Phillies nurturing their 'Baby Aces'

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies came to the table this season holding Four Aces and, as any card player knows, that's hard to beat. They're banking on Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels being the backbone of their roster for at least a few more years.

But even a Rotation for the Ages eventually, well, ages. Legendary Satchel Paige, who joked that he might pitch forever, didn't. Nobody does. Which is why it's worth taking a look at what's going on three giant steps down the food chain and more than a thousand miles from Citizens Bank Park.

Maybe the Class A Clearwater Threshers don't exactly match what the big club has assembled. To carry the poker analogy a step further, call it three aces and a pair. A full house. Which still ain't bad.

The baby aces are righthanders Jarred Cosart, Brody Colvin and Trevor May. They are the highly touted prospects who get mentioned by Baseball America and attract the attention of fans who like to follow what's happening down on the farm.

The pair consists of lefthander Jonathan Pettibone and righty Julio Rodriguez, who in the early weeks of the season actually put up better numbers than their more-ballyhooed teammates.

"One thing about professional baseball, you can't deny results," said assistant general manager, player development and scouting Chuck LaMar. "When you look at just sheer arm strength, sheer stuff, then the Mays and the Colvins and the Cosarts, you get fascinated by them. Because of the arm strength. But really, when you start to break them down, all five have a chance to pitch in the major leagues.

"Julio has the least velocity but the most deception of all of them. And Pettibone is probably the most advanced, honestly, of any of the five and really has a feel for what he's doing and command of the fastball. The other three are still young 'stuff' guys that have to learn how to put it together. They all have their unique abilities and that's what makes it fun to work with."

That doesn't mean that all will go on to All-Star careers, of course, or even that they'll ultimately make it to the show. The washout rate for even the most talented minor leaguers is high, and pitchers are especially vulnerable. Cosart was shut down last year with an elbow strain but was able to avoid surgery. Colvin was sidelined with back problems after his first start this season. All any organization can do is assemble as many arms as possible and hope for the best.

The young Threshers can't help but be aware of the buzz they've created that they are just about the right age to be coming into their own about the time the established Phillies starters figure to be finishing up.

"Hopefully that works out pretty well for us," May said. "The guys above us are, not speaking for anyone but myself here, but they're getting a little bit older. It might work out pretty well for us.

"We don't really talk about that. Maybe in joking or what have you. We're all just down here trying to move up and get through the organization. But it's nice to have four other guys you're competing against. Friendly competition, mind you. It kind of brings out the best in you. You're constantly trying to pitch better than the guy before you, and that makes for a good team."

Said Colvin: "It's nice to get that comparison, of course. We really haven't talked about it too much. But it's definitely a good thing to hear. Those five are probably the best rotation in major league history. So that's pretty awesome."

Cosart pays attention to what the big-leaguers are doing, especially Halladay. "I wouldn't say we model ourselves after any one pitcher, but it's fun to watch. And the success they're having kind of rubs off throughout the organization and we kind of hope to do the same thing," he said. "I watch as many games as possible. I like Halladay. Righty. Similar stuff. I watch him as much as possible and take what I can from him, take it into the games, everything.

"You always say you can't really put a timetable on anything. You don't know what's going to happen with injuries and all that. But with all the big contracts and when they expire and when we're expected to be ready, I guess you could say it looks like it could fall into place perfectly. We have no problem with that. We try not to look at it, but if it happens like that it's pretty cool. And like we talk about, we're going to be ready whenever they make that call, whenever they need our help."

It was widely noted in spring training this year how the big-league rotation convened around a clubhouse table and held court every morning. The Threshers' starters also have developed a bond. All were drafted out of high school. All were born within a calendar year of each other. Colvin and Cosart room together and all live in the same general vicinity.

"We go out to eat together, go to movies, do all that stuff. We're really good friends. It's nice to have guys around your age to do things with," May said. "We're very accessible to each other. We talk pitching constantly. We get all kinds of different angles, so we trust each other to be honest and help each other out. And so far it's worked out great."

Cosart would love to see them stay together for years to come. "We kind of hope to get to the big leagues together, so we might as well get as close as we can now so it will be a little less dramatic when we get there," he said. "Big crowds, everything like that, it's definitely good to have close friends."

Threshers pitching coach Dave Lundquist said it's not uncommon for starting pitchers to bond, but that there's a definite plus when it happens. "It keeps them accountable for more of what they're doing on the mound and it also teaches them how to be their own best pitching coach," he said. "They're going to have to learn how to make adjustments on their own on the mound within two to three pitches. And as they talk among themselves and see a hitter's weakness, if someone doesn't have their best stuff, they can think back and think about what these guys have talked about and what they've seen. And it will help them."

LaMar has been in the game long enough to understand that growing pains will be part of the process, even if the most optimistic possible scenario plays out. Cosart, he said, needs to mature both on and off the field. "He's a fun-loving kid who likes to have fun. But when he steps on that mound, he has to understand that every pitch [matters]," he said. "His arm strength's back and he's healthy, but like all young pitchers, they all have their battles right now."

When Colvin was arrested after a bar scuffle in January 2010, the incident was widely reported. He also failed to mention to the staff in spring training that his back was bothering him, although LaMar conceded that he has mixed feelings about that. "We walk a fine line," he said. "On one hand, we old guys in baseball want to say, 'We want them tough. Boy, back when we played nobody went into the training room,' and all that stuff. But then when they do that and they come up hurt, we're the first ones to say, 'Well, how come you didn't tell anyone?' "

Really, nobody knows how this will play out. Just as nobody could have said for sure when Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Hamels were in Class A that they couldn't miss.

Concluded LaMar: "It's a talented rotation. Who progresses from here on out, they'll drive that train individually. We like their ability. Our scouting department did a fine job of projecting on bodies and arm strength. It's just a real good group, not just to work with but to dream a little bit on what they can be over the next 3 or 4 years." *