Red Barons reserve ready at a moment’s notice

Scranton Times-Tribune beat writer Chad Jennings has the early returns on some players making headlines in Triple-A.

Carlos Ruiz, C (.407 BA, 5 HR, 1.209 OPS): A possible big league job for Ruiz is easy to spot. I absolutely think he could play on a semi-regular basis for the Phillies, and if put in that position, he could win a starting job.

The guy can flat out hit. He can also run a little bit and can throw. I've also never heard a pitcher complain about his ability to call a game. On Friday night, Ruiz was the guy behind the plate when closer Yoel Hernandez got out of a next to impossible two-on, no-out situation in the ninth with the Red Barons ahead by just a run.

Not only do I think Ruiz can play in the big leagues, I will be shocked if he doesn't at least get up there in September. The big thing with him, as always, is staying healthy.

If the concern is strictly about a back-up catcher, don't forget that Chris Coste is an awfully good catcher and could be the guy the Phillies pick to sit on the big league bench while Ruiz continues to play every day in Scranton.

Bobby Scales, INF (.435 BA, 3 HR, 1.283 OPS): As for Scales, he's flat out smoking the ball and is a nice player. He can play second, third and the outfield corners and right now he's locked in at the plate.

I suppose he could be a utility candidate for the Phillies, but Danny Sandoval and Joe Thurston also fit that bill and each have big league time, which Scales doesn't have. That's not to say Scales can't play in the big leagues; from what I've seen he could be a solid big league reserve, I'm just saying that the Red Barons have several of those utility type players. Even guys like Coste and Shawn Garrett play multiple positions and have a history of hitting for average with occasional power.

I doubt any of the Red Barons becomes a regular in Philadelphia's lineup this year, but I think there are several guys like Scales who would be successful role players if called upon.

Yoel Hernandez, RP (9 IP, 1.00 ERA, 6 SV): Then there's Hernandez, who has been flat out terrific as the Red Barons’ closer. I mentioned the two-on, no-out situation from Friday and it's a perfect example. Ahead by one, the lead-off batter reached on an error then the next guy doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. I was sure Hernandez had a blown save, but he struck out Danny Garcia (who has big league time with the Mets) and Mitch Jones (who is a great hitter and should have made the Yankees bench) before getting a ground out to end it.

If the Phillies need bullpen help -- and I think they eventually will -- Hernandez is certainly worth a look.

Other candidates: Relief pitcher Brian Sanches has been solid, and so has Clay Condrey, who has been very, very good since switching out of the rotation. Keep an eye on each of those guys.

Beyond Ruiz, Scales and Hernandez, I've got to give at least honorable mention credit to pitcher Matt White and outfielder Chris Roberson.

White is left-handed, he's been the team's best starter and he started a game for the Nationals last year. Don't forget about him on the possible bus to Philadelphia.

As for Roberson, he's starting to come around after a fairly slow start. He made a tremendous running catch in center field the other day and has really shown good things on the bases. I don't know that he'll go up anytime soon, and I think he's still a few notches below Shane Victorino, but there's a reason he stayed in big league camp until the very end.

Chad Jennings covers the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons for the Scranton Times-Tribune. He welcomes e-mail at cjennings@timesshamrock.com.

Comments

[RickSchuBlues]

If Ruiz is this ready and this able, why are they wasting their time with Fasano? These fan groups have just ensured that Fasano will not only play the whole season here, but probably make the cover of the media guide and promotional billboards, as the team is surely rejoicing it's come up with someone people like. But he stinks. And Ruiz at least might be the future. Let him play!

Damn WBC... if he'd had more ABs in spring training, maybe he could have had people see the light about him and ditch Fasano. The WBC is the worst new development in baseball since the DH.

[Nat]

Fasano is the new Tomas Perez -- a likeable guy who's really not a very good player. Problem is, Fasano is worse.

The Phillies obviously will need to have a new catcher ready to go for next year. It would be a good idea to get Ruiz up here and see if he can do the job.

[That Dude]

I know we are winning right now, but how is David bell batting CLEANUP?

[J. Weitzel]

Utley was ejected. Nunez started at third and moved to second. Bell took Utley's spot in the order and is into the game at third.

[Carson Book]

Weitzel: do you really think the Phillies will call Ruiz up and give him a shot before September? I wish he was on the team now, but like I've read on this blog many times before...the Phillies seem to have this loyalty to struggling veterans. Ruiz looks to have both the offensive and defensive tools to warrant a back-up and possibly starting catching job, but the Phillies seem quite content with Lieby and Fasano.

