Ibanez, Howard both sidelined
The injury list grows by the day and the only comfort in that is the calendar. Better now than October, right?
Ibanez, Howard both sidelined
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
The injury list grows by the day and the only comfort in that is the calendar. Better now than October, right?
Ryan Howard is the latest regular missing from Charlie Manuel's lineup. He has inflammation (bursitis) in his left ankle and heel area, Ruben Amaro Jr. said. It's the same ankle he sprained last season.
Amaro said Howard is day-to-day and intimated that if it were the postseason, Howard could play. The GM said a day or two off wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for his first baseman, which is the truth.
As for Raul Ibanez, he will need at least a few more days to recover from left groin soreness. It's possible he receives an injection to help rid of the inflammation.
That's part of the reason why the Phillies placed Cole Hamels on the disabled list. Infielder Pete Orr was recalled from triple A to serve as an extra body on the bench with Ibanez sidelined.
Hamels, by the way, threw his bullpen session as scheduled. He was "absolutely fabulous," according to pitching coach Rich Dubee. He will start Monday in Cincinnati.
The missing bodies makes Tuesday's lineup look a bit different:
1. Shane Victorino 8
2. Placido Polanco 5
3. Chase Utley 4
4. Hunter Pence 9
5. John Mayberry Jr. 3
6. Ben Francisco 7
7. Wilson Valdez 6
8. Brian Schneider 2
9. Vance Worley 1
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Poll: What is the future for Jimmy Rollins now that he's out with another injury?
Imagine what the lineup would look like if they hadn't traded for Pence?— PhightinPhil- Not too hard to imagine. Brown instead of Pence.— P Even
- It could be worse. We could have Valdez and Martinez in the lineup at the same time, if Polanco hadn't come back. As far as Howard goes, the way he's been hitting lately, we don't really lose anything with Mayberry replacing him. We may even come out ahead on that one.— SteveS11
- Ibanez and Howard substituted for by Francisco and Mayberry.
Rollins substituted for by Valdez.
Ruiz substituted for by Schneider.
Defensively not too different, but that is a significant reduction of power. I hope Worley is dealing and they all have their batting shoes on tonight.— JohnFC 
Howard's injury might explain his recent poor games. Hard to hit major league (heck, little league) pitching with a bad push-off ankle/heel.
I hope P Even was just pointing out the obvious and is as happy as I am that Pence, and not Brown, is in the lineup and on the field. Talk about delivering on the hype!- Really Pete Orr??? Come one don't they have any other warm bodies? Can't wait to watch him bat .225. I hope they're not doing this so they don't have to start the arbitration clock on Galvis.
— Njtod10 - itstooeasy - if by recent you mean the past half decade, no the ankle doesn't explain it.— PhillyPhan4for4
- njtod10 - yes, i'm sure the last thing the phillies want is for galvis to become arbitration eligible, what with his .245 lifetime BA and the 4 home runs per season he's posted during his 5 years in the minors.— PhillyPhan4for4
- Um he's batting .314 at LHV with (8HR) and (23SB) and is as good a fielder as Rollins right now. The only knock on him has been his bat. If you don't believe me read up on him cause he's your shortstop next year if JRoll walks. — Njtod10
- Apparently you haven't read up on him beyond a couple of stats from the whopping 20 games he has played AAA... If you had, you would be citing the other 493 games of his minor league career which say he isn't an every day major league hitter, let alone ready to be a major league hitter in 2012 on a contending team. — PhillyPhan4for4
- Actually, it's you that is manipulating stats. You're combining his minor league average for the last 4 years including Williamsport, Clearwater, Lakewood. That's just unfair. The truth is that Galvis was hitting well at Reading this year with an over .270 average and has kept it there in AAA. That's @ 500 at bats this year. I watched him in Reading last year and this year and he's tremendously improved his hitting. — Bob1
- Schmidt batted .211 in Reading. How did he pan out? Damning a 21-year-old Galvis based on his first few minor league seasons and ignoring his most recent one is incredibly unimpressive. — tbone pickins
- Mayberry's minor league stats don't indicate he can play in the bigs either, yet here he is swatting HRs every night he gets in. — jtj06
- Looks to me like they're saying we can still beat the Mets with our third squad!— vinjoebob
- Put Pence in the 4 spot and Mayberry in the 5 spot. They should be fine and less strikeouts!— fanup
