Shhhhhhh… don’t say anything. You’ll just ruin the moment.

(Image via Yong Kim/Daily News)

I think.

In Todd Zolecki’s J.C. Romero piece from this afternoon on The Zo Zone, Juan Carlos insists that he thinks he’ll be good to go come the opening week of the ‘10 season and plans on getting a spot on the Opening Day roster. That would certainly be ideal considering the lack of a veteran left arm coming out of the ‘pen, but if I were J.C., I’d be more worried about being healthy enough come playoff time than making sure he’s on the squad on April 5th.

Regardless, that really wasn’t the point of this post.  Romero was explaining that he thinks he’d only need around 12 innings of so in the Grapefruit League because he doesn’t necessarily have anything to work on; he’s always had some control issues.

So then he says to Todd, he says:

“I’ve been effectively wild my whole career, so nothing is going to change unless I start throwing like Jamie Moyer — finesse.”

OH SHIT!  Is it just me or does that roughly translate to, “Sure, I can throw nothing but strikes, but then I’d get hit around that weak old man who had the worst ERA among major league starters last year.”

Just me?

Romero Eyeing Opening Day Roster | The Zo Zone

Check out what the proprietor of The Zo Zone took for everyone:

I can’t really make out who the players are, except that pitcher all the way on the right looks like Jay Happ.

Is the guy in the middle Tyler Walker maybe?

SPRING TRAINING HAS (unofficially) OFFICIALLY BEGUN!

It’s not often you find a :57 second clip of an 18-wheeler backing up completely fascinating, so when you do, it can only mean one thing… SPRING TRAINING IS COMING!!!

UPDATE: It left!

UPDATE II: via Todd Zolecki on Phillies.com, we now know how much cargo was packed for the trip:

The team loaded 15 cases of gum, 12 cases of sunflower seeds, 20 coolers, a palette worth of drink mix, 300 batting helmets, 350 pairs of shorts, 450 pairs of socks, 600 pairs of pants, 600 hats, 200 fleeces, 1,200 bats, 2,000 T-shirts, 10,000 cups, 15,000 baseballs and 150 pairs of batting gloves.

And taken from CSN Philly’s SportsNite, the most important box we picked up this offseason:

Yesterday, while we celebrated the feast of St. Patrick by wearing shamrock buttons and getting shitface drunk, the Phillies continuted their yearly tradition that most other teams have since copied by wearing green hats and uniform tops.   It’s always a great way to remind everyone how close we actually are to the regular season, so it’s something I look forward to each year.  Unfortunately, yesterday’s game wasn’t televised, so I figured I should at least honor the day by posting visual evidence of the event.  Here it is:

Brett Myers had his best start of the spring by lasting 5.2 innings, striking out 7, walking none, allowing 4 hits, and most importantly — zero runs. Lookit how svelte he is!:

Chase Utley played in his second Grapefruit League game of the spring, going hitless in 4 plate appearances with 2 walks.  Judging by this pic of Utley sprawled out on the grass, it doesn’t look like the hip is a problem anymore:

Even the fans got into the St. Patrick’s theme in Clearwater yesterday.  Perhaps the finest customized celtic creation of the bunch was this Victorino jersey with a not-so-subtle Irish touch:

And finally, courtesy of Zolecki is the Phillies lone lefthanded reliever, Scott Eyre, taking a break from the action by copping a squat on the Bright House Field rooftop — DON’T JUMP!:

Images courtesy of David Maialetti/Daily News

Same game.  Same Flickrer.  Same Hooters ballgirl.

I call this one “Backwards K”

haha, Milt Thompson can’t even wait until she passes by to check out her ass.

During an exhibition contest vs. the Braves at Bright House Field on Wednesday, a brainy photographer took a break from capturing the game to focus on more important things.

You know, like the exposed backside of a well-put-together Hooters ballgirl:

“Excuse me, miss. Your right ass cheek is hanging out.  Might wanna tuck that in.”

If you’d like to check out the face and rack that’s attached to that fine ass of hers, JUMP!

Read more »

Well lookey-who decided to show up at Robin Roberts Field this afternoon to play a little baseball:

That’s right — Chase Fucking Utley.

While his teammates were in Kissimmee putting a beating on the ‘Stros, Chase joined a minor league game in Clearwater to get his first live action of the Spring. CSN’s John Finger and MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki were on hand to report every detail of his progress, and both came away impressed as the All-Star second baseman showed zero signs of injury after surgery on his hip last November.

Utley played four innings of a minor league exhibition for both teams [nh] and wound up going 2-for-4 with a single and a ground-rule double.  He was also reportedly fielding and running the basepaths pain-free.

After the game, Utley said stuff:

“As far as physically, it still has some room for improvement,” he said. “But it was nice to be out there. It was nice to try to get the feel of the game back. That’s probably going to be the most difficult thing, is just to get that flow back. But as far as physically, it felt pretty good.”

“No pain hitting. No pain fielding. I ran hard a couple times, and like I said, there are no problems there. It’s good to know.”

“Everything is going very well, knock on hip, there have been no setbacks.”

Unfortunately, the high-sock look might be temporary; John Finger wrote that he was only following minor-league regulations.

Utley Is Back In Action | The Zo Zone
Utley Makes First Appearance of the Spring | Comcast SportsNet

After 5+ years in the majors, it looks as though Ryan Madson is finally shedding the #63 he has worn his whole career for a more big league-suitable #46. No word yet on what prompted the change, but I imagine after he signed his nice 3-year, $12 million deal he didn’t want to be confused with those high numbered nobodies who have absolutely no shot of making the team.

Unfortunately, if you happened to purchase a Madson jersey prior to this year, it is now worthless.

Madson #63/Flickr | Madson #46/Inquirer

This morning in Clearwater, an Associated Press photographer named Gene Puskar showed up to the Carpenter Complex bright and early in order to snap some pictures of the WFC Phillies during their pre-workout stretching routine.  I found it quite odd, however, that the only four photos published from the loosening up session all featured a bicycle-shorted Cole Hamels in rather compromising positions:

Was Gene trying to appease the ladies, or do you think perhaps these were meant for his “personal collection”?  YOU be the judge.

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