We’ll have some stuff here and there in the coming weeks on some of your favorite former BlueClaws as spring training nears and continues. Pitchers and catchers are set to report in less than two weeks and we’ve stumbled across some Freddy Galvis news and notes that are worth sharing here.

Last Year: Galvis split the season between Reading (where he played in 2010) and Lehigh Valley, hitting .273 in 104 games with the R-Phils and .298 in 33 games with the IronPigs, easily his best offensive seasons. In fact, it’s the only time he hit above .238 in any stop except for an 8-29 rehab stint with the GCL Phillies in 2009.

Baseball America: He was ranked 6th in the system, his highest ranking, and they note what everyone has always said - he is a defensive wizard.

In the Media: Todd Zolecki of MLB.com noted the following in a recent mailbag about Galvis.

Well, the good news for the Phillies is they don’t have to do anything with Galvis other than play him at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Galvis had a nice season last year, hitting a combined .278 with Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. But that’s also the first season he hit better than .240.

Galvis is far from a finished product, so more seasoning in the Minors should serve him well. And because Philadelphia traded Wilson Valdez to Cincinnati, Galvis could get an extended look in the big leagues this season should something happen to Rollins.

Trade Influence: The Phillies traded utility IF Wilson Valdez to the Reds the day of the Winter Tour stop in Lakewood and Ruben Amaro said the following:

“We’re keeping our minds and eyes and ears open,” Amaro said. “Freddy, we view him as a guy who will start off in Triple A and if we have any injury issues or things that will happen during the course of the year, we feel very comfortable that Freddy can come in and do a good job as a backup or a stopgap at this stage of his career.”

Sandberg Says: Sandberg will manage the 22 year old in Lehigh Valley this year.

“Freddy made a great stride last year. He turned out to be the best regular player we had on the whole field. He’s a very heads up player, he’s right there with the manager, thinking the game of baseball,” Sandberg said. “He does all the little things. That’s drag bunting, checking the defense, taking what the defense gives you, gap to gap hitting. He really stepped in and like I said, was probably our best regular player the last month of the season and into the playoffs. I think he’ll really get a serious look from the major league club.”

That’s number one. We’ll have more of these roundups as we go forward.

Spring training is just a few weeks away, and players, like 2011 BlueClaws pitcher Tyler Knigge, are gearing up for another season. We had a chance to talk with Knigge yesterday about his offseason and getting ready for 2012.

How did you wind down from the season? My brother and I drove back across the country and we went sightseeing, went to the NFL opener at Lambeau Field, went to Mount Rushmore. We took six or seven days to drive across the country and get the mind off the season and prepare for the next season. After I got home, I settled for two or three weeks and get right into the offseason program.

Where did you get the Packers tickets? I got them off NFL Ticket Exchange – we were in the end zone when Rodgers threw the first TD pass of the season. We are hardcore Packers fans. That was a first for me, and we had a chance driving back to get there. I knew I had to stop.

(We didn’t know he was a huge Packers fan or we wouldn’t have called the day after this)

What’s your day-to-day routine this offseason? I ended up getting a job with Goodwill Working Solutions – I’m a participant adviser. People that are on benefits through the government, if they meet the qualifications, they get referred to us and we help people find jobs. I started my baseball work in October 12^th and work out Monday, Wednesday, Friday with a personal trainer at 5:30 am and work out until I have to go to work at 8. Work 8-5 M-F and after work I do my baseball specific stuff – throwing, stretching, long tossing. I recently started the bullpens, and then after I’ll go back tot eh gym and then go running.

When did you start throwing? I started throwing December 1^st, after Christmas its become every day, and I threw my 3^rd bullpen yesterday.

Is this offseason, your second since being drafted, a lot different than your first? Absolutely. Last year, I went to instructional league and I did the workout program, but didn’t have a job last offseason. I did some hunting and fishing like we like to do in Idaho. This year, its become more baseball – I feel I have something to prove and I want to show everyone what I can do and that requires a lot more work in the offseason.

