Spring Training Report: So Far So Good

          It's an exciting time of the year. The Phillies' Spring Training is in full swing down in Florida, and so far, things are looking great! Seriously, it's spring training, so it doesn't really matter how well we hit or pitch. It's just important to get back out there and get back into the swing of things, no pun intended. This being said, I'm going to give a quick overview of how things are going.

          So far the pitchers are looking great. Cole Hamels has pitched six innings in two games, and has not given up an earned run yet. He also has five strikeouts. Hopefully this shows a little bit of promise of him getting back to the same form that he was in during the 2008 regular season and playoffs, when he won the World Series MVP. Roy Halladay has pitched two innings in one game, in which he did not give up a run and had one strikeout. Even if he was doing poorly, trust me, there is nothing to be worried about with him. Cliff Lee has also pitched two innings in one game, and gave up two runs and had three Ks. Just business as usual in spring training. Roy Oswalt had a shaky first outing the other day when he gave up two runs and four hits in two innings, but once again he will be great this year. The only person I worry about is Big Joe Blanton, but so far he has pitched three innings without any hits or runs. Good for him. I still get excited like a child on Christmas morning every time I think about the Phillies' starting rotation this year.

          Offensively, the Phils are getting into a groove. Since we had such a poor offensive showing last season as compared to the phenomenal years in the past, I really hope that our big swingers like Utley and Howard can come through this year. So far, the most interesting thing in spring training is the battle between Ben Francisco and Dom Brown for a starting position in the outfield, to fill Jayson Werth's slot. I personally am a big fan of Dom Brown, who is one of the top prospects in the nation. The man has both speed and power, just needs to tweak his swing a bit. Good thing that he has one of the best swing doctors in the nation as his manager, none other but Charlie Manuel. The offense will be the most interesting thing to watch about the Phillies this year.

          So far, it promises to be a great year for Philadelphia baseball. I just can't wait until the season starts in April. It's just important to watch the team develop through spring training, but once again, it is necessary to realize that it doesn't count for anything whatsoever!