Lehigh Valley

READING - A year ago at this time, Sebastian Valle was considered the best catching prospect in the Phillies' farm system. Now, he might be considered the second-best catching prospect on the double-A Reading club and the third best in the system. That's a mighty fall for the 22-year-old Mexican native who caught the attention of everyone in the organization when he hit 16 home runs as a 19-year-old catcher with single-A Lakewood in 2010. He lost his status as the top catching prospect at the trade deadline last July, when the Phillies acquired Tommy Joseph from the San Francisco Giants in the Hunter Pence deal.

Despite a slow start, Lehigh Valley's Tommy Joseph still heads up an impressive list of catching prospects in the Phillies organization. Joseph, who turns 22 in July, batted .200 in his first five games. But more troubling was that he had six passed balls in that span. "He has been trying to do too much too early and just has to settle in and play," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. "He caught so well in camp and drew a lot of praise from minor-league pitchers and staff.

Darin Ruf's transition to left field at triple-A Lehigh Valley might still be a work in progress, but listen to the men paid to evaluate his work for a living, and you'll be astonished by the progress. "The left-field play has been very good," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. "It's not a concern for me. It's not a concern at all. " That's quite a different take from the one we heard seven weeks ago, when Ruf's quest to make the big-league roster out of spring training ended mostly because playing left field had been such an adventure for the 26-year-old slugger.

Lehigh Valley defeated Burlington County, 5-3, yesterday in the Carpenter Cup championship game at Citizens Bank Park. It was the third title for Lehigh Valley, which also won in 2001 and 1998. More than 400 high school students participated in the 26th annual Phillies Baseball Carpenter Cup, a 15-game tournament that included play at FDR Park and, for the first time, Coca-Cola Park, home of the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Lehigh Valley won the most lopsided championship game in the 13-year history of the Carpenter Cup baseball tournament yesterday. Lehigh Valley got 17 hits, Berks County made seven errors, and the final at Veterans Stadium was 14-1. The previous largest margin in a title game was the Catholic League's 14-4 triumph over the South Jersey South in 1987. This was only the third time in tournament history that both finalists were from Pennsylvania. Berks was making its second championship appearance, having lost to Ocean-Monmouth, 10-5, in the 1994 final.

ALLENTOWN - Olympic Colonial bowed out of the Carpenter Cup with an 8-4 loss to Lehigh Valley in the quarterfinals Friday at Coca-Cola Park. The game was to be the first of a quarterfinal doubleheader at the home of the Phillies' triple-A affiliate, but when heavy rains and wind rolled through at 1:07 p.m., umpires ushered players off the field in the middle of the eighth inning. The game was called, and the result was final, per tournament rules. Lehigh Valley advanced to Monday's semifinals at Citizens Bank Park.

TYLER CLOYD had another strong outing Thursday and improved to 3-0 at Triple A Lehigh Valley and 6-0 overall on the season. Cloyd went six innings, allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk in the IronPigs' 5-1 win at Indianapolis. He was an emergency starter on Opening Day for Lehigh Valley and pitched six perfect innings. He then returned to Double A Reading. Thursday's outing was his second since being promoted. In the three starts overall for Lehigh Valley, he has a 0.90 ERA, allowing two runs in 20 innings.

Jeremy Sladen drove in five runs to lead the Reading Phillies past the New Britain Rock Cats, 11-9, last night in the Eastern League. Former Philadelphia Phillie Fabio Castro (3-0) allowed five runs in five innings but got the win. Reading206200100 - 11150 New Britain203002002 - 9140 WP: Fabio Castro (3-0). LP: Jay Rainville (1-2). S: Pat Overholt (4). HR: R-Greg Golson (2), John Suomi (2); NB-Luke Hughes (4). A: 2,819. Lehigh Valley000114000 - 6130 Syracuse60200050x -13140 WP: John Parrish (2-0)

Eighteen hard hats and a sign reading "This office belongs to the people of the Lehigh Valley" decorate the Capitol Hill office in Washington of Rep. Don Ritter, the Lehigh University metallurgy professor who became a Republican congressman in 1978 and has held the job ever since. The scene is more philosophical in the workplace of Joseph Simonetta in Bethlehem, Pa. There, index cards bearing quotes about peace, fairness and justice - from the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Camus, Thomas Edison and Victor Hugo - are taped to the basement walls of Simonetta's parents' home.

