Reading is starting to look a lot like L.A., I’ve noticed in pictures. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Widespread mass panic is totally under control, reports mayor from helicopter

Reading is more than just a highway exit sign you pass on your way to somewhere more important.

It’s home to one of the oldest traditions in minor league baseball; an industry in which affiliations, nicknames, and locations are as transitory as rosters.

As Phillies fans, Reading has more meaning to us than most other small central PA towns.  How many summer evenings in our childhoods did our parents say, “Hey, let’s go to a Phillies game,” only to decide after a quick glance at the bank account that maybe Reading was a more responsible choice than Philadelphia; barring, of course, that nobody picked up the Phillies Franks this week with the free game ticket and image of hearth throb Kevin Stocker.

It’s nostalgia like this that’s about to be wrapped up, dragged to the town square, and ritually slaughtered in front of legions of fans, wailing in agony.

Well… no.  But that’s what it feels like.  Maybe.  This Saturday, the final announcement will come as to what the R-Phils will be known as for years to come.  Theories arise that we’ll all be buying Reading Railroaders hats in the coming weeks.  As the moment approaches, the people of Reading are going from shocked to antsy to unnerved to riotous.

The importance of tradition in baseball is slipping away.  Did you know that there was talk of giving Mike Trout the AL MVP this year just because he was a better player than the guy who won it?!  Anarchy, I tell you!

But the Reading Phillies have always been the Reading Phillies.  It’ll be weird seeing them as another team, even if their Double-A affiliation isn’t in question.  But as the R-Phils explain, the reason they’re doing this is for the fans.  It’s because the franchise has the prolonged legacy to stand on that they feel they form their own identity, still loyal to the Phillies franchise, but independent of their brand.  Minor league clubs aren’t renown for their longevity; in Reading, the tradition deserves to be noted and rewarded.  They call it “Baseballtown,” not “Philliestown” or “Traditionsburg.”  Frankly, we’d hate it if they did.  Those names are terrible.

There is more to life than baseball.  It just doesn’t feel that way because we rely on baseball to provide a protective blanket from all of life’s horrible distractions, like sunlight and relentless emails from your family with “ARE YOU COMING TO THANKSGIVING?!?!” in the subject line.

But change is inevitable, and a lot of things do so with no reason or warning.  The Reading Phillies had both.  There is no reason to prematurely scoff at what their innovative executives have come up with.

Unless it’s something stupid.  Then lets all hate it!

Sebastian Valle (C)

League: Liga Mexicana del Pacifico

Team:  Caneros de los Mochis

34 AB, 8 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 11 SO, .235/.270/.471

He’s no Tommy Joseph–currently in that AFL–but that’s probably a good thing, because Tommy’s having trouble at the moment getting the ‘ol BA to hit an even .200.  Sebastian’s numbers aren’t swaggy either, but it’s a delicate sample size, and there’s no reason to think neither he nor Joseph have fallen tragically from their standing as catching heirs of the future.  Whether one will need to defeat the other in epic combat on the rain-slick roof of CBP remains to be seen.

Freddy Galvis (SS)

League:  Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional

Team:  Aguilas del Zulia

98 AB, 31 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .316/.356/.469

Freddy’s offensive woes seem to have left him as soon as the fresh Carribean air hit his lungs.  The kid set the internet on fire with his opening day salvo, and continues to harvest a .300+ batting average as the league rolls on.

Tyson Gillies (OF)

League:   Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional

Team:  Cardenales de Lara

34 AB, 11 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, .324/.378/.441

Tyson seems to be enjoying himself, keeping pace and surpassing the offensive bar set by Galvis.  Gillies has far more time to make up for, however, and needs to keep up a fairly dominating pace in order to hopefully touch a big league CF position in the months or years to come.

Darin Ruf (“OF”)

League:  Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional

Team:  Tiburones de La Guaira

94 AB, 22 H, 4 2B, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 35 SO, .234/.351/.564

I mean, yeah.  Nine dingers, a forklift of RBI, and a tragic number of strikeouts.  You want to think he’ll get better, but the kid’s a slugger.  He’s gonna K, and he’s gonna K a lot, especially if his body starts rejecting a move to the outfield.  But he will also jack the ball a great deal.  Every at-bat he gets forms a better picture of where he’s headed.  Hopefully it’s “toward a poster on my wall.”

