All the position players are now in camp as scheduled.  Physicals are in order today.  All also took batting practice at Bright House Field.

Players have to be dressed at 9:15 a.m. Friday.  Introductions and Charlie’s state of the Phillies address are in order before the players head for the four fields at Carpenter Complex.  That should be around 10.  Workouts usually last until around 2 p.m.

Plenty of bleacher seats are available for fans to watch the practices.  Fan support so far has been great.  It will increase starting tomorrow and over the weekend.  Souvenirs and food options are available at Carpenter Complex.  The merchandise store at Bright House Field is open daily.

Pitchers did their thing again Thursday and will soon throw batting practice to the position players.

Elsewhere
Chase met with the media after today’s workout . . . About 30 minor leaguers show up daily at Carpenter Complex to work out informally.  169 minor league players officially begin on March 1 . . . Mike Schmidt is expected in camp starting on Friday.

Spring Training Memories
Jack Baldschun (RHP, 1961-65)
 “My first camp was with the Reds minor leaguers in 1961 in Douglas, Georgia. My most vivid memory from that first year didn’t take place in uniform. I was from the North and experienced segregation for the first time. It was difficult to understand how blacks were treated. The next year, I was in the Phillies camp in Clearwater. I wanted to be a starter, Gene Mauch wanted me as the closer. I remember saying, ‘Let me start every fifth day and in between I can relieve.’ As you know, Gene didn’t go for it. Spring training was fun, being away from the winter, being in a warm climate and being with your teammates. I also enjoyed the fun we had with other families.”

For more Alumni memories, visit www.phillies.com/alumni.

While Day 4 for pitchers and catchers followed the same schedule as the three previous days, a handful of position players took batting practice at Bright House Field.  More fans were there than at the complex.

Media mass also anchored itself at Bright House Field.  One of the hitters was Ryan Howard who is having a media conference in the afternoon.  His health will certainly be a hot topic in camp.

Tomorrow, all infielders and outfielders will undergo their physicals.  The first full workout will be at 10 a.m. on Friday at Carpenter Complex.  Well, it will be sometime after 10 because of front office introductions and Charlie’s annual speech.  He jots notes on a yellow pad but generally gets away from the written notes and shoots from the hip.

Elsewhere
The MLB Network is in camp today for interviews.  As part of their 30 camps in 30 days schedule, they will return later for a full day . . . ESPN’s spring training bus tour will also make a Clearwater stop later . . . Ruben held a conference call with the Phillies pro scouts who are scattered across Florida and Arizona camps.  The call is held every Wednesday morning, except for off-season holidays . . . Papelbon is a cover photo subject for Sports Illustrated for Kids and South Jersey Magazine . . . Michael Barkann is doing double duty this week, his 94 WIP radio show from 10-11 every morning and then anchoring Daily News Live on Comcast SportsNet every afternoon at 5.

Spring Training Memories
Brian Schneider: “My first camp was 1996 with the Expos minor leaguers in Jupiter, FL.  I don’t remember my uniform number but my roommate was Michael Barrett.  We dressed in the Lantana High School football locker room.  It was very intimating because there was a sea of people in this small room with small lockers.

Alumni spring training memories can be found in www.phillies.com/alumni,

Shane got a “Hollywood” welcome when he walked into the Bright House Field clubhouse around 11 this morning.

He was “Shaun” on a recent Hawaii Five-O TV show.  With J-Roll as the choreographer, an 8-foot red carpet surrounded by lights led to a director’s chair which was in front of Shane’s locker.   The back of the chair said Shaun.  A gold star with an 8 on it was pasted on the wall above the locker.

“How does it feel to be Hollywood?,” asked J-Roll as a smiling Shane approached his locker.  J-Roll tweeted the grand entrance.  Howard walked in, laughed and said, “Can I get an autograph.”

Every Hollywood event has a production crew that puts things together.  Meet Frank Coppenbarger, Director, Team Travel and Clubhouse Services.  J-Roll talked to Frank on Monday asking for the materials (red carpet, lights, chair).  Guess it comes under “Services” which is part of his title.  “I’ve had a lot of requests from players and this was a first,” smiled Frank.

