It’s one of the strangest days to take note of all year, but it’s an important one.   Today was the day that a 53-ft moving truck pulled out of Citizen’s Bank Park and made the long trek down to Clearwater, FL.

After a few hours of packing, the Phillies crew had the truck ready to go.  All off-season, the Phillies have been ordering and prepping for the upcoming season and the items were, for the most, delivered straight to CBP.  The players and Front Office members are allowed to drop off items that they don’t want to be bothered with taking down themselves.

For this trek, the usual suspects were on board: (Phillies.com)

• 15 cases of gum (regular and sugarless)
  

  Me at Brighthouse Field a few years ago. Can I go again?

• 12 cases of sunflower seeds
• 20 coolers
• half pallet of POWERade mix
• 250 batting practice tops
• 350 pair of shorts
• 450 pair of socks
• 600 pair of pants
• 600 hats
• 200 fleeces
• 1,200 bats
• 2,000 T-shirts
• 2,400 baseballs
• 10,000 12 oz. cups
• 150 pairs of batting gloves

Ok, so by usual, I mean a ton of baseball stuff to get through 6 weeks in beautiful Clearwater.  Those, however, are the boring items.  

Every year, a player or Phillies front office member sends something that really has nothing to do with baseball. This year’s list includes: (Phillies.com)

• 15 sets of golf clubs
• one wedding dress
• four bridesmaids’ dresses
• one groom’s suit
• one groomsman’s suit
• one cake topper 

Umm? Wait, what?

Phils director of baseball communications Greg Casterioto is getting married in Clearwater next Saturday, thus the suits and dresses. Phillies.com

So that’s an odd one.  But, Congratulations Casterioto.

Anyway, the truck will arrive at the Carpenter Complex and Brighthouse Field on Friday where it can join Roy Halladay who has been there since the day after the season ended.

So, so close now, but still so, so far.