How much do the Phillies shape your program? They give us an offseason workout book. My trainer and I sat down and put up a goal setting program and we do our workouts. Every month or so we try to hit a specific goal and it comes out of the book the Phillies put together.

When are you heading down to Florida? I fly out from Spokane on February 13^th. The reason, when I reported last year, I flew out March 3^rd, it was snowing and I landed out in 75 degree weather. I want to get there early to prepare myself the correct way. In spring training, it takes a week to get the arm loose. This year I’m going in fully prepared.

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Austin Hyatt and BJ Rosenberg, both members of the 2009 BlueClaws, will head to spring training this year as non-roster invitees.

Both spent this year with AA Reading, where Hyatt went 12-6, 3.85 as a starter and Rosenberg went 5-7, 4.28 split between the bullpen and the starting rotation.

They were never formally teammates with Lakewood, as Rosenberg, who was drafted in the 13th round in 2008 from Louisville, was promoted (straight to Reading) in early August. He did not allow an earned run after Memorial Day (28.2 consecutive innings). He was also a non-roster invitee last year.

Hyatt, who was drafted that year from Alabama in the 15th round, joined Lakewood for the final five regular season games (he appeared in just one) and the playoffs. That post-season, he appeared in four games (four of the five BlueClaws wins) and threw six shutout innings.

Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com has the rest of the 15 non-roster invitees announced in November:

Right-handers Dave Bush, Scott Elarton and Brian Sanches; left-handers David Purcey, Pat Misch and Raul Valdes; catchers Steven Lerud and Tuffy Gosewisch; infielders Pete Orr, Kevin Frandsen and Hector Luna; and outfielders Scott Podsednik and Luis Montanez.

Gosewisch, of course, is another former BlueClaw, who was here in 2007. He hit .247 with 13 HRs and 66 RBIs this year with Reading.

Best of luck to those players.

By the way, Opening Day in Lakewood is just 98 days away and assuming a Valentine’s Day report date, you’re looking at just 40 days until pitchers and catchers (I say this as we got our first snow dusting here at the Shore this morning).

The Asbury Park Press has their annual BlueClaws preview out today with several feature articles on various BlueClaws. We encourage you to read all of them. Tony Graham does a great job. But here are the separate links.

On BlueClaws lefty Jesse Biddle, a Phillies first-round pick who grew up rooting for the Phillies (he starts on Saturday).

Biddle said he was sitting behind home plate at Citizens Bank Park for both parts of the weather interrupted fifth game of the 2008 World Series when the Phillies clinched the title.

“That was by far the most memorable moment I’ve had as a Phillies fan,” Biddle said.

Manager Chris Truby hopes to follow his two predecessors and lead the BlueClaws to the SAL title.

“Everybody asks me about it, everybody tells me about it, and everybody let’s me know about it,” Truby said. “In the grand scheme it would be nice (to win the championship again). We’re in this to help player development. If we get our work done and we get the players better, the wins kind of follow suit.”

Outfielder Zach Collier is back healthy after missing all of 2010.

Collier said he’ll have more of a plan when he steps to the plate this season.

“In high school, I was used to just reacting to pitches, but I really didn’t have a plan going up to the plate,” he said. “Moreso now, I need to have a plan.

Speedy outfielder Aaron Altheer (pronounced Al - TEAR) joins the BlueClaws taking over in centerfield for Jiwan James.

“They can expect a hard worker, a player who puts the bat on the ball, steals some bases and scores some runs,” Altherr said. “That’s what I’m all about right there.”

Finally, catcher Cameron Rupp, a big power hitter, joins the BlueClaws from the University of Texas.

“My sophomore year at the University of Texas, in Omaha at the College World Series, I hit one over the batter’s eye in center field and on top of the little roof they have out there,” said the Phillies’ 2010 third-round draft pick. “I don’t how far it went, but people say it’s still going.”

There we go. Enjoy.

Minor league spring training games are finally complete and rosters have been announced. Let’s take a look at some results from yesterday. By the way, after a morning workout today in Clearwater, members of the Lakewood, Reading, and Lehigh Valley clubs will depart Florida for their summer destinations.

