So, after saying I wanted to get to the Complex as much as possible and write every day, the weather reports for today put that in question.  With a forecast for high winds and driving rain, the Phillies moved their schedule of outdoor activities earlier to get them in.

We hadn’t planned on going to the Complex because of the reports, but Steve called me at dawn and we decided to go anyway and were rewarded for our perseverance.

All activities were moved up so that the players could vacate the Complex before the weather moved in.  I guess I should point out that bad weather forecasts down here are more accurate than the snow hysteria weather people can cause up north.  It’s not so much if the weather will come but more where and when.

Anyway, we got to the Complex before the guys began gathering on Carlton Field.  The first group began milling about on the right field line.  This was a concession to the already strong wind.  Had they tried to work out along the left field line they half of the group would have dealt with a strong tail wind while their throwing partners would have had to throw into an impossibly strong wind.

The first six players waited for their slightly tardy coaches and trainers.  Finally, one of the players took the initiative and started and the running drills.  The others quickly followed his lead.  That player was Mick Abel.  Pretty cool, eh.

The first group finished with their long toss and didn’t seem to be bothered by the crosswind.  Groups of about six players continued to come out every 15 minutes.  Some groups appeared to overlap, and all six groups were finished by about 11:30 AM.

I know that doesn’t add up if you are keeping count.  That’s because several groups of players weren’t scheduled for outdoor activities today.  And we didn’t see any of the rehab troops until we were leaving.  They seemed to be heading from the stadium to the weight room at the Complex.

I guess I should note that all the players are reporting to the stadium locker room to prepare.  It didn’t make sense to use the Complex clubhouse only to have to pack up and move next week to accommodate Phantasy Camp.

While we watched the players on the field, we were shielded from the wind by the Complex building.  We could hear the metal poles in the tents they use for meals banging together.  The canvas sides of the two tents were also coming loose.

The green mesh that covers the outfield fences is tied down with those plastic ties.  The bottom ties broke all around the perimeter and the mesh was flapping in the wind.  I commended the staff for thinking to cut them to preserve the mesh covering.  They told me that they had broken off in the wind.

One of the portable batting cages was on Ashburn Field.  When we made our way to the front of the building, we saw the cage blow across the infield and down the right field line in the swirling wind.

They had just finished tying down the mesh on the batters’ eyes.  One concern is storm damage to them.  I saw a quick moving storm roll through Clearwater several years ago and crumple the corner of the batter’s eye in the ballpark.  It was a Threshers’ Sunday brunch at the stadium and the game was postponed.

This brings me to the guys I saw today who I hadn’t seen yesterday.  There was Mick Abel, Andrew Baker, Wilfredo Blanco (another Latin pitcher with a mature body, Cam Brown, Jean Cabrera (I saw him yesterday but didn’t recognize him with blond hair), Tristan Garnett, Estibenzon Jimenez, George Klassen (reported 100+ heater and a starter), Gunner Mayer, Christian McGowan, Alex Rao, Enrique Segura, Casey Steward.

I spoke with a contact who indicated that Pan Wen Hui will begin the season as a starter.

The guys I saw yesterday (from yesterday’s article) –

Anyway, aside from Andrew Painter, some of the players in attendance that I clearly saw were Carlos De La Cruz,  Avery Owusu-Asiedu (he put on some more muscle), Tommy McCollum (gawd, he’s built like the guy who plays Reacher, not the Tom Cruise Reacher), William Bergolla, Starlyn Caba, Luis Caicuta, TJayy Walton (correct spelling), Ethan Chenault, Jordi Martinez, Pan Wen-Hui, Mavis Graves, Micah Ottenbreit, AJ Shaver, Jake Eddington, Caleb Ricketts, Luke Russo, Alex McFarlane, Dominic Pipkin, Mitch Neunborn, Alex Garbrick, Trey Dillard, Giussepe Velasquez, Tyler McKay, Andrew Schultz, Saul Teran, Andrew Walling, Samuel Aldegheri, Brandon Beckel, Alexis De La Cruz (Hinkie, he’s built like Francisco Morales), Christian Hernandez, Eduardo Tait (pronounced as 2 syllables, tie-eat), and Jonathan Petit.

Transactions

December 2023
12/22/2023 – Phillies signed FA RHP Efrain Contreras to an MiLB contract
12/20/2023 – RHP Ryan Burr assigned to Lehigh Valley
12/20/2023 – RHP Robinson Pina assigned to Reading
12/20/2023 – 3B Jacob Gonzalez assigned to Reading
12/13/2023 – SS Denilson Aguila assigned to DSL Phillies White
12/12/2023 – Phillies signed FA RHP Ryan Burr to an MiLB contract
12/11/2023 – Phillies signed FA 3B Jacob Gonzalez to an MiLB contract
12/11/2023 – Phillies signed FA RHP Robinson Pina to an MiLB contract
12/08/2023 – RHP Max Lazar assigned to Reading
12/08/2023 – Phillies signed FA RHP Max Lazar to a minor league contract