Bright House Networks Field will be closed on Friday, June 15 due to Florida State League All-Star Weekend in Daytona.
We will resume normal hours on Monday, June 18.
Updated at 11:30am: Paychecks will be available for pickup until 4pm at the Admin Office. Paychecks not picked up by 4pm on Friday will be mailed unless otherwise directed by your supervisor.
Ticket Office employee paychecks will not be automatically mailed after 4pm.
The Phillies are set to purchase the contract of former Threshers pitcher Kyle Kendrick from the Reading Phillies and have him make his first Major League start against the Chicago White Sox tomorrow.
Kendrick, 22, spent the majority of the 2006 season with the Threshers. He was 9-7 with a 3.53 ERA. FSL batters hit .241 against him and he had a 2.1 : 1.0 strikeout to walk ratio. Kendrick started once for the Threshers in 2005.
The Phillies selected Kendrick in the seventh round of the 2003 draft.
Updated at 4:30pm:
Media Reaction
Phillies.com, Philly.com, Cherry Hill Courier Post
Unfortunately it appears that we won't get the game broadcast here, unless you subscribe to MLB.TV.
It's ready. Check the Official Site now for the ThreshersBaseball.com Photo Gallery update I mentioned last week.
The Florida State League named Josh Outman as FSL Pitcher of the Week yesterday.
From their release:
Outman led the Florida State League in innings (13 2/3) and ranked second in strikeouts (14) on the week. This season, Outman ranks in the top 10 in ERA (2.71) and innings (73 1/3).
Former Threshers infielder Mike Costanzo was just named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week for June 4 - June 10. Costanzo is currently with the Reading Phillies (Double-A).
He hit safely in all seven games during the week which was good for a .370 batting average. He had two hits in three of the games. Five of his 10 hits on the week were doubles.
He is tied for second in the Eastern League with 11 home runs on the season.
Former Threshers pitcher Derek Griffith joined the Frontier League's Slippery Rock Sliders on May 30.
In two starts for Slippery Rock, he has a 1-1 record with a 1.64 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .147 against him.
The pitching coach for the Sliders is former Thresher Adam Shafer.
The Frontier League is an Independent League that includes 12 teams from several midwestern states.
Former Threshers pitcher Joe Bisenius has been put on the DL by the Ottawa Lynx (Triple-A).
Bisenius started the season with the Philadelphia Phillies but was sent to Ottawa after two relief appearances. He's struggled on the road this season with the Lynx, but has a 2.81 ERA at home.
The Ottawa Lynx official site has a story here.
Our friends at the Ottawa Lynx blog have a bit about it here as well.
I know the question was asked not to far back about the status of Hector Made.
I was out Friday afternoon and all day Saturday and I missed that he got activated on Friday (6/8).
The Ft. Myers Miracle are here for a three game set starting today (Sunday) at 1pm. They come in to the series with a 27-34 record and on a two game winning streak. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games. Ft. Myers is 0-3 at Bright House Networks Field in 2007.
Reliever Eddie Morlan is the lone FSL All-Star representative who is still on their current roster. He is 4-2 with a 2.48 ERA and has eight saves. He has struck out 46 in 32.2 innings. In his four appearances against the Threshers, he is 1-1 with a 11.81 ERA. He has one save. He has struck out nine Threshers in just 5.1 innings. Morlan was a third round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2004.
Since the promotion of Ryan Mullins to Double-A, Oswaldo Sosa appears to be the ace of the current bunch. In 12 starts, Sosa's record is 2-3 with a 2.61 ERA. In three starts against the Threshers, Sosa is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA. He has struck out 13 Threshers in 13 innings of work.
As a team, the Miracle have the worst batting average in the entire FSL. They are hitting .223 with just 22 home runs. They are batting .208 with one home run in their nine games against the Threshers this season. Outfielder Erik Lis leads Miracle batters in games against the Threshers. He is batting .323 with six RBIs in eight games against the Threshers.
The pitching stats are polar opposite. Miracle pitching is statistically the best in the league with a 2.93 ERA. Despite that stellar ERA, you find two Ft. Myers pitchers (Jay Rainville and Zachary Ward) tied for last in the league in losses with seven. Neither Rainville or Ward has a loss against the Threshers.
Lou Marson (.391) and Greg Golson (.333) lead Threshers batters against Miracle pitching. The Threshers have yet to hit a home run against the Miracle this season.
Josh Outman leads Threshers pitchers against the Miracle. In his two starts against the Miracle, he is 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA. He has struck out 12 and given up just six hits in 11.2 innings. Miracle batters are hitting .154 against him.
Threshers closer Brett Harker has three of his 11 saves against the Miracle.
There are 22 players that the Phillies have drafted that were on Major League Opening Day rosters in April 2007.
First round picks (6) include: Pat Burrell, Mike Lieberthal (now with Dodgers), Adam Eaton, Brett Myers, Chase Utley, and Cole Hamels.
Second round picks (5) include: Marlon Anderson (now with Dodgers), Scott Rolen (now with Cardinals), Jimmy Rollins, Zack Segovia, Randy Wolf (now with Dodgers).
Fourth round picks (2) include : Michael Bourn and Jason Michaels (now with Indians)
Fifth round picks (2) include : Ryan Howard and Derrick Turnbow (now with Brewers)
Sixth round pick is: Taylor Buchholz (now with Rockies)
Ninth round pick is: Ryan Madson
Eleventh round pick is: Gary Bennett (now with Cardinals)
Fifteenth round pick is: Geoff Geary
Seventeenth round picks (2) include: Johnny Estrada (now with Brewers) and Scott Mathieson
Twenty first round pick is: Nick Punto (now with Twins)
Picks out of High School (12) - Mike Lieberthal, Adam Eaton, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Scott Rolen, Jimmy Rollins, Zack Segovia, Derrick Turnbow, Taylor Buchholz, Ryan Madson, Gary Bennett, and Scott Mathieson
Picks out of College (10) - Pat Burrell (Miami), Chase Utley (UCLA), Marlon Anderson (South Alabama), Randy Wolf (Pepperdine), Michael Bourn (Houston), Jason Michaels (Miami), Ryan Howard (SW Missouri State), Geoff Geary (Oklahoma), Johnny Estrada (College of the Sequoias JC), and Nick Punto (Saddleback CC)
Michael Zagurski picked up his first Major League win of his career yesterday against the New York Mets.
How it happened: Zagurski replaced reliever Yoel Hernandez in the bottom of the ninth inning with the scored tied 3-3. The first two batters that he faced popped out and grounded out. Julio Franco came in as a pinch hitter and walked. Jose Reyes singled, but that only moved Franco to second. Zagurski than struck out Ben Johnson. Phillies batters knocked in three runs in the Top of the 10th to make the score 6-3. Antonio Alfonseca came in for the Mets half of the 10th and picked up his fourth save.
Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, all part of the 2007 Clearwater Bobblehead set, were the Phillies that crossed home plate in the 10th to give the Phillies the win. The fourth member of the set, Cole Hamels, was the starter. He struck out five in his seven innings of work.
St. Petersburg Times writer Demorris A. Lee came out to Bright House Networks Field last week and filed this report after seeing the Clearwater Threshers take on the Palm Beach Cardinals. Several Threshers fans are quoted in the story.
The Phillies made six more selections after Joe Savery yesterday on Day 1 of the Draft.
Here is a little about each of the picks:
Pick # 37 - Travis D'Arnaud
Travis is a 6'2" 195lb catcher out of Lakewood HS in California. He's committed to play baseball at Pepperdine, but it is likely that he will go pro with the Phillies.
Pick # 83 - Travis Mattair
Travis is a 6'5" 210lb third baseman out of Southridge HS in Washington. Received Division II interest as a point guard and also had schools interested in him as a wide receiver. Committed at one point to play baseball for Oregon State, but it is very likely that he will go pro with the Phillies.
Pick # 107 - Brandon Workman
Brandon is a 6'4" 195lb right-handed pitcher out of Bowie HS in Texas. He did sign a letter of intent with the University of Texas.
Pick # 113 - Matthew Spencer
Matthew is a 6'4" 225lb left fielder out of Arizona State. He's a junior and a lefty. Played two seasons for the University of North Carolina. Watch him this weekend in NCAA Super Regional play against Ole Miss.
Pick # 143 - Tyler Mach
Tyler is a 6'1" 195lb second baseman out of Oklahoma State. Played his freshman year at the University of Washington. Watch him this weekend in NCAA Super Regional play against Louisville.
Pick # 173 - Michael Taylor
Michael is a 6'6" 250lb right fielder out of Stanford. He is a junior. He has excelled in athletics despite suffering with Type 1 diabetes. Baseball America considers him to be the 38th-best prospect out of California (HS or College), but he was much higher rated coming out of high school.
Going to use this post to update any draft information. Feel free to use the comments section.
Hopefully I will get a chance to watch some of the first round of the draft on ESPN2 today. How about you? Are you planning on watching any of it?
Like I mentioned yesterday, MLB.com will be covering the whole draft. Their main draft page is located here and their draft tracker is located here.
Updated at 10:45am: Hall of Famer Robin Roberts and Dallas Green are scheduled to join Lee McDaniel in Orlando today representing the Phillies organization.
Updated at 1:50pm: Draft time is almost here. Should the Phillies take someone with college experience or a high schooler?
Updated at 3:55pm: ESPN2 showed a shot of the draft table in Orlando with Lee on the phone prior to the pick. They also showed the draft room back in Philadelphia. The Phillies selected Joe Savery from Rice. He played first base and was the Sunday pitcher for the Owls this past season while recovering from an injury. He's 6'3" and weighs 215lbs. He throws and bats from the left side. Rice takes on Texas aTm in NCAA Super Regional play this weekend.
I've finally updated the comments area to make it easier to tell exactly when a comment has been posted. Previously it only included the time of the post, but made no indication what day the comment was made.
I know it will help me. I hope it helps you as well.
Clearwater Threshers of the future will be drafted starting tomorrow (Thursday, June 7) and Friday at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
The draft starts at 2pm and the first round will be televised for the first time ever on ESPN2. MLB.com will have the entire draft. Look for Lee McDaniel (Assistant Director, Minor League Operations/Florida) to man the phone for the Phillies at Disney.
The Phillies have the 19th pick in the first round.
Last Five Phillies Top Picks
2006 - Kyle Drabek (Lakewood)
2005 - Former Thresher Mike Costanzo (now with Reading)
2004 - Current Thresher Greg Golson
2003 - Former Thresher Tim Moss
2002 - Former Thresher Cole Hamels (now with Philadelphia Phillies)
Who do you think the Phillies should take with their first pick?
How long do you think it will take this first pick to make it to the Threshers roster?
Keep an eye out on the Official Site for an announcement about a new feature in the Threshers Photo Gallery. The Threshers Photo Gallery can be found on the Official Site by mousing over the Bright House Networks Field menu option or by clicking the link on the right-side of the blog.
Jeremy Slayden continues to grab the headlines.
A CITIZEN'S BLOG has this post.
Carlos Carrasco was just named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for May 28 - June 3. This marks the fourth time this season that a current Thresher has been honored with this award.
He has yet to give up a run to the Dunedin Blue Jays. In two starts against the D-Jays he has given up a total of five hits and struck out nine.
Check the Official Site later for a full release.
The awards keep rolling in for Threshers players this year. Pitcher Zac Stott has just been named Phillies Pitcher of the Month for May. You might recall that Patrick Overholt was honored with the same award for the month of April.
Look for a story on the Official Site soon.
Updated 5:00pm: The Player of the Month for May was Jason Donald (Lakewood). He was also honored today with a promotion to our roster. I'll have more information on Jason Donald and other recent roster moves over the next couple of days.
The Florida State League has announced the 2007 East and West All-Star Teams.
Five Clearwater Threshers players are on the list for the West Division All-Stars:
Pitchers:
Carlos Carrasco
Andrew Carpenter
Patrick Overholt
Catcher:
Lou Marson
Designated Hitter:
Jeremy Slayden
The 2007 FSL All-Star Game will be on Saturday, June 16 at 7:05pm. This year's All-Star Game will be hosted by the Daytona Cubs at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Updated at 1:10pm: Check the Official Site for the full release.
Decided to come in an hour early this morning to start drying things off and to check the status of the office. Luckily most of the rain and wind was moving from south to north and our windows are facing west and east. That said, we still had some water overflow the trays, but fortunately it looks like no electronics were soaked. The floor is flooded in a few places, but I don't think it is as bad as it has been in the past.
In my walk around the ballpark this morning, the only thing that doesn't look good is the scoreboard, but I don't know enough about it to say how bad that is.
It's very calm now, so I decided to check Bay News 9 and they say that the center of circulation of the storm is going over Pinellas now. Hopefully the rest of the storm will be relatively mild and everyone and everything will come out ok.
Good luck!
Several Clearwater Threshers players dot the statistical leaderboards throughout Minor League Baseball.
(Through games played on 5/30/07)
Greg Golson is tied for sixth in hits (62) and tied for ninth in stolen bases (16) on the Class A Advanced Leaderboard. Class A Advanced includes players from the FSL along with the California League and Carolina League. He is also fifth in the FSL in runs scored (36).
Jeremy Slayden is fourth on the Class A Advanced Leaderboard in walks (38), which is good enough for tied for fifth ranking in all of Minor League Baseball. He is second in the FSL in RBI (37), and fifth in the FSL in on-base percentage (.419).
Lou Marson has the third best caught stealing percentage (.417) in the FSL.