Lakewood (Win 6-5 vs Pittsburgh)

• Chris Truby’s lineup: Altherr 8, Collier 7, Barnes 5, Murphy 3, Mendez DH, Santana 9, Rupp 2, Batts, DH, Perdomo 2, Duran 6 (that’s 10, yes).
• Ervis Manzanillo started and allowed four runs in five innings.
• Altherr was 2-4, Collier was 2-4 with a triple, and Barnes was 2-4 with a home run.
• Domingo Santana capped a strong spring by going 2-3 with 2 triples.
• While he did not appear in the BlueClaws game, Mario Hollands, threw three scoreless in the Williamsport game. Hope to get a rotation for you today.

Clearwater (Win 9-2 vs Pittsburgh)

• Jarred Cosart started, allowing just two runs over five innings while striking out five.
• Jacob Diekman, Derrick Loop, Jordan Ellis and Ebelin Lugo each threw a shutout inning.
• Cesar Hernandez, who skipped Lakewood after starring for Williamsport last year, hit 2nd behind Jiwan James and went 2-3.
• Leandro Castro and Troy Hanzawa had two hits each and Brian Gump drove in two.

Reading (Loss 5-4 vs Pittsburgh)

• Chris Kissock needed just 69 pitches to navigate 7 innings (Pirates have a plane to catch or something?), allowing five hits and two earned runs.
• Chris Frey, Matt Rizzotti, Freddy Galvis and Carlos Rivero all had two hits for the R-Phils.

Lehigh Valley (Tied 3-3 vs Pittsburgh)

• Vance Worley, who will start Opening Day on Thursday, gave up three runs in 5.2 innings.
• Strong bullpen for the Pigs, who sent out Mike Zagurski, Michael Stutes, Scott Mathieson, and Tyson Brummett for 3.1 scoreless.
• Jeff Larish homered for Lehigh Valley.

Final records if you care: LHV 8-6-2, REA 7-6-3, CLR 6-7-2, LAK 8-7

We’re a little behind here on these results but let’s catch up, with just a few more days to go until the start of the 2011 season! First, intra-squad action from Monday (when it rained in Florida):

Lakewood (Loss 5-2 to Clearwater)

• Mario Hollands started and allowed three runs on four hits over five innings. He’s on track to start the April 7th opener at FirstEnergy Park against Kannapolis.
• Garrett Claypool gave up two runs in two innings while Bryan Morgado and Tyler Knigge each tossed shutout frames.
• Offensively, Domingo Santana homered off of Jonathan Pettibone and Zach COllier was 1-3 with a triple.
• OF watch: LF Kelly Dugan, CF Aaron Altherr, RF Santana
• Geancarlo Mendez played third while Jeff Cusick played first.

Clearwater (Defeated Lakewood 5-2)

• Jonathan Pettibone allowed the two runs over five innings.
• Clearwater got shutout innings of relief from Jordan Whatcott, Julian Sampson, Joe Esposito, and Justin Friend.
• Jim Murphy homered for Clearwater and added a double.
• 40-man roster infielder Cesar Hernandez played again with Clearwater. Could jump straight there from Williamsport?

In the Reading/Lehigh game, won by Lehigh 3-0…

• Dan Meyer threw four shutout for the IronPigs.
• Mike Zagurski had a scoreless inning, as did Phillippe Aumont, who struck out the side.
• Scott Mathieston pitched two scoreless innings.
• Austin Hyatt pitched well, allowing two runs over five innings.
• Freddy Galvis had two hits in an otherwise quiet afternoon.

Tuesday below the fold.

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Paul Hagen has a tremendous story in today’s Philadelphia Daily News on the Phillies farm system and specifically the commitment they have made in making it one of the top systems in the league.

Read the full article here. Here is a snippet:

“[Player development and scouting] is still where it’s all done. If you don’t draft well and you don’t develop well, you’re going to hit a period of time where the cycle’s going to go the other way,” [David] Montgomery said. “Because to keep your own can become expensive. To acquire from the outside can be more so, both in terms of talent and in dollars. And you’ll never do it in trades unless you’re developing over there.”

