For the BlueClaws pre-game show, BlueClaws Beat, Josh Ellis spoke with the nation’s leader in stolen bases, All-Star centerfielder Anthony Gose. Here are a few quotes from the interview and a link to the entire audio:

“I’m just relaxing and trying not to press at the plate. I’m just trying to be myself, put the ball in play, keep it out of the air and things will happen”

“I am still trying to steal every time I get on”

“Obviously, Willie Mays Hayes is a fictional character, but that’s my favorite baseball player. I just really like Willie Mays Hayes, he’s a great guy.”

Click here for the audio.

Here’s the field…very important…TONIGHT’S CONCERT IS RAIN OR SHINE…Thank you, and have a wonderful day.

The BlueClaws were no-hit in Asheville by right-hander Bruce Billings. Where are the BlueClaws tonight? You guessed it, Asheville.

Here is the box score from the game. You’ll see a few current BlueClaws pitchers in there (Eryk McConnell and Jared Simon), but none of the hitters who contributed in the game are still with the ballclub.

It was the first, and is still the only, no-hitter tossed against Lakewood in their history. Here’s to it being the last.

Here are tonight’s game notes.

Welcome to McCormick Field in Asheville, NC, for tonight’s game between the BlueClaws and Asheville Tourists…Game notes here…Audio here (at 6:50).

Don’t be fooled…By Asheville’s 42-51 record…They are 16-8 in the second half and lead the league in hitting at .267.

Still Going…Travis d’Arnaud’s hitting streak is up to 11, over which he is 22-54 (.407)…BJ Rosenberg hasn’t allowed a run since May 31st.

Flipped…After Anthony Gose led off for the last six games of the homestand, he is back in the two-hole tonight with Harold Garcia back in the leadoff spot.

6:06: It is raining…Tarp went on the field around 4, off at 5, and they are ready to put it back on now, but it’s not raining hard enough. Yet.

6:08: And the tarp is going on.

6:31: Tarp coming off as we blog.

7:09: ‘Claws down 1-2-3 in the first…Here’s De Fratus, with an 11.15 ERA as a starter this year…Intersting start. Rest below.

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Here are a few more photos…

Like every Minor League Team, the BlueClaws have had their share of players come and go. Here is a look at the players who spent time with the BlueClaws this season, even if it was for two days, where they are now and how they’re doing.

JC Romero – Philadelphia Phillies – 0-0, 2.87 ERA, 15.2 IP, 6 holds, 13Ks

Orlando Guevara – Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies Triple-A) – 1-for-3

Steve Susdorf – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 41-for-99, .414, 6 2B, 3 HR – Absolutely tearing it up

Jon Velasquez – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 1-2, 2.70 ERA, 20 ip, 20h, 13Ks

Tyler Cloyd - Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 1-3, 4.76 ERA , 28.1 IP, 37H, 11Ks

Santo Hernandez – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 1-0, 5.27 ERA, 2 saves, 13.2 ip, 16Ks

Walter Tejeda – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 1-1, 3.04 ERA, 23.2 IP, 29 h, 18Ks

Jesus Villegas – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 39-for-168, .232, 7 2b, 3 hr – On DL

Luiz Arzeno – Clearwater Threshers (Phillies Hi-A) – 18-for-85, .212, 4 2b

Sebastian Valle – Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies Lo-A) – 28-for-76, .368, 8 2b, 3 3b, 4 hr

Zach Collier – Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies Lo-A) – 0-for-4, one game

Leandro Castro – Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies Lo-A) – 29-for-101, .287, 6 2b

Alan Schoenberger – Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies Lo-A) – 8-for-35, .211, HR

Esmelvin Jiminez – Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies Lo-A) – 1-2, 4.15 ERA, 8.2 ip, 6Ks – Transfered to GCL

Ryan Airail - St. Paul Saints (Independent – Northern League) – 1-0, 0.50 ERA, 18ip, 1 ER

The BlueClaws wish the best of luck to all the players that have left the Jersey Shore.

