The Lehigh Valley IronPigs play a vital role in the Phillies organization as the top affiliate in feeding young talent to the big-league team.

This year's team is chock full of potential big league talent and call-ups could become more frequent as the season progresses into the summer.For many of the young players, the call-up could be an intimidating task. After all, packing your bags to live out your dream for the first time is quite daunting.It's a good thing for the Phillie prospects that they are in an organization that welcomes and embraces the notion of team. Up and down the system, there is a camaraderie that bonds the team so that there is a familiarity in the clubhouse when there is a change.Even rehabbing Phillie infielder Howie Kendrick referred to this notion Wednesday after his first game at Lehigh Valley."I've got to know quite a few of these guys this spring. They've got a really good team," Kendrick told the IronPig media.Two current IronPigs were the benefit of the "Phillies Phamily" when they recently spent some time in Philadelphia. Starters Jake Thompson and Nick Pivetta were thrown some curves but had a lot of help by the team up in Philadelphia.Thompson started 10 games last season for the Phillies, but this stint was less about being there and more about the comfortability of his new role as a reliever."It's cool! I've never done it before," Thompson said of the unique perspective. "You are right behind the pitcher, you can see everything."The tension of the bullpen becomes real when the phone rings. Thompson had to wait at every ring to see if he had to quickly warm up to pitch. Luckily, Thompson had someone like veteran Pat Neshak to rely on."He's incredible at it, he's done it for so long and at a high level," Thompson said of Neshak, who has pitched in 442 Major League games and has a career ERA of 2.85.Even the bullpen coach, John McLaren, and the bullpen catchers provided help to Thompson."More than anything it's different. As a starter, you have an hour and a half to get ready to throw. In the bullpen, you have seven to eight minutes tops."Thompson did not get the results he desired. Despite the 9.00 ERA in the three games he pitched, Thompson believes he could be effective in the bullpen if he had the time to adjust."The guys that are really good out there have their 'thing' to get them ready. Obviously, with time, I could do the same thing. It's just the comfort side of it."Pivetta (4-0, 1.04), who has been able to light up the Triple-A circuit this season, did not have the same success in his four starts in Philadelphia (0-2, 5.12)."There are veteran guys up there and they know how to play the game. It was nice to be able to sit down with them."In his first start back at Lehigh Valley, Pivetta threw the strikes he could not in the big leagues and finished with 22-of-28 first-pitch strikes.""I could have an hour-long conversation talking about the things I need to work on and the stuff I learned," he said. "I didn't do too well up there, so I really need to work on getting ahead and throwing my breaking ball for strikes so I can get back up there and help the team."HOSKINS SLUMP? ... In Syracuse, Rhys Hoskins suffered a drought in hitting and his average began to suffer. In his first two games back at Coca-Cola Park, Hoskins proved that this slump was not going to hold him back. He went 5-for-7 with two doubles, four walks, three RBIs, and his IL-leading 13th home run. "He had a little trouble, three games without a hit. Oh, gosh! Panic," manager Dusty Wathan joked. "He's not going to stay in a slump long, if you can call three games a slump." He currently leads the IronPigs and is third in the International League with a .333 average.