Brett Harker's 10 saves puts him at a tie for seventh on the Class A Advanced Leaderboard.
Patrick Overholt's 63.0 innings pitched puts him at fourth highest in the FSL.
Random Stat
Clearwater is 26-0 when leading after eight innings.
This is the quickest that the Clearwater Threshers have reached 30 wins in their short history at Bright House Networks Field.
2006 - June 13
2005 - July 30
2004 - on or around July 9
Time to recap some of our recent transactions:
May 19
Daniel Brauer placed on the disabled list
May 20
Jason Wylie activated from the disabled list
May 28
Ron Hill promoted from Lakewood
Nic Jackson signed as a minor league free agent
Eude Brito promoted to Ottawa
Some background on our new players:
Ron Hill - 'Bear' is a 6'3" 225lb relief pitcher from Hawaii. He played his college ball for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington before being selected by the Phillies in the 17th round of the 2005 draft. He should look familiar to Threshers fans, as he did pitch in nine games for us last season during late July and throughout August. While with Lakewood this year he had a 2.63 ERA with 10 saves in 17 appearances. He struck out 22 batters in just 24 innings.
Nic Jackson - Jackson is a 27-year old outfielder who started his career in the Chicago Cub organization as a third round pick in the 2000 draft. He struggled through numerous injuries throughout his career and the Cubs declared him a Minor League free agent in the fall of 2006. He played this season with the Binghamton Mets (AA) before being released. He's at his best late in the game this year, batting .368 in the eighth, ninth, and/or extra innings.
Wanted to give thanks again to readers Steve and SF Fan in FL for their comments about Michael Zagurski in the post about Slayden below. Also thanks to Who's on First? for their comment from Phuture Phillies. In case you missed their comments, they mentioned that Zagurksi has gone from the Threshers to the Majors in just two weeks.
Zagurski's contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from Reading on Friday, May 25 after Brett Myers was put on the 15-day disabled list. He made his Major League debut that night at Turner Field against the Atlanta Braves. He needed only 10 pitches to get three outs. He took the mound in another relief appearance the next day where he did give up his first hit to a Major Leauge batter. However, after Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson singled up the middle, he settled down and it took him just eight total pitches to get four outs. Despite his success on the mound so far, he is still looking for his first Major League strikeout.
Zac Stott was just named the Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for May 21-27. He joins Daniel Brauer and Patrick Overholt as current Threshers who have been honored with that award this season.
Check the Official Site later for a full release.
Phuture Phillies recently profiled Threshers slugger Jeremy Slayden.
You can check out their whole post here.
The Administrative Offices, as well as the Ticket Office and Diamond Outfitters Store will close for the Memorial Day holiday starting at Noon on Friday, May 25.
They will re-open on Tuesday, May 29 at 10:00am.
Last season, Threshers and Mets met up at St. Lucie in the second half of the FSL season for a four-game series. The teams split the series with Clearwater taking the first two games, and St. Lucie bouncing back to win the last two games.
The Threshers had 25 hits in the first two games, but were held to just six hits over the last two games. In the two wins, Threshers OF/DH Branden Florence had seven hits in his nine at-bats. He also had three RBIs in the Game 2 win. Patrick Overholt and Derek Griffith both picked up wins, and Brian Reed picked up a save in the Game 1 win.
Branden Florence is now with Reading (AA), but he's currently injured. Before the injury he was batting .350. He has been out since mid-to-late April and is expected to return in late May or early June.
Patrick Overholt is still with the Threshers. His 3.46 ERA and 40 strikeouts puts him near the top of the Threshers starting rotation.
Derek Griffith was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA coming out of the bullpen for the Threshers earlier this season before being released. Last I heard he was trying out for several teams.
I don't have any information as to what Brian Reed is doing this year.
The Threshers are currently on their longest road trip of the year. Their first stop is Tradition Field in St. Lucie. The Mets won Game 1 of the series yesterday by a score of 5-3 which brings their record to 17-26. The Threshers and Mets continue the series through Wednesday. The Threshers will then head for Jupiter for a four-game series against the Hammerheads.
Is anyone planning on taking the trip to the East Coast to watch any of these ballgames?
Time to recap some of our recent transactions
May 13
Michael Zagurski promoted to Reading
May 16
Eude Brito added from Ottawa's disabled list
Nate Johnson added from Reading
Some background on our new players:
Eude Brito - Played in 11 games for the Philadelphia Phillies over the last couple of years. He has only pitched in four games coming out of the bullpen for Ottawa so far this season. He pitched for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic last year. Brito has never suited up for the Clearwater Threshers, but he did play for the old Clearwater team in 2002 and 2003.
Nate Johnson - He had an 8-3 record with a 2.57 ERA in 45 games as a Thresher in 2006. He has appeared in 11 games this season for Reading. He has struck out 10 batters in only 13.1 innings of work for the R-Phils in 2007. His wife Shannon, who worked in our Diamond Outfitters store during his assignment in Clearwater, gave birth to the couple's first child during the off-season.
The top two teams in the FSL West are set to meet for a three-game series that starts tonight at 7:00pm at Bright House Networks Field. The Sarasota Reds currently lead the Threshers in the standings by one game.
The Threshers and Reds have met up six times already this season, with the Reds leading the series four games to two.
Threshers starters Patrick Overholt and Carlos Carrasco picked up both of the wins. Former closer Michael Zagurski picked up both saves.
Mike Spidale is probably the happiest Threshers' batter to see Sarasota pitching. In his five games against the Reds this season, he's batting .350.
Keep your eye on Jay Bruce of the Reds. He's batting .455 with 4 home runs in six games against Threshers pitching. Threshers batters have struggled against Johnny Cueto and Carlos Fisher. Between the two, they've struck out 19 Threshers. More importantly, the Threshers haven't scored a run against either Cueto or Fisher. There is good news though, Fisher was promoted to Chattanooga (AA) a week or so ago, and he pitched yesterday, so the chances of him taking the mound this weekend at Bright House Networks Field are very slim.
The Threshers and Ft. Myers Miracle have met eight times so far this season going into tonight's ballgame at Hammond Stadium.
The Threshers won the first series at Ft. Myers 2-1. Clearwater swept the home series 3-0 . With last night's 10-inning loss in the books, these teams stand at a 1-1 tie on this trip. So, if the pattern holds, look for the Threshers to head home with a victory.
What is your prediction for tonight's game? I'm going with a 4-3 Threshers victory.
The Gates will open at a special time on Friday, May 18. They are now set to open at 5:30pm.
The new date for the Cole Hamels Bobblehead Giveaway is Thursday, July 19.
Just took a peek at the Overall Minor League Leaders as of this morning and we've got an appearance by a Clearwater Thresher on the list. Jeremy Slayden is tied for third with 27 walks and 15th in on-base percentage (.455). Slayden's .336 batting average puts him at fifth in the FSL, while his 30 RBIs have him tied for first.
