Phillies Notes | Garcia may get wish as early as tonight

MIAMI -

Freddy Garcia

expressed his frustration Thursday after a loss to Milwaukee at Citizens Bank Park.

The righthander wants to pitch deeper in games, and he wants manager Charlie Manuel to afford him that opportunity. Could his words be a self-motivator tonight against the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, where he is scheduled to face Marlins righthander Byung-Hyun Kim?

"He wants to prove how good he can be," Manuel said. "The more I think about it, he's an established pitcher and everything. He's pitched out of those jams, so I guess I'll have to turn him loose one of these days."

Garcia is 1-3 with a 4.86 ERA.

Righthander

Ryan Madson

has returned to the Phillies, and he hopes to fortify a bullpen that ranks 15th in the National League with a 4.58 ERA.

"I want to give [Geoff] Geary and everybody a little break," said Madson, who had been on the 15-day disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle. "I know they've been throwing a lot. That's what I want. I just want to take a little bit of the weight off their shoulders."

Madson replaces lefthander Fabio Castro, whom the Phillies optioned to double-A Reading. Castro's demotion leaves the Phillies without a lefthander in their bullpen.

Manuel said Madson could be asked to face some of the league's toughest lefthanders. Lefties have hit just .219 against him this season.

First baseman

Ryan Howard

could be back in the Phillies' lineup Friday in Atlanta. That means Manuel has to figure out how to distribute playing time for

Wes Helms, Abraham Nuñez

and

Greg Dobbs.

"Nuñez is going to have to play some, and Helms is going to have to play some," Manuel said. "We'll just have to see what happens. I think Dobbs can play third and the outfield. And the way he's hitting, I have to find some playing time for him. I like his bat."

Howard, who is on the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps, worked out yesterday with single-A Lakewood. He took batting and fielding practice and ran the bases. Howard will be the designated hitter today for Lakewood's home game against Hagerstown. He will play first tomorrow. . . . Reliever

Tom Gordon

is working out in Clearwater, Fla., but is not expected to begin throwing until after he sees team physician

Michael Ciccotti

on Monday. Gordon has been on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder. There is no timetable for his return.

- Todd Zolecki

Next:

Phillies (Garcia, 1-2) at Marlins (Kim, 2-2), tonight

at 7:05.