Archive for February, 2009

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Saturday Spring Training Notes

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Some early spring baseball notes…

Jason Donald (BlueClaws 2007) is 0-6 in three games, but has reportedly played well at third. He’s back in the lineup today against Tampa Bay. With Pedro Feliz iffy to be ready for the opener, Donald is getting a long look at third and second.

Not a good day yesterday for Andrew Carpenter, who faced six batters and didn’t get an out. Antonio Bastardo (2007) gave up a run in two innings and Sergio Escalona (2007-08) gave up four runs while getting four outs. Recap here. The Phillies are an insignificant 0-3 so far.

In the same game, Matt Maloney (2006), now with the Reds, gave up two runs including a home run to Pablo Ozuna.

Adrian Cardenas (2007) went 2-2 for the A’s yesterday in the Cactus League.

Kyle Kendrick (2004-06) and Drew Naylor (2008) throw today for the Phillies against Tampa Bay. Kendrick is next up in the fifth-starter battle. Carlos Carrasco and JA Happ each started strong with two shutout innings. Chan-Ho Park throws tomorrow.

With Indians OF Grady Sizemore nursing a sore groin, Phillies OF Shane Victorino will replace him in the World Baseball Classic.

Posted in Adrian Cardenas, Antonio Bastardo, Jason Donald, Kyle Kendrick, Matt Maloney, Past BlueClaws, Phillies, Spring Training, World Baseball Classic | No Comments »

Saturday Notes: BlueClaws

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Here are some items of note for you… 

Those of you who are our friends on Facebook have received an e-invitation to next Saturday’s FanFest at FirstEnergy Park. Those of you who are not our friends on Facebook are of course also welcome to the event, at which individual game tickets will go on sale and each will be $1 off. Fans can win a spot in an on-field promo during the season, play broadcaster in the press box, and much more.

All the details can be found here. This week, we’ll have a preview, including an interview with the event’s coordinators.

On BlueClaws.com we’ve put up a couple of new pages that are worth bookmarking. One is a calendar of upcoming events, both involving the BlueClaws and the Phillies (such as the reporting dates for minor leaguers). Another is a “What’s New” page, where we link to the new stuff that comes up on BlueClaws.com.

Anybody interested in a FlexiBushel (details here), where you can get seven undated tickets at value pricing, should know that through March 7th, the package comes with a $25 gift certificate to one of six Jack Baker’s area restaurants. So you have a week. Here’s the order form. Or you can get them online here. 

There is a poll up on MiLB.com (right side of the page) asking fans for their favorite new promotion in 2009, and Kids Eat Free in Jersey, as I type, leads with 46% of the vote.

That’s it for now. Back in a few.

Posted in Enjoying a Game, FanFest, FirstEnergy Park, Lakewood BlueClaws | No Comments »

70 in 70: Number 40

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Just 40 days to go until Opening Day, and fortunately in baseball, we have a great designation. It’s called the 40-man roster.

From Wikipedia: The 40-man roster comprises all of the players on the 25-man roster, plus anyone who is on the 15-day disabled list, and contracted players on “optional assignment” in the minor leagues.

The important difference between the 25-man roster and 40-man roster is obviously that the 25-man roster members are the active players on gameday. The others are either in the minors or on the disabled list.

But what then is the importance of the 40-man roster? It comes later in the calendar year. Players, after being drafted, have three or four years of exemption (depending on if they were drafted out of college or high school / signed as a free agent). After that period, if they are not on the 40-man roster, they are eligible to be selected in the Rule-5 Draft at the Winter Meetings. It was through this process the Phillies acquired Shane Victorino.

The BlueClaws have several former players (13) on the 40-man roster of the Phillies, including recent additions Joel Naughton, Sergio Escalona and Drew Naylor. Ex-BlueClaws on other rosters include Gavin Floyd (White Sox), Matt Maloney (Reds) and Josh Outman (A’s).

Posted in 70 in 70, Gavin Floyd, General Baseball, Joel Naughton, Josh Outman, Matt Maloney, Past BlueClaws, Phillies, Sergio Escalona | No Comments »

Dave Schofield from Spring Training

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Spring Training LogoBlueClaws team photographer Dave Schofield checks in on his way down to Clearwater.

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Hello again from the road. This is Dave Schofield, BlueClaws team photographer. I am making my way down to Florida for another spring training, and each mile I drive, the weather gets warmer and more baseball like. My first stop will be in Loganville, Georgia where I will get to spend a couple of days with my daughter and her husband. It is a bit our of the way, but the chance to visit with them on the way down was too good to pass up. 

Again this year I will be doing the posed headshots of all the Yankees and Phillies minor leaguers. I have added Reading to the list of Phils minor league teams I will be photographing. Again I will do headshots for the New Hampshire Fishercats of the Eastern League. During my time in Florida I will shoot three World Baseball Classic warmup games, I have Phillies v Canada, Phillies v. USA and Tigers v Puerto Rico. I am looking forward to the Tigers/PR game since it will bring Bernie Williams back into action. 

As for the major league games I will be shooting, they should be a lot of fun, since most of the stars will be with their respective WBC teams. This will give some prospects a chance to play with the big club in spring training games. The minor leaguers will not start playing games until March 21, since the season starts a bit later this year. 

