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.

Update: Former Threshers in Reading

Eleven former Threshers are currently on the Reading Phillies (Double-A) roster.

Here is an update of how they are doing with Reading so far this year.

Allen Davis - Given up zero hits in five out of his 10 relief appearances

Julio De La Cruz - Strictly a reliever this year. In 25 appearances he's got a 1-1 record with a 3.78 ERA. He also has three saves. Hitters are batting .224 against him and he's got a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.2 to 1.

Chris Key - 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 24 appearances out of the bullpen. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 4 to 1.

Patrick Overholt - Scattered eight hits over five innings in his debut with Reading on Saturday.

Chris Coste - Joined Reading after a month with Ottawa (Triple-A). He is hitting .288 in his 19 games with Reading. Against lefties he is 7 for 17 (.412) with three home runs.

Mike Costanzo - Batting .325 in his last ten games. In five of those games he has gotten two hits. His 13 home runs lead the Eastern League. He has 29 extra-base hits which ranks him tied for fourth in the Eastern League. Leads Reading in walks with 27.

Michael Garciaparra - He is 12 for 36 (.333) with runners in scoring position.

Jesus Merchan - Leading the Eastern League in hitting with a .356 batting average in 48 games. Only struck out eight times in 163 at-bats. Hitting .410 on the road. His on-base percentage of .422 is third best in the Eastern League.

Peeter Ramos - Was three for five with two runs scored in a game on June 7 against Harrisburg. Has nine hits in 22 at-bats (.409) with runners in scoring position.

Branden Florence - Still on the disabled list. Injured in April and missed the entire month of May. Close to missing the whole month of June as well.

Mike Spidale - Was two for four with a stolen base in his second game with Reading (vs. Trenton) on June 15.

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!

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.

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.

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)