PHILADELPHIA _ In the days and weeks after the Phillies hired Joe Girardi in October, J.T. Realmuto wanted to learn as much as possible about the new manager. Conveniently, he bumped into Didi Gregorius the week before Thanksgiving at a Nike event in Mexico.
"I told him, 'Joe is going to fight for you no matter what situation you're in. He's always going to be there for you, and he's always going to back you up,' " said Gregorius, who played shortstop for Girardi with the New York Yankees and signed with the Phillies in December. "That's the guy you want on your side. J.T. said, 'Yeah, I think we're ready to go.' "
Ready or not, here come the Girardi-led Phillies. Pitchers and catchers must report to Clearwater, Fla., by Tuesday, and the 55th manager in club history will oversee the first workout of spring training one day later.
Play ball? Almost. Meanwhile, here are a few storylines that bear watching:
