A day after Vance Worley was shipped to Triple-A, the Phillies announced their plans for who will pitch in his place Saturday.

Kyle Kendrick will make his third start of the season Saturday at PNC Park against the Pirates.

Kendrick is 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 games this season. In two starts, he's 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA (he pitched five shutout innings against the Braves on May 7.... 12 days later, he was summoned in to start after Joe Blanton was scratched and gave up five runs in three innings against the Rockies).

After Cliff Lee pitches tonight, the Phils rotation through the rest of the road trip looks like this:

Oswalt on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. at Washington
Off day Thursday
Hamels on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Pittsburgh
Kendrick on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Pittsburgh
Halladay on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. at Pittsburgh


The only other foreseeable option the Phils had was to forgo using a fifth starter this week. With Thursday's off day, the team could have decided to pitch the four regular starters on regular rest through next Tuesday.

But the weather is heating up and the workload for the starters isn't going to slow down any time soon. So the Phils will take advantage of Thursday to give everyone an extra day before their next start.


Earlier this afternoon, left-handed reliever Mike Zagurski was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take the roster spot vacated by Worley.

There were a lot of head turns (and expletives from some fans, probably) when Sunday's lineup was unveiled by Charlie Manuel in New York. No Howard and Utley, while both were healthy? When has that ever happened? Also, Carlos Ruiz had the day off.

But it made sense from that standpoint that Howard hadn't had a day off yet this season and he struggled against lefties, and that Utley had played three straight games for the first time since returning from a three-month layoff with his right knee injury. It was also a day game after a night game - on a travel day, too.

But you can spend the Memorial Day holiday enjoying the regular batting order. And in just four days, when Shane Victorino is eligible to return, the Phils should have their regular lineup together for the first time in 2011.

The fact that they're 13 games over .500 despite not having their regular order is a testament to their pitching, of course. The Phillies 3.08 team ERA is third best in baseball and second best in the NL.


Three notes before we get started on a sweltering afternoon in DC:



--- It's a good bet Roy Halladay will lower that team ERA today. Halladay is 10-1 with a 2.01 ERA in his career against Washington. Since joining the Phillies, Halladay is 5-0 with a 1.15 ERA vs. the Nationals.


--- Chase Utley is hitting third today, just the second time he's in his customary place in the batting order. In four of the five games that he's started since returning last week, Utley has hit second; Charlie Manuel has used Placido Polanco in the three-hole to split his lefties. Against right-hander Livan Hernandez, Manuel has opted to hit three lefties in a row: Utley, Howard and Raul Ibanez.


--- Domonic Brown is in the starting lineup for the fourth time in the last six games. Brown has hit safely in four straight games, including Friday when he came off the bench and got two hits in the Phils come-from-behind win over the Mets. Brown is 8-for-25 (.320) since his big league promotion. Expect to see a lot more of Brown: beginning this afternoon, the Phils will face right-handed pitchers in four of the next five games.




Memorial Day lineup:

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Placido Polanco, 3B
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Raul Ibanez, LF
6. Carlos Ruiz, C
7. Domonic Brown, RF
8. John Mayberry Jr., CF
9. Roy Halladay, P

Slowly but surely, the Phillies are getting healthy.

Chase Utley (knee) returned from the disabled list Monday. Jose Contreras (elbow) was activated Thursday.

Ross Gload (hip) is available to pinch hit, and Charlie Manuel said Friday he believes he'll have the ability to play Gload as he normally would - with the occasional spot start - in the near future.

That leaves Joe Blanton (elbow), Brad Lidge (shoulder) and Shane Victorino (hamstring). Blanton is being shut down for 3-4 weeks, meaning he's unlikely to return before the All-Star break.

The other two will take steps this weekend to move closer to rejoining the Phillies in June.


Shane Victorino will begin a five-game minor league rehab on Saturday at Low A Lakewood. Victorino is scheduled to play Saturday and Sunday for the BlueClaws, then take Monday off, than take his rehab to Double-A Reading on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

If he doesn't suffer any setbacks, Victorino would return to the Phillies lineup the first day he is eligible to be activated, Friday, June 3 (a week from today) when the team begins a three-game series at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Lidge appears to be ahead of schedule. Sidelined since the last week of spring training, Lidge will get into his first game Saturday in Clearwater.

Lidge is on tap to pitch in an extended spring training game Saturday at the Carpenter Complex. He is eyeing a mid-June return.


-----------------------------------------------------------------

I asked Jimmy Rollins today why he didn't volunteer to pitch in Wednesday night/Thursday's morning, 19-inning marathon.

"Heck no - I haven't pitched since '96," Rollins said, referring to his senior year of high school. "I got the save."


Rollins said he threw "all fastballs," and tapped out at a very Wilson Valdez-like 89-miles-per-hour.

"I threw a slider once, my junior year to Aaron Miles," said Rollins, who played against the current St. Louis Cardinals infielder while in high school. "He fouled it off. I grabbed my arm afterward. I said, 'that's it.' All fastballs."

If Michael Martinez pinch hitting and Ross Gload sitting on the bench Tuesday night wasn't enough of a red light, a glance at the Phillies stats this season would also make one come to the conclusion that something just isn't right with Gload.

