Phillies minor leaguers sign elsewhere
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Phillies minor leaguers sign elsewhere
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Wrapping up a few signings over the last week...
At the end of the winter meetings, the Phillies released two younger pitchers to clear space from their 40-man roster. At the time, Ruben Amaro Jr. said he hoped both would clear waivers and re-sign with the Phillies.
Both pitchers chose to sign elsewhere.
Yohan Flande, the 24-year-old lefthander, signed a minor-league deal with Atlanta this week -- and received an invitation to big-league camp. Righthander Jesus Sanchez, 22, signed a minor-league contract with Milwaukee.
Flande is a guy who appeared on previous prospect lists but has never had overpowering stuff. He was a fixture in double-A Reading's rotation the past two seasons, making 40 starts there. In 2010, he had a 4.38 ERA but struck out only 84 in 158 1/3 innings. His 1.91 K/BB ratio was the lowest of his career.
Sanchez was the final link left from the Bobby Abreu trade. He is a converted catcher who just turned 22 in September, so the Brewers are hoping he has yet to reach his pitching potential.
He had a 2.99 ERA for single-A Clearwater in 2010 with an 84:33 strikeout to walk ratio in 129 1/3 innings.
A few other players who spent 2010 in the Phillies' system have signed with other teams. Most notable is Cody Ransom, who signed with Arizona in late November. Ransom appeared in 22 games for the Phillies last season and hit a memorable game-tying home run against Cincinnati in July.
First baseman Andy Tracy, who had spent the previous three seasons at triple-A Lehigh Valley, is also headed to Arizona. With Matt Rizzotti and Tagg Bozied at the top of the Phillies' system at first base, there wasn't any room for the 37-year-old Tracy, a player who was well respected by many in the organization.
Most see Tracy as a future manager and that could eventually come within the Phillies' system down the line. He's also a former Expos player, and that means there will be only two left in the Phillies' clubhouse this spring: Brian Schneider and Wilson Valdez. (Can you tell Tracy and I have had many Youppi! centric discussions before?)
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Come here and chat at 2 p.m. with me. We'll talk Phillies and the meaning of life.
Releasing Sanchez may be a mistake. I would have gambled on not protecting Danys Baez instead. Sanchez has a bigger upside.
@Richie Allen Since Baez is on the major league roster, he would either have to be waived and claimed by another team (which the Phillies may have already tried to do last season) or accept minor league assignment (which he would not do). The only other option would be to outright release him and pay the remainder of his contract. If you want to make a valid argument you should address Mike Zagurski or Drew Naylor.— tgray83- Or how about Brian Bocock? If the rule 5 guy turns out alright, he stayss as the Bocock of 2011, if not, you have a roster spot open for some other lame guy. Naylor is hard to argue for also, but Zagurski is more valuable to me than Bocock.— B in DC
- This is inevitable and not worth worrying about. Minor league fixtures come and go and RAJ doesn't have much to spend or very many job openings.— Grazman
Valdez never made it to the show with Montreal so if you are going by Expos' draft picks then you forgot Cliff Lee.— bird11- Please: Ruben has to still try for a lefty and a bench playing OF. No baloney about some guys who were not going to even make the 40 man roster. Give Rube some time and he will get the job done.— Koons
- Maybe the Phillies know something about this two guys (Flande and Sanchez) that we don't know. You just don't leave unprotected two young pitchers with talent like that. That's why the signed with other teams that fast. Or maybe they think they have enough pitching depth to take the risk.— EL Zorro
- Is it me or does that pic of Andy Tracy on the Expos baseball card look like Chase Utley?....— 25years/100seasonsandcounting
Comment removed.- This is so typical of the Phillies, failing to nurture young talent that could someday either do good for them or be used as an important trading chip around the trade deadline. Amaro needs to think about the future of this team so the Phillies don't wind up like the Mets.— eldiablodelsol2009
- Really? You are worried about the Phillies nuturing young talent?? Rollins, Hamels, Utley, Howard, Burrell??? Any of those names ring a bell? They were all "nutured"...how is this typical again? What is typical is the stupidity of supposedly Philadelphia sports fans like yourself. — smarterthanyou
- Sanchez is a loss. Was down in Clearwater last Memorial day week and he was the most impressive starter I saw there and was able to see him sitting at 92 mph on the Thresher's team speed gun.— Dull
- Enough on this Sanchez. A 22 year old RIGHT hander who's topping at 92? Don't even ask why anyone is bored enough to be concerned. There's a reason he was not pitching until his career fails as a catcher. It's part of the business. If he becomes a successful middle reliever in five years, I guess some schlub on here will have a gripe. Puhleez— tgray83
- Contender - we are all hoping your joking right? Heh.— phillysbest1
