Monthly Archives: February 2011

It has been reported that John Suomi has been re-signed by the Phillies to a minor league deal.

49 days!

OinK!

Twitter was a buzz these past few days with John Mayberry taking a few rounds of practice at first base. The notes included a mention that he played a little first base during his college years. Very interesting. Interesting as he hasn’t played the south corner position in his entire professional career.

Checking my stats on baseball-reference.com, it shows that Mayberry, in 6 minor league seasons and 681 games, has been exclusively an outfielder.

So what’s the deal with him trying out first base? The Phillies have Ryan Howard and behind him a touted prospect Matt Rizzotti. Why change Mayberry now?

I’m thinking it has to do with trade value or even possibly a bench position with the Phillies. Howard is going nowhere soon and Rizzotti is the heir apparent. Watching Mayberry over the past couple years you have to wonder why he hasn’t been placed at first base sooner. He’s tall, he stretches well. He doesn’t hustle often in the outfield. (Did I really type that?) He does have speed but he isn’t quick to the punch. It takes him some time to get started and not having a good break in a major league outfield will turn singles into extra base hits.

I think first base has been calling Mayberry’s name for a while. Why not?

Why now is a more interesting question. Could they be shopping Mayberry to other teams for a more experienced outfielder?

We will see.

The good news is the Phillies claimed relief pitcher Brian Schlitter off waivers from the Yankees.   Schlitter was originally drafted by the Phillies but was traded to the Cubs in 2008 for Scott Eyre.  In 2010 he spent most of the year at AAA Iowa where his manager was Ryne Sandberg.  In January he was claimed by the Yankees but he was designated for assignment this week to make room for Andruw Jones on their roster.   With Sandberg now manager of the Ironpigs it wasn’t a big surprise that he would want Schlitter on his team again.  Schlitter was 2-1 3.15 with 13 saves at Iowa last year.  That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the Phillies had to make room on their 40 man roster for Brian Schlitter.   The player they designated for assignment was Drew Carpenter.

More on this later.

From the Ironpigs:

OFFICIAL IRONPIGS NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 14, 2011

IRONPIGS’ 2011 SINGLE-GAME TICKETS TO GO ON SALE DURING NATIONAL PIG DAY CELEBRATION

(Allentown, Pa.) – In celebration of National Pig Day weekend, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs will put single-game tickets for the 2011 season on sale to the public Saturday, Feb. 26. Initially, ticket purchases will only be available to fans on a walk-up basis only beginning at 9 a.m. at the Coca-Cola Park Ticket Office. Single-game ticket prices start at just $6 and will remain unchanged for the fourth consecutive season.

Starting at 1 p.m., fans will also be able to purchase tickets over the phone by calling (610) 841-PIGS and online at http://www.ironpigsbaseball.com. The ticket office will remain open until 5 p.m. and re-open for business on Sunday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“National Pig Day is a celebration of baseball and entertainment that the entire Lehigh Valley community can partake in,” remarked IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes. “It’s a great way for our fans to get a jump on the best seats for the upcoming season while also enjoying some free food and family-oriented activities.”

The IronPigs led Minor League Baseball in average attendance in 2010, averaging 9,227 fans per game while drawing a franchise record of 645,905 fans. Remarkably, every seat at Coca-Cola Park has been sold for 168 of 211 all-time regular season games – including 41 consecutive games and 60 of 70 during the 2010 season — with 58 all-time capacity crowds of 10,000.

Prices for single-game IronPigs tickets remain identical for the fourth consecutive year and start as low as $6 for General Admission tickets, which grants fans access to the Capital BlueCross Lawn and standing-room-only areas. Field Level reserved seats remain $9. A limited number of Club Level tickets are still available for those interested in full-season or partial plan packages. To order Club Level season tickets, please call (610) 841-PIGS today.

The IronPigs single-game ticket price freeze is uncharacteristic across professional baseball as evidenced by a 2010 report that stated the average Major League ticket price rose once again this past year. According to the date compiled by Team Marketing Report, the average price of a Major League ticket is nearly $27 compared to an average of roughly $9 at Coca-Cola Park.

Tickets for Opening Day on April 7 against the rival Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees will be available for purchase in-person beginning at 9 a.m. and over the phone and online beginning at 1 p.m. Single-game tickets for all other 71 regular season home games and the “222 Showcase” against the Reading Phillies on April 5 will also be available during the National Pig Day celebration. There is no limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased for IronPigs home games. Groups tickets are on sale now for assemblies of 20 or more and can be purchased by calling (610) 841-PIGS.

