At least now we’ll know once and for all if anyone in the front office is playing in a rotisserie league where there are categories for pitching on 168 days of rest. If they don’t let Hamels pitch again till September 21 just so they can win a stupid game, I think that would be irresponsible.

Cole Hamels didn’t pitch real well in his first start of the year, which came last night against the Mets. He wormed his way out of trouble in the first, but got blasted in the third, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks and getting just two outs in the inning before making an early exit.

The offense didn’t do a whole lot on a cold and windy night, either. Ben Francisco had two would-be home runs taken in at the wall and Ibanez had a pair of singles, but the Phils managed just one extra-base hit in the game, a double by Polanco. Howard and Victorino combined to go 0-for-9 and struck out six times.

The Phillies are 3-1 on the year after losing 7-1 to the New York Mets last night.

Hamels got the start for the Phillies and went 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks. One of the hits went for extra-bases, a double. He struck out three and has a 20.25 ERA after one outing.

Jose Reyes was the first batter of the game and he singled into left. Angel Pagan was next and Hamels hit him with a 1-0 pitch, moving Reyes to second. With David Wright at the plate, Reyes and Pagan pulled off the double-steal, but Hamels struck Wright out swinging for the first out. Carlos Beltran was next and he popped to second for the second out with both runners holding. Hamels struck Scott Hairston out swinging 1-2 to leave both men stranded.

Hamels wiggles out of a huge scoring opportunity for the Mets as Wright, Beltran and Hairston come up empty.

He set New York down in order in the second, getting Ike Davis and Brad Emaus on fly balls to left and catcher Mike Nickeas on a ground ball to short.

Pitcher Chris Young led off the third and singled into left on a 1-0 pitch. Reyes was next and put down a bunt. It wasn’t a real good bunt, chopped down the third base line. Hamels got to it quickly enough, but had trouble getting it out of his glove before he threw to first and Reyes was safe. Pagan walked on a 3-2 pitch that wasn’t close to load the bases. Wright was next and didn’t strike out this time, breaking his bat and looping a single into left. Young and Reyes both scored, putting the Mets up 2-0 with men on first and third. Hamels struck Beltran out swinging 2-2 for the first out. Wright stole second as the count went 1-0 on Hairston and the Ruiz just didn’t handle the 1-1 pitch. It was a passed ball that allowed Pagan to score (3-0) and moved Wright to third. Hamels walked Hairston on a 3-1 pitch, putting men on first and third yet again, this time for Davis. Davis lined a single into center, scoring Wright to make it 4-0 and moving Hairston to second. Emaus dribbled a single back through the middle and into center. Hairston scored (5-0) and Davis took second. Hamels got Nickeas on a ball that Victorino handled in center for the second out, but Young was next and delivered his second hit of the inning, another single into left that scored Davis and put Emaus on second with New York up 6-0. Kendrick took over for Hamels and got Reyes to pop to Rollins in shallow center to finally end the frame.

Two hits in an inning is too many to give up to the pitcher. Getting an out on the bunt by Reyes would have helped a lot. Ruiz just didn’t catch the ball on the play where Wright scored. Second time in three innings that Beltran fails with a man on third and less than two outs. Overall, though, I think we have to give that frame to the Mets.

Kendrick was back to start the fourth. He struck Pagan out for the first out before Wright singled into right field. Beltran was next and walked on four pitches, putting men on first and second for Hairston. Hairston flew to right for the second out and Kendrick got Davis to ground to second and leave both men stranded.

Kendrick pitched the fifth, too. He got the first two hitters before Young singled yet again, this time on the infield. Reyes grounded to Valdez to leave him stranded.

Just the three hits for Young in the first five innings.

Herndon started the sixth, having thrown two innings and 29 pitches in Sunday’s game against the Astros, with the Phils down 6-1. He got Pagan on a ground ball to second for the first out before Wright doubled to center. Herndon struck Beltran out swinging 0-2 for the second out, but Hairston singled to left, Wright scored and it was 7-1. Hairston took second as the throw came home and Davis followed with a walk that put men on first and second for Emaus. Emaus grounded to short to end the frame.

Three outings on the year so far for Herndon. Two of them have been bad.

Romero started the seventh and gave up a one-out single to Chin-lung Hu, who had been double-switched into the game at second in the bottom of the sixth. Reyes grounded to third with Hu forced at second for the second out. Pagan flew to right to set the Mets down.

Baez pitched the eighth. Wright led off with a single, but he got Beltran to hit into a double-play behind him and Hairston flew to center for the third out.

