GAME 1: Phillies-FSU line-up
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
GAME 1: Phillies-FSU line-up
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
I probably mentioned this last year, but I still find it interesting given the events of this past postseason. Three years ago, during my first spring training on the beat, I found myself standing in the visitor's dugout at Bright House Field chatting with a couple of Florida State players. The Seminoles were in town to face the Phillies in an exhibition, and it was easy to see that they were amped for the showdown. One of the kids I was talking to was a pretty highly-regarded pro prospect, although you would not have known it by standing next to him. He was listed at 6-foot-2, but seemed a tad shorter. Certainly not the bulky frame you would expect out of a catcher. Earlier, he and his teammates had listened to Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt talk to them in the dugout. I chatted a little bit with him about the college experience and whether he felt like he missed out on anything by not going pro out of high school.
"If I could go back and do it again, I'd come to college," he said. "I love FSU and the whole college experience just has been great. If I could tell everybody some of my friends who did go play pro ball out of college, I wish they did have the opportunity. But that dollar sign is hard to turn down."
The game ended up being rained out, so Buster Posey didn't get to face the Phillies at Bright House Field that day. Three years later, though, he got the chance at Citizens Bank Park, as the starting catcher for the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series. He only hit .217 during the series, with the RBI, but he caught a flawless Giants pitching staff that stymied the Phillies in a six-game victory.
A couple weeks later, the Giants were world champs.
Three years ago, who knew that both the Phillies and a highly-touted Seminole were within striking distance of World Series rings.
^
Here is the line-up for today's game:
- Shane Victorino CF
- Placido Polanco 3B
- Raul Ibanez DH
- Ryan Howard 1B
- Ben Francisco LF
- Domonic Brown RF
- Carlos Ruiz C
- Pete Orr 2B
- Wilson Valdez SS
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
Why isnt Ut in the lineup?— MikeTheGreat91- It's time for the Pete Orr era to begin.— SB123
- Utley isn't playing due to "total body soreness", apparently from working out too much.— NCNovaguy
- "total body soreness?!?!?!?!" makes me a bit nervous. First week of spring training and Utley is resting? GULP!— ziggy26
- I have total wallet soreness after paying for my season tix.
- It's probably a good thing Utley is resting now, at least Charlie isn't playing him hard right now.— ESFjellin
