Categories: 2011 Spring TrainingAnalysisNewsOpinionPosts

Phillies Open Grapefruit League Play with Win

The Phillies took down the Yankees in the Grapefruit League Opener from Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, 5-4. Here are some thoughts from today’s game.

-I watched pretty much the entire game and I’m glad baseball is back.

-The opening tribute to George Steinbrenner was long, but if you think about it, some of the Yankees fans in Florida would not have gotten to see that live. Tampa is their second home, so I thought it was fitting.

-Cole Hamels had some pop today. I believe he hit 91 on the gun, and for his first real work of the spring, that’s exceptional. Hamels has drawn rave reviews thus far and he continued to build on those today. Looks to be an exciting year for him.

-Ben Francisco tripled in his first at-bat off of Bartolo Colon. Ben Fran looks fit and ready to brawl for the RF spot. It was a nice start for him.

-Bartolo Colon looks awful. You’d think that if you’re trying to win a starting position with the Yankees, and it’s been two seasons since you’ve pitched, that you’d at least show up in the best shape of your life. Not Colon. He looks HEAVY.

-Vance Worley had some life on his fastball, too. I think he touched 94. He’s one of those guys I root for. Although he won’t be in the starting rotation, he might be the first one to get the call should something happen with one of the Big 5.

Next up: Tomorrow at 1:05 pm against the Yankees in Clearwater.

Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.