 15-day DL stint after having successful rehab stint at Lehigh Valley (well, it depends what you mean by successful, he was 0-for-8). To make room for the backup catcher and first baseman, Paul Hoover was designated for assignment. Hoover, who hit .278 with the Phillies in his two week stint in the bigs backing up Carlos Ruiz, will have to pass through waivers. That may not happen.

: Matt Stairs hit his first homerun of the season this past weekend with the San Diego Padres. That makes 11 teams the former Phillie has hit a HR for. I still wish I made the purchase on the “In Case of Emergency, Use the STAIRS” shirt that was worn around Citizens Bank Park for the past three seasons. Classic.

: Check out this cbssportsline.com thread today saying Washington Nationals uber-prospect Stephen Strasburg broke his arm after getting hit by a foul ball during batting practice. If that’s true, wow, that’s awful luck. If that’s not true, which it seems more and more like is the case (no legitimate report), what a sick joke. I am glad I’m not one of the ten Nationals fans in the world right now.

PHILLIES: Rollins Back as the Phillies Roll on..

Jimmy Rollins is officially back in action!

The former NL MVP and catalyst for the most feared lineup in baseball was back up and running at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night, occupying his usual position in the middle of the infield for the Phillies 12-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The return of J-Roll just adds on to the Phillies already stacked lineup

While his presence may not have been needed on Monday, as Kyle Kendrick pitched eight strong innings while Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth put the game out of reach by knocking in 10 of the 12 runs, the game also featured a clearly healthy J-Roll for the first time since early April. When you read the stat line, you will see that Rollins was 2-4 with a double and a RBI groundout in his return. Not too shabby, right?

However, what you won’t be able to see is the fact that  he was able to leg out the double with ease, showing the acceleration and speed that makes him one of the most versatile players in all of baseball when healthy. Also not visible on the boxscore is Rollins’s lack of defensive rust that he showed against the Pirates, making multiple plays in the field that would back up his track record as a perennial gold-glove award winner at the SS position.

Yes, it was just one game. But, the fact of the matter is, if you watched the game against the Pirates, it’s quite visible that the Phillies are a COMPLETELY different team when J-Roll playing. That is offensively, defensively, and even in the clubhouse.  Truth be told, that may not be a good thing, as changing the dynamic of the team that had an NL best 23-13 record entering Monday’s contest may be risky. However, in this case, getting an all-star shortstop and clubhouse leader back in uniform will most likely help, not hurt, a team that has been in the World Series the past two seasons like the Phillies have.

And to think, Chase Utley wasn’t even in the lineup against the Pirates.

OTHER NOTES

: Ryan Howard knocked in six runs and hit his 9th career grandslam on Monday night. He is also virtually hitting .300 (.299 to be exact). The fact that people still complain about his performance (listen to 610 WIP if you don’t believe me) is beyond me.

: If you have been following the Phillies all season, it’s pretty clear that Jayson Werth’s performance to this point is making the front office cringe when thinking about the trade deadline or the off-season. It shouldn’t even get that far. I don’t know how because I’m not a GM or a master in finance, but if the Phillies can figure out some way to sign him to a long-term deal, they need to do it, and do it soon (shaking money of local trees may be the best option).

: To make room for Rollins on the 25-man roster, the Phillies optioned Wilson Valdez to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. After watching his defense, especially against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday night baseball, I pray to the baseball gods that he clears waivers.  Besides J-Roll, not many infielders (including current Phillies backup Juan Castro) have the arm strength and range that Valdez showed in his stint with the big club.  After all, defense wins championships, right?

: J.A Happ is not expected back until at least the beginning of June and Pedro Martinez is rumored to be talking to the Mets about a comeback this season. Hmmmm..

: Aroldis Chapman will make his introduction to the Phillies organization this week.  However, it won’t be in Philadelphia. The Reds top prospect will be pitching against Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday as a member of the Louisville Bats. Could be interesting, especially since the Iron Pigs are heading home from a week-long road trip, the finale being a 15-inning extra inning win against the Gwinnett Braves (Triple-A affiliate for Atlanta).

: Between the Flyers and the Phillies both being in action, it looks like the storyline of the Sixers chances of obtaining a top pick in the NBA Draft Lottery will be overshadowed in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Oh how I hope for Evan Turner..

PHILLIES: Lidge Back to the D.L, J-Roll Returns?

Overshadowed by the Flyers making history in their series over the Boston Bruins, the Phillies have been playing some pretty good baseball over the time span that the Orange and Black became the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.

With a 22-13 overall record, the Phillies are a season-best nine games over .500, and have a three game lead in the NL East over the surprising Washington Nationals. While the second team in that equation is a surprising to say the least, I can’t say the Phillies status as being at the top of the pact is. Since May 30th of last season, there have only been three days that the Phillies have not been at the top of the divisional standings during the regular season.

