Former Threshers Invited to Phillies Spring Training

The Phillies have announced that they are inviting 19 non-roster players to Spring Training in Clearwater, Florida.

Seven former Threshers are on the list.

They are:

Pitchers: Carlos Carrasco and Josh Outman

Catchers: Tuffy Gosewisch, Tim Gradoville, and Lou Marson

Infielder: Jason Donald

Outfielder: Greg Goslon

Eight more former Threshers are currently on the Phillies 40-man roster indicating that they to will also be at Phillies Spring Training in 2008.

They are: Joe Bisenius, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick, Scott Mathieson, Mike Zagurski, Brad Harman, and Chris Roberson.

Razor Shines Selected as 2008 Threshers Manager

The Phillies announced their 2008 Player Development Staff yesterday.

Razor Shines, most-recently the major league third base coach for the Chicago White Sox, is the Threshers fourth manager.

Kevin Jordan is the hitting coach and Steve Schrenk returns as the pitching coach for the Threshers.

Elsewhere in the organization, Dave Huppert is now the manager of the brand new Triple-A affiliate in the Lehigh Valley. Greg Legg is the hitting coach for Single-A Lakewood.

Former Threshers re-sign with Phillies as Minor League Free Agents

The Phillies announced the signing of 13 minor league free agents over the weekend and several of the names should look familiar to Clearwater Threshers' fans.

Returning to the Phillies organization are: RJ Swindle, Jake Blalock, Branden Florence, Mike Spidale, Orlando Guevera, and John Suomi.

RJ Swindle | He was 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA in 12 games for the Threshers in 2007. Swindle also saved three games.

Jake Blalock | He hit .264 in 42 games with the Threshers in 2007. Blalock also had six homer and 26 RBIs. He also spent the entire 2005 season with the Threshers.

Branden Florence | He hit .327 with seven homers and 86 RBIs for the Threshers in 2006.

Mike Spidale | He hit .275 in 58 games with the Threshers in 2007.

Orlando Guevera | He has spent at least part of the last four seasons with the Threshers.

John Suomi | He hit .258 in 20 games with the Threshers in 2007.

Get Your Threshers Opening Night Tickets Now

The Phillies Spring Training Stocking Stuffer ad is in today's St. Petersburg Times.

This mail order only offer includes the purchase of two field box tickets to the Clearwater Threshers Opening Night game against the Dunedin Blue Jays. Opening Night is Thursday, April 3 at 7pm. Enjoy the beginning of another Clearwater Threshers season on a Thirsty Thursday, and get TWO for ONE drinks throughout the ballpark.

This Stocking Stuffer ad should run again in the St. Petersburg Times on December 6 and December 9.

Now Hiring: Ticket Office Representatives

Join our team!
Job Title:
Ticket Office Representative (part-time)

Length of Assignment:
Seasonal – Phillies (Jan-Mar), Threshers (Apr-Aug)

Background on Teams:
The 2007 NL East Division Champion Philadelphia Phillies will be conducting Spring Training in Clearwater, Florida for the 62nd year in 2008. Phillies Spring Training home games, which take place in March, are played at beautiful Bright House Networks Field near the corner of US 19 and Drew Street.

At the conclusion of Spring Training, the Clearwater Threshers begin a 140 game (70 home) season. The 2007 Florida State League Champion Threshers are the Phillies Advance-A affiliate. Bright House Networks Field also hosts numerous special events throughout the year.

Job Description:
Primary duties include selling tickets to our guests via ticket windows or telephones (incoming calls). Other duties as directed.

Requirements:
Employee must be comfortable using a computer. Representative must be customer-friendly and have good interpersonal and telephone skills. Ability to work under pressure, adaptability, and punctuality are a must. Flexible schedule as hours vary depending on event. Paciolan experience preferred but not necessary, as we will train. Bilingual not necessary but is a plus.

Contact:
Kevin Brahm – Ticket Manager – Phillies Florida LLC
kbrahm@threshersbaseball.com
www.ThreshersBaseball.com | www.Phillies.com

Brad Harman added to Phillies 40-man roster

The Phillies have added Brad Harman to their 40-man roster.

He hit .281 in 122 games for the Clearwater Threshers in 2007. Harman had a stellar second half of the season, hitting .321 after the All-Star break.

Harman is one of four infielders currently on the Phillies 40-man roster who have played in Clearwater.

Phillies.com Press Release

Jimmy Rollins wins NL MVP

Former Clearwater star Jimmy Rollins has won the 2007 National League MVP Award.

He received half of the first-place votes and didn't finish lower than fifth on anyone's MVP ballot. Rollins is the first shortstop to win the NL MVP since 1995.

Rollins' win gives the Phillies back-to-back MVPs as former Clearwater star Ryan Howard won in 2006. Howard came in fifth this season. Another former Clearwater star, Chase Utley, finished eighth in the voting.

Former Threshers manager Mike Schmidt won the NL MVP Award as a Phillie in 1980, 1981, and 1986.

Rollins also won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards this year. He played for Clearwater in 1998.

See the MLB.com story and chart

Cole Hamels comes in 6th in NL Cy Young Voting

Former Thresher Cole Hamels received two third place votes to give him a total of two points which was good for sixth place in the 2007 National League Cy Young Award voting.

Hamels was the youngest player to receive a vote in the balloting for the award this year.

Former Phillies who have won the Cy Young Award include Steve Bedrosian (1987), John Denny (1983), and Steve Carlton (1972, 1977, 1980, 1982).

See the MLB.com story and chart

AFL Season in Review

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) has put another season in the books. Let's review how our list of familiar names did this year.

Greg Golson | He hit .266 with six doubles, three triples, and two home runs. He scored 17 runs and knocked in 16 RBIs. He also stole eight bases.

AFL Top 10: Games, At-Bats, Runs, Hits, Doubles, Triples, RBIs, and Stolen Bases

Tuffy Gosewisch | He had 12 hits in 48 at-bats (.250) in 14 games. Included in his 12 hits were two doubles and a home run. He scored four runs and knocked in six RBIs.

Mike Costanzo | He had 17 hits in 25 games. Included in his 17 hits were one double and two home runs. He scored six runs and knocked in 10 RBIs.

Joe Bisenius | He threw 10 innings over six games and finished with a 1-1 record. He gave up 13 hits and struck out 12.

Patrick Overholt | He split the season between the role of a starter and coming out of the bullpen. He threw 20.2 innings over nine games and finished with a 3-2 record. He gave up 18 hits and struck out 11. He held hitters to a .243 batting average.

AFL Top 10: Wins

Josh Outman | He split the season between the Saguaros and Team USA. In three starts for Peoria (0-1), he struck out eight in 7.2 innings. He made two relief appearances (1-0) for the Red, White, and Blue and struck out five in six innings.

Chris Booker | He gave up just one hit and struck out three in two relief appearances for Team USA. He also picked up a save in his 3 innings of work.

Baseball America names Phillies Top 10 Prospects

Chris Kline of Baseball America has named the Phillies Top 10 Prospects for 2007 and many names should look familiar to Threshers' fans.

Former Threshers on the Top 10 list include Carlos Carrasco (1), Josh Outman (4), Dominic Brown (6), Greg Golson (7), Lou Marson (8), and Andrew Carpenter (9).

Included in the story is a 'best-of' list in a variety of categories.

Former Threshers include:

Greg Golson | Best Power Hitter, Fastest Baserunner, Best Athlete, Best Defensive Outfielder, and Best Outfield Arm

Carlos Carrasco | Best Fastball and Best Changeup

Josh Outman | Best Slider

Andrew Carpenter | Best Control

Kline also forecasts the Phillies 2011 lineup and if his projection holds, some former Clearwater folks will be mighty happy. Lou Marson is listed as the catcher, while Dominic Brown is at center field. Former Threshers would make up three-fifths of the starting rotation with Hamels (1), Carrasco (3), and Outman (5).

