Ruiz activated; Polanco begins rehab Monday
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Ruiz activated; Polanco begins rehab Monday
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Good news today on the injury front for the Phillies.
(Pause. When was the last time you heard that?)
Firstly, catcher Carlos Ruiz was activated from the 15-day disabled list. He's missed the last 20 games with a concussion. Originally, the injury was viewed as needing a few days to recover from. So much for that.
Ruiz said he feels comfortable at the plate and behind it. In his second rehab game, he was hit with a foul tip square off the mask and didn't feel any ill effects from it.
To make room for Ruiz, Dane Sardinha was designated for assignment. Ruiz is starting and batting seventh tonight.
The time off also gave Ruiz a chance to heal all of his other injuries, among them: a right knee sprain, a sore right shoulder and a sore left ankle.
"During the course of a season, catchers get banged up a lot," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "You have to be tough. At the same time, when you keep getting banged up -- one injury after another -- pretty soon it's time for you to sit down and take a break. Chooch was probably there, especially after getting hit in the head with a bat."
Manuel said the one thing Ruiz will bring is stability to the pitching staff.
"I think our pitchers are comfortable with Chooch," Manuel said. "They like him. They follow him better. That's one of the biggest things he's accomplished in the last two years. The pitchers want him back there because it's a comfort thing. It's something you earn."
The news is good on third baseman Placido Polanco, too. As reported here last week, Polanco is still aiming for a return during the series in St. Louis that begins July 19. Manuel said Saturday that Polanco will go to Clearwater on Monday to begin baseball activities. He will take infield and batting practice there and could play in a rehab game.
"He says he's ready to go," Manuel said.
When Polanco returns, Manuel said he will primarily be a third baseman, even with the void Chase Utley has left at second. Polanco won a Gold Glove as a second baseman in 2009.
"He signed on here as a third baseman," Manuel said. "I want to keep him there."
Lastly, Wilson Valdez, who was a late scratch Friday with a sore left wrist, is available to play tonight. Manuel stuck with Juan Castro at second base because lefty Travis Wood is starting for Cincinnati. That also means one of Friday's heroes, Cody Ransom, earns a start at third base over Greg Dobbs.
Polanco to 2nd. Platoon at 3rd. We need firepower!— paladin6- If we can play winning baseball for the next,say, 30 games (20-10) I think we can win the Division. And if they do THAT....— TBear
- Ruiz is important because he handles pitchers very well, and he can get those balls in the dirt. Lidge was pitching up in the zone the other night and he is not effective there. He has to get that slider down in the dirt---- and Ruiz can get it.— 4thand10
- Wilson is a DP machine. Who cares what Polly was signed on as! Time for Charlie to turn it up a notch or two as well.— Dull
The good news is happening this week and maybe a great sign heading into the second half of the season. Please.— shawnmac- Two games out in the loss column for the wildcard. I don't care how we get into the playoffs, just get in.— KMG
- The national media is massively disparaging Amaro for the Lee trade and the fact, he got NOTHING in return for Lee last winter when he should have at least shopped him and received a far stronger package of players in return. Amaro's (or who ever is pulling his strings) decision was "unfathomable" according to most experts. The local Amaro apologists are are making the pathetic case that the Phils couldn't afford to keep both Halliday and Lee, but if that were remotely plausible (which it isn't) Amaro has never given an explanation as to WHY the organization could NOT afford to keep Lee, but COULD afford to keep Moyers, Ibanez, Blanton, Lidge and all the other scrap metal that are weighing the Phils down into a second division team this year. According to one source, there isn't a contending GM in the majors that would not have salivated to have both Halliday and Lee in the same rotation and would have done what ever was necessary to keep them.— daystrum
- daystrum - watch the game last night? get over it.— JesseH
- daystrum, uhh what's your point?— The Time Is Now
- (let's not forget that Dobbs was a hero last night too)— T.Paine
- JesseH - the "get over it" line is SO cliche:-) So just because they won last night, admittedly an exciting come from behind, that will suddenly erase the catastrophic trade and contract blunders of Amaro and the fact the Braves have two bullpen stoppers and the Phils have NONE? Again, to cop another cliche, "do the math". If the Braves have two proven stoppers and we have Zero, who is going to win the division? No Ph.D. required to guess that one. Our best hope is a wildcard and then the Cox "jinx" of blowing playoffs:-)— daystrum
- Hi, The Time is Now. Do I really have to explain what my "point is"? Uh....if Amaro had either kept Lee or more importantly acquired a top bullpen stopper, you could add at least 5 - 8 games to the win column and that would put them in...first place. Is that point enough?— daystrum
- UGGGHHHH!!!!!! The Phillies are up to thier usual tricks. They dont have a hit in 6innings off a ROOKIE. Phillies used to pound rookies. It just takes the joy right out of you from last nights game. You would think they would come out on fire after last night and knowing the braves keep winning. But NO they look lifeless again and might ruin another great start by Halladay.— Joey0210
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
