It's Truck Day--woohoo! Sometime this morning a truck left Philadelphia for Clearwater, Florida, loaded with equipment (15,000 balls, 1200 bats) and provisions (15 cases of gum, 12 cases of sunflower seeds) for spring training.Equipment manager Dan O'Rourke was talking on radio this morning about getting things ready for the annual trek. Players, he said, are most particular about their bats and pants. Pants have to fit just so, and the truck carries 600 pairs. Then there are the bats. All are picky about them, but Chase Utley, according to O'Rourke, is the pickiest of all. Lots of signed balls, bats, and other equipment used during the play-offs are also on board for a charity auction at the Clearwater ballpark later this month.
Pitchers and catchers--heady phrase--report on the 14th. Other players follow.
