Floyd allows one run, hit in short AFL debut

The Phillies say it’s time for 23-year-old right-hander Gavin Floyd to produce. The once-touted hurler made his Arizona Fall League debut yesterday.

Floyd gave up one run on one hit and a walk while striking out three in 2 2-3 innings for the Peo Sagueros. Not the worst debut, but according to reports, the team’s patience is at an end. According to Jim Salisbury’s piece in Baseball America, Assistant General Manager Mike Arbuckle told Floyd it was time to make something happen.

"Sometimes a player needs a kick in the butt and other times the player needs to give himself a kick in the butt," Arbuckle told Salisbury. "We haven't written Gavin off. We want him pitching productively in Philadelphia next year. But to do that, he needs to eliminate the backward steps. The key is consistency. He needs to show the ability to get people out and stay in a positive direction, not only from game to game, but inning to inning and hitter to hitter."

After an off-season pitching in Puerto Rico, it appeared Floyd had finally turned a corner in Spring Training when he beat out Ryan Franklin and won a job as the Phillies No. 4 starter. It was downhill from there; Floyd posted a dismal 7.29 ERA while walking 32 in 54 1/3 innings. He was sent back to Triple-A for the second-straight season, where he went 7-4 with a 4.23 ERA and was not called back when rosters expanded on Sept. 1.

His latest stop in the AFL, a hitter’s league where scouts typically observe less-experienced players, shows just how far away the shaken pitcher might be. It’s safe to say this in not where the Phillies expected their former No. 1 pick to be at this point in his progression, considering he made his major-league debut over two seasons ago.

Other Phillies AFL representitives include pitchers Gio Gonzalez, J.A. Happ and Zach Segovia, a younger and more promising group than the 2005 crop, although Scott Mathieson was named best AFL pitcher by scouts.

Roberson back in Mexico
The Mexican Pacific League started play yesterday, with Phillies outfielder Chris Roberson setting the table for Erubiel Durazo, Geronimo Gil and the rest of his Hermosillo teammates. This is Roberson’s second winter in the competitive Mexican League, where the 26-year-old says he prefers to learn how to play in an intense, professional environment. Still considered a raw talent before last season, Roberson held his own in limited defensive action with the Phillies. His bat is a different story.

Thanks to the Beerleaguer senior correspondent for his heads-up contribution to this post.

Comments

[That Dude]

drudgereport.com shows that the plane that crashed in NYC was owned by Cory Lidle.

[gr]

confirmed by cnn
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/11/plane.crash/index.html

[Seth]

ESPN radio confirmed that Cory Lidle was flying the plane and has died in the crash.

[Jon]

Here is the headline from Drudge:

WIRE: NY YANKEE CORY LIDLE ABOARD PLANE...
E. 72ND STREET AT YORK, NEAR EAST RIVER...
'No reason to believe at this point that it is terrorist related': NYPD...
NORAD activated, fighter jets scrambled over major U.S. cities...
FDNY REPORTS 'PEOPLE TRAPPED'...
AT LEAST 2 DEAD...
STOCKS TEMPORARILY DIVE ON NEWS...
PHOTOS...
VIDEO...

Wow. Hope it isn't true, but wow.

[Seth Sharp]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2621860

Espn has confirmed that he has died. My prayers and thoughts are with his family...what a tragedy.

[zach]

This is too crazy.

[That Dude]

dudes, once drudge says it it's legit.

[gr]

i always err on the side on confirmation, thanks.

[Jesus With a Baseball Bat]

This is as confirmed as you can get: NYT, CNN, etc. They apparently found his passport at the scene fo the crash.

That said, I'm still having trouble believing this. It's freakin surreal.

[metsblog275]

my condolences to lidle's fans and family. thought I'd leave a little something on a philly website, and this is the only one I know. I'm really sorry to hear, even though he's not technically a philly anymore, I still kinda see him as one.

[zach]

Surreal is the word, definitely.

Apparently there were emergency calls about a fuel problem of some kind before it crashed. So the good news is, if that's true, he wasn't suicidal or homicidal or anything.

This is just nuts. When I read about it this afternoon I got scared. The last thing I expected to see was Cory Lidle's name attached to it.

[Drama Queen]

I'm glad I came here and saw the people commenting are being serious about the situation, as I it a sad and serious thing. Those self-righteous bastards at PhilliesPhans were cracking jokes about this...disgusting. They truly only do care about the #'s, to heck with emotions.

[Jesus With a Baseball Bat]

I wonder if Arthur Rhodes will give the eulogy.

(Sorry if it's too soon for a little humor; it's how I cope.)

[Lake Fred]

Just saw the news on Drudge. It's just terrible. It sure puts things in perspective. It's a sad sad day.

[zach]

Maybe you could just move these comments to the Lidle thread, JW.

[Drama Queen]

I love humor as much as everyone else, but not now. His wife didn't even know yet!

[That Dude]

"This is as confirmed as you can get: NYT, CNN, etc." cmon now

[Walter]

I believe the Phillies will trade Floyd. Happ, Segovia and Bisenius have passed him by and are more important right now. In another year, there will most likely be two more pitchers that pass him by.

[Will]

I agree Walter, but when? I think they'll have to give him at least one more chance in the majors, just so they don't end up kicking themselves. With the kind of potential he has. Unless, of course, they get a sweet offer.

I think Happ and Segovia still need a little time in AAA to round out.

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