The Phillies' home opener against the Colorado Rockies in South Philadelphia is days away, but Citizens Bank Park was still busy Friday, despite no fans in the stands.

For the Phillies' grounds crew, Friday afternoon meant time spent putting out foul lines, stenciling and painting.

"Three days. We're getting ready for the bottom of the ninth," Caleb Robinson, the Phillies' manager of field operations, said.

The Philadelphia transplant started with the organization as an intern.

"The first thing I would notice was the stripes out in the outfield, all the perfect grass, everything is perfectly manicured," Robinson said.

That's now his responsibility as the manager of field operations. Robinson notes it's a year-round job for the grounds crew. Monday will mark his fifth home opener with the Fightins.

"I kind of get an itch, about mid-February to get back out and start doing some stuff," Robinson said.

Meanwhile, inside the CP Rankin Club, an array of new merchandise and menu items was on display for some season ticket holders.

"It's awesome watching the games on TV, happy to be back here see what's new," said Eddie Ross, a season ticket holder. 

A few highlights include a Rob McElhenney Wrexham Lager and a new chicken cutlet sandwich with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Kyle Schwarber's Neighborhood Heroes charity. There's also a Brandon Marsh basketball jersey and a puffer vest – just two of many fan giveaways.

The grounds crew shared it'll take a total of two to three hours to finish the painting on the field on Friday. They added that the weather played a part in why they're doing it days in advance.

"In anticipation of the rain this weekend," Robinson said. "We will be tarping, I believe, this weekend and then we'll kind of see what Monday brings."

"This ballpark still is, in our view the best ballpark in the country, but it's important that we keep things fresh and each year our fans ask us what's new what's coming and so this is the opportunity to do that," said Michael Harris, VP of Marketing and Government Affairs for the Phillies.

While rain poses a threat for the Phils' home opener, Robinson wants fans to remember this throughout the season.

"Don't hate us when we put the tarp on," he said with a chuckle.

That decision, he said, is not his.  

Former player and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said no matter how many seasons go by, he'll still have all the feels come Monday. 

"It's always really exciting, I think about it all the time as a player, as a person who was in the front office, even as a bat boy...it's literally the best time of the year, other than maybe October, November," he said.