The 35-year-old Gload, one of the more accomplished, veteran pinch hitters in the big leagues, has 34 at-bats this season. Martinez, a 28-year-old who never played in a big league game before last month, has 37 at-bats.


The reason for Gload's lack of playing time? He's got a tear in his hip, an injury not unlike the one Chase Utley played through in 2008.

Of course, Utley's injury also required surgery following the '08 season.

I caught up with Ruben Amaro Jr. a little while ago, thinking Gload's injury wasn't all that serious.



Is the Gload thing just a minor, day-to-day thing?

Amaro: "It's not necessarily minor. He's got a labral issue. But we're going to try to manage through it."


Right now you don't think it's a DL thing?

Amaro: "No because I think it's one of those injuries, no dissimilar to Chase's in that he's got a tear in there, and he's either going to play it out and manage it. He'll probably play as much as he can, tolerate it as much as he can."


Was this going on before the season?

Amaro: "No, I don't think it was going on before the season, but it started to bother him a little bit as the beginning of the season started and it got progressively worse."


Plan on testing it (MRI)?

Amaro: "He's going to be able to play here pretty soon. Hopefully he'll be playing shortly."

Ryan Madson, the longest tenured pitcher on the Phillies, has taken on many forms in his nine-year career.

He's been a shut-down setup man. He's been a starter (who can forget that game against the White Sox on the South Side of Chicago?).

And for the last month, he's been the Phillies third-string closer.

But on Tuesday night against the Reds, he officially became a major league closer.

Madson has been making hitters look like Little Leaguers this season. On Tuesday, he gave up his first runs in five weeks in the Phillies 6-3 loss to the Reds.

But he also showed off his maturation as a major league pitcher and his ability to handle one of the toughest jobs in sports, big league closer.

Madson made an error on a bunt. He watched a ground ball extend an inning, rather than end it.

He gave up a game-changing, bases-clearing double to Jay Bruce.

"I'm already passed it," Madson said of learning to forget about the ninth innings that go bad as a closer. "If it would have been five years ago I would have been hiding somewhere."

Madson had gone 13 straight games without allowing a run. He struck out more batters (16) than he allowed base runners (14) in that span.

The run ended Tuesday. But Madson's ability to handle the closer's job is only beginning.

"Once you get on a good wave, you want to stay there as long as possible," Madson said. "It's time to catch another one."

Vance Worley joined the Phillies on Monday, when Joe Blanton was officially placed on the DL for the second time this season with right elbow soreness.

Worley will start in Blanton's place Tuesday. On Wednesday, Blanton will leave the team.

He's headed to Florida to get a second opinion from renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. But Blanton wants to let you know not to panic...

"I'm not concerned, like (shoot) I might need Tommy John," Blanton said. "It's just a second opinion. I went through it once, so just want to get a second opinion and make sure everything is on the same page, matches up. It never hurts to have more than just one set of eyes looking at something when (injury) has reoccurred."

Chase Utley is back.

Prior to his 2011 debut - he's hitting second in tonight's lineup - Utley stood on the cutout between the on-deck circle and the field and said, "I think it's time to be in between these lines."

Utley has been sidelined since February with chronic right knee pain. Tonight makrs his first big league game since October.

Here is the entire Q & A of Utley and the media:



Q: What was hardest part about being away?

Utley: Obviously you guys know that I enjoy playing, so it's a little disappointing and frustrating to be on the sidelines, not being able to help. But I think we put a pretty good progression together, in the last 3 weeks I've been feeling real good so I think it's time to be in between these lines.



Q: How much playing time do you anticipate?

Utley: Those are things we're going to monitor at the beginning for sure. Charlie and I will talk on a daily basis and see where we're at every single day. But I definitely want to be out there.



Q: You've always wanted to play no matter what. Is it different now with this injury?

Utley: I think I know my body better than anyone else. I know what I can deal with and I know what I can't deal with. This has been a learning experience for me. I've had to show a little patience throughout the process which I think has been beneficial. So, we'll see how it goes.


Q: Think there will be a point where playing time won't have to be monitored and they can turn you loose at some point, and how long do you think it'll take?

Utley: I hope so. Again, I don't have all the answers, we're going to continue to monitor it daily and there will be constant communication with me and Charlie on how it's going to go. If I feel good, I'm going to be in there. If I'm feeling a little discomfort, maybe I'll take a day off. But we'll have to wait and see how that goes.



Q: You played 4 straight days in Clearwater recently, how did knee feel, how did it respond, any soreness afterward?

Utley: Like I said, the last three weeks have been pretty good. The whole thing is to try to figure out how it's going to feel the next day. And in Florida it responded great. I was obviously able to play a lot, and play without thinking about it, which was most important.


Q: If someone ever told you you could lengthen your career by not playing quite as hard as you do, what would you do?

Utley: I don't know. We'll have to see. Like I said I enjoy playing and I think I play the right way, and I don't see that changing a whole lot. But as far as preparation prior to the game and during the game, that might change a little bit.



Q: When you get hurt, you always seem to come back early. What was your time table on this? Did you think it could take a while? Are you pleased with being back now?


Utley: I think you all know there was no timetable set because it was uncertain how it was going to progress. I don't necessarily think I came back early or that I'm coming back too late, I feel like I'm coming back when I feel the best and that's how I feel right now.


Q: What's the biggest question for young going forward, to see how it holds up?

