And now we wait. Apparently. Maybe. Possibly.

Multiple outlets are reporting what KRIV-TV in Houston first reported early Thursday morning: The Phillies and Astros have agreed upon a package of players to be exchanged for righthander Roy Oswalt. The trade has been presented to Oswalt, who has a full no-trade clause, for his consideration.

The two teams have also reportedly agreed on a way to handle the remainder of Oswalt's salary. ESPN is reporting the Phillies have asked the Astros to pay a "significant portion" of the $5 million Oswalt is due for the remainder of this season plus the $16 million Oswalt is due in 2011.

Then, of course, there is the $16 million club option for 2012.

That has been the sticking point all along, a baseball source told The Inquirer earlier in the week.

"Oswalt has [Astros general manager] Ed Wade and everybody else at his mercy because of that no-trade clause," the source said. "I know the Phillies thought they were close to having it done last week, but I think the difference was that option year."

The Phillies and Astros could think they are close to a deal again, but it's all in Oswalt's hands now.

If Houston is to pay a "significant portion" of the money due to Oswalt, that would require the Phillies to surrender better players in return for the pitcher. Lefthander J.A. Happ would go in a deal. So too would righthander Vance Worley, whom The Inquirer first reported was a Houston target.

Beyond that, one or two of the Lakewood pitchers could go: From Jarred Cosart to Brody Colvin to Trevor May or Josh Zeid. Jonathan Singleton has been mentioned as a possible player to move, but the Phillies have insisted before he be kept out of talks.

Initially, the Phillies had hoped to move Jayson Werth, a free agent at season's end, to another contender in return for prospects. Those prospects could be flipped to Houston in a deal for Oswalt.

But now, since Werth is not likely to be traded with Shane Victorino out at least three weeks, the Phillies would have to take on the additional payroll in an Oswalt deal and also surrender some of their prospects.

There are so many things to consider with a possible deal. One: If the Phillies agreed to guarantee Oswalt's $16 million option year, they will have committed $100.45 million to eight players for the 2012 season. That's just not going to work, unless management is committed to expanding the payroll.

That is likely why the Phillies have asked the Astros to pay some of Oswalt's salary.

Two: Cliff Lee? OK, we said it.

At this point, it would be shocking if Oswalt put the kibosh on the trade. No, he may not want to play in Philadelphia. But he demanded a trade back in May. If his monetary demands can be met (by both the Astros and Phillies chipping in cash), how could he reject the deal? He would have the chance to play for a contender.

And so we wait.

(Yong Kim / Staff Photographer)

Need we say any more? 

The Phillies go for seven in a row with this lineup:

1. Placido Polanco 2B
2. Greg Dobbs 3B
3. Raul Ibanez LF
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Jayson Werth CF
6. Domonic Brown RF
7. Carlos Ruiz C
8. Wilson Valdez SS
9. Roy Halladay P

Talk about the game here. Follow me on Twitter (@magelb) for updates.

He's here. He's wearing No. 9. And he's in the starting lineup, playing right field and batting sixth. So without further ado, here is Domonic Brown and his thoughts before his major-league debut:

How nervous are you?
I'm pretty nervous. But it's a good nervous. I'm excited to be here. Just trying to get this first game out of the way.

Are you aware of all the expectations?
Yeah, I know what's going on. I understand I'm going to struggle, I'll have my ups and downs. It's baseball. I'll just go out there and have fun.

What did you think when you got the word?
Aw man, I almost passed out. It was great. It's one of the best days of my life and I'm just trying to enjoy it.

Who called you?
[Lehigh Valley manager] Dave Huppert at 12-something. I actually did a camp this morning for the kids at the stadium.

How beneficial was spring training?
It's great. Those guys took me under their wing in spring training.

Does it make it easier?
Oh yeah. A lot easier.

Did you know Shane had gotten hurt?
Actually, I heard a fan sitting in right field saying something about me being called up. It didn't dawn on me until after the game.

How long do you expect to be here?
I don't know. I'm not thinking about that. I'm just trying to do the things I've been doing.

Was there a point when you felt like you were ready to come here?
I felt that all year. I'm very confident in myself. I've set big goals. It was just waiting for Ruben and those guys to make the call.

What did you expect coming into the clubhouse?
I thought you guys [the media] were going to hit me right when I walked in. I prepared my mind when I was coming on the hour trip. I just got focused and ready for the game.

