CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Actor Miles Teller is a huge Phillies fan and has been coming to Spring Training for years.
Teller and his father, Michael, watched the Phillies play the Yankees on Wednesday afternoon in a 7-3 Grapefruit League loss at Spectrum Field. Teller, who has starred in such movies as "Whiplash," "War Dogs" and "Divergent," grew up in Downingtown, Pa., and Cape May, N.J. He chatted for a few minutes with MLB.com, discussing his favorite Phillies memories and moments.
MLB.com: What's your earliest Phillies memory?
Teller: We were living in Cape May, N.J., for a long time. So just going to the Vet [Veterans Stadium]. My two sisters were Atlanta Braves fans. I think both of my sisters had crushes on Dave Justice. So I just remember going to the Vet. The '93 team … I can name every player on that roster. Darren Daulton is my favorite player of all time. When we moved to Florida, I remember going to the old Spring Training stadium -- Jack Russell. I remember I had a Wolf Pack mask that my grandma [Dorothy] got me from up in Philly. I just remember Randy Wolf being just the nicest guy, chatting with him for a really long time.
Now that I'm older, my memories are the Tiki Bar here. It's just such a great stadium.
MLB.com: Your dad says you have pictures with Randy Wolf and Mike Lieberthal. Anybody else?
Teller: Daulton is No. 1 for me. [Scott] Rolen is No. 2. Rolen and J-Roll [James Rollins]. They would always sign. But once I moved to Florida, we were an hour and a half from this stadium. That's what we would do. We'd come down and get autographs and stuff. It was great.
MLB.com: Do you follow the Phillies during the season?
Teller: I have [MLB.TV], so I can watch them. I can watch them everywhere. Admittedly, more so last year -- this year I know a lot of the names, but I remember we went to Spring Training last year and you've got to relearn those guys. The [Chase] Utleys and the [Shane] Victorinos, [Ryan] Howard and those guys are gone now. I actually live in L.A., so the Dodgers are like Phillies West. I can still see Chooch [Carlos Ruiz], man. It's a rebuilding year. Every year, few years you've got to go through that, but anytime I see Phillies red, I'm just excited about it.
MLB.com: Do you remember where you watched Game 5 of the 2008 World Series?
Teller: I was going to NYU at the time and there's a bar up there called Wogies. It's all Philly owned. I remember I watched it there. I remember when they won, me and my buddies were really buzzed and you just turned around and it was like being at a party. Nobody knew anybody, but everybody was dancing. I literally cried.
MLB.com: Is that right?
Teller: Yeah, for sure. Even though the Phillies were winning division after division, before that it was Marlon Anderson, Desi Relaford, Travis Lee -- it was some struggles. So once we finally became this powerhouse, it was just unreal, man. I really didn't know if I was going to see the Phillies win a World Series, so I cried.
MLB.com: I think a lot of Phillies fans felt the same way you felt that night.
Teller: It's the farm system. A lot of those guys were homegrown.
MLB.com: That's what they're trying to do here now. Maybe they'll be back there in a few years.
Teller: Bring it back, man. We're ready. We haven't had a winning season since 2011. I know the [beer] will taste a little better, be a little colder, once those wins start racking up.