Diamond Outfitters Holiday Sale

Just got this in my email. Not part of the email club? Join now at the Official Site.

Be sure to visit the Diamond Outfitters Holiday Sale at Bright House Networks Field for amazing deals on Threshers and Phillies merchandise plus other great gift ideas.

Here are some of the great offers:

* Buy 1 get 1 FREE on Fitted Hats

* 60% off all adjustable twin hats

* 60% off women and children’s merchandise

* 60% off men’s polos

* 50% off fleece blankets

* $1 Stocking Stuffers

* $1 picture frames

Diamond Outfitters is open Monday to Thursday from 10 am- 3 pm. Hurry out because the store closes for the holidays on December 21.

Several Former Threshers Invited to 2007 Phillies Spring Training

The Phillies announced that they have invited 19 non-roster players to Spring Training.

Several former Threshers are on the list:

P Joe Bisenius

OF Greg Golson

C Tim Gradoville

P J.A. Happ

Some other notable names on the list are Andrew Beattie, Kane Davis, Kyle Drabek, Jason Jaramillo, Lou Marson, and Randall Simon.

For the rest of the list and more information about each of the players please visit Phillies.com.

Former Thresher Alfredo Simon selected in 2006 Rule 5 Draft

The 2006 Rule 5 Draft has been completed.

It doesn't appear that it will have much of an effect on the Clearwater Threshers at present. However, former Thresher Alfredo Simon was selected with the 5th pick by the Baltimore Orioles. Simon spent most of the 2004 season with the Threshers before he was traded by the Phillies to the San Francisco Giants organization.

Simon struck out 107 batters in 134.2 innings and had a 3.27 ERA in 22 games for the Threshers.

MLB.com has a .pdf of all the 2006 Rule 5 draft picks that can be found here.

UPDATE 12/8/06 at 10:00am: Simon has been traded back from the Orioles to the Phillies.

Former Clearwater catcher Mike Lieberthal agrees to one-year deal with Dodgers

The Dodgers have signed Mike Lieberthal to a one-year deal.

Lieberthal had spent his entire career with the Phillies organization including a 16-game stint in 1991 with the playoff-bound Clearwater team. Lee Elia was his manager at the time.

Former Thresher Joe Bisenius may end up in Philly's bullpen in '07

Ken Mandel of MLB.com has a story up that talks about the Winter Meetings, the Rule 5 Draft, and Joe Bisenius.

"He's throws hard, touching 97," said Steve Noworyta, director of Minor Leagues. "Any time you have a guy throwing that kind of number, you have to give him a look."

Noworyta said Bisenius is generally in the 92-94 mph range, but brought the gas on a night when he was being watched. Bisenius is looked at as a long shot to make the bullpen, but Noworyta said he might be factor at some point in 2007.

Eventually, he might be a closer.

"Possibly," he said. "He's got the makeup. When he crosses the line, he turns into a different person. His fastball is dominant."

Check out the whole story here

Former Clearwater Top Pitching Prospect Gavin Floyd traded to White Sox

The Phillies and the White Sox completed a trade yesterday at the Winter Meetings at Lake Buena Vista which sends former Clearwater star Gavin Floyd (and a player to be named later who apparently is Double-A pitcher Gio Gonzalez) to the White Sox for Freddy Garcia.

Floyd was with the Clearwater team in 2003. He struck out 115 batters in 138 innings and had a 3.00 ERA in 24 games.

Here are some links from around the country about the trade:

MLB.com

Chicago Sun-Times

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark

Philly.com

Check out this blog from a new friend in Ottawa

Carl Kiiffner runs a blog covering the Ottawa Lynx. As some of you may recall, the Lynx will be the Triple-A affiliate for the Phillies for the '07 season as they wait for the stadium to be built for the Iron Pigs in the Lehigh Valley. I'd imagine we'll probably see some former Threshers wearing Lynx jerseys at some point this year.

Phillies sign Adam Eaton

The Phillies just announced the signing of Adam Eaton, a right-handed pitcher who last pitched for the Texas Rangers.

Eaton is a familiar name to the Phillies as he was their first round draft pick (11th overall) in the 1996 draft. He spent the 1998 season as well as part of the 1999 season here in Clearwater.

Know Someone Who Wants To Work In Baseball? (# 2)

Carrie requested that I add Retail Store Associate to the PT Job Opening list today so I edited my original story to now say:

KNOW SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO WORK IN BASEBALL?
We're now accepting resumes and applications for Ticket Office Representatives and Retail Store Associates for the upcoming Phillies Spring Training and Clearwater Threshers seasons.

Click here for more information about the Ticket Office Representative opening(s).

Most Spring Training Season Ticket Invoices Mailed Out

If you're a Phillies Spring Training Season Ticket Holder you are going to want to check your mail over the next few days. Most of our invoices (plus additional information) were mailed out of the office this morning.

I'm not sure yet when the same process will start for the upcoming Threshers season so check back for updates.

2007 Clearwater Threshers coaching staff has been announced

The Phillies have just released the new coaching arrangements for the 2007 Minor League Season. These are some new faces for us in Clearwater, but most of them will look familiar to the fans of the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Making the jump from Lakewood to Clearwater are Dave Huppert (manager), Steve Schrenk (pitching coach), and Chris Mudd (trainer).

One new face to the Phillies organization will be joining us in Clearwater as well. He is Brad Komminsk (coach). He comes to Clearwater after several years managing and coaching throughout the Cleveland Indians organization.

Some familiar names that have moved around the organization include former manager Greg Legg (now with single-A Williamsport). Joining Legg in Williamsport is former Threshers' coach Ken Dominguez, who spent last season in Lakewood.

Former trainer Shawn Fcasni is now with triple-A Ottawa while Jason Kirkman has moved to double-A Reading. Ichiro Kitano goes to single-A Lakewood.

Updated at 12:54pm: Former coach Greg Gross is now with Reading.

Ryan Howard named 2006 NL MVP....

Congrats to Ryan Howard on winning the 2006 National League Most Valuable Player Award!

Ryan missed out playing for the Threshers by just one season. He spent 2003 with the Clearwater Phillies at Jack Russell Stadium. While with Clearwater, Ryan hit .304 with 23 HRs and 82 RBIs.

Ryan was also the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year.

Some events and other promotions have been posted

Some highlights (subject to change):

*Fireworks post-game EVERY Saturday Home Game Again in '07 (except 8/4)
*Thirsty Thursdays are BACK!
*Bark at the Ballpark I is scheduled for Sunday, April 15 with Bark at the Ballpark II scheduled for Saturday, August 4.
*Our first Bobble Head Giveaway of the Year will be on Friday, April 20.
*Bright House Networks Customer Appreciation Night with Fireworks on Friday, May 18.
*Wet-N-Wacky Days start on Sunday, July 8.
*Pitch for Pink returns on Friday, August 10.

Remember, the links for the 2007 schedule have not been updated yet on the site, so at this time, the easiest way to view the schedule would be to visit this link. Use the Month links above Saturday and Sunday to move throughout 2007 calendar.

Keep checking back, as more events and promotions will continue to be added.

Looking for something to do on Sunday?

Drop by the South Parking Lot at Bright House Networks Field on Sunday, November 12th and check out Mason Dixon's Best of the Best Car Show. The event benefits Mason Dixon's Christmas Wish Fund. The Show runs from 10am to 3pm. Admission is free, but parking will cost $5.

Want your vehicle to be in the show? Day of Show Registration begins at 9am. For more information about how to register your vehicle visit Mason Dixon Radio.

Lakeland Tigers to change name

Just saw this release, Lakeland Tigers to Unveil New Team Name on Veterans Day over on OurSports Central.

