M.A.S.H. Report

As you may have noticed, several prominent Phillies players are not currently playing for the Phillies.


Here is the latest on all of them, courtesy of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

Roy Halladay (right shoulder): The two-time Cy Young Award winner has not thrown a baseball in 10 days. The Phils are still waiting for the final word on the second opinion Halladay had Wednesday in New York (with Mets team physician and shoulder expert David Altchek, but Amaro said he "doesn't envision it to be anything different" than the current 6-to-8 weeks diagnosis. Halladay has began exercises and, according to today's medical report, "symptom free."


Ryan Howard (left Achilles): The former MVP has been in Clearwater for over a month now and has been hitting against live pitching for at least two weeks. He will play in an extended spring training game Wednesday; he will hit, but he will not run. Amaro: "He’s been doing jogging, light sprint work. But his calf just isn’t strong enough to do full-out sprint work."


Chase Utley (left knee): After going 3-for-4 with a home run Monday, Utley did not appear in an extended spring training game today. He'll join Howard in a game Wednesday. Both players will DH. Although there is just one more game left in extended spring, Amaro doesn't foresee Utley going out on an official rehab yet because he hasn't played in the field in a game setting yet.


Jim Thome (back): Amaro said he would likely be activated before the end of the current homestand (Thursday). He has been playing in extended spring games regularly for over 10 days. Thome will not, however, play in the field again, as Amaro said the future Hall of Famer has too much back discomfort while playing first base.


The relievers: Justin DeFratus (elbow), who has pitched in one minor league rehab game this season and missed all of spring training, is coming along better than everyone else. Amaro said he's been feeling good and "hopefully we'll get him on the mound" in the next couple of weeks. Mike Stutes (shoulder) and David Herndon (elbow)  are "moving pretty slowly," Amaro said. Contreras (elbow) is out for the season but has not decided whether or not he'll have Tommy John surgery.