Prior to the quick drive over Dunedin to watch Cole Hamels and the regular Phillies lineup take on the Toronto Blue Jays, all of the baseball scribes are at Bright House Field for this morning's "B" game vs. the Jays.

Why any interest in a "B" game that features mostly minor leaguers in the Phils' lineup? Jamie Moyer is starting, that's why.

Moyer hasn't pitched in a game since that appearance in late September against the Houston Astros, when he left with a groin injury. That ailment turned into something that required surgery and multiple hospital visits... and then Moyer also had knee surgery.

Oh, and he turns 48 in November.

So surely there was some concern whether the surgically-repaired, aging Moyer could still get the job done on a major league field. Well, Moyer looked just fine Friday.

He threw three innings, allowing three hits (all singles) while striking out three and walking none. Moyer threw 31 pitches, 23 for strikes.

This wasn't the Jays regular lineup, but it did include some "names," like top hitting prospect Brett Wallace, Adam Loewen, Chris Lubanski (the former top pick from Kennedy-Kendrick) and Jorge Padilla, among others.

The results aren't really the main thing anyway. The fact that Moyer was able to fall in line with the rest of the starters and pitch in a game this early is kind of remarkable.

If he's healthy, and it appears he is, Moyer would have to be the favorite to take the fifth spot in the rotation. But the battle between him and Kyle Kendrick should be fun to keep tabs on here in Clearwater.