According to the release, they'll be using this new name starting in April 2007.

This comes as a surprise to me. How about you?

UPDATED 11/13/06 9:30am: They went with the 'Flying Tigers'. Check out some pictures from Saturday's unveiling including the new logo here. (Thanks to Garrett for the link)

UPDATED 11/13/06 12:15pm: Here is a story out of the Scout.com Network.

UPDATED 11/13/06 12:20pm: The local newspaper in Lakeland (The Ledger) has this story.

2007 Clearwater Threshers Schedule Posted

We've got the 2007 Clearwater Threshers schedule posted on the Official Site now.

The links for the 2007 schedule have not been updated yet on the site, so at this time, the easiest way to view the schedule would be to visit this link. Use the Month links above Saturday and Sunday to move throughout 2007 calendar.

Promotions and other events will be filled in as they are scheduled so check back often.

Want to sing the national anthem at a Clearwater Threshers game?

The Clearwater Threshers are looking for national anthem singers for the 2007 season. Have your interested parties (individuals, bands, choirs, etc.) call 727-712-4300 for more information.

BOO BASH a rousing success!

Approximately 6,000 (11:48am) 5,400 people turned out on Halloween night at Bright House Networks Field to enjoy the Third Annual Boo Bash, smashing the previous attendance records for the event.

Were you among the 6,000 (11:48am) 5,400? If so, what did you think?

UPDATED at 11:22am: Pictures are starting to go up on the Photo Gallery at the Official Site. Check 'em out!

Over 400 people went through our semi-scary Haunted House. I went through it. Did you?

2007 Threshers Schedule Approved

The 2007 Clearwater Threshers schedule has been approved. The next step is to get it ready to put on the calendar over on the Official Site and the ticketing software. A group of folks are meeting later in the week to set up the different promotions that will take place during the 2007 season. If you have any ideas, go ahead and post a comment and I'll take them to the meeting.

I expect to see 2007 ticket prices and Season Ticket Benefits firmed up shortly which will allow us to start rolling over Season Ticketholders from 2006 in to 2007 and be able to add all the new folks who have requested Season Tickets for 2007 Clearwater Threshers.

At the same time, we are doing the same thing (minus the online calendar) for 2007 Phillies Spring Training. I did find out today that Phillies Spring Training Season Tickets will be the same price as last year (and the year before).

While we can't pick out and purchase your season tickets today, you can join the list. Call 727-467-4457 to get on the list now!

ONE week until BOO BASH!

From the official site of the Clearwater Threshers:

The Clearwater Threshers and the City of Clearwater have announced that the third annual Boo Bash Halloween carnival will be held at Bright House Networks Field on Tuesday, October 31st. The event will begin at 5:30 PM and run until approximately 8:30 PM.

Boo Bash is FREE to the public, so bring your family out to experience an exciting evening in the ballpark.

The event will consist of more than 30 candy stations throughout the ballpark where kids can enjoy a night of Trick 'r Treating in a SAFE environment. Included in the festivities are several carnival games for the kids, hayrides around the field, a moonwalk, and a semi-scary Haunted House. Kids will also get the chance to join our Costume Parade and show off their creative outfits.

For more information, please call 727-712-4300.

Costanzo to start in AA in '07?

Mike Costanzo is starting to keep a journal for entry for free on their web site.

He does answer the question of one our recent commenters:

I banged up my knee at the end of the season and I'm just down here to stay in shape and work on a few things. The knee isn't anything to worry about and I'll be 100% for next spring, without a doubt. It's just a matter of being cautious right now.

He also talks a little about next year, and indicates that we may not see him in Clearwater for much of '07:

I just found out that the plan is for me to start 2007 with AA Reading. It's another jump and I'm really excited about moving closer and closer to the majors. I've heard a lot of great things about the fans in Reading and although I've never been to the stadium there, I've heard good things about it.

You can catch all of Mike's journal entry here.

2007 Phillies Spring Training Tenative Schedule Released

The Phillies have released a tentative version of the 2007 Spring Training Schedule.

It can be found here.

Tickets for 2007 Phillies Spring Training go on-sale January 9th, 2007.

The on-sale date for 2007 Clearwater Threshers tickets has not yet been determined.

Arizona Fall League Update

One current and three former Threshers are seeing action with the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League.

Here is how they are doing so far (through games of October 17, 2006)

CURRENT THRESHER (On Final 2006 Roster)

Kyle Kendrick - Has appeared in just one game (0-0) getting two innings of work. He struck out one, walked one, gave up three hits and two earned runs giving him a 9.00 ERA.

FORMER THRESHERS

Zach Segovia - Has appeared in three games with a 0-0 record and a 0.00 ERA. In his 5.2 innings of work he's struck out five, walked one, and given up only one hit.

J.A. Happ - Has started two games and has a 0-0 record with a 8.10 ERA. In his 3.1 innings of work he's struck out three, walked three, given up four hits, and allowed three earned runs.

Joe Bisenius - Has appeared in one game only lasting one third of an inning. He walked one and gave up six hits and six earned runs giving him a 162.00 ERA. He also picked up the loss.

Know someone who wants to work in baseball?

We're now accepting resumes and applications for Ticket Office Representatives for the upcoming Phillies Spring Training and Clearwater Threshers seasons.

Click here for more information.

Getting closer and closer to a 2007 schedule

The FSL Fall Meeting took place over in Daytona last week. John Timberlake and Dan McDonough were there representing the Threshers. Haven't heard much about the Meeting, but I do know that we are probably a week or so away from having an approved 2007 Threshers Schedule.

Help the Ericksons fight MS

Just received this yesterday from Bill who works in the Ticket Office:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually strikes adults in the prime of life - between the ages of 20 and 50. It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain and spinal cord. My father was diagnosed with MS when he was 19 years old while in USAF basic training. In a matter of several days, he went from feeling perfectly healthy to being in bed unable to move his legs. The disease went into remission for quite a few years, but has gradually returned and has likely confined him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

On October 21st, Bonnie, Gilliyn, Emma and I will be participating in the MS Walk along Bayshore Boulevard. I have a goal of raising $100 to support the National MS Society. I am asking for your help in making my goal. Please click on the "To Sponsor Me" link below and sponsor me online today. Every dollar means that we are a step closer to a cure.

Thank you!

Bill

To sponsor me:
Click here

To visit My Personal Page :
Click here

For more information about this event:
Click here

For more information about the National MS Society:
Click here

FSU is coming to Bright House Networks Field

The Florida State Seminoles baseball team will be matching up with the Philadelphia Phillies in an Exhibition Game on Wednesday, February 28 at Bright House Networks Field.

This is the first-ever matchup between the two teams, and FSU's first against a major-league squad since 2001.

Former Thresher Ryan Barthelemy is an alum of the FSU baseball program.

Golson sneaks in to Baseball America's Top 20 Prospects List

Baseball America just published their list of the Top 20 prospects in the Florida State League. Only one Thresher player made the list and he is outfielder Greg Golson, who snuck in at number 20. Sarasota pitcher Homer Bailey, who finished the season in AA, topped the list.

Threshers will face Devil Rays affiliate next season

The Clearwater Threshers will be seeing even more new faces in the opposing dugout next season, as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have moved their Class A affiliation from Visalia in the California League to Vero Beach of the Florida State League. The Devil Rays had a FSL team located in St. Petersburg from 1997-2000.

Thanks to Garrett for the tip!

