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Cole Hamels sharp in Phillies' 4-1 Grapefruit League game win over Tigers

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Jeff Shain, For Philly.com

Posted: Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 4:36 PM

LAKELAND, Fla. – Cole Hamels pitched three shutout innings in his final tuneup before Opening Day and Ben Revere scored twice in his bid to nail down the leadoff spot, leading the Phillies to a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Hamels outdueled Tigers ace Justin Verlander in Tuesday’s matchup, though the two were on very different schedules. Hamels faced just 10 batters, setting down the final seven after Torii Hunter doubled and Miguel Cabrera walked in the first inning.

“I feel strong and healthy and I think that's first and foremost,” Hamel told reporters in the clubhouse. “I'm comfortable knowing I can get out there every five days and know that I can go deep into the ballgame.”

Hamels lowered his spring ERA to 0.95, giving up just 11 hits in 19 innings.

Verlander hung around for 5 2/3 innings, leaving after getting John Mayberry Jr. to ground out with his 99th pitch. He gave up five hits and two runs, though Philadelphia’s first-inning run was a byproduct of two errors.

Shortstop Jhonny Peralta mishandled Revere’s grounder on Verlander’s second pitch of the day, allowing the speedster to reach base. Revere went to second when Verlander threw into the dirt on a pickoff attempt.

Kevin Frandsen’s groundout moved Revere to third, and Michael Young’s sacrifice fly put the Phillies ahead 1-0.

Revere also singled twice, increasing his spring average to .325, stole two bases and scored Philadelphia’s final run in the seventh as he continued to make his case to bump Jimmy Rollins from the leadoff spot.

Young drove home two runs for the Phillies (15-15-1) and Ender Inciarte, bidding for the final outfield berth, added two hits and scored a run.

Frandsen had a scare when a Verlander pitch plunked him on the left hand in the third inning, but said afterward he was “just sore.” No X-rays were taken in Lakeland.

Detroit collected just three hits off Philadelphia pitching, as Chad Durbin, Antonio Bastardo and minor-leaguer Brandon Erbe also had strong outings. Seven innings found the Tigers retired 1-2-3.

The only Philadelphia pitcher who faced any trouble was non-roster reliever Zach Miner, who gave up two hits and Detroit’s lone run in the sixth when Hunter drove home Alex Avila.

How do you think Roy Halladay will pitch this year?

Jeff Shain For Philly.com

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Comments (41)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:54 PM, 03/27/2013

unfortunately, i haven't watched the phils this spring training, but I love the box score. seems like Revere is going to be like a young Juan Pierre. Incarte is a good rule 5 pick up as well. Gotta give RAJ credit on these moves despite his past mistakes.

— xrajux

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:56 PM, 03/27/2013

Hamels beard...LMAO!!!

— donjuango

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:55 PM, 03/27/2013

Least of our worries.

— 24sDad

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:07 PM, 03/27/2013

the beard just doesn't look natural on Cole's face. Too much of a choir-boy look going there.

Would be nice to believe that Manuel has finally seen the light, first that Revere's game is better suited to the top of the order and, second (and I'm shocked at how this gets no write-up at all from the scribes), that Rollins rediscovered power stroke and diminished interest in stealing bases works so much better in the lower half of the order, probably best at #6 where 23 homers (his total from 2012) will knock in 85 - 90 as opposed to the paltry 68 he rang up hitting lead-off in 2012.

Hearing Manuel's defense of Jimmy at leadoff ("he knocks in the 7th, 8th and 9th hitters which is very important, too") is hysterical; seems to me that 3, 4 5 will get on base ahead of Jimmy at 6 a whole lot more than 7, 8 and 9 will.

Only Manuel hasn't figured that part out yet.

— advantasux

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:52 PM, 03/27/2013

@advanta - I think we may be surprised. Today at the game, Section 108, Row EE, just steps from MontCo (row BB), Billmeyer, Dubee on field and Sammy, Manuel and Sandberg in dugout. Most of the heavies stayed home: Rollo, Utley, Howard, Brown leaving a Revere, Galvis, Inciarte, Ruiz, Frandsen, Mayberry, Nix, Orr, Young lineup against Verlander. The Tigers 35 went 6 but this lineup was more than effective - perhaps the 'smurf's' lineup (sans Nix - who did nothing, and truly blew in the field even tho not charged with an error - clueless, please trade him). Hamels was SHARP and the rest of the bullpen only allowed 2 hits and a run. Last two kids they rolled out there had gas.

