A positive update about Cole Hamels and his tight left elbow.
The Phillies' ace pitched 3 and 2/3 solid innings against Class A hitters Tuesday, his first game action since he left Clearwater, Fla. to get examined by the team doctor in Philadelphia a week ago Monday.
According to The Philadelphia Daily News, Hamels said he is back on track to pitch the first week of the regular season.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee hasn't officially ruled out that Hamels will be able to start opening night on April 5, but as of now Hamels is penciled in to start the fourth game of the season April 10 against Colorado.
My educated guessing leads me to believe the Phillies will then enter the regular season with a starting rotation of Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, Hamels and Chan Ho Park/J.A. Happ in that order.
Park and Happ have emerged as the two frontrunners for the fifth spot in the rotation after as many as five pitchers were in the conversation when spring training started.
There will be more on that development in later posts.
For now I would just like to relate the Phils' pitching situation to Rob's post, and point out my amusement that the Orioles signed one-man disaster Adam Eaton, a fringe-at-best candidate for the Phils' fifth starter job at the beginning of spring.
If Eaton can't make the Orioles he should probably just give up pitching.
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