Maybe not.

He entered last night's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in an 0-for-11 slump with three walks and six strikeouts. Howard is hitting just .167 with six homers and 14 RBIs as the Phillies enter the sixth week of the season. But Charlie Manuel is in no rush to shuffle the lineup. Howard hit fourth last night, just like he has in every game since April 4, 2006, when he hit third.

"I've thought about it," Manuel said. "I've thought about splitting [Chase Utley and Howard] up."

He could split up the lefthanded hitters with righthanded Pat Burrell, who is tied for second in the league with 30 RBIs. But if he moves Burrell into the cleanup spot and hits Howard fifth, Manuel feels that Burrell might see fewer pitches to hit.

Other than that move, Manuel does not seem to have a lot of options. Geoff Jenkins, Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz, who hit sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, last night, have not exactly been tearing the cover off the ball. They are hitting a combined .223 with seven homers and 27 RBIs.

Manuel seems to believe that moving Howard in the lineup is not a solution.

"One of Ryan's biggest problems is that he's just swinging at bad pitches," Manuel said. "He's chasing. He's trying too hard."

Rollins tunes up. Recovering from a sprained left ankle, Jimmy Rollins went 4 for 4 with three doubles and two RBIs in four innings of an extended spring-training game yesterday in Clearwater, Fla.

"It was fine," Rollins told the Associated Press. "Running around the bases for the first time, it felt good. Second time, I felt a little twinge, but I was still able to kick it in coming around to score, and I was fine."

Rollins, who ran sprints after the game, is scheduled to play another extended spring game today. Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies' assistant general manager, said he was not sure whether Rollins would play in a minor-league game before he rejoins the team, which could happen Thursday or Friday.

The rest of the wounded. Amaro said righthander Kris Benson, who has been sidelined with a strained right groin, was improving. He said Benson was throwing long toss, although there was no timetable for his return to the mound. . . . Righthander Scott Mathieson, who has been sidelined after arm surgery, is deciding whether to have another operation. That could mean his second Tommy John surgery. He first underwent the surgery on Sept. 29, 2006. . . . Outfielder Chris Snelling, who is on the disabled list with left knee inflammation, is still sore. . . . Righthander Francisco Rosario, who has a strained right shoulder, is throwing long toss.

Last-minute heroics. The Phillies have had four walk-off victories this season, which leads the majors. The final-at-bat wins: Jayson Werth's bases-loaded walk against Washington's Jesus Colome on April 3; Feliz's double off Houston's Jose Valverde to score Jenkins on April 15; Burrell's two-run homer off San Francisco's Brian Wilson on Friday, and Howard's dash home on an error against the Giants on Sunday.

Extra bases. Manuel on Diamondbacks pitcher Micah Owings, who is hitting .429 with one homer and three RBIs: "I want one of them. He'll play four days in a row and I'll pitch him on the fifth day." . . . The Cleveland Indians plan to designate former Phillies outfielder Jason Michaels for assignment. Michaels, whom the Phillies traded to the Indians on Jan. 27, 2006, for lefthander Arthur Rhodes, is hitting .207 with nine RBIs. . . . Harry Kalas will return to the booth tonight. He missed games Sunday and last night as he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in Salisbury, N.C.