Fans seeking to guarantee the best seats at Coca-Cola Park are encouraged to purchase an IronPigs Mini Plan. These plans include the best seats and the top promotions and start at just $81 and are also on sale now by calling (610) 841-PIGS or by visiting the Coca-Cola Park ticket office.

Festivities to celebrate National Pig Day weekend are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26, at Coca-Cola Park. The list of festivities appears below:

Pig Roast – Beginning at 9 a.m., fans can receive complimentary pork sandwiches while supplies last.
Complimentary Hot Dogs, Coca-Cola products and hot chocolate – Available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (while supplies last)
Complimentary Yard Signs – Take home an 18” x 24” IronPigs yard sign just by attending the National Pig Day events (limit one per household). Make sure to come early and get a complimentary yard sign while they last!
Pig Tales in the Barnyard (Noon to 1 p.m.) – Back by popular demand, there will be a special National Pig Day version of “Pig Tales in the Barnyard” in the Majestic Clubhouse Store. “Pig Tales in the Barnyard” is a free, monthly storytelling event for children.
Tootsie the Clown & Friends (10 a.m. to Noon) – Tootsie & Co. will entertain children of all ages with free balloon animals and face painting in the Majestic Clubhouse Store.
Take a Swing in the Batting Cages (Noon to 2 p.m.) – Fans are encouraged to get ready for the season by taking a few swings in the IronPigs indoor batting cages (limited to five swings per person). Purchase of a game ticket is necessary to participate.
Prizes, Music and More – Raffles and drawings will allow fans to win special prizes.
Appearances by FeRROUS, FeFe (10 a.m. to Noon) and Pork Racers (Noon to 1 p.m.) – The loveable IronPigs mascots along with Diggity, Hambone and Chris P. Bacon will be entertaining throughout the day!

National Pig Day was inspired by a Texas school teacher and has been recognized annually on March 1 since 1972 – and by the IronPigs since their inception in 2008.

To renew or order season tickets and mini plans for the 2011 IronPigs season presented by Capital BlueCross, call (610) 841-PIGS or visit Coca-Cola Park’s ticket office during normal business hours. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are dedicated to providing family-friendly entertainment and are the only Minor League team to offer bubbles to fans entering the AT&T Plaza and balloons for all children exiting Coca-Cola Park.

— pig out —

Last fall I smiled as the Phillies played a video of Harry K singing a song about a small ant trying to move a rubber tree plant… the ant had high hopes and it appeared every Phillie fan out there had high hopes also. With one strike looking in the NLCS Ryan Howard dashed those hopes.

Well that silly old ant, he may not be able to move a rubber tree plant but the fans of the Phillies this year have higher than average hopes.

When I heard Cliff Lee was returning for the 2011 season I felt like the Phillies would be pretty strong. They would appear nearly invincible to the rest of the National League. In 2008 they had neither Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay and they won the World Series. In 2009 they had Cliff Lee and they lost the World Series. In 2010 they had Roy Halladay and didn’t make it to the World Series. In 2011, they have both Halladay and Lee AND Roy Oswalt.

The first four starting pitchers are incredible.
1. Roy Halladay
2. Cliff Lee
3. Roy Oswalt
4. Cole Hamels

The battle for the #5 spot will be interesting. Could it be a rookie? Could it be Blanton? Could Kendrick come around? Who knows.. many a fan will say, “Who care’s with the first four we have”… well it won’t be Jamie Moyer who is recovering from another surgery and hoping for a 2012 comeback.

One thing for sure is.. the Phillies and Phillies’ fans have serious High Hopes. Inflated hopes. Win the World Series or bust hopes. Not that every team doesn’t start the season like that, but if you were a Kansas City fan you might feel differently.

These high hopes put the Phillies up on a pedastal. They are riding high on that mountain, beating their chests just daring anyone to take them down. I shouldn’t say the Phillies themselves are doing that. The group generally seems like a modest bunch. More so the media and fans have placed them there.

Just about everyone I know, without allegiance to a team, will root for the underdog. Do teams work hard and pump themselves up to beat a last place team? Nope. They want to beat the big dog. The first place team. The unbeatable team.

Sorry Phillies, you aren’t Rocky anymore.. you are Apollo Creed. It ain’t that bad though. Creed wins that first tough fight but well we all know what happens after that. You are the great Phillies. The Phillies with a pitching staff pulled together with talent that doesn’t happen often.

