The importance of Roy Halladay's final start of spring for Phillies

LAKELAND, Fla. - Less than 50 feet away from the spot where Torii Hunter called the pitcher's stuff "filthy" 5 weeks earlier, Charlie Manuel was asked about the ominous cloud hovering over his team entering the final day of camp.

Roy Halladay will make his final spring start in the Grapefruit League finale Thursday afternoon at Bright House Field in Clearwater.

It will be his first time on that mound since leaving a start more than 2 weeks ago with a stomach illness that sapped him of almost 10 pounds. It likely will be the last time he takes the mound before starting the second game of the 2013 season in 6 days at Turner Field in Atlanta.

More than a month removed from his brief first outing when he impressed Detroit Tigers batters in Lakeland, Halladay will get one last preseason tuneup to end an uneasy spring training.

"I think that he's going to be OK," Manuel said of Halladay following a 4-1 win over the Tigers in the penultimate game of the spring schedule. "Like I said, I think it's just a matter of him getting his energy back and feeling real good. I always say hitting is a feel, but pitching has to be a feel, too. It's just a matter of him getting everything together and feeling strong."

Manuel may be wearing a brave face, but it's safe to say all eyes of the organization will be trained on Halladay in search of an encouraging sign. Halladay, who turns 36 in 2 months, has had a worrisome last 3 weeks of camp.

He complained of feeling "lethargic" following a start against the Tigers on March 12 when he yielded seven runs on six hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings. Five days later, his start was over after just one inning as he succumbed to a stomach illness.

On Saturday, Halladay returned the mound in a minor league game matched up against the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple A team. He gave up three runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out one.

Halladay, who retired just seven of the 18 batters he faced, had trouble finishing off batters in the game. But afterward Halladay insisted he was refining his pitches and opted to hold back on his curveball and changeup in an effort to get his cutter working.

If that's the case, Halladay can't have any excuses following his final spring start against the Blue Jays' big-league team.

"I think going into the last start will be more like a regular start, where you're trying to mix pitches like you normally would during a game," Halladay said Saturday. "I think being able to figure out that cutter grip today, I can work on that in my bullpen more, and then my next time out, I feel like we can go out and pitch like I would pitch during a game."

Then again, Halladay also doesn't plan on doing his meticulous, prestart research and video, so . . .

"When you get in the [regular-season] games, you've got scouting reports, and that changes everything a great deal," Halladay said. "And I believe that is one of the biggest reasons for my success, is being able to look at lineups and find out where I can and can't go, what I can and can't do. So to me, that's a huge difference. Once we're going to start doing that, it makes a big difference."

So perhaps this afternoon will reveal something. Or maybe the mystery and uncertainty continues.

"I just want him to go out there and pitch and feel good," Manuel said of Halladay, who is expected to throw between 85 and 90 pitches Thursday. "Throw the ball and see what he's got."

The Phillies will board a flight for Philly not long after Halladay's start is over Thursday afternoon. There's no question Manuel and the front office will rest easier if Halladay throws up a few zeroes on the scoreboard.

Halladay is tentatively scheduled to make his first regular-season start on April 3, the second game of the season against the Braves.

Kevin Frandsen said there were no plans to have an X-ray on his left hand after getting hit in the wrist by a Justin Verlander pitch.

Frandsen briefly collapsed to the ground in the third inning of Wednesday's game in Lakeland after a Verlander fastball hit his bottom hand. Frandsen still had the stitches of the ball imprinted on his wrist when he showed reporters the battle scar about an hour after he was hit.

"I've been hit well over 100 times in my professional career - anywhere near your hand is the one that kind of freaks you out," Frandsen said. "The way it came off, it wasn't like I couldn't feel my hand or anything. It was just sore."

Frandsen has had bad luck at the end of spring training before. In 2007, when he was in position to break camp as the San Francisco Giants' starting second baseman, Frandsen ruptured his Achilles' and missed all but the final game of the season.

"Five years ago on March 24," Frandsen said. "Thanks for reminding me."

Cole Hamels allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three in three scoreless innings against a loaded Detroit Tigers lineup in a 4-1 win Thursday. It was Hamels' final start before taking the mound for his first Opening Day appearance on Monday in Atlanta. "I feel strong and healthy and I think that's first and foremost," said Hamels, who had a 0.95 ERA in five Grapefruit League games. As expected, Hamels' workload was limited Wednesday, which is standard for final spring-training starts . . . Antonio Bastardo struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect seventh inning. It was the first time Bastardo had pitched in back-to-back games in 2013. On Tuesday, Bastardo struck out one and didn't allow a hit or a run in 2/3 of an inning against Tampa Bay . . . Ender Inciarte went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored; he's hitting .286 this spring. The Phils must make a decision on Inciarte before the end of the weekend. As a Rule 5 pick, Inciarte has to be offered back to the Arizona Diamondbacks if he doesn't make the 25-man Opening Day roster. The 22-year-old outfielder never played above Single A while in Arizona's system.