Week one for the Threshers was all about the offense as they lead the league after four games with 26 runs, but week two for the team was all about the pitching. The team was 4-3 on the week, and still remains on top of the Florida Sate League Northern Division with a record of 7-4. Each of the four wins this week included a pitching gem from their starters. Kyle Drabek had two wins going 13.2 innings with 19 strikeouts to go with the 8 from his first outing to now lead the FSL with 27 Ks overall. Carlos Monasterios threw a complete game shut out in his first start of the season in a seven inning affair as part of a double header, while Yohan Flande threw 7.0 innings on Sunday to improve his record to 2-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA on the year.
Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Week 2 Report: (4/15-4/22)
Monthly Archives: April 2009
Lakewood BlueClaws Weekly Report (4/14 – 4/19)
A week after being shown up by Delmarva at home in their opening series, the Lakewood BlueClaws took their show on the road with something to prove. And prove it they did, winning both their series against Lake County Captains and the Hagerstown Suns, going 4-2 on the week, and 5-2 on the roadtrip. The ‘Claws now sit at 6-5, third overall in the SAL Northern division, and two games back of the first-place Kannapolis Intimidators.
Monday was scheduled to have been the first game of their second series at home, facing the Captains again, however, Mother Nature decided to take pity on the BlueClaws and give them an unscheduled day off rather than making them play the full seventeen straight days their schedule had previously planned for them.
Continue reading Lakewood BlueClaws Weekly Report (4/14 – 4/19)
A Closer Look: Chance Chapman
We move on to our second installment of A Closer Look, but we don’t move very far, staying in Clearwater to take a look at Threshers pitcher Chance Chapman.
Chapman was the Phillies’ 8th Round Pick in 2007 out of Oral Roberts, and he signed almost immediately for a $20K bonus. BA had this to say about him when he was taken…
Chapman’s strikeout pitch is a big league slider, and he also has an 88-91 mph fastball with life. When he commands his fastball, he’s tough to hit. Chapman’s age works against him, as he’s 23 after spending three years at Cuesta (Calif.) Junior College and missing all of 2004 with an injury.
Now in his third season of pro ball, I think it’s fair to assess what Chapman has achieved so far, and project where his career might be headed. Check below the jump as we tackle the numbers.
Reading Phillies Weekly Report (4/13 – 4/19)
The Reading Phillies continued their good start to the ’09 season with a 4-2 week. The tremendous pitching from week 1 has deteriorated into mediocre pitching, but the offense stepped it up this week allowing the Phillies to escape with some close victories. Lets take a closer look at the games.
Continue reading Reading Phillies Weekly Report (4/13 – 4/19)
Lehigh Valley Weekend Report
Weekend In Review–
4/17/09–The ‘Pigs opened a series against the Red Sox in Pawtucket and picked up their first win in McCoy Stadium, 4-3 over the ‘Sox. A 2 run homer by Andy Tracy was the decisive blow, while Rich THompson continued his role as a spark plug of the ‘Pig offense with an RBI double and run scored. Andrew Carpenter (1-0) started and went six innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. He didnt walk a batter and struck out 7, throwing 92 pitches, 56 for strikes. Two home run balls were problematic for Carpenter. Gary Majewski picked up his first save of the year, pitching a scoreless ninth. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekend Report
Labrum Surgery for Kyle Slate?
This was actually posted Thursday by a commenter, but I didn’t see it until now, and I think it bears mentioning.
Shoulder Surgery Likely for Kyle Slate
…an MRI has revealed a tear in his right labrum.
“Surgery looks likely,” said the 6-foot-5, 200 pound right-hander. He said the surgery would sideline him 7-10 months.
A really tough break for a kid who missed parts of last year with mononucleosis, but who has been very effective when he’s been able to pitch. He’s been mentioned before on this site as a sleeper, but he’s only managed to log 29.2 IP over the past 2 years. Here’s wishing Kyle the best in his recovery.
Lehigh Valley Weekly Report
Lehigh Valley is 2-5 after the first full week of International League play, 5.5 games behind division leading and undefeated Scranton. The only current ‘Pig among the league batting leaders is Rich Thompson who is fifth in hits with 12. In the pitching categories, Carlos Carrasco is tied for the league lead with 12 innings pitched, while Kyle Kendrick is 7th in the league with 11 innings pitched. Justin Lehr is 7th in WHIP at 0.63. Carrasco also ranks 7th in the league with 10 strikeouts. Continue reading Lehigh Valley Weekly Report
Carlos Monasterios Gets Complete Game Shut Out in Clearwater
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Flying Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Threshers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 7 | 0 |
In tonight’s first game of the double header Carlos Monasterios picked up a win for the Threshers going the distance. He held the Flying Tigers to just three hits in seven innings while striking out four and walking just one in his first start of the young season. The Thresher offense was held quiet as the team picked up only one run in the game, but thanks to Carlos’ efforts that proved to be enough. Continue reading Carlos Monasterios Gets Complete Game Shut Out in Clearwater
Roster notes
Sorry if this has been covered and I missed it, but 2 days ago BA listed a new set of minor league transactions;
Philadelphia Phillies
Signed: RHP Rodrigo Lopez
Released: RHP William Savage, 2B P.J. Antoniato, OF Alberto Cambero, OF Casey Craig, OF Brandon Haislet, OF Jay Miller, OF Javon Moran, OF Wilkin Ruan
Voluntarily retired: 2B Rob Watson
Added to 40-man roster: 2B Miguel Cairo
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Manny Ayala, RHP Mike Cisco, RHP Scott Mathieson, RHP Sam Walls, LHP Jason Mackintosh, LHP Walter Tejeda, 3B Terry Tiffee, OF Jeremy Slayden
Placed on temporarily inactive list: RHP Francisco Butto, RHP Edgar Garcia
Placed on military list: OF Karl Bolt
So there’s that.
Clearwater Week One Report: (4/9-4/14)
Things in Clearwater have looked pretty sunny through the first four games of the season, despite the fact that Tuesday night’s game was rained out. The team is loaded with talent this season, including seven of the Phuture Phillies Top 30 Prospects plus three players listed as near misses. The team’s new manager Ernie Whitt is a night and day difference from the 2008 manger Razor Shines (with Shine playing the part of night), and the team’s 3-1 record is the best of any Phillies minor league team so far in this young season.
Phuture Phillies 