MIAMI - Chase Utley took his first swing in batting practice Tuesday and it did not feel right. He took a second hack, then another, and one more. That is when he went to Charlie Manuel and told the manager his right side hurt. "It definitely scared me a little bit," Utley said Wednesday. Depending on what an MRI examination shows Thursday in Philadelphia, the Phillies could be without their second baseman and top offensive performer for the foreseeable future. Utley and team officials would not speculate on whether his rib-cage injury will require a stint on the disabled list, but they all prepared for that reality.

IN ADDITION TO righting their ship, the Phillies also must avoid taking on more water, a task that became more challenging yesterday when a couple of their stars were sidelined with injuries. Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard will both undergo MRIs today as the Phillies prepare to start a three-game series against the Marlins in Miami. At least for the moment, Ruiz' injury appears to be more significant. The catcher suffered a right hamstring strain while moving from first to third on a single in the second inning.

READING - A year ago at this time, Sebastian Valle was considered the best catching prospect in the Phillies' farm system. Now, he might be considered the second-best catching prospect on the double-A Reading club and the third best in the system. That's a mighty fall for the 22-year-old Mexican native who caught the attention of everyone in the organization when he hit 16 home runs as a 19-year-old catcher with single-A Lakewood in 2010. He lost his status as the top catching prospect at the trade deadline last July, when the Phillies acquired Tommy Joseph from the San Francisco Giants in the Hunter Pence deal.

Even though righthander B.J. Rosenberg was called up three times last year by the Phillies, he was surprised that it happened on Friday. The Phillies recalled Rosenberg from triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned lefthander Raul Valdes to the IronPigs. Valdes had a 7.65 ERA in 10 relief appearances this season. "I was kind of shocked," Rosenberg said before Friday's game with the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. "I really wasn't expecting anything, but obviously am very excited to get the opportunity.

The Phillies optioned lefthander Raul Valdes to Lehigh Valley and called up righthander B.J. Rosenberg from the IronPigs. Valdes may have sealed his fate when he allowed a three-run home run to Jason Kipnis in Wednesday's 10-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. The 32-year-old Valdes had a 7.65 ERA in 10 appearances this season for the Phillies. Rosenberg was 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA in seven starts for Lehigh Valley this season. Last season he split time with Reading, Lehigh Valley and the Phillies.

ALLENTOWN - It wasn't the most macho confession, but Dave Brundage has too much experience with the damage that can be done by a batted baseball to care. Like everyone else who saw the video footage from Tuesday night's game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays, Brundage cringed in horror as former Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ lay writhing in pain on the mound at Tropicana Field after being struck just above the left ear by a Desmond Jennings line drive. Brundage, 48, in his first year as manager of the Phillies' triple-A Lehigh Valley affiliate after spending six seasons in the same role with the Atlanta Braves, openly admits to being afraid of line drives bearing down on him while coaching third base or even just standing in the dugout.

PHOENIX - The decision was made long before Tyler Cloyd allowed just two runs in 6 1/3 innings and pitched well enough to win Friday's 3-2 Phillies loss. Reliever Justin De Fratus was put on a cross-country flight to Arizona prior to the start of the game. "They told me no matter what happened they were going to send me down," Cloyd said. The Phillies do not need a fifth starter until May 21. They can go two turns through the rotation without one because of two off days next week.

ALLENTOWN - Whether it's at this year's trade deadline or after the season, one of the most difficult decisions in franchise history is going to have to be made in the not-too-distant future. Chase Utley: stay or go? Much of that decision will be influenced by the play of the team and the play of the veteran second baseman who so far has been solid offensively and shaky at times defensively. Some of the decision will also be influenced by the play of Cesar Hernandez, the 22-year-old second baseman at triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Darin Ruf's transition to left field at triple-A Lehigh Valley might still be a work in progress, but listen to the men paid to evaluate his work for a living, and you'll be astonished by the progress. "The left-field play has been very good," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. "It's not a concern for me. It's not a concern at all. " That's quite a different take from the one we heard seven weeks ago, when Ruf's quest to make the big-league roster out of spring training ended mostly because playing left field had been such an adventure for the 26-year-old slugger.

NEW YORK - The easiest catching decision Charlie Manuel must make Sunday morning is writing Carlos Ruiz's name on his lineup card, probably batting fifth. Before that, the Phillies must decide whose roster spot Ruiz takes. There are pros and cons to keeping either Erik Kratz or Humberto Quintero as Ruiz's backup. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said the team had not reached a verdict Saturday. Ruiz played once more at double-A Reading on Saturday night. "Any decision you make like that is difficult," Manuel said.