Clearwater Threshers Alumni Night

2001 Multi-Ad Clearwater Phillies #7 and
2002 Grandstand Clearwater Phillies #4

I'm bummed these guys are injured, but it was kind of cool watching the Class A Clearwater Threshers game tonight, where one third of the starting line-up was comprised of current Phillies on rehab assignments. Chase Utley got the start at second, Roy Oswalt was on the mound and Carlos Ruiz was the starting catcher.

Fortunately, the fact these three guys are even on rehab assignments means they are getting closer to returning to active duty for the big club.

All three played five innings. After a solid first inning (14 pitches – 13 for strikes), Oswalt looked shaky at times, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five. It also looked as if the velocity on his fastball was down.  But as analyst Ricky Bottalico pointed out – he was definitely working on his stuff, and not necessarily going with his normal gameplan. Utley walked and hit a solo home run in the fifth. Ruiz went one for three with a run scored.

Utley spent all of 2001 in Clearwater, his first full year in the Phillies system, while Ruiz spent parts of 2002 and 2003 in Clearwater.