Utley: To see how it holds up is nice, but I think the time down in Florida gave me a pretty good indication on how it's going to be. And I was able to take a few days off in between some games, let it rest and let it respond, and it did.


Q: How much different is the intensity of the games in Florida to this, physically?

Utley: There's a big difference in the games. First I'm just trying to get my feet wet again, just trying to get comfortable in the batter's box and in the field, while also testing how my knee responds. And all of that was positive down there. But I think the brighter lights, the fans, that will bring more intensity.


Q: What's been most challenging part of this process?

Utley: Probably just staying patient. Like I said it's a little frustrating not to be able to go out and help your team win. But I'm proud of my teammates, they've done an outstanding job, for the first two months I think we have one of the better records in the National League, our pitching staff has been outstanding and I know there's been a lot of negative talk recently about how our offense has been struggling, but this is why we play for six months, it's an up and down game and as long as you stay positive we have the guys to get through that.



Q: Think getting you back, getting Shane, getting the whole lineup can get the offense turned around?

Utley: I think getting everybody back healthy will definitely help. But it's not all about me, it's not all about Ryan (Howard), it's about all of us together collectively going out there every day and trying to win.


Q: Is it possible for you to take a day off, in terms of doing nothing, no BP, no fielding practice?

Utley: Yeah, I think at this point I realize what I need to do to stay on top of it. Some days that might be cutting stuff short, some days I'll be able to go full-out. It's still a learning process, but I think we have a good idea of how to handle it.


Q: Is surgery a possibility in offseason?

Utley: No, I hope not.



Q: Do you think this will bother you for rest of career?

Utley: Well I think we've made some strides over the past 3-4 weeks, so hopefully not. As long as I stay on top of the program we have now, the whole goal is to stay pain-free.


Q: What did you learn about yourself through all of this?

Utley: Probably like I said before, patience is a virtue.

Tired of watching the Phillies offense, which has scored three runs or less in nine straight games?

Sick of waiting for Chase Utley to come to the rescue?

Here's the good news, straight from the Phillies offices. Oh, and, as expected, Joe Blanton is headed back to the DL.




Second baseman Chase Utley will be activated from the 15-day disabled on Monday prior to the Phillies game against the Cincinnati Reds, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. In anticipation of Utley’s return, the Phillies have optioned infielder Pete Orr to triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Philadelphia will also place right-hander Joe Blanton on the 15-day DL tomorrow, retroactive to May 16, with right elbow inflammation. To fill his spot on the 25-man roster, the Phillies will recall right-hander Vance Worley from Lehigh Valley, who will start Tuesday night against the Reds at 7:05 EDT.

Utley, 32, has spent the entire 2011 season on the DL with right knee tendinitis/chondromalacia. He appeared in nine games with single-A Clearwater as part of a rehabilitation assignment, batting .281 in 32 at-bats with two doubles, one home run, four RBI and four runs scored. He also went 6-for-14 with two home runs in two extended spring training games. Last season, Utley hit .275 with a .387 on-base percentage, 20 doubles, 16 HR, 65 RBI and 75 runs scored in 115 games.

Orr, 31, is batting .230 with three RBI in 26 games in his first season with the Phillies. Defensively, he has appeared in 20 games at second base and one at third base.

Blanton is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA in six starts with Philadelphia this season. He was previously on the DL from April 29 (retroactive to April 24) to May 3 with a medial impingement in his right elbow. The 30-year-old was a late scratch in his last scheduled start, May 19 against the Colorado Rockies, with soreness in his throwing elbow.

Worley, 23, has posted a 2-0 record with a 1.13 ERA in four games with the Phillies in 2011. In two starts, he is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. He began the year with an 11.0-inning scoreless streak and has allowed just two earned runs overall in 16.0 innings. In five starts with Lehigh Valley this season, he is 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA.


One other minor roster move to report: the Phils signed Scott Podsednik to a minor league contract, pending a physical.

When I walked into the clubhouse this morning, a clubhouse attendant was at Chase Utley's locker. He was unloading an oversized athletic bag filled with baseball equipment and clothing.

Utley apparently isn't headed anywhere other than Citizens Bank Park this week. Why else empty the bag, right?

When approached for a casual convo, Utley said he was feeling good and awaiting word on the next step in his rehab. The brief back-and-forth was cut off after no more than a minute. Utley is not talking to the media, a team official said.

Later, this: Utley is meeting with team doctor Michael Ciccotti and head team athletic trainer Scott Sheridan to determine the next course of action. It would be quite a surprise, however, if that next step isn't clearing Utley for a return to the Phillies lineup Monday.

Utley went 2-for-5 with an RBI on Saturday night as Class A Clearwater. The night before he fueled Clearwater's walk-off win by leading off the ninth getting hit by a pitch, stealing second and eventually scoring from third on a wild pitch.

Utley went 9-for-32 (.281) in nine games with the Threshers. He just got finished playing in four straight games.

Again, it would be pretty shocking if he's not cleared to rejoin the Phils after meeting with the medical staff today.