What's it like being around Rollins and Howard?
They just keep me humble being around those guys, watching what they're doing on and off the field. I'll just come out here, enjoy my time, and hope I can get up to their level.

Is your family here?
My dad and mom should be on my way. They really didn't tell me. I saw the pass list. Everyone told me what was going on.

Is there a club of prospects that talk among each other?
I texted Jason a little bit. I texted Mike Stanton too. We haven't talked in a while. We talked a little bit.

But there's nothing they can say to prepare you?
You just have to go through it yourself.

What are your impressions of the ballpark?
It's great. The ball jumps off the bat here. Hopefully I can square something up and hit some balls hard.

Who was your favorite player growing up?
Ken Griffey Jr. was the ultimate guy for me. He's never been mentioned in the steroid issues or anything like that. He was the ultimate guy for me.

What will be your biggest challenge?
I really don't know. I'm going out here fresh. I haven't done anything yet. I say that all the time. The prospect thing, that's all garbage. When you get here, those numbers don't mean anything.

Domonic Brown is here.

The Phillies have called up their top prospect from triple-A Lehigh Valley when they placed centerfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list with an abdominal strain on his left side.

After Tuesday's game, Victorino was optimistic the injury wouldn't require a trip to the disabled list. But an MRI this morning evidently showed the injury is serious enough.

Brown, 22, has hit .327 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs in 93 games for triple and double A. He is the top-rated Phillies prospect. Scouts have been impressed with not only Brown's numbers, but also the way he's gone about his business as one of the most visible prospects in the entire minor leagues.

A National League scout told our Bob Brookover on Tuesday that Brown was more than ready to play in the majors.

Brown will wear No. 9 with the Phillies.

The biggest test for Brown will be facing lefthanded pitching in the majors. His first test will be Thursday when Arizona starts Joe Saunders.

The toosly lefthanded outfielder is batting .303 against lefthanded pitching this season with an .881 OPS. But only three of his 20 home runs have come off lefties.

Brown will likely start in rightfield tonight with Jayson Werth shifting to centerfield in Victorino's absense. A few weeks ago, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr said Brown would only come up if he could play every day at the major-league level.

That opportunity has arrived.

Much more to come...

DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff photographer

For just the second time this season, Charlie Manuel has filled out a lineup card that does not include Chase Utley nor Jimmy Rollins. The manager's entire middle infield is missing.

To compensate, Manuel will start normal third baseman Placido Polanco at second base again, for the fourth straight game. That leads to a slightly unusual left side of the infield: Greg Dobbs and Wilson Valdez, both of whom have spent time as Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2010.

In fairness, Dobbs is swinging a better bat during July. He's batting .318 with three home runs and eight RBIs. Valdez, not so much. He has hit into more double plays this month (three) than he has RBIs (two).

But funny how things can change, as a few Phillies players have mused to me lately. The team is on a five-game winning streak, tied for its longest this season. The Braves have slipped somewhat, leaving the Phillies 4 1/2 back even after what felt like a debilitating road trip.

Five days ago, it was certain Jayson Werth was gone. Now, from all indications, Werth is hardly a slam dunk to be traded. And why should he be? The rightfielder is hitting and the Phillies are winning.

(Full disclosure: I said six days ago it made sense to trade Werth. Now it doesn't.)

And there are still five days until the deadline. It can all change again.

Have at it. Talk about the game here. Follow me on Twitter (@magelb) for updates.

UPDATE (6:01 p.m.): We spoke with Rollins and he said his bruised left foot is still in a considerable amount of pain, but it's feeling better than it did Monday night. At least, Rollins said, he could walk today.

"That's progress," Rollins said.

He had reserve infielder Cody Ransom wheel him from the clubhouse into the trainer's room after the game.

Rollins isn't concerned about the injury keeping him out for long. But hours after the injury, Rollins said he wondered if he had broken the foot.

"It's like, 'Dang, something else?'" Rollins said.

Luckily for the Phillies, it's not that serious.

EARLIER: Shortstop Jimmy Rollins is not in Tuesday's lineup after bruising his left foot during Monday's win over Colorado.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Rollins will miss at least a few days with the injury.

He fouled a ball off his foot, causing the injury. X-rays were negative Monday.

Rollins will continue to receive treatment and likely is not available to pinch hit Tuesday.

