For the last few years, Minor League Baseball has conducted an annual online contest to determine the most popular minor league mascot. This season, fans across Minor League Baseball voted for their favorite lions, tigers, bears, fish, aliens, or other anthromorphic mammals.
When the dust settled and the hanging chads meticulously counted, Phinley of the Clearwater Threshers was named 2014 Minor League Baseball Mascot of the Year.
Phinley has been the mascot of the Threshers since they began with the name "Threshers" in 2004. Since 2006, Phinley has been "manned" by Dave Deas of Clearwater. I've corresponded with Dave before and I learned firsthand how seriously he takes his craft. Not many mascots attend Mascot Boot Camp after being in the business for 10 years.
As minor league players rarely stay on a team for more than a season, it is very important for a minor league franchise to have a face fans can identify with. Phinley is that face for the Clearwater Threshers. In recent months, he has been seen all over the Tampa Bay area, from Brighthouse Field to Clearwater Beach to area fairs to conventions to city gatherings.
Online, Phinley is also highly active. His Facebook account has over 1,400 likes and his Twitter account has 665 followers. Besides the fin-tastic banter, Phinley has become known for his great photoshops, many of which put him in pop culture posters, such as Captain America ads, Game of Thrones, screen shots of Sharknado 2, or Shark Week.
His followers are also very active, re-tweeting many of Phinley's posts or interacting with him. This interaction has given Phinley quite the cache in the Clearwater community. Announcements of his victory came from the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Clearwater Regional Chamber, and local resorts. During the voting, the Mayor of Clearwater endorsed Phinley.
I am a huge fan of mascots as marketing tools and Phinley is a mascot done right. Interaction in the community, interaction online, and most importantly, interaction at the stadium with the fanbase. The entire Threshers marketing department should be proud of their mascot's acknowledgment as the best in Minor League Baseball.