Borders Returns to Lead Cutters for Third Year
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that Pat Borders will return for a third season as manager of the Williamsport Crosscutters.
Last season, Borders led the team to a second-place finish in the NYPL's Pinckney Division with a record of 39-36. In 2015 under Borders, the team had a league-best 45-33 record resulting in the Cutters first playoff appearance since 2005.
Borders appeared in a total of 1099 Major League games over 17 seasons playing for nine different teams. He spent the most time with the Toronto Blue Jays (1988-1994, 1999) who drafted him in the 6th round of the 1982 draft.
He was the starting catcher for the Blue Jays World Series championship clubs in 1992 and 1993 and was named the World Series MVP in '92 when he hit .450 in the Fall Classic. He also was on the USA Baseball team that earned a gold medal in the Seoul Olympics in 2000, making him one of just four players to have won both a World Series championship and an Olympic gold medal.
With just 10 more victories Borders will set the Crosscutters mark for most career wins by a manager. The record of 94 victories is currently held by Andy Stewart who led the teams to 48 wins in 2002 and 46 in 2003 while capturing the NYPL Championship. Borders will become the first Cutters manager to spend three seasons at the helm of the club.
Joining Borders in the dugout will be second year pitching coach Hector Berrios and coach Tyler Henson. Berrios, who will begin his 20th year as a minor league pitching coach, led the 2016 Cutters pitching staff to a 2.70 ERA in 2016, ranking second in the league. Henson will be making his coaching debut. He was drafted in the 5th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2006, playing a total of ten seasons in the minors including his last three seasons with the Phillies Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs (2013-2015). He appeared in 1,058 minor league games hitting .263 with 67 homers, 453 RBI and 137 stolen bases.
The Crosscutters 2017 home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20 against the State College Spikes. Season tickets and Bonus Book mini-plans are now available by phone, online at crosscutters.com or in-person at BB&T Ballpark.
2017 Phillies Minor League Coaching Staffs
Lehigh Valley (AAA): Dusty Wathan/Manager, Sal Rende/Coach, Dave Lundquist/Pitching Coach
Reading (AA): Greg Legg/Manager, John Mizerock/Coach, Steve Schrenk/Pitching Coach
Clearwater (A): Shawn Williams/Manager, Rob Ducey/Coach, Aaron Fultz/Pitching Coach
Lakewood (A): Marty Malloy/Manager, Nelson Prada/Coach, Brian Sweeney/Pitching Coach
Williamsport (Short A): Pat Borders/Manager, Tyler Henson/Coach, Hector Berrios/Pitching Coach,
GCL Phillies (Rookie): Roly deArmas/Manager, Rafael DeLima/Coach, Charlie Hayes/Coach, Hector Mercado/Pitching Coach