Cole Hamels was Baseball America's Top Phillies prospect last season.

See the full Baseball America lists and story

Kyle Kendrick comes in 5th in NL ROY voting

Former Thresher Kyle Kendrick received one second place vote and four third place votes to give him a total of seven points which was good for fifth place in the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Kendrick was the only pitcher to receive any votes in the balloting for the award this year.

Two former Clearwater stars have won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Ryan Howard won in 2005 and Scott Rolen finished first in 1997.

See the MLB.com story and chart

Threshers Promotions Meeting Tomorrow

There is a Threshers Promotions meeting setup for tomorrow afternoon to discuss some what worked and what didn't work last year.

We should be talking about the Weekly Promos (ie. Feeding Frenzy Monday, Bright House Networks Family Day, etc.), Giveaways (Bobbleheads, Jerseys, etc.), Theme Nights, and more!

What promotions did you like?

What promotions did you dislike?

What would you like to see in 2008?

Let me know and I will pass along your thoughts and ideas to the folks in the meeting.

Former Thresher Mike Costanzo Talks About Trade

Chris Kline from Baseball America has a short interview with Mike Costanzo about his trade to the Astros.

BA: You sound pretty amped up. How excited are you right now?

MC: I’m really fired up. It took a little time to get over the fact that I won’t be a Phillie. I mean, I grew up watching that team in the Vet and Citizen’s Bank (Park) is unbelievable. I’m just thrilled to go to Houston right now. This might be the best thing for my career. It’s a great organization.

Read the full Baseball America interview

Former Threshers Now Free Agents

The following former Threshers are now free agents:

Name (Most Recent Organization)

Brad Correll (Red Sox)
Elizardo Ramirez (Reds)
Matt Sweeney (Astros)
Julio de la Cruz (Phillies)
Charles Weatherby (Phillies)
Jason Wylie (Phillies)
Allen Davis (Phillies)
Chris Key (Phillies)
Luis Villarreal (Phillies)
Cory Willey (Phillies)
John Urick (Phillies)
Carlos Leon (Phillies)
Peeter Ramos (Phillies)
Nic Jackson (Phillies)
Alfredo Simon (Rangers)

Check out the whole list from Baseball America.

Former Thresher Mike Costanzo traded to Astros

Former Thresher Mike Costanzo joins Michael Bourn and Geoff Geary as the newest members of the Houston Astros. The Phillies received Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett in the deal.

Mike Costanzo | He spent the 2006 season in Clearwater hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 81 RBIs.

Geoff Geary | He started 19 games for Clearwater in 1999. He was 10-5 with a 3.95 ERA.

Michael Bourn | He was a fourth round pick in the 2003 draft. He skipped Clearwater during his progression to the Majors.

Brad Lidge | He was a starting pitcher in the Florida State League for Kissimmee during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

Eric Bruntlett | He skipped Single-A ball during his progression to the Majors. He was a ninth round pick in the 2000 draft out of Stanford.

Baseball America Profiles Team USA

Ben Badler and Chris Kline profile Team USA for Baseball America.

Josh Outman

Outman was one of two pitchers to appear on one of Baseball America’s top 20 prospects lists, checking in at No. 14 in the Florida State League. He is an athletic lefthander works with a 92-94 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider... Outman relies more on the strikeout to get opposing hitters out, notching 117 strikeouts in as many innings in 2007. Although Outman may be the best prospect in the rotation, he also pitched at the lowest minor league level compared to his fellow Team USA starters.

Chris Booker

The 30-year-old Booker has always posted quality peripheral numbers in his 12 minor league seasons—including 83 strikeouts in 53 Triple-A innings in 2007—but has never found success in brief big league stints.

Full Baseball America Story

AFL Update (as of 11/4/07)

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) has finished up another week and it's time again to check up on our list of familiar names.

Greg Golson | He has picked up the pace since our last update stringing together a five-game hitting streak. He has upped his number of doubles on the AFL season to five.

Tuffy Gosewisch | He has continued to do well in Arizona, going one for four with a run scored in his three games since our last update.

Mike Costanzo | He has struggled since our last update only picking up two hits in four games.

Joe Bisenius | He has added just one more relief appearances since our last update. He gave up two runs on three hits and struck out two in 1.1 innings of work.

Patrick Overholt | He gave up three runs on four hits and struck out one in three innings of work, which was good enough for his second victory of the AFL season.

Josh Outman | He picked up his first win for the Red, White, and Blue in relief. He threw four innings of shutout baseball giving up just three hits while striking out three.

Chris Booker | He made his second relief appearance for Team USA, giving up one hit and striking out one in two innings of shutout baseball.

Watch AFL Action on MLB.TV

2008 Threshers Home Game Times Set

This post was updated on 11/5/07 at 12:30pm

It looks like the Game Times are set for the 2008 Clearwater Threshers home slate.

There is only one slight change from 2007. Sunday games during the second half of the season will start at 4:00pm instead of 1:00pm.

Here are the regular Game Times for 2008:

Monday - Friday - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday - 6:30 p.m.
Sunday (First Half of Season) - 1:00 p.m.
Sunday (Second Half of Season)- 4:00 p.m.

Note: There are a few Wednesday games that will have earlier starts for Camp Day and other special events.

What do you think about the change on Sundays?

Poll Question: What was your favorite part of Boo Bash 2007?

The current Poll Question on the Official Site asks, "What was your favorite part of Boo Bash 2007?"

The four choices are:

(1) Candy Stations
(2) Costumes / Costume Contest
(3) Haunted House
(4) Hay Ride

Which one would you pick?

Vote now on the Official Site and talk about your choice in the comments section under this post.

Poll Recap: 2007 Threshers Relief Pitcher of the Year

Will Savage has been voted by visitors on the Official Site as the the 2007 Threshers Relief Pitcher of the Year.

Savage won in a relatively close race with 38% of the vote.

Cory Willey finished in second place with nearly 30% of the vote, while Ron 'Bear' Hill finished third with nearly 21% of the vote. Brett Harker came in fourth with just over 11% of the visitor's votes.

What do you think about the results?

Josh Outman profiled on MLB.com

Conor Nicholl has a long story about Josh Outman on MLB.com that can be found here.

In the story, Nicholl takes us back into Outman's high school and college years, talks with Josh about his relatively new pitching motion, and also speaks with Mike Arbuckle to get his thoughts about where Outman will start the season in 2008.

Link to full MLB.com story

AFL Update (as of 10/28/07)

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) has finished up another week and it's time again to check up on some some familiar names and add yet another one to the list.

Greg Golson | He has struggled in three of his last four games adding just three hits since our last update. He has upped his number of doubles on the AFL season to four.

Tuffy Gosewisch | He has picked up steam with three hits in his 10 at-bats since our last update.

Mike Costanzo | His hitting streak was snapped, but he did have three hits and three RBIs since our last update.

Joe Bisenius | He has added just one more relief appearances since our last update. He gave up one run on two hits and struck out two in 1.2 innings of work.

Patrick Overholt | He has added two more relief appearances since our last update. In his three innings, he's given up two runs on three hits and struck out two. Overholt has added a win and a loss to his record (1-2).

Josh Outman | He has changed AFL uniforms since our last update moving over to Team USA as they prepare for the World Cup. He has pitched two innings in relief for the Red, White, and Blue giving up one run on two hits while striking out two.

Chris Booker | He just joined the AFL with Team USA. He picked up a save after striking out two in one inning.

Cruse Shines in Hawaii

Andrew Cruse combined with Brett Sinkbeil (Florida Marlins) for a two-hitter yesterday in Hawaii Winter Baseball action, leading the North Shore Honu over the West Oahu CaneFires by a score of 2-0 (7 innings).

