On Hamels, Werth, offense

According to pitching coach Rich Dubee, the Phillies aren't likely to start Cole Hamels before his next turn in the rotation, despite the fact that he threw just 24 pitches against the Braves last night.

"We like the order," Dubee said.

As for the reason why Hamels did not return to the mound after the 1:04 rain delay, Dubee pointed to the fact that Hamels was already toward the end of his warm-up in the bullpen in his last start when he was forced to sit through a two-hour rain delay in New York. The Phillies are usually hesitant to send a pitcher back out to the mound after 45 minutes, and they didn't want to have Hamels stop-and-start two turns in a row. Braves righthander Tim Hudson returned to the mound and went on to allow two runs in six innings.

"I'm not a big believer in bringing guys back," Dubee said.

Other odds and ends:

The humidity is laying thick like a blanket of soup today. With two sinker-ballers on the mound, it could be another offensively challenged game. Kyle Kendrick last start in Atlanta was the best of his career -- eight scoreless innings of four-hit baseball.

Jayson Werth is leading off for the 13th time in his career.