The National League has dartboards with a big red “P” on them.

Other than pitching what does Philadelphia have?
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Placido Pollanco, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Domonic Brown, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madsen and many other talented ball players.

What does the rest of the National League have?

It is quite possible they have a slingshot and a bag of stones.

Here’s to an exciting and fun 2011 season!

OinK!

The Phillies signed free agent Cory Sullivan to a minor league contract today. Cory is a 31 year old left-handed hitting outfielder who has been used mostly in centerfield.   He came up through the Rockies system but also played for the Mets and Astros.  He was designated for assignment by the Astros in June, 2010 and after clearing waivers he refused assignment to the minors.  He has a lifetime batting average of .271 in 1,127 major league at bats and .297 in 873 at bats at the AAA level.  Looks like Rich Thompson may have some tough competition this year.

The 11 or 12 pitchers who begin 2011 with the Ironpigs will most likely come from the list below.  Some of these pitchers may start the season with the Phillies, some will be assigned to Reading and others who don’t make the Ironpigs will be looking to catch on with another team.   
In alphabetical order, here’s a brief capsule of each:
 
1. Matt Anderson, DOB 8/17/76. 6’4″ 200, Right-handed relief pitcher.  First overall pick by Tigers in 1997 draft. Fastball once clocked at 103 mph. Showed promise as a pro and led the Detroit Tigers in Saves with 22 in 2001. He never fully recovered from an injury in 2002 and has been out of professional baseball since 2008 but is trying to make a comeback.  (see January 31 thread titled ‘a real life fairytale’)
2. Brian Bass, DOB 1/6/82. 6’2″ 215, Right-handed relief/starter. 6th round pick by the Royals in 2000.  Career major league record of 9-7 5.16.  He spent all of 2009 with the Baltimore Orioles going 5-3 in 48 games.  In AAA he was 7-3 3.48 with Rochester in 2007 and 4-4 3.26 with 2 Saves with the Indianapolis Indians in 2010.  His career record in AAA of 13-12 4.05 with 3 Saves.   
3. Antonio Bastardo, DOB 9/21/85. 5’11” 195, Left-handed relief pitcher. Signed by Phillies as an amateur free agent in 2005.  Career 4-3 5.53 major league record which includes 5 starts. 45 big league strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings pitched.  1-1 2.08 with 3 Saves for the Ironpigs in 2010. 335 strikeouts in 292 minor league innings.  A good candidate to begin the season in the Phillies bullpen.
4. Eddie Bonine, DOB 6/6/81. 6’5″ 220, RHP. Acquired by Tigers from Padres in 2005 Rule 5 Draft.  Spent entire 2010 season with the Tigers, going 4-1 4.63.  Career major league record of 7-3.  From 2007-2009 was used exclusively as a starting pitcher in the minors.  Career minor league record of 49-39.  
5. Nate Bump, DOB 7/24/76. 6’2″ 195, RH Starting Pitcher.  Attended Penn St. & was 1998 1st Round pick by Giants. 6-7 4.68 career major league record, all with Florida.  8-4 3.35 and IL All-Star with 2010 Ironpigs.  Was once traded by the Giants with Jason Grilli (see #13 below) to the Florida Marlins for Livan Hernandez.   
6. Drew Carpenter, DOB 5/18/85. 6’3″ 240.  RH Starting Pitcher.  Attended Long Beach St., drafted by Phillies in round 2 of the MLB draft in 2006.  Started 1 game for the Ironpigs in 2008, 25 games in 2009 and 27 in 2010.  Went 11-6 3.35 in 2009 and was the winning pitcher in the AAA Allstar Game, throwing 1 inning and recording 3 strikeouts on just 9 pitches.  Ranks first in career wins for the Ironpigs with 19.  He has a 1-1 career record with the Phillies.
7. Michael Cisco, DOB 5/23/87.  5’11” 190.  RH Starting Pitcher.  Selected by the Phillies in the 36th round of the 2008 draft.  He is the grandson of former major league pitcher and former Phillies pitching coach Galen Cisco.  He was 4-11 4.73 with Reading in 2010 and also started 1 game for the Ironpigs with no decision.  His career minor league record is 16-19 3.55. 
8. Justin De Fratus, DOB 10/21/87.  6’4″ 215.  RH Relief Pitcher.  11th Round Draft pick by the Phillies in 2007.   Began his professional career as a starter but emerged as a top pitching prospect in 2010 when he was converted to a reliever.  Went 2-0 1.79 with 15 Saves at Clearwater and 1-0 2.19 with 6 Saves at Reading in 2010.  In 65 innings he struck out 71 batters while walking only 16.  He added 7 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in the Arizona Fall League.  Reading is the logical place for him to begin the 2011 season but a good spring could get him on the Ironpigs Opening Day roster.  If he does well, a 2011 promotion to the Phillies is not out of the question.  He has closer potential.
