Minor notes: Swann reassigned to Double-A Reading

Pedro Swann, 36, helped the R-Phils mount a second-half surge last season by hitting .365 with 25 RBIs. The veteran outfielder started the season with Triple-A Ottawa, but had trouble breaking into the starting lineup.

Swann, who’s seen limited Major League action with Atlanta, Toronto and Baltimore, will replace injured outfielder Branden Florence and join an outfield that includes Javon Moran and Greg Jacobs, among others. Swann played just three games for the Lynx and went 3-for-9. Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle has the full story of Swann’s return here. Without checking, I’d have to assume Swann becomes the oldest player in the Eastern League.

Taylor signs in Mexico: Former first round pick Reggie Taylor (1995) has caught on with Olmecas de Tabasco in the Mexican League. Taylor last played in the majors in 2005 with Tampa Bay. Taylor apparently couldn’t find room with the Long Island Ducks, which is becoming the new hotbed for ex-major leaguers (Richard Hidalgo, Danny Graves, Carl Everett, John Halama, Donovan Osborne). There are a couple ex-Mariners in that list, Mr. Gillick.

Simon lands on feet: Randall Simon has landed back with Tijuana of the Mexican League. After 18 games, last season’s bench addition is hitting .321 with a .936 OPS.

Rule 5 updates: Alfredo Simon, released by the Phillies during spring, has been converted back into a starting pitcher with the Oklahoma RedHawks (AAA, Rangers) and has 14 strikeouts in 20 innings and is holding hitters to a .145 batting average. As for Jim Ed Warden, the big reliever is throwing frisbees with Buffalo (AAA, Indians). In 7 2-3 innings, the side-arm pitcher has a 2.35 ERA and no walks.

Minor league transactions: The Phillies signed left-hander Abel Gomez and second baseman Kevin Howard recently, as listed in Baseball America’s transaction update. Howard has started a couple games at second for Clearwater. Gomez pitched last season in the Yankees organization.

Comments

[AWH]

clout, continuing from the previous thread, when you are ready to make a logical argument, that is, when what you are inferring/implying I said follows logically from what I actually did say, let me know.

To say or imply that because I was against Rowand/Linebrink because I thought Rowand's glove for 1,400 innings a year to be more beneficial than Linebrink's arm for 80 innings a year, that I must be for trading Utley and Howard is, to say the least, irrational. To say the worst: throw away the crack pipe.

Pick a fight with me when you're ready to make sense.

[gr]

the RF question is a good one, but if the team acquires linebrink for rowand, what then for the pitching staff? how do you resolve the myers-lieber problem? do you cut rosario and leave myers in the pen still? it would almost have to be contingent upon another deal.

[Billy Mac]

What happens to Pedro Swann when when Braden Florence comes off the DL ? I assume back to Ottawa to backup Roberson, Collier, and Calloway. I give him credit for not giving up.

In the last 6 games, the Phils' pitchers have an era of 2.65 (57.2 IP) and the relievers have era of 2.00 (4 er, 18 ip). Is it any wonder they are 4 - 2 ? It is always about the pitching.

[Tim]

i have to agree. saying you wouldn't trade the center fielder and 7 hitter because of his plus defense is not the same as saying 'lets trade the right side of the infield, the 3/4 hitters because they are below average even though they are offensive monsters.'

i don't think the words "utley", "howard" or "all about the defense" were ever typed.

that's an insane leap even for you clout.

[ae]

I don't want to see Rosario cut - maybe I'm just falling into the same trap optimistic scouts always do, but I like the way his fastball moves, and his control hasn't been a major issue. I'm sure we wouldn't be able to pass him through waivers. right now he's not reliable, but with the way he throws he could be an excellent arm for our thin bullpen in the near future.

and in re another comment from the last thread - I don't think there's any chance the Lieber-to-the-rotation move is designed to show him off as a trading commodity. the one thing Myers made abundantly clear in his interviews after the move was that he didn't want to move between the pen and the rotation during the season. sure, you could make him do it anyway, but I don't see this team doing something like that. plus, I get the impression that the Myers move was definitely a Manuel decision, not a Gillick one.

[Tony]

Who thinks Myers is the closer tonight? I do.

[martin]

Wow, Reggie Taylor, last year with the Lancaster Barnstormers, goes from a diet of pork-n-sauerkrout, and chipped dried beef (know locally as SOS) to tacos and tamales, with tabasco sauce of course.

[yt]

Is cream chipped beef (SOS) a SE PA thing?

I always thought it was just a Navy thing, but I have been totally unable to find it in NYC, and I have checked like 5 grocery stores.

Is this too far off topic?

[lekh tiztayen]

I was curious about the status and potential of Michael Garciaparra. He seems to be a decent contact hitter that can draw a walk, at least according to his stats. And he was relatively recently a supplemental first round pick. Could he be a replacement for Nunez as the utility infielder? This year? Next? What positions can he play? Is his defense solid, or is he a prospect because of his bat?

[martin]

yt, I quessed it is a local SE Pa thing, that's where I see it. Some little town restraunts just list SOS on the menu with no other explanation. I always thought that would be hard to explain to a foreigner.

[Steve Jeltz]

My pregame discussion question: if Randy Wolf was still on the team, how many (and which ones) of the current bench players would you prefer to see him (Wolf) used as a pinch hitter late in the game? I'm saying I'd feel more confident with Wolf at the plate than Barajas, Nunez, and Bourn.

[MG]

Creamed chipped beef is yet another disgusting dish native only to SE PA. It baffles people when you try to explain "scrapple" to them.

[SirAlden]

We need to be carrying 13 arms not 12, so we could have held onto the Simon's or Warden's of the world. Pat the bat is a much better fielder than Manny Ramirez, and Pat has a great arm. Bourne should be in the minors, and Castro should be up.

The Phillies need to send guys up and down to the minors the way the Yankees always have to let them get innings without pressure and get straightened out.

Madson if he has options should be in AAA now with Smith. If they are out of options the Yankees say they have tendonitis and send arms down for re-hab assignments.