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| ALL-NEW PORK BARREL BLOG |
Below are a series of blog entries written by IronPigs Director of Media Relations and play-by-play announcer Matt Provence. Updated blog entries will be made on a weekly basis leading up to Opening Day in April. Click here to view previous Pork Barrel Blog Entries.
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| January 29, 2009 Blog Entry |
| The Phillies Caravan and World Series Trophy Tour spun through the Lehigh Valley last week… and although the buzz amongst the sold-out crowd of 878 surrounded The Commissioner’s Trophy, I was unable to see through the haze of high-expectations for the IronPigs 2009 season. Oh… I’ve been duped before. I drank from the Phillies’ Phantastic Punch at this point last season and spouted off about how good the 2008 team was going to be. And I agree when I hear Minor League Director Steve Noworyta claim that “the IronPigs lack of success was a surprise” and when manager Dave Huppert recalls “never before have I seen a team with proven veterans all collectively start the season in a slump.” An anomaly… no doubt! |
| So this year, more prospects and even more key veteran signings give me the same brutish feeling I had on January 29, 2008. You know the old saying, “Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice…” (actually, like Ben Stiller’s Dodgeball character White Goodman or even George W. Bush, I really don’t know the full saying… but I think you get the point). |
| Two of the Phillies’ best hitting prospects (Lou Marson and Jason Donald) along with two of the IronPigs best hitters in 2008 (Andy Tracy, Mike Cervenak) will be at the core of a lineup that should prove much more productive than that of the inaugural season. Bring back Rich Thompson (25 SB in 27 attempts) as a table-setter, and you’ve got the components for potency atop the order. |
| Here are other newcomers that could find their way into the IronPigs Opening Day lineup: |
OF John Mayberry, Jr. (acquired from Texas in trade for OF Greg Golson) --
Considered a quizzical move by some, the Phillies’ traded a former first-rounder with more athleticism for a former first-rounder with more power. Mayberry is expected to start in the outfield and bat either 5th or 6th in the lineup. Once a mighty power prospect, the son of a two-time American League All-Star (John Mayberry) hit 21 HR in his first full season in the minors with Clinton (A, Midwest). However, the 6-6, 25-year-old out of Stanford has never batted higher that .268 in a season and has struck out more than 100 times in each of his first three full seasons. Mayberry split last season with Double-A Frisco (.268-4-13 in 21 G) and Triple-A Oklahoma (.263-16-58 in 114 G). Although the right-handed hitter may struggle with Coca-Cola Park’s cavernous left field, Baseball America has evaluated Mayberry with ‘a 35 home run ceiling.’ |
3B Terry Tiffee (minor league free agent) –
Tiffee’s name should ring a bell, as the 29-year-old has appeared in the majors with Minnesota (2004-06) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). Regardless, his bat rang PCL pitchers to the tune of a Pacific Coast League leading batting average of .378 last season – as he finished .378-6-69 in 93 G last season. The switch-hitting Arkansas native was also a member of Team U.S.A. at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Tiffee has an extensive IL background, as well. Most recently, he spent the entire 2007 season with Norfolk, batting .272-10-55. A member of the Rochester Red Wings in 2004-06, Tiffee is a .296 career minor league hitter; .279 (371-1328) in the IL. |
| Whether or not Jason Donald starts in the Lehigh Valley (injury concerns to Chase Utley, Pedro Feliz), there could be quite a battle for the other middle infield positions between J.J. Furmaniak, Marcus Giles, Pablo Ozuna, Ozzie Chavez and Jorge Velandia – who appeared with both Syracuse and Buffalo in the IL last season. |
INF J.J. Furmaniak (minor league free agent) –
After enjoying a terrific 2007 with Triple-A Sacramento (.292-15-51 in 106 G) and a stint up with Oakland, Furmaniak was banished to relative obscurity last season. The 29-year-old signed with the Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball and batted just .157-2-5 in 25 G. A former San Diego farmhand, Furmaniak is a .268 career minor league hitter who made his ML debut with Pittsburgh in 2005. |
2B Marcus Giles (minor league free agent) –
Once an N.L. All-Star and the future of second base in Atlanta, Giles career hit a road block in 2006. In his first four seasons in the majors, the brother of OF Brian Giles hit .292 with 61 HR… But injuries and a trade to the Padres led to just a .247 average in 2006-07 – followed by a year off in 2008 (he settled for a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies -- who released him before the start of the season. He then agreed to terms with the Dodgers on a minor league contract, but had a change of heart on his way to report to the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas and turned down the deal). Anything close to him returning to his 2003 form (.316-21-69 with Atlanta) will make this an excellent ‘phlyer’ for Philadelphia. |
INF Pablo Ozuna (minor league free agent) –
Once a Marlins prospect and a key piece of the Charles Johnson/Mike Hampton trade, Ozuna has appeared with Florida (2000, 2002), Colorado (2003), the Chicago White Sox (2005-2008), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). The 34-year-old has always been a great minor league hitter (.317 with 233 SB in 771 G) – and a darn good major league hitter, too (.282 in 309 G). In fact, he hit .328 in 189 AB for the 2006 Chicago White Sox. He is also very versatile, as he has played all four infield positions and all three outfield spots during his career. Phillies fans may remember that the Domincan Republic native spent a year in the system in 2004, when he finished .307-6-76 in 126 games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (his first and only time in the IL). |
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INF Ozzie Chavez (minor league free agent) –
Chavez may be destined for Reading (AA) – but any SS whose full name is ‘Ozzie Smith Chavez’ must be a slick-fielder and worthy of some PT in a Pork Barrel BLOG. The 25-year-old Dominican has spent his entire career in the Milwaukee system – but hit just .223 in 87 G with Triple-A Nashville last season. In all, he’s been just a .251 minor league hitter.
