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Clearwater Threshers Thread: Utley, Ruiz, & Oswalt

Minor League rehab games are normally not all that important. A player will play a few innings, bring the team some dinner, shake a few hands, and be on his way. Tonight is different.

With Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, and Roy Oswalt playing, all of Phillies Nation will be watching to see if their favorite stars are healthy and ready to do battle on a major league stage soon. They’ll play with the Clearwater Threshers as they take on the Palm Beach Cardinals. By all accounts, they are. Ruiz and Oswalt could be ready to join the Phillies as soon as Friday, with Oswalt pitching Tuesday against St. Louis.

Use this thread to discuss tonight’s game, as it will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet at 7 pm. Jim Jackson and Ricky Bottalico have the call.

Starting pitchers:

Roy Oswalt, Clearwater Threshers vs. Joe Kelly, Palm Beach Cardinals (1-1, 3.62 ERA in 5 starts).

Clearwater Lineup:

1. Jiwan James 8
2. Chase Utley 4
3. Carlos Ruiz 2
4. Darin Ruf 3
5. Jonathan Singleton 7
6. Joe Savery 0
7. Leandro Castro 9
8. Jeremy Barnes 5
9. Troy Hanzawa 6

Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.