Before I started writing about the Phillies for The News Journal, I covered minor league baseball. Last week, while I was in Atlanta with the Phillies, Class AA Reading was in Binghamton. N.Y., facing the Mets team I used to cover.
Anyway, I asked my good friend Rob Ford, the Binghamton Mets' excellent radio announcer, for his impressions of some of the Phillies' top prospects. Rob was gracious enough to offer these thoughts.
* Scott Mathieson, RHP (right):
"Wow, what stuff. A mid-90s fastball and a good slider. However, I can see why he hasn’t posted great numbers. He gets down on himself too quickly when things go wrong. Also, Reading left him in way too long Tuesday (116 pitches). He shouldn’t have come out for the sixth and, after he gave up a leadoff double to Jay Caligiuri in that inning, he definitely should’ve been pulled after facing the lefty Brett Harper (who he struck out). Instead, he was hung out to dry and Binghamton got three runs off him that inning to take the lead.
* Jason Jaramillo, C:
"My favorite position player on this team. He’s unbelievable behind the plate, whether it be blocking balls or throwing out baserunners. He has a quick release and an accurate arm. I was really impressed with him as a hitter. He wasn’t overwhelming, but I could see him hitting .240-.250 in the majors in a couple of years. He did seem to clash with some of Reading’s veteran pitchers on pitch selection, but that’s to be expected.
* Daniel Haigwood, LHP (acquired from the White Sox in the Jim Thome trade):
"Not overpowering, but he knows how to pitch. His fastball sat in the upper 80s and he hit 90 a few times, but he commanded it well. They call his breaking ball a slider, but it looks like a curve to me. Either way, it’s a good pitch and is very effective against both righties and lefties. He only threw a handful of changeups, but they looked decent. He’s probably going to need to throw more changeups to be successful as a starter as he moves up. He’s apparently miffed that he didn’t
start the year in AAA but, if he pitches like he did here, he’ll be in Scranton in no time.
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