The Threshers have the best record (23-13) of the Phillies affiliates. Reading, Ottawa, and Lakewood are all at or near .500.
The Threshers are 20-0 when leading after eight innings, but are 0-10 when trailing after eight innings.
Just wanted to put out a quick note and let folks know that at this time, we are still planning on playing the ballgame as scheduled tonight. I'll update this post if things change.
Updated at 1:10pm: The sun is peeking out through the haze.
Updated at 6:00pm: The game has been postponed, please check the Official Site for more information.
Michael Zagurski has been coming out of the bullpen for the Threshers since the start of the season. He's picked up fives saves in his first 11 appearances. Zagurski has only struggled once this season, giving up his only two runs of the year in a road game at Tampa in the middle of April. His current ERA is 1.17 over 15.1 innings pitched.
He is holding opponents to a .102 batting average. Of the 56 batters he has faced this year, 29 were struck out. Only five have gotten a hit against him.
Here is a closer look at a few of his outings:
4/11 Home vs. Tampa - Struck out five of seven batters faced.
4/13 Home vs. Lakeland - Struck out three of four batters faced.
4/17 Away vs. Tampa - Struck out both batters faced and picked up a save.
4/21 Home vs. Sarasota - Struck out only batter faced and picked up a save.
4/26 Road vs. Lakeland - Struck out five of eight batters faced.
4/30 Home vs. Ft. Myers - Struck out four of six batters faced.
5/9 Home vs. Vero Beach - Struck out all three batters he faced and picked up a save.
Zagurski, age 24, is a 6'0" 225lb left-hander out of Omaha, Nebraska. He was drafted out of the University of Kansas by the Phillies in the 12th round of the 2005 draft. He spent the rest of the 2005 season with Batavia. He struck out 75 out of the 231 batters he faced last season while with Lakewood.
Time to recap some of our recent transactions
May 4
Kevin Howard sent to Lakewood
Michael Garciaparra added from Extended Spring Training
May 5
Allen Davis promoted to Reading
May 6
Victor Hall released
Carlos Pena added from Extended Spring Training
May 7
Michael Garciaparra added from Extended Spring Training
Pete Shier added from Reading
Some information about our new players:
Carlos Pena is a right-hander who has been both a starter and a reliever during his time in the Phillies minor league system. He played last season with the GCL Phillies, where he came out of the bullpen 15 times. He was 1-2 with a 2.96 ERA and picked up two saves.
Pete Shier started the season with the Threshers, but only played in two games at shortstop before being promoted to Reading. He played second base, shortstop, and third base in his 6 games with the R-Phillies.
Feeding Frenzy Monday returns tonight!
All tickets are just $10 and include an All-You-Can-Eat Menu from 6:00-9:00pm.Remember, if you are a season ticket holder, you are included in the Frenzy at no extra charge! Remember to stop by a wristband table or the Customer service/Advance ticket window to pick up your wristband.
The unused season ticket exchange program is not available on Mondays due the Frenzy.
Tonight's menu includes items like hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, peanuts, chips, popcorn and ice cream sandwiches. Westshore Pizza will be back again, and LaSpada's is joining in on the fun. Tonight's special guest restaurants are Buffalo Wild Wings and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Spread the word and enjoy Feeding Frenzy Monday all summer long.
This will be your only chance of the year to catch the Brevard County Manatees (May 5 - 8) and Vero Beach Devil Rays (May 9 - 12) at Bright House Networks Field.
The series against the Manatees starts tonight at 6:30pm. Come celebrate Cinco de Mayo and enjoy post-game Fireworks!
Greg Golson and Patrick Overholt have been honored with the Phillies Player and Pitcher of the Month awards for April.
The Official Site should have a story up shortly.
Remember Andy Baldwin? He was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 draft by the Phillies. He started 20 games for the Threshers last season after leaving the bullpen. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners as part of the deal that brought Jamie Moyer to the Phillies. Baldwin finished off the 2006 season with Inland Empire of the California League.
Baldwin began this season with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, which is the Mariners' Double-A affiliate in the Southern League. He has struggled so far in the win-loss column (0-2), but so has the rest of the team (10-15, last place). He is leading the team in innings pitched (29.1). In one of his losses he gave up only one run in five innings of work.
Plan B just posted the new commercials on YouTube.
Check 'em out and tell us what you think:
Every Seat Must Go!
Protecting Your Kids
Reward Your Employees!
Just got word of a change in the promotional calendar. The Chase Utley and Cole Hamels bobblehead giveaways have swapped dates. The Hamels bobblehead will now be given away on May 11, while the Utley bobblehead moves to July 27.
Just received word that Clay Harris has been named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week.
This is the first time this year one of our position players has been honored with this award, and the first week this year that one of our pitchers was not honored. In a bit of an ironic twist, Harris did pitch for a year while in college at LSU.
Look for a story on the Official Site soon.
Tonight kicks off our Feeding Frenzy Monday promotion for the 2007 Clearwater Threshers season. All tickets are just $10 and include an All-You-Can-Eat Menu from 6:00-9:00pm.
Remember, if you are a season ticket holder, you are included in the Frenzy at no extra charge! Remember to stop by a wristband table or the Customer service/Advance ticket window to pick up your wristband.
Starting on the mound is # 31 Alexander Smit
For the Clearwater Threshers:
Starting on the mound is # 16 Dan Brauer
The Ft. Myers Miracle are on their way into town for a three game series. Today's game is a Bright House Networks Family Day which includes a 4-pack for $25 or a 2-pack for just $15. The 4-pack includes 4 Premium Box Seats, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, 4 bags of Cracker Jack, and 2 programs. It's a great value, as 4 Premium Box tickets themselves usually cost $24 on their own. The Bright House Networks Family Day offer available for in-person Window Sales Only
Gates open at Noon today with the game scheduled to start at 1:00pm.
Updated at 11:40am: The Miracle are warming up on the field now.
Just got a peek at what may be the final roster for tonight's Mike Alstott Celebrity Softball Challenge that benefits the Children's Cancer Center.
Mike Alstott's team (Red) includes Wade Boggs, Darren Daulton, Ron Diaz, and Michael Pittman, as well as several others.
Warren Sapp's team (Black) includes Ronde Barber, Von Hayes, Shelton Quarles, and Winky Wright, as well as several others.
Plan B was here yesterday shooting commercials for the current Threshers season. They are editing today and you should start seeing them on your TV (or on your computer) soon.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures of the filming, but hopefully someone did, and we can get them posted here.
Updated at 8:45pm: Plan B finished editing the commercials and dropped them off at the office tonight. Not sure when they are hitting the air, but they should be on YouTube soon. I've already got a favorite.
