Cole Hamels promoted to Red Barons
The 22-year-old left-hander will meet the team in Norfolk today and make his long awaited Triple-A debut on Thursday, starting the third game against the Tides.
"We've waited a long time," farm director Steve Noworyta said. "He's healthy, he feels real good and he's ready to go. I think he has all the plusses right now for him."
Hamels is considered the top prospect in the Phillies system and, when healthy, one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in all baseball.
He pitched in big league camp through most of spring training, but because he's coming back from hand and back injuries, the Phillies elected to have him start the year in High-A Clearwater where, they said, the weather and top-notch facilities would aid his comeback.
Through four starts in Clearwater, Hamels was 1-1 with a 1.77 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
"He's healthy and he feels fine and now he's ready to go," Noworyta said. "So it's what we expected to see from him down (in Clearwater) and now he'll face better competition."
Since spring training, and really since the start of his career, conventional wisdom has suggested Hamels would move quickly if he stayed healthy.
Staying healthy, though, has always been the tough part.
Despite unquestioned talent, Hamels career has stalled through a series of unrelated injuries. He pulled a right shoulder muscle at the end of 2003, injured his triceps in 2004, broke his hand in January of 2005 and missed the end of the 2005 season with a stress fracture in his back.
When he's pitched though, Hamels has been outstanding. Heading into this season Hamels was 11-3 with a 1.54 ERA through three minor league seasons, but injuries have kept him from advancing beyond Double-A. Now that he's in Triple-A, Noworyta acknowledged that a promotion to Philadelphia is not out of the question this year.
"There's always a possibility, but for him, if he was healthy, he'd probably either be there or be right where he's at right now," Noworyta said.
To make room for Hamels, left-handed starter Allen Davis will be sent to Reading.
After struggling to an 18.00 ERA in his first two starts, Davis looked much better in his most recent starts with the Red Barons, dropping his ERA to 10.06 and getting two wins.
Also joining the Red Barons in Norfolk will be right-handed reliever Chris Booker, who will be on a major league rehab assignment.
Last season the 29-year-old had 20 saves for Louisville before a brief stint with Cincinnati. He signed as a free agent with Washington, then was taken by Detroit in the Rule 5 draft, and his rights were ultimately traded to the Phillies for cash.
He broke camp on the disabled list with a knee injury and has been pitching in extended spring training ever since. Once his time on the disabled list is finished, the Phillies have to decide whether to keep him - meaning they add him to the big league roster - or send him back to Washington.
On Monday, though, the Triple-A rookie generated considerably more buzz than the major league rehab. And by the end of the year, the young prospect could also make a bigger splash in Philadelphia.
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