Spring Training 2019 - Day 50

We finished up spring training baseball today with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays. A minor league player, brought up to close out the game when the regulars left after 4 innings, hit a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 9th inning to win the game 3-2.  The Phillies team flew to Philadelphia after the game and will open the 161 game season on Thursday at home against the Atlanta Braves.  The new adventure begins.

This was another great spring training experience.  It is not just the games but the whole atmosphere of Phillies baseball and the presence of long- suffering Phillies fans, perhaps the most knowledgeable (and critical) fans in baseball who gather for the annual "optimism festival" with renewed hope for the new season.  There are lots of people here who either live in the area or come down for the games.  Everyone is eager to talk about the Phillies, and the stadium staff we interact with on a daily game basis are the best.  Many came from someplace else to retire here and work both part time and throughout the summer at  the Phillies Class A team, the Clearwater Threshers games.

Pictures - Day 50

The hope for a successful season this year has been elevated due to an infusion of new talent and the marquee eaddition of superstar Bryce Harper.  Here is what the Phillies manager, Gabe Kapler had to say about the new season:

"It’s easy to say that we got to where we want to be, but spring training is for optimism,” Kapler said. “What I want to convey is that we have a lot of work to do. We are prepared to do that work. We’ve made personnel changes that really brought our group together. We’re not all the way there yet, but we made a ton of progress this spring training.”

So it all begins and we'll see what happens.

We cooked steaks outside out to mark the end of spring training. We start breaking camp tomorrow and will leave on Wednesday for our first stop on the way home, St. Augustine, FL.

Pictures - Day 50 - Bay Bayou RV Resort