Back to the leadoff issue - I think you'll see games with Rollo on top of order; and others where Revere is there perhaps a 30/70% mix given the production that Revere stirs up. This lineup today was electric - running, having fun, making plays, outplaying a Tigers team that was loaded up - including Jackson, Martinez, Cabrera, Fielder, Peralts, basically their starting 9 come next week.

This tuneup week is proving some posters here wrong I believe. The big IF is not offense or defense at this point, it is the starting 5 pitchers (or 4 beyond Hamels). Can they come up big?

— 24sDad

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:46 PM, 03/27/2013

@Dad, great post-game recap, Cole and his 'pen handled a very good order quite well while the Phils made things happen on the basepaths versus one of the games' best.

I hope you're right, the few thousand bucks I dropped on tix for me and the kids needs you to be right, and I agree with your point that the 5-man rotation, with concerns aplenty, is the key to all of it. See you next week on this board.

By the way, the Phils play 22 of their first 32 against teams that finished 4th or 5th on their respective divisions last season and should contend to do the same this season. They could very easily break out on top of the division by May 5, when the schedule takes a serious turn toward being more difficult.

— advantasux

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:07 PM, 03/27/2013

@donjuango: lol, doesn't look right does it? And he's wearing a glove made for catching basketballs.

— Pepe LePew

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:10 PM, 03/27/2013

There was some confusion regarding Hamels pitch count. Manuel told ESPN Hamels was on a 100 pitch count. All of a sudden he was pulled after 3 innings and 46 pitches. In another news, after Murph wrote an analysis regarding lead off hitters where Revere ranked last, Ben looks like the Phillies best pure lead off hitter since Dykstra.

— EL Zorro

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:16 PM, 03/27/2013

The comments disappeared for a while.

— EL Zorro

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:23 PM, 03/27/2013

Problem with batting Jimmy 6th is that he whines and belly-aches. He pouts and complains. He strolls even more. What can Uncle Charlie do now? He has let him get away with it for so long ... As for Revere and the Rule 5 guy, I will give RAJ credit if and when he deserves it. Right now - the Rule 5 guy is a 21YO who needs to play everyday and won't get to do that in Philadelphia. And Revere was the 2nd best CF on the Twins that Ruin Tomorrow Jr. paid a king ransom to get (our youngest starter and a top pitching prospect). The jury is most certainly still out!! But I hope he is the answer in CF ... Lord knows we have no options down on the farm.

— Copper34

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:42 PM, 03/27/2013

A king’s ransom, if we didn't think you're Toolbiscuit you proved it now. How is Worley pitching, how about you go check? Kings Ransom LOL, whatever you say genius. You're such a lucky guy to have access to the clubhouse and dugout to witness Jimmy whining and moping, oh wait you don’t? You just make up dopey comments to give yourself something to complain about daily so you can feel good about your miserable existence. Sad

— DogBiscuitthedope

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:25 PM, 03/27/2013

No, oh no! The Werth starter beard is here.

— gubbers97

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:35 PM, 03/27/2013

advantasux I know you understand the game so much better than Manuel but don't you think he meant that Jimmy will drive in the 7th, 8th & 9th better than your traditional leadoff hitter while you can still have a Brown or Chooch batting 6th knocking in 3,4,& 5 at the same rate Jimmy would. Does that make sense or should I type slower?

— DogBiscuitthedope

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:41 PM, 03/27/2013

UTLEY RULES

— Tyrone Biggums Jr.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:48 PM, 03/27/2013

@Cooper one more thing, your dopey comment about getting the 2nd best CF in Minnesota. The 2nd best is batting 325 while Span is batting 211, and Worleys ERA is 5.75. Yeah you got all the answers genius

— DogBiscuitthedope

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