ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- So, if you had seats near the bullpen for a spring-training game, and if you spotted Cole Hamels warming up before a start, would you say anything to him? What might you say?Hamels met a few hecklers before yesterday's game.
He actually enjoyed it.
"They want to see what you're worth," he said with a smile.
Hamels' worth has been a popular topic this spring. He wasn't happy that the Phillies renewed his contract for $500,000 instead of forking over the $750,000 that he was seeking, even though $500,000 is more in line with the annual salaries of comparable pitchers with similar service time, and he wasn't shy about calling it a "low blow." By now, though, Hamels says he's over it. And yesterday, he tossed 4-2/3 perfect innings, retiring the first 14 Rays batters before allowing a home run to Evan (not Eva) Longoria.
That's one way to quiet the hecklers.
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Geoff Jenkins finally homered yesterday after working through his problems in a minor-league game Monday. Also within the notebook, there's news of Fabio Castro being optioned to Class AA Reading. By my count, that leaves right-handers Clay Condrey, Francisco Rosario and J.D. Durbin and lefties Travis Blackley and Vic Darensbourg to compete for jobs in the bullpen. Assuming the Phillies keep 12 pitchers (a relatively safe assumption, considering the unpredictablity of their starting rotation), they have two available jobs in a bullpen that includes closer Brad Lidge, setup man Tom Gordon, lefty J.C. Romero and right-handers Ryan Madson and, probably, Chad Durbin. Condrey, Rosario and Blackley are scheduled to pitch today, so we'll keep an eye on them for you.
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We're here in St. Pete at Progress Energy Park, a few blocks from Tropicana Field, the regular-season home of the Rays. Haven't seen the Phillies lineup yet, although the only starters who didn't make the trip were Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell. Jamie Moyer on the mound today for the Phils against the Rays' Edwin Jackson.
More later.
(Update, 10:52 a.m.): Add Chase Utley and Shane Victorino to the list of starters who didn't make the short trip to St. Pete. Eric Bruntlett will start in center field, while Chris Snelling gets the nod in left field, Casey Smith at second base and Ray Olmedo at shortstop.
4 comments:
I just cant get to understand the deal with Castro. hes up hes down hes up hes down........frustrating pitcher.
the deal is...he stinks
Slauber, any sign of Benson's wife yet?
was in the press box on tuesday looking for ya Scott. didn't see ya and i didn't want to wonder around too much.
hamels threw a great game. less than 2 and a half hours.
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