Manuel actually sounded more optimistic than "maybe." In fact, Happ now appears likely to rejoin the rotation at some point this week, although it is not clear on what day. The rookie lefthander will throw his second bullpen session in 3 days today, which means he could return to the mound as soon as Friday, when his normal spot in the rotation arrives. Happ, who threw 55 pitches in a bullpen session Monday, said the sharp pain that he felt during his delivery was not present, and that he expected to be ready to pitch when the Phillies square off against the Braves this weekend.

"The way I felt [Monday] was positive," said Happ, whose last start came against the Giants Sept. 2, when he allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings of a 4-0 loss. "I felt good. Fifty-five is more than I normally throw, and I started to turn it up toward the end and still felt good."

It isn't clear how exactly the Phillies rotation will set up for the next couple of weeks. Manuel said yesterday there was a chance the team would use its final 2 off days of the season - one this past Monday, and one this coming Monday - to alter its rotation. He said Joe Blanton was definitely starting today, but did not shed any further light on how things might set up. Blanton is followed by Cole Hamels, Happ and Pedro Martinez in the rotation, but the Phillies could elect to start Happ on Saturday or Sunday against the Braves to give him an extra day or 2 to recover.

Happ has pitched well in two starts against the Braves this season, allowing three runs in 14 2/3 innings.

"He threw really well [Monday]," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We're hopeful that he's going to get back in the rotation, but I'll let [Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee] decide when they want to slide him in . . . We can basically slide him in wherever we want."

Happ's return should bolster a rotation that might be showing signs of fatigue. Lee, who has thrown 216 innings, allowed 16 runs in his previous three outings before last night's shutout. Blanton, who has thrown 82 innings in 12 starts since July 1 and 170 2/3 overall, snapped a run of 11 straight quality starts by allowing eight runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Nationals in his last outing.

Manuel said yesterday the Phillies might find a way to get Lee some extra rest. Besides Happ, he has righthander Kyle Kendrick, who allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings Sunday against the Mets, and lefthander Jamie Moyer, who has posted a 3.16 ERA in 31 1/3 innings in his last six outings and is 13-3 with a 2.87 ERA in his career against the Marlins, as options.

The Phillies, who cut their magic number last night to 12, could take a big step toward an early division clinch with strong performances against the Braves this weekend and the Marlins next week.

"I think [Lee] might be better with a day or 2 of rest or a little time to rest," Manuel said. "But that's something we'll decide later. He's thrown over 200 innings. The last couple years, he's thrown a lot of innings. That gets my attention."

Eyre upbeat

 

It was only a game of catch, but Scott Eyre was beaming after throwing a baseball for the first time since experiencing a sharp pain in his left elbow while pitching against the Astros on Sept. 7. The veteran lefthander received a cortisone shot late last week and will attempt to pitch through the condition, which an MRI exam diagnosed as a "loose body" causing irritation in the joint.

"It felt pretty good today," said Eyre, who is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 39 appearances this season, "so I'm pretty excited. I honestly thought it was going to hurt like hell."

Eyre will need to throw at least one bullpen session before returning to competitive action. He said the plan calls for him to play catch today and tomorrow, and then throw a bullpen session early on in the team's 10-game road trip.

With both he and veteran lefthander J.C. Romero sidelined, the Phillies do not have a true lefty specialist in their bullpen.

Romero threw 15 pitches off the mound on Monday, but Manuel said the reliever was still "in limbo" for the future. GM Ruben Amaro said the Phillies hope Romero, who has not pitched in a game since suffering a forearm strain against the Marlins on July 19, will throw a bullpen session today or tomorrow.

Surgery for Knapp

 

Former blue-chip pitching prospect Jason Knapp, traded along with four other prospects to the Indians for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco in late July, will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right shoulder. While the Indians said they thought the condition existed before completion of the deal - the Phillies had shut Knapp down at the time with what they labeled "shoulder fatigue" - they said they do not plan on filing a grievance with baseball.

"I don't think the Phillies were disingenuous in any way," Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Having said that, it's clear it was a pre-existing condition."

Phillers

 

Righthander Clay Condrey, sidelined since July with a strained oblique, was activated from the disabled list . . . Third baseman Greg Dobbs (calf) will make a rehab start for Class A Lakewood today and could be activated tomorrow. *

For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at http://go.philly.com/highcheese.