9. Ryan Edell, DOB 7/6/83.  6’1″ 215.  LH Starting Pitcher.   Ryan was signed as a minor league free agent in December.   He came up through the Cleveland organization and was released from AA Akron in May, 2010.  He was quickly picked up by the Oakland A’s who assigned him to AA Midland in the Texas League where he was teammates with Justin Friend (#11 below).   With Midland he went 10-4 3.17 in 20 starts.  He also pitched game 3 of the league championship series and threw 7 scoreless innings, leaving the game with a 1-0 lead.  The bullpen blew the lead and Midland lost 2-1.
10. Ryan Feierabend, DOB 8/22/85.  6’3″ 190.  Left Handed Starting Pitcher.  2003 3rd round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners.  Career major league record of 2-11 7.22, all with the Mariners.  Was 7-1 2.04 in 13 starts for AAA Tacoma in 2008.  Elbow surgery in March, 2009 forced him to miss the entire season.  Pitched at 3 levels in 2010 going a combined 5-8 5.14 in his first year after Tommy John surgery.
11. Justin Friend, DOB 6/21/86.  6’1″ 200.  RH Relief Pitcher.  Drafted by Oakland in 13th round of 2007 draft. 10-14 3.69 career minor league record.  Pitched entire 2010 season at AA Midland going 3-3 3.70 in 56 innings.  He was claimed by the Phillies in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.   
12. Brian Gordon, DOB 8/16/78.  6’0″ 185. RH Relief Pitcher.  Drafted by Arizona in round 7 of the 1997 draft.  He was an outfielder through the 2006 season and has 118 career minor league homeruns.  Converted to pitcher under the tutelage of hall of famer Nolan Ryan while with the Astros organization in 2007.  He has a career minor league record of 20-13 3.44.  He was 1-3 3.46 with 86 strikeouts in 78 innings for the Ironpigs in 2010.    
13. Jason Grilli, DOB 11/11/76. 6’4″ 185.  RH Relief Pitcher.  Fourth overall pick in 1997 behind Matt Anderson (#1 above), J.D. Drew and Troy Glaus.  He’s the son of former big league pitcher Steve Grilli.  His career major league record is 18-18 4.74 with his best year being 2008 when he went 3-3 3.00 while pitching for Detroit and Colorado.  He has a career record of 21-18 in the International League, all as a starting pitcher.  He suffered a serious knee injury during 2010 spring training with the Cleveland Indians forcing him to miss the entire 2010 season.    
14. David Herndon, DOB 9/4/85.  6’5″ 230.  RH Relief Pitcher.  Selected by the Phillies (from the Angels) in the 2009 Rule 5 Draft.  In order to keep him, he had to remain on the Phillies active roster for the entire 2010 season.  He went 1-3 4.30 in 52 1/3 innings for the Phillies.  He has a 26-23 3.78 record with 28 Saves in the minors, having never pitched above the AA level.  50 of his 132 minor league games have been as a starting pitcher.  
15. Derrick Loop, DOB 12/11/83.  6’3″ 220.  LH Relief Pitcher.   23rd Round draft pick by the Indians in 2006.  He began the 2010 season pitching for the Independent League Camden Riversharks, managed by former Phillies outfielder Von Hayes.  In 33 games he had a 1.72 ERA when he was signed to a minor league contract by the Phillies.  He was assigned to the Clearwater Threshers and went 4-1 0.36 in 25 innings.   His strong performance earned him a Labor Day weekend promotion to the Ironpigs.  In his one outing in AAA on September 5th he pitched 3 scoreless innings and was the winning pitcher vs. the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. He has mastered the art of the pickoff move prompting David Laurila of Baseball Prospectus to write, “Derrick Loop has the best pickoff move in professional baseball. Not one of the best, the best .” 
16. Scott Mathieson, DOB 2/27/84. 6’3″ 190.  RH Relief Pitcher.  Drafted by Phillies in round 17 of the 2002 draft. Started 8 games for the Phillies in 2006 going 1-4.  He has been on the comeback trail after requiring two Tommy John surgeries on his pitching elbow.  He missed the entire 2008 season and pitched just 32 innings in 2009 plus another 13 impressive innings in the 2009 Arizona Fall League.  In 2010 he was handed the closer role with the Ironpigs and responded by going 3-6 2.80 with 26 Saves and 83 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings pitched.  He’s still in the process of developing a solid secondary pitch to go with his 96-99 mph fastball.  The Phillies hired hall of famer Bruce Sutter late in the 2010 season to try to teach him a split finger fastball.  Positive results could land Scott in the Phillies bullpen as a replacement for Chad Durbin.
17. Dan Meyer, DOB 7/3/81.  6’2″ 225.  LH Relief Pitcher.  Meyer is another lefty in the bullpen with major league experience who will give the Phillies some depth if one of the lefties in the bullpen falters.  After going 3-2 3.09 in 71 games for the Marlins in 2009, a calf injury limited him to just 13 big league games (plus some time in the minors) in 2010.  He was a 2002 1st round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves and was sent to Oakland as part of the deal that brought Tim Hudson to Atlanta.  The Phillies signed him as a minor league free agent with an invitation to major league spring training.
