 02/24/2004 2:53 PM ET
Bauman: Philling in the pieces
Offseason acquisitions could push Phils over top
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Mike Bauman
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| Eric Milton will solidify a strong Phillies starting rotation. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)
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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Philadelphia Phillies come to camp as the popular pick to win the National League East. This has clearly been Atlanta Braves territory, but the Phils have been, as they say in the big markets, "aggressive" in going after the help they needed to make them the Braves of 2004.
The full Phillies squad reported to work Tuesday at, fittingly enough, sparkling new Spring Training quarters. The paint hasn't dried yet on the place, in fact, the paint hasn't been painted yet in some spots. But it's going to be a very nice Grapefruit League spot. And it fits symbolically with the Phillies' new status at the top of the heap.
Why the Phillies, as opposed to the Braves? It's practically a perennial thing, picking the Braves to fall off their lofty perch, but their 12 straight division titles tell you that reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. This year, their personnel losses seem more dramatic than ever, but the Phillies' new prominence is more a reflection of the Phillies moving forward rather than the Braves moving backward.
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