Update 10/2/06 at 12:45pm: Baseball America has a story (subscription needed) written by Laurel Scheffel about the move and speculates whether or not the Vero Beach FSL team will be moving to Port Charlotte in 2009 to coincide with the Devil Rays Spring Training move. They also mention the Vero Beach FSL team will get a new nickname, but don't know what it is yet.

FIL Roster

Following up on Anonymous's comment request to post the FIL Roster. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it to format correctly to show on the blog, however I did get it to work somewhat here. Hope that helps!

Say Goodbye To Brad Dudash

The Threshers say goodbye to 'Administrative Assistant' Brad Dudash. Friday, September 30th will be his last 'full-time' day at the ballpark. He has decided to pursue a great opportunity with Global Spectrum which will send him down to the Harborview Center in downtown Clearwater.


Brad has been with the organization since the move over to Bright House Networks Field having started as a Ticket Office Representative and working his way in to all the different facets of the organization. PA Announcer Don Guckian affectionately calls him 'The Ultimate Utility Player'. You still may see Brad around the ballpark next summer, as he's hoping to be able to return in a part-time capacity as his new schedule allows.

Brad's brother Cletus (pictured, above) has commented that he will still visit the ballpark, and he is especially excited for 2007's edition of Country Night at Bright House Networks Field.

The Clearwater Threshers staff greatly appreciates Brad's hard work throughout the last 3 years and wish him much luck in his future, especially on his swing (pictured, below).

MiLB Promotional Seminar

The Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar is going on right now in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Clearwater Threshers have sent a couple of folks from the front office staff to the meetings in order to share ideas with some of the best minds in Minor League Baseball. You will likely end up seeing some of these ideas implemented throughout the ballpark during the 2007 season, and who knows, perhaps you'll see some of our own ideas used throughout Minor League Baseball in 2007 and beyond.

Affiliate Shakeup - Say Goodbye to Batavia and

Hello to Williamsport.

The Phillies announced today a two-year working agreement with the Williamsport Crosscutters in the short-season Class A NY-Penn League. The Phillies had been affiliated with Batavia for nearly 20 years prior to this change.

Steve Noworyta, Director, Minor Leagues comments:

"Relocating our short-season team to Williamsport continues our plan of getting as many of our minor league teams as close as possible to Philadelphia. With AAA moving to the Lehigh Valley in 2008, the lone exception will be Clearwater. The great facilities in Clearwater will continue to be home for the Threshers and the Gulf Coast Rookie League team."

For those who may not be aware, the AAA Phillies affiliate for the 2007 season will be the Ottawa Lynx located in Ontario, Canada. Scranton is now an affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Boo Bash 2006 is Coming!

From our latest flyer:

It is that time of year again! Boo Bash is scheduled for Tuesday, October 31 at beautiful Bright House Networks Field. This event, from 5:00 5:30-8:30 pm is co-sponsored by the Clearwater Threshers and the City of Clearwater Parks & Rec Department. Boo Bash is a safe Halloween community event with expected attendance of over 3,500 people in 2006. Boo Bash features several interactive areas for kids including inflatable games, hay rides and a “Haunted House” that will surely scare you.

Get your company involved in this great event by leaving a comment with your contact information (please include email address) or by contacting your Threshers Account Manager.

Baseball America's 2006 Minor League All-Stars

Baseball America recently released a list of their 2006 Minor League All-Stars.

No current or former Threshers were on the list, but a couple of potential future Threshers did make it. Matt Maloney and Carlos Carrasco appear on the Low A list. Both of them pitched for Lakewood this past summer.

If you'd like to see the whole list, check out this link on Baseball America's web site.

Home Game Times Are Changing in 2007

The Clearwater Threshers are changing home game times for the 2007 season and our loyal blog readers are among the first to find out.

Our new basic home game time schedule is:

Monday - Friday 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m.
Doubleheaders 5:00 p.m.

Keep in mind that those are our new standard times. I expect a handful of our weekday games will be moved from 7pm to around lunch time for events like Camp Day. This information will be released at a later date, probably around the same time as when the 2007 schedule is released.

*Game times are subject to change

(Q) Who plays in the FIL?

(A) 36 players currently in the Phillies organization make up the 2006 Philies FIL Roster. Most of the players were members of the GCL Phillies during this past summer and there is also a mix of players from Batavia and Lakewood on the roster. Mike Costanzo (third baseman) and Greg Golson (outfielder) are the only two members of the team that played in Clearwater this past season.

FIL will be a good opportunity to check out some of the future stars of the Clearwater Threshers. Some of the more notable names on the roster, other than Costanzo and Golson, are Carlos Carrasco (pitcher), Kyle Drabek (pitcher), and Welinson Baez (third baseman).

FIL Home games are played at Bright House Networks Field and admission is free.

FIL games start on Saturday (9/23)

The Florida Instructional League (FIL) starts playing ballgames on Saturday, September 23rd when the Phillies travel to take on the Pirates.

The Phillies are scheduled to have home games at Bright House Networks Field on:

Monday 9/25
Wednesday 9/27
Thursday 9/28
Saturday 9/30 (10AM)
Tuesday 10/3
Thursday 10/5
Friday 10/6
Tuesday 10/10
Thursday 10/12
Friday 10/13
Tuesday 10/17 (10AM)

All games start at 1pm unless otherwise noted. Admission is free.

The Photo Gallery is up

Check out the Official Site to see our brand new Photo Gallery. Just click on the Photo Gallery button on the left-hand side menu. Just had my first look at it and I think it looks pretty nice. What do you think?

Former Thresher Mathieson back in the Bigs

The Phillies have just released their latest roster and transaction update and pitcher Scott Mathieson has been promoted back up to Philly from Scranton.

Updated 9/5/06 at 11:42am - Mathieson has been placed on the 15-day DL (right elbow sprain). This transaction was dated 9/3/06.

Ernesto

We are watching the path of Ernesto. We saw the Tropical Storm Watch go up for our area at the 11am advisory, but at this time we are still planning on playing our home games today (8/29) and tomorrow (8/30). We will update if Ernesto's path changes.

Looks like our ballpark is being used as a model in Charlotte County

Caught this story in the Sun-Herald today. They are looking to bring in the Devil Rays Spring Training and Minor League operations to Charlotte County in a few years.

Many of the Charlotte County plans reflect some of the same perks found at two of Florida's newest spring training fields -- Clearwater's Bright House Networks Field, where the Phillies train, and Jupiter's Roger Dean Stadium, the home to both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins...

...The plans exhibited by HOK would increase the current seating capacity of 5,000 to more than 7,500 with a renovation of the lower bowl, new areas of seating along both foul lines, three party decks and a party pavilion; and two seating grass berms, one in left center and one in right center.

Read the whole Sun-Herald story here.

Were you here for Bark at the Park this past Saturday?

Bob Macpherson from the Clearwater Citizen (Tampa Bay Newspapers) was here and snapped some photos and wrote a story about it:

Little tykes of varied breeds mixed easily with Great Danes and every other conceivable size, shape and breed imaginable. Fancy groomed purebreds mixed happily with mutts. There was no fighting or bickering, only the curiosity and fun of meeting new friends. Human beings certainly could learn from such a display of friendship and good manners.

Buckets of fresh water were strategically distributed throughout the stadium. A “honey patrol” made sure that any canine indiscretion was quickly picked up and the area sanitized.

A few vendors handed out treats and other items. T-shirts were on sale. There was even a self-service dog wash booth that attracted crowds, eager to wash their pet for free.

Check out his whole story here and feel free to leave your comments about your experience at this great event that benefits the Humane Society.

Julio De La Cruz named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week (again)

Julio De La Cruz was just named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for August 14-20. Not a shock, since Julio did toss a no-hitter in his one appearance during the week.

