IS GLAD SPRING TRAINING IS FINALLY HERE
In 23 days, the Phillies have played 24 games. Ten of those games were decided by two or fewer runs, stretching the reliable arms Charlie Manuel has in his bullpen.
"We definitely need a day off," the manager said before Wednesday's game.
Finally, on Thursday, the Phillies can rest. A team bus is scheduled to leave for New York in the early evening, but many players won't travel north until Friday morning. They'll savor the off day.
The bullpen, specifically Brad Lidge, is grateful for the timing. Lidge, who was not available the past two days with soreness in his right elbow, played catch before Wednesday's game.
The Phillies are hopeful Lidge will be ready Friday after three days of rest. Lidge was unavailable for comment before the game.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee said he was "very confident" Lidge will be at his disposal. Why?
"The way he's talking," Dubee said, "and the way the doctors are talking."
Of course, Lidge is typically rosy when discussing his health. Any injury to his elbow causes pause simply because the closer had off-season surgery to repair the elbow and twice went on the disabled list this season with complications from the surgery.
Manuel said he trusts his pitcher.
"I think he knows exactly how he feels and how much his arm hurts," Manuel said. "For me, you kind of go with what he says. Right now, he says he just has some tenderness and a little soreness. That can be common because he's been working. Ever since he came back in June and started pitching on a regular basis, especially here lately, he's been out there a lot."
Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.
This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.
Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
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