IronPigs manager impressed with Zambrano
Lehigh Valley manager Dave Brundage has been impressed with righthander Carlos Zambrano, who is scheduled to start Sunday in Columbus. Zambrano has a July 1 opt-out date so the Phillies have to decide soon whether to bring him up.
1. Lehigh Valley manager Dave Brundage has been impressed with righthander Carlos Zambrano, who is scheduled to start Sunday in Columbus. Zambrano has a July 1 opt-out date so the Phillies have to decide soon whether to bring him up. He has made five minor-league starts, two at Clearwater, one at Reading and two at Lehigh Valley. On Tuesday he pitched seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win against Toledo. "The biggest thing is he is learning to pitch with what he has," Brundage said. "He doesn't throw 94-95 [m.p.h.] anymore and that is an adjustment a lot of pitchers have to make."
2. Catcher Tommy Joseph, The Inquirer's No. 2-ranked Phillies prospect, who has missed much of the season following a concussion, appears ready to return soon, according to Joe Jordan, the Phillies director of player development. Jordan said Joseph hasn't had concussion symptoms for a while, but the organization wanted him to take time to get conditioning back. He has been training with the Phillies Gulf Coast League team. "It's probably a matter of a few days before he is on a full-season club," Jordan said. Joseph began the season at Lehigh Valley.
3. Clearwater rightfielder Kelly Dugan, who entered the weekend batting .339 with eight home runs, 29 RBIs and a .991 OPS, could be in line for a promotion. "He is making a strong point for a new challenge and it could be on the horizon," Jordan said. Dugan, a second-round pick in 2009, turns 23 in September.
4. The Phillies have signed eight of their first 10 draft choices and assistant general manager of amateur scouting Marti Wolever feels they have a good chance to sign fifth-round pick Ben Wetzler, a lefthander from Oregon State. Entering the weekend, Oregon State was still alive in the College World Series and players can't sign until after the completion. The only pick who Wolever thinks won't sign is sixth-round outfielder Jason Monda of Washington State.
5. Lakewood's Carlos Tocci, who doesn't turn 18 until August, has continued to gain valuable experience while playing virtually every day for low single-A Lakewood. Entering the weekend, Tocci, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound centerfielder from Venezuela, was hitting .237 in 224 at-bats. He had 12 doubles, no home runs and 11 RBIs
- Marc Narducci