The Phillies wear an "HK" on the front of their jerseys. It's over the heart.

We all know what it stands for. No one has ever forgot Harry Kalas, nor is it likely anyone will forget the 'Voice of the Phillies' any time soon.

But in the midst of celebrating their third straight NL East crown, the Phils remembered Kalas. They honored the man who passed away in April.

Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins lead the entire team to Ashburn Alley, where each player, one by one, touched the Harry Kalas plaque on the Wall of Fame.

“Harry would be down here partying, too. He would have been down here getting soaked,” Rollins said. “You know Harry wouldn’t miss a party, so we couldn’t let him miss this one.”

Rollins declined to take over Kalas' duties in singing 'High Hopes.' "Not like Harry," Rollins said, when reminded he has his own musical background. "Not like Harry."

But Rollins promised to continue to pay tribute to Harry Kalas if the Phils can convert on their goal of repeating last year's success. Everywhere they have gone since Kalas' death, the team has brought the broadcaster's baby blue sport coat and white shoes with them.

“If we win the World Series, I’m walking around with (Harry Kalas’) jacket and shoes. That’s my next hope, that I can put on the jacket the shoes so H.K. doesn’t miss a parade,” Rollins said. “We get to Broad Street again, you’ll see H.K.’s jacket and shoes on my back and feet. There’s no doubt about it. We go down Broad Street, believe me, I will be rocking it.”

When Jamie Moyer left Tuesday night's game after the seventh inning, it was announced in the press box that he had a left groin strain.

His injury was apparently more serious than anyone could have expected.

Phillies team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti just informed the media that Moyer tore three muscles - two in the groin area and another in the lower abdominal, all on the left side - and will need surgery.

Moyer was very open to the idea of surgery, and after getting a second opinion that was in line with Dr. Ciccotti's assessment, Moyer will have the surgery in the next week to 10 days.

The 46-year-old Moyer is expected to recover in time and be ready for spring training.

More in tomorrow's Daily Times.

Myers available

Brett Myers will be available out of the bullpen tonight, according to pitching coach Rich Dubee. Myers hasn't pitched since Sept 12.

The Phillies magic number to clinch a playoff spot remains at three.

There is panic in the streets.

"We're not tight; we're no panicking," Charlie Manuel said.

Honestly? I think they clinch tomorrow.

The Braves are bound to lose a game. They're up against Josh Johnson and the Marlins tonight.

If they lose one of the next two, and the Phils win two, the Phils are in. My gut tells me that's going to happen.

Two reasons the Phils win the next two: they're better than the Astros, who have beat them in all five games between the two teams this year. That can't continue.

And, Charlie Manuel called a team meeting this afternoon. This team responds to closed-door meetings.

Immediately after the meeting, Charlie met with the press corps. Although he said what was said in the meeting was between the players and coaches, he did reveal a little bit about the subject matter.

For one, Charlie did all of the talking.

Here are some snippets:

(did you pump them up or chew them out?)
"It was real short, positive... I didn't want anything about it to be negative."

(on not thinking the division is going to come to you, just because you're the most talented team)
"That right there is a little bit about my talk today. Hey, the mountain didn't come to Mohammed, did it? What happened? He had to go to the mountain. He had to take it. That's what we have to do. We have to take it... The mountain don't come to you; you have to go to the mountain."

Charlie calls Team Meeting

The Phillies are still in prime position to make the playoffs. There are six games left; they can go 2-4 and still make it if the Braves go 5-1.

But Charlie Manuel apparently wants to address the math anyway. More on this later...

In the event you didn't have enough concerns with the Phillies before they go to the playoffs (they are still going to the playoffs, right?), here's another: Cliff Lee.

Yeah yeah yeah... he looked as dominant as any pitcher in baseball after arriving. But in the last month? Not so much.

After going 5-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his first five starts since arriving from Cleveland, Lee is 2-3 with a 6.17 ERA.

Heading into Friday night, opponents were hitting .350 against Lee in the last 30 days.

“If you have a not-so-good outing, that doesn’t concern me, but if you go three or four, yeah. I’d like to see him pitch like he did the first three or four times,” Manuel said. “Unfortunately that didn’t happen.”

Lee likely has one more start remaining before the postseason.

So who are you giving the ball to in Game 1 of the playoffs?



That is, of course, as long as the Phils don't pull a 1964 here.

Pedro Martinez (neck) is playing it smart. Since his neck isn't 100 percent and the Phils have a comfortable lead in the division, he won't start Saturday.

Kyle Kendrick will start in his place.

Martinez told media member just before batting practice that he wasn't going to risk it if he felt anything while playing catch during BP. He said he wants to be 100 percent come playoff time.


Martinez could pitch Sunday or Monday, depending on how his health progresses.

More from Martinez in tomorrow's Daily Times... or on delcotimes.com

So that little rumor that began somewhere was given some weight Thursday night in Milwaukee.

What rumor? That J.A. Happ could go to the bullpen if/when the Phils begin the playoffs.

The long and short of it is this: Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero, the team's two most reliable lefties out of the bullpen, have been plagued with injuries. If neither are viable options for the playoff roster, Happ, who began the season in the pen, is the logical choice to take the lefty bullpen spot.

“I like Happ as a starter, always have,” manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday, after Happ won his 11th game in 5 2/3 strong innings against the Brewers. “But I also see him with how our pitching looks, that there is a chance he could wind up in the back end of the bullpen if we don’t get things straightened out, like if (J.C.) Romero doesn’t get back. I’m not saying we’re going to do that, but we’re going to talk about it if we don’t have a lefty.”

While I understand the logic of needing a lefty, does taking Happ out of the rotation make good sense?

