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Looking Ahead: Jonathan Singleton

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Let’s continue our Looking Ahead series, previewing some potential future BlueClaws players. This time, a first-baseman who really impressed during his rookie year.

Jonathan Singleton, drafted in the 8th round from Long Beach, California, hit .290-2-12 with the GCL Phillies last year. But just looking at his stat line, one of the most impressive elements was an 13/18 K/BB ratio. Normally, you will see players have more strikeouts than walks, and that is especially true of a younger player just moving into professional baseball. That patience that he showed at the plate was especially impressive.

His father, Herb, played QB at Oregon, and son Jonathan was ranked as the 7th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League last year, where GCL Phillies manager Roly de Armas said he was the best high school hitter that he’s had.

Here is a Q&A from Singleon, draft time last year. My favorite part is the quote under his hat: “Good, better, best; never let it rest until the good is better and the better is best.”…He had committed to Long Beach State…His high school coach at Millikan in Long Beach said “I think he looks like Ryan Howard reincarnated. He obviously doesn’t put up the same numbers as Howard yet, but they have the same build.”

The Phillies have sent a number of second-year pros, drafted out of high school, to Lakewood, including Zach Collier, Anthony Gose, Trevor May (though he was not on the Opening Day roster), and Kyle Drabek to name a few. So it’s not unreasonable to think that he might be here in April.

UPDATE: Found this video from ESPN (HT Phillies Nation), where Singleton says that if he wasn’t playing baseball, he would be a middle linebacker (plus a lot more good stuff).

(photo: BaseballBeginnings.com)

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Jonathan Singleton | No Comments »

Looking Ahead: Jarred Cosart

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Continuing our Looking Ahead series, though which we look at some of the players that could well be BlueClaws during the 2010 season (remember, we won’t know the official roster until around April 3rd but it’s still fun to take a look). Today, Jarred Cosart, a right-handed pitcher who was ranked 8th in the system by Baseball America this year.

Previously: Jiwan James, Sebastian Valle

Cosart was drafted in the 38th round in 2008 and did not sign with the Phillies until late in the process, for $550k and out of a commitment to Missouri. Because of the late signing, he did not pitch in 2008 and went 2-2, 2.22 in 2009 with the GCL Phillies. Cosart will not turn 20 until May 25th, and is considered a power right-handed arm, like Trevor May and Jason Knapp (since traded to the Indians).

This is from Frank Piliere, a former scout who now writes for MLB Fanouse:

Few pitchers in the low levels of their system excite the Phillies’ player development staff as much as Cosart. The 19-year-old right-hander had an impressive 2009 campaign in the GCL, but it was the stuff he showed in his strong performance that has the organization intrigued. Cosart lived around 91-94 mph with the fastball, touching 95. He also mixed in a curveball at 74-79 mph, as well as an occasional changeup. For a young man with limited experience, his feel for three pitches was interesting to watch.

With a strong frame and some room to grow, Cosart will be one of the most fascinating young arms to watch in the Philadelphia organization. He’s got a lot to learn about location and how to mix his pitches, but the big arm and secondary pitches are in place. The way his raw stuff grades out, this is a pitcher with front-line starter-type ability.

John Manuel of Baseball America told us:

He probably has the best pure arm in the system, free, easy and powerful.

He’s around 92-94 with the fastball and has an overhand 11-5 curveball in the mid-70s from the different reports, but we’ve never seen him pitch, of course. But we’re looking forward to.

You can always take a few guesses as to who will be on any minor league team, and it’s a little bit harder at the lower levels. But there are always a few that just seem like locks, and I would think Cosart/Lakewood fits there.

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Jarred Cosart | No Comments »

Sign of Spring: the Bios Are Here

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

pink-flowerOne of my favorite signs of spring, like the flower on the right, is the massive file of player bios that the Phillies send over. This year: 64 pages in Microsoft Word. Draft information. Statistical information, and so much more.

Some of the good stuff…

  • New BlueClaws manager Mark Parent caught 24 innings in a doubleheader on July 24, 1998, at age 36. Two 12 inning games because starter Mike Lieberthal was injured and Parent was the only other catcher on the roster.
  • Ernie Whitt, who managed Clearwater in 2009 (Dusty Wathan manages them in 2010), led the 2004 Canadian Olympic team to a 4th place finish (ironically better than their hockey team might do at these Olympics). He also managed them in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics.
  • BlueClaws coach Greg Legg begins his 29th straight year in the system after being drafted in 1982. That is truly amazing when you think about it. Even more amazing was that last year’s championship with Lakewood was his first!
  • Luis Arzeno, who was a system catcher for six years, and spent part of 2009 with the BlueClaws, is now a coach for the Guanama Phillies in the Dominican Summer League.
  • Jeremy Barnes, who played SS for Williamsport last year, is the only player in the system who went to Notre Dame (and would be the first BlueClaw to have played there, unofficially).
  • Kelly Dugan, a 2nd round pick last year, went to Notre Dame HS, however.
  • While he was just 10-66 with Lakewood in the early part of last year, Leandro Castro ended up leading the Penn League in hits and total bases. Would expect him to be here this year again.
  • Siulman Lebron pitched for Williamsport last year. I smell a Lebron Chooses BlueClaws Over Knicks, Cavs press release right around the time of July 1st.
  • Last year, the BlueClaws had Tyler Cloyd and Jacob Diekman from the baseball powerhouse state of Nebraska. Could 2010 bring Darin Ruf here? He hit .207 between GCL and Williamsport (176 ABs) after being drafted in the 20th round out of Creighton.

