Happy 4th of July weekend!
Happy Baseball!
We’re back at Citizens Bank Park in this picture perfect Friday morning for the start (or restart) of the Phillies’ training camp – three weeks of practice and games within the squad before the 60-game sprint begins. at the end of this month.
I started the morning in the garden, where I made a new batch of five-gallon bug spray. Red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder, dish detergent, milk, some eggs, a whole head of garlic. Fill with water and let those things sit in the sun and get all funkalicious. Sprinkle a little around the garden every night. Guaranteed to keep deer away. I picked out a zuke and a summer squash as I walked out the door and headed to the stadium, with a quick stop in Wawa for a 16-ounce cup of rocket fuel.
It’s good to be back and I hope everyone stays healthy so we can see this.
The goal here is to provide some live or half-life observations during this first workout. Keep checking for updates.
Here we go:
9:45 am – I signed up for CBP. They took my temperature through a facial imaging device. 98.2. I signed a resignation. Good to go.
9:50 am – It reached the press box. The same great view of the city center. The field is green and beautiful. Journalists have restrictions on wandering, so this is where I’ll be watching. Shoot. I forgot my binocs.
10 am – Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer arrives in the press room. He is wearing shorts. The legs are rather unsportsmanlike and he has apparently taken quarantine seriously because he has not received much sun.
10:04 am – The ground crew has finished preparing the field. Music is being played on the public address system. The ball bags are on the field. The batting cage is out.
10:05 am – There is some action on the visiting bench. A coach has stuck his head out. For reasons of space, both clubhouses are being used.
10:15 am – A terrain crew member is nailing the rubber spatula into the mound.
10:16 am – Greta Van Fleet’s Black Smoke Rising is playing on the public address system. Hmm
10:17 am – Bullpen catch / catcher coach Bob Stumpo heads to the corral with a large team bag.
10:26 am – Joe Girardi briefly emerges on the field. He’s wearing shorts and a T-shirt, a big cup of Joe in hand. Yes, he is masked.
10:27 am – The ground crew is putting tarps around the batting cage.
10:29 am – It’s good to see Brookie.
10:30 am – Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love is playing. Ah, the 80s.
10:40 am – Nick Pivetta, Vince Velasquez and Zach Eflin leave the shelter. It seems they are heading to the esplanade for a conditioning job. The esplanade is being used as a work area to alleviate overcrowding in the weight room.
10:45 am – The view of teammate John Airport …
Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins walking into the auxiliary locker room
Bryce still wears that
JT Realmuto shirsey 🤔 #Phillies pic.twitter.com/eBoGDml9Ad– John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 3, 2020
10:50 am – The terrain crew is watering the infield soil. Very relaxing and fascinating. Anyone who has done this knows what I am talking about.
10:53 am – I just noticed – just a flag waving in center field. The stars and stripes. There are no championship, state or city flags.
10:54 am – Andrew McCutchen just walked from the stands to the bench. He is masked. It looks like he’s spent time in the weight room.
11:04 am – JT Realmuto and Andrew Knapp have taken the field and are loosening their hoses.
11:06 am – Several coaches – Dusty Wathan, Juan Castro, Bobby Meacham, Mike Calitri – are playing on the court. Distanced and masked. Not all players wear masks, but they are distanced.
11:07 am – I just saw a fist bump. To call the police.
11:15 pm – Batting practice begins. McCutchen, Realmuto and Knapp in the first group. Wathan is pitching. Jukebox Hero is playing on the PA.
11:20 am – McCutchen hits one in the left field seats.
11:22 am – Realmuto hits one with right-center.
11:23 am – Jake Arrieta is walking in the garden. He is doing some stretching. He is wearing a muscular shirt and looks ready to dent some skulls.
11:27 am – Realmuto drives two in a row in the left field seats. Line drives.
11:35 am – The first round of BP is complete. Standard rate.
11:36 am – Realmuto and Knapp are putting the team. It seems that Arrieta is preparing to launch a pen.
11:40 am – Realmuto and Knapp are receiving drills with the help of a launch machine. Stealing low blows.
11:42 am – McCutchen is pulling a lot. Interested to see how it moves in the field exercises, if they are on the record.
11:43 am – Realmuto and Knapp headed to the bullpen to catch Arrieta and I’m not sure who the other guy is. Players do not carry numbers.
11:45 am – Arrieta actually prepared to launch a bullpen.
11:46 am McCutchen headed to left to do drills.
11:54 am – McCutchen is taking flying balls from the left. It looks much better than in March. Still picking up on a slight stun problem, but he seems to be on the right track with three weeks to prepare.
Midday – Phil Gosselin in the cage taking some hacks.
12:01 pm – I could really wear a za.
12:03 pm – Adam Morgan and Vinny Velo are playing catch. There are extra receivers here.
12:12 pm – Some new works of art in the press box. Very cool.
12:14 pm – Adam Morgan and Vinny Velo are shooting the bullpen. A sighting of Josh Harrison. It looks like Zach Eflin may be preparing to launch a pen.
12:16 pm – Rhys Hoskins appears for BP. A lot of hair.
12:17 pm – Phil Gosselin puts on the first base glove and takes ground balls into position. A little interesting
12:20 pm – Now playing: Pour Some Sugar on Me. A bundle or two?
12:21 pm – Coaches / staff wear masks. Most of the players are not, at least on the field while exercising. They use them when they go to the conditioning room, etc. There is a lot of action behind the scenes.
12:26 pm – Bryce Harper is in the batting cage. He is wearing his Realmuto number 10 jersey. Hoskins is also hitting in this group. Jean Segura too. I know that short hit.
12:32 pm – Harper hits three bombs in five hits, one in the opposite direction.
So Bryce Harper
start to crush it 💪🏻 # Phillies pic.twitter.com/4WJoKTqW6u– John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 3, 2020
12:35 pm – Segura is hitting with a mask. One of the few players who has one on the field.
12:54 pm – Roman Quinn sighting. He goes to the esplanade with a bat in his hands. There must be a shirt and a net up there. Again, it is out of my sight.
12:55 pm – Hoskins, Segura and Josh Harrison working on the painting. Segura is in third. Hoskins at first. Harrison in second.
1 pm – Things seem to be ending, at least in the first session. Hoping to chat with some of the participants in a while. So we’ll call this a wrapper for now. Thanks for follow me. Happy baseball, happy gardening, stay safe. And, Breen, get some sun on those legs.
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