Bastardo made his first appearance of the year in the ninth, setting down Davis, pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy and Nickeas in order. He struck Nickeas out swinging 0-2 for the third out.

Long, long night for the bullpen on a day when the Phils are playing the first of six days in a row. They pitched well, allowing a run in 6 1/3 innings on six hits and two walks while striking out four. Kendrick in particular did his job, giving the Phils 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Nice for the Phils to have a fifth starter with a chance to go deep into the game. Kendrick threw 42 pitches last night, Herndon 25, Romero 16, Baez 10 and Bastardo nine. Kendrick clearly can’t pitch tonight. Herndon has thrown at least 25 pitches in each of the last two games for the Phils, with an off-day on Monday in-between.

The Phillies lineup against righty Chris Young went (1) Victorino (2) Polanco (3) Rollins (4) Howard (5) Ibanez (6) Francisco (7) Ruiz (8) Valdez. Francisco continues to hit sixth against righties with Howard and Ibanez four and five.

Victorino struck out and Polanco grounded to third to start the bottom of the first. Rollins was next and put a beautiful bunt down the first base line for a single. Rollins stole second, but Howard, after absolutely crushing a 1-1 pitch into the upper deck but foul, struck out swinging 3-2 to end the inning.

The Phils went in order in the second, with Ibanez and Francisco both striking out before Ruiz flew to right.

They were down 6-0 when they hit in the third. Valdez struck out looking, Kendrick flew to center and Victorino grounded to second.

Young had struck out five through three innings.

Polanco walked to start the fourth. Rollins followed and lined to right for the first out. Howard struck out swinging for the second before Ibanez moved Polanco to second with a single. Francisco was next and hit a ball into right that a fan interfered with as Beltran tried to make the play, ending the inning with both men stranded.

Three walks on the season for Polanco through three games and four innings.

With one out in the fifth, Valdez hit a ball a ball deflected by the pitcher Young for an infield single. The switch-hitter Martinez hit for Kendrick and Valdez stole second before Martinez drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Victorino struck out swinging for the second out, but Polanco doubled into down the third base line, scoring Valdez and sending Martinez to third with the Phils down 6-1. Rollins drew a walk that loaded the bases and gave the Phils a chance to get back into the game with Howard at the plate, but Howard grounded to second to end the inning.

Three extra-base hits for Polanco through three games and five innings. Nice to see Martinez draw a walk. Not nice to see Victorino strikeout in middle of the token rally for the Phils.

Ibanez started the sixth with a single to center with the Phils down 7-1. Francisco was next and hammered a 1-1 pitch to left, but Hairston took it in front of the wall for the first out. Ruiz drew a walk, sending Ibanez to second, and the Mets brought in righty DJ Carrasco to pitch to Valdez. Valdez hit into a double-play to end the inning.

It was enough to remind you that Wilson Valdez hit into double-plays pretty regularly last year.

Orr hit for Romero to start the seventh and singled into center. Victorino, Polanco and Rollins went in order behind him.

Howard struck out again to start the eighth. Ibanez grounded to short for the second out. Francisco crushed it to left again, but Hairston jumped and took it at the wall for the third out.

Twice in two at-bats that Francisco had hit the ball real hard.

Ruiz popped to second and Valdez grounded to short to start the ninth. With righty Bobby Parnell pitching for the Mets, Gload hit for Bastardo and singled to center. Victorino flew to center to end the game.

Victorino was 0-for-5 in the game and struck out three times. 2-for-13 with a walk on the season.

Polanco 1-for-3 with a walk, a double and an RBI. 6-for-15 with three doubles and three walks on the year. That puts him on pace for 121.5 doubles and 121.5 walks for the season, which are equally likely.

Rollins 1-for-3 with a walk and a pretty bunt single. 7-for-15 with three walks and seven singles on the year.

Howard had a miserable game with the exception of a long foul ball. 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and five men left on base. 7-for-17 with a double and a homer so far. No walks and six strikeouts.

Ibanez was 2-for-4 and is 4-for-15 with a double and three walks for the year.

Francisco was 0-for-4 but nearly hit two home runs. 6-for-17 with a walk, a double and a homer.

Ruiz 0-for-3 with a walk in the game and 2-for-13 with two walks to start the year.

Valdez was 1-for-4 and is 5-for-15 with a double on the season.

Joe Blanton makes his first start of the year tonight against righty Mike Pelfrey (0-1, 10.38). Pelfrey started for the Mets on opening day against the Fish and allowed five runs on four hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings.

The Start Log is updated. It continues to include data on bullpen performance by starting pitcher.

The Phillies released Dan Meyer and the Pirates signed him to a minor league deal.