Mar. 3 -- WHAT WE KNOW

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as spring training lurches into March, the Phillies are getting a rare day off. And after nearly three weeks of watching hitters taking batting practice, pitchers throwing bullpen sessions and Chase Utley skulking around the Carpenter Complex with a bat in his hand, we finally have some idle time to put up our feet, relax and reflect on some of the things we've seen during the initial days of camp.

First, it's important to note that it's still early. Plenty of things can -- and probably will -- change between now and April 5 when the Phils open the season at the Bank against the Atlanta Braves. Right now, pitchers are still building their arm strength, hitters are still working on the timing of their swings, and manager Charlie Manuel and his coaches are still evaluating players who are vying for jobs. But it's never too early for a few observations, so without further ado, here we go:

1. The Drive for No. 5: The most competitive and intriguing battle in camp is barely underway, and there isn't a clear-cut favorite. The job appears to be Kyle Kendrick's to lose, but he must show marked improvement with his changeup to regain trust that he can be consistently effective. If Kendrick (pictured) gets outpitched, pitching coach Rich Dubee won't hesistate to give the job to any of the other three candidates. Of those, J.A. Happ has perhaps the best chance to unseat Kendrick. But Happ also could be valuable out of the bullpen as a second lefty until suspended J.C. Romero returns in June. I get the sense the Phillies still prefer to use veteran right-hander Chan Ho Park as a multiple-inning reliever to ease the burden on Chad Durbin, who was overworked last year. But Park has been an effective starter in the past (he once won 18 games for the Dodgers) and could win the job outright if Kendrick or Happ falter. Then, there's Carlos Carrasco, the most talented of the bunch. But bringing Carrasco to the big leagues now would start his clock ticking toward salary arbitration. By waiting until later in the season, the Phillies could delay that process. That said, if Carrasco pitches better than the other three, I think he'll get the job. If I was a betting man, I'd say Kendrick will win the job, Park and Happ will be in the 'pen and Carrasco will start the season at Lehigh Valley. But, as I said before, a lot could change in the next four weeks.

2. The Walking Wounded: Utley is ahead of schedule after Nov. 24 hip surgery. Pedro Feliz is behind schedule after Nov. 20 back surgery. And when it comes to Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge, Jayson Werth and Durbin, the only schedule that matters to the Phillies begins April 5. There isn't anything particularly wrong with Hamels, except that he pitched more innings last season than anyone in the majors (262-1/3). So, the Phillies are taking it slow. He'll start tomorrow against Canada's team for the World Baseball Classic, but he may only pitch one inning. Lidge also had a heavy workload last year, and he has experienced some forearm tightness. He says he'd like to pitch in 10 games this spring, but if he misses time, it may actually be a good omen. Last spring, Lidge didn't pitch at all after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, and we all know what happened (48-for-48). Upon reporting to camp, Werth needed some extra time to get his body in shape after a cold winter in Springfield, Ill. Then, he strained his shoulder on a batting-practice swing last week. It isn't serious, but the Phillies will continue to be cautious with him. Ditto for Durbin, who tweaked his hamstring last week. Once again, a lot can change in a month, but I'd bet Utley, Hamels, Lidge, Werth and Durbin will be ready for the opener. Not so sure about Feliz, who still isn't swinging a bat.

3. Who's on Third? If Feliz isn't ready, figure on Greg Dobbs starting at third base on opening night, assuming Braves right-hander Derek Lowe gets the start. But Manuel seems reluctant to use Dobbs against lefties, opening the door for Jason Donald or Marcus Giles or Miguel Cairo or even Pablo Ozuna to win a job. Of course, the Phillies also could use Eric Bruntlett at third base against a lefty if none of the infield candidates are impressive. Donald (pictured) made five straight starts at third base last week and seemed to handle the defensive part of the game. But his bat hasn't gotten going yet (he's 2-for-15).

4. John Mayberry, The Next Generation: Since I got home the other day, several people have asked which player I've been most impressed with. Without hesitation, I tell them John Mayberry Jr. Mayberry is enormous -- 6-foot-6, 230 pounds (think Dave Winfield or Derrek Lee, and you get the picture) -- and it sounds a little different when his bat meets the ball. He's still raw (baseball folks use the word "project"), but he has tantalizing potential. He also has good genes. His father, John Sr., hit 255 home runs during a 15-year major-league career that was jumpstarted only after he got traded from Houston to Kansas City. Junior is hoping the same thing happens to him after being dealt from Texas to the Phillies in November. The Phils, of course, need a right-handed bat for their bench, and if he continues his strong spring, Mayberry may be the answer. Thus far, he's 6-for-17 (.353) with two doubles, a homer and five RBIs.

5. Coste or Paulino, Stairs or Jenkins?: It's far too early to tell whether Chris Coste or Ronny Paulino will win the backup catcher job, and the loser can still make the team as a right-handed pinch-hitter. We know what Coste can do, and so far, Paulino has shown pretty good pop. I haven't seen enough of his defense to know how he handles himself behind the plate. But I'm beginning to think the more intriguing storyline involves Geoff Jenkins and Matt Stairs, who, at this stage of their careers, are nearly identical players. Reserve outfielders. Left-handed hitters. Good power. No speed. Can the Phillies really afford to have such a redundancy on their bench? If the answer is no, Stairs is the more likely candidate to go, just by virtue of his $1 million salary (Jenkins makes $6.75 million). So, keep your eye on the Phillies bench. Even more than the No. 5 starter competition, the makeup of the bench could be in serious flux.