» Spring Training Opens: On World Series; “Last Year Ends Today” - Manuel

Spring Training Opens: On World Series; “Last Year Ends Today” - Manuel

The Phillies officially opened their World Series championship defense as spring training began on Saturday, Valentines Day.

Manager Charlie Manuel set the tone for the team in this video making one last set of congratulations to the team but then noting that “last year ends today” and that the job is now to repeat.

As I sit thousands of miles away from Philadelphia, from Clearwater, I harken back to that old expression of the WIBG D-Js of my youth; “So nice, we gonna play it twice.

Manuel wasted no time announcing his Opening Day starter. It was no great surprise to anyone that ace lefthander Cole Hamels gets the Opening Day nod. Hamels established himself in the post-season as a dominant pitcher winning the MVP of both the NLCS and the World Series. Big things are expected from the young lefthander, including a possible 20 win season.

Reports are that some of the players were too keyed-up on Friday night to sleep. Manager Manuel and ageless veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer claim that they awakened several times during the night; Manuel itching to get started and Moyer, out of fear of missing the wake-up in the morning.

The Phillies latter-day Hack Wilson, aka Joe Blanton who closed his eyes and walloped a homer in World Series game 4, the first pitcher to do so in 37 years, spoke about how the club has to work hard and maintain its intensity because other NL clubs will be gunning for the Phils in 2009.

One of the pleasant surprises of the first day of training camp was the early arrival of a noticeably trimmer, more svelte 1st baseman Ryan Howard. The big slugger seems itching to fire out of the starting blocks. Look out National League! By the way, check out this post for for a great product; a MLB authentic autographed Ryan Howard bat.

Unflappable shortstop and team captain Jimmy Rollins, he of the Phillies: Team to Beat and 105 wins for the Phillies in 2009, seems low-key as spring training begins. For now, he’s working hard, intent again on backing his talk with performance. But rest assured, we have not heard the last of Rollin’s brash predictions and putting-down the Mets as perennial chokers.

Let’s Go, Phillies!!!

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