The Philadelphia Phillies are now in the home stretch of spring training action as the team starts to finalize the 26-man roster for Opening Day on March 28. The same can be said of the Phillies minor league affiliates, with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils getting ready for Opening Night on April 9 when they face off against the Portland Sea Dogs.
That night will also feature a cool promotional giveaway for the first 3,000 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium: a Bryson Stott bobblehead that depicts the Phillies second baseman spiking his bat from the 2023 Wild Card series grand slam he hit against the Miami Marlins.
Following the recent theft of Jaromír Jágr bobbleheads across the state in Pittsburgh, the Reading Fightin Phils are taking every precaution to maintain the safety of the Stott bobbleheads.
We’ve received calls regarding concerns of recent bobblehead thefts in Pennsylvania.
— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) March 15, 2024
We can confirm the Bryson Stott bobbleheads have arrived safely and are ready for our fans on April 9! https://t.co/l5NhOR244g pic.twitter.com/ir4aSNJUhD
The social media post from the Fightin Phils about the safety of the Stott bobbleheads was clearly tongue-in-cheek, but we can all rest easy knowing they are stored away and being guarded around the clock, 24/7. There's no word if the Jaromír Jágr bobbleheads featured a bobble mullet, but it would be a nice touch. It's unclear how a criminal organization may profit off of thousands of stolen bobbleheads in the first place, but a full investigation is ongoing.
Phillies legend Jimmy Rollins will open a restaurant in Philadelphia
In other news, former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins and a business partner are getting ready to open a restaurant in Philadelphia, in the Old City section of town. The venture, a first for Rollins, will be called Eleven Social and will inhabit the former site of 2nd Story Brewing Co.
In a recent article from Michael Klein of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Rollins' business partner Matt DeLima spoke about how the former NL MVP and 2008 World Series champion got involved in developing the new restaurant.
“Jimmy’s a super social guy and he loves going out to restaurants,” said DeLima, per Klein. “He always wanted to own a restaurant and also be involved with all aspects of the business. I didn’t think it was going to be like that because he’s a busy guy.”
Rollins, who officially retired in 2019, has been growing his portfolio of businesses over the last couple of years and when DeLima pitched the idea of partnering up to open a new restaurant, the former Phillies legend had one request.
“I reached out to Jimmy to see if he’d be interested in having a restaurant,” DeLima continued. “And he said we should open one in Philly.”
There's no date set for when Eleven Social will open for business, but it's pretty cool to see Rollins setting up shop in Philadelphia. While nothing can replace Dollar Dog Night at Citizens Bank Park, Rollins' new venture will be a welcome new addition to Philly's diverse culinary food scene.