All posts by Jeff Crupper

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About Jeff Crupper

It depends on which blog you are reading, but now now you have either discovered that I am a huge baseball fan, or that I have a twisted sense of humor and like to rant about just about anything. Whichever it is I hope you enjoy your stay and spread the word.

Clearwater Threshers Report

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio, Savery, Joe

Well last week’s report contained 8 games due to a 10:30 am game on Wednesday last week, so this week’s report includes only 5 games because of a day off for the league on Tuesday this week. Of course the big story for the week was Antonio Bastardo’s line in his game this past week. Overall the team went 2-3 on the week winning it’s last two games making it the first time this season the team has won two games in a row.

The offense has come to life a bit as of late coming up from last in the league in team batting average after week one, and next to last in batting average after week two to fourth (of twelve teams) in batting average currently. The offense has drawn the second most walks in the league, and has struck out fewer than all but one team in the league. Unfortunately the team is hitting without any power at all. The offense is last in slugging percentage, and in all XBH categories, last is RBIs, and next to last in runs scored as a result. (The odd thing is the team with the fewest runs in the league, the Tampa Yankees, are only one game out of first in the division.)

For the most part pitching remains the team’s strength and they lead the league with four shut outs so far this year, and have allowed the second fewest runs. The team has the third most strikeouts in the league with 197, but has also allowed the second most walks with 99. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Report →

Bastardo and the Sharks Blank the Yanks

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio, Game Recaps

Despite having given up just four runs in four games while striking out a league high 34 batters Clearwater Threshers’ starter Antonio Bastardo had earned just one win in his first four tries this year. On Sunday afternoon he would be given his fifth chance to earn a win, and he certainly made the most of his outing. Antonio had his best outing of the year going 8.0 innings and striking out 13 Yankees in the process both season highs for him. Continue reading Bastardo and the Sharks Blank the Yanks →

Clearwater Threshers Weekly Report

02. Org Reports, 04. Prospect Features, 5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio, Savery, Joe

This week’s Clearwater Threshers report includes a bonus 8 games for the week thanks to a 10:30 am game on Wednesday that I was able to include here. Fortunately it was able to add another win to put them at a still disappointing 3-5 since my last report. As I mentioned last week it continues to be the pitching that is helping Clearwater out while their hitting as a team remains a disappointment to this point in the year.

Despite the poor team record there are some prospects on the team putting up terrific numbers. As I mentioned the pitching is carrying them to this point so I’ll touch on that first. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Weekly Report →

Clearwater Threshers News

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio, Game Recaps

The Clearwater Threshers continue to struggle with a record of 4-8 on the season.  The pitching has by far been the team’s strength as they have the 4th best ERA in the league at 3.32 and the 3rd most strikeouts with 94.  Unfortunately their hitting has kept them from winning very many as they are dead last in the league in hits, and slugging percentage with only 20 extra base hits on the year.

Antonio Bastardo and Joe Savery have lead the way for the starting pitchers each posting impressive 0.90 ERAs on the year while Adrian Cardenas (.347), Matt Spencer (.302) and John Urick (.300) are the only Threshers hitters batting .300 or better with five players languishing at .200 or below.

Continue reading Clearwater Threshers News →

Threshers’ Pitching Grounds Flying Tigers

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio

Matt Spencer celebrates after what would prove to be the game winning home run.

It’s not the normal night for Threshers news, but the pitching staff threw such a gem tonight, I thought the news was worth sharing.

The Clearwater Threshers came out on Friday night after being shut out for the first time this season on Thursday looking for some retribution. Antonio Bastardo took the hill for the team, and for five innings he held the Lakeland Flying Tigers on the runway never able to take off. He picked up ten Ks and allowed just three hits and three walks over that period.

Continue reading Threshers’ Pitching Grounds Flying Tigers →

Clearwater Threshers Weekly Roundup

5. Clearwater, Bastardo, Antonio, Savery, Joe

We’re now six games into this young season with the Threshers off to a slow start at 2-4 on the year. Five players: Adrian Cardenas, Quintin Berry, Gus Milner, Matt Spencer, and John Urick have played in every game, while six different pitchers: Joe Savery, Carlos Monasterio, Antonio Bastardo, Darren Byrd, Edgar Garcia and Dan Brauer have been handed the ball to start a game.

So far Adrian Cardenas has stolen the show for the team as he has hit safely in all but one of the games including a 3-4 and a 4-5 effort. He is currently hitting .417 with 3 doubles, a stolen base and a team best 4 runs scored. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Weekly Roundup →

Black Monday in the Minors

Other Stuff

Today was the day for big cuts in the minors.  Here is a list of the Phillies’ transactions based on the latest minor league roster, and a summary of the changes from the week 3 roster including the cuts made today.

Continue reading Black Monday in the Minors →

Updated Minor League Rosters ST Week 4

2. GCL, 3. Williamsport, 4. Lakewood, 5. Clearwater, 6. Reading, 7. Lehigh Valley, Depth Charts, Spring Training 2008, Transactions

Alright gang, here are this week’s updated minor league rosters. You can compare this to the week 3 roster and week 2 rosterand week 1 roster that I had posted earlier if you would like.

Quite a few cuts all in around in the minors this week, with one more round left to go this week before minor league rosters are finalized next Monday.

I’ll keep on the lookout for each new officially posted roster and keep them updated here as needed.

I don’t know how much of a limb I am going out on to project this, but I have updated my Clearwater Threshers website with this (click here) as my projected 2008 line up. The projection is based on the latest 2008 ST roster mixed in with a little intuition. I’m guessing I’ll have about 20 of the 25 players correct, with a few free agent signings thrown in at the last minute just to mess things up and maybe a few other moves in the mix.

Updated 2008 Minor League Rosters (Workout Groups)

3. Williamsport, 4. Lakewood, 5. Clearwater, 6. Reading, 7. Lehigh Valley, Spring Training 2008, Transactions

I hit the Carpenter Complex to check out the first day of minor league games.  It was the Clearwater (Group 3) team and the Lakewood (Group 4) teams against the Orioles.  Nothing of terrific interest to report except that I did pick up the newly updated minor league rosters.  This version has the guys broken out into five groups not four like the previous version that I had posted a while back. Continue reading Updated 2008 Minor League Rosters (Workout Groups) →

The Andrew Carpenter Interview

* Interviews, 5. Clearwater, 6. Reading, 7. Lehigh Valley, Spring Training 2008

andrewcarpenter.jpg

First and foremost… I’ve always called you Andrew, but I keep seeing you referred to as “Drew” Carpenter around the net.  Which is it…Drew or Andrew?

Andrew

I know from talking with you earlier that you said you’ve been in Clearwater working out since January to try to be in better shape this year than you were last year. What sort of goals have you set for yourself in 2008?  

I think everyone’s goal each year is to get to Philly because I know mine is. Other than that they are to win another championship, to keep my team in every ball game to give them a chance to win, to keep progressing on my changeup and making that better, and now in AA maybe get a couple of hits this year.
 Continue reading The Andrew Carpenter Interview →