Phillies ace lefthander Cole Hamels gave his left elbow a go 9 days after complaining of discomfort.  Hamels threw 3 2/3rd innings in minor league competition against Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguers at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater.  The elbow apparently passed with flying colors as Hamels expressed: “It felt good… and I felt great.”

Hamels had complained elbow discomfort after his last start on March 15th and the club sent him to Philadelphia for examination by the team physician and for an MRI which came through as negative.

The report on Hamels’ performance on Tuesday came through too late for inclusion in the previous blog post.

Hamels’ performance against the Pirates minor leaguers was impressive as the AP report notes:

Hamels allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five of his 13 batters. The left-hander threw 35 of 48 pitches for strikes.

“Performance-wise, we thought he threw OK,” Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “It was a pretty positive outing.”

Hamels is tentatively scheduled to pitch in a Grapefruit League game Sunday against Boston.

If all goes well, Hamels would pitch again a day or two before opening day, meaning he wouldn’t be on the mound when the World Series champions open the season April 5 against  Atlanta.

As was noted in Tuesday’s blog post on the Phillies win over Toronto, management is aiming for a Hamels debut on April 10th against the  Colorado Rockies in Denver, although the later AP report indicates that they have not, as yet, completely ruled Hamels out of starting the season opener.

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Veteran Chan Ho Park gave up 3 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7 in 4 innings while rightfielder Jayson Werth and 2nd baseman Chase Utley homered.  But it was a 3 run 9th inning uprising against Toronto reliever  Brandon League which pushed the Phillies past the Blue Jays by a 7-6 score on Tuesday in Clearwater.

Werth solo homered in the 6th inning off of Toronto’s lefthanded  starter lefthander David Purcey for his 4th round-tripper of the spring and Utley’s 2 run game-tying shot in the 7th off of lefthanded reliever B.J. Ryan was his 1st homer of the exhibition season.   Utley drove in a run in the 5th inning with a sacrifice fly RBI.

MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports that “Park struck out two in each of the first three innings” and ended his 4 inning stint with 7 strikeouts. 

Infielder Eric Bruntlett continued his hot spring hitting knocking in 2 of the 9th inning runs and outfielder Rich Thompson drove in the game winner with his 9th inning single — all off of reliever League who ended up as the losing pitcher.

Reliever Gary Majewski was credited with the win despite giving up Toronto’s short-lived lead runs in the 8th inning before piutching a scoreless 9th. 

After Reliever Robert Mosebach gave up a run on 2 hits in the 5th inning,  Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson shut down Toronto in the 6th and 7th innings on 1 hit with Durbin striking out 2 in the 6th.

For all of the Tuesday’s results of spring training play, click here.

MLB.com’s Bastian also reports:

Philadelphia has an off-day Wednesday before hosting the  Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET on Thursday at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco is slated to start for the Phils, and righty Joba Chamberlain will get the nod for the Yanks.

The latest on ace Cole Hamels seems to be that the Phillies appear aiming Hamels’ 2009 debut for April 10th against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.

For all of Wednesday’s scheduled exhibition games, click here.

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Rookie lefthander J.A. Happ went 5 innings giving up 2 runs and 5 hits to stay in the hunt for the 5th spot in the rotation as the Phillies pounded starter Chien-Ming Wang and 2 other Yankee relievers for an 8-3 win on Monday. 

Non-rostered invitee Brett Tomko, originally slated to start, was the only Yankee reliever to escape unscathed pitching a scoreless 8th inning while giving up a single.

Infielder Eric Bruntlett and leftfielder Raul Ibanez led the Phillies hitting with 3 hits apiece, each driving in a run.  Rightfielder Matt Stairs socked a 2 run homer in the 6th inning and 2nd baseman Miguel Cairo added a 2 run shot in the 7th inning as the Phils mounted an 8-2 lead.

Reliever Clay Condrey, who pitched a scoreless 6th inning allowing a hit, was credited with the win. Closer Brad Lidge and Scott Eyre pitched scoreless 7th and 8th innings while Mike Koplove gave up a run on 2 hits in the 9th inning.

Wang, who gave up a run in the 2nd inning before getting pounded for 3 runs in the 6th while retiring no one, was charged with the loss,

For all of the results of spring training play on Monday, as well as World Baseball classic championship game results, click here.

AP reports that:   

The Phillies have optioned pitcher Kyle Kendrick to their minor league camp, cutting the candidates for the final spot in the rotation to three.

He was competing for the fifth-starter spot with veteran Chan Ho Park, rookie J.A. Happ and top prospect Carlos Carrasco. The move was announced Monday.