This is the second time he's won the award this year.

Expect to see There is a release on the Official Site sometime in the near future now.

It appears I may have missed that Mike Costanzo won Phillies Minor League Player of the Week for August 7-13. He reached base in all six games while batting .391 with three HRs on the week.

UPDATED 8/24 AT 11:15AM - De La Cruz has also been named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week!

The Arizona Fall League....

There will be some familiar names on the Peoria Saguaros roster in the Arizona Fall League as seven Phillies minor-leaguers have been named to the team. The six team league plays 32 games in October and November.

Kyle Kendrick is the only current Thresher named to the team, but former Threshers' Joe Bisenius, J.A. Happ, and Zach Segovia will be joining him.

Former Thresher Segovia named to US National Team

Former Threshers' pitcher Zach Segovia has been named to the 24-man roster of the US National Team that is now trying to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in China.

The 24 players that will represent the United States at the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Havana, Cuba, Aug. 25-Sept. 5, were officially announced today by USA Baseball. The roster is made up from professional, non-25-man roster players of the 30 Major League Baseball organizations.

See the whole roster and read the press release here.

Segovia and Michael Bourn are the only two players currently in the Phillies organization on the roster.

The Reading Eagle has a story about Segovia and the success of the Phillies minor league teams that can be seen here.

Segovia began this season back at Single-A Clearwater, where he went 5-1 with a 2.19 ERA in seven starts.

He earned a promotion to Reading in mid May, won his Double-A debut with seven shutout innings and proceeded to deliver a string of quality starts. In 17 appearance for Reading he went 11-5 with a 3.11 ERA, just 90 hits allowed in 107 innings and a 3-to-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. From June 29 on he went 8-1 in nine starts.

He also put himself in the thick of the race for the Paul Owens Award as the top pitcher in the Phillies organization. He'll vie for that honor with Scott Mathieson (10-2, 3.22 at Reading and Scranton), Lakewood's Matt Maloney (14-8, 2.09), Josh Outman (12-6, 3.07), and Carlos Carrasco (9-6, 2.25), J.A. Happ (9-9, 2.68 at Reading and Clearwater) and Brian Mazone (12-4, 2.13 at Reading and Scranton).

The story also includes a lot of quotes from Segovia, so be sure to check it out.

Andy Baldwin traded to Mariners

The Phillies traded with the Seattle Mariners late Saturday night for pitcher Jamie Moyer. Threshers' pitcher Andy Baldwin along with Lakewood pitcher Andrew Barb are leaving the Phillies organization for the Mariners, but no word yet as to where they will be assigned.

I haven't heard as of yet who will be sent down from the Phillies so that Moyer can join the major league roster and I also haven't heard if we'll be getting anyone to take Baldwin's place on our roster. I'd imagine we'll get another pitcher in the next couple of days.

Updated at 1pm on Monday, August 21: Former Thresher Scott Mathieson has been optioned to Scranton (AAA) to make room for Moyer.

Reaction from other outlets about the no-hitter

From the Philadelphia Daily News

It was the second no-hitter in the Phillies' organization this week. Lakewood's Carlos Carrasco and Andrew Barb combined on a no-hitter on Sunday against Lexington in the Class A South Atlantic League.

From MiLB.com

"I was so happy and I said, 'Thank you, God, thank you," De La Cruz said of his reaction after Janish lined out to end the game. "This was the best moment. I was just so happy, I have never felt like this before."

With a five-run lead and the crowd behind him, De La Cruz went out in the ninth and completed his historic performance.

"The fans were yelling and screaming when I came out (in the ninth), and after each strike they were standing and screaming," he said. "And after the last out, it was the loudest crowd I've ever heard."

If you see anything else, please post a comment with the link. If I see more, I'll update this post.

Pitch for Pink on Tampa Bay's 10 News

Tampa Bay's 10 News (ABC) (CBS) was out here at the ballpark last night covering the Pitch for Pink event. They have a text-based story and the video of their story archived on their web site. You can find their short text-based story here and/or watch the video story here.

Picture Gallery coming soon to ThreshersBaseball.com

The Official Site will be starting a Picture Gallery sometime in the next few days. It'll be a great new feature for the site. Don't have a whole lot of details about it yet, but we're excited to be offering something new and different for everyone. Keep checking back here and on the Official Site for more!

De La Cruz Tosses No-Hitter

Julio De La Cruz tossed a no-hitter in Friday's 5-0 win over the Sarasota Reds in front of a crowd of 5,906 at Bright House Networks Field. Please check the Official Site later for more information.

One week until Pitch for Pink

Just one week left until Pitch for Pink. Avoid the line on Friday and get your tickets early! Stick around after the game and bid on a pink Threshers jersey like the one pictured above.

We thank you for your support of this fantastic cause!

It's Country Night & Motorcycle Night

Cletus is ready for tonight's festivities. Be sure find him and say hello!

Zac Stott to join Threshers

It turns out that the Ryan Franklin trade with the Reds is going to have an effect on the Threshers roster. Right-handed reliever Zac Stott is the "player to be named later" who completes the trade. Stott was pitching for the Sarasota Reds and is going to be assigned to the Clearwater Threshers shortly.

He is 23 years old, and stands 6'5" and weighs 200 lbs.

Stott had a 1-2 record with a 2.53 ERA and one save in 17 appearances with Sarasota. He allowed 23 hits and struck out 22 batters in his 32 innings of work. He started the 2006 season with the Dayton Dragons.

Former Thresher J.A. Happ named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month

Former Threshers' pitcher J.A. Happ was just recently named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July.

Happ started 13 games for the Threshers between April and June of this year. His ERA was a solid 2.81 and he struck out 77 batters in his 80 innings of work for Clearwater.

While at Reading (AA) in July, Happ started 5 games, going 5-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He struck out 37 batters in his 32.2 innings of work.

Threshers OF Branden Florence named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week

Threshers outfielder Branden Florence has just been named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week for July 31 - August 6. Florence picked up at least one hit in each of the seven games that week. In four of the games, Florence had more than one hit. He batted .485 on the week with two home runs and nine RBI.

He was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent in January '06.

There may be is a longer release up on the Official Site sometime soon now.

It also appears that I may have missed a week. Derek Griffith was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week last week (July 24-30). Griffith was 2-0 on the week only giving up 3 runs off 11 hits in 13 innings.

It's real early to start talking about...

the 2007 Clearwater Threshers roster, but the Delaware County Times has a story in today's edition that says that Mike Costanzo will likely start with the Threshers again next year.

Former Threshers OF Chris Roberson back with the Phils

The Phillies just recalled former Threshers OF Chris Roberson from Scranton (AAA). Roberson last played with the Phillies on July 9th. Roberson only has 1 hit in his 18 plate appearances this year in the majors.

Mathieson back with the Phils

Former Threshers pitcher Scott Mathieson has been recalled from Scranton (AAA) by the Phillies.

Mathieson is just one of a flurry of transactions the Phillies have made since Hector Made joined the Threshers less than a week ago.

PJ Antoniato was sent to Batavia after Made arrived from Tampa.

Threshers outslug Cubs

The Daytona Beach News-Journal has a pretty good game story in today's edition. It's all about yesterday's Game 1. Newcomer Hector Made had one of four Threshers home runs in the game.

You can check out the whole story here.

Sal Fasano traded to the Yankees....

You might be asking yourself. Why does it matter to the Clearwater Threshers that Sal Fasano was traded to the Yankees today?

