Phillies' Clay Buchholz taking Vince Velasquez under his wing

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Clay Buchholz owns both a World Series ring and the indignity of being demoted from a rotation to a bullpen. He is 32, and he is the most experienced starter on the Phillies roster.

He has enjoyed the relaxed status this spring as team elder. His stuff was not crisp at the beginning of his second start, in which he allowed four runs in three innings of an 8-5 Phillies win over Detroit. But, now on a rebuilding team, Buchholz said he can tinker in the spring without the scrutiny of being on a team without large expectations.

That has allowed him to embrace his role as a resource for the many young arms in camp. His catch partner is Vince Velasquez.

"He's got electric stuff," Buchholz said. "If he can learn how to harness all of it and not sort of dwell on the bad things . . . stuff plays at the major-league level if you command it. That's with all the kids coming up now throwing 100 miles per hour. There are some arms coming up around the league that are just electric and I think Vinny is one of those guys who could open a lot of eyes this year."

Buchholz said he talks to Velasquez every day. The veteran has stressed the mental side of pitching with the hard-throwing righthander, who is eight years younger. A short memory, Buchholz said, is optimal.

"That's a lesson that took me a couple years to learn coming up," Buchholz said, "and hopefully I can rub off on a couple of these guys."

Nick Pivetta tossed three scoreless innings in the other split-squad game, a 3-2 loss to Baltimore, that concluded his time in Phillies camp. He made a good impression. Pivetta, 24, allowed two runs, struck out seven and walked two in eight Grapefruit League innings.

He will join Canada for the World Baseball Classic and expects to start one of his country's games.

"A pitcher's biggest thing is command," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "If you've got that, you're halfway home. He's shown me that. His stuff is good enough to pitch in the big leagues. I foresee him making it to the big leagues at some point."

Centerfielder Roman Quinn made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in the first inning of the game in Sarasota. "That's all I was thinking about the whole game," Mackanin said. . . . Outfielder Andrew Pullin was sidelined for the sixth straight game with what he described as a "mild" rib cage injury. . . . Jake Thompson (sprained right wrist) is slated to throw live batting practice Tuesday and could appear in a game later this week. . . . Non-roster pitcher Dalier Hinojosa has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game. Mackanin said Hinojosa was slowed by some shoulder soreness. . . . Minor-league camp officially opened Sunday with the first workout.