So what would the Phillies lineup look like Monday against Bronson Arroyo and the Cincinnati Reds? Here's one man's guess:

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Domonic Brown, RF
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Placido Polanco, 2B
6. Raul Ibanez, LF
7. John Mayberry Jr., CF
8. Carlos Ruiz, C
9. Cole Hamels, P



As for who the Phillies will de-activate in activating Utley... my guess is they make a tough decision on Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez. Just by looking at playing time, my gut says they value Pete Orr more than Martinez. (Orr is also 4-for-8 as a pinch hitter this season).

As a Rule 5 guy, Martinez would have to be offered back to his original team, the Washington Nationals before, being optioned to Triple-A.


But as a couple of folks have reminded me, Shane Victorino is on the disabled list and Martinez does have the ability to play center field. And Orr has an option remaining, meaning he can be sent to AAA without fear of losing him.

So perhaps it's a coin toss. Still, I think they value Orr's bat off the bench now.

The Domonic Brown Era in Philly is underway.

Yes, you may have thought it began when he was called up late last July. But that was as a stop-gap when Shane Victorino was placed on the DL (the Phillies had three starting outfielders who were at the All-Star Game a year earlier).

Yes, you may have thought it wasn't going to begin this weekend, since that's what general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Thursday when, ironically, it was Victorino headed back to the DL.

But Amaro changed his mind. After he told reporters Thursday that Brown "wasn't ready," Amaro spoke with Charlie Manuel and both came to the conclusion that the organization's top prospect would improve the team more than anyone else right now.

"There's still a question on whether he's ready to play on a regular basis here," Amaro said. "But circumstances changed and I changed my mind."

Manuel said Brown will be set loose. Well, almost. The left-handed-hitting 23-year-old, rated the No.4 prospect in baseball this winter, will rest against left-handed starters initially, including tonight.

But he will play regularly in right field otherwise.


"The guy has got to play," Amaro said of Brown, who was hitting .341 (14-41) with two home runs and 10 RBI in 11 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "I think it's important for him to play. I think he'll dictate the playing time. Charlie is pretty good about breaking guys into the big leagues. He's done it with a couple of our players and he's had success doing it, did it with Chase (Utley), with (Ryan) Howard. It's another one of those situations where he's going to have to break him in."

So why were there hesitations less than 24 hours ago, then, Rube?

"We wanted to get him into a rhthym, get him some at-bats, he's been swinging the bat ok, but it's hard to gauge," Amaro said. "I don't know how mnay at-bats he had after coming back from the hook of the hamate and then having a little bit of a problem with his thumb. He just didn't get as many reps as we would have liked, not just offensively but defensively, too. We wanted to make sure he had had development time, he had some developing to do defensively, running the bases, those are things we've talked about before; he really hasn't got a chance to continue his development. But we're going to give him a shot at doing it here."

Charlie Manuel was hoping to get two innings out of Michael Stutes, who took over for Roy Oswalt in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game in St. Louis. Instead, he didn't even get a full batter out of Stutes.

He got three pitches.

Stutes left with a pain in the middle of his back on his second pitch.

Here's his postgame Q&A the the media:



Q: How bad?

Stutes: “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out. I’ll probably get checked out tomorrow.”


Q: Did Charlie (Manuel) say it was a burning feeling?

Stutes: “A little of that. I guess we figrure tomorrow we’ll see a doctor.”



Q: You felt OK warming up?

Stutes: “I felt great in the bullpen, felt great warming up before the inning, then in that at-bat with (Lance) Berkman, in the first three pitches.”


Q: Think you'll miss some time?

Stutes: “I don’t know. I’ve never had an injury before. I guess we’ll figure it out tomorrow. Hopefully it’s just a freak thing where I just strained something and I’ll wake up tomorrow feeling good.”


Stutes, who was called up less than a month ago, has quickly become a dependable arm in the injury-plagued bullpen. Entering Tuesday, he hadn't allowed a run in seven of his eight appearances.

The Phillies have five hits or less in each of their last three games, all losses.

They've scored scored three runs or less in 21 of their 40 games this season. They're 8-13 in those 21 games. (Consequently, they're an astounding 17-2 when they score four or more runs).

Perhaps hoping to get something going, Charlie Manuel has trotted out this lineup for the finale to an eight-game, nine-day, three-city road trip.

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Michael Martinez, CF
3. Placido Polanco, 3B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. John Mayberry Jr., LF
6. Ben Francisco, RF
7. Wilson Valdez, 2B
8. Dane Sardinha, C
9. Roy Oswalt, P


The Phils are facing one of the hottest pitchers in the league, lefty Jaime Garcia (5-0, 1.89 ERA).

Victorino is apparently still nursing his hamstring injury; Martinez, who has starts just four of the Phils first 40 games, starts in his place. Ibanez is probably due for a day off, and it makes sense against a tough lefty.

Ruiz is also out, which is somewhat curious but also may be precautionary after catching two straight games for the first time since returning from his back injury. He's also just 1-for-32 in the last month.

Roy Oswalt's last start in a Phillie uniform was three weeks ago from tomorrow.

Although he's still building back arm strength, natural given the lengthy layoff, Oswalt said he's ready to rejoin the rotation on Monday, when he rejoined the Phillies. Oswalt was activated from the DL before the first game of a two-game series in St. Louis.


"With me, I'm going to go out and give 100 percent and if it doesn't work... I'm going to try though, that’s all you can do," said Oswalt, who is no longer bothered by lower back soreness that arose a month ago. "(My start) might not be good enough this time, it might not be good enough next time, but if you keep doing it, it should be."