Justin Friend (RHP)

League:  Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional

Team:  Tiburones de La Guaira

3-1, 1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP, 2 ER, 15 K, 5 BB

This might be the most dominant Phillies prospect in the Winter Leagues, honestly.  Look at that shit.  Guy’s allowed two runs in almost 15 innings.  Solid volume of K’s.  And a positive attitude I couldn’t muster if this train was even remotely close to being on time.

Great week for the @tiburones_net let keep it rolling #paencima

— Justin Friend (@friendly209) November 12, 2012

As the Javelinas prepare to face off against the Phoenix Desert Dogs today–the same Dogs they victimized all week long–they sit in first place with a 17-11 record.  This has a lot to do with their unfriendly offense, which in their last five games has scored 59 runs.  It’s the AFL, and everybody’s tired, but those are numbers that will notch you wins.  In a 5-2 stretch, they scored eight runs in each of the games that they lost.  I mean, what, is Cliff Lee pitching these games?

Ha ha ha.  No, he isn’t.  And I’m sorry for the insulting nature of my candor.  Let’s go!

As of 11/12:

Tommy Joseph:  45 AB, .178 BA, .425 OPS, 8 SO, 4 RBI

Cody Asche:  75 AB, .280 BA, .806 OPS, 21 H, 10 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI

Zach Collier:  56 AB, .339 BA, .959 OPS, 19 H, 4 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBI

Kyle Simon:  12.0 IP, 9.00 ERA, 21 H, 12 ER, 8 K, 3 BB

Jay Johnson:  7.1 IP, 9.82 ERA, 8 ER, 13 K, 9 BB

Tyler Knigge:   10.o IP, 9.00 ERA, 13 H, 10 ER, 9 K, 5 BB

Colby Shreve:  10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 8 H, 5 ER, 6 K, 5 BB

Monday saw the first, that I’ve seen, instance of our three hitting prospects forming a consecutive 6-7-8, 3B-CF-C barrage in the lineup, and better yet, they all delivered!  Cody Asche led the charge with three hits, two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI.  All Tommy Joseph and Zach Collier could do is try and garnish such a delectable performance, and managed to by each singling and RBI-ing, and Collier scoring again on a walk.  In total, the Phillies prospects were responsible for seven of the Javelinas’ 10 runs in a 10-7 victory over the Salt River Rafters.

The pitching was far less mentionable.  Tyler Knigge came in and registered a strikeout, a walk, and a three run blast to Salt River catcher Sean Ochinko, before being relieved by Jay Johnson, who proceeded to walk every single person on the earth (well, three).

Zach Collier got the only start (in left) on Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run against Christian Yelich and the Phoenix Desert Dogs.  Once again, the Javelinas scored double digits in a 13-7 victory that featured zero other Phillies prospects so obviously isn’t really worth talking about.

Not yet satisfied by their bombastic offensive displays, Peoria continued their attack on Phoenix on Wednesday, laying an 8-0 humiliation on the Desert Dogs.  Cody Asche was 1-for-4 with an RBI (though he was the throw-um-out in a strike-um-out/throw-um-out DP in the first) and Jay Johnson put a merciful end on things by allowing a single hit in a scoreless ninth, bringing that pesky ERA down to 9.82.

Thursday saw another trifold appearance by the Phillies hitting trio, though they did go a combined 0-for-9.  But wait, don’t hurl your $35.99 Javelinas hat to the ground in disgust just yet!  They also combined for a total of seven walks.  The Javelinas as a team walked as many times as they had hits (11), which goes a long way in explaining the once again lopsided 12-4 victory over the Scottsdale Scorpions.  On the mound, Tyler Knigge threw up zeroes in an inning of relief, allowing a hit but nullifying it with an ice cold K.

Down 11-4 in the eighth inning on Friday, Peoria appeared to be suffering their first loss of the week.  A thunderous 4-run rally seemed to be a surprise comeback in the making, but to no avail, and the team was forced to walk away with an 11-8 loss to the Surprise Saguaros.  Asche went 1-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and another walk, while Collier, starting in center, went a pulse-pounding 3-for-3 with two singles and a double… and a walk.

Saturday was another 11-8 loss, this time to the Mesa Solar Sox, and probably because Asche and Collier were kept out of the lineup, though Asche was dealing with some personal issues.

Very confused.. Clouds and raindrops here in AZ.. Also saw a double rainbow today.

— Cody Asche (@cody_smasche) November 9, 2012

Tommy Joseph got a shot, though, and went 2-for-5 with an RBI, bumping that batting average up to the .178 it sits at today.  Once more, no Phillies pitchers were permitted to touch the ball, out of probably exhaustion and the fact that they seem to give up many, many runs and walks when they do.