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BY SCOTT LAUBER
(Twitter: @ScottLauber)
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- So, my second-to-last day of covering the Phillies for The News Journal was scheduled to include split-squad games against the Rays in Port Charlotte and the Tigers in Lakeland.
Instead, there's only rain.
It has been raining steadily since late last night, and instead of pulling away from the Carpenter Complex at their scheduled 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. departure times, the Phillies' buses idled in the parking lot until the Rays and Tigers officially called the games at approximately 9 a.m. The Phillies held an optional workout, and by now (it's 11:15 a.m.), most of the players have left the complex. I was talking to a few fellow writers last night, and we couldn't recall the Phillies' last spring-training rainout (certainly, I don't remember any during my four-plus years on the beat). So, I suppose today is memorable.
At any rate, the Phillies will host the Twins tomorrow, and J.A. Happ, who had been slated to start today against the Rays, will pitch, according to Rich Dubee. Dubee indicated that Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer will both pitch Sunday against the Orioles in Sarasota, while Roy Halladay will start Monday against the Pirates in Bradenton. That would set up Cole Hamels to make his third Grapefruit League start at Bright House Field against the Tigers.
And although there are no games today, we'll still have full Phillies coverage in the Saturday paper.
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As you know, it has been a relatively quiet camp for the Phillies, who don't have many job openings on their major-league roster. But over the next few weeks, there will be competition in the bullpen for at least one, and maybe two or three, jobs. Typically, the Phillies keep seven relievers, and Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Danys Baez, Jose Contreras and Chad Durbin are under contract. Antonio Bastardo, the 24-year-old lefty, is the frontrunner for the final job. But Romero probably won't be ready for the season-opener after having elbow surgery in October, and although Lidge is progressing nicely from November elbow surgery and arthroscopic knee surgery in January, he remains questionable for opening day, too. Thus, relievers like Sergio Escalona, David Herndon (Getty photo) and Scott Mathieson may have a chance to win a spot if they continue to pitch well.
In today's paper, we look a closer look at Herndon, a 6-foot-5 right-hander acquired in December in the Rule 5 draft. He throws one really good pitch, a hard sinking fastball, that has opened plenty of eyes here in camp. But his other pitch, a slider, remains a work in progress. The question, of course, is whether Herndon's sinker is good enough to allow him to have success in the big leagues while he continues to develop the slider and a changeup that he throws only sparingly. And because of Herndon's Rule 5 status (he must be exposed to waivers and offered back to the Angels before the Phillies can send him to the minors), it's a question that must be answered before spring training is over.
Also, in the daily notebook, we looked at Placido Polanco's progress at third base, which many of you have asked about in e-mails and in our online chats, and Joe Blanton's decision to perfect his changeup before he moves on to his other pitches.
More from me in a bit ...