Catcher Ryan Budde, who played for the Threshers on April 17 through the 19th on a Major League rehab assignment, was reinstated from the disabled list. The Phillies then put him on waivers, which he cleared, and he was offered back to the Angels. Budde had been taken by the Phillies in the 2006 Rule 5 draft.
Per request, here is some information about Patrick Overholt's last couple outings for the Threshers.
Perhaps Patrick read the blog and wasn't happy seeing a story about a hot pitcher, and it being about an opponent. He pitched an eight-inning gem on Saturday night in what may have been the quickest nine-inning game that we've ever had at Bright House Networks Field. It was so quick, that I didn't even get the chance to eat dinner at the ballpark. Turned out well though, since my wife and I did have time to go out to dinner for a change. Had a great honey BBQ sirloin at Chili's on US19.
Sorry for the detour. Patrick gave up zero runs and six hits on Saturday. He struck out three and walked only one on his way to evening up his record at 2-2. Patrick's ERA is now a stellar 1.93 through four games.
Patrick struck out seven in the game at Tampa on Monday (4/16). He ended up picking up the loss despite only giving up one run in five and two-thirds innings.
Random Stat: Patrick's best inning so far this year is the fourth. So far, he's struck out three and only given up one hit.
Updated 2:45pm: Patrick has just been named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week (April 16-22). Check the Official Site later for the full story.
Updated 3:00pm: Phuture Phillies has a recent blog entry about Overholt that can be found here.
Former Threshers' pitcher Cole Hamels was all over the sports highlight shows on Saturday night and Sunday morning after striking out 15 Reds in a complete game for the Phillies. He threw 82 strikes in just 115 pitches.
Cole's record now stands at 2-0 and he dropped his ERA down to 2.57 through four games.
The Reds are on a six-game winning streak, and Sarasota is scheduled to start Carlos Fisher in tonight's ballgame. Fisher's record is 3-0, and he's only given up one run in his 19 innings of work this year. That's good for a 0.47 ERA. He's struck out 10 batters, and opposing teams are batting only .191 against him. Of the 13 hits Fisher has given up so far this year, 12 of them have come with no one on base.
The Jimmy Rollins Bobblehead (sponsored by Old Harbor Bank) kicks off our 2007 Bobblehead Series tonight.
The rest of the series includes Chase Utley (sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times) on May 11, Ryan Howard (sponsored by Yuengling Brewery) on June 22, and Cole Hamels (sponsored by the Buena Vista Hotel) on July 27. Keep checking this site and the Official Site to make sure that the dates and promotions haven't changed.
Rollins, Utley, and Howard will be wearing their Clearwater Phillies uniforms for their bobbleheads, while Hamels will be in a Threshers jersey.
This is the busiest the phone and window have been this early in the morning on the day of a game since Opening Day two weeks ago.
Guests have been purchasing the most tickets for the game Saturday night with post-game Fireworks. Also, interest has picked up for the Mike Alstott Softball Challenge that is ONE week away.
Tonight is yet another Thirsty Thursday which gives you 2 for 1 drinks all over the ballpark. It is also Silver Sharks Night where Seniors (55 and over) receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box tickets. That's 2 tickets for only $4.
We've got a few groups in the ballpark tonight, including try # 2 for the PODS Championship Volunteers. The last attempt for that group was rained out.
Just a reminder, the Jimmy Rollins bobblehead is tomorrow (Friday 4/20) and we are also giving out mugs from LoJack.
Updated at 4:55pm: Lineups are in.
For Sarasota:
Starting for the Reds is # 33 Richie Gardner
For Clearwater:
Starting for the Threshers is # 16 Dan Brauer.
Updated at 5:15pm: Catcher Ryan Budde is on our roster on a Major League rehab assignment. He was selected by Angels in 12th round of the 2001 draft. This will be his third game here with the Threshers. He hit a double in yesterday's game at Tampa.
Updated at 5:45pm: Leftfielder Michael Spidale is batting third in the order for the fifth time this season. He's also seen time in the leadoff slot (six games) and also batted eighth in one game.
Updated at 6:00pm: Rightfielder Victor Hall is 7 for 13 (.538) with runners on base this season.
Updated at 6:30pm: Designated hitter Jeremy Slayden is 9 for 25 (.360) at home.
Updated at 9:30pm: Kevin Howard flys out to end the ballgame. Threshers lose 4-3.
In case you missed it, the game over in Tampa lasted five hours and 14 minutes yesterday. Clearwater scored three runs in the top of the 20th inning to break the 1-1 tie. The Threshers and Yankees meet up again in about a half hour (11:30am) for a morning game. The game last night did not end until 12:15am and the Threshers team bus left the ballpark this morning at 9:30am.
Mike Spidale and Greg Golson both had 10 official at-bats in the game. Brad Harman scored the winning run from third after Golson was forced out at first.
The Threshers used seven pitchers in the game. Derek Griffith (2-0) ended up with the win, while Michael Zagurski picked up his first save of the year.
Updated at 11:35am: ATM: He said, She said has a post about the game last night. You can find it here. According to the post, this is the third time that the Clearwater team has played in a 20 inning game, and it was the longest game (hours, minutes) ever for a Clearwater team.
Citizens Bank Park beat out Camden Yards (Baltimore), AT&T Park (San Francisco), and Safeco Field (Seattle).
How do you think Bright House Networks Field would stack up if they extended the choices to Minor League Baseball?
The Daily Times in Salisbury, Maryland has a story about New Threshers Season Ticket Holder Sharon Wootten. Sharon recently moved down to the Tampa Bay area from Maryland where she was an avid fan of the Delmarva Shorebirds.
"It's just so much fun, it's the whole minor league atmosphere (that brings me back)," Wootten said. "I would rather go to a minor league game than a major league game and just look at these kids and know that we watched Brian Roberts grow up."
My weather radio at home chirped four times overnight and when I left my house this morning it was a torrential downpour. My average speed on US19 was probably somewhere around 30-35 MPH. However, by the time I got down to Old Coachman Road, the worst had passed. Setup had begun for the Big Brothers / Big Sisters event that is taking place prior to the general Gate Opening at Noon.
Just got word that the tarp is coming off at 11:00am.
Updated at 11:15am: The tarp is off. It was put on last night right after the fireworks show.
Updated at 12:20pm: Today's lineups are up.
For Lakeland:
The starting pitcher is # 28 Sendy Vasquez
For Clearwater:
The starting pitcher is # 18 Andrew Carpenter
The fun starts early as Tech Data has their company picnic in the park from 1:00-5:00pm. Tech Data employees and their families will be enjoying great food and all kinds of different activities. The gates open at their regular Saturday time of 5:00pm for the rest of our guests who are attending tonight's Clearwater Threshers vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers game. The game is set for a 6:30pm start with a fantastic fireworks show post-game. We've got several groups in the park for tonight's game along with Tech Data. The largest will be from two area schools. Curtis and Coachman have a night at the ballpark every year, and nearly 1,000 usually attend with that group. We're expecting an even bigger number of them this year. There is also one church group coming out from First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks. Other company outings include American Express Business Travel, Avaya, Linvatec, and Sensidyne. Last but definitely not least, there are five birthday parties scheduled for tonight.
