JA Happ dominated in his two innings against Florida State on Wednesday night. On Thursday against the Yankees, Roy Halladay, Kyle Kendrick, Jose Contreras and Andrew Carpenter all tossed two scoreless innings.

Halladay was no surprise. The fact that the Phillies got strong outings from Kendrick and Contreras on Thursday is encouraging.

Kyle Kendrick has impressed in camp so far as well as in his spring training debut.

Contreras was brought in to fill the void by the departed Chan Ho Park, whom the Yankees did not send to the mound as one of their eight pitchers on Thursday. The team will need Contreras to pitch well in long relief, just as he did against the Yankees. When Park entered a game last year, you knew he’d keep the Phils in it. They need the same from Contreras.

Meanwhile, Kendrick is in a battle for the fifth spot in the rotation with Jamie Moyer. Moyer has the inside track thanks in part to his $9 million salary, and also due to loyalty. The fact is, Moyer is an ageless wonder who helped the Phillies young pitchers rise to the occassion during the 2009 postseason. As a result, we see him getting the job out of spring training much like Park did last year.

That doesn’t mean he’ll hold onto it. At some point, Kendrick will get the ball every fifth day and having him pitch as well and as confidently as he did on Thursday, and in the latter part of 2009, will be a huge boost to the Phillies 2010 championship hopes.