Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Posted: 6:23 p.m.Updated: 9:07 p.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
PHOENIXThis was just another reminder that Cole Hamels is no longer the skinny kid with the bad back, a left-hander with the word fragile stamped on his forehead.
Two winters of hard work in the gym have turned the former reed into a rock-solid 200-pounder. He still looks like a string bean in his uniform, but dont be fooled. Underneath those road grays, he is strong and muscular, especially in his legs and torso. The added strength has helped his endurance and durability and it showed Wednesday when he helped the Phillies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-4, in a desert matinee.
Hamels was coming off a start in which he threw 126 pitches, one off a career high, Friday night in San Diego. At the time, that was the most pitches thrown in the majors in one game this season. Under some circumstances, Hamels would have been out of that game after seven innings but manager Charlie Manuel needed him to tough-out the eighth because the bullpen was thin.
After that game, Hamels said throwing 126 pitches can be strenuous on your body. He added, Im looking forward to the challenge of the next four days and seeing how I bounce back.
MLB
Hamels answered his personal challenge resoundingly. Featuring a fastball that reached 95 mph, the 27-year-old lefty went seven innings and allowed just three runs for his third win. His 108th and final pitch was a nice changeup that struck out Henry Blanco with a man on second.
Conditioning has gotten Hamels to the point where he can handle a workload like this.
The workload is part of the game, he said. Being able to go out there and see what kind of response your body will have is why you have to work in between starts.
If you train to throw 130 pitches, even though you might not necessarily say that at the end of the day, your body will get accustomed to a deeper, more stressful workload. And if you do that, youre able to take everything in stride and bounce back the way that you normally can. I think thats what Ive allowed myself to do with the way Ive trained.
Hamels was not perfect. He hung a changeup to Chris Young in the sixth inning and Young smacked it for a two-run homer. But that was one of his few mistakes in holding Arizona to four hits while striking out eight. In his last two starts, Hamels has 16 strikeouts and four walks.
Save for Roy Halladay on May 29, 2010, all pitchers make mistakes with pitches. The hope is that a couple of bad pitches wont bring down a start. A couple of bad ones doomed Cliff Lee on Monday because the boys with the bats didnt give him any margin for error in a 4-0 loss.
On Wednesday, Hamels got a little string to play with as the offense came alive for 12 hitsfour by Placido Polancoand eight runs, the most the Phils have scored since April 9.
Pitching with a little bit of a cushion helps, Hamels said. We came out of the gate well.
Shane Victorino, Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Ben Francisco all had hits in the first inning as the Phils scored three times off lefty Joe Saunders. Rollins had an RBI double, his first extra-base hit in 47 plate appearances. Francisco had a two-run double.
Later in the game, Rollins smacked a two-run homer. It was his first homer of the season and it left Manuel hoping that Rollins bat was ready to come alive. Rollins entered the game with just two RBIs. He heads into Thursdays off day with five.
Sometimes that means a lot, Manuel said of Rollins breaking through into the home run column. All of a sudden you hit one and you relax and things start going good for you.
Rollins reacted to his first homer of the season with nonchalance.
Its not my first and it wont be my last, he said. Im feeling better at the plate. When it gets good, Ill tell you.
Actually, Rollins bat will tell everyone when hes going good. No need for words.
In addition to Rollins, Victorino and Ryan Howard both homered. Howards ended a string of 54 at-bats without a long ball.
After averaging 2.8 runs for a 14-game stretch, the Phils have scored 13 in their last two games. Are things turning around on the offensive side?
I dont know, Manuel said. Ask me Tuesday.
So Manuel is not convinced yet. He wants to see more. He wants to see how the Phils fare against the Mets over the weekend at home.
We had a good day offensively, but the whole secret to offense, like pitching, is youve got to be consistent, Manuel said. Thats what baseball is.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
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