It's about the other side of the trade. The Phillies received second baseman Hector Made in the deal. Made was playing for the Tampa Yankees, but has now been assigned to the Clearwater Threshers. He is 21 years old and a native of the Dominican Republic. On the season, Made was hitting .286. He also has three home runs and 28 RBI in 86 games.

Former Thresher Happ named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week

Former Thresher pitcher J.A. Happ was just named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for July 17-23.

Happ is now pitching for the Reading Phillies. On the week, he was 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA. He struck out 15 over 14 innings only giving up 9 hits and 3 walks.

Weekend player moves....

The Threshers roster is undergoing quite a change this weekend.

Matt Thayer is headed from Clearwater to Lakewood and Ron Hill along with prospect Greg Golson are coming to Clearwater from Lakewood.

Pitcher Joe Bisenius has been promoted from Clearwater to Reading.

Former Thresher Happ in the news

The NewsTribune located in LaSalle, Illinois had a story in yesterday's edition about two of their area residents who are in the minor leagues. One of those is former Threshers pitcher J.A. Happ. Happ is currently pitching for the Reading (AA) Phillies.

Nate Johnson named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week

Threshers relief pitcher Nate Johnson has just been named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for July 10-16. Johnson has not allowed an earned run in his last eight appearances (10.2 IP). On the week, Johnson played in three games. He was 2-0 and also picked up a save in four innings of work. Johnson struck out four, walked one, and did not give up a hit on the week.

He was drafted by the Phillies in the 20th round of the June 2004 draft. Johnson is a graduate of the University of Iowa. He played for Batavia and in the Florida Instructional League in 2004 and Lakewood in 2005. Johnson led the Blueclaws with 12 wins.

There should be a longer release up on the Official Site sometime soon.

Nate's wife Shannon works part-time in Diamond Outfitters (Team Store), come by the ballpark and congratulate her!

Thursday's Game 1 Starter is....

Andy Baldwin.

This will be Andy's 16th start of the season. He's 6-6 with a 4.07 ERA. He's got one complete game on the season. In 110.2 innings he's given up 118 hits and struck out 80 with only 17 walks.

Tuesday, July 18th was RAINED OUT

As many of you probably experienced, the big storm rolling through the Tampa Bay area also made it's way to Bright House Networks Field. Our game was postponed just around 7pm.

For more information, please visit the Official Site.

Just one player move in the last few days...

Taking a look at the list of transactions, one finds a familiar name. Catcher Jeff Winchester is back again. This time from Reading. He joined the Threshers roster again yesterday (7/17).

Checking the FSL League Leaders

Prior to the games of July 18, 2006

OF Branden Florence is moving up the charts in batting average. He's up to the fifth position with his .314 batting average. His 331 at bats is tops for all batters in the Top 10. Florence is number 2 in the league in hits with 104, just behind Alexi Casilla of the Ft. Myers Miracle (107).

OF Brian Burgamy is fourth in the league in OBP with a .395 average. He leads the league in runs scored with 72.

P Andrew Baldwin is in fourth in innings pitched with 110.2.

Threshers take attendance lead

The first place Clearwater Threshers have jumped into first place in another category. The Threshers have jumped past the Daytona Cubs on the FSL Attendance Report. Prior to tonight's ballgame, the Threshers have announced a total attendance of 107,227 for an average of 2,383 per game. The Threshers are now averaging 40 more people a game then the Daytona Cubs. Come on out to the ballpark and help the Threshers keep first place on the field and on the FSL Attendance Report!

Greg Spires and Andre Hall of the Bucs will be here Friday

We've got an eight-game homestand filled with some great promotions starting tonight.

One of the most exciting will be on Friday. Former FSU star and current Buccaneer defensive end Greg Spires will be on hand with former USF star and current Buccaneer running back Andre Hall signing autographs from 7:15pm-8:15pm. They are also scheduled to throw out the first pitch.

Threshers vs. Yankees LIVE on Catch 47 (again)

Do you live in a Bright House? If so, turn on Catch 47 right now and watch the Clearwater Threshers take on the Tampa Yankees at Legends Field. The game is currently in the bottom of the 1st inning.

Phillies catcher Sal Fasano joins Threshers for rehab assignment

Phillies catcher Sal Fasano joins the Clearwater Threshers today as part of his rehab assignment. He was put on the Phillies DL due to left knee inflammation.

In other player moves, pitcher Pat Overholt was promoted from Lakewood (A) yesterday to the Threshers. Also, pitcher Brian Reed was sent back to the Threshers from Reading (AA). Reed has already appeared in 14 games with the Threshers this year and has 6 saves.

Former Clearwater Thresher outfielder Chris Roberson was optioned to Scranton (AAA) after catcher Mike Lieberthal was activated from the DL.

Looks like Sarasota is looking to copy our success

Doug Fernandes has a story in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune about the quest for a new ballpark in Sarasota. Mr. Fernandes spotlights the success of Bright House Networks Field in hosting special events like Boo Bash, concerts, corporate outings, and much more.

Threshers GM John Timberlake was quoted throughout the article.

To read the whole story click here.

Some recent player moves....

Just got a list of some of the more recent player moves in and out of Clearwater.

Gary Harris signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent and was assigned to Clearwater on July 9th.

Alberto Cambero was sent over to the GCL Phillies on July 10th.

Jeff Winchester and outfielder Brian Sellier were both sent back from Reading on July 12th. Winchester was shuttled right back to Reading on the 13th. Joining Winchester on the trip up to Reading was Gary Harris.

Pitcher Jacob Barrack was released.

Threshers return home for 3 games starting tonight!

The Clearwater Threshers are returning to Bright House Networks Field tonight. Don't miss Thirsty Thursday where you can get 2 for 1 on ALL drinks!

You'll be getting something on your way in to the ballpark (first 500 guests get battery-operated mini fans) and something on your way out (Sara Lee bread) on Friday.

We've got yet another great Fireworks Show planned for after the game on Saturday.

Don't miss ANY of the action at Bright House Networks Field!

All 3 games are scheduled to start at 7:05pm with the gates opening at 5:45pm.

Lieber activated from Phillies DL/Mathieson returns to Reading

Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber has completed his rehab and has been activated off the disabled list. Lieber's return to Philadelphia meant that someone needed to be moved and it turns out that it is former Threshers pitcher Scott Mathieson. Mathieson was optioned back to Reading (AA). This was Mathieson's first experience in the big leagues during the regular season. He pitched in four games with the Phillies, and was the starter in three of those outings (21.1 innings). Mathieson showed good control only walking five batters and striking out 14. He also picked up a hit (.250 avg) in one of his four major league at-bats.

Like bread? Drop by the ballpark tonight...

Bringing the kids? Come early, the first 500 kids (13 and Under) will receive a Backpack.

It's St. Petersburg Times Family Night, bring the coupon out of your St. Petersburg Times to receive 4 Field Box Tickets, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas and 4 Bags of Chips for only $25.

On your way out of the ballpark, don't forget to pick up a loaf of Sara Lee bread!

Report: Mike Lieberthal has left Clearwater

According to Dennis Deitch in the Delco Times, Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal has returned to Philadelphia and is not expected to make a return trip to Clearwater for rehab. He did not play any rehab games with the Threshers, but is expected to rehab with Reading or Scranton before he returns to the Phillies roster after the All-Star break.

You can read the whole story here.

Recent Transactions

As promised, here are some updated player moves from the last few days.

Pitcher Luke Lockwood was promoted to Reading on July 1st, and he returned to the Threshers yesterday (July 4).

Before I even got a chance to pass along more information about Jesus Merchan, he was promoted to Reading. Joining Merchan on the trip up north on July 4th was Brian Sellier.

