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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Still chasing Bryce Harper and Manny Machado http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , the Philadelphia Phillies are headed to spring training with high hopes and a revamped lineup.Expectations would increase if they finally land their superstar.The Phillies had been eyeing this offseason for a few years, knowing they’d have the money and payroll flexibility to spend big bucks to get big-time players. They made their pitch to Machado when he visited Philadelphia in December and tried to sell Harper on coming here in a meeting in Las Vegas last month.While the baseball world waits for both players to make decisions, teams are moving on and getting ready for the season.The Phillies made a blockbuster trade to acquire All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto from Miami on Thursday and already improved their roster without adding one of the two prized free agents. Shortstop Jean Segura was acquired from Seattle in December while 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and proven closer David Robertson signed in free agency.Under first-year manager Gabe Kapler, the Phillies were a surprise contender for much of 2018 until falling apart the final two months. They led their division with the second-best record in the National League one week into August before going 16-33 over the final 49 games to finish with a losing record for the sixth straight year.Here are some things to know about the Phillies as they start camp:NEW-LOOK LINEUP: Segura (.304 average, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, 20 steals) and Realmuto (.277, 21, 74) bolster the top of the order and McCutchen. (.255, 20, 65) gives Kapler flexibility because he can bat anywhere. The Phillies had the worst average (.234) and were third in strikeouts (1,520) last season so they should be much better. If other hitters improve, the lineup could be formidable. Slugger Rhys Hoskins still has more upside. Odubel Herrera, Cesar Hernandez and Aaron Altherr are coming off down seasons. Nick Williams and Scott Kingery have plenty of room for improvement. Maikel Franco was the only starter who produced better numbers from the previous season.ACED UP: Aaron Nola had a breakout season, finishing third in NL Cy Young Award voting. Jake Arrieta was disappointing after signing in mid-March. Nick Pivetta, Zach Eflin and Vince Velasquez showed promise. The starting rotation has potential but lacks a lefty. Dallas Keuchel is still in play for the Phillies if they want to add a former Cy Young award winner who, like Arrieta, may have had his best seasons already.BULLPEN STRENGTH: Robertson improves a talented group that features hard-throwing righty Seranthony Dominguez, who emerged as the closer in his rookie season. Righties Hector Neris Alex Gordon Jersey , Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter plus lefties Adam Morgan, Jose Alvarez and James Pazos make this a deep unit. Robertson may be used in various roles to get big outs whether it’s in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings.SHAPE UP: Herrera had a career-high in homers (22) and RBIs (70) but had career-lows in average (.255) and on-base percentage (.310). He arrived to spring training last year out of shape and Kapler told him after the season it was unacceptable so Herrera worked with personal trainers in Miami and went to camp in January. Herrera was an All-Star in 2016 and slashed .288/.344/.430 over his first three seasons.GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Phillies had the worst defense in the majors last season but improved by adding Segura to play shortstop and moving Hoskins from left field to his natural spot at first base. Kapler plans to tweak the way he employs defensive shifts. Arrieta and Neshek were critical of some defensive alignments last season when they were on the mound and positioning players better also can help the defense. NEW YORK (AP) — Manager Aaron Boone sees even more motivation in this year’s New York Yankees.“They’ve had a couple of really good teams here that have been close, and the disappointment of an ending when you feel like you have a team capable of greatness I think does add a log to the fire,” he said Wednesday. “It does add a little extra kick to wanting this to get done, and I think that adds to everyone’s hunger a little bit.”New York worked out at Yankee Stadium ahead of Thursday’s opener against Baltimore. The Yankees have not reached the World Series since winning the 2009 title and haven’t finished first in the AL East since 2012.They finished eight games behind Boston in the AL East last year and were eliminated by the Red Sox in the Division Series. In 2017, they lost to Houston in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.“In ’17 we got one game away from the World Series and last year leaving in the DS, those games sting. Both those years sting a little bit,” said right fielder Aaron Judge, who was a rookie when his team lost Game 7 to the Astros.After last year’s elimination, Judge tuned out.“Once we were out, I was done watching baseball,” he said.The 2019 version of the Bronx Bombers features many of the same players from last year’s cast, which set a big league record with 267 home runs. New York added lefty starter James Paxton, reliever Adam Ottavino, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and infielder DJ LeMahieu, while re-signing CC Sabathia, J.A. Happ, Zack Britton and Brett Gardner.“We won 100 games last year http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , and we’re better than we were,” Stanton said.Stanton is starting his second season in New York following his December 2017 trade from Miami.“We got solid additions in the offseason and we’ve got a returning lineup that has an extra year under our belt together, so the more you play together the better you are,” he added. “Whether that’s the on-field, off-field chemistry, the overall dynamic is better the more you’re with the same team.”New York starts the season banged up, with Luis Severino, Sabathia, Aaron Hicks, Dellin Betances, Didi Gregorius and Jordan Montgomery sidelined. Based on what he’s seen, Boone, also starting his second season, thinks the Yankees have enough depth.“The way they compete in the little things they’re doing behind the scenes is palpable to me,” he said. “It’s something I notice.”The Orioles open up under new manager Brandon Hyde, who aims to improve a team that staggered to 115 losses last year under Buck Showalter.TANAKA TIMERight-hander Masahiro Tanaka will be making his fourth straight opening day start for New York, facing a rookie-laden Orioles lineup containing several hitters he’s never seen before. The 30-year-old is 0-2 with a 9.49 ERA in previous openers, but isn’t planning to do anything different beforehand.Aside from strategizing ways to approach the young O’s hitters, his preparation remains the same as if Thursday were just another matchup Mike Moustakas Jersey , although Tanaka did acknowledge that the tension is heightened.“Lot of eyes on this game,” he said through an interpreter.He sustained a partially-torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow back in 2014, which was never surgically repaired. It hasn’t affected him recently, and he sounded surprised when asked about the joint.“It was completely out of my mind,” Tanaka said. “My elbow’s fine. I’m ready going into the season.”Fellow righty Andrew Cashner is scheduled to start for Baltimore in place of Alex Cobb, who strained a groin in his last spring training appearance.Greg Bird and Luke Voit are expected to be in Thursday’s lineup for New York. The duo had been competing for the first base job throughout spring training, but both made the opening-day roster due to injuries as well as solid performances over the past month.STANTONBoone thinks Stanton will be more relaxed. Stanton hit .266 with 38 home runs, 100 RBIs and a career-high 211 strikeouts during his first year in pinstripes. Stanton had 59 homers and 132 RBIs in his final season with Miami, when he won the NL MVP.“He’s a worker. He gets under the hood. He studies, he really studies pitchers,” Boone said. “He does really well the more he sees somebody, more so than most guys, so I think he’s able to process information when he gains experience against a guy.”Stanton appreciates being noticed for his work ethic.“It’s part of my DNA, I guess,” he said.TRAINER’S ROOMSeveral players dealing with various maladies remained in Tampa for injury rehabilitation. Hicks (stiff lower back) ran on a treadmill and is continuing to do core work. He has not started baseball activities. … Severino (right rotator cuff inflammation) threw from 120 feet on Tuesday, then had Wednesday off. … Betances (right shoulder impingement) is expected to throw off a mound in a side session this weekend.