Back to blogging, but first off, how about this cold weather? This is only the beginning to the winter season, and man is it COLD!

Anyways, things are moving along in the baseball world — especially this week with the Winter Meetings. It’s a great time of year for rumors, trades, free agent signings, and everything else associated with getting ready for the 2011 season. I wish I was in Orlando so that I could be a part of the excitement — but for now, I’ll follow all the news from Reading.

Let’s take a look at some news and notes around the Phillies organization — enjoy!

Yohan Flande — Flande, who spent the entire 2010 season with the R-Phils and posted a 10-8 mark with a 4.38 ERA in 27 starts, was released by Philadelphia on Tuesday. The 24-year-old, who was a member of the Phillies 40-man roster, allowed 178 hits over 158.1 IP.

Here are some more notes on Flande from the 2010 season:

Made 27 starts and went six or more innings 19
times… Led the club with 4.38 ERA… Posted a 7-3 mark with a 2.93 ERA in away games (13 games)… Had a
season-high seven strikeouts in his final start of the season (9/2 vs. NBR)…
Won back-to-back starts (8/10 @ AKR) and (8/17 vs. AKR)… Posted a 1.52 ERA in
April (4 starts)…   

It will be interesting to see where Flande ends up. Before the 2010 season, the Dominican native posted a 27-15 mark with a 2.78 ERA in 76 games in the minors. Originally signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 2004, Flande pposted a 7-1 record with a 2.52 ERA with Clearwter in 2009 — before his promotion to Reading.

Among his accomplishments in 2009, the lefty was named as the Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week twice, Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for Apriil, and was a Florida State midseason All-Star. Also in ’09, Flande pitched for the World Team at the MLB Futures Game in St. Louis.

The Phillies also released RHP Jesus Sanchez, who was also a member of the Phillies 40-man roster. Obtained by the Phillies in the Bobby Abreu deal in 2006, Sanchez, 23, posted a 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA for Clearwater in 2010. The release of both young pitchers opens up two spots on the Phillies 40-man roster.

The Rule 5 Draft is Thursday, let’s see what happens next!