Catcher Orlando Guevara was shuttled up to Scranton on the 4th to take the place of Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz was brought up to the big club after Sal Fasano was placed on the DL. Infielder Alberto Cambero was brought over from the Gulf Coast Phillies to fill the roster spot here. About all I could find on Cambero was that he's 20 years old and he's from Venezuela.

Looks like Lakeland may be getting a new name and/or logo

Rick Rousos of the Lakeland Ledger writes in today's edition that the L-Tigers might be changing it up a bit. The folks in Lakeland have hired Plan B Branding in hopes of duplicating the success that we've had here in Clearwater with our new look. They do say that they are going to keep the word "Tiger" in there somewhere. According to the article they have until September 1 to present the changes to Minor League Baseball.

Read the whole article here.

Threshers pitcher Julio De La Cruz named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week

Threshers pitcher Julio De La Cruz has just been named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for June 26 through July 2. De La Cruz pitched eight innings and didn't allow any runs in his start on July 1st at Tampa. He also struck out three and only gave up four hits in picking up the win. He is 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA for his last two starts.

He joins Andy Baldwin as the only two current Threshers who have won the award in 2006. Former Threshers Scott Mathieson, Zach Segovia, and Cole Hamels (twice) have also won the award this season.

The official site may run a longer release later today has a story up now. (Updated 1:00pm)

Happy Hour Tonight!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. I know mine was pretty relaxing. Got the chance to get to the movies and also got to see a ton of fireworks that were shot off around the Bay.

Most folks have until Noon to get in today, but the Ticket Office and Store have been open since 10am. Several other staffers have also come in early to get ready for tonight's 7:05pm game against the Lakeland Tigers. Gates open early today for Happy Hour (4:30pm).

There have been a few more player moves since I last posted any several days ago. I hope to get some information about them sometime today.

If you missed June 30th or July 3rd, you missed some of the best crowds AND fireworks of the year. Our next fireworks show is scheduled to follow the game this Saturday (July 8th). If you haven't yet, get your tickets NOW!

Record breaking crowd here Friday

We you part of the 8,000+ fans in attendance on Friday? If not you missed quite a night. Your Clearwater Threshers staff worked VERY hard on Friday trying to make the night great for everyone. Most everyone in the building had a chance to work in multiple locations. After the Ticket Office slowed down around 8:15pm I went out to help in the Left Field Concession Stand and brought a few Ticket Office employees with me. I ended up running items from the commissary for awhile and then was thrown on a cash register. Saturday was a well-placed day off for the staff. Many folks took advantage and slept in and/or took some afternoon naps.

Happ promoted/Merchan added

Threshers All-Star pitcher J.A. Happ has been promoted to Reading. Filling his spot on the Threshers roster will be shortstop Jesus Merchan. I hope to have more information on Merchan sometime soon.

Bonus Baseball at Bright House Networks Field

Thursday night brought bonus baseball to Bright House Networks Field. The Threshers and Tigers battled for 11 innings before the Threshers knocked in their eighth run of the night to take the 8-7 victory. The win is the Threshers second in a row against the Tigers.

The Threshers go for the sweep of the Tigers tomorrow night at 7:05pm and it is Bright House Networks Customer Appreciation Night. That is just the beginning as the first 1,000 Kids (13 and Under) will receive a Kids Baseball Glove, and the Zooperstars will be performing throughout the night. Following the game will be one of our fantastic Fireworks Extravaganzas!

Threshers get some attention from the folks at MLB.com

JJ Johnson's fantastic night yesterday was profiled in a story found on the Florida State League Web Site today. JJ finished the night with 5 RBIs and fell one double shy of the cycle.

Check out Josh Cooper's article for the whole story

It's Tropical Paradise Night

Don't miss Tropical Paradise Night at the ballpark. Join the Threshers staff in wearing your tropical attire to the ballpark. You won't want to miss the interns tonight.

First 500 guests through the gates tonight receive a special tropical gift. Don't miss our Cheeseburger Specials and of course there will be Happy Hour specials.


Amanda is getting ready for the Hula Hoop Contest

Gates open EARLY tonight at 4:30pm for Happy Hour at Frenchy's Tiki Pavillion.

Lieber to start tonight for Threshers at Tampa

Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber has just been added to the Threshers roster and is scheduled for a rehab start tonight in Tampa against the Yankees. The game is scheduled for a 7pm start at Legends Field.

Continuation of yesterday's game starts at 5pm

The Tampa Yankees and Clearwater Threshers are set to continue yesterday's suspended game at Legends Field at 5pm. The regularly scheduled Monday game will follow after the completion of the suspended game. Sunday's (6/25) game was suspended due to rain.

Mike Lieberthal in Clearwater

Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal is in Clearwater for a rehab assignment. No word yet on his schedule or whether or not he'll be playing for the GCL Phillies or Clearwater Threshers.

Threshers LIVE on TV!

Sunday's (6/25) game between the Clearwater Threshers and Tampa Yankees at Tampa's Legends Field is being broadcast LIVE on Catch 47. Miss it live? Set your DVRs and VCRs as it's scheduled to be replayed on Catch 47 via tape delay on Wednesday, June 28th at 9pm.

The 2006 FSL All-Star Game is scheduled to be rebroadcast on Monday (6/26) at 1pm on Catch 47.

Catch 47 is only on Bright House Networks.

Lieber pitched for 3 innings for the GCL Phillies last night

Eddie Michels has a article about it in today's Philadelphia Daily News.

He gave up one run on four hits, struck out one and hit a batter on 39 pitches, 28 of which were strikes.

Michels' article is chock full of quotes from Lieber, but no word yet as to whether or not he is going to make that start for the Threshers next week. Everything is still tenative.

2006 FSL All-Star Game on Catch 47 Tonight

Miss the 2006 FSL All-Star Game in Lakeland on Saturday?

Watch the re-broadcast on Catch 47 at 9pm tonight. Catch 47 is only on Bright House Networks.

Jon Lieber is coming to Clearwater

but is he going to get a rehab start with the Threshers?

Todd Zolecki of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports in his article today (via the Times-Leader) that Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber is supposed to be flying to Clearwater tonight to make a rehab start tomorrow with the GCL Phillies. The same article says that he should start for the Threshers on June 27th, which would be over at Legends Field in Tampa.

I have heard that Lieber is going supposed to see action tomorrow night for the GCL Phillies. That game is scheduled for a 7:00pm start and will be taking place at Bright House Networks Field. There is no charge for Gulf Coast League games. No word yet on whether or not he will rehab with the Threshers at a later date.

Reminder - Wednesday's (6/21) Game Starts at Noon

Just wanted to give a quick reminder that the game tomorrow (Wednesday 6/21) is a NOON start.

Don't miss FREE PARKING and $1 HOT DOGS.

Can't make the early game? Drop by for Happy Hour at Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion. The fun starts at 4:30pm. Admission and parking will be FREE.

Ramos and Sellier promoted to Reading/Moss returning to Clearwater

Clearwater Threshers' infielder Peeter Ramos' All-Star Weekend got even better, as he was promoted after the game to the Reading (AA) Phillies. OF Brian Sellier will be joining Ramos on the trip up north.

Speaking of All-Stars; Tim Moss will be returning to the Threshers' roster today, hopefully in time for the game tonight in Sarasota. Moss was the lone Threshers representative at the 2005 FSL All-Star Game which was played at Bright House Networks Field.

Costanzo profiled in Cherry Hill Courier-Post

Threshers All-Star third baseman Mike Costanzo was profiled in a Phillies minor league update story in the June 19th edition of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post

They have a few quotes from Phillies Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle:

"I think his progress has been right on track. It's not easy to go to the wood bat. He's also seeing better pitching, but we've seen plenty of growth and we're excited about how he's been playing."

