It isn’t a surprise. However, in the past Charlie Manuel has waited deep into spring training before announcing the Opening Day starter. It’s the first day of spring training, and Manuel already made
his decision.“Yeah, you might as well go ahead and pencil [Cole Hamels] in,” Manuel said. “I don’t think there’s any sense in me playing games. Go ahead, pencil him in.”
Hamels was excited to hear the news, but knows he must be ready.
“So if I’m not feeling right and I need a couple extra days, I will definitely pass it down to anybody. I’m all about benefiting the team. But with him saying that, that’s my goal. That’s what I’m going to strive for — April 5. Be as healthy as I can, be as strong as I can and go out there and win the first game.”
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16 years ago