It’s been a few weeks since my last Threshers update, so I figured I’d better get on the ball. The Threshers finished the first half of the year in third place behind first-half champs the Sarasota Reds and the Tampa Yankees. In the second half of the season the boys have been cruising along right where thay left off. They currently sit in third one game behind Tampa in first and 1/2 game behind Dunedin in second.
There have been a lot of roster moves since the first half so it is almost like a new team in the secnd part of the year. Just before the all-star break Pat Overholt was promoted to Reading, and since the all-star break Carlos Carrasco was promoted to Reading as well. This has left a power vaccuum for starting pitchers in Clearwater that has yet to be filled.
Ben Pfinsgraff and Alex Concepcion have been promoted from Lakewood to fill the empty spots, and Luis Villerreal has been added as a free agent to fill the spot of Dan Brauer who is on the DL. So far these additions have seen mixed results. Concepcion had a tough first outting, but was solid in his next two starts, and very good in his most recent trip to the hill giving up just four hits in seven innings of work. Unfortunately those hits included two solo home runs and a triple for three runs, but the offense helped him out with an 8-4 win.
Pfinsgraff has a 6.75 ERA at Clearwater in an up and down start in his three games. He went 5.0 innings in his first start giving up three runs but earning a loss with no run support. In his second start he was excellent going 7.0 innings with no runs on four hits and four Ks but got a no decision again thanks to no offensive support. IN his most recent outing he was pummeled for eight runs on nine hits in just 2.2 innings of work.
Brad Harman (a Phuturephillies favorite) has turned things up since the break hitting .400 in July while starting at just .237 before the all-star break. Clay Harris who lead the SAL last year in HR got off to a rough start in Clearwater hitting just .196 before the break, but has improved to .314 since then. Catching prospect Lou Marson who earned an all-star game bid has done even better since the break as well hitting .321 since then.
Starting pitcher Josh Outman has continued to put up impressive numbers with a 9-2 record and a 2.08 ERA as a starter with 96Ks in 97.2 innings of work. (Josh’s overall ERA stand at 2.58 skewed by one relief appearance where he gave up 7 runs in 2.2 innings of work).
Starting pitcher Andrew Carpenter has been a pleasant suprise for the team with a 9-5 record and a 3.80 ERA. He had a recent 25.0 scoreless innings streak snapped in his last game when he gave up three runs in his most recent outting.
