CLEARWATER, Fla. - Frank Herrmann, wielding a black bat, stared down four of his fellow Phillies pitchers. They stood in a semicircle about 20 feet away. Herrmann, a 31-year-old righthander with one career professional at bat, swung and hit another dribbler at the grass near his feet.
The pitchers laughed. "This is borderline embarrassing!" one yelled at Herrmann. Around them, nine other groups of five played a forgotten drill banned from ballparks across the country.
Pepper is alive and well in Phillies camp.
"We've done it every day," Herrmann said. "But there's certainly crazier and less important things I've done in spring training.