Phillies Notes: Hamels adds cut fastball to curve

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Last week, Rich Dubee said it was counterproductive for Cole Hamels to work on two pitches. The pitching coach wanted to see consistency from Hamels' curveball before experimenting with a cutter.

Yesterday, as Hamels faced hitters for the first time during live batting practice, he threw more cutters than curveballs.

"He's been playing with it," Dubee said of the cutter. "We played with it last year some. I think he's very comfortable where he is arm-wise. He feels like he's ready to do that stuff. It's all good."

So it's official. Hamels has added a fourth pitch. Whether he carries it into the regular season remains to be seen, but he will continue throwing it on the side and in Grapefruit League games, which begin next week.

Dubee said he was comfortable with Hamels' working on both pitches at the same time.

"Right now, yeah," Dubee said. "Right now, he's getting enough of both."

Dubee said Hamels threw five cutters and four curveballs during his approximately 40-pitch session. Dubee was impressed.

"He repeated deliveries," Dubee said. "His command was very good. His arm looked a lot better than it has in any spring. All positives."

Even when something went wrong, Hamels recovered, Dubee said. Hamels bounced a fastball to the plate, and got angry - exactly what Dubee criticized Hamels for doing too often last season. But he quelled his emotions and threw another fastball.

"Tremendous adjustment in his behavior," Dubee said. "He threw a gem the next pitch."

Romero throws today. As scheduled, J.C. Romero will have his first bullpen session from a mound today.

Romero, who is recovering from elbow surgery, has been participating in agility drills while throwing on flat ground.

"It's a big day," the reliever said.

Extra bases.

Both Dubee and manager Charlie Manuel praised Joe Blanton, who also threw live batting practice yesterday. What was impressive? "His command," Dubee said. "His consistency. He had very few misfires. The majority of them were well-thrown." . . . Manuel said he took the morning to watch Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez, both pitchers acquired for Cliff Lee. "Aumont's got a big arm," Manuel said. "He's very deceiving. He's real big."