For roster hopefuls, it was hardly a regular Phillies' win over Twins

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The 130-mile bus trip and the split-squad games the day before and another long trip to Kissimmee coming up and the hour of sleep lost to daylight saving time making the necessary early wake-up call that much more daunting provided all the pretext necessary. So the Phillies sent a traveling squad to Hammond Stadium full of players who have one thing in common: All still have something to prove.

Major League Baseball suggests a minimum of four regulars for all spring-training exhibitions, a good rule of thumb considering the price of exhibition tickets. It's a standard that is routinely ignored, but seldom for a game being televised back home or as blatantly as the Phillies did for yesterday's 6-3 win over the Minnesota Twins.

The closest thing to a regular was rightfielder Ben Francisco, who appears to have the inside track to inherit the spot from Jayson Werth. Wilson Valdez, who could end up at second in place of the injured Chase Utley, started in center. That was it, unless you count broadcasters Tom McCarthy, Chris Wheeler, Gary Matthews, Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen.

The upside is that the nine innings that played out on a gorgeous afternoon were dotted with minidramas. There were youngsters - Michael Martinez, Michael Stutes - trying to catch the attention of manager Charlie Manuel and his coaches as they watched impassively from the first-base dugout, of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and assistant GM Scott Proefrock judging from the box seats, of special assistant Charley Kerfeld and professional scouting director Mike Ondo watching every move from behind the plate.

There were oldsters - Danys Baez, Matt Anderson, Jason Grilli - trying to do exactly the same thing. There were in-betweens - Josh Barfield, John Mayberry Jr., Delwyn Young - with a little time in the majors trying to earn more. Ditto.

"I want to see guys play," Manuel said.

The Phillies' last Grapefruit League game is 2 weeks from today. The time for some hard decisions is nearing. And while too much shouldn't be read into any game, each outing carries a little more weight as the start of the season approaches.

Pitching ups went to Stutes, Baez and Grilli. Stutes, the 24-year-old reliever, continued to open eyes. He started against a Twins lineup that included Justin Morneau and Jim Thome and pitched three hitless innings. His spring earned run average is 1.00. He survived the first cut, there are still openings in the bullpen to be claimed, who knows?

"I'm just trying to do my best every day," he said. "I really haven't had a chance to look back. We have to be on the field at 7 o'clock every morning, so there's not a whole lot of time to sit back and reflect. I've had some good days and I've had some bad days and the good days have fallen on the days I've pitched."

Baez gave up five runs his first time out this spring. Since it came after he had a 5.48 ERA and was left off the postseason roster, it ignited speculation that the Phillies could elect to swallow the $2.75 million he's owed in the final year of his contract.

He pitched a perfect inning yesterday to extend his scoreless streak to 6 1/3 innings while allowing just two hits.

"When he angles the ball, throws the ball downhill, he's got great life downstairs. But he's very visible upstairs, like most pitchers. If he can do that, angle his fastball, and improve his split some and get his curveball in the strike zone, he can be very effective," said pitching coach Rich Dubee.

"It's a transition for him because he's always been a big-arm, power guy who can pitch upstairs. He's not as much power anymore. He's gotten older, so he's got to do some different stuff. He's applying himself to it, so hopefully he can get it."

Grilli, 34, signed a minor league contract without so much as an invitation to big-league camp. But he hasn't allowed a run yet in two Grapefruit League appearances and appreciates every chance to show what he can do.

"Obviously, I have my own biased opinion of myself," he said. "I know my limitations and I know my capabilities. I think I fit in here somewhere. Obviously, they have to feel the same way. I worked real hard this offseason to get myself locked and loaded. I've been in worse positions before. I know I'm very capable and I believe in myself. It's not like they can't make a change [in their plans]. This is an organization that wants to win. That's why I signed here. They say they pay attention, so I'm hoping I make enough noise so they can see and hear."

Anderson, on the other hand, had a rocky afternoon. The 1997 overall first draft pick by the Tigers is a great comeback story. Like Grilli, he signed a minor league contract at age 34 and wasn't invited to big-league camp. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2005. He is trying to come back from shoulder surgery.

His fastball still sits comfortably in the mid-90s, but his command is a concern. He retired only one Twins batter. He hit Chase Lambin with a pitch and just missed skulling Thome, one of his two two wild pitches.

"Right now, it's just getting into baseball shape," he said. "The command will be there. It will just be there. That's not really an issue."

He conceded, though, that given his situation he probably doesn't have a lot of margin for error. "It's something that's going to come. It's right there. But, yeah, sooner rather than later is always a good thing."

Martinez, the Rule 5 draft pick, has now played three straight games at second base, starting the last two and getting a pair of hits in each. Barfield, who will start at second today, is hitting .474 for the spring. With Utley sidelined indefinitely with knee tendinitis and a premium being placed on players who can play several positions, this could be interesting to watch.

Mayberry went 0-for-3 and made an error on a routine grounder in the seventh, but is still hitting .324 with four homers. Young homered and is hitting .333.

The customers at the ballpark and the viewers back in Philadelphia might not have been happy. But as far as the Phillies baseball people were concerned, it was great drama.