Check out phillies.com for video of the Hollywood treatment.

What numbers players wear also come under Frank’s jurisdiction. 

Papelbon wore #58 in Boston.  When an established player joins the Phillies, Frank gets right to work on the number.  Because of Papelbon’s stature, Frank wanted to give him #58, which Bastardo had been wearing.  “They have the same agent, so I offered the agent several numbers for Bastardo and he chose 37.  DeFratus wore that number when he came up to the majors last year but Bastardo had seniority so I talked to Justin and gave him some options.  He wanted 79 because he wore that the in the Arizona Fall League.”

Elsewhere
Day 3 was pretty similar to the first two days.  Today groups 1 and 2 did their throwing off the mound . . . Halladay met with the media after the workout and Howard is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon . . . Nix, who plays LF, RF, CF and 1B, worked on the half field taking ground balls at first base . . . J-Roll later worked out on the same field . . . A bronze Paul Owens bust will be unveiled by the City of Clearwater and the Phillies at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday outside the clubhouse at Carpenter Complex . . . Mike Schmidt’s arrival in camp (he was due in Wednesday) is being delayed so he can attend the funeral of Gary Carter.

Spring Training Memories
Cliff Lee: “2001 in the Expos minor league camp in Jupiter.  My roommate was Shawn Hill but I don’t remember my uniform number.   I remember it was crowded because of the number of players.  On the first day, you don’t know what to expect.  You soon realize there’s a lot of talent in the room and they are just like me.”

For Alumni memories, visit www.phillies.com/alumni.

That’s the header on Rich Dubee’s daily schedule: Day 2, February 20th.

Right now, the day begins at 8:30 and the workouts end around 12:45 p.m.  The 8:30 event is a meeting with all the catchers in the coach’s room, followed by a 9 a.m. meeting with pitchers.

The workout begins with exercises at 10 a.m. on the Schmidt field.  Pitchers are divided into four groups.  The workouts consist of bunting, holding runners on base, long tossing, throwing off the mound, an assortment of fielding drills and running (11:50 a.m.).  Then, the hurlers end their day with weight room conditioning.

Catchers continue a little longer: batting practice, fundamentals and running (12:45 p.m.).  Weight room conditioning follows.

Pitching Groups
1–Aumont, Diekman, Herndon, Kendrick, Lee, Pinero, Rosenberg, Schwimer.
2—Halladay, Horst, Hyatt, Purcey, Ramirez, Savery, Valdes.
3—Bastardo, Contreras, Elarton, Hamels, Qualls, Willis, Worley.
4—Blanton, Bush, DeFratus, Misch, Papelbon, Sanches. Stutes.

On Day 2, groups 3 and 4 threw off the seven mounds located between the Roberts and Schmidt fields.  “Eight minutes or 40 pitches, whichever comes first,” instructed Dubee.

Media members, instructors, scouts and baseball administration personnel observed.

Elsewhere
About 10 position players took batting practice at Bright House Field while the pitchers did their thing at Carpenter Complex . . .  Later, Utley and Thome worked out with Perlozzo on the half field.  Then, Howard, in gym shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt took ground balls at first base.  Guess where the media mob parked itself . . . Comcast SportsNetwork’s Daily News Live is live every evening this week at 5 from Bright  House Field.

Phillies Coverage
Philly newspapers and TV crews are here but fans can follow the Phillies daily on phillies.com.  Todd Zolecki will again cover the news, tweet and facebook.  Scott Palmer will post video interviews on the site during the week.  And, Phillies Insider will post Monday through Thursday.

