Dobbs, Lidge say they’re feeling better

The flulike illness that afflicted several Phillies over the last few days appears to be subsiding, and the team was fortunate that Friday was a scheduled day off. That allowed closer Brad Lidge and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs to recover in time for tonight's Game 3.

General manger Ruben Amaro Jr. said Friday that "maybe one or two players" in addition to Dobbs were ill and undergoing tests, and that he did not know how Dobbs was progressing. Both Lidge and Dobbs said yesterday that they were feeling better and were available to play.

Friday "was a good day for me to stay away," Lidge said. On Friday, he spent time in the trainer's room but was otherwise absent from the team's workout and media availability.

Asked if Lidge was feeling better yesterday and was available without restrictions, pitching coach Rich Dubee said: "He's fine. It's the World Series, isn't it?"

Dobbs said he could play the field if needed, although manager Charlie Manuel expressed reluctance to use Dobbs as anything other than a pinch-hitter. Dobbs also said that his fever peaked at about 102 degrees but had since gone down.

"They put me on antibiotics immediately, and that helped," he said. "It was no fun at all."

Crisis averted

The Phillies and SEPTA collaborated last week to develop contingency plans if transit workers decided to strike this weekend, but the team was surely relieved to hear yesterday that those plan would not be needed.

Gov. Rendell and Mayor Nutter held a news conference yesterday, hours before a 6 p.m. strike deadline, and said that "substantial progress" had been made.

The union representing more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics voted last Sunday to authorize a strike, and had threatened to walk out this weekend, despite the two World Series games and the Eagles game this afternoon. Yesterday, they agreed to continue negotiations, and pledged not to strike this weekend.

What about Happ?

J.A. Happ was one of the Phils' best starters during the regular season, but he has been used sparingly during the playoffs. Although Happ is highly unlikely to start during the World Series, manager Charlie Manuel said that the lefthander would not be limited to facing one or two lefties at a time.

"I'm going to use him however I can," Manuel said, adding that Happ could throw at least three innings in a game. "We didn't put him on the roster not to use him."

Contact staff writer Andy Martino at 215-854-4874 or amartino@phillynews.com.