"I think he's moving along exactly how we expected him to. The biggest thing is always how hard he's willing to work at the game and right now he's been more than what we could've asked for."

Catch the whole story here

Good times in Lakeland....

I only had the opportunity to catch the pre-game party and the game itself, so I can't speak for the whole weekend, but it seems like the 45th Annual FSL All-Star Weekend went pretty well.



It was beautiful, breezy evening in Lakeland's Joker Marchant Stadium. You might be able to see all five of the Clearwater Threshers' in this picture as both teams line up for the anthems.



Mike Costanzo started at third base and played the whole game. He went 1 for 4 at the plate and made some great plays with his glove.



Phinley was on hand along with the rest of the FSL mascots to entertain the thousands of fans at the game on Saturday.



Miss the fun? Catch 47 will be airing the ballgame on Wednesday, June 21 at 9pm.

Paychecks are in....

If any Threshers Game Day Employees happen to be reading today, I'd just like to let you know that paychecks have just arrived.

Ticket Office and Store Closed Friday (6/16)

As previously noted, the 2006 Florida State League All-Star Game is taking place this weekend over in Lakeland. The Ticket Office and Diamond Outfitters Store will be closed in order to celebrate FSL All-Star Weekend.

Need tickets Friday? They will still be available for purchase online. You may also purchase merchandise online as well. The Main Ticket Office, Phone Center, and Diamond Outfitters Store will be back open again on Monday at 10am.

Mathieson to make Major League Debut

The Philadelphia Inquirer speculated earlier, but now it's been made official.

Former Threshers' pitcher Scott Mathieson is being promoted from Reading (AA) to Philadelphia to start on Saturday. The roster move should occur tomorrow sometime prior to the game on Saturday.

The Threshers Official Site should have a release up shortly has a release up now.

Updated 6/15/06 at 10:30am: More news outlets have stories about Scott today. Here is the note from the Philadelphia Inquirer (via the Times-Leader). MLB.com has a longer story here. The Scranton Times-Tribune had this to say. The Allentown Morning Call also had something about Scott. We'll wrap up this linkfest with the Delaware News-Journal.

Randy Wolf ok after being hit on knuckles

We received a scare last night when Phillies pitcher Randy Wolf was knocked out of the game early after being hit on the hand by a batted ball. It happened in the third inning of the first game of the doubleheader between the Threshers and the Miracle.

According to a Philadelphia Inquirer story, he was taken to Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater) and received X-rays which came back ok.
Updated 4:21pm According to Phillies officials, his next rehab start was scheduled for 6/18. That has now been pushed back to a date to be determined later.

This same story also speculates that former Thresher Scott Mathieson might be brought up to Philadelphia from Reading (AA) to start on Saturday. The Phillies rotation has been hit hard by injuries over the last month or so and is waiting for Jon Lieber and Randy Wolf to get healthy again.

More Threshers All-Stars make the news

The Lakeland Ledger has an article in today's paper promoting Saturday's FSL All-Star Game.

Clearwater Thresher Infielder Peeter Ramos is one of 5 FSL All-Stars from Venezuela.

The story talks a bit more about some of the festivities surrounding the game:

All-Star weekend festivities get under way Friday night with a party on Lake Mirror for the players. The gala will be hosted by Hall of Famer Al Kaline with food provided by Texas Cattle Company.

The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Autograph Crawl will take place in downtown Lakeland from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Fans will receive a wristband and map indicating the locations where players will be signing autographs and having pictures taken.

Gates will open at Joker Marchant Stadium on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. with the Home Run Derby scheduled to start at 6.

Catch the whole story by clicking here

Andy Baldwin named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week

Threshers right-handed pitcher Andy Baldwin was just named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for June 5-11.

Baldwin threw his second complete game of his career on June 9th against the Sarasota Reds and has had a spectacular June so far, going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA.

Baldwin, who attended Oregon State University, was a Phillies 5th round draft pick in the 2004 draft.

Baldwin was Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week twice in 2005 while with the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Baldwin, age 23, was born in Duluth, Minnesota but currently resides in Corvalis, Oregon.

Updated 6/14/06 at 10:30am: The release is up on the Official Site

Most of the storm has passed....

Still some storm bands out there that we expect to hit in a few hours, but it seems like it should get on through the area with plenty of time to play our doubleheader tonight. Some of the groups are shuffling around and moving to different days, and some are still planning on coming out. I should learn more in the staff meeting which is scheduled for 15 minutes from now.

Updated 1:55pm: Still have plans for 4 groups tonight as well as the SpongeBob SquarePants appearance with the Lil' Anglers Club. The wind is still very gusty, but that's it at this point. Gates are still scheduled for 4:00pm and the first game is still scheduled for 5:05pm.

Still planning on playing tonight ....Not anymore - 6/12 rained out

Despite the overnight and early morning rain, we are still planning on playing the ballgame as scheduled tonight. Hopefully it'll clear up in the next few years hours and we can have an entertaining and dry night at the ballpark.

I don't expect a whole lot of people to walk up this morning and afternoon to the ticket windows, but I do expect a boatload of calls asking about the status of the game.

Updated at 11:40am We are now under a hurricane warning. The rain is still coming. We haven't had anyone walk up to the windows as of yet and only a few phone calls.

Updated at 6:26pm Sorry for the delay in updating. We lost power at the ballpark at 12:42pm, phones went down around 1:00pm, and the game ended up getting postponed a couple hours later. I came home to update the web site, but forgot about the blog. We're looking at a doubleheader tomorrow. Two 7-inning games starting at 5:05pm. Gates at 4:00pm. Since the time the game was called, the rain picked up, slowed down, and then stopped altogether. It looks like it's about to start up again though. I think the power might be back up by now at the ballpark, but I haven't heard from anyone.

Tropical Storm on it's way

We've got a Tropical Storm Alberto.

First named storm of the 2006 Season.

Right now we are just watching it to see if it'll effect any of our next 3 ballgames. We're home today (1:05pm), tomorrow, and Tuesday (both at 7:05pm).

No decisions have been made as of yet.

Updated 1:30pm First bands of the storm are going through. We are in the 2nd inning and in a rain delay.

Updated 2:05pm The game has re-started after a 36 minute rain delay.

Updated 4:30pm The official time of the rain delay was 39 minutes. The game was completed. Tomorrow's game is still scheduled for a 7:05pm start

Bikes and Baseball

Tampa Tribune writer Alan Snel is a regular visitor at Clearwater Threshers games at Bright House Networks Field.

Catch some commentary and some great pics of his time at the ballpark yesterday at his Bike Stories blog

Half Day Today

It's Friday in the Threshers offices and since their is no ballgame tonight, most of us will be able to get out around Noon. This is a great time to run errands, play golf, or do whatever it is you need to do during normal business hours that you don't usually get to do.

The Ticket Office will still be open until 4pm if you need to come down and purchase tickets for any remaining Threshers game this summer. Don't forget that the Threshers return home for a 3 game series against the Miracle this Sunday (1:05pm).

Randy Wolf rehab start tonight!

Just got word that Randy Wolf is doing a rehab start with the Clearwater Threshers tonight. There is already a story on the front page of the Official Site. Not sure what his pitch count is, so get here early!

The Cartoon Network's Get Animated Tour is already going on outside the West Gate area and should run until 8pm.

Threshers All-Star Bisenius makes the news

It's not every day that a Clearwater Thresher gets mentioned in the news. Especially up in Sioux City, Iowa.

