(Hamels, engrossed in a complex stretching routine)

That’s right, Bill Conlin of the Daily News is old school and he doesn’t care who knows it:

So far, staff ace Cole Hamels has made it clear he would like to have a personal chiropractor on the road to oversee his long and complex daily stretching routine; that he won’t take the ball on 3 days’ rest under any circumstance or pitch in relief if the need dictates. There is no questioning his stuff or valor on the mound, but he is surrounded by red flags off it. Mr. Softee should be rewarded for his spectacular All-Star season – but only with a 1-year deal. He needs to give evidence he is not going to be the lefthanded Tyler Green.

I’m pretty sure that counts as questioning his valor. Though I suppose this is an improvement over recent Phillies seasons, when comments like that would have been on-the-record from the mouths of Dallas Green or Larry Bowa, instead of half-sarcastic turns-of-phrase by half-retired columnists.

If the Phillies give the kid a one-year contract it will be for the same reason they gave Ryan Howard a one-year contract – because the system says they can. Certainly it pays to be cautious given how much money they paid Randy Wolf in ’05 and ’06.