The last six home games of the 2022 campaign start today. Here’s what to look for this week as we get ready to say goodbye to the 14th team in franchise history.
How are we doing?
The IronPigs went 3-2 in a rain-shortened series at Coca Cola Park in the penultimate home stand vs the Woo-Sox. They went on the road to Rochester this past week, and could scratch out but one win for a 1-5 series. That’s 4-7 in the past two series, consistent with the feeling that this team is limping towards the finish line.
The standings would concur. The first-place team we had last month is now in fourth place, 5.5 games back of division-leading Durham, with Scranton and Jacksonville having vaulted the IronPigs. The team is now 73-67, 36-32 at home and 37-35 on the road.
IronRail. Remember that? With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre coming in for one final 6-game visit, we have to take a look. With these six home games remaining, the IronPigs have gone 9-3 in twelve games in Moosic and 2-1 in three games at Coca Cola Park, for a cumulative 11-4 record. That puts the IronRail trophy out of reach for the RailRiders, even with a sweep this week. [BTW, have we really only played three games at home vs Scranton? I guess we’ve seen plenty of Buffalo and Rochester and the SMets. And why to they get the good-end of the lopsided home and home? Seems unfair.]
Roster Machinations
The Phillies continue to scramble for their own playoff lives. As such, negotiating injuries and other roster needs, we’ve had some roster churn that has continued. That certainly hasn’t helped the ‘Pigs win games here in September. Here’s what I have for the month of September, as of lunch yesterday:
C Vito Friscia was promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading – 9/1
RHP Jack Perkins was promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading – 9/1
LHP Kent Emanuel was placed on the 7-Day Injured List – 9/1
C Donny Sands was promoted to Philadelphia from Lehigh Valley – 9/1
LHP Ryan Sherriff was transferred to the 60-Day Injured List from the 7-Day Injured List – 9/2
RHP Colton Eastman was placed on the Development List – 9/3
INF Dalton Guthrie was promoted to Philadelphia from Lehigh Valley – 9/4
RHP Griff McGarry was promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading – 9/5
RHP Noah Skirrow was promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading – 9/5
RHP Mark Appel was placed on the Injured List (retroactive to 9/5) – 9/7
RHP Seranthony Dominguez was assigned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia on MLB Rehab – 9/8
RHP Zach Eflin was assigned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia on MLB Rehab – 9/9
RHP Hans Crouse was assigned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia on MLB Rehab – 9/10
RHP Seranthony Dominguez completed his rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley and was promoted to
Philadelphia – 9/11
INF Madison Stokes was promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading – 9/11
RHP Vinny Nottoli was assigned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia – 9/11 RHP Zach Eflin completed his rehab assignment and was promoted to Philadelphia – 9/12
LHP Cristopher Sanchez was assigned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia – 9/12
RHP Mark Appel was promoted to Philadelphia from Lehigh Valley and placed on the 60-Day IL – 9/12
LHP Kent Emanuel was promoted to Philadelphia from Lehigh Valley and placed on the 60-Day IL – 9/14
RHP Tayler Scott was claimed off waivers from San Diego by Philadelphia and assigned to Lehigh Valley – 9/14
INF Yairo Munoz was promoted to Philadelphia from Lehigh Valley – 9/16
Latest:
RHP Matt Seelinger promoted to Lehigh Vallley from Double-A Reading – 9/20
RHP Sam Coonrod optioned to Lehigh Valley – 9/21
[Late-breaking transactions will be added here, through pre-game on Wednesday. With Philadelphia returning home and Reading’s season concluded, I’d expect some further roster changes early in this series.]
Enter RailRiders
Here are some names to know as the Triple-A Yankees come to town:
LHP Zach Britton #26 – On MLB Rehab recently; unknown if he’ll be with the team this series.
RHP Jimmy Cordero #48 – Former Phillies minor leaguer; I saw him hit 102 on the Reading stadium gun in 2016
RHP Scott Efross #26 – MLB Rehab. Wearing the same number as Britton. Whatever.
RHP Deivi Garcia #29 – Former top prospect continues to hone his craft, getting some work in relief
RHP Luis Severino #40 – MLB Rehab. Working his way back to New York. Starter.
C Rob Brantly #4 – An old friend around here. If we’re lucky we’ll get to a game-state where he has to pitch.
INF Anthony Volpe #7 – A top prospect for New York, although he hasn’t moved quickly this season.
C Josh Breaux #20 – On the Yankees prospect list
CF Harrison Bader came to the Yankees from St. Louis, and is currently on the AA Somerset roster on rehab. He has AAA and MLB experience and could continue with Scranton this week. Stay tuned and watch the Yankees roster moves. Then again, Somerset is in the playoffs in Double-A, and the Yankees have a history of sending all the MLB rehabs to the minor league playoffs when they have the chance. I’ve seen it happen.
What’s Going On At The Park
The kids are back in school and fall school activities are in full swing. Kids are back to college, too, which cuts back on available staff at the park. I predict a kind of laid-back wind-down to the season. However, there are some cool promotions and giveaways this week!
Tuesday: “Tail-Waggin’ Tuesday” bring the doggos out, in the outfield. Dollar (actually, $1.06) Hot Dogs all night. Coquís Night. Coquí Flag Giveaway. Coquí 2021 jersey auction. Networking Mixer 4:30PM to 5:30PM in the Klyr Bar
Wednesday: “Haunt Night” sponsored by Dorney Park. Cornhole Night (contact team representative in advance, to play). Adult Beanie Giveaway. Career Fair: Tables on concourse for industry to interact with students/public.
Thursday: Happy Hour 5PM – 7PM. Rookie The Bat Dog visits from Trenton (former Yankees affiliate) to retrieve bats during the first two innings! Bacon University koozie giveaway.
Friday: Final Friday Fireworks of the season.
Saturday: Bacon. Cornhole Night moved to Saturday. Contact team representative to register/play. Championship will be held post-game on the field.
Sunday: Fan Appreciation Day. Giveaways throughout the game. Kids run the bases after the game. Stay after for “Top Level of the Tailgate” in the parking lot as we say good-bye to the 2022 season.
What’s Next?
The team heads up to Syracuse for three more games before they can hit the links. The MLB playoff roster will be formed if the Phillies make it; some current players may be involved on some level.
Around here, things turn to hockey. Look for the return of “Hockey Night in Allentown” on this channel prior to the preseason game on 10/8 at the arena.
If there’s time, there could be a season postmortem for the ‘Pigs, as well as a look at my current prospect list. Then, a roster preview for the 2023 IronPigs squad might appear Christmas week.
See you at the park–and the arena,
@Kram207
PS: Season thank-you time: Thanks to Jack Mitroka for the images you’ve seen this season. Thanks to Cheryl Pursell and Steven Kiebach for additional images. Thanks to media members (you know who you are) for back-channel support, and continuing to help me navigate my “double secret suspension” from full media access, which dates back to posts written during the pandemic season in 2020. Thanks to “confidential” sources around the park for helping me keep up with background information on the team. Thanks to sources from within the Phillies organization for additional background information during the season.
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