18. Drew Naylor, DOB 5/31/86. 6’4″ 235.  RH Starting Pitcher.  The Phillies signed the big Aussie as an undrafted free agent in March, 2004.  In the past 4 years he has been used almost exclusively as a starting pitcher.  He was 12-10 4.63 with the Reading Phillies in 2010 and then pitched briefly for the Brisbane Bandits in the offseason Australian League.  While it’s possible he could still need some additional seasoning in AA he will be in the competition for a spot in the starting rotation with the Ironpigs in 2011. 
19. Juan Perez, DOB 9/3/78. 6’0″ 180.  LH Relief Pitcher.  Juan was signed by the Red Sox as an undrafted free agent in 1998.  The Phillies are his 6th organization.  He pitched very briefly in the major leagues for the Pirates in 2006-2007 but he has extensive experience as a left handed specialist in the minors.  He was 4-3 2.96 with Albuquerque in the PCL in 2010 and recorded 53 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings.  In his minor league career he is 38-40 3.52 with 31 Saves and has 693 strikeouts in 694 2/3 innings. He has plenty of International League experience, pitching for Pawtucket, Norfolk, Indianapolis and Gwinnett. 
20. J.C. Ramirez, DOB 8/16/88. 6’3″ 225. RH Starting Pitcher.  One of the 3 players acquired from Seattle in the Cliff Lee deal.  He is likely to start the season in the starting rotation in Reading.   Scouting reports indicate he has the talent but to date he hasn’t lived up to the potential. At age 22 there’s still time for him to develop.  He was 4-3 4.06 at Clearwater last year and 3-4 5.45 with Reading.   
21. Michael Schwimer, DOB 2/19/86.  6’8″ 246.  RH Relief Pitcher.   14th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2008.  He has been very consistent in his 3 professional seasons.  He pitched well for Reading in 2010 going 5-3 3.60 with 11 Saves and struck out an impressive 58 batters in 40 innings.  He didn’t falter when he was promoted to the Ironpigs and finished with a 2-2 record and 1.35 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20 AAA innings.   In his 166 career innings he has 227 strikeouts while walking just 57.  He has the ability to throw 3 pitches for strikes and at 6’8″ his pitches can be very deceptive.
22. Michael Stutes, DOB 9/4/86.  6’1″ 185.  RH Relief Pitcher.  Selected by the Phillies in the 11th round of the 2008 draft.  Prior to 2010 he was used almost exclusively as a starting pitcher going a combined 15-10 in the ’08-’09 seasons.  He began the 2010 season at Reading where he went 3-0 3.79 with 2 Saves in 35 2/3 innings and striking out 37.  After being promoted to the Ironpigs he went 4-1 3.10 ERA (1 Save) with 42 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. In his 76+ innings in 2010 he walked 44 batters.  If he can bring that number down he will be a very effective middle innings reliever.  
23. Vance Worley, DOB 9/25/87. 6’2″ 230.  RH Starting Pitcher.  Vance was selected by the Phillies in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft.  He pitched so well in his rookie season at Williamsport and Lakewood that he hopped right over Clearwater and went directly to Reading.  The last Phillies pitcher to do that was Randy Wolf.  His 2009 season at Reading was marked with inconsistency.  After a good start he slumped, finishing 2009 at 7-12 5.34.  He returned to Reading again in 2010 this time going 9-4 3.20 before earning a promotion to the Phillies.  He pitched in 1 game on July 24th throwing 1 perfect inning while recording 2 strikeouts.  He was then sent back to the minors but this time he was assigned to the Ironpigs.  In 8 starts he went 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA.   He was called back up to the Phillies in September and pitched in 4 more games, 2 of them starts.  He won his first major league game on September 19 and finished the year 1-1 with an impressive 1.38 ERA.  He should get some consideration for the number 5 spot in the Phillies rotation this year but much depends on what happens with Joe Blanton.   If he’s not with the Phillies, he’ll be a solid starter for the Ironpigs.   
24. Mike Zagurski, DOB 1/27/83. 6’0″ 220.  LH Relief Pitcher.  Mike was a 12th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2005.  He is  another Phillies pitcher who had his career sidetracked by Tommy John surgery forcing him to miss the entire 2008 season.  He pitched effectively for Clearwater and Reading in 2009 and spent most of the 2010 season with the Ironpigs going 2-3 3.27 with 3 Saves.  He struck out 71 batters in 52 1/3 innings.   He did pitch for the Phillies in 2006 and again briefly in 2010.  Inn his major league career he has recorded 32 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings.  He should challenge fellow lefties Antonio Bastardo and J.C. Romero for a spot in the Phillies bullpen in 2011.

