A 10 AM Intra squad scrimmage to cap off the third week of Instructs as the fellas played eight frames.
On the Hill :
RH Victor Vargas and LH Rafael Marcano started for their respective squads and each pitched three frames. Vargas yielded two unearned runs on three hits while Marcano gave up three runs on five knocks … both threw strikes, only one walk between them.
RH Tommy McCollum followed Vargas and threw an inning, three walks, two K’s and one run. LH Christopher Soriano followed him - two scoreless IP - 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K’s. Lefty
JP Woodward pitched the last two frames … the innings included simulated situations with runners starting on base … one run scored, JP punched out five batters yielding just one hit.
RH Blake Brown threw a scoreless frame behind Marcano, one K and one BB. Eighteen year old RH Giuseppe Velasquez pitched two frames - simulated situations with runners on base to start the frame - a couple runs scored on four hits. LH Tristan Garnett finished with two scoreless innings - 1 H, 1 BB.
High Octane Deliveries :
In the four games against the Blue Jays this week there were some fellas pumping the gas … RH Mick Abel was sitting 97-99 on Thursday in his one inning of work and RH Andrew Schultz was in the 97-99 range in two one inning stints on Monday and Friday.
RH Andrew Painter was 97-100 in his Friday outing and RH Drew Baker was popping 97-98 mph also on Friday. In the two games against the Jays at their complex on Thursday and Friday Phillies pitchers struck out 18 batters and issued just three walks 🔥.
At the Plate :
Hao-Yu Lee has shown the ability to flat out rake. He had three hits today ( single, double & triple ) with a couple RBIs. The 18 year old seems to have great plate discipline and has consistently barreled the baseball in the strike zone. His triple was a liner to right center field and the double just barely missed clearing the left field fence. Impressive looking hitter. He also made a defensive web gem play at second base diving to catch a hard line drive with the infield playing up and then quickly getting to his feet and throwing a strike to third base to nail the base runner scampering back. 😳
Luis Garcia also had a day, he doubled and tripled on two hard hit balls. Luis made his customary outstanding defensive play of the game at shortstop in the final half inning … diving on a hard hit ground ball off the bat of Jamari Baylor and gunning him out at first base.
Johan Rojas also tripled in the game, his speed continues to amaze me, the ball he hit went to the right center field gap and bounced off the tip of the glove of the center fielder but I swear he was already approaching second base while the ball was in the air 👀 … the young man can pick em up and put em down. Anyone who reads me knows that I really like this 21 year old’s skillset. Truly enjoy watching him play.
Baron Radcliff had a hard hit double down the right field line, Jadiel Sanchez also doubled and Freddy Francisco homered going yard over the left field fence, the second we’ve seen him produce in Instructs contests this year. Ethan Wilson had two knocks ( both singles ) in the contest.
Other Defensive Gems
Yhoswar Garcia made a strong throw to third base after catching a fly ball deep down the left field foul area and nailed the runner attempting to tag and advance from second base. In addition to being the “Drone” tracking fly balls the 20 year old has a canon for an arm.
Catcher Oscar Gonzalez made a terrific throw to second base to nail a would be base stealer in one of the later innings, the runner had a big jump but the throw still beat him. I’ve seen Gonzalez’s arm on display a few times, this summer in Reading he made a similar throw on what seemed to be a given stolen base to nail the runner. He’s also impressed yours truly with his footwork at first base when he’s played that position … he’s just 20 years old and played sparingly this summer but I like what I’ve seen.
Notes :
Mark Wylie was on hand today taking photos … when he sends me the edited copies I’ll post to our webpage. Today a couple more Phillies fans stopped by to peer thru the right field fences alongside us … a family of six here on vacation, they were very excited to see a game in progress, only stayed briefly as they were headed to the beach, another passerby on a bicycle with a Phanatic bandana on, she is from Delaware, also here visiting … rode her bike from Safety Harbor on the Rheam Wilson Trail … pretty long trek … I was impressed … was impressed a lot today it seems 😂.
Fall Instructs Camp concludes this coming week … I’ll be out observing each day I can … also the off season team planning meetings are scheduled for this coming week, maybe some folks will stop and say hello as I sit in my perch under the trees behind the right field fence at Ashburn … ya never know 🤔.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Hao Yu Lee - file photo - Mark Wylie