Winter League Phillies: Everybody’s Gone Home Edition

There are so many more Phillies in the Winter Leagues than the five-six guys I’ve been profiling weekly.  A lot more.

Jay Floyd at Phoul Ballz has a way more intense and far more comprehensive version of exactly what we’re about to do (and have been for three or four weeks).  And Jay does this kind of stuff all the time, reporting on your favorite Phillies Winter Leaguers!

"“Infielder Michael Martinez has posted a .121 average…”–Jay Floyd"

Over at his site, you’ll get updates on your Maikel Francos, your Edgar Durans, your Cody Overbecks.  Basically it’s so informative and good looking it makes me wonder why I would even bother throwing one together myself.

Why?  WHY?! Because it’s Minors f*cking Monday, that’s why.  Get out of my face.  Darin Ruf and Tyson Gillies have gone home, and a couple other of fellows have put up some standout numbers.

Ruf, as we know, had a shot at the single season home run record, but chose to come home and be with his family for Thanksgiving.  When the Phillies brass finally convinces him that the Phillies and home runs are his family now, we won’t have to deal with inconveniences like this.  Gillies, on the other hand, is making use of the time that is given to him.  Until he reaches that threshold of innings logged that gives the brass and the media the proper amount of stats to judge him–what a magical day that will be!–he will be forever linked to his shortage of time.

Meanwhile…

Freddy Galvis (SS)

140 AB, 44 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 20 RBI, .314/.345/.486

Freddy saw that batting average dip down a cataclysmic three points, but added another home run to his Winter Leagues total this week.  He committed an error in Tuesday’s game, but singled in his first two at-bats, and converted the outs in his last two into RBI with a ground out and a sac fly.  He spent a decent chunk of the rest of the week striking and grounding out, except for the home run, though he is continuing the trend of making his ABs useful, even if they end in outs.  On Friday he booted another grounder and left the game in the second inning.

Justin Friend (RHP)

17.1 IP, 5.19 ERA, 19 H, 10 ER, 9 BB, 17 K

Justin entered Thursday’s game for Tiburones La Guaira, tasked with protecting a 4-1 deficit.  Immediately giving up a home run, he proceeded to get the next two guys to fly out, only in the second guy’s case, the ball “flew out” of the stadium.  The next hitter flew out, and then he walked a guy, and then Justin’s turn was pretty much over.

Sebastian Valle (C)

56 AB, 12 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 21 SO, .214/.264/.357

Sebastian didn’t see action until Friday, in which he GIDP’d in his first at-bat.  He’s in a bit of a hole offensively, but clawed his way up from the .200 mark he set last week.  It’d be hard for anybody to make a substantial effort with only six plate appearances to work with, but Sebastian did his best, knowing two base hits, and being struck with the ball once.  But in the games in which he appeared, his team (Caneros los Mochis) was outscored 21-9, so it’s not like anybody’s hitting with supplemental dynamite.

Solid behind the plate, Valle is considered to be volleying with Tommy Joseph for a Lehigh Valley catching gig.  Neither has ripped the world in half in either of their leagues, so any progress can be seen as instrumental.

Steven Lerud can’t stare off into the distance without a Staind song playing. Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Steven Lerud (C)

16 AB, 6 H, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 3 SO, .375/.500/.625

Yes, Steven recovered from his emotional trauma of the 2012 regular season at the Major League level and has spent the Winter firebombing Dominican pitching.  In 16 ABs, he’s put up a 1.125 OPS, and I know you’re all tripping over each other to scream “SMALL SAMPLE SIZE” first, but Steve came ready to play.  Or at least is seeing the ball to his liking for the time being for whatever reason, for Toros de Este.

Plus he started the week by throwing out Dee Gordon at second, which is damn near unfeasible.  But he’s a guy who will homer one inning and drop a pop-up the next (which he did Wednesday).