Notes: Instructional league starts for prospects

Odds and ends from around the minor league scene.

-- Top prospects Anthony Gose, Travis d’Arnaud, Harold Garcia and Domingo Santana are among the many prospects taking part in this year’s Florida Instructional League. In all, 40 prospects, including several 2009 draft picks, including Kelly Dugan and Brody Colvin, will take part in the informal league, which runs from Sept. 21 to Oct. 10 in Florida. The league features prospects from the Phillies, Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, Pirates and Rays organizations. Phuture Phillies has the complete roster here.

-- In case you’re unfamiliar with Santana, here’s a recent tidbit from the Inquirer’s Jim Salisbury: “It's very unusual for a 16-year-old Dominican not to play in the Dominican Summer League. The Phils were so high on outfielder Domingo Santana that they sent him to the Gulf Coast League, where he hit .288 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 118 at-bats. "He's a beast," one frequent observer of Santana said.”

-- A belated congratulations to the Lakewood BlueClaws, who claimed the South Atlantic League championship Friday with a 5-1 victory over the Greenville Drive. It is the club’s second Sally League title since 2006.

-- Finally, in non-Phillies news, the Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League battle the Durham Bulls of the International League in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in Oklahoma City, which airs tomorrow at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. I’ll be set for Phillies/Marlins at that point, but I thought I’d pass it along.

Comments

[Chris]

From the last thread:

Seeing Scott Eyre's injury listed as "Loose Body" seems all to fitting.

[Bennigan]

With Lidge struggling with everything and all this year, Myers probably not coming back, and Madson much better suited for the eighth inning, we clearly aren't going anywhere in the playoffs with this closer issue. My idea is to have the playoff rotation be:
Hamels
Blanton
Happ
Pedro

Cliff Lee as closer. Game. Set. Match. Championship.

[DH Phils]

Anybody else think of something other than "swings and misses" when they see "S&M"?

[Pete Happy]

BL had already determined that Pedro will be the closer. Or Happ. Or anyone who doesn't have an L, I, D, G and E in his last name.

[Old Phan]

I think Vic had loose body last week.

[Lake Fred]

The Astros just fired Cecil Cooper as their mangager.

[Old Phan]

I can never figure out why teams fire managers in the last 2 weeks of the season. They can't wait until after the WS?
Now the 'Stros will be the Dave Clark Nine.

[thephaithful]

Kendrick should start, and then close on his off days.

[CJ]

Bennigan: Me thinks you significantly over-emphasize the closer position if you think we should pull the reigning AL Cy Young winner out of our rotation to fill our closer role.

[mm]

LF: And yet Ed Wade still has a job? Channeling Clout: Interesting.

[TNA]

If a guy was terrible at his job, and you want to get a jump (vs. other teams) on available managers, you fire them in the last two weeks of the season. It may sound unnecessary, but it's not a bad idea.

[CJ]

Has anyone suggested that Escalona be our new closer? I'm just going to throw that out there.

[goody]

How did Memphis wind up in the Pacific Coast League?

[bay_area_phan]

How about Steven Register as closer?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Does the guy have to be on the roster? How about Tony Bastard as teh closer?

[mvptommyd]

How about Charlie Manuel as the closer? He is technically on the roster right?

[CJ]

Hugh: Excellent question... and the answer is "No," he does not need to be on the roster. I think, however, that we should limit our speculation to players actually in the organization. With that in mind...

What about Kyle Drabek for closer? He's got great swing-and-miss stuff, I've heard.

[Old Phan]

While Ed Wade is dumping people, can he send Valverde over?

[Pete Happy]

I've suggested this before, but now that the Eagles have Vick, can the Phillies get Uggie Urbina sent over on some sort of a work-release deal? I hear he has killer stuff . . . . .

[Orenthal "James" Simpson]

At this point, I'd take that lady from "The Closer" as our closer.

[Bob]

I was NOT familiar with Domingo Santana. Does he have a good arm? Could he close?

[Willard Preacher]

If we're voting for the role, I'd like to nominate the 3 year old who tossed the foul ball back. She obviously wants to keep the ball out of the seats more than many of these other options.

[bay_area_phan]

The only reason a GM would fire a manager with 13 games left in the season is because the GM is worried about his own job security and is trying to set up a fall-guy on whom to pin the blame.

[clout]

BAP: Ed Wade's first season with the Astros was 2008. He inherited a team that won 73 games the year before he arrived. The team won 86 games his first year and will win around 75 games this year. Do you really think he might be fired? How many GMs are fired after 2 years?

[SmokyJoe]

Interesting non-Phillie Note:

Remember back in June, the off-season acquisition of the year battle was between Raul and Orlando Hudson? Hudson was unreal, and the fact that he was much younger, and on a "cheap" one-year deal really made him look like a killer acquisition. He still has been a great pick-up, but does anyone realize that Ronnie Belliard has been getting more playing time at 2nd over the last 3 weeks than Hudson? Apparently, not only has he been struggling at the plate, but his defense has been tailing off for quite some time. It sure happened quick, as he has been GG worthy the last 3 years, but now many analysts believe he is below-average defensively.