Spring Training Memories
Larry Andersen (RHP, 1983-86; 1993-94)
   “Let’s see, that was 1972 which means it was 40 years ago. And you want me to remember what? Heck, I can’t remember where I left my shoes when I get up every morning.
   “Well, it was in Tucson, Arizona and I was one of many minor leaguers with the Indians. We stayed at the Flamingo Hotel. At least I think so. I don’t remember my roommate. But I do remember my number, 112…I think.
   “I was nervous and scared and, after one day, fighting blisters from the Kangaroo spikes. What did I like? Absolutely nothing. I grew up in Washington (State) so the warm weather was nice. But I couldn’t handle the Arizona heat. I really struggled, especially all that running. I hated mornings. Getting up early and riding a bus for a few hours, that wasn’t fun. I slept through most of the bus rides; matter of fact, I slept through most of my spring trainings which was rather apparent if you saw me pitch.
   “I do remember being in the Mariners big league camp in 1981. Maury Wills was the manager. There was another pitcher in camp who looked like me, or so they say. Brian Allard. He was five years younger so I don’t know how we looked alike. I guess it was because we both had hair. Anyway, Maury got us mixed up. He’d call me Brian, and him, Larry. I was having a great spring, which was unusual. Brian was having a terrible spring. I was stressed out that Maury would pick him because he called him Larry. Happy ending, though. I made the club.”

For more Alumni memories, visit www.phillies.com/alumni

In a large meeting room on the second floor of the Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, spring training 2012 started with an all-day meeting.  Outside, a morning mist turned into an afternoon rain.

Ruben and his staff, plus Charlie’s staff of eight, 11 from the minor league staff and nine from the athletic training staff filled the room.  Comments from Ruben and David Montgomery preceded a review of every one of the 57 players in camp.

Meanwhile at neighboring Bright House Field, several rookie and non-roster pitchers threw on the half field early in the morning; Jim Thome and Chase Utley hit in the cages; Carlos Ruiz, Cliff Lee, Brian Schneider, Hunter Pence and Ryan Howard unpacked their bags.

On Saturday, all pitchers (29) and catchers (6) will undergo physicals in the trainer’s room.  Jonathan Papelbon will have a mass interview following an unofficial workout.  Then, all will work out for the first time on Sunday morning (10 a.m.) at Carpenter Complex.  This is the Phillies 65th consecutive year of training in Clearwater.

Ryne Sandberg is being honored at the annual Clearwater For Youth banquet on Saturday night, an event the Phillies have participated in for over 40 years.

Back Home
Single game tickets went on sale at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday.  Fans arrived as early as Wednesday afternoon for the 8:30 Thursday morning opening of the ticket windows. 

Over 70,000 tickets were sold, pushing the season total to 3.1 million tickets.  Tickets are on sale 24 hours a day via phillies.com.

50 years ago at Connie Mack Stadium, the season total was 762,034.

New Alumni Page
After The Game, a newsletter about Phillies Alumni, is now on phillies.com: www.phillies.com/alumni.

Hope you check in there often.

Spring Training Memories
From time to time during spring training, we’ll post memories from the current players.

Today, Jim Thome:  “My first camp was with the Indians minor leaguers in 1990.  Tucson, Arizona.  I remember my number was 59.  I had a roommate, but darn I can’t remember his name. Walking into the clubhouse full of players was the start of a whole new experience.”

(Phillies Insider will be posted Monday through Friday, starting on Feb. 20).

Things were kind of quiet at Bright House Field on Wednesday, where the Phillies begin spring training again on Sunday.

Field supervisor Opie Cheek and his crew have done a terrific job with the fields.  Don’t know if grass can get any greener.  

57 lockers are in numerical order from # 3 (Pence) to #79 (DeFratus) in the clubhouse.  Oh, there are the usual familiar Phillies names, Howard, Rollins, Utley, Victorino, Hamels, Lee, Halladay and Ruiz.  There are a lot of names more familiar to Phillies fans in Lehigh Valley, Reading, Clearwater or Lakewood.

Then, big league names who’ll be wearing Phillies pinstripes for the first time, Papelbon, Thome, Pierre, Wigginton, Qualls, Willis, Pineiro.  OK, OK, Thome has worn the uniform before. 

Two indoor batting cages located under the left field stands were empty.  White baseballs dot the green Astroturf, lying there despite a big sign in red letters, Pick Up Baseballs When Finished.  Missing on the turf are empty sunflower seats, proving that someone pays attention to another big sign, No Sunflower Seeds.

In a storage room at the back end of the clubhouse was a lot of luggage waiting to be claimed by the players.  Two baby strollers, three bicycles and ten golf bags help fill the room.  None of those items belong to me!