Cruse gave up only one hit and struck out five in his three innings of work.

Cruse (1-1, 3.38 ERA) has thrown sixteen innings in six games in Hawaii. In his two games as a starter, he is holding batters to a .217 batting average.

Boo Bash 2007 One Week Away

Come to Boo Bash 2007 at Bright House Networks Field on Wednesday, October 31, 2007.

The event starts at 5:30pm and will run until 8:30pm.

It is a FREE event in SAFE environment featuring over 40 Candy Stations, a Haunted House, Hay Rides, a Costume Contest, and more!

Boo Bash is presented by the Clearwater Threshers and the City of Clearwater.

It is sponsored by COSTCO of Clearwater.

Some of the companies and organizations that are scheduled to sponsor Candy Stations include: Achieva Credit Union, AMSCOT Financial, Apollo School of Gymnastics, Balance Chiropractic, Bank Atlantic, Bright House Networks, Boy Scout Troop 316, City of Clearwater Solid Waste Division, Congo River Golf, First Lutheran Church & School, Humane Society of Pinellas, J. Park Tae Kwon Do, KidsTime, Knights of Columbus, Old Harbor Bank, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tilted Kilt, and Top Notch Pest Control.

See my post from last week for additional information.

Robert 'RJ' Swindle named to Canada's World Cup Team

RJ Swindle has been named to Team Canada for the 2007 International Baseball Federation World Cup which is scheduled for November 6-18 in Chinese Taipei.

As a reminder, sixteen countries will be taking part in the tournament and they will be split into two groups of eight teams.

Group A includes USA, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, South Africa, and Spain.

Group B includes Australia, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Korea, Netherlands, Thailand, and Venezuela.

Team Canada will train in Perth, Australia from October 29 through November 4. In addition to a short training camp, they will play an exhibition series against the Perth Heat of the Australian Pro-Am League.

Canada's Full Roster

AFL Update (as of 10/21/07)

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) has finished up another week and it's time again to check up on some some familiar names.

Greg Golson | Golson has struggled in his last five games adding only two hits since our last update.

Tuffy Gosewisch | I missed his name and six at-bats in our first AFL update. Since then he's played in just one game adding four more at-bats and an RBI.

Mike Costanzo | I also missed Costanzo in the first update. He struggled to start the AFL season, but now has a three-game hitting streak (.417).

Joe Bisenius | He's added two more relief appearances since our last update. He struggled in one outing, but came back next time with two strikeouts in one inning of work.

Patrick Overholt | He's also added two more relief appearances since our last update. Like Bisenius, he struggled in his one outing, but came back the next appearance and struck out one.

Josh Outman | Outman pitched a three-inning shutout in his one start since our last update. He gave up two hits, and struck out three.

FSL Championship Trophy arrives in Clearwater

Threshers GM John Timberlake and Assistant GM Jason Adams traveled to Daytona Beach early this week for the Florida State League Fall League Meetings and they came home with some hardware.

We now have the 2007 FSL Championship trophy, the 2007 FSL West Division Championship trophy, the 2007 FSL Second Half West Division Championship plaque, and the FSL trophy for being nominated for the John H. Johnson President's Award.

Brad Harman named to Australia's World Cup Team

Brad Harman has been named to Australia's World Cup Team and will represent his home country in the 2007 International Baseball Federation World Cup which is scheduled for November 6-18 in Chinese Taipei.

As a reminder, sixteen countries will be taking part in the tournament and they will be split into two groups of eight teams.

Group A includes USA, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, South Africa, and Spain.

Group B includes Australia, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Korea, Netherlands, Thailand, and Venezuela.

The Australian newspaper, The Age, has a story on the release of the Australian team's roster.

Boo Bash 2007 Coming Soon

Boo Bash is returning to Bright House Networks Field on Wednesday, October 31, 2007.

The event starts at 5:30pm and will run until 8:30pm.

It is a FREE event in SAFE environment featuring over 40 Candy Stations, Haunted House, Hay Rides, and a Costume Contest.

If you want to get your company involved in Boo Bash, or want more information, please call 727.712.4300 and ask for Doug Kemp.

Boo Bash is presented by the Clearwater Threshers and the City of Clearwater.

It is sponsored by COSTCO of Clearwater.

Visit the Photo Gallery on the Official Site for more pictures from last year's edition of Boo Bash.

AFL Update

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is underway and it's time to take a quick look at how it is going so far for some familiar names.

Greg Golson | Through four games, Golson has a .313 batting average. He is tied at the top of the league with three doubles and five RBIs. He has also stolen one base.

Joe Bisenius | In two relief appearances, Bisenius (1-0 ; 0.00 ERA) has struck out four and given up just one hit.

Patrick Overholt | Struck out one in his first one-inning relief appearance. Struggled a couple days later in a slightly longer (1.2 innings) relief appearance giving up four hits and two runs.

Josh Outman | Gave up two runs on two hits in a two-inning start just a few days ago. He also struck out two. His next start is tomorrow.

Clearwater Threshers Named MiLB.com's 2007 Class A Advanced Team of the Year

MiLB.com has named the Clearwater Threshers as their 2007 Class A Advanced Team of the Year.

Read Benjamin Hill's story on MiLB.com which is chock full of quotes from Threshers manager Dave Huppert.

There is also a link to the MiLB.com Awards video above Hill's story.

Clearwater Threshers Named Baseball America's 2007 High Class A Team of the Year

Baseball America has named the Clearwater Threshers as their 2007 High Class A Team of the Year.

Despite the team honor, only former Thresher Josh Outman was named to their 2007 High Class A All-Star Team.

See Baseball America's 2007 Classification All-Stars.

Baseball America Releases FSL Top 20 Prospects List

Baseball America has released their Florida State League Top 20 Prospects List for 2007.

Former Threshers pitchers Carlos Carrasco (# 6) and Josh Outman (# 14) are the lone Phillies representatives on the list.

Two Former Threshers Named to USA World Cup Team

Former Thresher pitchers Josh Outman and Chris Booker* have been named by USA Baseball to the 2007 USA World Cup Team.

The players selected for this team will represent the United States in the 2007 International Baseball Federation World Cup which is scheduled for November 6-18 in Chinese Taipei.

Sixteen countries will be taking part in the tournament and they will be split into two groups of eight teams.

Group A includes USA, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, South Africa, and Spain.

Group B includes Australia, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Korea, Netherlands, Thailand, and Venezuela.

Team USA will train in Arizona at the Arizona Fall League.

The Phillies will also be represented by Roly de Armas (auxiliary coach) and Jason Jaramillo (catcher).

Read the news release | See the 24-man roster.

* Chris Booker is currently with the Washington Nationals organization

Potential Future Threshers Named to 2007 HS AA Team

The National High School Baseball Coaches Association has released their 2007 All-American Team(s).

Travis D'Arnaud, the Phillies second selection in the first round of the 2007 draft was named to the second team while second round pick, Travis Mattair, was named to the third team.

Both played for the GCL Phillies after signing this summer.

FIL and AFL Roster Shuffling

Former Threshers catcher Tuffy Gosewisch has left the FIL and is now at the Arizona Fall League (AFL).

According to the Allentown Morning Call, Former Thresher J.A. Happ is injured and will be replaced in the AFL by former Thresher Patrick Overholt.

Two FIL Game Times Change

Two upcoming FIL Games set for tomorrow, October 3 and Thursday, October 4 have been moved away from their regular 1:00pm starts and will now begin at 11:00am at Bright House Networks Field.

Threshers Antonio Bastardo, Jason Donald, and Brad Harman are currently on the FIL roster as well as former Threshers Carlos Carrasco, Welinson Baez, Dominic Brown, and Arlon Quiroz.

