Mar. 28 -- CATCHING ON

Mick Billmeyer has known Carlos Ruiz for years. And since they began working together in 2000, Billmeyer, the Phillies' catching instructor, has watched his pupil mature, physically and mentally, to the point where he wouldn't be surprised if Ruiz was catching for the National League in the All-Star Game this year.

Chris Coste agrees. Coste, the Phillies' backup catcher, is predicting a big year from Ruiz -- something like .295, 19 homers, 75 RBIs.

But, in talking with several people about Ruiz this week, the most impressive thing is how much his game-calling and communication with pitchers has improved since he first got to the majors in 2006. Just ask Jamie Moyer, the 45-year-old left-hander who has worked with his share of catchers during his 22-year major-league career.

"We talk more about selection, location," Moyer said. "It's far easier to sit on the side and critique things. You can learn from it, too. In '06, when he came up here, he didn't really play much, but we'd sit and talk a lot and I'd have him watch the opposing catchers. He'd watch them give a sign and see how they moved, how they didn't move. If they moved up, usually it was going to be a breaking ball. If they moved back, it might be a fastball. Sometimes, the way they moved was a deke. As a catcher, there's a lot of things you can do, verbally and nonverbally, that can have an effect on the game.

"He's come a long way. He's gained a lot of confidence in himself and his ability. He's not afraid to talk. He's not afraid to ask questions. He wants to learn. He likes the game. It's a difficult positition, especially if you're an everyday catcher. You're catching 120 games a year. It's a grind. Last year, we had, what, 28 pitchers walk through the door? Now, all of a sudden, you've got another guy coming in. You're trying to win, and you're trying to do your job. There's a lot of things going on during the course of a day. He wants to get his hits and help the club offensively, too. But he handled last year very well. He took it in stride."

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Adam Eaton's last spring-training start didn't go so well. But, believe it or not, the spring could've been worse for the Eaton and the Phillies. Also, within this notebook, there's more on the immediate futures of Kris Benson and Travis Blackley.

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Got in late last night, and I must say, it's nice to be home. Not too cold either. These 60-degree temps make me feel like I'm in Florida. Working on some Phillies season-preview stories today, so Kevin Tresolini will be at the Bank for tonight's exhibition game against the Jays. I'll let you know if there are any news updates from there.