The general consensus is that the top 2 pitching prospects in the Phillies organization are Brody Colvin and Jarred Cosart. Both are 20 year old right-handers who pitched for the Lakewood BlueClaws in 2010.   They will likely begin 2011 at Clearwater but it would not be surprising if one or both did like Vance Worley and hop over Clearwater and move directly to AA Reading.  The Phillies have the luxury of not having to rush them.   Trevor May is another who spent time between Lakewood and Clearwater in 2010.  He’s a power strikeout pitcher who needs to work on his control.  He struck out 182 batters in 135 innings in 2010 but also walked 81.   The marquee name coming to Philadelphia in the Cliff Lee trade with Seattle was Phillippe Aumont.  The Mariners had converted him into a relief pitcher but the Phillies efforts to turn him back into a starter failed miserably.  2011 will see Aumont back in the bullpen where he seems to be more comfortable.  Another pitcher of note is 2010 #1 draft pick Jesse Biddle.  The lefty lived up to all expectations in his limited playing time last year and will be playing a full season for the first time in 2011.  He’s still only 19.  Other pitchers to watch are Eric Pettis, Austin Hyatt, Josh Zeid and Julio Rodriguez.  Pettis was a low round draft pick in 2010 out of Cal-Irvine and impressed at Williamsport by going 8-0 1.37 with 7 Saves.  In 59 innings he allowed just 43 hits while walking only 7 and striking out 67.  Hyatt began 2010 at Clearwater and went 11-5 3.04 before being promoted to Reading where he started 4 games.  It would be a surprise to no one if he sees time with the Ironpigs sometime during the 2011 season.   Zeid was 8-4 2.93 at Lakewood last year.  He started 12 games and also had 8 Saves out of the bullpen.  Rodriguez was yet another young pitcher who pitched at Lakewood in 2010 after being promoted from Williamsport.  He was 5-1 1.44 and had 90 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings.