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With most of their most highly rated prospects - first baseman/outfielder Jonathan Singleton and righthanders Jarred Cosart and Brody Colvin - still in the low minors, the Phillies could find themselves in a pickle if the younger plays come slowly, or never make it at all, or if the nucleus ages prematurely.

After all, Utley’s absence might not seem quite so dire if Cardenas or Donald were still around to step in until he comes back.

Montgomery readily admitted these are concerns and stressed again the need to juggle the imperative to win right now with keeping one eye on the future.

“The public will focus on the moves [general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.] makes. The reality is whatever Ruben is able to do is primarily dictated by how quickly those people come. You can’t talk trades to clubs in situations where they may have a player of Roy Oswalt’s quality available unless you have Anthony Gose. Kyle Drabek and all the others. That is a lot of minor league talent we traded,” he pointed out.

Minor league spring games continue through Saturday (April 2nd), with intra-squad games today. Here’s the roundup from yesterday’s action in Clearwater.

Lakewood (Win 4-3)

• David Buchanan gave up one run over 4.1 innings with four strikeouts in his longest outing of the spring. The 7th round pick from Georgia State has had a good spring and is probably in the Lakewood rotation as the year starts next week.
• Mike Zagurski, just sent down, threw 1.2 shutout innings in this game, probably so he didn’t have to get on the bus with the AAA team (same for Scott Mathieson in the next game).
• Two hits for 2B Matthew Payton and LF Zach Collier. C Fransico Diaz had a double and 1B Drew Rundle a triple.
• OF watch: LF: Collier, CF: Aaron Altherr, RF: Anthony Hewitt, DH: Geancarlo Mendez.

Clearwater (Loss 3-0)

• Clearwater had just three hits in the game, one each by Alan Schoenberger, Jonathan Singleton, and Stephen Batts.
• Scott Mathieson threw two shutout innings, while Bryan Morgado and Julian Sampson each threw one.
• Brody Colvin, however, struggled to find the zone, walking six over four innings and allowing the three runs. He’ll still have at least one more start before the real games starts.

Reading (Loss 5-1)

• Two hits each for Joe Savery and Derrick Mitchell and Savery smacked a HR for the Reading run.
• Miguel Alvarez, with WPT last year, played with the R-Phils here.
• Ryan Edell gave up four runs in 4.2 innings.
• Three 2010 BlueClaws pitched here: Joe Esposito, Ebelin Lugo, Eric Massingham.

Lehigh Valley (Loss 8-1)

• Five hits: Korby Mintken, Carlos Perdomo, Mike Spidale, Jeff Larish, Matthew Miller.
• Edgar Garcia & Garrett Claypool each gave up two runs in one inning while starter Brian Bass gave up four in 3.2.

For what it’s worth (probably nothing), the records of these clubs this spring: LHV 7-5, REA 6-4-2, CLR 4-6-2, LAK 6-6.

We’re about a week away from camp breaking down in Florida. The northern teams (Lakewood, Reading, and Lehigh Valley) will fly up on Sunday, April 3rd with exhibition games on the 5th and the opener on the 7th. Let’s take a look around minor league spring training from action on Friday in Florida.

Lakewood (Loss 7-3)

• A very quiet game for Lakewood, picking up just four hits (one each from Zach Collier, Patrick Murray, Geancarlo Mendez, and Kelly Dugan).
• Colby Shreve started here and gave up five runs in three innings. Hector Neris gave up one hit in two scoreless innings and Matt Hutchison had a shutout inning as did Juary Gomez.
• OF watch: Kelly Dugan and Zach Collier in LF, Kyrell Hudson in CF, Domingo Santana in RF, and Aaron Altherr was the DH.

Clearwater (Loss 5-1)

• Herlis Rodriguez, who I am unfamiliar with, gave up two runs, one earned, in three innings for Dusty Wathan’s club.
• Chase Johnson, an ‘09 draft pick from South Mountain CC, threw two scoreless innings of relief.
• Clearwater had just five hits: one each from Leandro Castro, Stephen Batts, Drew Rundle, Robert Stumpo, and Edgar Duran.