Threshers Food and Beverage Manager Brad Dudash also is celebrating his birthday today.
Updated at 12:35pm: Pictures are starting to go up on the Photo Gallery at the Official Site from yesterday's 1/2 Way to Halloween Night.
The Merchandise Staff all dressed up for the event
1/2 way to Halloween Night is tonight. There are some folks already dressed up in the office, but we haven't yet had a guest come in costume to get their half-price ticket. There will be Trick-r-Treat Stations throughout the ballpark and a Costume Contest during the game.
Updated at 2:00pm: Through games of 4/12, the Phillies Minor League Organization is a combined 13-13. The Threshers are in second place in the organization at 4-3, while Ottawa (AAA) is holding down last place (1-4).
Updated at 4:15pm: Pictures are being taken of folks throughout the office who are dressed up. One special picture is already on the front page of the Official Site. Be sure to check it out.
Updated at 5:15pm: Tonight's lineups are in.
For the Flying Tigers:
Pitching tonight for Lakeland is # 20 Luke French
For the Threshers
Pitching tonight for Clearwater is Carlos Carrasco
Updated at 7:25pm: Lakeland flys to an early 3-0 lead (2nd inning).
Updated at 7:55pm: Lakeland leads 6-1 in the top of the fourth.
The Three Score Club is one of the groups that will be enjoying the Hot Corner Cafe at today's ballgame. The club visits every year and plays a few games on the field prior to a Threshers game.
I believe they are on Game # 2 for today. Looks like the Green Team leads the White Team 4-1 in the 1st inning.
I do apologize for the blurriness of the crowd shot on the left. I didn't have a whole lot of time to frame the pictures.
Here is a wider shot of the action.
Updated at 5:45pm: Just came back from trying to get the lineup for the Yankees. Apparently their bus isn't arriving until 6pm.
The Sliders have a story about it on their web site, which also includes a picture of Adam in his Threshers jersey.
OurSports Central also has the release on their web site.
Shafer spent about half the 2005 season and about three-fourths of the 2006 season with the Threshers.
For whatever reason, blogger wouldn't let me update my previous post...
Updated at Noon: After splitting yesterday's doubleheader with Tampa, the Threshers record sits at 3-3 which ties them for second place in the FSL West with Dunedin and Tampa. Sarasota leads the division with a 5-1 record. Sarasota and Dunedin play tonight in Sarasota, while Clearwater and Tampa finish off the series tonight. Gates open at 6:00pm for the 7:00pm game.
The Threshers are currently the hottest hitting team in the FSL with a team batting average of .289. Jeremy Slayden and Greg Golson are leading the team and are still in the FSL Top 10 in batting average. Slayden is batting .400 with six RBIs and Golson is batting .375 with four RBIs through their first six games. Golson's five extra-base hits so far put him in second place in the league.
Clay Harris is tied for the FSL league lead in home runs with two.
We had a couple transactions on our roster yesterday. Pete Shier was promoted to Reading, and Freddy Garcia has officially completed his rehab assignment.
Looking outside of Clearwater, former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to start tonight for the Daytona Cubs in their game at Vero Beach.
Updated at 2:15pm 
Just caught a picture (above) of our hat for our give-a-way tomorrow.
The first 1,000 guests receive a hat. The give-a-way is sponsored by Richard's Charter.
We're expecting a pretty good crowd tonight. It's Thirsty Thursday again when all drinks in the ballpark are 2 for 1. It's also our second Silver Sharks Night of the year. Silver Sharks (Seniors 55 and over) receive 2 for 1 Senior Field Box Tickets on Thursdays in 2007. That's 2 tickets for only $4.
There are several groups in the house tonight including Finishmaster, Morton Plant-Mease Rehab, and Honeywell. The Three Score Club will also be here as a group outing and also they will be playing a softball on the field pre-game.
Good news to start the day. I walked out my house and it was bright and sunny. Much of the staff arrived before 9am today in order to pull the tarp off the field so the grounds crew can get it prepared for today's doubleheader against the Tampa Yankees. No FSL Western Division teams got their games in yesterday.
Another positive is that even with the doubleheader today, we still are starting everything at our previously scheduled times. Gates still open at 12:30pm and the first game starts at 1:30pm. Remember, both games will be seven innings long.
$1 tickets, $1 hot dogs, and $1 sodas for Seniors (55+) and FREE PARKING for each car today.
Updated at 10:20am: Patrick Overholt is scheduled to start Game 1 for the Threshers, with Zac Stott scheduled to start Game 2 for the Threshers.
Updated at 10:35am: Today's starting lineups have been posted.
The Yankees lineup for Game 1 is:
The starting pitcher for Game 1 for Tampa is Guillermo Villalona. Apparently MiLB and the official Yankees roster has different names for Villalona.
The Threshers lineup for Game 1 is:
As stated earlier, Patrick Overholt is the scheduled starter for Game 1 for the Threshers.
Updated at 3:35pm - Game 1 is in the books. Yankees win it 4-1.
Updated at 5:45pm - Game 2 is in the books. Threshers win 1-0.
The Clearwater Threshers and Tampa Yankees start a three game series at Bright House Networks Field tonight. The Yankees come into Clearwater with a 2-2 record, which is equal to the Threshers and nearly every other FSL Western Division team at this early date.
The Yankees bring the FSL's leading hitter, Jose Tabata who is hitting .583 through 4 games. Tampa also has the FSL's leading strikeout pitcher, Ian Kennedy. Kennedy struck out eight Flying Tigers in five innings on April 6. Kennedy is scheduled to pitch in Wednesday's ballgame which is scheduled for a 1:30pm start.
Tonight's game is scheduled for a 7:00pm start with Gates scheduled to open at 6:00pm. Freddy Garcia is scheduled to make his second rehab start for the Threshers tonight while the Yankees are expected to send Bryan Villalona to the mound.
Tuesday's are still Lil' Anglers Nights and the popular Parent-Kid Catch is also making a return this season. Be one of the first 1,500 guests through the turnstiles and receive the 2007 Clearwater Threshers Magnet Schedule sponsored by the Buena Vista Resort.
Updated 1:10pm: The tarp is on the field. We ARE planning on playing tonight. Refresh here and check the Official Site for updates.
Updated 1:20pm: Parent-Kid Catch is scheduled for 6:25-6:40pm (weather permitting). Radio Disney is scheduled to be here for a live remote at 5:30pm outside the West Entry near the fountain.
