Notes: Franklin ready to rebound

02/26/2006
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In baseball circles, it's often said that a man is measured by what it says on the back of his baseball card.
Ryan Franklin sees it a little differently.
"Whatever it says on the back of my baseball card doesn't matter as long as I'm still on the front of a baseball card," he said. "That doesn't bother me. I'm here and I forget about that stuff."
When he does peek, Franklin doesn't like what he sees -- a 12-31 record and a 4.99 ERA over the past two seasons with the Mariners. He has the second-lowest run support in the American League in 2005 for a team that lost 93 games.
Franklin, who will turn 33 on March 5, jumped at the chance to join the Phillies, signing a one-year, $2.6 million contract. He enters the season as the team's No. 4 starter.
Though it was only an intrasquad game, Franklin looked sharp on Sunday, retiring Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley in his first and only inning. While pitchers are typically ahead of hitters at this point in camp, Franklin began preparing for the season even earlier.
He started throwing in mid-December near his home in Spiro, Okla., and began throwing bullpen sessions a month later.
"I like to come to Spring Training ahead," he said. "I try to be ahead of most guys. I don't like to come here and try to get in shape and begin throwing."
Franklin will also kick off Philadelphia's Grapefruit League season on March 2 against the Yankees at Legends Field. That will be a familiar challenge to the former American Leaguer.
The bottom line for the right-hander is to return to the corner-painter he was in 2003, when he went 11-13 with a 3.57 ERA and logged 212 innings, numbers that would look nice on the back of a baseball card.
Franklin thinks he's a much better pitcher than what he showed over the past two seasons.
"No doubt," he said. "I think [the Mariners] were a better team than a team that lost 93 games last year and 99 the year before. I think you always have to believe in yourself and believe in your teammates."
Scratched: Injuries keep finding David Bell.
A sore left elbow prevented Bell from playing in Sunday's intrasquad game, and will also keep him out of Monday's rematch, said manager Charlie Manuel.
The left elbow was stiff, causing Bell some discomfort when swinging. He fielded grounders in the morning, as his right elbow is fine and he can throw free of pain.
Bell has gotten off to a rough start this spring. During fundamental drills on Saturday -- when outfielders were throwing to third base -- a ball bounced up and hit him in the face.
News of Bell's absence raised more than an eyebrow because of his injury history, as back and hip problems have shortened his previous two springs and cost him nearly half the 2003 season.
"It's not his back," Manuel said. "He'll be all right."
Manuel said he expects Bell to start the Phils' Grapefruit League opener on March 2 against the Yankees.
Back on the mound: Despite cold and windy Florida conditions, Cole Hamels' mound session continued as scheduled on a half-field at Bright House Networks Field.
The lefty threw 25 pitches from the mound, while pitching coach Rich Dubee and other spectators watched carefully. In his first mound activity since July, Hamels threw mostly fastballs, but mixed in a few changeups.
The southpaw had no pain, nor has he for the past three or four weeks. Barring discomfort, he could throw again in three days, and increase to 30 or 35 pitches.
"It was a light bullpen, basically," he said. "It felt easier. My momentum was a little better. My body felt good. Everything went real well. After coming back from so many things, it's not a big deal anymore. This is what I love doing."
Not what I asked: Manuel had some fun on Sunday when a reporter asked, "What do think of [Julio] Santana?"
Manuel's response: "I used to watch him in Puerto Rico, when he sings. I saw him in concert once. I like him."
Intrasquad highlights: Ramon Henderson's red-shirt squad fended off Marc Bombard's blue-shirt brigade, 1-0, giving Henderson wins in his past two intrasquad games. ... Bill Dancy coached first for both teams, switching jerseys between innings. "I'm neutral," he said. ... Abraham Nunez started the contest with a single off Ryan Madson, and Bobby Abreu later stroked a single to left. ... Gio Gonzalez impressed Manuel with a smooth delivery and good movement on his fastball. Rollins didn't get a hit in two at-bats, the first "game" since Aug. 23 that he didn't reach base. ... Ryan Howard missed Sunday's intrasquad game with a 103-degree fever. He may not be in camp on Monday, depending on how he feels.
Philling in: Mike Schmidt arrives in Clearwater on Monday for a stint as a special hitting instructor. The Hall of Fame third baseman had a busy offseason. He interviewed for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' managing job and co-wrote a book, "Clearing the Bases" with Glen Waggoner.

Source: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/