Phillies' Velasquez up to speed in rehab start at Reading

READING - Phillies starter Vince Velasquez learned two things on his rehab trip to Reading on Wednesday. One, was that it went well out there on the mound. He threw 76 pitches in five innings and felt no discomfort in his previously strained right biceps.

The second lesson involved the toll policy of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Those without E-Z pass must get a ticket upon entering. Velasquez, a California native who came up through the Astros organization, doesn't have E-Z pass, didn't get a ticket and now has to pay nearly twice as much.

"It was $32.90 and I only had twenty bucks on me," Velasquez said laughing. "I'll have to pay it online later."

Velasquez had other things on his mind as he made his way up from Philadelphia; namely making sure he could prove he's ready to come off the disabled list. His last outing, against the Cubs on June 8, lasted only two pitches. He didn't feel right in the bullpen warming up that day and had no gas on the two fastballs he threw. Each was less than 90 mph.

After his outing at Double A Reading on Wednesday, he pronounced himself healthy again.

"I felt really good," Velasquez said. "Everything seemed like it was back to normal. My fastball was looking really good. Tonight's goals were to throw all pitches, locate them."

A leadoff home run to Akron's Todd Hankins and a single by Clint Frazier in the first inning were the only hits for Akron. Mike Papi hit a shot to the centerfield wall in the Velasquez's fifth and final inning, but Osmel Aguila tracked it down.

Velasquez walked one, struck out three and was virtually coming out of his skin afterward to rejoin the big club, which finishes a series in Minnesota on Thursday before heading to San Francisco and then Arizona.

Obviously, he'll need to get clearance from the Phillies medical people before he can simply slide back into the rotation.

"I kind of took a little peak and saw 97 (mph on the radar gun) and that shows I'm back to normal," Velasquez said. "Talking to (pitching coach Bob McClure), he wanted me to go two (starts), but I'm good. I'm ready to go."

For now, here's just hoping he remembers to get himself a ticket on the turnpike before he can get back into The Show.

@EdBarkowitz