WASHINGTON - You might remember Lance Berkman's at-bat in the seventh inning of the Phillies' 4-3 loss to Houston on Monday, when play was stopped for several moments as home plate umpire Kerwin Danley conferenced with the rest of the crew about the correct pitch count.
But it was notable for another more concerning, reason, as well. On the pitch before the stoppage - it was ultimately confirmed that the count was 2-1 - Phillies lefthander Scott Eyre felt a twinge in his elbow. While that isn't unusual for Eyre, who says he has so much debris in the joint that he can't straighten his arm, the same cannot be said for what he felt on his 3-1 pitch.
"The next pitch, it was like, 'Oww!' " Eyre said yesterday.
Thus came the latest in a mounting list of injury concerns for the Phillies' pitching staff. Eyre is listed as day-to-day, and plans to be examined by an orthopedist. He was not available to pitch last night, an increasingly common phrase used by Charlie Manuel and front office personnel.
Yesterday, assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said that lefty starter J.A. Happ would miss a second start due to what the team termed a "mild strain" in the intercostal muscle on the right side of his rib cage. Happ was examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti in Philadelphia a day after the injury caused him to a miss his start against the Astros on Monday.
Veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer, who allowed two runs in six innings in Happ's place, is in line to start Saturday against the Mets, although the Phillies have not announced any definite plans.
The Phillies will likely need a sixth, yet-to-be-named starter to pitch with Pedro Martinez in a doubleheader Sunday against the Mets. Righthander Kyle Kendrick, who won 21 games for the Phillies in 2007-08 and went 9-7 with a 3.34 ERA in 24 starts at Triple A Lehigh Valley this season, is a strong candidate.
"That's what he's here for," Proefrock said, referring to the depth the team felt it was adding when it called up Kendrick from the minors over the weekend.
While the Phillies have considerable depth in both the rotation and the bullpen, it remains to be seen what both units will look like in the final weeks of the season.
* Proefrock said the team is being cautious with Happ, who has thrown 149 2/3 innings this season, but did not sound overly concerned that the lefthander's injury would linger.
"He's thrown a lot of innings; it's not necessarily a bad thing to get him some rest," Proefrock said. "We're being very cautious in this situation."
* Eyre was upbeat when discussing the soreness in his elbow, saying he would reserve concern until after his meeting with doctors.
"It gets sore all the time," said Eyre, who has a 1.61 ERA in 39 apperances this season. "Last night it was just a little more sore than normal . . . Until I see the doctor, I don't have any [concern], because I'm not a doctor."
* Closer Brad Lidge downplayed a blister on his right index finger, saying that it has occurred in the past. Lidge said he has treated the blister extensively over the past few days.
"It's not a big deal," said Lidge, who blew his 10th save of the season Saturday night and was pulled out of his last night's game in the ninth after loading the bases with one out. "It's not like my arm is hurt."
* The availability of Ryan Madson, who had not pitched since Sept. 3, was a game-time decision last night. Proefrock said Madson, who had allowed four runs in his previous five outings, was suffering from a mild biceps strain, but Madson came in to pitch after Lidge's struggles in the ninth last night and earned his fifth save of the season.
* Lefthander J.C. Romero, on the disabled list since July 20 with a forearm strain, had a cortisone shot yesterday and will be shut down for a few days. Romero said last week he hoped to throw a simulated game when the Phillies were in Washington, but that likely will not be the case now.
* Some good news: Proefrock said that righthander Clay Condrey received a "favorable report" from team doctor Ciccotti and has been cleared to start throwing in either simulated games or minor league games.
Manuel admitted that the injuries were concerning him.
"I'm concerned about it, yeah," he said. "We've got to have enough pitchers to pitch."
Dobbs update
Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs, on the DL since Aug. 22 with a strained calf, is running at 85 percent in Clearwater. Proefrock said the Phillies do not plan on activating him until he is 100 percent, which the club hopes will occur in the next 8 to 10 days.
For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at http://go.philly.com/highcheese.