Joe has been working with talented high-schooler Joey Rozmiarek and the Sioux City Journal had the following from Joey about Joe:

"When I was younger I watched Joe pitch some games for Heelan and I've followed his career in college and now in professional baseball.''

"Joe talked about some of the basic and fundamental mechanics you have to pay attention to, like staying balanced."You put all the little things together and it adds up to big things.''

Read the whole story here

Sorry about the lack of posts...

Got caught up in the BIG EAST tournament and the Threshers homestands.

The crowds on Friday nights have been a little disappointing this year, but Saturdays have been huge with Fireworks after each one. We did expect a few more people this past Saturday. What were you doing this weekend?

Interested in a part-time job for the rest of the summer? Our food and beverage department is looking for folks to work in the concession stand. Apply at the Administrative Offices between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday.

BIG EAST Baseball Championship in full swing....

The BIG EAST Baseball Championship is in it's 2nd day at Bright House Networks Field, and you can tell that the staff is tired out.

The gates opened yesterday at 9am, for the first game at 10am. Much of the staff didn't get out until around midnight, and many were back before 9am for another 4 game set today. We get a little bit of a break tomorrow, with just 2 games starting at 4pm, but Friday may be another 4 game marathon.

The Threshers return home on Saturday on a Fireworks Night, but before that, the BIG EAST will be crowning a champion.

Check http://www.BIGEASTBaseball.com or http://www.ThreshersBaseball.com for updates on the Championship!

The tarp is on the field

Rain finally fell in the Tampa Bay area overnight and continued in to the morning. The forecast looks good for baseball tonight. The tarp was put on the field this morning, and it is keeping the field protected for the 7:05pm game between the Clearwater Threshers and the Jupiter Hammerheads.

The Lil' Anglers meet tonight, and there are 5 groups scheduled to be in the park.

Half Day/Relay for Life

It's a Half Day at the office for most folks. I should be getting out of here in the next half hour or so. Some folks will go out to play golf, others will go off on their own and run errands that have been piling up. I'll probably run a couple errands and go home and watch some TV that's been filling up my TiVo and DVR. Someone will be here to cover the Ticket Office for all the phone calls and walk-ups until our regular closing time at 4pm.

Relay for Life is here at the ballpark overnight, so many folks will come back for that. My walking shift isn't until midnight, so I'll be back a little before then. Did it last year and it's a great feeling.

The Threshers seem to be doing well on the road. Picked up a couple of wins and it appears that a couple of guys are getting promoted to Reading today.

Last Day of the Homestand

Today is the last day of this 7-game homestand. This will be the longest homestand of the season until late July (18-25).

It's Lil' Anglers Club tonight. Looking forward to a big crowd of kids at the ballpark. We've also got our 3rd edition of Parent-Kid Catch on the Field. Only one group on the docket today.
The Threshers go to Brevard tomorrow, but we've still got Happy Hour here. We've also got Relay for Life on Friday and Saturday. It starts at 6pm on Friday and runs through 11am on Saturday.

We got through the weekend...

and only 2 more games remain for this homestand before the Threshers leave for Brevard County and the Mothers Day holiday.

It's Magic Money Monday today, and we've got the Lil' Anglers tomorrow.

The circus has arrived....

Not the real circus, but that's what we've nicknamed today.

Gates open for the Tech Data event in about 50 minutes (2pm). That runs until 5:30pm. The gates are opening for the general public at 5:30pm. The Make a Wish Legends Game should start just after the Gates Open, and the Clearwater Little League Trophy Ceremonies will take place at the Diamond Dugout during the Legends Game. The ADA Sleep Walk will finish by the Tiki Bar just after 5:30 as well.

We have 16 groups in the ballpark tonight and should have a record crowd to enjoy our fireworks show that is scheduled for after the game. Come be a part of it!

Big Night Ahead at Bright House Networks Field

The Threshers take on the Tampa Yankees again tonight at 7:05pm.

A lot of different things going on at the park right now. While the staff is getting ready for tonight's game, a Fallen Officers Ceremony is taking place inside the park right now.

Tonight is a St. Petersburg Times Family Friday. We have a Trucker Cap Giveaway to the 1st 1000 guests. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo AND it's also Motorcycle Night I.

We welcome 11 different groups to the ballpark tonight including Cypress Woods Elementary School, who will be enjoying their evening in the Hot Corner Cafe.

Cole Hamels named Pitcher of the Week (4/24-4-30)

Former Thresher Cole Hamels was named Phillies and International League Pitcher of the Week for April 24-30. Cole made his Triple-A debut with Scranton on 4/27. He struck out 14 batters over 7 innings and only gave up 3 hits.

League OFF Today

The whole Florida State League is off today, but that doesn't keep us from coming in to work. The Ticket Office and Store are still open regular hours, plus we had our regular Tuesday Staff Meeting this morning. We recapped the 97X event on Saturday and started talking more about the upcoming Relay for Life event on May 12th. Most of the meeting centered around Saturday's events. Tech Data will be having a corporate outing here at the ballpark from 2-5:30. Our gates will open for the general public 15 minutes earlier than usual (5:30pm). Clearwater Little League will be having their Closing Ceremonies. The Make a Wish Foundation Legends Game will be pre-game. The ADA's Sleep Walk also will be taking place pre-game at the Complex. Fireworks follow the game and we are expecting a big crowd. Come be a part of it!

Ticket System is BACK!

Good news! Came back on around 12:30 while I was at lunch.

Ticket System Down

It's not a good start to the week when you try and login to the ticketing system and you get a 'system down' message. According to Philadelphia it is a hardware issue that they are working on with IBM. They don't have a timetable as of yet as to when it will be back up.

Fisher and Boys Birthday Bash plus More

It looks like several thousand folks enjoyed the show. The concourse looked pretty crowded and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Meanwhile over in Lakeland, the Threshers dropped the first game of the series to the Tigers 5-2. Happ took the L for the Threshers.

Prior to the ballgame, OF Matt Thayer was placed on the disabled list. Doug Morales was added to the Threshers roster to take his place.

Busy morning so far....

I'm trying to get everything organized for all the group outings here tonight at the ballpark. We've got 9 groups on the schedule for tonight, not to mention a giveaway and the St. Petersburg Times Family Night. It's partly cloudy, cool, and it looks like it could be a great night at the ballpark.

4/27 Game Thread - Miracle 8 @ Threshers 6 F

Ft. Myers takes early 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning.

Threshers storm back to take 2-1 lead in the 3rd inning.

Threshers knock in 2 more in 4th inning to take 4-1 lead.

Ft. Myers scores 5 in the 6th inning to re-take lead 6-4.

Threshers score 2 in the bottom of the 6th to tie it up 6-6.

Ft. Myers scores 2 in the top of the 9th to re-take the lead and win the ballgame.

Former Thresher Hamels Looks Good in Triple-A Debut

Looks like the weather up north isn't bothering Cole. He mowed down the Norfolk Tide batters in his Triple-A debut. In just 7 innings he struck out 14 and only gave up 3 hits to lead Scranton to the W.

Catch the box score here: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2006_04_27_swbaaa_noraaa_1&t=g_box&did=milb

View from the Ticket Office

It's been a relatively busy day with guests coming up and buying tickets for Fisher & Boys Birthday Bash on Saturday (4/29). The calls and questions have picked up as well. It looks like we might have a nice crowd out for it. Tonight is Fun 'N Sun Night at the ballpark and also Thirsty Thursday (2 for 1 on ALL drinks) so we're hoping for a nice walk-up crowd.

See the Threshers Capture First Place

The Threshers have been playing great baseball this season and have a chance to take over first place tonight vs. Fort Myers!