Pitching Top Priority For Phillies As Spring Training Begins
CLEARWATER, Fla. (CBS) -- Pitching remains the Phillies' top priority as pitchers and catchers held their first workout on Tuesday.
One of those pitching concerns is Aaron Nola, who says his elbow is 100 percent healthy and that he's ready to go. Nola was shut down last year after he was diagnosed with a strained flexor tendon and a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in July.
"I'm all good now," Nola said. "Been throwing and no pain, no nothing, no hesitation about anything, so I've been good."
Zach Eflin, whose season was over mid-August because of an assortment of leg problems, also says he feels great.
"It's been a very, very long time since I've been able to walk on knees that felt good. So, I'm excited I felt great, I'm ready to go," Eflin said.
Phillies Catcher Cameron Rupp Turns To Yoga In Offseason
Jared Eickhoff, the oldest of the group at 26, was a mid-season rock and could be poised for a break-out season.
"I treat it the same as I would any other Spring Training, put in a lot of work in the offseason and I'm just trying to get started on the right note, a little better than last year, breaking the thumb, so I'm excited," Eickhoff said.
The young guys are anxious to learn from new Phillie and veteran pitcher, Clay Buchholz.
"There's a lot of young guys on this team, that I've been playing against these guys for a couple years," Buchholz said. "A handful of them I've played against for a while. I think everybody can look at it as a challenge and try to prove people wrong and go as far as we can."
Manager Pete Mackanin says he likes what he sees.
"We've got a good blend of young and old. I shouldn't say old -- young and more experienced pitchers and I'm real satisfied what I'm looking at right now," Mackanin said.
Mackanin said there's no number one pitcher at this point and he does not know who will be the Opening Day starter yet.
