SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Phillies finished last in baseball in runs scored in 2016. They're pinning their hopes for improvement on three general principles.
First, they've added two professional bats in corner outfielders Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders. Second, they're banking on their younger hitters learning from the guys who have been around the block a few times.
Finally, and less conspicuously, manager Pete Mackanin is focusing on the finer points of the game that don't always show up in the box score but can often make the difference between winning and losing.