With Thursday’s Bob Dylan Show (with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp) upon us, let’s look at some photos of the set-up of the ballpark…

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Phillies brass, including General Manager Ruben Amaro, were pleased with a 64 pitch simulated game thrown by new acquisition Pedro Martinez yesterday in Clearwater.

“The ball seemed to be coming out of his hand much better in the second two innings than the first,” Amaro. “He utilized all his pitches. I was impressed with his ability to throw his off-speed pitches for strikes. I think it was a good step for him and we’ll continue to progress him.”

It was the first time seeing Martinez for Amaro since Pedro was a Met. Phillies scouts had seen and recommended Marinez before he signed with the club last week.

Our friend Dave Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News has more from Clearwater.

By the way, Pedro could make a rehab start on Sunday and then again on Friday July 31st.

Picnic and party deck tickets for THUNDERFEST, an all-day country music festival 9/27 at FirstEnergy Park, are now available.

Two new special ticket offers for THUNDERFEST… Picnic tickets are now available for THUNDERFEST, includes your admission and an hour and a half picnic buffet for $60. Or purchase a Thunderfest VIP ticket with access to the party decks and catered food spread for $98.50! Tickets are limited to availability. Call 732.901.7000 for ticket information. These tickets can only be purchased in person or over the phone at FirstEnergy Park, home of the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Jason Aldean headlines the show, which also features Julia Burton. More details about THUNDERFEST here.

We’re talking about former BlueClaws OF Steve Susdorf, who has been described by Lakewood manager Dusty Wathan many times as a “professional hitter.”

The professional hitter went 4-4 last night for Clearwater and is now 41-99 with the Threshers with a cool OPS of 1.019.

Susdorf, you may remember, joined Lakewood on Memorial Day and hit .333 with 15 RBIs in 21 games in helping the BlueClaws to the first half title.

Greg Legg, the day Lakewood clinched that title in Hagerstown said “We might have won without him, but it wouldn’t have been today.” Quite the praise, considering that Susdorf only played 21 games of the 68 the BlueClaws did in the first half.

Susdorf turned 23 in March, and don’t be at all surprised if he gets a shot at Reading this summer.

How great is YouTube? Check out this human cannonball I fould from the Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars, the folks that will be in Lakewood next month (August 14-16). De

tails here. Enjoy.

BlueClaws Zach Collier has been sent to Williamsport and the BlueClaws have received OF TJ Warren from the Crosscutters to take his place on the roster.

Collier, 18, was hitting .218 with Lakewood and had 25 hits in his last 130 at bats. He was a supplemental first-round pick of the Phillies last year.

Warren, who was with Lakewood last year, where he went .251-2-30, was hitting .286 in 77 at bats with Williamsport. He was an 8th round pick in 2006.

Welcome back to FirstEnergy Park for tonight’s game between the BlueClaws and Legends…Lakewood has won 2 in a row and has taken 2 of the first 3 in the series…Game notes…Audio

LWD: RHP Trevor May (1-1, 3.34)
LEX: LHP Brad Dydalewicz (5-4, 3.37)

Going for 19…This is Lakewood’s 6th crack at getting to 19 games over .500 on the year. They are 0-5 at 18-games over this year.

Jim Callis of Baseball America took the time to speak with BlueClaws blog about a number of topics pertaining to the Phillies minor league teams, here is the Q&A:

BB: How do you see the Phillies system now compared to a few years ago?

JC: It’s a lot deeper than it used to be, both in terms of the talent and how it’s spread through the system. They have several quality prospects in the upper levels (Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson and Jason Donald) and more on the way (Dominic Brown, Jason Knapp, and a slew of other guys they’ve drafted in the last couple of years). We ranked the farm system no higher than 20th at the outset of the 2004-2008 seasons, but we jumped them up to the 12th coming into this year. They’ve definitely making strides.

BB: There is speculation that the Phillies have placed the untouchable tag on Kyle Drabek in regards to a possible Roy Halladay acquisition. Would you go that far if it were your decision?

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