TAMPA, Fla. - Before he boarded the team bus for a trip across the causeway to serve as the Phillies' designated hitter, Andrew Knapp carried his bats to the Carpenter Complex. He would play two games Wednesday, a tactic designed to mend the young catcher's swing.
In his first 18 at-bats this spring, Knapp managed one hit. He struck out seven times without a walk.
"I want to get him going because I know he's better than he's shown," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "So I have to get his bat going."
It's more than that; the Phillies need Knapp to be their backup catcher in 2017.