Oswalt threw five innings in a rehab start Thursday in Clearwater, and then threw an in-between-starts bullpen session Saturday in Clearwater, too. After his start, many people wondered aloud about his velocity, which was down a bit.

But Oswalt doesn't sound too concerned.

"I've went through three or four starts (before) where I didn't have 94, 95 (miles per hour)," Oswalt said. "You have to learn how to pitch (without it), if not, you'll get hit around. Hopefully I can get my location going. Velocity isn't a big deal to me. I feel like I can throw enough off-speed pitches and locate the ball well enough where I can pitch."

Oswalt also said he avoided doing leg exercises while battling the back injury, which could be related to the decrease in velocity.

To make room for Oswalt on the roster, the Phils optioned Vance Worley back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Charlie Manuel said they gave strong consideration of keeping Worley, who has succeeded both in a starting and relief role, but the team felt it was more important to keep him stretched out as a starter, especially with Oswalt and Joe Blanton returning from injuries.

Shane Victorino, as expected, is out of the lineup for this afternoon's series finale in Atlanta.

Victorino exited Saturday's game after tweaking his right hamstring in an attempt to beat pitcher Jair Jurrjens to first base on a ground ball in the seventh inning. Victorino actually tried to play the next half inning in the field; he was replaced with John Mayberry Jr. after that half inning.

But you can catch your breath - Victorino, one of the most consistent Phillies hitters of the young season, doesn't appear headed to the disabled list.


"He's sore today," GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I think he feels better. I don't think he's a DL candidate but we have to see how he recovers in the next couple of days."

Victorino will likely sit out the upcoming two games in St. Louis and eye a return when the Phils return home Wednesday.

The news on the newest member of the DL list wasn't as promising. Backup catcher Brian Schneider, placed on the DL Thursday with a hamstring sprain, will likely be out closer to a month recovering from the injury.


Other newsy notes from the morning:

-Chase Utley is expected to play for Clearwater today, but there's no timetable on his return to the Phillies. Amaro said Utley needs at-bats.

"He's coming off ground zero," Amaro said. "He hasn’t had a major league at-bat yet. He didn’t have a spring training.”


-Roy Oswalt threw a bullpen session Saturday in Clearwater. He remains on tap to be activated off the DL to start Tuesday in St. Louis.


-Jose Contreras threw his third bullpen session of the road trip Sunday morning and was pretty excited with how good he felt. He'll throw in a minor league rehab game Wednesday.


Here is your Phillies lineup for today:

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Michael Martinez, CF
3. Placido Polanco, 3B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
6. Raul Ibanez, LF
7. John Mayberry Jr., RF
8. Carlos Ruiz, C
9. Roy Halladay, P

Mel Queen, a former pitching coach of the Toronto Blue Jays, passed away today at the age of 69.


Queen spent a long time in the Toronto organization, as a coach, front office executive and even as an interim manager at one point. But his name is probably most familiar to Phillies fans because of the impact he had on Roy Halladay's career.

When Halladay was sent all the way down to A-ball after the 2000 season, it was Mel Queen who did two important things.

First, he pretty much chewed out Halladay, a former first round pick who had a 10.64 ERA in 2000. Second, he changed the gifted right-hander's mechanics rather drastically, turning Halladay from a straight-over-the-top thrower to a three-quarter arm slot gunslinger.

"It was probably a little bit of both, the mechanical stuff was a big part of it but he kind of kicked you in the (butt)," Halladay recalled Friday, laughing a little bit. "He definitely challenged me, I think that’s the best way to do it. I think that and all the mechanical stuff, they made a big difference with me."


In spring training, Halladay also lost another important figure in his career. Sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman, the author of a book that could be called Halladay's bible, "The ABC's of Pitching," passed away.

"I look back, there was Bus Campbell, a scout I had. He passed in the last 2 years. One of my first pitching coaches and A-ball recently passed," Halladay said. "So you hear that and you start realizing how many influential people in your career. Unfortunately I've lost a couple of big ones that had a big impact on my career. I think in a lot of respects it makes you step back and realize how many people were influential, how many people you owe a lot of credit to and gratitude towards. You obviously can't do it all by yourself."

Brian Schneider came oh-so-close to giving Cliff Lee his first run since April 20th.

Instead, he's likely joining the crowded list of Phillies on the disabled list.

With the Phillies trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning, Lee hit a ball hard to second base that caromed off Omar Infante and Schneider hit third base, ready to round and score to tie the game.

But he grabbed his left leg instead. Schneider had to be removed from the game with a left hamstring strain.

Afterward, he sounded as if he almost certainly will join Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Jose Contreras and Brad Lidge on the disabled list.

It's not good," Schneider said. "It definitely didn't feel good. Obviously if it felt good, I would have scored

Schneider will board a flight with the rest of the Phillies to Atlanta tonight. He'll get checked out by the medical staff Thursday, when the Phils have a day off in the schedule.

If there is any silver lining to the latest Phillies injury, it's this: Ruiz is eligible to be activated from the DL on Friday.

The text message came at 12:41 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

"Utley will begin a rehab assignment with Clearwater tonight."