If you follow the Happ to the pen logic, the rotation for the playoffs would set up like this: Cole Hamels-Cliff Lee-Joe Blanton-Pedro Martinez.

That sounds good, right? But which Pedro Martinez will be ready to go in the playoffs? The one who dazzled everyone in his last two starts at Citizens Bank Park, or the guy who had a sore neck (and ribs?) in his last start and hasn't been as durable as Happ has been all season?

It's probably too early to debate it, since the team hasn't even clinched a playoff spot, but I think you have to value what Happ has brought as a starter, too.

It's also amazing how Happ can never be settled in any role for any period of time. Then again, he's a rookie, and he'll go where needed.

One last thing to consider: if the Phils play the Rockies in the first round (which is probable), don't expect Happ to go to the pen. Happ threw a complete game, four-hit shutout against the Rox at Citizens Bank Park last month, striking out a season-high 10 while walking two.

And the reputations of this year's Rockies team is they don't fare well against lefties.

Stay tuned.

It's completely baffling to try to begin to understand what exactly has happened to Brad Lidge in the last 12 months.

It actually can give you a headache if you think about it too much.

In case you missed it, Brad Lidge blew his 11th save in 42 opportunities this season on Wednesday night in Miami. That's a save percentage of 73.8 %. Last year, of course, he was a perfect 100 percent (41-for-41).

Those numbers don't entirely tell the story.

Lidge is 0-8 with a 7.48 ERA in 63 games in 2009; in 2008, he was 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA. Lidge allowed two home runs last year; this year, he's served up 11.


Those are more numbers. Trying to explain them is impossible. Numbers fill up the back of a baseball card, but don't reveal what's in a guy's head.

If you had a chance to peak through Brad Lidge's reddened eyes Wednesday night, it sure looks like he's lost. Is there time to save him?

In Charlie Manuel's head, it's exasperation. He doesn't have any other serviceable, ready-now options. (Ryan Madson also gave up a run in the 8th that contributed to Wednesday's defeat).

It's very difficult to imagine Lidge can turn this around. Six weeks ago, sure.

But with 11 games left?

"I definitely still feel good," Lidge said, trying to muster up some confidence after the game. "I’m getting swings and misses. I’m getting some strikeouts. But obviously I need to do a little better....

"It’s incredibly frustrating. I’m disappointed. They hit the ball tonight. They did a great job. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll have a chance to get something started again. But I’m definitely frustrated, a little bit at a loss but I’m sure there are some things I could do better."

When I arrived to the ballpark, hearing that Carlos Ruiz was headed back to Philly didn't sound very promising.

But the MRI results he had on his left wrist today were as positive as the Phillies could have hoped for. No structural manage was found in Ruiz's hand.

He does, however, have inflammation in the joint; he'll likely need an injection, which will keep him out three-to-five days, according to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

Paul Bako will handle the bulk of the catching duties for the time being; Amaro sounded confident that he wouldn't have to worry about the potential of being without Ruiz in the postseason.

The injury bug keeps nipping at the Phillies...

Carlos Ruiz, who had missed three straight games with a left wrist sprain this week, is en route to Philly to have his hand checked out by team doctors Dr. Michael Ciccotti and Dr. Randall Culp.

A team spokesman said the Phillies expect Ruiz to rejoin the team in Milwaukee, where they begin a four-game series Thursday.

Although the long list of injured pitchers is concerning in its own way, any long-term loss involving Ruiz would be a crushing blow to the Phils hopes of a long playoff run. The only other two catchers on the active roster are Paul Bako, who is hitting .193, and Paul Hoover, who spent most of the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and hit .200 in 13 games with the Marlins last season.

Ruiz is hitting .253 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs this season. He started all 14 playoff games behind the plate for the Phillies last year.

Lots of stuff to catch up on:

-Scott Eyre (elbow) could return to the mound today; pitching coach Rich Dubee said the left-hander is available.

-Pedro Martinez saw a chiropractor; he's still not 100 percent and has been pushed back a day, with Cliff Lee on tap for Friday, Martinez Saturday, in Milwaukee. We should know more after Pedro throws a pen session Wednesday.

-Although Pedro Feliz isn't starting Game 1 of the doubleheader, neither is Greg Dobbs. Miguel Cairo gets the start at third; Dobbs is still bothered by a calf injury that sounds like will keep him a strictly a pinch hitter for the rest of the season.


-Waiting on the GM to give us an update on Brett Myers (shoulder) later today. Myers is back in Philly seeing team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti.

There's a reason you haven't seen Brett Myers pitch in over a week.

The Phils have shut him down with soreness in the back of his shoulder. According to GM Ruben Amaro Jr., Myers is scheduled to see team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Myers hasn't pitched since September 12. When he first returned after missing three months recovering from hip surgery, Myers pitched five times in eight days.

So that's Myers, Chan Ho Park, Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ, Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero who all have some kind of injury listed on their current status update.

That's not good.


More in Monday's Daily Times...

A night after leaving the game with a neck injury, Pedro Martinez spent a good portion of his morning at Turner Field riding a stationary bike.

As of noon Sunday, Martinez had not seen a chiropractor. He doesn't expect to do so until Monday, when the Phillies have a day off in Florida.

"Not too good... I feel it in the back (of the neck), it shoots to the right side" Pedro said when asked how his neck felt. "We're just going to do some treatment now."

Martinez said he didn't sleep very well. Part of that is the product of the day game-after-a night game, the enemy of anyone who works in baseball.

Will he be ready for his next start, in Milwaukee on Friday?

"Friday?" Martinez said. "I think it's going to be good - it's the day before Saturday."