Reading (Tie 7-7)

• Mark Parent’s club is 6-3-2 this spring after their tie on Friday. Mike Cisco started and gave up just one run over four innings.
• Jordan Whatcott, a possible BlueClaw (undrafted FA last year from Utah) tossed two perfect innings of relief.
• Two hits and a double for both Cody Overbeck and Fidel Hernandez (2 RBIs). Torre Langley had a triple in his only at bat.

Lehigh Valley (Win 7-4)

• The only club to win on Friday, the IronPigs got 4.2 strong innings (two runs) from Eddie Bonine.
• Phillippe Aumont threw two shutout innings of relief while Justin De Fratus threw a shutout 9th.
• Rich Thompson, Mike Spidale, Jeff Larish, Carlos Rivero, Harold Garcia, Troy Hanzawa, and Carlos Ruiz all had a hit. Nobody had two.

Tony Graham interviewed the last two BlueClaws managers, two guys, Dusty Wathan and Mark Parent, who led the BlueClaws to South Atlantic League titles. You can read the article here. A snip:

“It’ll be exciting here (with Clearwater),” said Wathan who is likely to inherit slugger Jonathan Singleton and other key members of Lakewood’s 2010 team, including prize pitching prospects Brody Colvin and Jarrad Cosart.

“They had a lot of success last year, so hopefully they can continue where they left off,” Wathan said. “There’ll be some challenges, definitely, when you move up a league.”

“This (Clearwater) has a chance to be our most prospect-laden club,” Phillies assistant general manager Chuck LaMar said. “Most all of last year’s Lakewood club has graduated (to the Threshers), and there’ll be some holdovers from last year’s Clearwater club. So, I think overall it has a chance to be a competitive team.”

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Parent said after the 2010 season he interviewed for the Triple-A job at Lehigh Valley which went to Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer and one-time Phillie Ryne Sandberg.

“There was sort of a good chance I was going to get that,” Parent said. “Then Sandberg became available and they wanted me at Double-A, and I was fine with that.”

Read the whole thing. Click here.

Tony Graham has a story in today’s Asbury Park Press on 2010 BlueClaws 1B Jonathan Singleton, who is spending the spring learning to play left field, a position he will play this year for Clearwater. A snippet:

“The line drives right over your head are definitely difficult,” Singleton said. “But with the more experience you have seeing them, the easier they become.”

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“Obviously his game is his bat,” LaMar said. “He’s got good power and it’s just a matter of if he keeps hitting we’re going to keep moving him up. He’s got a chance to be a fine young hitter.”

Be sure to read the entire article here.

Here’s the roundup from minor league spring training action on Thursday from Florida, which included a strong outing from Phillies first round pick and possible 2011 BlueClaw Jesse Biddle, and another great outing from 2010 BlueClaw Josh Zeid.

Lakewood (Win 4-3)

• Biddle, making his 3rd start of the spring, gave up one run over four innings, working through some trouble as he gave up six hits. He did strike out four. That’s three good outings in a row for Biddle, who has allowed 2 runs in 10.2 innings so far.
• Jesus Pirela (3-1, 4.30 with GCL last year), threw two shutout innings of relief.
• OF watch: LF-Zach Collier, CF-Aaron Altherr, RF-Anthony Hewitt, DH-Domingo Santana.
• Altherr and Hewitt each went 2-3.
• Cameron Rupp caught Biddle and homered.

Clearwater (Tied 3-3)

• Trevor May started and gave up just one unearned run over 5 innings, throwing a first pitch strike to 14 of the 19 he faced.
• Eric Pettis and Jake Borup each tossed a shutout inning.
• Offensively, Jonathan Singleton had two hits (playing left field as well) including a triple.
• Kyle Lafrenz was 2-3 Brian Gump and Adam Buschini were 2-4.

Reading (Win 2-1)

• Josh Zeid has picked up where he left off last year (20 hitters, 21 outs in SAL Championship Series). Today he threw 4.2 perfect innings (0 hits, 0 walks, 4 Ks).
• Chance Chapman, Jordan Ellis, and Justin Friend all threw shutout innings of relief.
• Offensively, it looks like Darin Ruf is getting a legitimate shot to go to Reading. He had 3 hits in 4 ABs today. Travis Mattair played third here and went 1-4 driving in a run.

