Thursday, June 11, 2009

Bunts and Balks (6/11)

The Phillies agreed to terms with their top selection in the 2009 First-Year Player draft, centerfielder Kelly Dugan. The switch-hitting Dugan opted for the Phillies, over Pepperdine University. He should be ready to succeed Shane Victorino by 2014. Perhaps Dugan's father, the brilliant directing mind who brought us "Don't Mess with the Zohan", can find a movie role for Muffin?

The Phillies selected 3B Robert Amaro, the nephew of General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. with the 1217th pick. The Phillies definitely reached with this 40th round draft choice, who will likely attend the University of Virginia.

We may have found out why utility man/three-hole hitter Pablo Ozuna has been out of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) lineup. It was announced Thursday that Ozuna will be suspended for fifty games, as a result of a performance-enhancing substance violation. The pressure of carrying the IronPigs' offense may have lead Ozuna to make a bad choice.

Despite the absence of Ozuna, the IronPigs defeated the Charlotte Knights, 2-1. Andrew Carpenter pitched well, surrendering only a single run, in seven innings (six hits, zero walks/four strikeouts, ninety-seven pitches). Carpenter's 5-0 record (and 2.75 ERA) must look good to potential trade partners.
Veteran IF/OF Mike Cervenak returned to the lineup, after missing almost a month, and had a pair of singles. The right-handed batting Cervenak might be a good fit for the parent club's bench. The 32-year old Cervenak really isn't a prospect at this point, but could be a useful (i.e. better than Eric Bruntlett) pinch-hitter for the P-Phils, and allow John Mayberry, Jr. to continue to play every day in AAA. Perhaps if Cervenak had been healthy last week, he would be on the P-Phils roster, rather than catcher Paul Bako.

The Reading Phillies (AA) beat the Trenton Thunder 6-3, sweeping the series on a walk-off grand slam by Jeremy Slayden. Yep. The same Jeremy Slayden who was an IronPig yesterday. (He swapped levels with Michael Spidale.) Vance Worley, the R-Phils ace, at least during the pre-Drabek era, pitched six effective innings (two runs, four hits, three walks/three strikeouts).

The Clearwater Threshers (A) crushed the Jupiter Hammerheads, 7-3. Drew Naylor got the win, throwing six and two-thirds innings (three runs, nine hits, zero walks/three strikeouts).

It was a good day for the Phillies' minor league teams, and the Phillies, who saw many of their prospects' trade values increase.

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