[bay_area_phan]

clout: They were in contention until the final week of 2008, & had a large bump in payroll this year. So clearly more was expected of the team this year. I don't really think he'll be fired after 2 years, but I do think he might well believe he could be fired. It's hard for me to see why else you would can your manager with 2 weeks left in the season.

[jr]

Ronnie Belliard is another one the Phils missed.

[thephaithful]

jr: very true, ronnie would have a much better bruntlett. And if we see the dodgers in the playoffs, im not looking forward to him hurting us at least once in the series.

[SmokyJoe]

Braves beating Mets 8-0 in the 2nd.

[EastFallowfield]

Mets fans actually booed some, which they haven't done much after they gave up on 2009 a couple months back.

[SmokyJoe]

11-1 in the 3rd now

[Old Phan]

Bravos are taking out their frustrations on the Muts.

[valo]

For better or worse, Lidge will be the closer going into the playoffs, but I would not be at all surprised to see Walker as the closer before it is all over.

[Old Phan]

Phils next 3rd baseman is a guy from Turkey named Sultan Kosen. He's 8'1". Just try to hit a line drive over his head.

[Spitz]

What's up with the "height of the 3rd baseman" theme on BL? Am I missing something?

[doubleh]

Spitz: It's a running joke based on something mvptommyd said a month or so ago.

[Old Phan]

That theme is the high point on BL.

[MG]

bap - I highly doubt that Wade gets canned this offseason. Hell, he inherited a team with a bunch of guys who have full no-trade clauses (Lee, Berkman, Oswalt) and really hasn't had much of a chance to reshape the team right or wrong.

He might get canned next offseason if the Astros really are bottom feeders again next season but I bet he gets another season.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I don't think anyone can top Old Phan's post re drafting Sultan Kosen. He'd be great. Wouldn't even need a glove. Time to end the mockery, er, discussion.

[doubleh]

Boy, those Mets sure are in fine September form, eh?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Although, mvptommy is kinda right. Rollins would be a pretty short 3B.

[Greg V]

I'm calling Cecil Cooper is coaching the Cubs a few years from now and wins a World Series. Happened last time Mr. Wade fired a manager. Not that I'm defending the coaching skills of Francona. I'm pretty sure I could lead a team to a World Series if I had the Red Sox line up.

[clout]

BAP: Actually a poster on the last thread listed a very good reason to can your manager with 2 weeks left: It gives you a head start in the new manager sweepstakes.

Also, FWIW, the Astros' 2 best players, Berkman & Oswalt, have been playing with injuries for most of the season (in fact I think both are now done). Kinda like the Phils losing Utley & Hamels. That might cost you 10 games, no?

[clout]

Greg V: I can tell you're a football fan. In baseball they're called managers so it would be "managing" the Cubs in a few years and the "managing" skills of Francona.

[clout]

BAP: It's probably also worth noting that Cooper was hired by Wade's predecessor. When a new GM comes in and the team has a losing record, the manager tends not to last. Every GM wants his own guy.

[aksmith]

Wonder if Bowa is available?

[Larry Bowa]

Wade's a pu$$y for not canning cooper when he took the job.

[Greg V]

Clout, you're the great Grammar teacher I never had! No, I am not a football fan either.

[bay_area_phan]

clout: Usually, the managers in the off-season sweepstakes are the guys who just got done getting canned by their own teams -- which hasn't happened yet & won't until the season is over.

Also, Ed Wade hired Cecil Cooper. Cooper became interim manager in the middle of 2007, before Wade was on board. But Wade's first move as GM was to remove the interim tag & make Cooper the permanent manager.

I'm not saying Cooper didn't deserve to get canned. He probably did. The timing of it just sort of stinks. The season ends in 2 weeks and the Astros have long been out of contention. What's the urgency to fire the guy now? It has the feel of a GM who's trying to build a case that the bad season was someone else's fault.

[goody]

They will save money by making Chris Coste player-manager.

[gm-carson]

Blanton and Moyer are a combined 16-4 against the Fish with a 2.98 ERA over 124 innings. The duo of Johnson and Sanchez are 4-5 with a 5.10 ERA in 67 innings when facing the Phils (most of that being Anibal's fault).

[Mike]

I am not sure I can have a lot of faith in that prospect pictured above: if he is leading off first he is crossing his feet the wrong way and is going to get himself picked off.

[clout]

BAP: You have certain rules. Anything Jamie Moyer does is bad; anything Ed Wade does is bad; anything Brad Lidge does is bad; anything Kyle Kendrick does is bad.

I will not debate any of your rules, no matter how irrational.

[WillyFromPhilly]

I see that Instructional League Roster has Travis d'Arnaud listed at 5'11". Other sites have him listed at 6'2". Big difference for a catcher. Has anyone seen him and know how big he really is?

[Dull]

When I saw d'Arnaud at the Complex back in March during spring training his physique reminded me of a Johnny Bench build. Bench was listed at 6'1" 208 lbs.