Feb. 16 -- DAY 3: PRACTICAL JOKERS

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- How relaxed are the Phillies on the third day of camp? After today's workout, Kyle Kendrick got Punk'd.

Ashton Kutcher would've been proud.

Brett Myers (who else?) was the ring-leader for a well-organized prank that was aided by Charlie Manuel, Ruben Amaro Jr., director of team travel Frank Coppenbarger and the Phillies' press corps. Even Kendrick's agent, Joe Urbon, was in on the scam, which went something like this:

Amaro called Kendrick into Manuel's office to inform him he had been traded to the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League for a player named "Kobayashi Iwamura." The Phillies had a letter printed that authorized the deal. A dazed, and very confused, Kendrick was gullible enough to believe it. He left Manuel's office and phoned Urbon, who confirmed the "deal." Amaro announced the trade to reporters (we were clued in to what was happening), and there was a mock interview with Kendrick, who stammered and stuttered before saying, "I don't know what to think right now."

"You've been Punk'd," Myers hollered.

Laughter ensued. Kendrick breathed a huge sigh of relief and said, "I've never been so happy. Seriously. Wow." Asked if he was planning retribution for Myers, Kendrick said, "I don't think I can get him that good."

So, are the Phillies having fun down here? You bet.

*
Turns out, Kris Benson did throw today after all. He tossed 60 pitches off a bullpen mound to minor-league catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (definitely the best name in camp), and after getting treatment for his surgically repaired right shoulder, he finally addressed reporters. "It's been coming along great as far as where I'm at right now at not even 11 months [post-op]," Benson said. "The goal is to be ready by opening day. Realistically, do I think I'll be able to make it? I don't know. Through this whole process, I've realized the shoulder has a mind of its own. Today, it could be feeling great. Tomorrow, I could do the same thing, and it doesn't feel great."

Asked if he's willing to open the season in the minors, he said: "It all depends on where they see me getting into the ball team at that time. Do I have a problem going down to the minor leagues and making a handful of starts? Of course not. My goal is to make it back to the big leagues, so if I go with any team, I'm going to have to do that."

Oh, by the way, Anna Benson isn't here yet, but she's expected to arrive next week. We'll keep an eye out for her.

*
Eleven non-arbitration players (pitchers Joe Bisenius, Fabio Castro, Clay Condrey, John Ennis, J.A. Happ, Lincoln Holdzkom, Shane Youman, Mike Zagurski and catchers Chris Coste, Jason Jaramillo and Carlos Ruiz) have agreed to split contracts, which means they get paid one salary if they're in the majors and another in the minors.