We’ll sift through these bios and start to build some mock BlueClaws rosters. Also, this year’s media guide will be made available on-line, likely around April 1st.

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, 2010 BlueClaws, Around the Farm, Mark Parent | No Comments »

Looking Ahead: Jiwan James

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

We’re inside of two months away from Opening Day and we’re going to continue looking at some potential 2010 BlueClaws. Today, Jiwan James.

Previously: Sebastian Valle

One of the more intriguing prospects in the system, James was a two-way player in high school and actually began his career as a pitcher with the Phillies, throwing in 2007 and missing all of 2008 with injury. Last year, he moved over to outfield full-time and that’s where he is now.

Last year, he hit .264 with seven steals in 121 at bats with Williamsport in the NY-Penn League, and missed some time then too with a left wrist injury.

A 22nd round pick in 2007, he was discovered/signed by Chip Lawrence, the same scout who signed Domonic Brown in 2006. Brown, who had committed to play RB at Miami, was always more of a baseball-lean and signed. James, however, while he wanted to play baseball, couldn’t decide where (from an article on GatorSports.com just a few days after the 2007 draft).

After being selected by Philadelphia in the 22nd round of the Major League draft the first week of June, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound James said he was surprised because he already had turned down a contract offer from the Phillies when they called to say they would take him in the sixth round..

That afternoon he said UF, playing for a junior college (where he would be draft-eligible again after just one year) and the Phillies were the options he was considering.

A few days later James said he was 80-percent sure he would be a Gator and had removed junior college from consideration. But less than a week later, after a few visits with Philadelphia management in Clearwater that number had dropped to 50 percent.

He was still uncertain when he travelled to Clearwater five days ago.

“When he went to visit the Phillies on Saturday (in Clearwater), they upped their money offer and he decided he was going to sign with them,” said Smith of James, a three-time Gainesville Sun small-school player of the year. “But I told him before he went not to sign anything until I see the contract, and I couldn’t go with him because it was my dad’s birthday. I wanted to make sure he got everything coming to him. So, he didn’t sign then.

“Then, (Monday) he met with (new UF coach Kevin) O’Sullivan at 5 (p.m.) and it went well, but Jiwan didn’t give a definitive answer. That night around 11, he decided he wanted to go to Florida, but woke up at 3 a.m. wavering.”

Reached by phone just before noon on Tuesday, James said he was registering for classes and would enroll at UF. But he called Smith an hour-and-a-half later to say he was unsure.

Smith said he told James to go to orientation later that afternoon to see how it went, but not to sign up for classes. They decided to meet in the evening with hopes of coming to a conclusion.

Which of course he did. He basically missed two years, pitching, but he has been called the best athlete in a system that looks long and hard for them. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing Jiwan James play for Lakewood this year. Should be a lot of fun.

(Photo from CrosscutterBoosters.org)

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Jiwan James | 1 Comment »

Looking Ahead: Sebastian Valle

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

valleswingWe’re inside of two months away from Opening Day so we’ll start taking a look at some potential 2010 BlueClaws. First up, Sebastian Valle…

Up, down, and back up for Valle in 2009. He began the year in Lakewood, hitting .217-1-15 in the first half, went to Williamsport to play for the Crosscutters, where he hit .307-6-40 in the NY-Penn League, and then finished the season with the BlueClaws.

Why did he struggle in Lakewood? Competition or playing time? Probably a bit of both. First, he was just 18 (turned 19 in July) and in this country for the second year. But don’t underestimate playing time.

  • In the first half, he was in the lineup four-five days a week and catching only one or two behind Travis d’Arnaud.
  • In the second half (when he was with Williamsport), he was playing and catching every day.

Valle had an outstanding winter, hitting 11 home runs in just 160 at bats in the Mexican Winter League, and he is now (after d’Arnaud was traded) the top catching prospect in the system.

Farm director Steve Noworyta on Valle from a recent ClawCast:

He’s probably better off going to Lakewood to make sure that what we saw at the end of the year is what we’ll see going forward. He had some nice power numbers in Mexico for a young player. We say Lakewood now, but sometimes those types of players change your mind in Spring Training. He came back and did what we expected, but we want to make sure it’s that way going forward.

Valle was ranked 31st in the system by Baseball America headed into 2009, and is now ranked 7th. He’s got a big bat, especially if they can keep him behind the plate. I would figure he’s the Opening Day catcher in Lakewood this year.

