Posted by Carl on February 16, 2007
Which will hereafter be abbreviated “ST”. Todd Zolecki of the Philadelphia Inquirer (hereafter abbreviated “The Inky”) is just pouring it on:
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Pitchers and catchers officially reported to camp yesterday at Bright House Networks Field, and many of the position players were already in attendance.
Chris Coste had been here for more than a week.
Although he is listed as a catcher, he isn’t expected to catch this season - if he makes the team. Coste, who hit .328 in 65 games last season, will fight for one of the final two bench jobs.
The other top candidates include outfielder Karim Garcia and infielder Greg Dobbs, both of whom hit lefthanded, with infielder Randall Simon and outfielders Chris Roberson and Michael Bourn also in the mix.
“What Coste did last year definitely has to be considered,” manager Charlie Manuelsaid. “He caught in big games down the stretch. He showed he definitely can do the job in the major leagues, and he definitely can come off the bench and hit.
“He can play first base, a little bit at third. He’ll catch some. I put him in left field when I had him in Cleveland.
“I know Coste can hit. He hit righthanded pitchers last year better than lefties.”
Manuel thinks Coste would be fine in a pinch-hitting role. “I think that’s one of his biggest assets,” Manuel said
As I mentioned previously, Chris Coste is a great guy who I hope we’ll never see. Michael Bourn, on the other hand, is someone I would like to get a look at - in the “non-fancy” meaning of the expression. How many players that you know of, have tagged and scored from second base on a sacrifice fly?
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Posted by Carl on February 16, 2007
Having suffered through an interminably long off season, it’s “game on” once again. Suddenly, I no longer have to go scavenging for information as favorite sources are now overflowing with articles, photos and links - the “tap” which had been reduced to a trickle has now been completely opened. Someone woke up Kevin in the ticet office in Clearwater yesterday and he fired off three posts. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s scribes have really turned it on. Todd Zolecki from the Inky is absolutely bringing it. Over at the Baron’s Corner, Larry Shenk, VP of Public Relations for the Phillies, gives us his breakdown of Day 1. ESPN, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated…, everybody’s getting into the act.
For my part, I already see signs of spring. The sun now joins me for more of my (indoor) rides. The Chinese calendar creeps towards its New Year. Zak’s school gears up for March break. Can maple syrup season be far off?
I look forward to Opening Day, a scant 59 days away now. According to my boy, 59 days are an eternity; a lot of homework flows under the bridge in five days, let alone fifty. I try to explain to him how fast it will actually pass us by, but I catch myself; for me, it was only yesterday that I was changing his diaper in April at Jetform park, in a concrete room so cold you could hang meat. He turned 10 last Friday. Ten. Where did the time go, I wonder. When did he stop holding my hand in public? When did I stop reading him bedtime stories, for surely there was a date when I read what was “the last”. Why did I stop? I hug my little girl more fiercely as a result, determined not to let her childhood slip away from me too. Not that I’ve let Zechariah go just yet, far from it; there’s a road bike already waiting for him so he can join me on long training runs, and our new baseball gloves wait patiently in the closet.
As a family, we will spend a great deal of our time at the park this year - Zak’s birthday party has been deferred to coincide with a home date, and we’ve otherwise cleared the calendar: Lynx home dates are circled and take priority. Other stuff can wait, can’t it? The lawn will still be around next year. Disney can wait until the fall. Homework, bah - they can’t put me in detention. I look forward to the cold spring evenings. The days so hot that I have to scurry for shade in the upper deck, or take refuge in a breezeway. Hallowe’en in July (we’re doing that again this year, right?), running the basepaths and hiding from Skratch.
It’s going to be great, and I’d be a rude guest if I didn’t thank the Lynx organization for inviting us. Thanks everybody, please accept this is as our RSVP for four.
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