Well I am looking forward to providing Blog readers with some interesting tid bits from spring training. I will submit my blog from time to time and also put some photos of former and future BlueClaws up as well. 

As I get warmer and warmer I will think of you in NJ getting colder…ha ha…more from spring training on Thursday!  

 

 

 

Posted in Spring Training | 2 Comments »

70 in 70: Number 41

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Inside of six weeks to go until the BlueClaws opener on April 9th. Today’s 70 in 70 item looks back at what was just a fun, great day (they’re all like that but this more so) back in May of 2007. Number 41 refers to the number of media members on hand on Wednesday May 23rd, 2007 at FirstEnergy Park to see Ryan Howard rehab with the BlueClaws.

Howard went on the disabled list about two weeks prior, and we saw that he would be eligible to come off on Friday the 25th. So we went to the schedules, and saw that in the days leading up to his anticipated return, both AA-Reading and AAA-Ottawa would be on the road. We put two and two together, and later received confirmation that Howard would be coming to Lakewood.

As you’re aware, 41 media members is a lot of media members. We had to set up tables for some on the concourse. But it all worked out on that end and Howard hit a home run to boot.

The Hagerstown pitcher, Yunior Novoa, struck out Howard in the 5th inning, and he spun around and pumped his fist, showing up, and maddening, Howard. When Howard came up in the seventh, he responded with his bat.

“He just jumped in “He just jumped right in and was part of the team just like us,” said shortstop Jason Donald.

All told, the BlueClaws had over 17,000 fans on the two days and that pushed them towards the 3-million mark reached in July of 2007.

Could the push for 4-million fans begin with a rehab assignment? Chase Utley may or may not be ready for Opening Day…

Posted in 70 in 70, Lakewood BlueClaws, Past BlueClaws, Ryan Howard | No Comments »

Good Start for Carrasco and Happ

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Charlie Manuel dropped the green flag today on the race to be the Phillies fifth-starter, and Carlos Carrasco and JA Happ each responded very well. Each pitcher threw two shutout innings this afternoon in Clearwater, though the Phillies dropped a 6-2 decision to Toronto.

Carrasco, considered a longshot due to his lack of experience (he’s only made six starts above Double-A), retired all six batters he faced, three via strikeout. Happ allowed just one hit and retired the other six that he faced.

“It’s amazing to see these two kids go back to back,” catcher Carlos Ruiz said. “They were very impressive.”

 - Jason Donald went 0-3 but reportedly made a few sharp plays at third.

Posted in Carlos Carrasco, JA Happ, Jason Donald, Past BlueClaws, Phillies, Spring Training | 3 Comments »

Bobbling to the Ballpark

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

BobbleheadsBig day here in Lakewood. We’ve confirmed our four bobblehead dolls that will be given away during the 2009 season. We’re looking at a Phillies-centric list here this year, of course, with the parent club having won the World Series in 2008. But most exciting to us is the continuation of the “Made the Phillies” series, with Lou Marson and JA Happ.

  • June 9th, Lou Marson “Made the Phillies,” Smart Carpet and Flooring
  • June 15th, Charlie Manuel “World Series Champions,” American Red Cross
  • June 30th, JA Happ “Made the Phillies,” Verizon Wireless
  • July 16th, Cole Hamels World Series MVP Bobbleheads, RE/MAX of New Jersey

There you go. Individual game tickets go on sale at FanFest on March 7th, 12 noon.

Keep on bobbling. Below the fold, by the way, is a list of everyone who has been bobbled in BlueClaws history.

(more…)

Posted in BlueClaws Promo Nights, Enjoying a Game, JA Happ, Lou Marson | No Comments »

70 in 70: Number 42

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Six weeks from today, the BlueClaws will open their 2009 season against the Delmarva Shorebirds. We’re 42 days away from baseball at the Shore, and 42 is the number of combined wins in the championship year of 2006 for the BlueClaws big three: Carlos Carrasco, Matt Maloney, and Josh Outman.

They combined to go 42-21 that year, with each finishing with a sub-3 ERA, putting them all in the top five in the South Atlantic League. Maloney was named pitcher of the year, having led the league in both wins and strikeouts. In the latter category, Outman was second and Carrasco third.

While some BlueClaws fans hoped that they would form a strong core, along with Cole Hamels, in the Phillies rotation beginning around this year or next, Outman and Maloney have since been traded, bringing back pieces that helped the Phillies make the playoffs in 2007 (Kyle Lohse, Maloney) and win the World Series in 2008 (Joe Blanton, Outman).

Outman started the Cactus League opener for the Athletics yesterday, throwing two shutout innings. He’s in the mix for the A’s fifth-starter job. (AP Photo)

“I want my command to settle in right away,” Outman said in the San Francisco Chronicle. “Bob Geren said what they’re looking for the pitchers to do is throw strikes, and that’s what I want to do. I know I can compete at this level, but throwing enough strikes has been an issue at times.”

Maloney is part of the battle for the fifth-starter job with the Reds, though appears to be a longshot.

Finally, Carrasco will pitch later today for the Phillies against Toronto in Clearwater as the Phillies fifth-starter competition gets underway.

Good luck to all three.

Posted in 70 in 70, Carlos Carrasco, General Baseball, Josh Outman, Matt Maloney, Past BlueClaws, Phillies, Spring Training | No Comments »

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