Pedro Martinez looked like the vintage, Pedro from Boston in his last start.

On Saturday night, he reminded fans of the oft-injured pitcher with the Mets.

But the neck injury that Martinez suffered Saturday in Atlanta doesn't appear to be a big deal. It has nothing to do with him most important limb (his right arm) or a hammy or a leg.

He hurt it while swinging a bat.

His remedy? Wait for it...... a chiropractor. And a muscle relaxer before bed time.

The loss was the 100th of Martinez's Hall of Fame career. Guess what? He didn't seem too concerned about that, either.

"That’s just a number," Martinez said. "If you didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t have realized. I just would have went home, tried to get some sleep, take a muscle relaxer and forget about it."

Martinez was asked if that night-time ritual would include a calming glass of wine, too.

"No mixing wine," Martinez said with a straight face. "You can’t do that."

In case you're curious on why Pedro Martinez was no longer pitching when you tuned into the game after the third inning...

He left with stiffness in the right side of his neck. That's all the info we have mid-game.

More later...

Just a brief update since bodies appeared to be falling at an alarming rate here in Atlanta Friday night.

--- J.A. Happ, who was taken out of the game after 51 pitches/three innings, is completely fine. He was a little perturbed he was taken out of game, but also seemed to be smart enough to understand the team's reasoning.

Happ had missed two straight starts with a rib cage injury. The Phils top two bullpen lefties, J.C. Romero and Scott Eyre, are injured and there's no telling when they'll be back.

"I think that’s what they’re thinking,” Happ said. “Like I said, I’m just looking forward to the next time, going deeper. I felt like I could keep going; but it’s OK, too."


--- Carlos Ruiz was on the receiving end of the perfect, one-hop throw to home from Raul Ibanez that ended the Braves scoring chance in the second inning on a play at the plate. He left the game four innings later with an injured left wrist.

Good news from Charlie Manuel: the X-ray was negative; no broken bones.

"I don't think it's going to keep him out very long," Manuel said.


--- Ryan Howard, who hit two home runs in his previous two at-bats, was drilled with a fastball in the right forearm in the eighth inning. He was hit in the same exact spot Thursday.

Although he received treatment for it afterward, he never came out of the game. Charlie said the big man is just fine.

"He ain’t dead by a long shot," Manuel said. "If I had arms that big, a baseball wouldn’t hurt me."



The mounting injuries (every reliever except Ryan Madson has been hurt at some point) and illnesses (Shane Victorino sat out with a stomach bug) appear to have no end.

"What’d I tell you yesterday about getting hurt?" Manuel said, with a sly smile. "Don’t be getting hurt."

J.A. Happ (rib cage) missed two starts, but has said all week he was more than ready to return to the rotation.

Charlie Manuel has spoken more cautiously about his rookie left-hander.

And it was with that careful approach that the manager decided to remove Happ from Friday night's game after only three innings. Kyle Kendrick relieved Happ to begin the fourth.

The official news announced in the press box was that Happ came out of the game "for precautionary reasons."

Happ appeared to have tweaked something while attempting to cover first base on the first out the Phils recorded in the third. After a visit from Manuel and the training staff, when Happ appeared to tell them he was fine, the next batter, Martin Prado, hit a home run.

Obviously, more on this in the paper Saturday...

The Phillies entered the bottom of the seventh inning with a 2-0 lead.

Chan Ho Park had pitched the top half of the inning, but was not coming back out (he suffered what might be a pretty bad hamstring injury).

The Phils tacked on four runs, blowing a possible save situation out of the water, but Ryan Madson, who had been warming up, came out anyway for the eighth.

Since Manuel had been warming up Madson for the eighth, who was coming out in the ninth?

"It was going to be (Brad) Lidge," Charlie Manuel said.

Is Lidge back as the every day closer? We shall see.


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

As for Park, his injury doesn't sound great.

He said he felt his right hamstring "pop" when delivered his last pitch to Ryan Zimmerman in the seventh inning.

If Park is out for an extended time period, it's a big blow to a bullpen that's relied heavily on his health and consistency. Park is 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA since moving to the bullpen in late May.

As he hoped, J.A. Happ will not miss another start.

Happ, who has missed two while battling a rib cage injury, will start Friday night's game in Atlanta.

Happ will resume his Rookie of the Year campaign - he's 10-4 with a 2.77 ERA.

He's restarting that campaign in as good of a place as any. Happ is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in three games at Turner Field.

Dobbs activated.

Greg Dobbs, out for the last three weeks with a calf injury, was activated today. He'll be eligible to pinch hit off the bench.

Pedro Feliz is starting at third base.

So I was having this conversation on the radio about two weeks ago, shortly after the Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants in a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.

I believe the question was something along the lines of, "What did we learn most about the Phillies in the Giants series?" To help jog your memory, the results went like this in that series: 1-0 Phils, 4-0 Giants, 2-1 Phils.

My answer: other teams have the rep, but I think the Phillies also have the talent to out-pitch another team in a playoff series.

I threw that answer out there again while talkin' ball with some fellow beat writers at a local watering hole in Houston, and one guy actually rolled his eyes at my observation.

So, let me bring my point back up, and present two pieces of evidence: Mr. Pedro Martinez and Mr. Cliff Lee, a pair of former Cy Young Award winners.

Lee fired his second complete game since joining the Phils Tuesday night in a 5-0 win over Washington. It was the reigning A.L. Cy Young Award winner's second shutout of the season.

Lee's masterful outing came one game and two nights after vintage-Pedro blanked the Mets for eight innings before Ryan Madson slammed the door in the ninth.

