June 25 -- HEADING FOR READING

READING, Pa. -- So, while the Phillies lost for the sixth straight time last night in a game that didn't start until the unfriendly-to-newspaper-deadlines hour of 10:05 p.m., I was at First Energy Stadium in Reading, checking out some of their top prospects.

I wasn't alone.

Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. showed up during batting practice and watched the game from a seat behind home plate. So did farm director Steve Noworyta and scouting coordinator Jim Fregosi Jr. And there was plenty for them to see. Reading is the place to be if you want to get a glimpse of the Phillies' top prospects. They're all there -- from pitchers Carlos Carrasco, Antonio Bastardo, Josh Outman and Fabio Castro to catcher Lou Marson, infielders Jason Donald and Brad Harman, and center fielder Greg Golson.

I caught up with most of them before yesterday's game, but mostly, I spoke at length with Marson and Golson about their positive progress this season.

Golson (above), 22, is on the disabled list and had his sprained left wrist encased in a split, which he'll wear for about another week. Everyone says he already runs and plays defense at a major-league level, and while he continues to strike out at a high rate (once every 3.26 times this season, once every 3.38 times through his minor-league career), he has made strides as a hitter.

It's possible that Golson could be called up by Sept. 1 to serve in the Michael Bourn role, as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive replacement for Pat Burrell. Surely, he can do no worse than So Taguchi, right? But if Golson were healthy, you'd have to wonder if the Phillies would feel more compelled to trade Shane Victorino for pitching help and gamble that Golson is their center fielder of the future.

Marson, who turns 22 tomorrow, is in a mini-slump (5-for-31). But he's still batting .329 and has more walks (48) than strikeouts (45). I covered the Eastern League for five years, and trust me, that's unusual, especially for a hitter as young as Marson. He starts nearly every game, something else you don't often see from a catcher, and the more he plays, the better he gets at calling a game.

Marson seemingly has surpassed Class AAA Lehigh Valley's Jason Jaramillo as the Phils' top catching prospect, and while I doubt he will get a September call-up, it's entirely possible that he pushes for a job in spring training. That makes you wonder if the Phillies would look to trade Carlos Ruiz, if not now then perhaps during the offseason.

Something else to keep an eye on: Marson, Golson and Donald are among 60 finalists for the U.S. Olympic baseball team. They'll find out by the middle of July if they've been selected to go to Beijing.

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It's easy to second-guess Charlie Manuel for leaving Jamie Moyer in the game last night to face Emil Brown, especially since Moyer's pitch count was creeping towards 100 and tough-on-righties Chad Durbin was warming in the bullpen. But Moyer was cruising through six innings. He hadn't allowed a hit since Kurt Suzuki's leadoff single in the first inning.

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Greg Dobbs was 1-for-7 lifetime against A's starter Joe Blanton, so Manuel opted to use Geoff Jenkins as the designated hitter last night. I'd have gone with Dobbs. Jenkins is in an 0-for-22 slump, and he is 2-for-37 since June 8, dropping his average from .286 to .244.