BY SCOTT LAUBERCole Hamels had to laugh.
In spring training, he missed nearly a week with inflammation and stiffness in his left elbow. Then, last Thursday, he got hit on the left shoulder by Prince Fielder's line drive. Now here he was, having sailed through four innings against the lowly Nationals, hobbling to the dugout after rolling his left ankle while trying to field pitcher John Lannan's bunt.
Seriously, does someone out there have a Hamels voodoo doll, or what?
"Nah, I'd probably be on the disabled list with a surgery procedure if somebody hated me that bad," Hamels said last night, his ankle lightly wrapped. "Why would they toy around with me?"
OK, but if Hamels didn't have rotten luck, he'd have no luck at all.
The Phillies won a 7-1 giggler last night, their fifth straight victory. But it wasn't until later, when they got word on their ace, that they really were able to enjoy it. X-rays on Hamels' ankle were negative, and he was diagnosed with a "mild sprain." With the benefit of an extra day of rest (the Phillies are idle Thursday), Hamels said he expects to be able to make his next scheduled start, Monday in St. Louis, although that won't be absolutely certain until he throws a bullpen session Friday and sees how his tender ankle reacts.
"It's one of those things where some random things happen," said Hamels, his ankle lightly wrapped. "It was almost comedy. I don't know what else to do but laugh about it because nothing's been too serious. This ankle injury, it's not severe."
For four innings against the Nationals, Hamels cruised. He allowed just four hits, two walks and zero runners to advance beyond second base. His fastball velocity touched 93 mph. His command was good. He was not his sharpest, but after being slowed by his spring-training setback, he finally resembled the dominant ace who was named World Series MVP last fall.
And then this.
"I was like, what's next?" Shane Victorino said. "Poor guy."
At least Hamels' sense of humor is intact.
After throwing one warm-up pitch and deciding he wouldn't be able to put enough pressure on his ankle to be effective, Hamels flipped the ball in the direction of Charlie Manuel. It fell short. Asked if he had words for Manuel or pitching coach Rich Dubee as he left the mound, Hamels said, "I don't think the words I said should be written down."
"I guess I'll be good and rested by September," he added.
"His luck is going to turn," reliever Chad Durbin said, "and when it does, there's going to be a lot of teams that aren't going to be happy having to face him because his stuff is plenty good right now."
And, one of these days, he'll be able to use it for more than four innings.
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Also in today's News Journal, the owner/operator of Proviant Technologies and ErgoPharm responds to J.C. Romero's lawsuit by issuing an e-mail statement to the media. And Brad Lidge says he doesn't view his knee injury as a long-term problem, and for now, the Phillies aren't thinking of putting him on the disabled list. But if Lidge isn't able to pitch in the next few days, they may have no choice.
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