Top catching prospect Lou Marson and infielder Brad Harman were also sent to minor league camp.

In other MLB news, AP cites a report on Curt Schilling’s 38pitches.com blog for Yahoo sports that Schilling, who formerly pitched for the Phillies (including leading the 1993 team which went to the World Series losing to the Toronto Blue Jays) and won 3 World Series titles, 1 with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 and 2 (2004 and 2007) with the Boston Red Sox, will retire after 23 seasons with a career 216-146 record and a 3.46 ERA.

Veteran Chan Ho Park, contesting for the 5th spot in the starting rotation, starts for the Phils who host the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday while ace lefthander Cole Hamels throws in a minor league game in another part of the Carpenter complex in Clearwater.

For all of Tuesday’s scheduled exhibition games, click here.

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Young starters Carlos Carrasco and Kyle Kendrick both gave their chances a boost in the starting rotation 5th spot competition while Phillies hitters had problems with Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright and the Cards bullpen in a 10 inning 2-2 tie on Friday as well as with knuckleballing Minnesota starter R.A. Dickey and the Twins bullpen in a 2-1 loss on Saturday.

On Friday, Carrasco gave up 2 runs, both on a 3rd inning homer by centerfelder Rick Ankiel, on 3 hits while walking 2 for the only Cardinals scoring.  Cards starter Wainwright was stung by a 2nd inning leadoff homer by 1st baseman Ryan Howard, his 6th homer of the exhibition season.  Howard went 2 for 3 for the game.

2nd baseman Chase Utley, on the mend from off-season hip surgery, also went 2 for 3 on Friday with a run scored in the 6th inning off of Wainwright.

Aside from shortstop Eric Bruntlett and rightfielder Geoff Jenkins who both also collected 2 hits apiece, Phillies bats were silent throughout against both Wainwright and the St. Louis bullpen. 

Relievers Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson, Mike Koplove and Jake Woods looked solid shutting the door on the Cards over the final 5 1/3 innings on 3 hits. 

Kendrick was particularly impressive in his best start of the spring going 5 innings giving up 2 runs, both in the 1st inning, on 5 hits while striking out 4 and walking only 1.  But the Phils couldn’t solve Dickey’s knuckler and had trouble with the Twins bullpen.

Outfielder John Mayberry was the only Phillie with 2 hits and the Phils’ only run came on utlility man Eric Bruntlett’s 2 out, 9th inning solo homer which averted a Twins shutout.

Relievers Clay Condrey, Brad Lidge and Scott Eyre followed Kendrick, each doing a great job shutting down the Twins.

Dickey was credited with the win while Kendrick, despite a fine performance, was charged with the loss.

For all of the results of spring training play on Friday and Saturday, as well as World Baseball classic results, click here and here.

Ace lefthander Cole Hamels, having been temporarily sidelined over elbow concerns, is back throwing both long-throw and sessions.  MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports on Hamels’ progress:

Hamels… took an important step forward Saturday morning at Bright House Field.

Hamels threw his first bullpen session since he received an anti-inflammatory injection into his left elbow Tuesday in Philadelphia. Hamels said he felt no tightness and had no swelling in the elbow during or after he threw.

“The only soreness I have is from the injection, and that actually has been fading day by day,” Hamels said. “Other than that, all the spots that were kind of causing me soreness didn’t cause me any discomfort at all, so I think that’s a good thing.”

“We still have time,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Hamels’ chances to pitch Opening Night. “There’s no sense rushing. No sense in talking a whole lot. We’ll wait until we get to the point where we see what we have to do. That day is coming, but it ain’t quite here yet.”

The Phillies have not said who would take Hamels’ place Opening Night, although Hamels endorsed right-hander Brett Myers.

Righthander Myers gets the starting call  as the Phils play the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

For all of Sunday’s scheduled exhibition games and the World Baseball Classic game as well, click here.

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Righthander Joe Blanton appears as easily the most effective starter in Clearwater thus far.  On Thursday, he extended his string of shutout innings to 8 in 1-hitting the Florida Marlins through 6 innings as the   Phillies beat the Floridians by a 5-1 score.

Blanton, who has given up but 4 runs in 15 2/3 innings of pitching thus far was nothing short of brilliant.   MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports:

Blanton, making his fourth appearance of the spring, was sharp… striking out three and throwing just 56 pitches — 44 for strikes. 

The AP recap for Yahoo sports notes:

“He threw strikes,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “(Pitching coach Rich) Dubee said he threw 19 first-pitch strikes out of 20. That’s unreal. That’s super.”