Talk about dominance.

However, not all is well when it comes to the team that is about to return to Citizens Bank Park on Monday for a seven-game homestand.

From Jimmy Rollins to J.A Happ, the Phillies have been decimated with injuries this season often to say the least. On Saturday though, the Phillies injury bug reached new heights, as the organization made the move to send there first player in the 2010 season to make a return stint to the DL. After being out of action for five days because of what the Phillies would call “elbow discomfort”,  much maligned closer Brad Lidge was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to his last appearance on May 10th, his second trip to the disabled list in as many months.

A return to the DL has become a reality for "Lights Out" Lidge

Tough break for big Brad. Since his return from off-season elbow surgery at the end of April, Lidge was pretty effective in his four appearances this season, posting a 2.70 ERA and one save.  Most importantly though, with his increased velocity, he looked more like the Brad Lidge of 2008 than the Brad Lidge of 2009. While that was great to see, this disabled list stint will obviously stunt the confidence growth that Lidge was gaining in every single appearance, which is obviously not a good sign considering “confidence” is integral to the success of most closers in professional baseball. Just ask Byung-Hyun Kim (yes, I know, that is a name from the past).

With this newest obstacle to overcome, the Phillies are in the process of shuffling around the bullpen once again. Lidge will join fellow closer candidate Ryan Madson on the disabled list, leaving set-up man and former starter Jose Contreras as player most likely to finish out games for the Phillies. As Contreras will move into the closer role (has filled that role the last three games), Danys Baez will serve as the 8th inning man, and Chad Durbin will serve as the primary long reliever. To fill the roster spot left by Lidge, Phillies brought up Antonio Bastardo from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, who has actually has sub 2.00 ERA (1.69) in 13 appearances with Philadelphia this season. If Contreras fails, or Lidge ends up on the DL for more than 15 days, look for the Phillies to also to bring up Scott Mathieson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Mathieson, a former big leaguer who seems to have fully recovered from two Tommy John surgeries, is a perfect 5 for 5 in save opportunities (Pigs haven’t been in many situations for Mathieson to close out games lately) this season with a stunning 0.54 ERA.

While Mathieson may be big league ready, lets hope it doesn’t get far enough where he has to prove that just yet.

OTHER NOTES

: Jimmy Rollins may be back in a Phillies uniform before the conclusion of this coming homestand, which ends May 23rd. Huge boost to the offense clearly. However,  if Shane Victorino keeps on hitting like this out of the leadoff spot ( .318, 3 HR, 10 RBI’s in the last 10 games), could the Phillies possibly place Rollins somewhere else in the order when he comes back?

: Speaking of Shane Victorino, who would of thought that on May 16th, he would lead the Phillies in RBI’s and would be second on the team in HR’s? Crazy.

:  Looks like #1 Phillies prospect Dominic Brown is starting to come alive. 6 HR’s in 11 games. That’s going to generate some buzz, especially around July 31st (MLB Trade Deadline).

: Former Phillies fan favorite (for some) Pat Burrell was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.  How the mighty have fallen..

For a guy who averaged 30 HR’s for his last four seasons in Philadelphia, he’s really struggling at the plate (.202 BA with the Rays this year). . However, for a figure around league minimum,  I’d sign him to sit on the Phillies bench. Even though he wouldn’t do much for the team at the plate or in the field ( Pat the Bat if you remember was never known for his fielding), bringing him back to the City of Brotherly Love would for sure make a so-far tame season for the Phillies a little bit more exciting for a variety of reasons.

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UPDATED (Sunday 11:07 PM)

Looks like Jimmy Rollins has a new clean bill of health, or will shortly. The former MVP and Phillies starting SS is heading back to Philadelphia Sunday night after his rehab stint with Single-A Clearwater was deemed complete. While he may not be activated for the start of the 7-game homestand (Monday against the Pirates), it looks like J-Roll’s return to the club will be sooner rather than later. If Rollins is not activated right away, a likely possibility is him making one more rehab appearance in Lehigh Valley (their homestand starts Tuesday), and if that goes well, J-Roll’s return to Citizens Bank Park will be on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. If he is activated right away, I am assuming he will pick up right where he left off, playing SS and hitting leadoff when the Phillies take the field on Monday, even though Shane Victorino has been hitting at a torrid pace out of the leadoff spot lately (look at the stats above).

Call me crazy, but I would say there is a 50/50 shot right now J-Roll plays on Monday. I am no betting expert, but I just thought I’d throw it out there..

For more news on J-Roll, read David Murphy’s “High Cheese” blog.