FSU set to return to Bright House Networks Field on February 26

Florida State University's baseball team will be returning to Bright House Networks Field on Tuesday, February 26, 2008. They will face the Philadelphia Phillies in an exhibition contest.

The news release from FSU which includes quotes from Seminoles head coach Mike Martin can be found here.

The 2007 exhibition game saw nearly 5,000 fans in the stands at Bright House Networks Field, many clad in FSU's colors of garnet and gold. The Seminoles enjoyed a 1-0 lead as Tony Thomas led off the game with a home run. The lead was short-lived as the Phillies scored four in their half of the first inning en route to a 12-4 Phillies win.

Former Threshers in the exhibition game included Chris Roberson who was hitless in just one at-bat. Additionally, pitchers Alfredo Simon and Joe Bisenius combined to give up just one run, and two hits, while striking out three in three innings.

Cory Willey Celebrates Championship

Cory Willey celebrates Clearwater's FSL Championship and discusses his baseball future in this article by Richard Midcap that was written for The Daily Banner and posted on NewsZap.com.

Former Thresher Kyle Kendrick focus of Philly Inquirer story

Former Thresher Kyle Kendrick is the focus of this story from Philadelphia Inquirer columnist, Jim Salisbury.

In the story, Salisbury describes Kendrick's decision to play professional baseball instead of being a quarterback at a major college football program like Washington State. Kendrick could have been in the same class of QBs as Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Colt Brennan (Hawaii), and Brian Brohm (Louisville). Instead, he's now pitching in the thick of the playoff race and shooting for his 10th win of the season tonight against the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are starting future Hall of Famer John Smoltz.

Throughout the story, Salisbury describes Kendrick's path to the big leagues including a decision made by Kendrick while he was a member of the Clearwater Threshers that may have led to his current success on the big league mound.

Read Jim Salisbury's whole column here.

Updated at 2:50pm: Kendrick will be signing autographs at the first Phillies “All-Star Ladies Night” pre-game party at Citizens Bank Park. The event is set for tomorrow (Friday). For more information or to order tickets visit www.phillies.com/allstarladiesnight.

Updated at 10:50am on 9/28/07: The Phillies are now tied with the Mets on top of the division as Kendrick picked up his 10th win of the season. He now leads all NL rookies in wins and has a 7-1 record at home.

Poll Question: Who is your 2007 Threshers Starting Pitcher of the Year?

The current Poll Question on the Official Site asks, "Who is your 2007 Threshers Starting Pitcher of the Year?"

The three choices are:

(1) Andrew Carpenter
(2) Carlos Carrasco
(3) Josh Outman

Andrew Carpenter - Led the Florida State League in wins with 17.

Carlos Carrasco - His WHIP (Walks-Hits Per Innings Pitched) of 1.02 led Threshers starters.

Josh Outman - Led the FSL with a 2.45 ERA.

Who would you pick? Vote now on the Official Site and talk about your choice in the comments section under this post.

Former Thresher Mike Zagurksi wins 2007 Paul Owens Award

Former Thresher Mike Zagurski has won the Paul Owens Award for best pitcher in the Phillies minor league system in 2007.

Zagurski started the season in Clearwater and made 12 appearances for the Threshers as a reliever. He struck out 30 in 16.1 innings of work holding FSL batters to a .113 average. He gave up just six hits and two earned runs good for a 1.10 ERA. Zagurksi had five saves for the Threshers before his promotion to Reading (Double-A).

He played in just six games for the R-Phils before being brought up to the Major League roster. Over the next few months he spent a majority of his time (25 appearances) with the Phillies, but also spent time (seven appearances) with the Ottawa Lynx (Triple-A). He was on the major league roster when an injury ended his season in late August.

Past winners of the Paul Owens Award include former Threshers Carlos Carrasco, Chris Roberson, and Cole Hamels.

Baseball Prospectus' 'Future Shock'

Kevin Goldstein looked for the breakout minor leaguers in this article for Baseball Prospectus.

Jason Donald was the selection for the Phillies, while Andrew Carpenter and Lou Marson made honorable mention.

Brad Harman to Hawaiian Winter League

Brad Harman is set to be part of the Hawaiian Winter League. The four-team league will play a 40-game schedule that starts near the end of September and runs through the middle of November.

The rosters are stocked with players from American professional rosters as well as players from Japan and Korea.

The league returned last year after a five-year stint in the mid-1990s.

Former Thresher Patrick Overholt is also scheduled for the Hawaiian Winter League.

Threshers Win 2007 FSL Championship!

Congratulations to the Clearwater Threshers, 2007 Florida State League Champions!

The blog is going on vacation for a week.

Check back for pictures and more from the celebration next week.

Threshers (Still) One Win From Championship

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Andrew Carpenter.

Game 3 Recap
The Threshers fell short 5-4 on Monday night at Bright House Networks Field.

Get quotes and more information about the game in Alan Friedman's game wrap on MiLB.com.

Check out the whole MiLB.com FSL Playoff Section here.

Updated at 12:30pm: Doug Kates also has a story about the game in the Florida Today.

Threshers One Win Away From Championship

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Zac Stott.

Game 2 Recap
The Threshers came from behind to win 6-4 in 11 innings at Brevard County on Sunday.

Get quotes and more information about the game in Steve Conley's game wrap on MiLB.com.

Threshers Look for 2-0 Series Lead in Brevard

The Clearwater Threshers and Brevard County Manatees are set to meet up for Game 2 of the FSL Championship Series tonight at 7:00pm in Brevard County.

The Threshers won Game 1 by a score of 8-1. Steve Conley has a game wrap-up on MILB.com with quotes from Threshers' players. According to the story, Andrew Cruse is tonight's starter.

The series is set to move to Clearwater on Monday, September 10.

Threshers Chase Championship in Brevard County

The Clearwater Threshers beat the Sarasota Reds 4-3 last night at Ed Smith Stadium to advance to the Florida State League Championship Series against the Brevard County Manatees.

Shane Figueroa has a great game recap with quotes from Clearwater Threshers players on MiLB.com.

The Threshers traveled after the game to the East Coast to get ready for Game 1 tonight at 7:00pm in Brevard County.

Threshers Play for West Division Title Tonight in Sarasota

The Clearwater Threshers beat the Sarasota Reds 3-2 yesterday at Ed Smith Stadium to tie up the West Division Series at one game apiece.

Lou Marson doubled twice on the night, scoring a run and also knocking in a RBI. John Urick also had two hits and a RBI.

Reliever Will Savage came into the game in the seventh inning and shut down the Reds to earn the save. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced, and gave up no hits.

The West Division Title will be settled tonight in Sarasota. The game is scheduled for a 7:00pm start. The winner travels to Brevard County, who beat St. Lucie for the East Division Championship. The FSL Championship Series is best-of-five.

Mother Nature Postpones Game 2 in Sarasota

A contingent of approximately 75 Threshers staffers and fans made their way to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota last night, and unfortunately the only action we saw on the field was the tarp crew. A heavy rain storm moved through Sarasota right near game time and was still going strong as the Reds made the decision around 8:15pm to postpone Game 2 until today (Thursday). It is scheduled for 7:00pm and will be a nine-inning game.

This could push the FSL Playoff Schedule back a day depending on the outcome tonight. The earliest that the Threshers could now host a game (in Round 2) would be Monday, September 10.

Updated 1:55pm: Andrew Carpenter is now the scheduled starter for Game 2 tonight.

Threshers Face Elimination Tonight in Sarasota

The Reds won Game 1 by a score of 2-0 on the strength of a masterful pitching performance by Ben Jukich. The Threshers did have a chance to steal the win in the ninth, as they managed to load the bases with reliever Derrik Lutz on the mound. However, Jake Blalock's towering shot fell just short of the outfield wall.

Phil Denis has a game story in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune that can be found here.

