The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the

Single-A Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for each ...

affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at

BayCare Ballpark BayCare Ballpark is a baseball stadium located in Clearwater, Florida. The stadium was built in 2004 and has a maximum seating capacity of 8,500 people (7,000 fixed seats with additional grass berm seating for 1,500). The ballpark is the spring ...

since 2004. They previously played at

Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Jack Russell Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Clearwater, Florida. It opened as Jack Russell Stadium in 1955. It had a capacity of 4,744 when it opened; in 2003 seating capacity was 6,942 people. It was the spring training home of the Philadelphia ...

from 1985 to 2003. The team began play in 1985 as the Clearwater Phillies and were named for their

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

affiliate. Clearwater became the Threshers in 2004 when the team moved to the new Spectrum Field.

Clearwater Phillies

Clearwater city officials approached the Philadelphia Phillies as early as 1981 about locating a Phillies minor league affiliate at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. In July 1982, in a visit to Philadelphia, Clearwater city officials and the president of the Florida State League again asked the Philadelphia Phillies about affiliating with a team to be based in Clearwater. The

Amateur Softball Association An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist. History His ...

Clearwater Bombers had long used Jack Russell Stadium during the summer months when the field would be reconfigured for softball. The placement of a minor league baseball team would mean the relocation of the Bombers. The Florida State League granted the city of Clearwater a franchise on September 26, 1984. The Clearwater Phillies began play in 1985 after the Philadelphia Phillies ended their affiliation with their High Class A minor league team, the

Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...

Peninsula Pilots The Peninsula Pilots are an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at the War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, Virginia. The Pilots first started participating in the Co ...

, based in Hampton, Virginia, and placed their new team at Jack Russell Stadium. The Philadelphia Phillies owned the franchise and named the club the Clearwater Phillies. The Clearwater Phillies played their first game on April 12, 1985, at home, against the

Tampa Tarpons The Tampa Tarpons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Tampa, Florida. The Tarpons play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is ...

. The club played as the Clearwater Phillies through the 2003 season. The Phillies planned to leave Jack Russell Memorial Stadium after the 2003 season to move into a new ballpark,

Baycare Ballpark BayCare Ballpark is a baseball stadium located in Clearwater, Florida. The stadium was built in 2004 and has a maximum seating capacity of 8,500 people (7,000 fixed seats with additional grass berm seating for 1,500). The ballpark is the spring ...

, adjacent to the Carpenter Complex, the Phillies' minor league training facility. With the move to the new ballpark, the Clearwater Phillies were renamed the "Threshers" and adopted a new team logo and colors.

Threshers and Spectrum Field

In 2004, the Clearwater Threshers were managed by former Phillies player and

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

Mike Schmidt Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 18-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and a ...

. Greg Legg managed the team in 2005 and 2006.

Dave Huppert David Blain Huppert (born April 17, 1957) is an American former professional baseball catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) and former manager of the Lakeland Flying Tigers of Minor League Baseball's Florida State League (FSL) in the Detroit ...

was the manager in 2007, and

Razor Shines Anthony Razor Shines (born July 18, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during parts of four seasons for the Montreal Expos, primarily as a first baseman. He later served as ...

in 2008. Ernie Whitt was named the manager for the 2009 season after Shines was promoted to base coach for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

. In 2007, the Threshers won the second half in the FSL West Division. They defeated the

Sarasota Reds The Sarasota Reds were a professional minor league baseball team, located in Sarasota, Florida, as a member of the Florida State League. However team originally started play in Sarasota as the Sarasota White Sox in 1989. They remained in the city ...

(2–1) in the FSL West Division Playoffs, then defeated the

Brevard County Manatees The Brevard County Manatees were a minor league baseball team of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League from 1994 to 2016. They were based in Viera, Florida, and played their home games at Space Coast Stadium. The team left Brevard County af ...

3 games to 1 in the FSL Championship Series (best-of-five) to win the FSL title. The Threshers were named MiLB.com's Class A Advanced Team of the Year. A single-game attendance record of 9,090 was set on July 3, 2008. On July 26, 2009,

Pedro Martínez Pedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to , for five teams—most notably the Boston Red Sox from to . At the time o ...

made a rehab start for the Threshers against the St. Lucie Mets at Spectrum Field. Martinez pitched 1 innings before rain caused the game to be canceled, wiping out the official record of his start. Martinez subsequently moved to the

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...

for his next start. On May 23, 2011, The Threshers gained national attention after playing in a 23-inning game against the

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean ...

Season-by-season

These statistics are current through the 2018 season.

Full season

Split season

Roster

Notable Clearwater Phillies and Threshers alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni *

Pedro Martinez Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for '' Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...

(2009) inducted, 2015 *

(2004, MGR) inducted, 1995 *

Jim Thome James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during the ...

(2005, 2012) inducted, 2018 Notable alumni * Philippe Aumont *

Ricky Bottalico Ricky Paul Bottalico (; born August 26, 1969) is an American former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Dia ...

(1993) MLB All-Star *

Jeff Brantley Jeffrey Hoke Brantley (born September 5, 1963) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, from to . Brantley currently is a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds. Early care ...

(2000) MLB All-Star *

Pat Burrell Patrick Brian Burrell (born October 10, 1976), nicknamed "Pat the Bat", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and San Francisco Giants. Bur ...

(1998) *

Paul Byrd Paul Gregory Byrd (born December 3, 1970), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who is currently a TV sports broadcaster for Atlanta Braves games on Bally Sports Southeast. While pitching in Major League Baseball (MLB), ...

(2001) MLB All-Star *

Drew Carpenter Andrew James Rudolph "Drew" Carpenter (born May 18, 1985), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. A graduate of Long Beach State University, Carpenter has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Dieg ...