Blanton, the Phillies’ No. 4 starter, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter, lowering his ERA to 2.30. But he still wasn’t completely satisfied.

“My location for the most part I was a little better today than I have been with it earlier in the spring,” the right-hander said. “I don’t know if the slider is as good as it was the last game I felt like my changeup stepped up a little bit.”

Marlins starter Chris Volstad matched Blanton by shutting down the Phils and giving up only 1 hit himself through 4 innings.  Volstad threw threw 37 of his 54 pitches for strikes.   Lefthanded reliever Tim Tankersley followed Volstad with a scoreless 5th in his 1 inning of work while giving up the Phillies 2nd hit.

The AP recap continues:

Marlins left-hander Dan Meyer opened the sixth inning with two walks, and both runners scored.  Pablo Ozuna [playing 2nd base] scored on Ryan Howard’s double and Jason Donald scored on Jayson Werth’s sacrifice fly.

The Phils got 3 more insurance runs off of Marlins reliever unrostered invitee Tim Wood, who walked 2 and gave up in the 8th inning.

Closer Brad Lidge worked a scoreless 7th inning giving up 2 hits and striking out 1.   Clay Condrey, unrostered invitee Bobby Mosebach worked the 8th and 9th innings with Condrey being touched for the only Marlins run, on 2 hits in the 8th.

Blanton posted the win for his excellent 6 inning stint while Meyer took the loss in relief.

For all of the results of spring training play for Thursday, as well as World Baseball classic results, click here.

Phillies lefthanded reliever J.C. Romero returned to Phillies camp after his WBC stint with Puerto Rico.

The Phillies take on the St. Louis Cards on Friday as young Carlos Carrasco is assigned the starting mound chores.  Carrasco is still contesting for the rotation 5th spot and will be trying to hold off the Cards and to bring down his 6.30 ERA.

For all of Friday’s and Saturday’s scheduled exhibition games and Saturday’s World Baseball Classic game as well, click here and here.

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Brett Myers had easily his most impressive outing of the spring tossing 5 2/3 shutout innings while striking out 7, scattering 4 hits and walking none as the Phillies looked hitterish pounding the Cincinnati Reds by an 8-1 score on Tuesday in Clearwater.

While Myers breezed in a superb effort, Reds starter Aaron Harang was pummelled by the Phils in a 6 run 2nd inning uprising.  Harang lasted until 1 out in the 4th giving up 7 hits while walking 3 and striking out 2. 

The Phils were due for a breakout after being totally shut down by Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees on Monday.  The entire starting lineup, accepting 2nd baseman Chase Utley, hit safely at least once with leftfielder Raul Ibanez, centerfielder John Mayberry and catcher Carlos Ruiz registering 2 hits each.  Utley went 0-2 striking out twice in his 2nd game of the spring.  He walked twice and scored a run.

The Phils scored 2 more runs on 4 hits in the 7th inning off of reliever  David Weathers in his only inning of work.  Rightfielder Matt Stairs only got 1 hit, a triple, but drove in 3 runs.

Phillies relievers Dave Borkowski, who replaced Myers and finished the 6th inning, Chad Durbin and Clay Condrey carried the shut out through the 8th inning.  The Reds finally pushed across a single run on 2 hits in the 9th inning against closer Brad Lidge.

Myers was credited with the win while Harang was charged with the loss.

For all of the results of spring training play for Tuesday, as well as World Baseball classic results, click here.

Yesterday, we noted that ace lefthander Cole Hamels flew to Philadelphia to be examined by the Phillies team doctor as a precaution out of concern for slight left elbow discomfort.  MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports:

Cole Hamels has no structural damage to his left elbow.

That is good news.

But his chances of pitching against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park on Opening Day on April 5 remains very much up in the air.

Hamels had an MRI and dynamic ultrasound today in Philadelphia. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said there is some inflammation in the posterior lateral aspect of his elbow joint. Hamels received an anti-inflammatory injection and will not throw for two days. That means he will begin throwing again Thursday.

And Opening Day?

“We’ll start when he’s ready to start,” Amaro said. “He’ll start for the Phillies at the Major League level when he’s ready to start. If it’s Opening Day, it’s Opening Day. If it’s some time beyond that, then that’s when it will be. He’ll let us know what the pace is. We’ll monitor his progress. It’ll depend on how he continues to progress. For us, again, it’s the same old mantra: It’s not about Opening Day. It’s about 162 games, and hopefully beyond 162 games, that we really have to worry about.”

The Phillies entertain the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday in Clearwater.  The Phillies have not yet announced their starter.

For all of Wednesday’s scheduled exhibition games and World Baseball Classic games as well, click here.

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