The Threshers travel to Sarasota tonight for Game 2 of the FSL West Division Playoffs. The game is set to start at 7:00pm. Sarasota brought a pretty large contingent up here for yesterday's game, so let's outshine them tonight in their ballpark!

Playoffs Start Tonight

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Andrew Cruse.

Two For Tuesday
Celebrate the playoffs as our famous Thirsty Thursday promotion makes its way to a Tuesday night.

All drinks are 2 for 1 throughout the ballpark.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers have clinched the second half division title and will host the Sarasota Reds on Tuesday, September 4 at 7:00pm for Game 1 of the FSL Divisonal Playoffs. The Reds are set to host Game 2 (Wednesday) and Game 3 (Thursday) in Sarasota.

Tickets for the Tuesday, September 4 playoff game are on-sale now!

The FSL Championship Series will pit the winner of the West Division playoffs vs. the winner of the East Division (Brevard County or St. Lucie) playoffs in a best-of-five format. The West Division Champion will host Game 3, Game 4 (if necessary), and Game 5 (if necessary). Dates and Times are TBD.

Regular Season Ends Today

Game Time: 1:00pm      Gates Open: Noon

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Prepare to get Wet-N-Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, September 2! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Yesterday's Game(s)
The Threshers blasted the Flying Tigers yesterday in Game 1 of the doubleheader by a score of 11-1. Andrew Carpenter (17-6) lost his no-hit bid in the sixth inning after giving up a home run. He struck out seven and walked three in the game. Seven Threshers had at least one RBI in the game. Jeremy Slayden led the Threshers with four hits in four at-bats including his fourteenth home run of the year. He picked up three RBIs on the night. Jason Donald, Jake Blalock, and PJ Antoniato also had multi-hit games. Blalock's night included his sixth home run of the season. Brian Burgamy hit his ninth home run of the year in the fourth inning.

Antonio Bastardo made his first appearance for the Threshers in Game 2 after arriving from Lakewood. He picked up the win (1-0) after striking out 12 in just five innings of work. Matt Thayer and Clay Harris provided most of the offense. Thayer had two hits and three RBIs, while Harris had two hits and two RBIs. Jason Donald had two hits and scored twice. The final score was 6-5.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers have clinched the second half division title and will host the Sarasota Reds on Tuesday, September 4 at 7:00pm for Game 1 of the FSL Divisonal Playoffs. The Reds are set to host Game 2 (Wednesday) and Game 3 (Thursday) in Sarasota.

Tickets for the Tuesday, September 4 playoff game are on-sale now!

Fan Appreciation Weekend Continues Tonight

Game Time: 5:00pm (Game 1)      Gates Open: 4:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Giveaways Galore
There will be plenty of giveaways at the ballpark on Saturday, September 1. Be sure to be one of the first 1,500 fans through the gates so that you receive the 2007 Clearwater Threshers Team Photo.

Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game on Saturday, September 1.

Yesterday's Game(s)
The start to Game 1 was delayed by one hour and forty nine minutes due to several rain showers in the area. The game was also delayed again in the top of the sixth inning with the score tied at three. After a delay of approximately one hour and ten minutes, the game was re-started. Both teams scored once in the sixth inning, but it took an extra inning for the Lakeland Flying Tigers to take the lead and eventually win 5-4. Brad Harman went three for four and had two RBIs while Lou Marson and P.J. Antoniato both went two for three. Marson hit his seventh home run of the year in the fourth inning. Starter Alex Concepcion struck out seven in his five innings before the in-game rain delay.

Things looked bleak in Game 2 for the Clearwater Threshers down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out on the scoreboard. September 1 had arrived. Hector Made walked which brought up Brian Burgamy. Burgamy smacked the game-tying home run (8) to right field. Brad Harman followed that up with a home run (13) of his own to give the Threshers a huge come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

Prepare to get Wet-N-Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, September 2! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers are still chasing that elusive playoff berth and are now in first place. Win out, and Clearwater is in the playoffs!

Current Standings
The Threshers (41-26) have a half game lead on the Dunedin Blue Jays (41-27) and Tampa Yankees (41-27).

Remaining Schedule (number of games left in parentheses)
Clearwater (3) - The series with Lakeland continues tonight with a doubleheader. The regular season finale is Sunday.

Dunedin (2) - They close with two more home games against Ft. Myers.

Tampa (2) - They close their season with two more games at Sarasota.

Playoff Schedule
The first round of the playoffs will pit the winner of the first half (Sarasota) with the winner of the second half. The second half winner will host Game One which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. Sarasota will host Game Two on Wednesday, September 5 and Game Three on Thursday, September 6 (if necessary).

Tickets for a potential playoff game on Tuesday, September 4 at Bright House Networks Field are on-sale now. If you do purchase a ticket and we do not make the playoffs, you will able to return your ticket for a credit. The deadline to return will be October 31, 2007.

Final Series of Regular Season Starts Tonight

Game Time: 5:00pm (Game 1)      Gates Open: 4:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Kid's Giveaway Tonight
The first 500 Kids 13 and Under will get a Back to School Backpack as they enter the ballpark on Friday, August 31.

Extra! Extra!
Tonight is the final St. Petersburg Times Family Friday of 2007.

Yesterday's Game
The Clearwater Threshers came from behind to beat the Dunedin Blue Jays 7-3 thanks to sixth inning home runs from Jeremy Slayden (13) and Jake Blalock (5). Blalock went three for three on the night and was just a triple short of the cycle. Brian Burgamy added his seventh home run of the season in the seventh inning and Clay Harris hit his 10th home run of the year in the eighth inning. J.J. Trujillo (3-0) picked up the win in relief of Nate Johnson.

Giveaways Galore
There will be plenty of giveaways at the ballpark on Saturday, September 1. Be sure to be one of the first 1,500 fans through the gates so that you receive the 2007 Clearwater Threshers Team Photo.

Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game on Saturday, September 1.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July and August, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on both nights will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Prepare to get Wet-N-Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, September 2! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers are still chasing that elusive playoff berth and have it in sight. Win out, and Clearwater is in the playoffs!

Current Standings
The Threshers (40-25) and Dunedin Blue Jays (41-26) are tied atop the West Division. The Tampa Yankees (39-26) are just a half game behind.

Remaining Schedule (number of games left in parentheses)
Clearwater (5) - Lakeland comes in on Friday for five games in three days to close the regular season.

Dunedin (3) - They close with three home games against Ft. Myers.

Tampa (4) - They close their season with four games in three days at Sarasota.

Playoff Schedule
The first round of the playoffs will pit the winner of the first half (Sarasota) with the winner of the second half. The second half winner will host Game One which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. Sarasota will host Game Two on Wednesday, September 5 and Game Three on Thursday, September 6 (if necessary).

Tickets for a potential playoff game on Tuesday, September 4 at Bright House Networks Field are on-sale now. If you do purchase a ticket and we do not make the playoffs, you will able to return your ticket for a credit. The deadline to return will be October 31, 2007.

Final Shot against the Blue Jays Tonight

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Nate Johnson.

Quench your Thirst
Tonight is our last Thirsty Thursday of 2007. Thirsty Thursday, where all drinks are 2 for 1.

Silver Sharks Club Meets Tonight
Tonight is the last Silver Sharks Night of the 2007 season. Seniors 55 and over receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets on Thursdays. That's 2 tickets for just $4.

Special Thursday Giveaway
Bright House Networks is sponsoring the Threshers replica jersey giveaway on Thursday, August 30. The first 1,500 fans through the gates will get this great item!

Yesterday's Game
Clearwater's three-run third inning was just enough to beat Dunedin on Wednesday. The final score was 4-2. The game started at 9:30pm after a two and a half hour rain delay. Andrew Cruse (4-2) picked up the win after giving up three hits and one run in seven innings. He also struck out six. Jason Donald and John Urick both had two hits, including a double (20,14).