(2007) * Carlos Carrasco * Danny Cox (1991) *

Darren Daulton Darren Arthur Daulton (January 3, 1962 – August 6, 2017), nicknamed "Dutch", was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (, –) and Florida Marlins (1997). While with ...

(1987, 1996) 3 x MLB All-Star *

Johnny Estrada Johnny Pulado Estrada III (born June 27, 1976) is an American former professional baseball catcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington N ...

(1999) MLB All-Star *

Tom Gordon Thomas Flynn Gordon (born November 18, 1967), nicknamed "Flash," is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher and current radio color commentator for the Boston Red Sox. Gordon played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Ka ...

(2006–2008) 3 x MLB All-Star *

Jason Grimsley Jason Alan Grimsley (born August 7, 1967) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for seven teams during a 15-year career. He was a member of both the 1999 and 2000 World Series champion New York Yankees. Major League career J ...

(1988) *

Cole Hamels Colbert Michael Hamels (born December 27, 1983), nicknamed "Hollywood", is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2015), Texas Rangers ( ...

(2003-2006, 2014) 4 x MLB All-Star; 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player *

J. A. Happ James Anthony Happ (born October 19, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, New Y ...

(2006, 2010) *

Von Hayes Von Francis Hayes (born August 31, 1958) is an American former professional baseball player whose Major League Baseball (MLB) career spanned from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels. Hayes was acqui ...

(1990) MLB All-Star * Ryan Howard (2003) 3 x MLB All-Star; 2005 NL Rookie of the Year; 2006 NL Most Valuable Player *

Kyle Kendrick Kyle Rodney Kendrick (born August 26, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies, and Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Kendrick was born in Houston, Texas ...

(2005–2006) *

Scott Kingery Scott Michael Kingery (born April 29, 1994) is an American professional baseball utility player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. The Phillies selected Kingery in the second round, 48th overall, of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, ...

(2016) *

Cliff Lee Clifton Phifer Lee (born August 30, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 2002 and 2014 he played for four teams, most notably the Philadelphia Philli ...

(2014) 4 x MLB All-Star; 2008 Cy Young Award *

Mike Lieberthal Michael Scott "Lieby" Lieberthal (born January 18, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He batted and threw right-handed. In a 14-year career, Lieberthal played for the Philadelphia Phillies (–) and the Los Angeles Dodge ...

(1991) 2 x MLB All-Star * Chuck McElroy (1987) *

Scott Mathieson Scott William Mathieson (born February 27, 1984) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. Career ...

Mickey Morandini Michael Robert "Mickey" Morandini (born April 22, 1966), is an American former professional baseball second baseman and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays. His car ...

(1989) MLB All-Star *

Nick Punto Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers ...

(1999) * Elizardo Ramirez * Chris Roberson *

Scott Rolen Scott Bruce Rolen (born April 4, 1975) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds. He was an eight-t ...

(1995) 7 x MLB All-Star; 8 x Gold Glove; 1997 NL Rookie of the Year *

Jimmy Rollins James Calvin Rollins (born November 27, 1978), nicknamed "J-Roll", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (–), Los Angeles Dodgers (), and Chicago White S ...

(1998, 2008, 2010) 3 x MLB All-Star; 2007 NL Most Valuable Player *

Curt Schilling Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is a commentator for conservative media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance ...

(1996, 2000) 6 x MLB All-Star; 2001 World Series Most Valuable Player * Michael Schwimer * Carlos Silva (2000) *

Alfredo Simón Alfredo Simón Cabrera, also known as The Big Pasta, (born May 8, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. From 2001 thr ...

MLB All-Star *

Chase Utley Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978), nicknamed "The Man" and "Silver Fox", is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. ...

(2001, 2010–2012) 6 x MLB All-Star *

Jayson Werth Jayson Richard Gowan Werth (born May 20, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 to 2017. His 15-season career was split among the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, P ...

(2007–2008) MLB All-Star * Luke Williams *

Mitch Williams Mitchell Steven Williams (born November 17, 1964), nicknamed "Wild Thing", is an American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for six teams from 1986 to 1997. He was also a studio analyst for the MLB Network from 2009 to ...

(1996) MLB All-Star *

Randy Wolf Randall Christopher Wolf (born August 22, 1976) nicknamed "Wolfie", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, ...

(2003, 2006) MLB All-Star *

Mike Zagurski Michael Justin Zagurski (born January 27, 1983), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yank ...

Former coaches and trainers

(manager – 2004) W-L: 55–81 *

Greg Legg Gregory Lynn Legg (born April 21, 1960), is an American professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, in two seasons (–). During his playing days, Legg stood , weighing . Legg s ...

(manager 2005–2006) W-L: 108–167 *

(manager 2007) W-L: 83–57 / League Champions *

(manager 2008) W-L: 64–76 *Dan Roberts (hitting coach 2004–2005) *

Greg Gross Gregory Eugene Gross (born August 1, 1952), is an American former professional baseball outfielder / pinch hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and Philadelphia Phillies, from –. He was prev ...

(hitting coach 2006) *

Brad Komminsk Brad Lynn Komminsk (born April 4, 1961), is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He attended Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio, where he played basketball and baseball and was an all-state linebacker in football. He received athle ...

(hitting coach 2007) *

Steve Schrenk Steven Wayne Schrenk (born November 20, 1968) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. Career He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 4th roun ...

(pitching coach 2004 and 2007–2008)

References

External links

*
Statistics from ''Baseball-Reference''
{{Florida Sports Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates Florida State League teams Baseball teams established in 1985 1985 establishments in Florida Sports in Clearwater, Florida