Outside the ball park and at Carpenter Complex about a dozen Phillies fans were peeking from behind chain link fences, hoping to get a glimpse of one of the players and/or an autograph.  Fans show up as early as 6 a.m. seeking autographs.

With the return of Cliff Lee to the rotation, the Phillies were the major media story in spring training a year ago.  Chances are the masses won’t be there this spring.  The Tigers camp in Lakewood (Prince Fielder) will get a lot of media attention.  Out in Arizona, the Angels camp (Albert Pujols) will attract the masses.

Friday morning, Ruben, Charlie and their respective staffs, including minor league instructors in camp, will gather in the large meeting room on the second floor of the Carpenter Complex clubhouse.  They’ll spend most of the day discussing every one of the 58 players in camp. 

On Saturday, the same staffs will have a golf outing and then on Sunday, the 10 a.m. daily workouts get underway at Carpenter Complex.  Can’t wait to hear the first pop of a catcher’s mitt.

Happy Birthday to Edith Houghton, who turned 100 years young on February 12.  Ms. Houghton was a female baseball star in the 1920s-1930s in Philadelphia and New York.  Returning from World War II she contacted Phillies president Bob Carpenter seeking a job as a scout.

Carpenter finally agreed and Ms. Houghton scouted for the Phillies from 1946-52, signing 15 players, none of whom made it to the majors.  A member of the Naval reserves, her career as a scout ended when her unit was activated during the Korean War.

She’s been living in Florida for a long time and follows the Phillies as best she can on TV.

As a special birthday present, we’ve sent her her very own pinstriped jersey, HOUGHTON 100.

Elsewhere
**Equipment truck arrived from Citizens Bank Park and was unloaded at Bright House Field this morning by Frank Coppenbarger and his merry crew.  Let’s hope the bats brought south weren’t the ones that went silent last October.  New year, new wood.

**Ruben, Charlie and their respective staffs will meet at 10 a.m. Friday at Bright House.  They’ll review every player in camp and discuss the daily workouts which are organized by Rich Dubee. Two days later pitchers and catchers work out for the first time.

**Communications Department has arranged for media meetings with Papelbon on Saturday and Howard on the 22nd.  Rather than having those two do multiple interviews, they will meet the media en mass in the lunch room.  It is the most convenient way for both the individual players and media.

**The Pope lives on.  Geoff Owens, grandson of Paul Owens, and his wife, Diana, became parents of a boy earlier this month.  They named him Paul Francis Owens III.
Cool.

**Speaking of the Pope, the City of Clearwater and the Phillies will unveil a bronze bust of Paul Owens at the Carpenter Complex on February 22, 5:30 p.m.  Paul was the master mind in designing the complex back in 1967.

**Since there is no official workout scheduled for this coming Saturday, fans can try something different.  The Florida State Fair in Tampa will hold a lawn mower race this weekend.  Guess you could say the fair is on the cutting edge of exciting entertainment.

A couple of more recent posted comments……..

**Paul Miller asked for a response to the Nationals’ “Take Back The Park” campaign.

Well, that really is up to the Nationals.  Don’t believe I have anything to offer other than Phillies fans are very supportive whereever the team is playing.  It just goes to show the passion of Phillies fans.

**Thanks to Phillies historian Dennis Orlandini for reminding everyone that the oldest living Phillie, RHP Freddy Schmidt, turns 96 today (February 9).  Among all former big league players, Freddy is the fourth oldest.

Today is also the birth date of another Phillies Alumnus, INF Moon Mullin.  He’s 95.  Next month, SS Alex Monchak also turns 95.

Then, there’s Edith Houghton, the first female scout to be hired by a major league team.  The Phillies hired her in the late 1940s.  On February 12, Edith will be celebrating her 100th birthday.  We’ll be sending a Phillies jersey (Houghton, 100) as a birthday gift.  For more information on Edith, check out the following publication: Phillies: An Extraordinary Tradition.

Special Happy Birthdays to this unique trio. 

Elsewhere
**Phillies Wall of Fame voting is underway on phillies.com.  Fans can vote up until 5 p.m. on March 14.  Lenny Dykstra has been removed from the ballot for obvious reasons.

**Congratulations to Alumnus Rheal Cormier on his induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.  Honor will take place on June 23.

