The truck carrying the Phillies Spring Training gear was due to arrive today at Brighthouse Field in Clearwater. The truck is carrying over 1,000 baseball bats and 2,000 baseballs, not to mention 15 cases of gum (probably all for Charlie Manuel).
While the gear arrives today, the first wave of voluntary players can report on Monday February 11. This means that despite what the current weather in Philadelphia and the Northeast would lead you to believe, Spring (Training) is almost here. Spring is a time of new beginnings and after a disappointing 81-81 2012 season, that's just what the Phillies and their fans need. Spring Training brings a clean slate for the team and its players, so it is time to leave the past in the past and focus on 2013.
This Spring Training will have a few good story-lines to follow throughout and should be quite eventful. The team and its fans will get their first looks at new acquisitions Ben Revere, Mike Adams, and health providing, Delmon Young. Players who were injured in the past such as Chase Utley and Ryan Howard will hopefully be back at full strength and ready for bounce-back individual and team seasons. This spring training will also see a few young faces trying to prove ready to make the big league club. Dom Brown will be trying to finally secure a starting role in the outfield while battling for the position against the likes of John Mayberry Jr., and the up-and-coming Darin Ruf who lit up Double A last year hitting home runs everywhere and then made an impressive first impression is his September call up. After hitting .333 with 3 home runs in 33 at-bats after his call-up look for Ruf to try and prove he's ready to be a big-leaguer and that last year was just the first glimpse of great things to come. The regular season kicks off Monday April 1 at Atlanta, so gear up, stay warm, and remember that the season is just around the corner. Go Phils!
No comments:
Post a Comment