I was very excited to come home today to a package from the professional photographers at Northeast Photography who were trailing our every move in Clearwater. Inside was the photo CD I ordered on the last day at Phantasy Camp. So without further ado…

1/20/11 – Day Two, morning

Of all the photos I received of myself, this was easily my favorite. My facial expression while entering the clubhouse for the very first time could be described as a combination of a “deer caught in the headlights” and a “get the hell out of my way” Wookiee. In front of me is the famous Gene Mattioni. In case you forgot about Gene…

I have to admit a secret. The baseball hat I’m wearing is actually a 1963 replica Baltimore Orioles cap. I felt a little guilty about this, but as you can see from the clock on the wall, it’s 8:10. I can not be responsible for any fashion choices this early in the morning.

As soon as we got our uniforms on, we posed for our Phillies Phantasy Camp “yearbook picture”. I was voted “Most Likely To Not Be Able To Keep A Cleanly Shaven Face For More Than Two Minutes.”

You’d think I would look a little more excited about our very first Kangaroo Court Session.

You’d think.

1/20/11 – Day Two, afternoon

Here I am warming up in-between innings during our first game against the eventual Camp champions, the Red Barons. This was my only inning manning the hot corner. Luckily for the team, I had no defensive opportunities.

*whiff*

I look like I’m swinging a cricket bat here. No “six” for me.

Not only is this my solid single off of the eventual Camp Cy Young Award winner, Tony Carfagno, but I couldn’t help notice the similarity in this Mike Schmidt poster that used to adorn my bedroom wall:

Obviously there are a LOT of differences in these two shots. The biggest one of course is Schmidt is wearing a blue, away uniform. I am wearing the home, red pinstripe uni. Everything else is very minor.

Mike Lieberthal gives me the big high five for my single and hopefully starting the rally to break through to the pitching clinic we were suffering through. 

The pitcher won.

Here’s my attempt at being an Allen & Ginter baseball card…

Later at Bright House Field…

Advancing to second base on a single after my walk. 

Among the plethora of memories from Camp, there was one that, to most people, would seem very mundane, but struck me oddly compelling. During my first at-bat at Bright House Field, I fouled a ball over the backstop into the sea of empty blue seats. The ball clanged around like a Plinko disc. I got such a kick out of that. You go to a Major League game and see foul balls all the time landing into the throngs of fans. The throngs of fans were obviously not in attendance, but I just hit a foul ball into a spot that any number of Major Leaguers have also done. Call me crazy, but I thought that was pretty cool.

“crazy”

Fine, let’s continue…

Leading off of second…

…and forced out.

1/21/11 – Day Three, Kangaroo Court

Because of our devastating 18-0 loss against the Bay Sox at Bright House Field, the Drillers earned the first ever “Gomer Award” given to an entire team. Scott Palmer laughs along with us as Kevin Stocker tries to justify our play on the field.

It didn’t work.

1/22/11 – Day Four, afternoon

Here I am going for the force out in our third game of the day against the Sky Chiefs. I’m actually not really remembering this play. I don’t recall if the out was made, but I do know there was no throwing error. Trust me, I remember my errors. And here is the sequence of my most dunderheaded miscue of the Camp, later in the game…

(Here is my excuse: I mentioned that it was extremely windy this day. Check out the palm tree directly behind me. And which way am I running? I rest, your honor.)

It’s looking good…

Nope.

I picked up the ball and wildly hurled it towards first. I dropped to my knees in utter disbelief. Two errors in one play. Beautiful.

I got it this time!

*phew*

I’m in the middle of a drop-to-the-knee Jayson Werth swing here, minus the power. My facial expression? Even I can’t figure this one out.

This hit resulted in a fielder’s choice. 6-4 if you are scoring at home.

Kevin Stocker is underwhelmed by my even more underwhelming fielder’s choice. I’m overwhelmed by my lack of oxygen intake running down to first base.

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Speaking of photography, over on my other Phillies blog, The Transplanted Phan, I recently posted a couple links to a gallery by Philly.com staff photographer David Swanson. He’s taken a really great approach to capturing the sights down in Clearwater this year. He’s armed himself with an iPhone and has been documenting Spring Training using the Hipstamatic app and adding a hi-fi/lo-fi approach to traditional documentary photography.