**Phillies radio broadcasts can now be heard on FM, too.  WPHT 1210 will be the AM outlet; 94WIP, the new FM outlet.  Games can also be heard on MLB.com, including all spring training games.

Well, there is a green field at Citizens Bank Park again.  Following the Winter Classic, the grass needed to be replaced.  For the record, it is the third turf for the ballpark which is entering its ninth season.

Mike Boekholder, the head groundskeeper, is overseeing the nine-day project that includes ripping up the old Kentucky bluegrass turf and replacing it with Riviera Bermuda grass over-seeded with perennial ryegrass for the spring.  The blend will better handle Philadelphia’s weather extremes.  It was grown at Collins Wharf Sod Farm in Eden, MD.

Rolls of turf were stored outside the ballpark, brought to the field and rolled into place.  100,000 square feet of turf came in 600 rolls.

Mother Nature certainly has helped with the warmer than usual winter.  A year ago,
Philadelphia was clobbered with a ton of snow, literally. The lack of snow was welcomed by Boekholder and his crew.

The new turf has two months to settle before the April 2-3 On-Deck Series with the Pirates.

Elsewhere
**Hunter Pence was the subject of photo shoot for the April cover Philadelphia Magazine on Tuesday.

**The Magazine is also doing a story on the 1993 National League champion Phillies.  Publication date is to be determined.

**Phillies equipment truck departs for Bright House Field on Feb. 12.  Phillies clubhouse is a ghost room now.  Every locker is completely empty, even name plates which are traveling south.

**A week later, pitchers and catchers will work out for the first time.

**An exhibition game against Florida State University at Bright House Field is scheduled for February 29.

Alumni Birthdays
February 2: RHP Warren Brusstar (1977-82), 60 . . . February 3: OF Bake McBride (1977-81), 63; LHP Mike Wallace (1973-74), 61 . . . February 4: LHP Dan Plesac (2002-03), 50; C Chris Coste (2006-09), 39 . . . February 5: RHP Chris Brock (2000-01), 42.

(Phillies Insider will take a break until Feb. 9)

Always welcome comments to Phillies Insider.  Thanks to Brian Slattery for his  comment last week:

“Speaking of Hall of Fame and veterans and all….

“What would it take to get enough fans from both Philadelphia and New York to push for the Tugger (Tug McGraw) to be inducted to Cooperstown by the veterans committee? 

“I know that he didn’t make the cuts when he was on the regular Hall of Fame ballots 20+ years ago, but you can’t avoid the fact that Tug is one of the few players who remains beloved in both Philly and New York.  He was part of World Series champion teams for both teams.  I also make the argument that one of the reasons that players are inducted to Cooperstown is for bringing character to the game.  C’mon…Frank Edwin McGraw was undeniably one of THE GREAT characters in baseball!!!”

Brian, you are correct in that Tug was one of the great characters.  Whether he is a Hall of Famer, I don’t know, and he was a good friend.  Appreciate your beating the drum for him.

Checked out the Hall of Fame voting and Tug was eliminated after receiving only six votes in his first year on the HOF ballot, 1990. 

Then, there’s Larry Bowa, who was also eliminated in his first year on the ballot, 1991.  He had 11 votes.  I’m not saying he’s a Hall of Famer but when you compare his numbers with HOF shortstop, Phil Rizzuto, well, you be the judge:

Bowa: 16 years, 2,247 games, 2,191 hits, .260 average, 10,382 total chances on defense, 211 errors.

Rizzuto: 13 years, 1,661 games, 1,588 hits, .273 average, 8,148 total chances, 263 errors.

The Veterans Committee no longer exists. Did check with Brad Horn, Senior Director of Communication and Education, at the Hall of Fame and received the following information:

“Both players (Tug and Larry) remain eligible in perpetuity for the Expansion era ballot. In order to be considered, one must emerge on the final ballot of 12, which is set by the 11-member Historical Overview Committee of the BBWAA. Then, if they make the ballot, they would have to earn 75% of the 16-member voting committee. The expansion era next meets at the winter meetings of 2013.”

It will be interesting to see how the BBWAA 11-member committee views Tug and Larry.