Mar. 30 -- AS THE ROTATION TURNS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Just came out of a 15-minute postgame chat with Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee, and here's what we know about the makeup of the Phillies' starting rotation.

Not much.

Dubee said Jamie Moyer will start the season's second game, April 7 against Atlanta at the Bank. Otherwise, there's been no announcement on the Opening Night starter and no decision on the fifth starter. Dubee has led us to believe both Brett Myers and Joe Blanton are candidates to start the opener Sunday night. Myers has started the past two openers, but Blanton (2.45 ERA) has been the Phils' top pitcher this spring. Cole Hamels, the original Opening Night starter, is out of the question. He'll pitch Saturday in the exhibition against the Rays in what the Phillies hope will be his last tune-up before making an April 10 start in Colorado. Here's a taste of our questioning of Dubee and Manuel about the Opening Night starter.

Reporter: So, you've ruled out Hamels for Opening Night?
Dubee: I would say so.
Reporter: Does that mean Myers is going to start Sunday?
Dubee: No, it doesn't. I don't think Charlie's announced it yet?
Reporter: Charlie? Got anything to tell us?
Manuel: No. I don't feel like announcing it yet.

Now, regarding the No. 5 starter job, Chan Ho Park pitched well again today in his final spring-training start (5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K), finishing with a 2.53 ERA in 21.1 innings. J.A. Happ will make one more start, either in a Grapefruit League game or a minor-league game Thursday. He has a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings. Manuel and Dubee said they haven't made a decision yet, and I believe them. Park badly wants to start, but I think the Phillies still prefer having him in the bullpen. There were some hints of that in comments from Manuel and Dubee today.

Question: Will you base your decision solely on spring numbers/performance?
Manuel: It comes down to who we think will fit the best.
Question: Has Park's spring-training performance eased your concerns or doubts that he can be a successful starter for the first time since 2001?
Dubee: I would say he's eased them. But, again, spring training is not a championship season, so we'll wait and see if he's our fifth or where he pitches in our bullpen.

Take that for what it's worth. Much more on this in tomorrow's News Journal. Speaking of which, I have to start writing. More later.