For those of you who can't get your hands on a hard copy of the paper, I'm going to try to post my daily dose of spring notes - which includes a quote of the day from coach and player, among other items - here in the blog.

Here is what I found when I pried open the notebook last night:


GILLICK-SPEAK

"He doesn't have to be here... if there was a problem he wouldn't be here, so consequently by him being here it's a very positive show by Ryan that he's happy what happed last season going to the Division championship and I think he has his mind headed that way." - Phillies general manager Pat Gillick said of Ryan Howard in camp five days before position players are required to report.


HOWARD CHATTER

"I have to add some more stolen bases. I got to get some more of those. I got to talk to Chuck (manager Charlie Manuel)." – Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who is 10-15 pounds lighter than he was last spring, on what he wants to improve in his game.

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Chad Durbin, who signed with the Phillies as a free agent from Detroit, said he hasn't been confused for J.D. Durbin just yet. They may share the same last name, but the newer Durbin isn't as blonde or boisterous as the returning Phillies pitcher nicknamed "The Real Deal."
The newest Durbin is a welcome addition to the Phillies pitching staff. Although he could compete with Adam Eaton and possibly Kris Benson for a spot in the rotation, he brings flexibility - 17 of Durbin's 36 appearances last year were out of the bullpen.
"I learned last year that you can't see yourself as either or, or you can't prefer something because it doesn't really matter," Durbin said. "When they call you in and tell you what you're gonna do, that's what you do."
Durbin, 8-7 with a 4.72 ERA in 127.2 innings last summer, has a fan in manager Charlie Manuel.
"I think when we picked up Chad Durbin we knew there was some place on our team where he made us better," Manuel said. "In some way, in the role that he'll play, he's gonna help us."

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Tom “Flash” Gordon, in the final year of a three-year contract, doesn’t sound ready to retire. The 40-year old reliever said he’d like the chance to pitch against his son one day.
Devaris Strange-Gordon is attracting scouts while playing shortstop for Southeastern University in nearby Lakeland, Fla. Flash’s kid hit .378 and was 45-of-52 in stolen bases as a freshman last season.
“It’s been a thrill for me,” the elder Gordon said of watching his son develop. “I had no idea what my dad was going through.”
By the way, Flash has declared himself healthy and ready for the season.

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A rite of spring training: the younger and more inexperienced the player in camp, the higher number on the back of his jersey.
With the exception of veteran So Taguchi, who wears No.99, the award for this spring’s highest number in camp is left-handed pitcher Joe Savery. The Phillies first-round pick out of Rice University last summer, Savery is wearing No. 85.
“I just want to get to know some people and learn what they do, get to know the coaches, put a name to the face," Savery said of taking part in his first professional and big league camp.


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Here's the main story in today's paper, the link posted here for archive services (if you don't get around to reading it today:

HOWARD SPEAKS, 2/16:
http://www.delcotimes.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FDCT%2FSports&r21.content=%2FDCT%2FSports%2FTopStoryList_Story_1593949