CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels threw off the mound for the first time this spring on Wednesday morning, an important step in his eventual return to the rotation. Hamels made his first career opening day start in 2013 and is unlikely to be ready for the assignment this year. Hamels entered camp behind schedule after battling biceps soreness in November. He was told to stop throwing and halt his weightlifting program for the rest of the winter. On the mound, Hamels threw 35 pitches in his side session. "Very encouraging," manager Ryne Sandberg said. Although the Phillies expect Hamels to be ready at some point in April, they are not going to push him in an effort to get him to the mound on opening day or the first week of the season. "If you do that with a guy, hes pressing to get ready for one, and thats the last thing we want to do," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "Two, if hes only up to 60 pitches or something like that, now youre going to tax your bullpen. I know hes anxious because he feels so good. But I think we kind of need to take a cautious road here." McClure said Hamels looked "really, really good" in his workout. The 30-year-old Hamels is in the second season since signing the most lucrative contract in Phillies history, a six-year deal worth $144 million. Hamels often pitched in bad luck last year, racking up just one win in the seasons first two months. But he had a 2.68 ERA in the seasons final three months and reached the 200-inning plateau for the fourth straight season. Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, finished at 8-14 with a 3.60 ERA in 33 starts. Fake Jordan . New York Red Bulls. TSN primes Vancouver fans for the start of the 2014 season with MLS on TSN: Season Preview Special airing tonight at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt on TSN2 (encore Friday at 3:30pm et/12:30pm pt on TSN2). Clearance Air Jordan Store . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.jordanchina.us/. -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat. Jordan China . As they are wont to do, the Spurs made things real easy. The Spurs signed Parker to a multi-year contract extension on Friday, ensuring that the six-time All-Star point guard will be in the fold whether Duncan and Ginobili are able to continue their careers or not. Air Jordan Discount . Not to be outdone, Atletico Madrid bettered its title rivals by demolishing 10-man Getafe 7-0 with Diego Costa returning from injury to score with a brilliant bicycle kick. "It was an almost perfect night," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.ATLANTA -- Michael Morse and Angel Pagan homered, Tim Lincecum allowed one run over six innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday night. San Francisco spoiled the season debut of Braves starter Mike Minor with its seventh victory in eight games. Atlanta has a season-high four-game losing streak. After missing the first month of the season with left shoulder tendinitis, Minor (0-1) allowed seven hits, two runs, no walks and struck out four. He trailed 1-0 when Pagan led off the game with his third homer and was down 2-1 in the sixth after Morse added his seventh homer. Lincecum (2-1) gave up six hits and three walks with four strikeouts and kept Braves hitters off balance by keeping his pitches low in the strike zone and added a sharp curveball and slider. Though Lincecums ERA still stands at 5.12 this season, San Francisco has won his past four starts, and the right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.91 ERA over that span. Lincecum had problems in the fifth by walking leadoff hitter Gerald Laird, who advanced on Jason Heywards single and scored from second on Freddie Freemans RBI single. But that was all the damage Atlantas offence could muster. San Franciscos bullpen, which leads the majors with a 1.98 ERA, continued its stingy work. Santiago Casilla, the third Giants pitcher, struck out Chris Johnson with runners on first and second to end the seventh. He faced the minimum in the eighth, lowering his opponents batting average against right-handers to .162 in 37 at-bats. Closer Serggio Romo earned his eighth save in eight chances in an adventurous ninth.dddddddddddd After retiring pinch-hitter Evan Gattis and Heyward on groundouts, Romo gave up B.J. Uptons single and walked Freeman. But Romo ended the game when cleanup hitter Justin Upton took a called third strike. Minor continued his troubles with the long ball. He gave up four homers in his last rehab start for Double-A Mississippi on April 25 and has allowed nine homers in his past seven big-league starts dating to last Aug. 31. Even so, his return could boost a Braves rotation that lost Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy to season-ending elbow surgeries during spring training. Minor, Atlantas leader in innings pitched the past two years, began the night 19-13 in 46 starts since the 2012 All-Star break and had a 2.90 ERA that ranked fourth in the majors over that span. Notes: Giants RHP Tim Hudson, who won his 200th career game in Atlanta last year, is glad his next turn in the rotation is Tuesday at Pittsburgh. "I had nine wonderful years here," Hudson said. "It was a dream come true to player. Im kind of glad Im not pitching here. It would be a little weird." Hudson is 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in six starts this year. ... In a deal announced earlier in the day, Johnson and the Braves agreed to a $23.5 million, three-year contract covering 2015-17. ... RHP Gus Schlosser was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to make room for Minor on the 25-man roster. ... Minors return has moved RHP David Hale to the bullpen. ' ' '