The back to back shutouts were the first for the Phillies in six years. In April of 2003 (on the 27th and 28th), the Phils blanked the Giants and Dodgers on consecutive days.

You probably remember the first game - it was Kevin Millwood's no-hitter. The second was a combined shutout from Brett Myers, Dan Plesac and Jose Mesa.

Enough with the history lesson...


The last two games show the Phils, who already sport an offense with six current or former All-Stars, can throw some high-potent talent at anyone in the playoffs, talent that can match the Carpenter-Wainwright, Lincecum-Cain, or whatever other combo you want to throw their way.

Lee, Martinez and reigning World Series MVP Cole Hamels.... strong and steady Joe Blanton... and J.A. Happ, a National League Rookie of the Year Candidate with the fifth best ERA among all pitchers in the league.

Mr. Lee?

“It’s the defending World Champions – it’s basically the same team with a couple of additions,” Cliff Lee said. “If we take care of business, it doesn’t matter who we face…

“(Other teams) might have a good one-two punch, but I think we are, from No.1 to No.5, as good as anybody. I don’t think you have to have a 1-2 punch. We have a 1-2-3-4-5 punch, that’s never-ending.”

(This did not appear in print or on-line....so perhaps like one of those random, unique baseball cards, it is valuable.... regardless, I didn't see a reason for this to go to complete waste, so here is your weekly baseball fix, a few days late)


By RYAN LAWRENCE

September. The New York Mets. The Philadelphia Phillies.

Seeing the Mets in town this weekend almost makes Phils fans yearn for the mathematic equation that led to back-to-back National League East division crowns in each of the last two Septembers.

The Mets have large division lead. They collapse. The underdog Phils, with their proverbial backs against the wall and no room for error in making up ground, take advantage.

The result: the Phils are in the playoffs, the Mets are on the golf course.

It’s clear that dynamic can’t take place again this month. But maybe, in a weird way, it would be better if that was the case.

As Charlie Manuel said earlier this week, that doesn’t make much sense. Of course you’d rather be in first place, and in first place with a somewhat sizeable lead.

“That doesn’t register for me, sorry,” Manuel said.

But there is certainly something to be said for the way the Phils had to play down the stretch in each of the last two seasons. In 2007, only the Colorado Rockies were hotter among National League teams entering the playoffs.

In 2008, the Phils again had to win nearly every game they played in September, all the way up to the second-to-last game of the season, and they nearly did to catch and pass the Mets. The Phils won 13 of their final 16 regular season games and carried the mojo into a memorable playoff run.

Another mark of the current run of success is the Phillies propensity to come back late in games. They nearly did it again Thursday night in Washington, turning an 8-2 deficit into 8-7 in their final at-bat.

If you rationally analyze the way this team operates, it’s clear the offense gets the most out of its collective talents when it absolutely has to, both in games and in seasons at large. The Phils current funk could be because they don’t have anyone to chase, and other than the Marlins, who are still a few arm lengths away, no one to push them, either.

“When you’ve got a lead, you’re sitting better than when you are when you absolutely have to win that day. I think having a lead has to be better than that,” Manuel said. “Really. I’ll take the lead. I’m not going to give our lead up and say, let’s start even in the league. No, we’re not going to do that. Because I don’t know if we can come through or not.”

Manuel’s analysis makes sense logically. But from the personality of his team, you can probably bet they would come through if they trailing the team like the Mets again, or at least had someone nipping on their heals in the next three weeks.

l l l

Trivial pursuit: A pair of shortstops – Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins and Derek Jeter of the Yankees are closing in on recording the 25th and 26th 200-20-20 seasons in major league history.

Ramirez has 182 hits, 18 shy of 200, while already reaching the 20-mark in home runs (23) and stolen bases (24). Jeter is 12 hits short of 200 to go alongside 17 home runs and 25 steals.

Remarkably, of the 24 players to tally 200-20-20 seasons, 14 of them have accomplished the feat in the same year as another player. Without further adieu, here’s your two-pronged, trivia question of the week.

Who are the only two players in Phillies history to record 200-20-20 seasons and who is the only player in major league history to have three 200-20-20 seasons?

l l l

Northwest hit king: While the national media tripped over itself all week to pat Jeter on the back for becoming the all-time Yankees hit king, surpassing Lou Gehrig, the most underappreciated superstar in baseball reached a milestone of his own on the other side of the country.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki hit a double of Oakland’s Gio Gonzalez Sunday to become to second-fastest player in big league history to reach 2,000 career hits. Ichiro reached the mark in 1,402 career games, just 12 more than Al Simmons needed to reach 2,000.

The next step for the 36-year-old Ichiro is 3,000 hits, the standard mark for the greatest hitters in history. Even though Ichiro’s major league career began late – he didn’t move from Japan to Seattle until he was 27 – he doesn’t sound like an older player mulling retirement.

“I’m not a fortune teller, so I don’t have the ability to look into the future,” Ichiro said. “But that’s why it's fun because the future is unknown. Also, if I set goals for myself, it kind of makes a barrier, and in that way, it might lower my potential.”

"I don’t think he puts a timetable on it,” Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said. “He told me he’ll go ‘til he’s 50. He was serious.”

l l l

Pirate ship sunk: The Phillies no longer hold the infamous professional sports record for suffering the most consecutive losing seasons. When the Pittsburgh Pirates dropped a 4-2 defeat to the Cubs Monday, it marked their 82 loss of the year, sealing their 17th straight losing season.

Prior to the Pirates current run, they were tied with the Phillies (1933-48) for reeling off 16 losing seasons in a row. Pittsburgh has not had a winning record since 1992, when a slim Barry Bonds patrolled left field and Doug Drabek, the father of Phils top prospect Kyle Drabek, pitched Game 1 of the NLCS.