Updated 6:00pm: The Gates are Open! It appears that the Radio Disney live remote was canceled due to the weather. I haven't heard for sure about Parent-Kid Catch, but it doesn't look good since the tarp is still on the field.
Updated 6:15pm: Just got word that tonight's game has been postponed due to the weather. There will be a doubleheader (Two seven-inning games) starting at 1:30pm tomorrow. Check the Official Site for more information.
Former Threshers Joe Bisenius and Zack Segovia have been optioned to Ottawa (AAA) to make room for Jon Lieber. Lieber was on the disabled list and was rehabbing with the Threshers.
If so, did you check out the inaugural edition of Shark Tails?
Not sure what Shark Tails is? Read a little about it at the Official Site, and pick up your copy of the Threshers Times Game Program next time you are at the ballpark.
Former Thresher Zack Segovia is scheduled to make his Major League debut tomorrow against the Florida Marlins.
Charlie Nobles from MLB.com has a story about it that can be found at Phillies.com
Segovia pitched for the Threshers for the entire 2005 season. He started the 2006 season in Clearwater but quickly moved up to Reading (AA).
Saturdays are always exciting at Bright House Networks Field, because those are usually our highest attended games of the week. We have post-game fireworks scheduled for every Saturday of the season this year, except August 4th (Bark at the Ballpark II). Saturday game times have moved to 6:30pm this year, with Gates Opening at 5:00pm.
There are several groups on the schedule tonight including a few birthday parties, as well as Plumb Elementary School and Top Notch Pest Control.
I'll update if I hear anything about the lineup or who is scheduled to pitch tonight. I did see that Jon Lieber pitched three and two-thirds innings yesterday in Dunedin. He gave up four hits, but also struck out four. Greg Golson had another good game yesterday. He had two hits, including a double in his five at-bats. Golson also scored another run. Newcomers Clay Harris (1B) and Jeremy Slayden (DH) hit their first home runs as Threshers yesterday as well. Slayden went three for five with three RBIs on the night.
Updated at 1:15pm: Just got word that Carlos Carrasco is the scheduled starter for the Threshers tonight. This will be his first start for the Threshers. Carrasco spent the 2006 season at Lakewood where he was 12-6 with a 2.26 ERA. He struck out 159 batters while only giving up 103 hits and 65 walks.
Updated at 8:00pm: Just heard the HR music. Greg Golson just hit his first of the year.
Updated at 9:50pm: Tonight's ballgame, Launch-A-Ball, and a fantastic fireworks show are now over. It's an early night at Bright House Networks Field as the crowd of 3,380 heads home to get out of the mid-50 degree weather. The Blue Jays come up on top tonight 5-3. The loss drops the Threshers record to 1-2. Chris Coste, who is down here on a rehab assignment, and Jeremy Slayden led the Threshers batters tonight. They both were two for four with a run scored. Carrasco had a solid start tonight. After walking two batters in the first inning, he settled down and only walked one more batter in his five and two-thirds innings of work. He also struck out four and only gave up three hits. He gave up zero runs on the night.
Was just reading Todd Zolecki's Phillies Notes column from the Philadelphia Inquirer from April 3rd and saw that former Thresher Tim Moss has been released from the Phillies organization.
Moss spent the entire 2005 season as well as half of the 2006 season with the Threshers before getting called up to Reading (AA).
Updated just a few minutes later: I completely forgot to post the good news in that same article. It's old news now, but in case you missed it, former Thresher Joe Bisenius was added to the Phillies 25-man roster.
Several Threshers had great nights at the plate yesterday, and they were led by Thresher veterans Greg Golson and Brad Harman. Golson was a home run away from batting for the cycle, and he nearly got an inside-the-park home run before he was held up at third for his first triple of the year. Golson scored one-third of the team's runs yesterday and also picked up an RBI. Harman hit the first Thresher home run of the year which was a two-run shot in the seventh inning.
Patrick Overholt picked up the win in relief of Freddy Garcia. Overholt struck out four, gave up three hits, and walked two, but only one of the three runs he gave up was earned giving him a 1-0 record and a 1.93 ERA to start of the year.
Bill Conlin has a story on Philly.com about Freddy Garcia's start yesterday against the Dunedin Blue Jays. According to Conlin, Garcia is scheduled to start again on Tuesday. The Threshers are home Tuesday night against the Tampa Yankees, but the story isn't clear whether or not his start is with the Threshers or with the Extended Spring Training squad. I'll update if I hear anything more about it.
Conlin's story also mentions Chris Coste's rehab appearance yesterday which was a late surprise for many of us here.
You can read Conlin's whole story here.
and so is the rain. Tonight's game against the Blue Jays is currently in a rain delay. Folks are still around the park enjoying Thirsty Thursday (2 for 1 on all drinks) and checking out the store.
Also, if you haven't visited the Official Site in awhile, check it out. It re-launched today with our first new look since Day 1. I have noticed some issues that haven't cleared up as of yet and other items that we are still working on getting updated, but the new look from our designers is up.
Updated at 9:05pm: The 2007 Threshers season is officially underway.
Updated at 10:10pm: The game is now official here in the middle of the 5th inning with the Threshers leading 3-0. The ticket windows have closed.
Updated at 11:40pm: The Threshers start the season with a big win over the Jays. The final score of 9-3 sends the hundreds of fans who braved the cold and wet night home happy. The Threshers travel to Dunedin tomorrow before returning home for a Saturday night game against these same Blue Jays. Game time is 6:30pm, with Gates Opening at 5:00pm. Fireworks light up the night post-game.
I do apologize for taking so long to respond to some of the comments on the blog, and not having any new postings in awhile. Been putting in 60+ hours weeks finishing up Spring Training and getting ready for the Threshers season and still haven't had time for the blog. Hopefully that will change and I'll get better now that the season has started.
On to the recent comments...
SF Fan in FL said, "I have a quick question for you Kevin...I have not financially been able to purchase my season tickets yet, however would like to do so within the first month of the season. So, would the price be prorated to when I actually purchase them? Also, would the VIP card still be part of the package?"
My response - It probably would not be prorated. Updated on 4/6 at 11am - Just wanted to clarify something. While the season package probably would not be prorated, you would be able to use the tickets from the games you missed as part of our Unused Season Ticket Exchange Program.
Ben said, "I read on CBS Sportsline that Freddie An Garcia would be the opening night pitcher. Is this true? IF it is I'll have to bring the kids."
My response - I know this is a few hours too late, but according to the lineup I just saw about 2 hours ago, yes, he is scheduled to start tonight.
Anonymous said, "Kevin,Have you thought about putting a link to this blog on the home page? Unless one knows it exists or is poking around in the older news articles there is no way for a person to find it."
My response - I try to keep the news article on the front page as a way to make up for the lack of a permanent link. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get it (a permanent link) on there as of yet. I'll keep trying.
