An IronPiglets race at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa.
Unlike nearly every level of professional athletics, you can’t measure the effectiveness of a minor league system by wins and losses. Historically, the Phillies affiliates have been OK, but not great. Sure, Ed Wade felt compelled to keep the team’s prize possession in the past instead of going for gold, but many of those prospects burnt out and now play for the Atlantic City Surf. Over the past few seasons, though, the system has given the Phillies loads of homegrown talent. On the current roster, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madsen, Brett Myers, Cole Hammels, J.A. Happ, and John Mayberry, Jr. grew with the Reading’s, Williamsports, and Lehigh Valley’s of the Phillies system.
Most publications peg the Phillies as owning a slightly above average farm system. Before the season, Baseball America ranked them 12th, Baseball Prosepectus 14th, and FANGraphs 16th (After a possible Roy Halladay trade, we’ll see how stocked it is). For the most part, the teams in the system are adequate. None get crushed, but no one is really winning minor league crowns. That’s not always a negative, as many minor league champions are compromise of washed-up ball players. A good system possesses both the veterans to educate, the coaches to shine the way, and the prospects to one day aid the big league club. Although not great, the Phillies system certainly meets those prerequisite benchmarks.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll discuss teama in-depth.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
AAA, International League
42-45, Fifth in North Division, 4-6 in last 10 games
Manager: Dave Huppert
Best Ranked Pitching Prospect: RHP Carlos Carassco (5-8, 5.06 ERA). Ranked #2 by Baseball America
Best Hitting Prospect: C Lou Marson (.292, 1 HR, 21 RBI) #3
I Can’t Believe He’s on the Roster: RP Jack Taschner
A write-up after the jump.
Although the IronPigs are the Phillies highest-level minor league affiliate, most of the organization’s prospects are in AA. Sure, the number two and three prospects play for Lehigh Valley, but their numbers are stinking it up. Compromised mostly of see-saw guys (Kyle Kendrick and Sergio Escalona), washed up big leaguers (Miguel Cairo, Pablo Ozuna and Taschner), and life-time minor leaguers (Andy Tracy and Gary Majewski), the IronPigs have struggled since taking over for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (and Ottawa) last year. Generally, the team doesn’t have any break-out performers other than P Drew Carpenter.
Carpenter’s numbers are good (8-2, 2.85 ERA, 76 K in 16 games) and people like what they’ve seen. The 24-year-old righty was drafted in the second round in 2006. Although he’s fallen off Top Ten Phillies Prospects lists, Carpenter has steadily risen through the system. He even got an emergency start for the big club earlier this season.
Despite the teams subpar record, the International League named three IronPigs to its All-Star roster: Carpenter, Tracy and Mike Cervanek. Cervanek’s nod is impressive because the infielder has missed 25 games this year. However, both Tracy and Cervanek are over 30 and don’t fit into the Phillies long-term (or even short-term) plans.
Many prospects with the IronPigs either under perform or get hurt. SS Jason Donald just returned from a knee injury, but he struggled before (.230, 1 HR, 16 RBI). Similar growing pains have befallen Marson. He’s raised his average up to .292, but his lack of power numbers are troubling.
Overall, this in an underperforming club that lacks depth. Still, watch the boxes for Donald, Marston, and Carpenter. If you’re around Allentown, check out a game, too. You’ll never know when Raul Ibanez or Clay Condrey could make an apperance.
—Sam Fran Scavuzzo
***Follow Me On Twitter samfrans***
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