Lehigh Valley (Loss 7-2)

• Of note, Tyson Brummett gave up a run in two innings of relief and Michael Schwimer threw two shutout innings behind starter Dan Meyer.
• Offensively, Troy Hanzawa had an RBI double playing short. Sebastian Valle again caught here, going 0-2.

More tomorrow.

Tony Graham, BlueClaws beat writer for the Asbury Park Press, is down in Clearwater for the week getting ready for the season and he fired off this report on former BlueClaws 3B Travis Mattair, aka “Moose.”

Mattair, a 2nd round pick in 2007, was with the BlueClaws in 2008 and 2009. He took 2010 off to try to play basketball at Boise State, and is back with the Phillies this spring trying to make a baseball comeback. Here’s the story, and a snippet:

He said last year he took a peek into playing college basketball at Boise State, but never suited up before deciding, finally, that baseball was his first love.

“If it set me back, it set me back,” Mattair said of his year away from baseball. “It was something I had to do in my life to be satisfied.

“There’s doubters and kind of haters about what I did, but when you’re 20 years old, you’re wondering what do do with your life.

“When I left baseball last year, I didn’t have intentions of coming back,” Mattair said. “It’s incredible how life works.”

He said while away from baseball, he landed a roster spot with the Boise State basketball team and worked as a server in a “burger joint.”

Click here to read the full story. Good stuff as usual from Tony. Be sure to check back for more from the APP as we get ready for the start of the baseball season.

Here’s the rundown from the minor league spring training games on Tuesday. Sorry for getting this up late. But better late than never as they say. On we go:

Lakewood (Loss 3-0)

• Mario Hollands, a lefty out of UC-Santa Barbara, threw 4.2 shutout innings yesterday, one hit, one walk, 8 Ks. He appears to be ready to go. Looking at it this way, if he goes Monday and then Saturday, that sets up up to start Opening Day on April 7th.
• Not much going on offensively, but two hits for Kyrell Hudson and Miguel Alvarez.
• We’ve talked about the potentially crowded OF. Yesterday: Kelly Dugan played LF, Hudson played CF, Alvarez played RF and Anthony Hewitt was the DH. Day off for Domingo Santana.

Clearwater (Tied 8-8)

• Jonathan Pettibone went four innings, his longest outing of the spring, and allowed three runs on three hits against the Yankees.
• Bryan Morgado, a left out of Tennessee, threw two shutout innings. He’s one who could be with the BlueClaws this year too.
• Adam Buschini and Stephen Batts split 3B with Buschini going 1-4 with two runs and Batts going 3-4 with 2 RBIs.
• Leandro Castro, D’Arby Myers and Jeremy Barnes also had two hits apiece. Cameron Rupp, a potential 2010 BlueClaw, caught this game.

Reading (Win 13-2)

• The R-Phils pounded out 20 hits in this game, three by Michael Dabbs and Freddy Galvis.
• Two hits apiece for: Korby Mintken, Darin Ruf, Cody Overbeck, Travis Mattair, Aaron Altherr (who had been playing in the Lakewood games).
• Mattair also hit his first home run of the spring.
• Austin Hyatt allowed two runs (one earned) over four innings and Edgar Garcia and Joe Esposito each threw two scoreless innings of relief.

Lehigh Valley (Win 1-0)

• The lone run was a solo home run by 2010 BlueClaws catcher Sebastian Valle.
• Nate Bump threw four shutout innings, two for Mike Stutes.

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More Notes…Gauntlett Eldemire, a 6th rd pick last year out of Ohio U, has been playing with Williamsport this spring. Yesterday he hit a 3 run home run. Because he missed the entire 2010 season (pro season, he played his college season) with an injury, he might not start the year with Lakewood but we wouldn’t at all be surprised if he’s not with Lakewood at some point this summer. Definitely a name to keep an eye on.