SF Fan in FL said, "I just had another thought that would surely get me more involved... a General Comments section/post. A place where we the fans can direct the conversations and throw out some comments about things that you haven't necessarily touched on, without having to be in our own (poorly visited) blogger/blogspot pages. Either way, I am sure that once the season actually begins, participation will improve.Also, do you have any info yet on the Mike Alstott Celebrity Softball Tourney? I just saw a commercial last night about it."
My response - I have not been able to get authorization as of yet for a message board type venue. I can start new blog posts on some topics that the fans want. Just let me know what they are and we'll get it started. We've got some info on the Alstott Event at our Buy Tickets Now portion of our website here. Basic info is that it is scheduled for Thursday, April 26 the Gates Open 5:00pm, Home Run Derby is at 6:00pm and the Game Time is 7:00pm. Some player names include Warren Sapp, Fred McGriff, Shelton Quarles & Michael Pittman. I also got some more names today that haven't been posted yet. They include: Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, Chris Simms, Wade Boggs, and Ron Diaz among many others.
The 2007 Clearwater Threshers Season Ticket books have arrived. We are just waiting on the VIP cards and parking passes to complete the packages. Also, if you are a Threshers Season Ticket Holder, you should be receiving a letter that we sent out late last week that invites you to our Season Ticket Party in April.
Updated on 3/21/07 at 6:15pm: Most of the VIP cards and all of the parking passes are printed and I started to put together a few of the packages today. You should get contacted (by your account manager or by me) when yours is ready. I don't imagine that that many packages will be put together tomorrow and Friday with the Spring Training games going on, but I'll do my best to get it done as efficiently as possible.
T.R. Sullivan has a story on MLB.com about Hank and Jake Blalock. Jake is with Minor League Spring Training with the Texas Rangers.
Joe Bisenius picked up the win, his first of the Spring, against the New York Yankees. His line included one run, one hit, and three walks.
J.A. Happ is scheduled to start today in Ft. Myers against the Minnesota Twins. Don't know who else as of yet is making the trip down, or who is staying here for the game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Alfredo Simon, a Rule 5 pick from the 2006 draft, cleared waivers and was offered back to the Texas Rangers.
Former Thresher J.A. Happ is blogging about his experience at Spring Training on Phillies.com. It's called What's HAPPening and you can get to it by clicking on this link. I've also added it to our list of links on the right side of the blog.
John Vukovich's funeral took place yesterday at St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church. Hundreds of people from all over the baseball world were in attendance. Threshers GM John Timberlake and Assistant GM Dan McDonough made the trip from Clearwater, and a number of former Threshers were also there.
Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Ken Mandel of MLB.com each have stories about it. You can find Jim Salisbury's story at the Wilkes Barre Times-Leader web site here. Ken Mandel's story on MLB.com can be found here.
I know we have visitors to the blog, but I've noticed throughout the last few weeks that we've gotten few, if any, comments. What are you interested in seeing on this blog? What would you comment on? Let me know.
Michael Radano from CourierPostOnline.com got these quotes from J.A. Happ:
Read his whole story here."I'm happy to get the opportunity, but unfortunately it didn't work out," said Happ, who allowed six runs, all earned in two-plus innings in the Phillies' 6-6 tie. "I'm a realistic guy, maybe almost to a fault where maybe I look negatively on things. At the same time, my goal is to make an impression. If there's any shot, whether it's in the bullpen or wherever, I want to stay with the club. I'm hoping to stay here for as long as I can. Hopefully, I'll put my name on the radar."
After two impressive outings in spring training, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee wanted to get a better look at Happ, a tall, lanky left-hander who doesn't throw appreciably hard - his fastball hovers a tick above or below 90 mph - yet he strikes out batters like a power pitcher (162 strikeouts in 160 2-3 innings last season).
"We're going to watch him and see what we think of him," Manuel said. "We have interest in him. The brass says that he misses bats, so that's a good sign."
Happ's start against the Astros didn't go so well. After a relatively smooth opening two innings, he didn't get an out in the third, as four hits and a walk led to five runs.
The Phillies made thirteen transactions prior to today's game with the Houston Astros re-assigning all of them to the minor league camp at the Carpenter Complex.
Former Threshers on the list include Tim Gradoville, Greg Golson, and Chris Roberson.
Former Thresher J.A. Happ is scheduled to make the start tomorrow against the Houston Astros. The game is scheduled for a 1:05pm start at Bright House Networks Field. Gates open at 10:35am and great seats are still available.
Update 3/12/07 at 5:00pm: Happ did not have a very successful outing today. In his two innnings of work he gave up six runs. They came off six hits and three walks. Former Thresher Joe Bisenius had a better afternoon, striking out two Astros in his one inning of work.
Former Thresher Alfredo Simon pitched one and one-third innings today in Winter Haven as the Phillies lost to the Cleveland Indians 7-6. Simon struggled on the mound today, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk. On a positive note, he did strike out one batter.
Former Thresher Cole Hamels is scheduled to start for the Phillies tomorrow against the Boston Red Sox. Several hundred tickets for the Berm (grass, no chairs) will be released for sale starting at 9am Friday morning. Day of Game Tickets can only be purchased in person at the Bright House Networks Field Ticket Office. We will try to fit as many people as we can in the ballpark for a great afternoon of Phillies Spring Training baseball.
Long-time Phillies coach John Vukovich died early this morning at a Philadelphia hospital. Vukovich was 59 years old and suffered from an inoperable brain tumor. He spent 31 years as part of the Phillies organization and his son Vince is a former Thresher.
Former Thresher J.A. Happ got in the ballgame today against the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched three and two-third innings, giving up only one hit and one run to go along with his three strikeouts.
We just received our 2007 Clearwater Threshers Season Ticket Books from the printer. Once we have our parking passes and VIP cards printed we will be able to start passing out everything for the upcoming season. Stay tuned!
2007 Clearwater Threshers single-game tickets are on-sale now in person at the Bright House Networks Field Ticket Office, by phone at 727.467.4457, and on-line at www.ThreshersBaseball.com.
Minor League Spring Training has begun over at the Carpenter Complex. Pitchers and catchers had their first workout yesterday (3/2) and the full squad has its first workout on Wednesday (3/7). The first Minor League Spring Training game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13.
Chris Roberson has struggled so far striking out in each of his three plate appearances this spring with the big league club.
J.A. Happ pitched two innings during yesterday's win against the Cleveland Indians. Happ struck out one and gave up one hit.
Ryan and Lisa Barthelemy were at the ballgame yesterday between the Phillies and Florida State University. Ryan starred for the Seminoles in the early part of the decade.
It's been awhile since I've seen them at the ballpark, but it was nice catching up with them. I don't recall where they are living these days, but Ryan has retired from baseball and working in the private sector. Ryan spent last season with the Palm Beach Cardinals after four seasons in the Phillies organization.
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