General manager Pat Gillick prefers not to talk about contract extensions until after the season, which was the case last year with centerfielder Aaron Rowand. Gillick believes in-season talks can become a distraction, so he prefers that players and managers concentrate on the job at hand.

But the Phillies and Gillick are in a unique situation. Gillick has said this is his final season as GM. The Phillies also have two players who might be worthy of in-season talks: Brad Lidge and Pat Burrell.

So, will Gillick remain steadfast in his preference not to talk in-season, even though he won't be back next year? It is believed the Phillies will remain inside the organization and replace Gillick with one of their assistant general managers, Ruben Amaro Jr. or Mike Arbuckle. What if everyone else thinks they should move forward and lock up Lidge or Burrell before they hit the open market?

"If I'm not going to be back and the organization thinks that they would like to move ahead, then it would be something that we would have to consider," Gillick said before yesterday's 4-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

Lidge and Burrell could fit that description.

"I'd say at this point they're both having above-average seasons," Gillick said. "They probably would be somebody we would have to consider retaining."

The Phillies have not had talks with them yet, but Burrell already has said he would like to return. Lidge so far is happy in Philadelphia.

Think pink

Flamethrowers

Happ, who made a start for the Phillies last June 30 against the New York Mets, has mixed a cutter into his repertoire, which has helped. He is 0-4 with a 2.97 ERA for a terrible Lehigh Valley team. He struck out 13 in seven innings Friday against Columbus.

"A lot of it is about performance, and he's performing," said Amaro, asked if Happ's stock has improved. "If you keep performing at that kind of level, it certainly would put you on the radar."

Extra bases

- Todd Zolecki