Phils owner weighs in on Arrieta talk, pitching

Scott Boras is known to call an owner or two as he pursues and closes monster contracts for clients. The agent can be persuasive. So how often has Phillies owner John Middleton heard from Boras recently? Middleton shaped his thumb and index finger into a circle Thursday, a couple of hours before the Phillies played an exhibition against the University of Tampa at Spectrum Field. Zero.