This might be a shameless plug request but doing this for a cause…

In order to print the charity cookbook this summer we need to raise capital to pay for the initial printing. We are offering ad space in the cookbook for as low as $25. Each ad in the cookbook will receive a comparable ad on this blog. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in helping us raise funds for the National Brain Tumor Society, please let me know.. editor@LVnoisenation.com. All donations will be considered tax deductible by the National Brain Tumor Society.

Also, to make our blog more attractive for potential sponsors, I also ask you to take a moment to spread the word about the Horn & Bell blog. We all know fellow Ironpig fans and I would really appreciate it you passed on the link to our blog via email, Facebook, Twitter.. which ever medium you prefer. More blog hits helps our sponsors out too.

Thank you all for your continued support and Go Pigs!

OinK!

The Ironpigs have announced a fan vote to select the newest feature food item to be served at Coca Cola Park in the 2011 season!

Among the contenders:
The “Three Little Pigs” Sandwich – Feast on this: Three different types of meat featuring four strips of mouth-watering bacon, over two inches of thick ham and four ounces of succulent pulled pork. A rich barbeque sauce compliments the meat that is served on a fresh Kaiser bun.

2 Inches of ham? Is that in length, width or thickness? Succulent pulled pork or what is served on the “Big Porker” and Pork Nachos? So many questions on this one that I can’t bring myself to vote for it.

Diggity Dog – The hot dog has been reinvented with Black Angus beef, two slices of hot-off-the-grill bacon and melted American cheese on a hearty steak roll. Savor the taste with ultimate array of toppings including fried onion straws and barbeque sauce.

Beef hot dog – Good. Bacon on the grill – Ok. Hearty steak roll – Might be too much bread.. but in my radar.

Double Blast Burger – Imagine the double cheese-burger flipped on its head! Two, half-pound beef patties, two slices of American cheese, French fries and coleslaw on a fresh Kaiser bun.

I like the coleslaw. I really like coleslaw on pork. Never really tried it on a cheeseburger but I like where they are headed with this.

Loaded Fries – French fries crammed with cheese, pulled pork barbeque, chopped bacon, sour cream, chopped tomato and heart-pounding spicy jalapeno peppers. Don’t forget to grab some napkins!

In a unique twist to the popular Philly Fries (Basically a cheesesteak on fries rather than a roll), they add pulled pork. Noteably not “succulent” pulled pork. Again I wonder if it’s the same stuff that I’ve come to align with a sprint to the restroom. Sour cream and bacon though… I like sour cream and bacon.

Of all the options to vote for.. if I have to vote I would take the beef hot dog sans the cheese as I have a feeling it might end up with the whiz fountain that adorns the nachos.

My Coca Cola Park favorite remains the Pretzel Burger. It’s quality remained constant, even if the beef patty was reduced in size towards the end of the season. The All Star sandwich seemed to meet a similiar fate in August. I guess $7 only buys so much food.

Anyways, feel free to comment and voting can be done here.

Full article from Ironpig’s website:

Barring a trade or injury, the Phillies will have Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino and Ben Francisco on their opening day roster.  Ross Gload can also play a corner outfield position (as well as first base) and he is likely to be with the Phillies as a lefty on the bench.  It appears that there should be room for one or two additional outfielders with the Phillies depending on how many pitchers Charlie keeps on the team.  Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. would be the two most likely candidates for the extra spot, with newly acquired Delwyn Young also a strong candidate since he can play either corner outfield position, second base and also fill in at third in a pinch.  The Phillies biggest need in the outfield appears to be another right handed bat.  Brown is a lefty but he is one of the top prospects in all of baseball.  Mayberry bats right handed and Delwyn Young is a switch hitter.  I don’t think the Phillies can afford to keep Brown unless they put him in right field fulltime.   I may be wrong but I don’t see that happening.   Mayberry was told by the Phillies to bring a first baseman’s mitt to spring training so he can learn how to play first base.  That would add to his versatility and would give the Phillies an opportunity to give Ryan Howard an occasional day off against tough left handed pitchers.  While Mayberry has struggled with strikeouts throughout his career, he has proven to be a respectable hitter when facing lefties.   And then there is also Rich Thompson  who will be in  the mix for a position in the Ironpigs outfield for the 4th straight year.    There are also a few free agent signees who have proven over the years to be pretty good hitters at the AAA level.    

In the first 3 years of Ironpigs baseball, Dave Huppert rarely carried more than 4 outfielders on his roster.  It’s a pretty safe bet that if Brown and/or Mayberry don’t make the Phillies they will be with the Ironpigs.  That would leave room for two or three additional outfielders.  Rich Thompson has been a good soldier in his 3 years with the Ironpigs, but could he be asked to start the season in Reading if there is a numbers problem in the outfield at Coca-Cola Park?   Because of his speed and defense I don’t think that will happen.  Nevertheless, there is going to be some tough roster decisions to make this spring.   We all know Thompson, Mayberry and Brown so let’s take a look at the new guys:
 
