Bunts and Balks (8/25)

Brett Myers is expected to make a rehab appearance on Wednesday, in Reading (AA). Barring any unforeseen, unfortunate events, Myers will pitch at least an inning. He will probably be tested in at least one multiple-inning outing, and used on consecutive days, before being recalled to the parent club in September.

The minor league players that the Phillies will be sending to the Arizona Fall League have been announced. Joining the Scottsdale Scorpions, are: RHP Mike Cisco, RHP Scott Mathieson, RHP Michael Schwimer, LHP Mike Zagurski, C Tuffy Gosewisch, SS Troy Hanzawa, OF DomOnic Brown, and OF Steve Susdorf. A little surprised to see Gosewisch, maybe the Phils are trying to make up for the time he missed when he was DL'd? Zagurski almost missed time this season, and may be pitching for his 40-Man roster spot. Was a little surprised not to see Joe Bisenius on this list.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) defeated the Pawtucket Red Sox on Tuesday, 8-5, in twelve innings. Starter Rodrigo Lopez managed to allow ten hits, including four homers, to the weak-hitting Red Sox, in only six innings. Lopez permitted five runs, but the FeHogs' bullpen followed with six scoreless frames.

The Reading Phillies (AA) scored five runs in the eighth inning, to key a 8-5 victory over the Erie Seawolves on Tuesday. The come-from-behind victory increased the R-Phils lead over the Seawolves, for the final playoff spot, to one and a half games. Kevin Nelson had (another!) home run, DomOnic Brown had a pair of hits, and Neil Sellers had three hits. Freddy Galvis was 1 for 4, with a throwing error.
Starter Kyle Drabek was not effective, in his six-inning outing. Drabek surrendered ten hits, and five runs (two walks/seven whiffs). The relievers were effective, as Scott Mathieson (two innings), Sergio Escalona (two-thirds of an inning), and B.J. Rosenberg (last out), held Erie scoreless.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) split a doubleheader with the Brevard County Manatees, on Tuesday night. The Sea Cows won the opener, 2-1, as the Threshers made four errors. Starter Edgar Garcia took the loss, allowing both runs (one earned), in five and one-third innings (four hits, two walks/four whiffs). Garcia threw two wild pitched, and hit one batter.
The Threshers prevailed in the second game, 6-4. Cody Overbeck hit a three-run homer in the first inning. Julian Sampson had a rough start, lasting only three and one-third innings (three runs on seven hits, one walk/three whiffs/two HR allowed). Michael Schwimer pitched two scoreless innings (zero hits, one walk/four whiffs), to notch his twentieth save.

Bunts and Balks (8/24)

The uniform worn by Eric Bruntlett on Sunday, during his three-hit game, is on the way to Cooperstown. Bruntlett also was wearing the uniform when he set up his game-ending, unassisted triple play, with two defensive miscues. It joins his Elmer Fudd hat from the 2008 postseason, in the rapidly growing Gnome Wing of the Hall.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) outfielder Michael Taylor was placed on the DL, retroactive to 8/22, with a strained right oblique. The FeHogs are out of the playoff race, so the loss of Taylor only hurts them from an attendance standpoint. But the untimely injury may keep Taylor from being promoted to the parent club, during September's roster expansion.

The IronPigs activated LHP Brian Mazone from the DL, and he made the start on Monday night. The FeHogs stashed Mazone on the DL with turf toe, until Saturday's doubleheader necessitated a spot start. Mazone hasn't been great this season, but this is preferable to starting reliever Jake Woods, in another "bullpen game."

The IronPigs fell to the pitiful Pawtucket Red Sox on Monday, 3-2, on a run in the bottom of the ninth. Mazone pitched five scoreless innings, surrendering only three singles (two walks/eight whiffs). Former Phillies' superstar Paul Byrd started for the Red Sox, allowing only one run, over seven innings.
Carlos Leon had two sacrifices for the IronPigs, batting in the eighth spot, ahead of .100-hitting Tuffy Gosewisch. There are so many problems with that preceding sentence.
Joe Bisenius continued to pitch himself off the 40-Man roster, allowing a run, on a homer and two walks (two whiffs), in one and one-third innings. Bisenius' ERA in AAA decreased to a mere 20.25.

The Reading Phillies (AA) promoted IF Freddy Galvis from the Clearwater Threshers (A). With Carlos Leon in AAA, and Brad Harman on the DL, the R-Phils needed a second middle infielder. They would have been better off adjusting the roster "Gradoville style", and activating batting instructor Kevin Jordan, a former Phillie, as a second baseman. Galvis is a superb infielder, but does not hit.

The Reading Phillies lost to the New Britain Rock Cats (again) on Monday, 6-3. I am so sick of the Stone Felines. The R-Phils outhit New Britain, 14-8, but had thirteen singles, and were only 2 for 10 w/RISP, leaving ten on base. Reading also made a pair of errors.
Starter Yohan Flande did not fare well, permitting four runs, in four innings (seven hits, four walks/three whiffs). Flande was fortunate that reliever Alex Concepcion stranded both baserunners he inherited.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) fell to the Dunedin Blue Jays, 4-2. Threshers' starter Tyler Cloyd was victimized by a two-out grand slam, in the third inning. Cloyd pitched six innings, without permitting any additional runs (six hits, two walks/three whiffs). Michael Schwimer pitched a scoreless frame. Tyson Brummett also pitched a scoreless inning, reducing his ERA in A ball to only 33.75. It was unclear at press time whether Clay Condrey and/or J.C. Romero were in attendance at the final Feeding Frenzy.

The Lakewood BlueClaws were swept in a doubleheader Monday night, by the Lake County Captains. But the BlueClaws drew over 6,047 fans, giving them over 4 million in their history. It them a mere 608 games to eclipse reach the milestone. Lakewood leads the league in attendance this season.