Wilson Valdez is starting at short on Tuesday. More to come...

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Get this: If the Phillies win today, they will have a five-game winning streak. The last time they had a five-game winning streak? The first week of the season when everything felt oh-so-cheery.

Hard to believe, right?

"No, not really," mused manager Charlie Manuel this morning.

Consistency has eluded this Phillies team. That can especially be said of righthander Joe Blanton, who makes his 16th start of the season. Among National League pitchers with at least 80 innings pitched, Blanton's 6.03 ERA ranks as the worst.

Yet the Phillies feel as if Blanton has pitched better and isn't far from turning the corner with quality results. The fact remains Blanton has yet to start a game this season and allow fewer than three runs. In the month of July, he has a 5.61 ERA. Progress?

Blanton has gone more than a month since winning his last game. His strikeout rate is well off last season's 7.51 per nine innings, a career-high. But his 5.94 K/9 in 2010 is above his career rate. His groundball-flyball ratios are similar between 2009 and 2010. His line drive percentage is actually down in 2010.

So a lot of it has been about location (and perhaps luck). Blanton's offspeed pitches -- slider and changeup -- have been decidedly less effective than in 2009. Watch for that today.

Chat about the game here. Follow me on Twitter (@magelb) for updates.

Can the return of J.A. Happ stabilize the Phillies' pitching rotation? (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The Phillies would love to acquire another starting pitcher before Saturday's trading deadline. Today, they will welcome back a pitcher who hasn't started since April 15 and could play a role in the deadline moves.

J.A. Happ makes his return to the Phillies against Colorado as the Phillies look to extend their three-game winning streak. Happ, who won 12 games as runner-up Rookie of the Year in 2009, was slowed earlier in the season with an elbow strain. Then, when the results still didn't come during Happ's rehab assignment, the Phillies chose to demote the lefthander to triple A.

Since then, Happ has not spoken to reporters.

Obviously, the 27-year-old takes the mound today with a grudge, much like Kyle Kendrick did Saturday. Here's the thing: Happ could be showcasing himself for another team today. If the Phillies are to acquire Roy Oswalt or Dan Haren, Happ is a definite possibility to be included in the package of players going the other way. Both the Astros and Diamondbacks would like young, major-league ready pitching. Happ is about all the Phillies have in that category.

And even if Happ isn't traded, he still could be a key part of their plans for the final 64 games of the season.

A lineup note: Ben Francisco starts in left field again. It's the ninth time in the last 10 games the Phillies have faced a lefthanded starter and Francisco has started. But Charlie Manuel has said it's no platoon between Raul Ibanez and Francisco. Hmm..

Talk about the game here. Follow me on Twitter (@magelb) for updates.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said the decision to replace hitting instructor Milt Thompson late Thursday night was his decision.

"I got to the point where I look at our hitting and I felt something had to be done," Manuel said. "The only thing I could possibly think of was a change and that it had to be done."

Manuel broke the news to Thompson after the Phillies' charter flight from St. Louis landed.

"I was surprised," Thompson said. "You have to understand, we've been decimated by injuries and our guys were trying too hard."

Manuel said breaking the news to Thompson was extremely difficult because of the success the Phillies have enjoyed with him as their hitting instructor.

"It was the hardest decision I ever had to make," Manuel said. "The guy is a good friend of mine, but at the same time I felt like we had to try something. I think when you see how our at-bats are, we definitely need more focus. We need to go back and start playing baseball the Phillie way. The Phillie way was how we played for three or four years."

Manuel also called a team meeting before Friday night's game against the Colorado Rockies and he relayed a similar message to his players about the change in hitting instructors.

"Almost every hitting coach has the a lot of similarities," Manuel said. "I think (a new voice) can make it fresh, make it new. I hope this will fire us up and get us to improve and get us back to how we can hit the ball."

Though Manuel spent six seasons in Cleveland as a hitting instructor and is known for his ability to teach hitters, he said that is not his primary focus as a manager.

"Whenever I talk to hitters ... Milt was always there," Manuel said. "I'll treat GG (Greg Gross) the same way. If someone on my staff has something to say about hitting I want them to tell our hitting coach. That's his area. I talk to our guys about hitting, but i don't consistently every day. That's my hitting coach's job. It's a tough job and it's a 24-hour-a-day job."