Cole Hamels' scheduled throwing session was canceled today, as the Phillies' co-ace reported feeling a fatigued arm that wouldn't allow him to go through the throwing motion as he normally would, reports CSNPhilly.com's Jim Hawkins. Said Hamels: "My body is telling me,'Hey, you’ve got to take a step back and start over.'" The outlook for Hamels isn't great, as Hawkins reports that he is now likely to miss the entire month of April. Hamels said a cortisone injection or MRI is unlikely, as all the tests he's done have checked out. Hawkins' article is chock-full of Hamels quotes for Phillies fans and interested parties. Here's more on Hamels' situation and the Phillies…
- Hawkins' colleague Corey Seidman looks at the Phils' options to fill out their rotation in the wake of Hamels' setback. Seidman notes that Ethan Martin has been shut down with shoulder inflammation, and Jonathan Pettibone is also dealing with shoulder pain. Adam Morgan and Shane Watson each had shoulder surgery this offseason. Seidman calls Cliff Lee, A.J. Burnett, Kyle Kendrick and Roberto Hernandez locks for the rotation and says the battle for the fifth spot comes down to Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, David Buchanan, Jeff Manship and Sean O'Sullivan. He lists left-hander Mario Hollands as a darkhorse candidate as well.
- Manager Ryne Sandberg tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Phillies will utilize defensive shifts more frequently in 2014 and have already been working on it in Spring Training. As Gelb writes, the Phillies shifted fewer than 28 of baseball's 30 teams in 2013 and graded out as the worst defensive club in baseball last year, per Baseball Info Solutions. Said Sandberg: "It's something that's grown, and the information is there. Teams have had some success doing that, so that's something to think about and apply."
I’m sure Cole is fine. Its totally unlike the Phillies to downplay an injury and have it later come out that the guy was all sorts of messed up…well, other than what happened with Halladay and Howard and Utley and Pettibone and Oswalt and…
And here we go again with the injuries, although Hamels is supposed to be one of the young guys. This injury-plagued season after injury-plagued season cycle is really getting old
Everything in Philly is getting old…
That’s not good. Phillies will be looking up from below this year.
What is it with the Phillies medical staff who’s charge of checking up on injured players during the offseason? Two years ago, Ryan Howard showed up to Clearwater four months after surgery and the wound opening hadn’t yet healed properly. Surgery that should have completely healed up after six months took eight. Chase Utley shows up in 2012 and revealed that his knees have been hurting and he needs more rehab to prepare for the season. He didn’t take the field until the last week of June. Now this year Hamels shows up with no strength in his throwing arm and is diagnosed with tendonitis? How do you invest hundreds of millions of dollars in players and not keep closer tabs on their preparation for the upcoming season? This is becoming a pattern with the Phillies.
They didn’t get proper treatment because their agents forget to renew their AARP cards. It’s a shame really
Shuffle up and deal. Lee, Burnett, Pap, Galvis, et. al. Get what you can, 2014 is obviously going to be a wash.
Sooo basically nothing is what they will get? Lee may get something but Papelbon Galvis won’t get anything. Burnett won’t be moved anywhere since he’s got a ntc I believe.