Results tagged ‘ Ethan Martin ’
Lannan Down, Who’s Up?
The Phillies placed John Lannan on the 15-day disabled list today because of a strained quadriceps tendon in his left knee. Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Charlie Manuel said Lannan could miss six to eight weeks.
“It’s a fairly serious injury,” Amaro said. “I know John was upset about it, but there’s not much you can do other than rehab it and come back as soon as possible.”
The Phillies are expected to call up a relief pitcher tomorrow to temporarily take Lannan’s spot on the 25-man roster. A replacement for his spot in the rotation is expected to be announced before Monday’s game against the Pirates, which would have been Lannan’s turn to pitch.
The Phillies have options in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but their best option there might be left-hander Adam Morgan and he pitched today in Pawtucket. Amaro said right-handers Tyler Cloyd, Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin also will be considered. Amaro said Double-A Reading prospect Jesse Biddle is not an option. He also said the Phillies could look outside the organization to find a replacement, although he said the choice likely will come from Triple-A.
Cook Released; Triple-A Rotation Practically Set
The Phillies entered Spring Training with veterans Aaron Cook and Rodrigo Lopez expected to pitch in the Triple-A Lehigh Valley rotation.
Both are gone.
They released Lopez last week and they released Cook today The Phillies had a noon deadline today on Cook. They had to promise him a spot on the 25-man roster, pay him a $100,000 retention bonus to pitch in Triple-A or release him. Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said after a discussion with Cook’s agent they decided to release him.
“We decided that was the best thing to do,” Proefrock said. “It was our decision. But I think Ruben (Amaro Jr.) was cognizant and considerate of the player’s feelings of the circumstances.”
Cook went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in six Grapefruit League appearances, but went 13-29 with a 5.54 ERA the previous three seasons, including 20 strikeouts in 18 starts last season with the Red Sox. Cook’s departure sets up a Triple-A rotation with right-handers Tyler Cloyd, Jonathan Pettibone, Ethan Martin and B.J. Rosenberg and left-hander Adam Morgan, although Proefrock said nothing has been finalized.
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.
Phillies’ Top 20 Prospects
MLB.com ranks the Phillies’ top 20 prospects.
Click this link to read the story.
Click this link to read profiles on the top 20.
Catcher Tommy Joseph ranks third in the system behind left-hander Jesse Biddle and right-hander Ethan Martin. Joseph will be interesting to watch in 2013. He will be competing with Sebastian Valle (ranked eighth) for the starting catching job with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If Joseph wins the job and makes great strides this season, you wonder how the Phillies will view Carlos Ruiz‘s impending free agency? Ruiz is 34, so he isn’t young anymore. If Joseph looks great at Triple-A and Ruiz struggles following his 25-game suspension for using a banned stimulant, which way will the Phillies lean? Ruiz is immensely popular in the Phillies clubhouse. The pitchers love him. Everybody respects him. But the Phillies need to start getting younger. Maybe they look there.
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How does MLB.com come up with its Top 100 Prospect rankings?
This year it spoke to 25 individuals in the industry: scouting directors, scouts, front office executives, etc. Those 25 talent evaulators then ranked their top 50 prospects in a format similar to an AP college football or basketball poll. The No. 1 player on each person’s list receives 50 points. The No. 2 player receives 49 points. The 50th player receives one point. You get the idea. Jesse Biddle ranked 60th overall and Ethan Martin ranked 80th. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo said he originally had Martin ranked lower in the Phillies’ organizational rankings, but moved him up based on the opinions of those talent evaluators putting together their top 50 lists. Interesting stuff.
Can These Guys Play?
Here is what MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo wrote today on the prospects the Phillies got in the Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence deals:
HUNTER PENCE
- Tommy Joseph, C: The 2012 Futures Gamer was ranked No. 5 on the Giants’ Top 20 at the time of the trade. Drafted in 2009 out of the Arizona high school ranks, his calling card was his bat, with many feeling he wouldn’t be able to stay behind the plate long-term. The bat was on display in 2011 as he broke out as a power-hitting run producer. He hasn’t been as dangerous with the move to Double-A, but he still has solid hitting skills, especially if he can continue to improve his plate discipline. His defensive game has improved tremendously – a strong arm in particular helps control the running game – and questions about him staying behind the plate have ended. He could be ready to take over when Carlos Ruiz’s contract is up after the 2013 season.
- Seth Rosin, RHP: Rosin was the No. 19 prospect on the Giants’ Top 20 at the time of the trade Taken out of the University of Minnesota in 2010, he began his first full season as a starter, but then moved to the bullpen and that’s his long-term home. Out of the pen, his fastball hits the mid-to-upper 90s in shorter stints and he commands it well. He has a very good changeup to go along with it. His breaking ball isn’t as good, but he can thrive with two pitches in short relief.
SHANE VICTORINO
- Ethan Martin, RHP: Martin was the No. 7 prospect on the Dodgers’ Top 20 at the time of the trade. A 2008 first-round pick, Martin has been a little slow to develop, but patience can be a virtue when it comes to high-ceiling young arms with arm strength. Martin still has the raw stuff that made him a hot commodity coming out of the Georgia high school ranks four years ago. He has a plus fastball and curve and his changeup is continuing to improve. In his second taste of Double-A, it does appear like things are starting to come together for the right-hander. His command has improved, though he still needs to refine that to be a starter at the highest level. His power stuff would play well coming out of the bullpen, but at age 23, it might be too early to give up on him as a starter, especially given his improvement this season.
Victorino to LA; Pence to SF Next?
Shane Victorino provided some of the greatest and most memorable moments for the Phillies in recent memory.
He played his last game for them Sunday in Atlanta.
Sources confirmed the Phillies and Dodgers have finalized a trade Tuesday that will send Victorino to Los Angeles for right-handed relief pitcher Josh Lindblom and Double-A right-handed relief pitcher Ethan Martin.
Triple-A Lehigh Valley outfielder Domonic Brown is on his way to Nationals Park, where the Phillies open a three-game series Tuesday against the Nationals. It remains to be seen where Brown will play because the Phillies still could trade rightfielder Hunter Pence before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. Trade Deadline. The Giants have been pursuing him aggressively, and a deal is in the works.
The Phillies are looking to overhaul their roster after a remarkably disappointing season. Moving Victorino, who will become a free agent after the season, to the Dodgers allowed them to bolster their bullpen, which has been a weakness.
Victorino had been looking for a five-year contract once he hit the open market. The Phillies were not going to sign him to a multiyear extension, so it made sense to move him rather than let him leave with nothing in return after the season.
Lindblom is 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 48 appearances this season for the Dodgers. He cannot become a free agent until 2018. Martin was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He is 8-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 20 starts this season with Double-A Chattanooga.
The Phillies also have been talking to the Orioles about a trade involving Joe Blanton, although it appears the remaining $3 million on Blanton’s contract will kill the deal. The Orioles want the Phillies to pick up a substantial portion of the contract, which makes little sense to them if they are getting a lesser prospect in return.
Todd Zolecki
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