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Sebastian Valle | 3 Comments »

If You Care About Such Things…

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Today marks…

  • 50 days until major league pitchers and catchers (about 18 more or so until minor league pitchers and catchers)
  • 101 days until BlueClaws Opening Day in Asheville
  • 109 days until the BlueClaws raise the championship banner before the April 16th home opener against Greensboro

And the snow is melted. Of course, if you didn’t have a good breakfast you’re in danger of getting blown away. So it’s partially a mixed bag.

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Spring Training | No Comments »

More From Mark Parent

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

shore-sports2New BlueClaws manager Mark Parent was on with our buddies Joe and Mike over at the Shore Sports Report (website, Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon. You can hear them every weekday, 3pm - 6 pm, on 1160 WOBM-AM and Fox Sports 1310 (the BlueClaws radio home).

Anyway, here are some snippets from Parent…

  • Managing with a catcher’s background: You learn how to deal with different personalities, get the best out of them, like a car salesman. You sell what you need to get across, the Phillie way, make it a part of what they believe in and will be successful with. As a catcher, you deal with so many personalities. The shortstop goes and fields a groundball and hits. A catcher works on every hitter, 30 pitchers over the course of the season, and is always thinking a few innings ahead.
  • parent3aPhilosophy: Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Taking 100 ground balls while going through the motions is not going to make you better. Taking 15 or 20 with a purpose will make you successful. That’s something that Cal Ripken, Sr. instilled in me a long time ago.
  • Manager that influenced him: Larry Bowa. I came up in AAA with Larry and through the San Diego organization. The thing that always impressed me was that he was thinking two or three innings ahead and never got caught up in the rah-rah stuff. He never missed a pitch and always saw situations. He was a teacher, always had his players ready, and it always seemed to happen just the way he planned out.
  • Why return now: I got the itch…I watched my two kids grow up a little bit, they’re kind of getting tired of me. What I do is baseball, so here I am.
  • Balance between winning and development: Development is first and foremost. Each organization that I played for had their philosophies. None of them were that much different but they had their philosophies. You try to win the ballgame but the important thing is that they’re learning…get the guy over from 2nd to third with less than two outs…I wasn’t a very good player but I found my niche helping the team win when I played. You have to find a way to help the team when you’re in there.

And my favorite quote, when asked if he has aspirations to coach or manage in the big leagues…

  • “I tell the kids, the back of my baseball card is full. We’re doing this to develop you.”

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Mark Parent | No Comments »

Full Phillies Player Development Staff and Other Notes

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Earlier we told you that Mark Parent is the new manager of the BlueClaws, taking over for Clearwater-bound Dusty Wathan. You can read the Q&A with Parent here. But there are a lot more coaches around the entire organization. Here’s the list.

Lakewood

  • Manager: Mark Parent (1st season)
  • Pitching Coach: Steve Schrenk…was with the BlueClaws in 2005 and 2006. He spent last year with Double-A Reading.
  • Hitting Coach: Greg Legg…the popular “Legger” returns for a 4th season in Lakewood (he was the manager in 2001 and the hitting coach the last two years), his third straight as hitting coach.

Lehigh Valley

  • Mananger: Dave Huppert…the only manager in IronPigs history is back. He managed the BlueClaws to a 2006 Championship with Schrenk as his pitching coach.
  • Pitching Coach: Rod Nichols…his 5th straight year in AAA with the Phils, he was Lakewood’s original pitching coach in 2001.
  • Hitting Coach: Greg Gross…the 1973 NL Rookie of the Year completes a coaching staff identical to the 2009 version.

Reading

  • Manager: Steve Roadcap…Lakewood’s manager in 2007 and 2008 begins his 5th year in the system, and second in BaseballTown.
  • Pitching Coach: Bob Milacki…He flips places with Schrenk, and starts his second year in Double-A. He spent one year with Altoona while with the Pirates.
  • Hitting Coach: Frank Caccitore…His third year with Reading and in the organization.

Clearwater

  • Manager: Dusty Wathan…Lakewood’s manager during the Championship season of 2009, Wathan begins his third season as a Phillies manager after retiring from playing.
  • Pitching Coach…Dave Lundquist…With the BlueClaws in 2008, Lundquist begins his second year with Clearwater.
  • Hitting Coach…Kevin Jordan…the former Phillie begins his fourth season as a coach in the organization, and his 3rd with Clearwater.

Williamsport

  • Manager: Chris Truby…thought he might be coming to Lakewood this year but he’ll return to Williamsport for a second season…Spent four years in the big leagues, this is his second as a manager.
  • Pitching Coach…Lance Carter, former big league reliever in his first season as a coach.
  • Hitting Coach: Jorge Velandia…utility player spent part of last year with Lehigh Valley…this is his first season as a coach.

—

Two other notes

  • Our buddy Ben Hill from MiLB.com (and this blog) tweeted over to us today the following: I once attended a Phils-Marlins DH in which both games went 12 innings. Mark Parent was behind the plate the entire time.
  • Mark Parent spent one year as a manager in the Mariners system when Dusty Wathan played for the Mariners organization in 1999.

Posted in 2010 BlueClaws, Around the Farm, Clearwater Threshers, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Mark Parent, Reading Phillies, Williamsport Crosscutters | 1 Comment »

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