Matt Miller:  DOB 12/26/82 New Braunfels, TX.  6’2″ 210.  B/T: R/R
Matt attended Texas St. University and was drafted in the 13th round of the 2004 player draft by the Colorado Rockies.  Despite hitting well at every minor league level, he has never played a game in the major leagues.   In 2005 Matt hit .331 in class A and was  league MVP.   In 2006 he hit .307 & was a California League allstar.  In 2007 at AA he slipped to .262 but was still named a Texas League mid-season allstar.  He returned to AA again in 2008 and hit .344 and was a Texas League allstar.   Matt finished the 2008 season in AAA where he hit .331.   He spent 2009 and 2010 with Colorado Springs in AAA and hit .319 in 2009 and .325 in 2010.  He also walked 66 times to go with his .325 average, bringing his OBP in 2010 to .404.  He was a Pacific Coast League allstar in both 2009 and 2010.  Despite one good power year early in his minor league career he is more of a line drive hitter who can hit the ball to all fields.  He has 560 RBIs in his 7 minor league seasons.  Matt was granted free agency after the 2010 season and was signed to a minor league contract by the Phillies with an invitation to spring training.   His ability to hit to the opposite field could serve him well with the short right field porch at Coca-Cola Park.  I’m sure he took notice last year when he was the starting left fielder for the Pacific Coast League in the July 14th All-Star Game.  He went 1-3 with a walk in the allstar game and scored the only run for the PCL.  Hopefully he’ll like playing in the Phillies organization. 

Matt Miller, AAA All Star Game with Erik Kratz catching

Brandon Moss: 9/16/83 Monroe, GA  6’0″  210  B/T: L/R
After his senior year at Loganville High School in Georgia, Brandon was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 2002 player draft.   He was assigned to the Red Sox team in the Gulf Coast League where he played second base.   In 2003 he was moved to the outfield and that’s where he has remained.   He got his first taste of the major leagues on August 6, 2007 but was sent back to AAA when Eric Hinske returned from bereavement leave.  He returned to the Red Sox on September 1st when major league rosters expanded to 40.   In 2008 the Red Sox opened their season by playing the Oakland A’s in Japan.   Brandon started the first game and hit a homerun.  He later split time between Pawtucket and Boston until July 31st when he was part of a major trade involving 3 teams.   As part of the deal, Brandon was sent to Pittsburgh with the Pirates sending Jason Bay to Boston.  The Red Sox also sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers in the 3-team trade.  Brandon started 41 games for the Pirates in August and September but he lost his starting job in 2009 after a poor start to the season.  After another poor spring in 2010 he was designated for assignment by the Pirates and later outrighted to Indianapolis.   He hit .282 with 22 homeruns and 96 RBIs for Indianapolis in 2010 which earned him a September callup with the Pirates.   He became a free agent after the season and was signed to a minor league contract by the Phillies. 
For the country music fans among us, Brandon Moss is a cousin to country music superstar Alan Jackson.

Delwyn Young:  6/30/82 Los Angeles, CA.  5’10” 190.  B/T: B/R
Delwyn was drafted out of Santa Barbara City College in the 4th round of the 2002 amateur baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and was signed on June 12, 2002.  In the Pioneer (Rookie) League  he hit .300 with 10 homeruns in 240 at bats.  The following year in class A he  hit .323 with 15 homers.  He moved up to A+ ball in 2004 and hit .281 with 22 homers.   He split the 2005 season between AA and AAA  and combined to hit .305 with 20 homeruns.  Up to this point of his professional career he played almost exclusively at second base.  He began the 2006 season at AAA Las Vegas where he was converted to an outfielder.   He hit .273 with 18 homeruns for Las Vegas that season and  earned a late season callup to the Dodgers.   In 2007 he again played primarily in AAA Las Vegas and hit .337 with 17 homeruns.  He spent the final 2 months of the season with the Dodgers and hit .382 (13-34) with 2 homeruns.   He spent most of 2008 as a Dodgers reserve and hit .246.  In 2009 he found himself back in AAA to start the season but on April 15, 2009 Delwyn was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He played 53 games at second base and 30 games in the outfield for the Pirates that year while hitting .266 with 7 homeruns.  In 2010 he hit .236 with 7 homers.   One of the highlights of his major league career came on June 8th, 2010 when he hit a 2-run homerun to deep right-center field off Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg in Strasburg’s first big league start.  They were the only 2 runs scored by the Pirates in the game.  Delwyn was granted free agency on November 29, 2010 and was signed by the Phillies on January 6, 2011.

Chris Frey:  8/11/83 Highland, IL  6’1″ 180.  B/T: L/L
Chris played college baseball at Arizona and was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 11th round of the 2005 draft.  After spending 6 years in the Rockies organization he was selected by the Phillies in the AAA portion of the Rule 5 Draft in December.  He is considered an excellent centerfielder and a decent singles-type left-handed hitter without much power.  He has played for Colorado Springs in the Pacific Coast League the past 3 years and has a lifetime batting average of .276 in AAA.  In 1,029 career AAA at bats he has 54 doubles, 18 triples and 8 homeruns.