In the time since, the Pirates have managed to both continually misfire in the draft and receive minimal talent in trading high-priced talent.

“Obviously, they haven't done a good job of anything there for a long time,” said Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who was traded from Pittsburgh to Chicago for Matt Bruback, Jose Hernandez and Bobby Hill. "They haven't signed good free agents. They haven't made good trades. They haven't developed many good players and the ones they have developed, they've traded away for nothing. The record speaks for itself."

While the Pirates current run doesn’t inspire that success is around the corner, they remain a decade of losing seasons away from eclipsing another Phillies infamous record. Pittsburgh’s franchise has 9,168 losses, meaning they’re still 832 away from becoming the only major sports franchise other than the Phillies to reach 10,000 losses.

l l l

Feeling blue: If you’re an avid Phils fan, it’s easy to have blinders on and not see the ups and downs of other clubs. So to help you get through the Phils current early-September funk, know that they’re not the only NL contender sleepwalking down the stretch.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in all of baseball since the All-Star break, are in danger of losing grip on their own division. Entering Saturday, the Dodgers were 22-23 in their last 45 games.

During that stretch, which began July 26, Los Angeles has seen its lead in the NL West shrink from nine to two games.

So what ails Joe Torre’s men in blue?

Since returning from a 50-game suspension, Manny Ramirez has lacked pop – he’s hit .286 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs. To put that into better context, Manny’s power stats are comparable to Raul Ibanez’s (11 home runs, 30 RBIs) in the same, 61-game span.

The Dodgers have also had to plug in Phillies/Rangers castoff and swine flu victim Vicente Padilla into a starting rotation that is currently without Randy Wolf (sore elbow) and has seen first-half Cy Young candidate Chad Billingsley fall back to earth (3-5 with a 5.23 ERA since the All-Star break).


l l l

Trivial answer: In 1932, Chuck Klein (226-38-20) became the second player in major league history to record a 200-20-20 season. The only other player in Phils history to reach the feat was Jimmy Rollins (212-30-41) in his MVP season of 2007.

Hanley Ramirez also had a 200-20-20 season in 2007. If he reaches it again this season, he will become just the second player in major league history to complete the feat more than once.

Former Cincinnati Reds All-Star Vada Pinson is the only player to go 200-20-20 three times. He turned the trick in 1959, 1963 and 1965.

J.A. Happ has missed two starts with a muscle strain in his rib cage.

It doesn't look like he'll miss another.

A day after the N.L. Rookie of the Year candidate threw a bullpen, Charlie Manuel appeared to be leaning toward pitching Happ when his spot comes up Friday in Atlanta.

"I was talking to (pitching coach Rich) Dubee today, it seems like he might be (ready)," Manuel said. "We're thinking he is going to be able to."

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

The 2010 schedule is out. For the first time in four years, the Phils will open and close the season away from Citizens Bank Park.

The season begins in D.C. and ends in Atlanta.

The interleague teams visiting South Philly: Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota.

The interleague teams the Phils are visiting: Yankees, Boston and Toronto.

So if you're into a baseball road trip, here are a few I'd recommend: at NYY (June 15-17), at Boston (June 11-13) and my personal choice, at Chicago/Wrigley (July 15-18, right after the All-Star break).

If you're wondering, the All-Star Game is in Anaheim.



The interleague teams

They are dancing in the streets in the Dominican Republic. Did you know they have a curfew when a certain major league pitcher takes the mound?

Who would that be?

Pedro Martinez.

He looked pretty darn good Sunday night, huh? Who knows - he might even be the better July addition that Cliff Lee when it's all said and done in '09.

It might be unfair to say he's back, as in back to being the guy who was baseball's best pitcher a decade ago in Boston, but he has delivered some special stuff in his last three starts.

Martinez is 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA in his last three games. He's 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA overall. The Phillies have won all seven of the games he has started.

What's perhaps most encouraging is his 37-year-old arm doesn't at all resemble the fragile right limb that made him a free-agent bust with the Mets for the last four years.

Martinez threw 131 pitches Sunday night, the most he had thrown in a game since Oct. 1, 2003 in Game 1 of the ALDS at Oakland. His last regular season game with 130 or more pitches was back on May 1, 2001 against Seattle, when he threw 136.

Martinez hasn't been this durable and dependable since he was in Boston.

Following Sunday's pristine 1-0 win, Martinez said he was reminded of Boston a few times during the game.

Here is a sampling of postgame Pedro:



(National TV, against the Mets, the fans riled up here... pretty good stuff?) You know what, I think it was more of the situation we are in, I knew my teammates needed a little pat on the back in the form of work, the guys in the bullpen have been used a lot, so I was aware of that, I knew of that in the back of my mind. How can I help? Since I went 119 pitches in my previous outing, I figured if I stayed in the game and focused enough, I could probably give them that chance.


(Think Charlie coming for you when he walked to the mound in the 8th?)Yeah, I thought so. I didn’t like it… but then Chase said, ‘He might not get you, he might not get you’ on the way over to the mound. He said, ‘Do you want the guy?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I want him.’ Charlie asked me the same thing. I convinced Charlie to give me one more out.

(Your health? You haven’t thrown this many pitches or pitched 8 innings in a while) I feel probably like (I did in) '98, '99, 2000. I’m bouncing back good. The other day when I went to throw on the side after 119 pitches, I felt so good I was a little surprised to be honest. I wasn’t sore. I felt good and nothing to complain about. And that’s a great feeling, a great feeling. Today, with whatever amount of pitches I threw, I feel fine. I don’t know about tomorrow. Tomorrow I might wake up a little sore. I don’t know. But I’m expecting to feel good.