Note: all these people bitching about Phillies fans...well, what other city do you see make these fan clubs for players like Fasano, or Robert Persor for that matter? Other cities don't, and if they do, it's because they saw Philly do it. Yes, the fans boo, but it is purely out of disgust for the product on the field and the lack of hope on the horizon. History has shown that once a club begins to play well the Phillies home town crowd can be as raucous as any other! Keep on cheerin' and keep on booin'...depending on the outcome!!!

[J. Weitzel]

The Phillies are handling the backup catcher situation exactly how I thought they would back when Fasano was signed. Fasano is there because he's a veteran who can break in some of the pitchers, someone who knows he's not a full-time player and wouldn't have beef accepting an assigment to the minors. I think they'll follow through with part two of that plan closer to midseason, and that's bring up Ruiz to get him some work before 2007. I don't think they intended to start Ruiz as the backup, WBC or not. Would they be a better team with Ruiz instead of Fasano? Hard to say, but at the least it gets a younger catcher into the fold for the first time since Estrada.

[kdon]

I can't help but notice that Coste isn't on that list. Poor guy, he is really struggling at AAA. I'd be pissed off too if I had a 1305 OPS in spring training and was passed over for David Bell, Abrham Nunez and (Bad) Alex Gonzalez.

Also, good win today. Myers pitches like an ace and the foolish Marlins throw Howard fastballs!

Also, a special thank you to Joe Girardi for bunting in the first after a lead-off double. You really know how to settle a pitcher down.

[That Dude]

"Utley was ejected. Nunez started at third and moved to second. Bell took Utley's spot in the order and is into the game at third."

My bad, I missed the beginning and thought, wtf does Bell have pictures of Manuel in a compromising position? lol

[RickSchuBlues]

They obviously didn't intend for Ruiz to make the team, but neither did they intend to have Floyd make it or have Franklin be a reliever. Gillick showed that he was willing to be adjustable where logic dictated coming out of spring, and that's where not having Ruiz around for most of the spring killed off any chances of him supplanting Uncle Sal.

Playing this WBC in March, and encouraging prospects who have something to prove to their parent clubs in spring training to instead sit on a bench for their country, is bound to seriously mess with people's careers. It should be done at another point in the off-season. Nothing, not even the noncomittal steroids policy, screams outright imbecility on baseball's part than the timing of this prolonged exhibition.

However, probably you're right in that the Phillies wanted a 'veteran' to catch Lieber and now Floyd. But it's nonsense, really: Lieberthal is plenty veteran enough, isn't he? But the Phillies apparently regard his game-calling skills as being on par with a 22-year old rookie, so having a younger alternative behind him becomes an impossibility. Even if that younger catcher is rapidly getting older - Ruiz is 27 already, and how long do most catchers last? This is a classic case of the Phillies bungling a career, as well as their own on-field interests, by covering their butts following an ill-advised contract (to Lieberthal). The consequences are manifold. The Phillies approach is to ignore prospects in their own system because they're so busy fooling themselves they're just one or two pieces away from winning, and therefore need 'veterans' to fill the roster holes. They're *damn* lucky they didn't lose Howard thanks to this philosophy; if Thome hadn't been hurt last year, they surely would have. I don't know if Ruiz is even destined to be a starter in the major leagues, much less a player who can really help. But when did they plan on finding out?

[dajafi]

RickSchuBlues--Ruiz is old for a prospect, but in a sense young for a catcher. He didn't really play serious competitive baseball until he was in his 20s, IIRC--his high school didn't have a team.

One aspect of Paul Hagen's useful article from a couple weeks back that was especially galling, but not particularly surprising, was that the Phillies really do make baseball decisions in part on marketing criteria. The case of Fasano vs. Ruiz will show how much this continues. One guy sucks and is pretty clearly not a long-term answer; the other guy is hitting the snot out of the ball, could be the full-timer in 2007, and is repeating at the top level of the minors. Is it worth keeping Sal around and Ruiz down because some group of idiots started a fan club?

[J. Weitzel]

I'm pulling for Ruiz, too, but I don't have beef with Sal's Pals. I think it's a lot of fun. Why the hell not?

[dajafi]

I should have been clearer here: I don't have a problem with "Sal's Pals," and I shouldn't have characterized them as idiots. What I have a problem with is if Pat Gillick wants to promote Ruiz and cut Sal loose, and he can't do so because John Brazer thinks it would be bad PR.

As I said, I think this will test the team's supposed commitment to results on the field versus winning transitory goodwill amongst a small group of fans. Most of us just want to see them win.

[filliesphan29]

i like ruiz, i heard hes only an average fielder, but i think he will start or be number 2 next yr once they kick lieby out