Spidale: Reading Phillies' king of hits & perseverance

READING - Grab the stat sheet for the Reading Phillies and take a look at their leading hitter.

Michael Spidale has been at or near the top of that list for so long that he is the franchise's all-time leader in hits. After a three-hit game on Friday, his average was .323, which would be his best mark at the Double A level for a season.

His success has earned him a spot on the Eastern League All-Star team, but what he really wants - what they all really want - is to climb up the organizational ladder.

Spidale, 29 and in his fifth season at Reading, confesses he has moments of discouraged reflection.

"It's tough. I've been playing professionally for 12 years. If I said it was easy, I'd be lying," he said. "It's a grind. It's a daily grind. You have your good days and your bad and you have your days where you kind of question what you're doing. At the end of the day, you're still getting paid to play a game. There could be worse things you could be doing."

The Phillies twice have given Spidale brief looks in Triple A, most recently in 2009 when he hit .289 in 31 games. The problem is that the 6-1, 190-pound Spidale is a leftfielder and isn't a power hitter. Of his team-leading 86 hits this season through Sunday, 77 were singles.

"He's a tremendous young man, great work ethic and he's persevered through a lot," said Phillies assistant general manager Chuck LaMar, who oversees the minors. "We're hoping - whether it be this year or next year - to eventually get him up to the Triple A level and give him a [better] opportunity. He's been an asset and been a credit to himself in how he plays the game."

It's that dedication to his craft, more than the lofty batting average, that impresses his teammates and manager. Spidale has been all over the minor league map since his hometown White Sox picked him in the 12th round in 2000.

He began his pro career with 21 games in the Arizona Fall League as an 18-year-old. He has played for Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, Birmingham and Charlotte. After the Chisox released him in 2006, Spidale hit .346 for 13 games in an independent league before the Phillies signed him and put him in Lakewood. He went to Clearwater in 2007 before he was promoted to Reading.

Fun fact: Manny Trillo was Spidale's batting coach in Birmingham and Charlotte.

"When you're done, no matter what people thought of the way you played or you got passed over or had a great career, you're the one that has to live with the kind of effort you gave while you played," said manager Mark Parent, a former major league catcher. "It's something that can make you at peace with yourself when you're done playing or it could haunt you like demons. I guarantee you that Mike Spidale will have nothing to haunt him."

Spidale (pronounced Spuh-doll-ee) earlier this year set the Reading record for career hits, a mark that is admirable for its achievement yet dubious because of the longevity required. He's at 479 through Sunday. When the grind gets especially tough, he's now able to go home and let his 3-month-old daughter Gianna occupy his thoughts.

"It makes your 0-for-4s not as bad," he joked, before continuing, "I'm a believer in worrying about the things under your control. If you start questioning what's going on and this and that, your production and the way you play will suffer. It's hard enough to play this game when you're worried just about yourself, let alone if you're worried about three other things."

Triple A All-Star Michael Schwimer has allowed just one run in his last seven appearances heading into last night.

That span of 9 innings has lowered his ERA to 1.89, which fits nicely with a gaudy 5-0 record. The 6-8, 240-pound righthander will be joined by fellow IronPigs reliever Mike Zagurski and catcher Erik Kratz at the July 13 All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. MLB Network will televise the game, which begins at 9 p.m.

Joe Savery's career has had more nips and tucks than Joan Rivers' face. The plan now for the starting-pitcher-turned-first baseman is relief pitcher/designated hitter.

Chuck LaMar and the Phillies' front office have decided that Savery will only serve as a DH for Reading, in addition to his pitching duties. In order to save wear and tear, Savery no longer will be required to take infield practice or shag fly balls. Basically, he will be a DH 5 days a week and a reliever the other 2.

His first work out of the bullpen came on June 27 with two scoreless innings. Savery has been throwing regular bullpen sessions since the spring and had a relief appearance with Clearwater in May.

"He's had a couple of outings and shown really good stuff," LaMar said. "He may be somebody that we have to consider in the future as a lefthanded pitcher out of the bullpen."

Savery gave up a run and two hits in two-thirds of an inning Sunday, his first smudge after two scoreless outings at Reading.

LaMar probably lit a few extra fireworks this year after watching his son, Charlie, join the Naval Academy during a day full of pageantry on Thursday in Annapolis, Md.

"When all the plebes took their oath . . . to see 1,200 young men and women in that setting, in that location, it just makes you proud to be an American," LaMar said. "To have my son make that commitment – not only academically and on the baseball field, but to his country - is something we will never forget."

Charlie, an 18-year-old lefthanded pitcher, received guidance from family friend and former Navy pilot Frank Gren during the decision-making process.

"I kept it together pretty good; some tears during the oath," Chuck LaMar said. "I've never been more proud. He looked the part in the uniform. He had his head held high."

After giving up 11 earned runs in two ugly outings to begin June, Reading starter J.C. Ramirez has gone at least six innings in his last four starts and given up a total of 10 earned runs. He tied his Double A personal best with nine strikeouts in Saturday's win . . . Lakewood's David Buchanan became the South Atlantic League's first nine-game winner with his victory on Sunday, but hold off on the laurels. He is 2-3 over his last six starts and his ERA has jumped from 1.98 to 3.73 . . . Williamsport was 7-1 at home entering last night's game and 1-8 away from Bowman Field. Outfielder Aaron Altherr, a Lakewood demotee, and third baseman Maikel Franco shared the team lead with 10 RBI through the first 17 games. *