Grounds Crew Honored
The winners of the 2007 Florida State League Sports Turf Awards were announced by the Florida State League office on Wednesday, August 29. The Clearwater Threshers won the best overall award for the fourth year in a row. In addition, Opie Cheek was named Florida State League Sports Turf Manager of the Year for the fourth year in a row. Bright House Networks Field placed first in all eleven categories. The awards are given out based on a survey of Field Managers, Pitching Coaches and Umpires.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July and August, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on both nights will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers are still chasing that elusive playoff berth and have it in sight.

Current Standings
The Dunedin Blue Jays (41-25) stand atop the West Division. The Threshers (39-25) are one game back, while the Tampa Yankees (39-26) are just a half game behind the Threshers.

Remaining Schedule (number of games left in parentheses)
Clearwater (6) - The Threshers face Dunedin tonight. Lakeland comes in on Friday for five games in three days to close the regular season.

Dunedin (4) - See above. They close with three home games against Ft. Myers.

Tampa (5) - They travel to Lakeland tonight. They close their season with four games in three days at Sarasota.

Playoff Schedule
The first round of the playoffs will pit the winner of the first half (Sarasota) with the winner of the second half. The second half winner will host Game One which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. Sarasota will host Game Two on Wednesday, September 5 and Game Three on Thursday, September 6 (if necessary).

Tickets for a potential playoff game on Tuesday, September 4 at Bright House Networks Field are on-sale now. If you do purchase a ticket and we do not make the playoffs, you will able to return your ticket for a credit. The deadline to return will be October 31, 2007.

Huge Game Tonight versus Blue Jays

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 4:30pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Andrew Cruse.

Dollar Dogs
Got a buck? Get a hot dog.

Happy Hour
Drop by Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion tonight and take advantage of some great drink specials. Ladies drink free from 5:00pm-6:00pm.

Road Trip Recap
The Threshers made a quick trip over the bridge to Tampa on Wednesday, August 22 and lost to the Yankees 8-4. Brad Harman, Jeremy Slayden, Matt Thayer, and PJ Antoniato each had two hits. Scott Mathieson made a rehab start and struck out two in two innings.

The Threshers went down the street to Dunedin and swept a doubleheader on Thursday, August 23. Brad Harman had three hits and five RBIs to lead the Threshers to a 12-7 win in Game One. Freddy Garcia made a rehab start and gave up just two hits in three innings. Game Two was much closer, with the Threshers winning by a score of 3-2. Brad Harman was two for two, while Jason Donald had two RBIs. John Suomi provided the rest of the offense with a solo home run (2).

The Threshers traveled back to Dunedin on Friday, August 24 and were beat 6-5 despite two home runs from Brian Burgamy (5) and a blast from Jason Donald (8). Lou Marson and Jake Blalock each also had two hits on the night.

Rain was an issue on the Threshers trip to Ft. Myers. The Threshers ended up playing one game on Sunday and two on Monday. The Threshers lost on Sunday, August 26 by a score of 3-1 despite Zac Stott's four strikeouts in five innings and Jeremy Slayden's RBI double.

The Threshers swept the Miracle in a doubleheader on Monday, August 27. Matt Thayer and Brian Burgamy provided the offense to lead the Threshers to a 9-2 win. Thayer was three for four with two runs scored while Burgamy was two for four and hit his sixth home run of the year. He also had three RBIs in the game. Andrew Carpenter picked up his record-breaking 16th win in Game Two by throwing a seven-inning perfect game. He struck out seven. Brad Harman provided all the offense with an RBI double and his 12th HR of the year.

Quench your Thirst
Tomorrow is our last Thirsty Thursday of 2007. Thirsty Thursday, where all drinks are 2 for 1.

Silver Sharks Club Meets Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the last Silver Sharks Night of the 2007 season. Seniors 55 and over receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets on Thursdays. That's 2 tickets for just $4.


Special Thursday Giveaway
Bright House Networks is sponsoring the Threshers replica jersey giveaway on Thursday, August 30. The first 1,500 fans through the gates will get this great item!


Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July and August, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on both nights will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Playoff Picture
The Threshers are still chasing that elusive playoff berth and have it in sight.

Current Standings
The Dunedin Blue Jays (41-24) stand atop the West Division. The Threshers (38-25) are two games back, while the Tampa Yankees (38-26) are just a half game behind the Threshers.

Remaining Schedule (number of games left in parentheses)
Clearwater (7) - The Threshers face Dunedin on Wednesday and Thursday. Lakeland comes in on Friday for five games in three days to close the regular season.

Dunedin (5) - See above. They close with three home games against Ft. Myers.

Tampa (6) - They travel to Lakeland on Wednesday and Thursday. They close their season with four games in three days at Sarasota.

Playoff Schedule
The first round of the playoffs will pit the winner of the first half (Sarasota) with the winner of the second half. The second half winner will host Game One which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4. Sarasota will host Game Two on Wednesday, September 5 and Game Three on Thursday, September 6 (if necessary).

FIL Roster and Schedule Released

The Florida Instructional League Schedule and Roster has been released.

The Blue Jays, Pirates, Yankees, and Devil Rays organizations make up the rest of the Northern Division of the FIL.

Home Games for the FIL Phillies will be played at Bright House Networks Field.

The FIL Phillies have home games on:
Tuesday (9/25)
Thursday (9/27)
Friday (9/28)
Saturday (9/29)
Monday (10/1)
Wednesday (10/3)
Thursday (10/4)
Monday (10/8)
Thursday (10/11)
Saturday (10/13)
Tuesday (10/16)

Monday-Friday games start at 1:00pm, while Saturday games start at 10:00am.

Current Clearwater Threshers on the FIL Phillies roster include: Andrew Carpenter, Jason Donald, and Brad Harman.

Former Clearwater Threshers on the FIL Phillies roster include: Carlos Carrasco, Tuffy Gosewisch, Welinson Baez, Dominic Brown, and Arlon Quiroz.

Carpenter Throws Seven-Inning Perfect Game

Andrew Carpenter picked up his record-breaking 16th win in style yesterday throwing a seven-inning perfect game.

For the full story please check the Official Site.

Other stories from Carpenter's perfect game can be found at MiLB.com, the Naples Daily News, and the Philadelphia Daily News.

Lou Marson to play in Arizona Fall League

Lou Marson has been placed on the roster of the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League.

The Arizona Fall League is comprised of six teams and is owned and operated by Major League Baseball. This will be the 16th season of the AFL. The season starts on October 9 and the Championship Game is scheduled for November 17.

The Saguaros roster is made up of players from the Phillies, Dodgers, Marlins, Padres, and Tigers. Home games are played at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Former Threshers on the Saguaros roster include Joe Bisenius, J.A. Happ, Scott Mathieson, Josh Outman, Mike Costanzo, and Greg Golson.

Former Thresher Zagurski to Undergo Surgery Today

Former Threshers pitcher Mike Zagurski is scheduled to have surgery on his right hamstring today in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Steelers team physician, Dr. Jim Bradley, is scheduled to perform the surgery.

Zagurski will miss the rest of the season.

Have you noticed any changes?

As many of you might have noticed over the past couple of weeks, this blog has undergone several changes.

Below is a list of most of the changes (not in any particular order).

Please let me know what you think about the changes in the comments.

(1) Header changed from text to a graphical header

(2) Changed background color plus added a logo

(3) Changed foreground color

(4) Added the Share on Facebook button

(5) Added Photo of the Day

(6) Added Chase for the Playoffs plus link to FSL Standings

(7) Added Home Game Countdown plus links to Threshers schedule plus promo schedule

(8) Added the ability to subscribe to our feed by email

(9) Brought our Twitter updates straight to the site

(10) Brought our Google Calendar straight to the site

(11) Streamlined our links

Again, please let me know what you think about the changes in the comments.