(what did you think of the play with Carlos Ruiz getting your last out?) That was exciting because it’s not something you see very often. I was happy. I got to throw less pitches.

(This loss eliminated the Mets) Really? That’s probably coincidence and destiny. I had no idea. I had no idea. I just gave David Wright a big hug. I didn’t know that. I would have to tell you I’m sorry for them. I’m sorry for them. They have a whole bunch of good guys over there, a good coaching staff and a lot of good people in that stadium. There are a lot of people I will never forget. I have a lot of respect for them, regardless of what happened, why I’m not with the Mets. It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all business. I just have to let it go. At least they’re rooting for me, like David said, rooting for me to get a ring in the National League.



(Has your performance surprise you since you’ve been here? Or do you feel if you were healthy you’d be this good?) I don’t like to talk about myself but I said that. If I’m healthy I feel like I’m capable of doing anything that anybody does. I came here with the mentality that, in the last quarter of the season, I could help this team when it matters probably the most. I think today was a good example of what really mattered - to give the bullpen a rest, to help your teammates when you’re needed. I’m very thankful I was able to do that.


(The crowd seemed fired up with you out there...) I got a little bit caught into it. It brought me a lot of memories of Boston, especially when they were chanting “Pedro, “Pedro” between every pitch. It reminded me a lot of Boston. I hope they can continue to do that for me.

Once Kyle Kendrick served up a two-run home run in the eighth inning, ruining his bid for a shutout, it was obvious the bullpen was going to be called on to preserve a suddenly-close ball game at the Bank.

The experiment to sit down struggling closer Brad Lidge has had both good and bad results.

Ryan Madson saved three in a row, including Tuesday, when he walked in and saved Lidge; but he blew one Saturday night and the only other possible closer option, Brett Myers, didn't look any better.

As Tyler Walker tried to record the final two outs of the eighth, all eyes in the ballpark turned to the pen, to see who had next.

And even from the upper levels of the ballpark, the windup and follow through as the right-hander warmed up made it easy to figure out who the next man out of the bullpen would be....

...it was Bradley Thomas Lidge.

Five days after being unceremoniously pulled out of a save situation to save his team from watching another game go bad, Lidge returned to his familiar spot, mental scars and all.

After a leadoff single to Jeff Francouer, which appeared to scare the living daylight out of the 45,024 paid customers, Lidge got Carlos Beltran to ground out to shortstop.

One out.

Josh Thole (Josh Thole? Who?) followed with a booming, RBI single off the wall in right. It almost looked like it might sneak out of the ballpark. Instead, it made it a 5-3 game, and brought the game-tying run to the plate.

Lidge reared back and struck out pinch hitter Luis Castillo looking.

Two outs.

But the drama didn't end there. After Thole (Thole?) scooted to second due to defensive indifference, Jeremy Reed punched an RBI single into center. Ladies and gents, we have a one-run game.... it's 5-4.

But Lights-out Lidge.... who should really have a new nickname by now.... still managed to save the game. He struck out Angel Pagan, preserving a 5-4 win.

That was easy, huh?

Let's do it again. We're back on the field in about four hours.

The Phils have more than a few arms on the mend and apparently their approach, despite a faltering bullpen, is to proceed with caution.

Clay Condrey was not activated today, despite the team saying earlier in the weekend that he most likely would be. Condrey allowed two runs on two hits, including a home run, in one inning in a rehab appearance Saturday night at Reading.

"I'm ready right now," Condrey said before Sunday's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park.

But Condrey's next appearance won't be for the Phillies. He will pitch Monday night at Class A Lakewood, in Game 1 of the South Atlantic Championship Series.

No word on if Condrey will be activated after that, but as long as his pesky oblique doesn't flare up, he's at the very least a good bet to be back before the Phils 10game road trip begins Friday.

The news isn't great on reliever Scott Eyre.

Phils assistant GM Scott Proefrock told the media that the team Eyre's MRI revealed a "loose body" in the reliever's arm. The team is still in the process of deciding how to move forward to treat Eyre's ailing elbow.

"He's unavailable for the next few days," Proefrock said.

Proefrock sounded like he was trying to shine an optimistic light on the news. When asked if the team though Eyre could pitch again this year, he said, "We hope so."

The Phils could be in trouble if they're without Eyre and J.C. Romero, they're two primary left-handers in the pen. Eyre is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA this season.

(I don't get paid to write a bad headline like that.)

Obviously some interesting developments in the ninth innings of the first two games down here in DC. The man to close out both games with saves?

Ryan Madson.

Brad Lidge? He was pulled one night, and then not used in his normal role the next night.

Here's a little on what the three pivotal people in Save-gate said tonight:


Lidge, who was out of character in hurrying through postgame questions, on not coming into a save situation Wednesday night:

"I’m happy with how Madson did and I’m happy we won. I didn’t play in the game, I haven’t talked to Charlie, so there’s not a whole lot for me to say, I’m just glad we won the game."



Manuel, on staying away from Lidge:

"Because of last night, of how everything developed, I just thought I’d leave him alone tonight...Well just wait and see (about tomrrow). I don’t want it to be a big thing. He was a great closer last year and he still has that stuff and that talent. I don’t’ think there’s a reason in the world he can’t get right, whether it’s this week, or tomorrow or two weeks from now, a month from now, two months, next year, three years from now, whatever. I think he’s still a good pitcher. I’m not down on Lidge. Not at all. I still have confidence in him."



