By Spike Eskin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – When the Phillies 2011 season ended with a disappointing Division Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, Ruben Amaro said the offense had to change, and it was up to the current players to change it, instead of the team making roster moves. “We need to make adjustments, work counts better, have better two-strike at bats,” he said. With pitchers and catchers preparing to report to 2012 Spring Training, and their off-season moves essentially finished, Amaro still believes the same thing.

“You accomplish it by guys stepping up and noticing some of their, you know, their faults, and reorganizing the way they think about the offense,” Amaro said on Saturday during an interview with Howard Eskin on 94 WIP. “You have to understand that the long ball’s not going to be as essential a part of our game, and we have to kind of live by that. We have some speed on the club. We have some guys who move runners. If they dedicate themselves to doing that, we’ll have a much better offensive club.”

Listen to Howard Eskin’s interview with Ruben Amaro Jr.:

Getting on base and moving players over is something the Phillies need to do, and haven’t been as successful at in recent years. Though the Phillies have had trouble, Amaro thinks the problem is league-wide. “Teams really have a tough time with situational hitting across the board,” he said. “Unless the players are dedicated to doing it, then it’s not going to happen.”

Pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater, FL for Phillies Spring Training on Saturday.