The 76ers beat the Atlanta Hawks 98-85 Tuesday, but lost forward Thaddeus Young to an ankle injury.
With 2 minutes, 15 seconds left in the first quarter,Young contested a shot by Atlanta forward Josh Smith, and came down on Smith’s foot. The ankle bent unnaturally, and Young immediately began to clutch it, in obvious pain.
The team said after the game that X-Rays were negative.
“The good news it that it just looks like an ankle sprain, but I’m scheduled for an MRI [Wednesday] morning,” Young said.
The MRI determine whether Young suffered any ligament damage. No timetable has been set for his return.
That being said, the game went on. Despite losing Young, the Sixers played like a team with something to gain, while the Hawks played like a team content with their current standing.
Rookie Marreese Speights attempted to make up for the loss of Young with 16 points in just 26 minutes. Andre Iguodala had 19 points and Andre Miller added 18 of his own.
While the Sixers have several …
It’s been a busy day for the Phillies. Soon after announcing that they released outfielder Geoff Jenkins, the reigning World Series Champions announced that pitcher Chan Ho Park has been named as the team’s fifth starter.
GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said earlier that J.A. Happ, Park’s competition for the starting job, would compete with three other relievers for the final two bullpen spots. That being said, chances are that Happ will be sent to AAA, as the Phillies want him to be a starter and the thought is that he would be wasted in a bullpen.
Gary Majewski, Jack Taschner and Bobby Mosebach are the three other relievers. Majewski and Taschner will most likely end up as the final two relievers. The Phillies traded catcher Ronny Paulino for Taschner last week, who is seen as the second lefty in the bullpen while J.C. Romero serves his 50 game suspension. Majewski has had a very solid spring and has most likely earned a spot on the big league club.
Updating …
The Phillies have released outfielder Geoff Jenkins.
“Anytime you get released it’s obviously a surprise,” said Jenkins. “I think it’s just something that we talked about. I don’t know if I foreshadowed this scenario happening, but I knew there were left-handed hitters. So it seemed like somebody would be the odd man out at some point. It’s real tough. I care a lot about those guys in the clubhouse. You just deal with this like anything else and try to find a new spot. It’s obviously something I’ve never had to deal with before, playing my whole career. I guess what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I don’t regreat anything for one minute that I was here. I told Charlie that, and Ruben. They were great with me.
“What’s there to be mad about? I picked a great year to be here. I wish it worked out better and I could be with them, but I don’t regret one minute. I wouldn’t change a thing being with these guys going through what we went through last …
Cole Hamels made his return. The Phillies ace, who missed a week due to a sore elbow, took the mound this morning in a minor league game against the Yankees.
Hamels threw 64 pitches over four innings where he allowed three runs on ten hits. He also struck out five. While this isn’t a line we’re used to seeing out of the World Series MVP, this start had nothing to do with stats. It’s all about stretching Hamels out, and more importantly pitching pain-free. Hamels felt good after the start, so it leaves one more start, on April 4th against the Rays, before he’ll make his season debut against the Rockies on April 10th.
“I think that’s going to be a big start for me — that exhibition game — to really prepare me for the season,” Hamels said. “I really do think that will really get me ready, going out there and competing at the big league level and starting off the season right.”
With Hamels …
Today was a big cut day for the Phillies. Aside from giving second baseman Marcus Giles his release, the Phillies sent pitcher Carlos Carrasco and outfielder John Mayberry Jr. to minor league camp. Although a log shot, Carrasco was in the mix for the Phillies fifth starter and went 2-2 with a 5.95 ERA. The future is bright for Carrasco, and he’ll begin the season anchoring the Iron Pigs staff at Triple A. Mayberry started the spring hot, and talk started about him making the team out of camp. Then Mayberry cooled off some, and began to start swinging for the fences. Mayberry will also start the season as an Iron Pig and will get to play every day; something he needs at this stage in his career. Both of these players should be with the Phillies as soon as sometime this season.
The Phillies also informed Pablo Ozuna, Jason Ellison, and Mike Koplove that they didn’t make the 25-man roster, but would accompany the Phillies to …
When the Phillies signed Marcus Giles to a minor league contract this winter, it appeared to be a win/win situation. With Chase Utley potentially missing the first month of the season while recovering form hip surgery, it gave the Phillies veteran experience at second base, while also giving the former All-Star (who missed the entire 2008 campaign without a contract), a chance to return to the spotlight, and contribute on a championship team.
Giles attempt to return to the major leagues has ended; at least in Philadelphia. The Phillies released the 30-year-old second baseman this afternoon, instead of giving him an offer to report to minor league camp.
“I’m not going to get the at-bats I need there,” Giles said. “So in a nutshell, I think they did me a favor by giving me my release instead of sending me to Triple-A to play once or twice a week. I just need some consistent AB’s. I think I can make it back to this level.”
