Spring training begins for Phillies

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Behind the 13 cameras and 70-some reporters, David Montgomery sat in a red chair, his view of the five pitchers completely obscured. When the 37-minute made-for-TV introduction of the Phillies starting rotation was complete, Montgomery stood up, shook his head and smirked.

"We're started," the team's president said. "We had to do that to get started."

It had to happen this way to satisfy the boundless hype that comes with having maybe one of the best starting rotations ever assembled and expectations of another world championship.

So here, in the cafeteria-turned-studio at Bright House Field, sat Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton with the baseball world watching. And if it was not clear already, these five have little interest in perpetuating the excitement that surrounds them. It's just not the way these guys are wired.

What was going through Lee's mind as he put a Phillies uniform on again?

"Just standard spring-training stuff," he said.

What is it like being together?

"We've spent, what, two-and-a-half hours so far?" a grinning Halladay asked.

"Yeah, we're really tight," Hamels chimed in.

What rotation should this one be compared to?

"We haven't thrown a single pitch as a group yet," Lee aptly pointed out.

They joked occasionally, but many times it was awkward. More than a few questions were silly, and Lee acknowledged them as such, creating cringe-worthy moments.

And then there was Joe Blanton, the subject of trade rumors all winter and the odd man out in all the rotation nicknames, who attempted to make an uncomfortable situation funny.

Blanton said he hopes the other teams forget he is part of the staff so he can "just kind of slip right in" and win the big games.

But, really, what else could be said Monday? The expectations are enormous. They will be for quite a few months, and there are still 45 days until a meaningful baseball game is played by these Phillies. For example: Bruce Bochy, the manager of the San Francisco Giants team that knocked the Phillies out of the postseason in 2010 and is defending champion, said Monday the road to this year's World Series goes through Philadelphia.

So with that, spring training officially began Monday morning. The pitchers and catchers participated in their first workout, which consisted of long tossing, bunting practice, and fielding practice. Halladay and Hamels threw off a mound, and pitching coach Rich Dubee was so impressed with Hamels' 30-pitch perfunctory session that he proclaimed Hamels "could pitch in a game today."

Dubee was among the Phillies officials who sat in the back of the cafeteria to listen to their prize pitchers speak. Pat Gillick, inducted into the Hall of Fame this winter, was there, too. He squeezed between two cameras to watch. Dallas Green paced in the back and stayed for the whole event. Ruben Amaro Jr. and Scott Proefrock, the two chief negotiators, watched with bemusement.

And that's what it was, one final celebration for the Phillies and their fans; an acknowledgment that this is fun and all but, yeah, there is no title guaranteed.

"I know there is a lot of hype," Lee said. "Everyone expects this and expects that, but that's in October. It's February right now, so we've got a lot of work to do between now and then to give ourselves the best chance to do that.

"That's really all we can do is focus on what can we do today to prepare for tomorrow and let it build up to the World Series. If we're healthy and take care of business, focus on our routines and what we need to do to prepare, we're going to give ourselves a pretty good chance."

Immediately after the news conference ended, the five walked to the visitors' clubhouse to tape a local TV special. At 3:17 p.m., nearly two hours after the media tour began, the pitchers crossed the sun-splashed field, finally done for the day.

This is where the narrative of the season begins. Oswalt put his glove on his head. Halladay and Lee untucked their jerseys. Only 246 days until Game 1 of the World Series.

at 215-854-2928 or mgelb@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @magelb.