Recaps for an indefinite period will be a little sketchy.  We have guests, a favorite niece and two favorite grandchildren.  A favorite daughter arrives this weekend.  I find I have little time to do the write up and can’t stay up as late as usual to expand on them.  When they all depart toward the end of next week, we are traveling north for a visit that culminates at CBP for the Phantasy Camp reunion game on August 18th against the Mets.  The grandkids are pre-teens and my back is already sore after just one day.  I opted to go to dinner with the family and missed Crawford’s initial rehab with the Threshers.  SMH.  I imagine I’ll have more time when I’m in the Paoli area in two weeks.  In the mean time, I’m sorry for the expected drop off in content.

The Clearwater Threshers (54-51) lost to Tampa, 5-2.  J.P. Crawford went 0-3 with 2 strike outs before being replaced by Jose Gomez.  McKenzie Mills gave up 3 runs in five innings on 4 hits and 5 walks with 6 strike outs.  Grant Dyer gave up the other 2 runs in one inning of work.  The Tarpons were successful on 6 of 7 steal attempts.  Five came against Mills.  Their one CS was on a pickoff.  The offense managed just 4 hits.  Pujols and Moniak doubled, Rivas and Cabral singled.  Pujols and Rivas had the RBIs.  Markham had an outfield assist. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 8/1/2018 →

The Clearwater Threshers (54-50) beat Tampa, 4-2.  Mauricio Llovera (the guy everyone wants to move to the bullpen) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning when a lead off walk helped derail his evening.  Llovera (4-7, 4.40) pitched 6.2 innings and gave up 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 walks.  He struck out a career high 10 Tarpons.  Jonathan Hennigan (0.00) allowed an inherited runner to score after a balk call, but settled down and struck out 2 in 1.1 innings.  Addison Russ (2.70) struck out 2 in one inning and picked up his 6th save. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/31/2018 →

J.P. Crawford made a rehab start with the GCL Phillies East squad.  The big league shortstop led off and played short for the home team.  As so often seemingly happens, the ball found Crawford on the first play, a ground out to Crawford.  It was his only chance of the day.

Crawford was replaced after five innings (as planned) but had managed to get 5 at bats.  He struck out in the first inning, then walked in his next 4 at bats.  He had a particularly efficient line for a guy who didn’t put a ball in play – Crawford went 0-1 with 2 runs scored, 3 RBI, and 4 walks.

The Clearwater Threshers (53-50) had a scheduled day off.  They resume play Tuesday Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/30/2018 →

The Clearwater Threshers (53-50) lost the completion of Saturday’s suspended game, 4-2. The regularly scheduled game was cancelled.  

Andrew Brown (2.25) pitched four one-run innings Saturday. He held the Tigers to 4 hits and a walk.  He struck out two.  Jose Pujols hit a solo HR (18) Saturday before the game was suspended with one out in the visitors’ fifth.   Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/29/2018 →

The Clearwater Threshers (53-49) game against Lakeland was suspended in the fifth inning with the scored tied, 1-1.  Andrew Brown (2.25) pitched four solid innings.  He allowed one run on 4 hits and a walk.  He struck out two.  Jose Pujols hit his 18th HR and is one short of the Threshers’ record of 19 (set by Art Charles in 2015 and tied by Kyle Martinin in 2016), and 5 short of the franchise record of 23 by Ryan Howard (for the Clearwater Phillies).  Pujols also had an outfield assist throwing a runner out at home.

The game will be completed tomorrow.  The regularly scheduled game will be 7 innings.  Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/28/2018 →

The Phillies completed a trade yesterday aimed at bolstering their infield/bench.  They acquired New York Mets’ infielder Asdrubel Cabrera for #10 prospect, Reading’s RHP Franklyn Kilome.   Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/27/2018 →

The MLB Pipeline published the Phillies Top 30 Prospects (link).  The biggest surprise, and I do mean the BIGGEST, is that the #27 prospect (Kevin Gowdy) looks exactly like the #26 prospect (Dominic Pipkin).  Hope they pick prospects better than they take photos. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/26/2018 →

If you have recently looked at the organization’s rosters that I compile (link below), you may have noticed a new classification in the Legend – Future Services.  It is designated with a blue background. Future services is a term that I only learned this season.  I became vaguely aware of the practice back when Ben Pelletier and Reggie Wilson were drafted in 2015.  For those of you to whom this is a new concept, this is from the Major League Rules, MLR 2(j), from March 2008. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/25/2018 →

The Clearwater Threshers (50-49) lost St. Lucie, 10-8.  Bad night all around for some guys. Mauricio Llovera (4.54) gave up 6 runs in five innings on 7 hits, a walk, and 2 hit batters.  He struck out four and gave up 2 HR.  Alberrto Tirado (1-1, 3.00) pitched one no-hit ining, but opened the next inning with 3 walks on 16 pitches before they could get him out of there. The legend of Jake Hernandez (2.80) took a hit when he allowed all three inherited runners to score plus an additional rum.  Would have been worse if Grenny Cumana hadn’t cut down a runner at the plate.  Blake Quinn finished with a 3-strike out inning. Continue reading Clearwater Threshers Recap – 7/24/2018 →