Giles …
- J.A. Happ made a minor league start in Dunedin yesterday. Happ struggled in the first inning allowing three runs, but then settled in to retire 13 of the next 14 batters he faced. Happ’s final line was five runs on six hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He also struck out four. These stats don’t count against Happ’s Grapefruit League stats, which are 0-0 with a 3.15 ERA. Although Happ’s competition for the fifth spot in the rotation, Chan Ho Park, has better numbers (1-0, 2.87) this spring, the rotation spot belongs to Happ. With the acquisition of Jack Tascher, Park’s true value is in the Phillies bullpen.
The only way I can see Happ not claiming the final rotation spot is if the send him to AAA, move Park in the rotation, and keep Mike Koplove or Gary Majewski for the final bullpen spot. That seems highly unlikely.
- Ryan Howard hit his spring-leading 8th home …
The Ronny Paulino era was short lived in Philadelphia. Last night the Phillies sent the catcher to the San Francisco Giants for relief pitcher Jack Taschner.
Taschner, who is left handed, went 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA for the Giants last season. Taschner signed a one-year deal with the Giants this past winter, and has had a terrible spring going 0-0 with a 6.23 ERA. He also has walked 12 batters in less than 9 innings. Taschner did blame his poor spring on working on a new pitch (a two-seam fastball), but he’s never had any history of being a strong reliever. Obvious hopes are that pitching coach Rich Dubee will be able to help Taschner turn things around, make him a useful second lefty out of the bullpen. At least until June, when J.C. Romero returns from his 50-game suspension.
This move also mean Chris Coste has no worries about losing his role as Carlo Ruiz’s backup, and gives a strong indication that J.A. Happ will claim …
Cole Hamels returned to the mound yesterday and threw three and two-thirds shutout innings in minor league game. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five. His fastball only topped out at 86 MPH, but the speed will return. No one expected Cole to throw real hard in his first return to the hill.
He said he felt great after the game, but how the elbow feels this morning will be telling. As of now, all indicitions are Hamels will start the Phillies fourth game of the season in Colorado against the Rockies.
Since Hamels will not be ready for Opening Night, it’s looking more and more like Hamel’s recommendation, Brett Myers, will be getting the start. Myers has had a good spring so far going 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA in three starts. Although still early to tell, this spring Myers has looked a lot more like the pitcher who went 7-2 with a 1.80 ERA down the stretch last year, than the jumbled …
Coming on the heels of comments made by Phillies’ pitching coach Rich Dubee it was “a long shot” that Cole Hamels would be ready to start on Opening Day, the Phillies’ ace endorsed last year’s Opening Day starter Brett Myers for the spot.
That is, of course, unless Hamels is ready to pitch come April 5.
“I love long shots,” he said. “The main focus is to be ready by opening day. I want to pitch opening day, but if it doesn’t fall that way, I know we have a guy who definitely wants to win that first game.”
Hamels waves off concern over his left arm
When asked if he thought that Phillies’ fans should be worried that the injury would affect him this season, Hamels waved off any such thoughts.
“They have nothing to worry about,” said Hamels. “They don’t need to jump on the bandwagon of freaking out. I try to be honest with you guys and tell …
The Phillies announced today that the MRI on Cole Hamels’ left elbow showed no signs of structural damage.
GM Ruben Amaro sounded cautiously upbeat about the results.
“Overall,” he said. “This is good news.”
Overall? So what’s the catch?
It appears as though there is still a very real possibility that Hamels could miss Opening Day. He received a shot in the arm Tuesday to to flush out any remaining inflamation.
Hamels is going to take Tuesday and Wednesday off and begin throwing again on Thursday.
There is no timetable for his return, and therefor it is impossible to determine how long this will set him back.
“It’s not like he’s starting back a throwing program altogether,” said athletic trainer Scott Sheridan. ”If the throwing goes well, obviously he’ll get some mound work, a bullpen or something like that, and then we’ll worry about games and schedule and all that kind of stuff.”
So what about Opening Day?
“He’ll start when he’s ready to start,” Amaro said. “He’ll start for the Phillies at the major league …
Phillies’ fans, hoping for a repeat performance of last season’s World Championship, encountered a possible major setback Monday, as ace Cole Hamels is set to fly back to Philadelphia to be examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti.
According to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Hamels has had persistent soreness in his elbow, which [GM Ruben] Amaro says has become ‘more localized’ lately.”
The Phillies are outwardly showing little concern over the situation and don’t expect the examination to reveal anything.
“We just want to be cautious,” Amaro said. “We thought it was important that he see our doctor in Philadelphia.”
The Phillies gave Hamels a thorough examination when he signed his three-year contract extension in mid-January, which revealed nothing to be concerned over.
Hamels told Paul Hagen of the Inquirer that even though his velocity is down from where it normally is, that is normal for this time of year.
“Every year it [velocity] does the same thing,” said Hamels. “I think to hit your spots is a little more important. …
