Philadelphia Phillies Truck Day is here and spring training is near: pitchers & catchers report next week

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Pitchers and catchers report next week, but the first sign spring and baseball is near is here: Truck Day. The Philadelphia Phillies packed their bags Thursday and will begin their journey to Clearwater, Florida for spring training.

Three 28-foot tractor trailers will leave Citizens Bank Park to bring equipment from Philadelphia to Clearwater, and the man responsible for loading it all up is Phillies equipment manager Dan O'Rourke, who has been with the team for 14 seasons.

O'Rourke said he's got loading trucks and moving them 1,000 miles to Florida down to a science.

"The Threshers use that clubhouse down there, so there's already baseball stuff down there," O'Rourke said. "Rosin, pine tar, stuff like that. Towels, wash clothes. So we just basically pick up our area here in Philadelphia and take it to Clearwater."

"We'll have plenty of time to find out what we need or what we're told. There's guys that always come up with different things and coaches that they'll ask for. It's our job to just make them happy and get it."

So what is O'Rourke and his staff tasked with moving?

• 2,400 baseballs
• 2,000 short and long sleeve shirts
• 1,200 bats
• 900 pairs of socks
• 300 batting gloves
• 140 heavy jackets
• Several bikes

The trucks arrived at Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia around 6:30 a.m. Thursday and will depart at 11:30 a.m.

The Phillies will have a few sendoff celebrations at 11:40 a.m. at the ballpark and then at the Citizens Bank branch located at 1835 Market St. in Center City at noon.

From there, the three-day, 1,058-mile drive to BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater begins.

Pitchers and catchers report will have their first official workout on Wednesday.

In:
• MLB
• Spring Training
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Baseball
• Philadelphia