Former World Series MVP Pat Borders to Manage Cutters in 2015
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that former major league catcher Pat Borders will manage the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Phillies short-season class A affiliate, in 2015.
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.
Borders 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 won 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.
In speaking about his goals for his first year as a professional manager, Border said, "I just hope to bring the energy and fun that I had when I played the game to these young players in the Phillies system. If I can just transfer that to them while helping them be better players, then I'll be happy."
Joining him in the dugout will be familiar faces to Crosscutters fans. Pitching coach Les Lancaster returns after spending last season in Lakewood (A) and Eddie Dennis will return for his second season as Williamsport's hitting coach. Lancaster was the Cutters pitching coach in 2013. He pitched seven years in the major leagues both as a starter and a reliever with the Cubs, Tigers, and Cardinals, going 41-28 with 22 saves and a 4.05 ERA.
The Cutters 2015 season opens on Friday, June 19 in State College and the home opener is slated for June 20 as Williamsport hosts the State College Spikes. Season tickets and Bonus Book mini-plans are now available by phone, online at crosscutters.com or in-person at Susquehanna Bank Park.
2015 Phillies Minor League Coaching Staffs
Lehigh Valley (AAA): Dave Brundage/Manager, Sal Rende/Coach, Mickey Morandini/Coach, Ray Burris/Pitching Coach
Reading (AA): Dusty Wathan/Manager, Frank Cacciatore/Coach, Dave Lundquist/Pitching Coach
Clearwater (A): Greg Legg /Manager, Rob Ducey /Coach, Steve Schrenk/Pitching Coach
Lakewood (A): Shawn Williams/Manager, Nelson Prada/Coach, Aaron Fultz /Pitching Coach
Williamsport (Short A): Pat Borders/Manager, Eddie Dennis/Coach, Les Lancaster/Pitching Coach,
GCL Phillies (Rookie): Roly deArmas/Manager, Rafael DeLima/Coach, Brian Sweeney/Pitching Coach