Inside the Phillies: Five arms that could provide relief soon

This time a year ago, the names Vance Worley and Michael Stutes were barely on the Phillies' radar. Even by the end of spring training, Worley had long been ticketed for triple-A Lehigh Valley while Stutes was teased with a trip north to Citizens Bank Park merely for two exhibition games before he, too, was an IronPig.

Then they combined for 1932/3 major-league innings in 2011, quickly gaining the trust of manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee. Vance became Vanimal and Michael became Mike. The Phillies had two unexpected but reliable contributors.

That's not to say the Phillies will discover two more rookie pitchers with similar results in 2012. Only Worley and J.A. Happ have recently made marks as Phillies rookie starters. Stutes' 62 innings were the most for a Phillies rookie reliever since Ryan Madson in 2004.

And while the strength of the Phillies' minor-league system is pitching, the big-ticket items will spend the majority of the season at double-A Reading. That's where the Baby Aces - Trevor May, Jonathan Pettibone, Julio Rodriguez, and eventually Brody Colvin - will pitch.

But the organization does have some arms closer to the majors, specifically some possible relief help. Here are five names who could make waves in 2012 - whether it be in spring training or beyond:

Phillippe Aumont. The original Cliff Lee trade centered on Aumont, and that made his name a commodity from the day he stepped into the organization's plans. Those plans, of course, failed from the start. Former farm director Chuck LaMar apologized after an experiment in the starting rotation doomed Aumont's 2010. It may have been LaMar's most notable failure.

It was only fleeting, though. Aumont returned as a reliever in 2011 and his power sinker played well, just as it had before. His curveball can be an out pitch and the change-up is developing. But the hulking 22-year-old righthander throws in the mid to high 90s and has been labeled by some as a future closer. With Jonathan Papelbon under contract for at least the next four years, Aumont can still make his mark before the ninth inning. In 2011, he struck out 78 in 532/3 minor-league innings.