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INF Jorge Velandia (minor league free agent) –
This 33-year-old Venezuelan has a stat line that resembles the Wall Street Journal financial section. Not only has he appeared with an amazing 22 different teams during his 17-year career – one game in an IronPigs uniform will mark the eighth IL team he’d have played for! This includes two in 2008 – when he hit .287-3-12 in 28 G with Syracuse then, after a promotion to Toronto and designation, hit .209-0-8 in 52 G with Buffalo. A versatile player with an above average glove, Velandia is a .246 career hitter – but did peak with a .291-10-56 season with Charlotte in 2006. In the ML, he has appeared with San Diego (1997), Oakland (1998-2000), New York Mets (2000-01, 2003), Tampa (2007), Toronto (2008) and Cleveland (2008). |
| The regular outfield will probably be set with Mayberry, Thompson and Jeremy Slayden, who hit .298-17-81 in Reading (AA). Another semi-regular could emerge from the list below as the right-side of a platoon with Thompson. Keep an eye on: |
OF Wilkin Ruan (minor league free agent) –
A speedy outfielder who hit .341-0-17 in 86 G with Triple-A Las Vegas in 2008. The 30-year-old Dominican made it to the majors with the Dodgers in 2002-03 but has not been back since. He’s a career .277 hitter whose better SB totals (64 in 2000) may be behind him (68 last 5 seasons combined). |
OF Jason Ellison (minor league free agent) –
Once traded for former IronPig Travis Blackley, the 30-year-old was a fairly impressive regular for San Francisco in 2005 (.264 in 352 AB during his first full season). Last season wasn’t as impressive, as he spent most of the year with Triple-A Oklahoma going .239-2-45 in 120 G. Of note: did bat .406 in 46 G (192 AB) with Triple-A Fresno in 2006. |
OF Chris Walker (minor league free agent) –
Another speed merchant, Walker had a promising start to his career in the Cubs organization. But after a sub-par season with Triple-A Iowa in 2007, Walker started 2008 in the independent Atlantic League with Camden (.290-5-20 in 29 G) before finishing out with Triple-A Salt Lake (.257-1-27, 14 SB in 78 G). In his first 5 seasons, Walker swiped 270 SB and had a peak season in 2006 with Double-A West Tenn (.292 in 513 AB). |
OF Damon Hollins (minor league free agent) –
Just signed this week, Hollins is a 34-year-old veteran who has flashed above-average power in both the minor and major leagues. A former Atlanta prospect drafted fourth round of 1992, Hollins had a standout IL season with Richmond in 2004 (.301-20-67 in 109 G). After a year with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball in 2007, the California native returned to hit just .220-16-55 in Triple-A Omaha last season. |
My prediction for the IronPigs Opening day Lineup as of 1/29/09 (my 100% sheer speculation):
1. Rich Thompson, CF
2. Jason Donald, SS
3. Lou Marson, C
4. Andy Tracy, 1B
5. John Mayberry, LF
6. Mike Cervenak, DH
7. Jeremy Sladen, RF
8. Terry Tiffee, 3B
9. Jorge Velandia, 2B
SP Carlos Carrasco |
| Thinking outside the Pen: The offseason in the IL provided a moral victory for National League fans. First and foremost, the New York Mets made a return to the IL. With the team in the North Division, IronPigs’ fans now have eight opportunities to see the Yankees (SWB), the Red Sox (PAW) and the Mets (BUF). Simply put, that means 33% of games at Coca-Cola Park will feature the most popular teams not named ‘Phillies’ in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region. The Mets will make their first ever appearance in Coca-Cola Park when Buffalo visits Lehigh Valley from May 4-7… Second, the arrival of the Mets meant the departure of the American League’s Toronto Blue Jays (who are now so fittingly located in Las Vegas) – which means fewer games without the DH. With Washington (NL) switching into Syracuse and the North Division, the pitcher will have to bat in 56 of the 144 (38.9%) contests this season – up 16.7% from last season, when just 32 of 144 (22.2%) excluded a DH. |
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