Nine words. Nine simple words. But the meaning of those nine, little words are pretty significant in Chase Utley's return from a chronic right knee injury that had some fans wondering if his season was over when the news of his ailment first surfaced 11 weeks ago.


Here's what an official rehab assignment means: it finally sets a timetable for Utley's return, something Utley, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and everyone else affiliated with the Phillies repeatedly shied away from throughout the rehab process.

When Utley takes the field for the Threshers tonight (7 p.m. against Palm Beach at Bright House Field, in case you're in the greater Clearwater/Tampa area), it will start a clock on his rehab; Utley will have 20 days to be activated once his official rehab with Clearwater begins tonight.

What's that mean? Utley will be back in a Phillies uniform - and playing - by no later than May 30.

Is there a chance Utley is back before then? Sure.

The Threshers play four games against Palm Beach from tonight through Friday. That's followed by another four game series, at Bradenton.

The guess here is Utley returns to the Phillies at some point during the next homestand, which begins a week from tomorrow (Wednesday, May 18 vs. Colorado). But, given Utley's propensity for beating the clock on previous injury timetables (remember his return last August, seven weeks removed from thumb surgery?) I also wouldn't bet against Utley being back sooner.

But here's an important thing to remember: tonight will mark the first time during Utley's rehab that he's played in back-to-back games. So, tomorrow will be as important as any day of his rehab progression thus far, to see how his knee/body respond to the uptick in work.

Just for the sake of speculating, let's say Utley feels OK to play in Wednesday morning's game (the Threshers play at 10:30 a.m.) and then takes Thursday off. If everything responds fine, maybe he plays in another 2-3 games in a row between Friday and Sunday.

Following that progression, and barring any setbacks, of course, it sounds logical that Utley could be back some time next week.

The Phillies offense could surely use him. Wilson Valdez and Pete Orr, the two primary second basemen used by Charlie Manuel this season, are hitting a combined .252 with nine RBIs.

There was a bit of a debate among outsiders: who would start for the Phillies on Friday in Atlanta?

Vance Worley, who was 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts, or Kyle Kendrick, who threw five shutout innings against the Braves Saturday and has decent career numbers against Atlanta (6-1, 2.35 ERA in 12 games).

The answer when posed to pitching coach Rich Dubee? Neither.

And if he and the Phillies have their way, their opening day rotation won't need any more tinkering.

Dubee said Cole Hamels will pitch Friday. Thanks to Thursday's off day in the schedule, Hamels, who pitched Sunday night, can come back Friday on normal rest, followed by Joe Blanton and Roy Halladay on Saturday and Sunday at Turner Field, respectively.


What about Roy Oswalt, who was placed on the DL Friday night? He threw a pen session Sunday, will throw another Tuesday and is eyeing a rehab start on Thursday, likely in Clearwater.

(Hey, maybe Carlos Ruiz, headed to Clearwater after tonight's game, can catch him.... and Chase Utley can play second base, right?)

The upcoming rotation shift, using Thursday's off day to move everyone up, would mean the Phils wouldn't need a fifth starter until the final day of the road trip, next Tuesday night in St. Louis.

The plan for that day? Oswalt, Dubee said.

Oswalt sounded optimistic that was possible. His back pain? Gone.

"It feels better," Oswalt said. "It feels a lot better. I didn't have the feeling I had before."

So Blanton tonight, and then Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Blanton, Halladay, Lee, Oswalt.

Just as they drew it up in spring training...


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Chase Utley went 1-for-7 with two strikeouts in an extended spring training game on the other side of Florida today.

No word just yet on what the plan is. At some point, Utley will attempt to play in games on back-to-back days for the first time.

When you look out onto the field during pregame batting practice and see Dane Sardinha, Scott Mathieson, Vance Worley and Michael Stutes, you're either in Allentown or you're sitting in the dugout of the injury-plagued Philadelphia Phillies.

The latter was the case Saturday.

Roy Oswalt was put on the DL Saturday night, Joe Blanton is eyeing a return from the DL Monday, Brad Lidge has been on the DL all season, as has Chase Utley, who played in his first extended spring training game early Saturday morning in Florida.

And that's not even everyone who is or has been on the DL.


Carlos Ruiz hasn't been on the DL. Could he be headed there?

He's out of the lineup for the eighth straight game and said he won't be playing Sunday either. So make it nine in a row.

The Phils still have the option of placing him on the DL and backdating it; he last played on April 27 in Arizona.

Here's a little on what Chooch had to say of his ailing back on Saturday afternoon:

"It’s day by day. I feel better. I’m doing work today in the (batting cage)."


Best case return to lineup?

"Very soon. First I’m going to have to catch a bullpen session, and then I’ll see how it goes. I’m not happy being in that dugout (watching). I want to be in the lineup. At the same time, I want to make sure I’m OK to go 100 percent. I don’t feel anything right now. I was thinking this was only going to be a couple of days and now it’s been about 10 days."


Think it makes sense to go to the DL, so you can get at-bats in rehab games?

"I don’t know. Sometimes you have to pick it up right away. I hope when I come back my timing (at the plate) is there."


When is it sore?

"When I block balls, I can feel it and when I swing, I feel it a little bit in one spot... on the right side."


Perhaps there will be late new on Ruiz later, as there was on Roy Oswalt Friday night. Oswalt spoke to reporters today and seemed relatively optimistic.

