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5 Minor Details

1Lakewood shortstop Roman Quinn, The Inquirer's No. 4 Phillies prospect, has played well recently after a difficult start. In the last seven games entering the weekend, Quinn went 11 for 27, raising his average from .196 to .237 and scoring six runs. Amon

Roman Quinn. (Photo by Curt Hudson)
Roman Quinn. (Photo by Curt Hudson)Read more

1. Lakewood shortstop Roman Quinn, The Inquirer's No. 4 Phillies prospect, has played well recently after a difficult start. In the last seven games entering the weekend, Quinn went 11 for 27, raising his average from .196 to .237 and scoring six runs. Among the fastest players in the Phillies system, the 20-year-old Quinn had 18 stolen bases entering the weekend. "I had a talk with him about being a good leadoff hitter, seeing pitches, getting deeper into the count," Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini said. "He was a little frustrated early in the season, trying to get three to four hits in one swing." Morandini said the patience has paid off. "He is seeing a lot more pitches, getting deeper into counts and using his speed better," he said. "He was hitting a lot of fly balls early in the season and that isn't his game."

2. Third baseman Mike Costanzo, an Archbishop Carroll graduate and Phillies 2005 second-round pick out of Coastal Carolina, is playing third base for the Syracuse Chiefs, the Washington Nationals' triple-A club. Costanzo entered the weekend hitting .216 with five home runs and 20 RBIs. Last year Costanzo received his first major- league action, appearing in 17 games for the Cincinnati Reds.

3. Third baseman Maikel Franco, The Inquirer's No. 3 Phillies prospect, continues to impress in his first season at high-A Clearwater. Franco, a righthanded batter who turns 21 in August, entered the weekend batting .291 with eight home runs, 32 RBIs, and an .898 OPS. "He has become much more of a hitter instead of trying to yank everything out of the park," said Benny Looper, the Phillies' assistant general manager, player personnel. "When he looks to drive it to right-center field and he stays with that approach, middle of the field, he has a lot of strength."

4. Lehigh Valley catcher Tommy Joseph, The Inquirer's No. 2 Phillies prospect, remains out with a concussion. According to a team official, he hasn't resumed baseball activities. Joseph, who is hitting .209 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 67 at-bats, last played May 4. He took a foul ball off his mask in that game against Indianapolis.

5. Lefthander Mauricio Robles, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle in December, has been one of the stronger performers in Reading's bullpen. Robles, 24, entered the weekend 2-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 13 games. He had 30 strikeouts and allowed 10 walks in 20 innings. "He has really pitched well for us," Reading manager Dusty Wathan said. "He has a really good fastball and a plus change-up, but the thing that has held him back has been throwing his slider consistently, especially to lefthanders."

- Marc Narducci