For Phillies fans, the countdown to spring training began minutes after the final game of last season, when the club flattened the Mets, 11-0, in manager Pete Mackanin’s last game as skipper. But the hiring of eccentric new manager Gabe Kapler, whose theme for the Phillies this year is “Be bold,” promises something exciting and different for a team looking to erase the memories of a largely forgettable 2017 season.
While fans will have to wait until April 3 for opening day, when the Phillies will travel to Citi Field to take on the New York Mets, spring training games are right around the corner.