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. Clearance Kyrie Irving Shoes .Y. - Through three quarters, the Brooklyn Nets could not shake the NBAs worst team. Kyrie Irving Shoes For Sale .C. United on Wednesday night. Forward Bright Dike scored the games only goal in the 85th minute on a foggy night in Bradenton, Fla. https://www.cheapshoeskyrieirving.com/. The team reported the signing on its website Thursday, but said Friday the deal was off in "a mutual parting of the ways that had to do with the language of the contract. Kyrie Irving Shoes From China . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland. Wholesale Kyrie Irving Shoes . - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent.Rome, Italy (SportsNetwork.com) - Lazio moved into third place on Monday by extending its unbeaten streak to five games with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sampdoria at the Stadio Olimpico. First-half goals from Marco Parolo and Felipe Anderson put Lazio up 2-0 at the break, and the hosts were never seriously threatened in the second 45 minutes, adding a third goal through Filip Djordjevic midway through the half to move three points clear of the visitors and Napoli in the race for third place. Sampdoria spent much of the contest in its own third defending, and it took the hosts 38 minutes to breakk the deadlock when a corner kick from Anderson fell to the left foot of Parolo, allowing him to lash a shot into the top left corner of the net.dddddddddddd Another corner kick just three minutes later resulted in Lazio taking a 2-0 lead when a ball from Senad Lulic was redirected into the path of Anderson, who fired a right-footed effort inside the left post. The win was capped in the 66th with Anderson once again having a hand in the goal as he set up a close-range finish for Djordjevic to kill off the game, handing Sampdoria just their second defeat of the league campaign. ' ' '