Fan Appreciation Night Extended to Fan Appreciation Weekend

The Clearwater Threshers will be capping off the season with a five-game homestand that lasts from Wednesday, August 29 through Sunday, September 2.

Our usual Fan Appreciation Night has been extended and will now be known as Fan Appreciation Weekend.

A replica jersey giveaway sponsored by Bright House Networks has been added to the promotional schedule for Thursday, August 30.

On Friday, August 31, Kids 13 and under will receive a back-to-school backpack.

Another late add to the promotional schedule comes on Saturday, September 1. Team Photos will be given away to the first 1,500 fans.

Last Lil' Anglers Night of 2007

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Play Catch
Parent-Kid Catch returns for the last time this year tonight starting at 6:20pm.

Yesterday's Game
The Threshers led the Yankees 3-0, 6-4, and 7-6 but still lost the game on Monday night by a score of 8-7. Brian Burgamy, Matt Thayer, Jeremy Slayden, and Jason Donald each had two hits. Slayden hit his 12th home run of the year in the first inning, while Brad Harman hit his eleventh home run in the fourth. The game lasted three hours and thirteen minutes.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 31 and September 1 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Final Feeding Frenzy Tonight

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

It's a Frenzy
Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes, Pete & Shorty's, Boston Market, and Buffalo Wild Wings are tonight's guest restaurants. This is the final Feeding Frenzy of the 2007 season.

Road Trip Recap
The Threshers fell to the Sarasota Reds on Friday by a score of 4-3 in 12 innings. Jake Blalock and Clay Harris both had two hits on the night.

Saturday's game was rained out, and was played as part of a doubleheader (2 seven-inning games) on Sunday. The Threshers won Game 1 by a score of 7-3. Scott Mathieson started the game as part of his rehab. Brad Harman and Clay Harris both had two hits in the game. The Threshers were shutout 3-0 in Game 2 despite Brad Harman's two doubles.

Updated 11:35am: Read Friday's game recap from Phil Denis in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Play Catch
Parent-Kid Catch returns tomorrow starting at 6:20pm.

Former Thresher Update
Pete Shier and Luke Lockwood are currently playing for the Camden Riversharks. The Riversharks play in the independent Atlantic League.

Shier is batting .275 in 55 games, while Lockwood has struck out 18 in eight starts.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31. There is also the potential for an additional doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on a date to be determined. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Enjoy Thirsty Thursday at the Ballpark

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Quench your Thirst
Tonight is a Thirsty Thursday where all drinks are 2 for 1.

Silver Sharks Club Meets Tonight
Tonight is a Silver Sharks Night. Seniors 55 and over receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets on Thursdays. That's 2 tickets for just $4.

Yesterday's Game(s)
The Threshers swept another doubleheader against the Flying Tigers.

Andrew Carpenter picked up his league-leading 14th win in Game 1 giving up only one run and five hits in seven innings (complete-game). Brian Burgamy and Jeremy Slayden both had two hits in the contest, while John Urick and Matt Thayer each had RBIs which helped lead to the 2-1 win.

Cory Willey struck out three and gave up only one hit in two innings of relief in Game 2 and picked up his sixth victory of the season. Brad Harman, Matt Thayer, and Jeremy Slayden provided the RBIs to give the Threshers a 3-2 victory.

The Race for First
The Threshers still lead the FSL in attendance. After an announced crowd of 1,587 yesterday, the Threshers went over the 150,000 fan mark for the season. The Threshers currently average 300 more fans a night than the second place Daytona Cubs.

First place in the win-loss column is also back in sight. The Threshers are 7-3 in their last 10 games and are now just a half game back of the Yankees. Tampa plays Ft. Myers again tonight. Ft. Myers is hot in August, having won 10 games in a row.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month of July, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Friday, August 31. There is also the potential for an additional doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on a date to be determined. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Bonus Baseball Tonight

Game Time: 5:00pm (Game 1)      Gates Open: 4:30pm

Tonight's Lineup
Game 2 - Burgamy, CF; Harman, 2B; Thayer, LF; Slayden, RF; Blalock, DH; Donald, SS, Suomi, C; Harris, 1B; Made, 3B

Villarreal is the starting pitcher

Dollar Dogs
Got a buck? Get a hot dog.

Happy Hour
Drop by Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion tonight and take advantage of some great drink specials. Ladies drink free from 5:00pm-6:00pm.

Road Trip Recap
The Threshers and Flying Tigers finally were able to get a game in at Lakeland and it just happened to be a doubleheader.

Zac Stott threw five shutout innings on the way to a 5-0 Threshers victory in Game 1. Six Threshers batters had two hits in the game, and Clay Harris hit his ninth home run of the season.

J.J. Trujillo pitched three innings in relief and was credited with the victory. Jake Blalock had two hits in Game 1, but was the lone Threshers batter who didn't get a hit in Game 2. John Suomi (1) and John Urick (10) both had sixth inning home runs en route to the 6-2 win.

Quench your Thirst
Tomorrow is a Thirsty Thursday where all drinks are 2 for 1.

Silver Sharks Club Meets Tomorrow
Tomorrow is a Silver Sharks Night. Seniors 55 and over receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets on Thursdays. That's 2 tickets for just $4.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Wednesday, August 15 and Friday, August 31. The third game is TBD. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 15 and August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Threshers Set for 2nd Annual Golf Tourney

Sign up now for the Second Annual Clearwater Threshers Corporate Golf Tournament to benefit the Florida Chapter of the ALS Association. The shotgun scramble will start at 12:30pm on Thursday, September 13 at Wentworth Golf Club in Tarpon Springs.

All golfers will receive:

* Special Gift and Goodie Bag

* Boxed lunch (courtesy of TooJay's)

* Free drinks

* Awards Dinner at Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion (catered by Macaroni Grill)

* Chance to win great raffle prizes

The awards will be for 1st place - Low Gross and Low Net

Register your foursome today for just $480 (add $70 and you can also sponsor a hole).

Individual golfers can join in for just $120.

Don't want to get on the course but still want to be involved? Sponsor a hole for just $100.

Please contact Doug Kemp at 727-712-4316 or dkemp@threshersbaseball.com to register now.

Andrew Carpenter featured in LA Times story

Bob Cuomo has this story about Andrew Carpenter in the Los Angeles Times.

Attention Five-O-Five Club Members

The Clearwater Threshers will be hosting the Five-O-Five Club at Bright House Networks Field on Wednesday, August 15 at 5:05pm.

Five-O-Five Club members should park in the South Parking Lot which is located off of Drew Street. Please enter the ballpark at the Suites Lobby to pick up your ticket and to gain entrance to the Suites and Club Level.

Seating for this event will be split between the covered club level and indoor air-conditioned suites. This event will be held rain or shine.

Wrap Up Your Weekend with Wet-N-Wacky Day # 3

Game Time: 1:00pm      Gates Open:Noon

Today's Lineup
TBA

Prepare to get Wet-N-Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, August 12! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Yesterday's Game
The Threshers beat the Cubs yesterday 5-3. Nate Johnson relieved Francisco Rosario who is down here on a rehab assignment. Johnson picked up the win after giving up only three hits in five innings. Lou Marson had three hits and two RBIs, while Brad Harman was two for four with a run scored. John Urick had a solo home run, his ninth of the year, in the third inning.

The Race for Number One
The Threshers and Cubs aren't just matching up on the field this week. Clearwater and Daytona rank first and second in the FSL attendance rankings. Clearwater currently leads by a total of nearly 20,000 fans. Be sure to come out this weekend and help us increase that lead!

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Wednesday, August 15 and Friday, August 31. The third game is TBD. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 15 and August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Fireworks to Light up Clearwater Tonight

Game Time: 6:30pm      Gates Open: 5:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game.

