By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It may still be a few years until the Philadelphia Phillies get back to the postseason, but their minor league affiliates continue to have success in recent years. This season, four of their six farm clubs are in the playoffs with the GCL Phillies, Class 'A' Lakewood, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley clinching spots. Advanced 'A' Clearwater finished with the best record in the Florida State League, but did not make the postseason due to the two halves system in the lower minor leagues.
Three of the four teams kick of their playoff matchups on Wednesday night while the GCL Phillies are already in the finals against the Cardinals GCL team, forcing a decisive game three after a 3-2 comeback win on Tuesday afternoon. Let's take a look at Lakewood, Reading and Lehigh Valley as they get ready to start postseason play this evening.
Class 'A' Lakewood
First half record: 29-40
Second half record: 45-25
How they clinched: Won the SAL Northern Division Second Half Championship
Opponent: Hagerstown Suns – Washington Nationals affiliate
Playoff schedule: Game 1 @ Lakewood (Sept. 7 at 7:05); Game 2 @Hagerstown (Sept. 9 at 7:05); Game 3* @ Hagerstown (Sept. 10 at 7:05)
After finishing the first half 13.5 games out of the division, the Blueclaws surged in the second half of the season, posting the best record in the South Atlantic League with 45 wins. Lakewood begins their best-of-three playoff series at home on Wednesday against the Hagerstown Suns, Class 'A' affiliate of the Nationals, a team that the Blueclaws have become familiar with throughout the year having played them 22 times. The Suns won 15 of the 22 matchups, taking the first 11 games of the series.
Alberto Tirado will start game one on Wednesday night after posting a 7-1 record to go along with a 2.19 ERA in 11 starts since being converted back to a starter this season. Over his last 50.1 innings of work, Tirado has allowed just 11 runs while striking out 80. Game two will go to Jose Taveras, who is 8-8 with a 3.28 ERA in 2016, holding opposing hitters to a .229 average. If the teams play a game three, top prospect Franklyn Kilome will get the nod. The 21-year-old out of the Dominican went 4-1 with a 2.22 ERA over his last 10 starts.
Lakewood is led offensively by Jose Pujols, who has 24 homers and 84 RBIs on the season, along with Josh Tobias, who finished the season with a .291 average, 31 doubles and 69 RBIs.
Double-A Reading
Record: 89-52
How they clinched: Won the Eastern League East Division
Opponent: Trenton Thunder – New York Yankees affiliate
Playoff schedule: Game 1 @ Trenton (Sept. 7 at 7:00); Game 2 @ Trenton (Sept. 8 at 7:00); Game 3 @ Reading (Sept. 9 at 7:05); Game 4* @ Reading (Sept. 10 at 7:05); Game 5* @ Reading (Sept. 11 at 7:05)
Reading's season has been led by sluggers Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins, combining to hit 78 home runs this season en route to a second straight division title. The Fightin' Phils will take on their division rival Trenton Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs. The two teams just finished up a series in Trenton, splitting a four-game set that saw Reading clinch the division title and Dylan Cozens break Reading's franchise record for most homers in a season. This season, Reading won the series between the Thunder 9-6.
Reading and Trenton will play a best-of-five series with Mark Leiter getting the start in game one for the Fightin' Phils. In 23 games, 17 starts, Leiter went 6-3 with a 3.39 ERA. Game two will feature top prospect Ricardo Pinto, who has experience mixed results in his first Double-A season, posting a 7-6 record to go along with a 4.10 ERA in 27 games. In five August starts, Pinto had a 2.84 ERA, holding opposing hitters to a .164 average. Elniery Garcia was inserted into the Reading rotation after Clearwater missed out on the playoffs. The 21-year-old southpaw went 12-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 20 games for the Threshers. Tyler Viza (4-6, 4.69) will get the ball in game four, if necessary, while John Richy (4-4, 5.11), who came over to the Phillies in the Chase Utley trade, would pitch game five.
It's no surprise that Reading's offense is the catalyst for this team. Though Cozens and Hoskins strike out a good bit, they can drive the ball out of the park at any moment. The lineup is also armed with top prospects Roman Quinn, Jorge Alfaro and Scott Kingery.
Triple-A Lehigh Valley
Record: 85-58
How they clinched: Won the International League Wild Card race
Opponent: Scranton Wilkes/Barre Railriders – New York Yankees affiliae
Playoff schedule: Game 1 @ LHV (Sept. 7 at 7:05); Game 2 @ LHV (Sept. 8 at 7:05); Game 3 @ SWB (Sept. 9 at 6:35); Game 4 @ SWB* (Sept. 10 at 6:35); Game 5* @ SWB (Sept. 11 at 1:05)
Lehigh Valley heads to their second Governors Cup playoffs after falling in the finals back in 2011 to the Columbus Clippers. The IronPigs finished with the second best record in the International League, behind the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, who happen to be in their division and their first round opponent.
Ben Lively gets the start in game one on Wednesday night. Acquired by the Phillies for Marlon Byrd back at the end of 2014, Lively has had a breakout year, going a combined 18-5 with a 2.69 ERA in 28 starts between Reading and Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old right-hander was just recently named International League Pitcher of the Week for the final week of the regular season. He allowed just one run and one walk over 11 innings in his final two starts, striking out 17. Game two will go to Anthony Vasquez, who is 4-1 with a 2.64 ERA in 12 starts with the Ironpigs this season after spending 16 games in Double-A. He's allowed two runs or less in eight of his last 10 starts. Phil Klein will take the mound in game three on the road. Since joining the organization in mid-June, Klein has been dominant at the Triple-A level, going 5-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 14 games, 10 of which were starts. Klein, 27, has allowed one run or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts.
If the teams play a game four, David Buchanan will start. Although he hasn't been effective in the big leagues, Buchanan has been a pretty stable arm in the Ironpigs rotation all season, going 10-9 with a 3.98 ERA. He went 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA in July across five starts. Nick Pivetta is the probably starter for game five, if necessary. Pivetta, 23, came to the Phillies from Washington in the Jonathan Papaelbon trade and is 12-8 with a 3.27 ERA between Reading and Lehigh Valley this season. In five Triple-A starts, he's 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA, holding oppposing hitters to a .233 batting average.
While top prospects Ben Lively, Nick Williams and J.P. Crawford are still with the team, the club certainly was helped by contributions from Jake Thompson, Tommy Joseph and Darin Ruf, all of whom are now with the Phillies. Thompson was named the International League Pitcher of the Year last week.
