Results tagged ‘ Cody Asche ’
Roster Moves; Asche and Joseph Impressed
The Phillies made eight roster moves today:
They reassigned left-hander Adam Morgan; right-handers J.C. Ramirez and Kyle Simon; infielder Michael Martinez; catcher Tommy Joseph; and third baseman Cody Asche to Minor League camp. They also optioned left-hander Joe Savery, and released outfielder Joe Mather.
They informed right-handers Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin and outfielder Zach Collier they will be optioned Monday.
Asche and Joseph impressed. Asche hit .357 (5-for-14) with two doubles, two walks and two strikeouts in eight games. Joseph hit .462 (6-for-13) with two doubles, one home run and two RBIs in six games. Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz and third baseman Michael Young will be free agents after the season, so if Asche and Joseph continue to develop with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season the Phillies could have some interesting decisions to make in the offseason.
Could Asche and Joseph be significant contributors in 2014?
“Next season, maybe. Maybe,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “Not 2013 necessarily. It’s a possibility. It’s hard to tell. A lot of it will depend on how they continue to advance. Neither one of these guys have played Triple-A baseball.”
“They still need to put together solid seasons,” Charlie Manuel said. “They need a little more experience. But at the same time they’re more advanced than I thought they were … than I expected. Very much so.”
Manuel also complimented Morgan, Martin and Pettibone.
“They’re going to pitch in the big leagues,” Manuel said.
The Phillies didn’t see Savery in competition for one of the team’s three job openings in the bullpen. Martinez wasn’t a candidate to be one of the team’s utility infielders.
Asche, Joseph and Others Headed to Spring Training
The Phillies announced today they have added six more players as Non-Roster Invitees for Spring Training.
This list includes several of the organization’s top prospects:
- Third baseman Cody Asche. He hit .324 with 33 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 72 RBIs between Class A Clearwater and Double-A Reading last season. Asche, 22, will be in camp to get big-league experience. If he continues to progress in 2013, the Phillies could look at him as their everyday third baseman as early as 2014.
- Right-hander Justin Friend. He allowed just one earned run in 39 2/3 innings and converted each of his 24 save opportunities with Double-A Reading last season. Friend, 26, will get a look in Spring Training, but the Phillies have plenty of relievers ahead of him on the depth chart. Expect him to open the season in the Minor Leagues.
- Catcher Tommy Joseph. The Phillies acquired him in the Hunter Pence trade and he immediately became the organization’s top position player prospect. He will be in camp to get big-league experience, but will open the season in the Minor Leagues. Where he opens remains to be seen. Joseph, 21, is expected to compete with Sebastian Valle for the Triple-A job.
- Outfielder Joe Mather. He hit .209 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 19 RBIs in 103 games last season with the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies have plenty of outfielders, so Mather, 30, joins the organization to provide depth at Triple-A.
- Left-hander Adam Morgan. The Phillies are high on Morgan, so like others in this group they want him to get his feet wet in big-league camp. He had a 3.29 ERA last season with Clearwater, and went 4-1 with a 3.53 ERA in six starts with Reading. Morgan, 22, led Phillies Minor Leaguers with 169 strikeouts in 158 2/3 innings.
- Right-hander Kyle Simon. The Phillies acquired him in the Jim Thome trade. The Phillies made him a reliever last season with Clearwater and Reading with positive results: He went 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in 20 appearances.
Phillies Hire A Couple Coaches
The Phillies have filled a couple coaching vacancies in their Minor League system.
They announced today they have hired Dave Brundage as Triple-A Lehigh Valley manager. They also hired former Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Henderson as a coach, likely for one of the lower-level teams.
Brundage, 48, had managed the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate the previous six seasons, leading the team to the 2007 International League championship. He spent 19 seasons with the Mariners as a Minor League player, coach and manager. Baseball America named him Minor League Manager of the Year in 2003.
“With Dave’s success and experience at the triple-A level, we feel he is the ideal person to manage the IronPigs,” director of player development Joe Jordan said in a statement. “His resume speaks for itself.”
Henderson, a popular coach most famous for throwing to Bobby Abreu and Ryan Howard when they won the 2005 and 2006 Home Run Derbies, respectively, left the Phillies in 2008 because of alcohol-related issues.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” Henderson told MLB.com this summer, when asked about getting back into baseball. “If I have to start from way below, that’s what I’ve got to do. All I’m looking for is for somebody to give me a chance. I believe I’ve got a lot to offer. I have a lot of desire and energy to help any organization in any way I can. I think it’s going to be some kind of story if somebody gives me a second chance. I think I’m going to be way better this time around. Because I have the motivation to prove to myself and prove to others that I’m [sober] and that I’m capable of doing even a better job.”
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Phillies prospects Cody Asche and Tommy Joseph were named to the Arizona Fall League’s West Division team in the Rising Stars Game.
Asche, a third baseman, is hitting .259 with five doubles, one home run, seven RBIs and a .712 OPS in 54 at-bats. Joseph, a catcher, is hitting .172 with one double and a .480 OPS in 29 at-bats.
Thursday Notes
A few notes today regarding the Phillies:
- The Blue Jays claimed right-hander Tyson Brummett off waivers. Brummett spent most of the season with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley before making his big-league debut with the Phillies on Oct. 3.
- The Phillies outrighted infielder Pete Orr and catcher Steve Lerud from the 40-man roster. The Phillies have 37 players on the roster, plus four players on the 60-day disabled list.
- Phillies third base prospect Cody Asche is hitting .360 with four doubles and three RBIs in six games in the Arizona Fall League. Infielder Freddy Galvis is hitting .460 with one double, one triple, three home runs and five RBIs in Winter Ball in Venezuela. Outfield prospect Tyson Gillies has hit .467 with one double, one triple and two RBIs in four games in Venezuela. Darin Ruf is hitting .133 in four games in Venezuela.
- Phillies hitting coach Steve Henderson will wear No. 5 next season. Assistant hitting coach Wally Joyner will wear No. 21. Bullpen coach Rod Nichols will wear No. 54. And third base coach Ryne Sandberg will wear No. 23, assuming catcher Brian Schneider does not return next season.
Utley to Third Base? Say What?
Chase Utley is a quiet man publicly, but privately he can talk.
He speaks frequently with Ruben Amaro Jr. about the future of the Phillies. Looking into the near future, Utley is smart enough to know they need an everyday third baseman next season. The Phillies will not pick up Placido Polanco’s $5.5 million club option, Kevin Frandsen is not viewed as an everyday player, Jimmy Rollins is not moving from shortstop, Carlos Ruiz is going to remain behind the plate and the free-agent market is less than desirable, unless Kevin Youkilis, Scott Rolen or Brandon Inge get folks excited.
So that is why Utley asked Amaro a very interesting question Monday.
“Can I play third base?” he said.
“Can you?” Amaro replied.
“I don’t know, can I?” he said.
The experiment began early this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park with Utley taking ground balls at third base. Nobody was supposed to see it, but 94 WIP had been broadcasting its afternoon show at the time, saw Utley, broadcast it and tweeted it. And so Utley stood on the field for a couple minutes before tonight’s game against the New York Mets and reluctantly discussed it.
Todd Zolecki
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