The Zo Zone

How good has Kyle Kendrick been?

First, he is 8-3 with a 3.79 ERA.

Second, the Phillies are 10-5 in his starts.

Kendrick, who allowed six hits and two runs in last night's 9-2 victory over Florida at Dolphin Stadium, has pitched six innings or more in 12 starts. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 11 starts. He has walked one batter or fewer in 10 starts. He leads National League rookies with eight wins. He's second in ERA among NL rookies.

He has been a model of consistency.

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Teammates kidded Kendrick about his reaction to being hit by a pitch in the second inning. Kendrick explained that it was the first time he had been hit with a pitch in his shoulder. He compared the pain to a Charlie horse.

He's fine.

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Here's what we know about Cole Hamels' latest setback: it's going to cost him at least two more starts.

Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday that they hoped Hamels could be pitching competitively in seven to 10 days. But Hamels later said he will not be throwing until Thursday, which is six days from yesterday. So a week seems like a long shot, especially because Hamels thinks he will need at least one bullpen session and one simulated game before he can return to the mound.

That seems to make Hamels' return at least 10 days away.

How serious is this injury? Hard to say. Amaro said the discomfort Hamels felt in his bullpen session Thursday was "much milder" than what he felt before. That's interesting because Hamels said previously that as long as he knew he could pitch through it without damaging the elbow -- there is no ligament damage -- he would. Hamels sounded yesterday, however, that he just isn't confident if the elbow isn't 100 percent healthy.

Stay tuned.

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The Phillies remain two games behind the Mets and Padres/Diamondbacks in the NL East and NL wild card races, respectively.

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The Phillies were thinking about activating Scott Mathieson from the DL today and having him help in the bullpen, but then he felt elbow discomfort after six pitches last night in double-A Reading. Mathieson had Tommy John surgery last September, and had made tremendous progress.

The Phillies expect to know more today.

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The Phillies have used a franchise-record 28 pitchers this season. Kane Davis made his first big-league appearance since Sept. 30, 2005, with Milwaukee. That's because the Phillies optioned Geoff Geary to triple-A Ottawa, with less than 24 hours before they could expand rosters.

Geary is 1-2 with a 5.01 ERA this season.

He went 7-1 with a 2.96 ERA last season.

The difference? Charlie Manuel thinks it's his aggressiveness. He's also not throwing as hard.

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If you need a good laugh, take a listen to this.