He'll throw a bullpen session Sunday and have a better idea if he can return when he's eligible on Friday.

"Just give me some time, I'll be fine," Oswalt said.

Someone then asked him about his rep for having back issues throughout his career.


"I make 30 starts a year... and this is my 11th year," he said.

Oswalt makes a pretty good point: he's started 30 or more games in seven consecutive seasons.

If he can't go in the Atlanta series, Vance Worley would almost surely pitch in his place. Worley has filled in for Blanton in the last week-and-a-half.

Blanton threw a bullpen session Saturday and expects to be able to start Monday, as does Charlie Manuel.

"That's kind of our thinking," Manuel said.

As for Chase Utley, he went 5-for-7 with two home runs in an extended spring training game today. Sounds impressive, right?


Well, one thing to keep in mind with Utley: more important than how his bat looks is how his body (the knee in particular) respond to the day-to-day grind). Although he's played in two simulated games and one extended spring training game, he has yet to place on back-to-back days, let alone three or four days in a row.

Utley will take Sunday off and get back on the field Monday in another extended spring training game.

Here is what Utley told an AP reporter after this morning's game:

"It felt pretty good just to get back out between the lines. So far
so good and we'll see how it (right knee) responds tomorrow and go from
there."

Roy Oswalt rejoined the Phillies today, following an eight-day stay in his hometown of Weir, Mississippi following last week's tornado-induced storm that devastated the South.


It was the second deadliest storm in U.S. history, with over 300 people killed. Thankfully, Oswalt and his family were unharmed.

But the damage was immense. The neighboring town of East Webster was completely destroyed, Oswalt said.

He spent a week's worth of time on his farming equipment - an excavator and a back hoe - moving trees. There was no longer a path to his house because of the fallen trees, he had to create one.

You can watch some of Oswalt's talk with the media here.

Here is more from Oswalt (the AP photos are from the last year's tornado):



Q: Does it feel good to be back, or tough knowing there's damage back home?

Oswalt: The good thing is there weren't any lives lost on my family's side. There were some lives lost up the road from us. The good thing is it never really touched down right on top of us. It hit the ground a couple of miles past our house. My in-law's house had a little bit of roof damage and pretty much all of the trees down there. I think they've got electricity (back). What's today? Thursday? I think Tuesday they got their electricity back on.

The biggest thing is my three kids where there. They had to run down in the middle of the night to get to a storm shelter. It kind of scared them a little bit.

Last year one went through my mom's house, and there wasn't nothing left there. The house I grew up in. She got in the closet and that was pretty much the last thing left, the closet. This time it didn't touch down right on top of us, but it did do a lot of damage. The town next to us is completely gone. It went right through the high school and the town. There's nothing left in that town. The good thing was, on our family's side, there wasn't any damage to anybody. Just a lot of cleanup. A lot of patching and hopefully we'll get things back to normal a little bit.



Q: How are your kids?

Oswalt: It scared my middle one a little bit. She's going on 4. To wake up in the middle of the night to run through rain and wind to get to storm shelter scared her a little bit. But they're doing fine overall. They asked a lot of questions, but other than that, they're doing well.


Q: What kind of perspective does it give you, spending that time, looking at the town leveled, compared to playing baseball for a living?

Oswalt: I've always said this right here, baseball is a gift that you're given to ply, but this comes third or fourth on my list. I could walk away from the game today and be happy. As long as you have your family, they're going to be there a lot longer than the game will be. A lot of people don't look it that way, a lot of people think this is who you are as a person. It's not. It's something that you're blessed to do, and you get to do it at the highest level, but as far as the game goes, baseball doesn't mean more than my family for sure.




Q: Tough to get back into baseball routine then, pitching Saturday, throwing despite knowing whats going on down there?

Oswalt: I think the biggest thing is I haven't thrown a whole lot. I've been trying to clean up as much as possible. I knew I had to be back at some point. I may be a little rust here and there but I'll go out there, give my 100 percent and see how it goes. hopefully I can get into a rhythm.



Q: What exactly were you doing?

Oswalt: I actually own some equipment. I have an excavator and a (back hoe) that (Astros owner) Drayton (McClane) gave me. I've been on the excavator and the track hoe, trying to get trees out of the road so we could actually get home. You couldn't get down to the house for a while. We cut a lot of stuff out of the way, moved some stuff and to keep the house from leaking, we put some tarp up. Hopefully we won't have any more wind until we get everything fixed.



Q: Mindful of all of this going on in last start in Phoenix?

Oswalt: I just had a bad start. I'm not making any excuses for that. I knew there was bad weather going on down that way. But nothing had happened. It was just a bad start. Hopefully I don’t have too many more.




Q: When this happens two years in a row, do you even think about moving? I know it's home.

Oswalt: That's home. You can't run from stuff like that. You face it. That's pretty much where I grew up. Someone said move to California, but there are earthquakes down there. it doesn't really matter where you go.


Q: How does this change you?

Oswalt: I think people don't really understand it, a lot of people haven't seen it. you grow up in a house – I was there for 33 years, my parents were there for 40-some odd years – and everything you remember from growing up is kind of gone. From a lot of memories to digging stuff up 2-3 miles down the road. So it's tough, its mentally tough. But the good thing about it is I was blessed enough that my mom didn't get taken away with it. You can replace a house. We built them a new house. But you can't replace a life.