Plug in your Toaster
Sara Lee Bread Giveaways finish up tonight. Be sure to get your Sara Lee coupon and free loaf on your way out of the ballpark.

Yesterday's Game
Seven runs were not enough to beat Daytona yesterday as the Cubs put up 10 runs on Threshers pitchers. Jason Donald was two for three with three RBIs and three runs scored. He hit a three run homer, his seventh of the year, in the third inning. Brad Harman and Jake Blalock also had two hits on the evening. Both doubled (16, 6). Harman scored twice, while Blalock had three RBIs.

The Race for Number One
The Threshers and Cubs aren't just matching up on the field this week. Clearwater and Daytona rank first and second in the FSL attendance rankings. Clearwater currently leads by a total of nearly 16,000 fans. Be sure to come out this weekend and help us increase that lead!

Prepare to get Wet and Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, August 12! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Wednesday, August 15 and Friday, August 31. The third game is TBD. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 15 and August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Pitch for Pink Tonight

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 5:30pm

Tonight's Lineup
TBA

Tonight's starting pitcher is Cruse

Pitch for Pink
Early Gates
Gates Open at Bright House Networks Field at a special time of 5:30pm. The first 2,500 women recieve a commemorative pink beach bag or pink baseball cap.

Survivor Lap
Get here early for the pre-game ceremony that includes a walk for breast cancer survivors. The lap is scheduled to start at 6:35pm. Survivors are to meet at the bottom of Section 102 at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the lap.

Raffles and Auctions
During the game, a silent auction will be held to auction off pink baseball bats autographed by players from the Philadelphia Phillies and Threshers, and pink jerseys worn by the players. Winning bidders will receive the jersey and a chance to meet the Threshers player who wore it during the game.

There will also be several other types of items offered in auctions and raffles throughout the night.

The raffles and auctions open at 5:30pm and will close just after the first pitch in the top of the sixth inning.

Launch-A-Ball Special
Launch-A-Ball will be at a special price of $2. There will also be 150 pink tennis balls in addition to our regular yellow tennis ball selection.

Extra! Extra!
It's another St. Petersburg Times Family Friday on Friday, August 10. Check your local St. Petersburg Times for the coupon that gets you 4 Field Box seats, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, and 4 bags of chips for only $25!

Yesterday's Game
The Threshers fell short on Thursday losing 4-3 to the Cubs. Clearwater had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth. Matt Thayer was the lone Thresher to have a multi-hit game, while Jake Blalock (4) and Clay Harris (8) both hit home runs.

The Race for Number One
The Threshers and Cubs aren't just matching up on the field this week. Clearwater and Daytona rank first and second in the FSL attendance rankings. Clearwater currently leads by a total of nearly 12,000 fans. Be sure to come out this weekend and help us increase that lead!

Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game on Saturday, August 11.

Plug in your Toaster
Sara Lee Bread Giveaways continue on Saturday, August 11. Be sure to get your Sara Lee coupon and free loaf on your way out of the ballpark.

Prepare to get Wet and Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, August 12! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Wednesday, August 15 and Friday, August 31. The third game is TBD. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 15 and August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Threshers Start Four Game Homestand Against the Cubs

Game Time: 7:00pm      Gates Open: 6:00pm

Tonight's Lineup
Burgamy, CF; Harman, 2B; Thayer, LF; Slayden, RF; Marson, C; Blalock, DH; Donald, SS; Harris, 1B; Antoniato, 3B

Tonight's starting pitcher is Carpenter

Quench your Thirst
It's Thirsty Thursday where all drinks are 2 for 1.

Silver Sharks Club Meets Tonight
It's Silver Sharks Night. Seniors 55 and over receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets on Thursdays. That's 2 tickets for just $4.

Road Trip Recap
The bats came alive in Vero as the Threshers took three of four from the Devil Rays. The Threshers twice scored 12 runs in a game and at least three players had two hits or more in each game. Six players had multi-hit games yesterday.

Stars of the Trip
Hard to pick just one with everyone picking up so many hits. Who do you think had the best trip?

Jake Blalock - Had one game in which he had three hits including two home runs. His five hits in 16 at-bats was good for a .313 batting average. He had one other home run on the trip. This was his first home run as a Thresher since August 14, 2005.

Jason Donald - Had three multi-hit games. His seven hits in 15 at-bats was good for a .467 batting average.

Brad Harman - Had three multi-hit games. His six hits in 19 at-bats was good for a .316 batting average. He also hit his 10th home run of the year on the trip.

Lou Marson - Had two multi-hit games including one game with four hits. His six hits in 18 at-bats was good for a .333 batting average. He also hit is fifth and sixth home runs of the season on the trip.

Jeremy Slayden - Had two multi-hit games including one game with three hits. His six hits in 19 at-bats was good for a .316 batting average. He also had a grand slam on Tuesday which was his eleventh home run of the season.

Matt Thayer - Had three multi-hit games. His six hits in 13 at-bats was good for a .462 batting average.

Bonus Baseball
Due to heavy rains in our region throughout the month, we are playing a doubleheader here against the Flying Tigers on Wednesday, August 15 and Friday, August 31. The third game is TBD. They are seven-inning games. Game 1 on August 15 and August 31 will now start at 5:00pm with Game 2 scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game 1.

Pitch for Pink is Friday, August 10
Early Gates
Gates Open at Bright House Networks Field at a special time of 5:30pm. The first 2,500 women recieve a commemorative pink beach bag or pink baseball cap.

Survivor Lap
Get here early for the pre-game ceremony that includes a walk for breast cancer survivors. The lap is scheduled to start at 6:35pm. Survivors are to meet at the bottom of Section 102 at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the lap.

Raffles and Auctions
During the game, a silent auction will be held to auction off pink baseball bats autographed by players from the Philadelphia Phillies and Threshers, and pink jerseys worn by the players. Winning bidders will receive the jersey and a chance to meet the Threshers player who wore it during the game.

There will also be several other types of items offered in auctions and raffles throughout the night.

The raffles and auctions open at 5:30pm and will close just after the first pitch in the top of the sixth inning.

Launch-A-Ball Special
Launch-A-Ball will be at a special price of $2. There will also be 150 pink tennis balls in addition to our regular yellow tennis ball selection.

Extra! Extra!
It's another St. Petersburg Times Family Friday on Friday, August 10. Check your local St. Petersburg Times for the coupon that gets you 4 Field Box seats, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, and 4 bags of chips for only $25!

Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game on Saturday, August 11.

Plug in your Toaster
Sara Lee Bread Giveaways continue on Saturday, August 11. Be sure to get your Sara Lee coupon and free loaf on your way out of the ballpark.

Prepare to get Wet and Wacky
Wear Your Swimsuit on Sunday, August 12! Wet-N-Wacky Day features all types of water activities including a water slide, water balloons, water guns, water games, sprinklers, showers, misters, and more!

Kids 13 and Under receive a Box Seat at a special Wet-N-Wacky price of $1.

Bring the Family for just $25
As you've probably seen all over your TV, Sundays are Bright House Networks Family Days. You can choose between the $25 pack for 4 people or the $15 pack for just 2. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 Hot Dogs, 4 Sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 Game Programs.

Get to the Bookstore
There is a brand new book out about former Clearwater star Ryan Howard. It's written by Robert Merz and it's called, Ryan Howard: King of Swing. It's 120 pages and retails for just under $10. Click here to read the press release.

Jeff Crupper's 2007 Awards Moves On to Voting Phase

The nominations have closed for Jeff Crupper's 2007 Clearwater Threshers Awards.

The voting page is now active.

Ron Hill makes the Wilmington Star-News

Chuck Carree of the Wilmington Star-News writes about Ron Hill in this story.