Florida State players do a little stargazing in Phillies' clubhouse

CLEARWATER, Fla. - As the Phillies dressed to prepare for last night's exhibition against visiting Florida State, they found themselves the object of some up-close admiration.

The Seminoles simply wandered into the Phillies' clubhouse - something of a breach of etiquette. They were not ejected; rather, the Phillies played gracious hosts.

Ryan Howard, Aaron Rowand and Chase Utley, all of whom played in college, gladly posed for pictures, signed autographs and endured prolonged stares as they warmed up hitting in the indoor cages next to their clubhouse.

Several 'Noles seemed awed by Howard's essence. They even snapped picture-phone shots of Howard's locker.

"It wasn't weird," said Utley, an All-America at UCLA. "It would have been cool if we could have done it."

"I told those guys they were lucky," said Rowand, who annually played the Angels when he was at Cal State-Fullerton. "We never got to go into the clubhouse."

Lefthander Eude Brito remains shelved due to lingering effects from a Dec. 19 car crash that left him with a damaged neck.

Brito has had X-rays, an MRI exam and a nerve test to determine why, 2 months after the collision, his left arm remains weak. He has been long-tossing daily but not allowed to throw off the mound.

Now 28, Brito has sniffed the majors twice in the past two seasons, though his participation with the Dominican team at the World Baseball Classic last season hurt his chances to earn a bullpen spot coming out of camp. Brito is less concerned with earning a spot than he is with continuing his career.

"This stuff has got me worried," he said.

General manager Pat Gillick visited Toronto's camp yesterday mainly to kill time. He wanted to discuss the teams' use of the designated hitter in Bright House Networks Field, he said. Besides, the Phillies didn't play until last night.

Ignore the fact that the Phillies might be interested in acquiring outfielders Alex Rios or Reed Johnson if the Phillies deal Aaron Rowand for pitching help.

As for the presence of Ryan Howard's agent, Casey Close, at the Blue Jays' camp, "I didn't know he was there," Gillick said.

The Phillies and Close have been negotiating a long-term extension for Howard. The sides aren't expected to agree on that sort of contract. Rather, Howard is expected to be renewed by tomorrow for more than $1 million for 2007.

Team Ennis won the annual Phillies golf scramble Tuesday at Clearwater's Belleview Biltmore Golf Club with an event-record score of 17-under. But for two missed 18-inch putts, it could have been 19-under. For once, nobody accused the winners of cheating.

Minor league pitcher John Ennis, a golf team captain new to the Phillies organization, picked his team blindly, going only by listed handicaps. Rule 5 side-armer Jim Ed Warden ditched his ancient 1-wood and borrowed third-base coach Steve Smith's Calloway composite driver on the driving range and carried the team's tee game, hitting 10 fairways with monster drives. Ennis contributed a couple of bombs, too.

Minor league infielder Brent Abernathy holed a 90-yard wedge shot for eagle on the par-4 13th hole, the second hole the five-man team played. Smith and clubhouse hand Joe Swanhart helped with the short-game cleanups.

"I putted first. I missed 18 putts," Warden said - but then, he didn't borrow a putter.

"I better make sure that driver's in my bag when I leave here," Smith joked. *