(Steve Potter, a longtime Phillies fan, is filing spring training reports which are posted on the Phillies Insider blog).
The players were on the fields even earlier today than normal to accommodate management meetings that were scheduled later in the morning. The informal on-field practices have usually started around 9 a.m. but today everything moved up an hour. No worries, being an avid Phan reporter I was there to see most of the work 😳.
One of the drills was having the catchers throw to each of the bases. Jorge Alfaro has a rocket for an arm and it was on display. It’s a treat to watch him throw. He goes all out in practice. This young man is full throttle and he will quickly become a fan favorite in Philly.
Practice broke up around 10. Got a chance to chat briefly with Charlie Manuel about hitting and his message for Dylan Cozens. He explained it’s primarily about staying “behind the ball”. He said Dylan is so talented and strong that he can hit the ball out of the park without maximizing effort. The key is getting his pitch and staying balanced with his swing. I think that Dylan’s gonna have a big year. He’s been working hard this offseason and has been in Clearwater since early January.
Today’s Phan Phacts:
One of the neat things about attending the workouts at Carpenter Complex is the chance to talk to fellow Phans. I’ve met numerous interesting folks over the past 20 years. As I continue to write this daily journal I will introduce you to a few of the folks I’ve met recently.
For the past seven years I can count on my two friends from Hershey making daily appearances at the Complex. Al and Carol Fricke are here for their annual six-week excursion. They bring their dogs with them as well, two Newfoundlands. Aaron Nola has become a favorite of Carol’s as he often has stopped to chat while running his warning track jogs when he noticed her walking the dogs on the trail behind the outfield fences. The Fricke’s were teachers in the Hershey School District who retired after 35 years. Al was the varsity baseball coach for 8 seasons and actually returned as an interim coach this past season. Carol served as the head gymnastics coach for 30 of those years.
They now are enjoying a well-earned retirement and as huge Phillies Phans have come to Clearwater each spring to watch our Phightins!
(Potter is the author of a new book, A Fan’s View, 2nd annual Phillies Minor League Digest. It is available on Amazon.com).