Madson, on stepping up and into the closer's role, at least for the moment:

"If they call my name, I’ll be ready to go out there and get some outs. That’s all I was thinking. That’s going to be my mentality for the rest of the season. Whatever inning it is, just go get some outs. That’s all we need to worry about, get some outs at this point.

"(The ninth inning is) just a mentality thing; you get used to it. And then it’s just another inning. It doesn’t matter what inning, or what name you have behind you – set up guy, closer, it doesn’t matter – it’s just getting some outs. That’s all we need as a team. It doesn’t matter to me."

After scrolling back through the tape, I thought this stuck out the most telling quote from Charlie Manuel:

"We’re at the place where our games going down (the stretch), we need to win games. If we’re going to win the division, these are very important games and we need to win them.

"I guess I’m going to pitch on that night who I think is going to do the job. When he gets in there and he gets consistent, he can take that job right back. I look at him in the future as being the closer of the Phillies. But as of right now, as of today, we’re going to try to win games."

Charlie Manuel never used those words, but in his pregame talk with the media Wednesday, he stressed a few things that led you to believe that was the case.

One - his top priority is to win games, and, he'll pitch whomever he is most comfortable with on a given day.

Two- the thing he wants most out of Brad Lidge is for him to show consistency. He also acknowledged the fact that time is winding down on the season, and restated the importance of winning games.

Three- whatever happens, he'll take the criticism. "I'll take the responsibility," Manuel said. "It's all on me."

The situation appears as muddled now as it was at the conclusion of last night's game...

So it must have been an interesting day in Washington.

I was back in good 'ol Philadelphia, a rare off-day in between cities on a road trip.

But I watched most of Tuesday night's game - does every home run HAVE to be a solo home run? - and I didn't miss the ending. You may have been watching it with your hands over your eyes like a teenager watching "Halloween."

Brad Lidge, who leads all of baseball with 10 blown saves, came frighteningly close to picking up No.11. And then something somewhat shocking happened - Charlie Manuel, who has stuck by Lidge all season, pulled the plug and summoned Ryan Madson in with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 9th, with his team clinging to a two-run lead.

Madson was pretty impressive, striking out Ryan Zimmerman and getting Adam Dunn to ground out to end the game.


So, um.... who's the closer??



Here is a sampling of what Manuel said Tuesday:


Whether his season long "he is the closer" mantra is still in play: "When I say he's my closer, I don't tell lies, and I don't like to go back on nothing. But the team and the game is bigger than my heart and is bigger than anything else, if you want to know the truth. Winning a game, that's why I manage and that's what comes first, and it was real tough for me to do."


On pulling Lidge Tuesday night: "I have the all the respect in the world for Brad. I know how good of a closer he is and how great he can be, and I still have the confidence in the world, but as I was sitting there I didn't have a very good feel about the game and I made up my mind I wanted to try Madson."


On whether Lidge would close in a save situation Wednesday: "He could definitely be," Manuel said. "I'm definitely not going to get away from him. We're going to work with him and get him back to where he can get consistent and go out there and save games. I'm not saying that he'll close tomorrow, the next day or whatever, but I look at him as a closer. I don't look at him as a seventh-inning guy; I don't look at him as an eighth-inning guy."

Phils manager Charlie Manuel said quite a bit in the first half hour after his team was swept out of Houston, by way of a 4-3 loss to the Astros.

But Manuel, who has never looked as angry/frustrated as he did Monday, according to one veteran scribe, used particularly strong language when the following subject was broached.

Isn't it strange that his team has a knack for playing better when they're behind in the division, when their proverbial backs are against the wall (in both late-season situations in the big picture and in late-inning play on a smaller scale), than they do when they have the division by the throat via a half-dozen game lead?



"(Bleep) the last couple years. That doesn’t mean (bleep)," Manuel said. "We’re playing for today, for right now. Last year is dead and gone. We’re playing for today.

"Having to win? I don’t get that. When you’ve got a lead, you’re sitting better than when you are when you absolutely have to win that day? I think having a lead has to be better than that. Really. I’ll take the lead.

"I’m not going to give our lead up and say, let’s start even in the league. No, we’re not going to do that. Because I don’t know if we can come through or not. I like our chances with where we’re at, but at the same time, we have to win games."


Charlie said quite a bit more. You can check it out in the game story in Tuesday's edition and at delcotimes.com

J.A. Happ won't start todays series finale in Houston; Jamie Moyer will.

Happ was scratched with a mild oblique strain.

Happ, a NL Rookie of the Year candidate, is 10-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 31 games (19 starts).

The injury occurred while Happ was taking pregame batting practice Saturday.

More later.


- UPDATE (11:35 p.m.) - Phils assistant general manager Chuck LaMar said "there's a reason" the team is using the word "mild" in diagnosing Happ's injury. The team believe it's a day-to-day thing, and that Happ could make his next start.

LaMar said the team is "confident" Happ's oblique injury is a different animal than the oblique injury that has kept Clay Condrey sidelined for a good chunk of the season.

Happ said he felt better today than he did Sunday, but agreed with the coaching staff and team trainers that not pitching Monday was the smart way to move forward.

HOUSTON – Although Chase Utley was back in the lineup after missing Saturday with a bruised right foot, two other players were unavailable Sunday and neither of their returns appears to be imminent.

Ryan Madson, who did not come into his customary setup role Saturday night, is “day to day” according to pitching coach Rich Dubee. Madson has been unavailable in each of the last two games and wore an ice pack over his right side following Sunday’s game.

Manager Charlie Manuel said it was “not something that was serious” but said the team also didn’t want to risk losing him for any longer. The Phils manager said it was the “same thing he had before,” likely referring to the straight right lat muscle Madson missed the last two months of the season with in 2007.

