Benson in Camp

Guess what?  Sunny and warm and another day of pitchers and catchers working out on three of the Carpenter Field mounds.

Buzz of the day was the arrival of RHP Kris Benson.  He threw off the mound around 11:15 a.m.  There were more eyes focused on him than a litter of friendly cats watching a bird cage.  After the workout, he was the center of media interviews in the clubhouse.

Shane Victorino and So Taguchi, a pair of outfielders, joined several other position players at Bright House Networks Field.  Correction: in this space yesterday it was mentioned Geoff Jenkins worked out for the first time.  The author must have been napping.  Jenkins was here before yesterday.

Poor Kyle Kendrick.  Leslie Gudel of Comcast SportsNet arranged for a candid camera bit with the righthander.  Ruben Amaro announced that Kyle was traded to Japan for a pitcher.  TV cameras were rolling, writers were asking questions during the impromptu press conference in the clubhouse.  The gag was so thorough when Kyle called his agent, the agent played along.  Ken Mandel will have the details on this site later.

Fortunately, Kyle is a good sport and his heart beat has returned to normal.

COLE QUOTE: “We need to defend something (East title), but we need to get something more.  We still have the hunger to fight because we didn’t achieve what we wanted,” Hamels was quoted in USA TODAY.