IS GLAD SPRING TRAINING IS FINALLY HERE
He's here. He's wearing No. 9. And he's in the starting lineup, playing right field and batting sixth. So without further ado, here is Domonic Brown and his thoughts before his major-league debut:
How nervous are you?
I'm pretty nervous. But it's a good nervous. I'm excited to be here. Just trying to get this first game out of the way.
Are you aware of all the expectations?
Yeah, I know what's going on. I understand I'm going to struggle, I'll have my ups and downs. It's baseball. I'll just go out there and have fun.
What did you think when you got the word?
Aw man, I almost passed out. It was great. It's one of the best days of my life and I'm just trying to enjoy it.
Who called you?
[Lehigh Valley manager] Dave Huppert at 12-something. I actually did a camp this morning for the kids at the stadium.
How beneficial was spring training?
It's great. Those guys took me under their wing in spring training.
Does it make it easier?
Oh yeah. A lot easier.
Did you know Shane had gotten hurt?
Actually, I heard a fan sitting in right field saying something about me being called up. It didn't dawn on me until after the game.
How long do you expect to be here?
I don't know. I'm not thinking about that. I'm just trying to do the things I've been doing.
Was there a point when you felt like you were ready to come here?
I felt that all year. I'm very confident in myself. I've set big goals. It was just waiting for Ruben and those guys to make the call.
What did you expect coming into the clubhouse?
I thought you guys [the media] were going to hit me right when I walked in. I prepared my mind when I was coming on the hour trip. I just got focused and ready for the game.
What's it like being around Rollins and Howard?
They just keep me humble being around those guys, watching what they're doing on and off the field. I'll just come out here, enjoy my time, and hope I can get up to their level.
Is your family here?
My dad and mom should be on my way. They really didn't tell me. I saw the pass list. Everyone told me what was going on.
Is there a club of prospects that talk among each other?
I texted Jason a little bit. I texted Mike Stanton too. We haven't talked in a while. We talked a little bit.
But there's nothing they can say to prepare you?
You just have to go through it yourself.
What are your impressions of the ballpark?
It's great. The ball jumps off the bat here. Hopefully I can square something up and hit some balls hard.
Who was your favorite player growing up?
Ken Griffey Jr. was the ultimate guy for me. He's never been mentioned in the steroid issues or anything like that. He was the ultimate guy for me.
What will be your biggest challenge?
I really don't know. I'm going out here fresh. I haven't done anything yet. I say that all the time. The prospect thing, that's all garbage. When you get here, those numbers don't mean anything.
Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.
This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.
Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
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