While the Phillies ponder whether it's time to get younger, the would-have-been stars of tomorrow (maybe) are sharpening their tools in the Arizona Fall League, including rising prospect Anthony Gose.
Gose, 21, was included in the 2010 Roy Oswalt trade with Houston and was immediately flipped to Toronto, who had pursued the slashing outfielder heavily during the Roy Halladay talks. After a breakout season with double-A New Hampshire, in which he hit .253/.349/.415 with 16 homers and 70 stolen bases, Gose has kept up the pace in Arizona, where he's 17-for-57 (.298) with three homers, three triples and four doubles. According to ESPN's Keith Law, the Jays have worked to polish Gose's game, developing "more consistent, simpler swing mechanics." Gose fanned 154 times in his first full season at double-A, which isn't a major red flag given his age. To put it in perspective, Michael Bourn, a lefty batter with similar tools, struck out 123 times, had a worse season overall and was a year older when he made his Eastern League debut.
Once the scouting magazine prospect rankings are released, it will be interesting to see how high Gose climbs and where he sits alongside another breakout ex-Phillie: Travis d'Arnaud, who hit .311/.371/.542 with 21 homers for New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, outfielder Tyson Gillies, the Phillies' farm equivalent to Gose, is 7-for-30 in the AFL so far as he tries to recover from the hamstring and foot issues that kept him off the field all of last season. He joins infielders Darin Ruf and Cody Overbeck, right-handers Colby Shreve, BJ Rosenberg, Tyler Cloyd and left-hander Jake Diekman, who are all staying sharp with the Scottsdale Scorpions. Former prospect Josh Zeid, who was included in the Hunter Pence trade, is pitching for the Salt River squad.
Quick, a post, before Conshy Matt throws another fit.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:14 PM
ESPN reporting that Jim Thome spoke at a function in Cleveland and expressed his intentions of playing in 2012. He said that he would weigh which offer gives him the best chance at a championship.
Posted by: bv2st | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:30 PM
Thome hasn't been able to physically play 1B in probably a good 4-5 years now.
He's not an option for anything other than a DH role.
Posted by: NEPP | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:48 PM
He can play 1B for a few weeks before Howard comes back... and then be our LH pinch hitter
Posted by: Kevin | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:50 PM
I want that hat.
Posted by: Willard Preacher | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:51 PM
Thome told the Dodgers he couldn't physically handle fielding 1B at all back when they traded for him...in 2009. I highly doubt his back has improved over the last 2 seasons.
Posted by: NEPP | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 03:56 PM
For all those wishing for yesterday's stars why not sign Schmidt to play 3rd or better yet what about bringing back Bunning (at least that would be one less wingnut in congress)
Posted by: RK | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 04:01 PM
Either 1B at the major league level is a lot less athletically demanding than one would suspect, or maybe we should kill the "old guy with the chronically bad back to bridge the gap to the guy coming off of a serious Achilles injury" talk.
Aren't we the same crew imploring this team to get younger?
Posted by: Willard Preacher | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 04:04 PM
Jim Bunning is no longer in Congress.
Posted by: BobbyD | Monday, October 24, 2011 at 04:09 PM
"Jim Bunning is no longer in Congress"
... thank heaven for small favors.
Posted by: Callison | Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 09:42 PM