From the Phillies:

Shane Victorino will be signing copies of the newly-released book, “Shane Victorino: The Flyin’ Hawaiian” on Saturday, May 7, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park.

Also attending will be the book’s author, Alan Maimon.

The Majestic Clubhouse Store will open early at 9:00 a.m. to accommodate the signing. Books will be available for purchase at $25, while supplies last.

Parking is free in Lot S, located off Pattison Avenue between Broad Street and Citizens Bank Way. (Fans must mention the Majestic Clubhouse Store for free parking).

(Note: Shane will only be signing books. No memorabilia please).

Another note: the lemur from Busch Gardens will not be there.



Victorino toured the facilities at the Boys & Girls Club in Nicetown Wednesday, a place he pledged $1 million to renovate last year. According to MLB.com, the facility will be renamed in Victorino's honor, making it just one of three Boys & Girls Clubs named after baseball players (Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson are the others).

You can find out more about Victorino's charitable endeavors at: shanevictorinofoundation.org

That's not the actual flag shown here, it's MLB policy (or Phillies team policy) that pictures aren't allowed to be taken in the clubhouse.

But as you enter the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, there is a framed American flag and, below it, a framed certificate. Both are from the United States Naval SEALs.

There's an inscription below the flag that reads: "Thank you for your tremendous support of the United States Naval SEALs and their families."

The document/certificate notes that the flag was "flown in the face of the enemy" on June 16, 2008 in Fallujah, Iraq.



The flag and frame weren't on display at the front of the clubhouse prior to Monday. It's a nice touch by the Phillies, following the SEALs role in the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Chase Utley is currently taking practice swings behind the batting cage as the Phils begin their regular, routine pregame batting practice.

But if Charlie Manuel had his way, it sounds like he'd be driving Utley to the airport to board a plane bound for Florida. After watching Utley go through a semi-simulated game for the second time in three days, Manuel thinks Utley is ready to take the next step on his rehab.

"It might be time to let him go somewhere, like Clearwater or something, get into a broader, bigger routine," Manuel said.


So you think he's ready from watching last few days?

"I think he's look much better," Manuel said. "He's getting there. How he responds after a workout like he did in the last couple days, that’s what counts. He's definitely closer than he was a week ro two weeks ago."


So no residual soreness for him?

"He felt some soreness, but at the same time that might be expected, too," Manuel said. "We'll see how he is after today."

Of course, Manuel is the eternal optimist and, as management has said, Utley is driving the rehab train. Utley said he's felt fine after playing in two semi-sim games in the last three days.

But when asked if a trip out of town was on the horizon...

"We haven't really looked that far ahead yet," Utley said.

But if Utley feels OK tomorrow, you'd have to think there's a decent chance he's sent out before the weekend. But that's just press box speculation, or the educated guesses of a few scribes.

Rich Dubee was once again the pitcher during Utley's semi-sim game. So did Utley hit any home runs off the pitching coach?

"One per inning," Dubee said, smirking.


------------------------

Tonight's lineup is a little different. Because, as Charlie Manuel noticed the other night, "we played 14 innings and scored one whopping run."

Jimmy Rollins is back in the leadoff spot, Placido Polanco hits third:


1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Shane Victorino, CF
3. Placido Polanco, 3B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Ben Francisco, RF
6. Raul Ibanez, LF
7. Pete Orr, 2B
8. Brian Schneider, C
9. Cole Hamels, P


Carlos Ruiz (back soreness) is expected to do some light hitting before the game. Manuel hopes to put Chooch back in the lineup at some point during the Nats series.

For the second time in three days, Ruben Amaro Jr. found a seat in the middle of the Phillies dugout and fielded questions and offered updates on the long list of injuries.

But this time, the general manager had something to offer regarding the player who has been sidelined the longest: Chase Utley.

According to Amaro, Utley took part in what amounted to a simulated game at Citizens Bank Park early Sunday afternoon.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee threw him fastballs, curve balls and changeups. Utley fielded ground balls. He took relay throws. He ran the bases.

"He’s progressing," Amaro said. "It was 3 or 4 (simulated innings). It was good. If he comes out of it OK, it was good. We’ll find out tomorrow how he feels. If he feels OK, then we’ll try to do it again on Tuesday."

It was definitely an important step forward for Utley, but, again, the Phillies have not drawn up a game plan (or at least shared one publicly) of whats next or when they can expect Utley to begin an official rehab assignment, which would likely begin at extended spring training in Clearwater.

One of the things Charlie Manuel stressed was how Utley responded doing game-type activities two-to-three days in a row. It's one things to play in a simulated game; it's another to play in three or four straight games and feel strong and healthy.

Regardless, Utley took a step forward today.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Two other quick pregame notes:

-- Roy Oswalt is scheduled to rejoin the Phillies on Thursday. He'll likely start Saturday or Sunday.

Oswalt left the team Wednesday and went back to his his hometown of Weir, Mississippi after serious storms swept through the South last week. Over 300 people have died as a result of the storms.


-- Domonic Brown is headed north. Following the Clearwater Threshers game, Brown was activated from the disabled list and is scheduled to report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday. Brown, who broke the hamate bone in his right hand on March 5, isn't expected to be rushed back to the big leagues, though.