DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies will play the first of their 35 exhibition games Sunday at Bright House Field with the high expectation that they can at least beat the University of Tampa, the defending Division II national champion.
It was an embarrassing loss to the Spartans in last year's exhibition opener that served as the trigger point for the Phillies' tumble to the bottom of the baseball standings. By the time the 99-loss season was over, they had a new manager and a new president, and were searching for a new general manager.