Minors stuff: Pettibone, Colvin, Brown
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Minors stuff: Pettibone, Colvin, Brown
Matt Gelb
ATLANTA — As the focus slowly shifts toward 2013, we will attempt to do the same here at The Phillies Zone. So on a lazy Saturday, here are some minor-league notes...
PETTIBONE MOVES UP: Benny Looper always thought Jonathan Pettibone could move the quickest of the heralded starters that spent 2011 in single-A Clearwater. He was not the most hyped, but he was the most polished.
"We've thought highly of him," said Looper, the Phillies' assistant general manager. "We thought all along we had a good group in Clearwater last year. We thought he was the guy who could pitch better than the other guys. The other guys may have some more power stuff, but he has a good arm. A good change-up, an above-average fastball. We've thought all along he had better command and might move quicker. We talked about that a year ago."
Pettibone, ranked No. 4 in Baseball America's evaluation of the Phillies' system, was promoted to triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier in the week. The 22-year-old will make his debut Monday in Syracuse.
He posted a 3.30 ERA for double-A Reading, one season after a 2.96 clip at single-A Clearwater. He is not a strikeout pitcher (career 6.4 K/9 in minors) and doesn't really do anything flashy.
The results, so far, have come. Since June 1, Pettibone has fanned 39 and walked only six.
"He's pitched very well," Looper said. "I think it's time for him to go to the next level and be challenged by more veteran hitters. It's a good move for him and us."
CONFIDENCE FOR COLVIN: To replace Pettibone in Reading's rotation, Looper said Brody Colvin will receive a promotion. Colvin, originally viewed as the Clearwater pitcher with the highest ceiling, repeated single A in 2012 with mixed results.
His strikeout rate has improved from a season ago (7.9 to 6.0 K/9) but walks have increased, too. Since a five-game banishment to the Clearwater bullpen, Colvin has a 3.48 ERA in 51 2/3 innings as a starter. He has struck out 51 and walked 18 in that span.
The Phillies are still high on him.
"His last game wasn't very good but he's had several good outings," Looper said. "We think we need to get him out of there. He'll show you three 'plus' pitches. Three of them. We think it might help his confidence a little bit. We think it's the right time."
QUITE A DAY FOR BROWN: The IronPigs played a doubleheader Friday and Domonic Brown went 4 for 7 with a walk and a run scored while playing both left and right field.
And he made this catch, which earned him the No. 2 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays:
Brown is hitting .393 (13 for 33) with two doubles and a home run since returning July 16 from a knee injury. He has a .772 OPS in 56 games for Lehigh Valley in 2012.
Be sure to check out The Inquirer's weekly minor-league package on Sunday. There are stories on Trevor May's freefall and Justin De Fratus' comeback.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Nice diving catch by Brown. My guess is that we will see him up here next week during the Nationals series. Victorino and/or Pierre will be dealt by Tuesday and they will need another outfielder. Give Brown either the LF or CF position and let him sink or swim. The Phillies really have no other choice at this point. They ain't making the playoffs. Brown can show them what he can do with no pressure.
I wonder if Glass Brown got hurt on that play. What's it gonna be? A sore neck?— ronin32- I wonder if Glass Brown got hurt on that play. What's it gonna be? A sore neck?— ronin32
If this team doesn't get younger soon, the Braves and Nationals will leave us in a cloud of dust, as if they haven't already.- Amaro would have been fired with all the dumb Trades and signings by any other Owner in Baseball. Polanco mid 30's....back up Wiggington (1B/OF); Fontenot (2B);Orr (?); Fransen (2B/SS). Why sign 20+ million pitchers and sign 5&10 fielders???— tulsaphil
- Its mind boggling that Brown and Cloyd aren't on the big roster. Of course, Ruben the retread master Amaro is the GM. No place for youth an enhtusiasm here. He'd rather watch Jimmy Rollins joggin to first base.— wo_fat
- Hopefully this team keeps Pierre and trades Blanton and Victorino for some help and bring up Brown and Cloyd...the only thing that scares me about Brown is that he is brittle!
- Ronin32....you beat me to it! Very surprised he isn't on the DL after that play
- I go to Reading frequently. There are some good young players in the system. although its early, I think Cody Asche could end up being very good. Valle is a stud. Hernandez should be a major league caliber 2B, real quick bat. I love Tyson Gillie's tools, but he is apparently working on personality issues. Not sure about Ruff, suspect he will get moved up to AAA next year, could end up being another Overbeck/Rizzotti. James and Abreu could develop too. The problem with the GM is he doesn't understand the need to continuosly infuse the team with youth. I don't want to be the Yankees and Amaro is doing a horrible impersonation of the Yankee GM. Stay tuned.— wo_fat
- i think its time to pull brown up. trade either lee or pence for prospects, maybe even both. get a young pitching prospect, 3rd baseman, and one or two in the outfield. also relief pitching. id also try to get anything possible for polanco and victorino after landing the replacements. you still have the vets in ruiz, howard, utley, rollins, hamels, halladay, and papelbon and mix them in with young talent gained through trades along with vance, galvis, and brown. when galvis comes back, he can back up both utley and rollins and eventually take the job from one of them— HDemetriou
- Package Lee and Victorino to Texas for Olt.— butchcat
- Darin Ruf has been taking some games in LF. He needs to get some reps out there. He has the bat, big time, as does A baller Murphy. These guys have to get off the 1B game to get their bats in the line up at the top.— drhoffman
- I find the bashing of Amaro by some as totally nonsense. Ruben has brought us Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Pence, Papelbon amongst others. We knew going into this year we'd have some offensive issues without Howard and Utley.. What no one knew was that Halladay and Lee would have total meltdown years coming after excellent seasons. Things happen in life and sports that just cant be predicted or planned for.. Give it a break people, and look forward to a better 2013 when the team is healthier.— bradco
- Get Brown up here!! no, I don't have high hopes but what else is left for him to do in triple A? and, someone else already made the best point. At least this season he can play without the pressure of contributing to a playoff team. Get him up here and start seeing what you have or don't have in him. Do we really need to spend all offseason hearing how the phillies aren't sure if Dom Brown can take one of the outfield spots? Find out right now while you still have 60 games left.— Sewellmatt
- Sewellmatt is right, the guy has been in the minors for too long, it's time to throw him in the deep end and see if he can swim. It's not like they have Mickey Mantle up here, Pence is their best OF, and his limitations are limitless as Danny Ozark would say. This team has to get young fast in a number of positions; if nothing else the presence of several young kids may get the veterans thinking about being easily replaced if they don't compete a little harder. And yes, I think competing is part of the problem; how many other baseball teams had all of their 33 year old players who aren't named Chooch suddenly become all washed up at once? Halladay, Lee, Rollins, Utley, Howard, Victorino all finished? I doubt it. Polly's 37, him I get, the rest of them need to pull their heads out of their rear ends. I wouldn't even mind them reaching for that AA guy Asche, yeah, it's early for him, but at 45-55, who cares? And that Cisco guy has an ERA of 1.00, on this team that would make him king. Bring him up. I've had it with the main guys half effort every night.Trade, RAJ, do it gleefully and heartlessly.Let's see something other than the same old same old.— drbob1