“He’s kind of hurt,” Manuel said.

Madson has pitched twice in the last week, most recently in a shutout inning against the Giants Thursday.

Shane Victorino, who was removed from Saturday’s game before the bottom of the ninth, was held out of the starting lineup Sunday with a sore left leg, an injury that first occurred in Arizona at the end of July. When asked if sitting his center fielder was likely to be just a “one day” thing, Manuel said, “not really.”

“If you’re hobbling around and you can’ help us, then you’re not going to play,” Manuel said.

Victorino declined to talk to reporters about the injury for the second straight day.


l l l

Prior to Sunday’s game, the Phils recalled pitcher Kyle Kendrick and outfielder John Mayberry Jr. from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The IronPigs conclude their season today, so it’s possible a few others (Rodrigo Lopez, Andrew Carpenter) could join the Phillies in Washington Tuesday.

Andy Tracy (26 home runs, 96 RBIs) is another IronPig to consider, but the team would have to get him onto the 40-man roster first

l l l

Left-hander Antonio Bastardo could be on the radar to rejoin the Phils, too. In his first appearance at Double-A Reading Saturday, Bastardo struck out the only batter he faced to earn a save… Greg Dobbs (strained right calf) was eligible to be activated Sunday. But he remains working on a rehab program in Clearwater.

Shane Victorino came out of last night's game at the start of the bottom of the ninth to preserve an ailing left knee.

He's not starting today. Chase Utley (read more below) is playing.

Rollins SS
Werth CF
Utley 2B
Howard 1B
Ibanez LF
Francisco RF
Feliz 3B
Ruiz C
Hamels P

When people saw Chase Utley was out of the lineup, and then found out it was because he had been struck in the right ankle - the same he injured in May - panic swept from deep in the heart of Texas all the way to Philadelphia.

I honestly wasn't too worried. The foot was not broken. And, for what Utley does best - hit - a bruise on his foot is far less serious than, say, an injured wrist.

Following Saturday night's game, I saw Utley walk out of the trainers room. No crutches, no limp.

I just arrived at Minute Maid Park this morning, just in time to see Utley walk out of the dugout, begin a brisk walk into left field, and then break out into some jogging exercises.

Is he in the lineup? I'm still waiting to find that out.

But the more important news is he is running, with training staff watching.

If this was anything serious or anything to be concerned about, he would not be running in the outfield right now.

According to Charlie Manuel, Chase Utley fouled a ball off his right foot Friday night.

Utley didn't tell anyone during the game. Manuel found out afterward.

An X-Ray came back negative, but Manuel said Utley "was hurting" Saturday and the foot was swollen.

Thus, the second baseman is not in the lineup.

Utley had a similar injury on May 1 against the Mets and was out of the starting lineup for three of the next four games.

Utley out of lineup

Chase Utley is not in the starting lineup tonight, in what may be an attempt to send a message to wake up a slumping offense. The Phils have scored seven runs in their last six games and have been shut out in two of the last three games.

There's also Utley's career numbers off Houston starter Roy Oswalt that could factor in. Utley is hitting .150 (3-for-20) with no home runs and one RBI vs. Oswalt.

A couple of news items as we touch ground deep in the heart of Texas:

Clay Condrey was expected to begin a rehab in Lehigh Valley Saturday; instead, he'll be checked out by team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti in Philly next week.

Condrey felt symptoms of the oblique injury that has landed him in the DL twice this year, including the current stint that began way back on July 25. This could be a big blow for the pen, since Condrey was expected back to aid the Phils playoff run.


In other news... as expected, Brett Myers was activated from the 60-day DL. To make room for Myers, the Phils out-righted Joe Bisenius to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.


Fellow reliever Steven Register was also out-righted to Lehigh. Catcher Joel Naughton, sent of the 40-man yesterday to make room for fellow backstop Paul Hoover, was out-righted to Class A Clearwater.

Beginning Sept. 1, major league rosters can expand from 25 all the way to 40. The Phils, however, have added one additional player since the beginning of the month, reliever Jack Taschner.

Today, they'll add another.

Triple-A catcher Paul Hoover will join the major league team today. Hoover hit .253 in 73 games with the IronPigs, where he shared most of the time behind the plate with since-traded catching prospect Lou Marson.

Hoover, 33, last appeared in the major leagues in 2008. He hit .200 in 13 games with the Marlins last season.

The Phils will have to make a corresponding roster move to get Hoover onto the 40-man roster. In addition, they'll also have to find another spot for Brett Myers, who appears ready to join the team, too.

Hoover gives the Phils depth at the catcher position, with Carlos Ruiz and Paul Bako, for the season's final month of play.

From the Phillies news desk...

Kyle Drabek and outfielder Michael Taylor are the winners of the Paul Owens Award for the best pitcher and player, respectively, in the Phillies minor league system for 2008, Chuck LaMar, Assistant General Manager, Player Development & Scouting announced today.


They'll receive their awards during a pre-game presentation on Tuesday, September 15, when the Phillies host the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.

The 21-year-old Drabek went a combined 12-3 with a 3.19 ERA in 25 games (23 starts) between single-A Clearwater and double-A Reading. He had 150 strikeouts in 158.0 innings and pitched a 9.0-inning shutout in his final start with Clearwater on May 29.

Drabek was shut down for the season, as a precautionary measure, over the weekend. He had Tommy John surgery two summers ago.


Taylor hit a combined .320 with 28 doubles, five triples, 20 home runs, 84 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 116 games between Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley. Named the Eastern League’s Rookie of the Year, the 23-year-old hit for the cycle on August 12 against Louisville, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBI.

Taylor ended his season on the disabled list with a right oblique strain.