Romero had hoped to throw a simulated game early this week in Florida and join the Phillies in Milwaukee next weekend. Now he expects to be in Clearwater for about a week. "It is what it is," he said with a sigh.

Eyre, who has a "loose body" in his left elbow, was encouraged after throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session, his first since suffering the injury Sept. 7. He said he would need arthroscopic surgery after the season.

"If this had happened two weeks earlier, I could have had the surgery and come back in time for the playoffs," he said. "I felt like I had some zip on the ball today, felt like it was free and easy."

Eyre, 37, previously has said that he would likely retire after this season. But he has pitched effectively as a lefthanded specialist all year, causing him to revise that plan. Eyre said that he would return to the Phillies in 2010 if they wanted him. If not, he would retire.

In the short term, Eyre hopes that the loose body does not hamper his pitching. He felt no difference in velocity yesterday, although Dubee said that the injury could affect Eyre in other ways.

"It could affect how much torque he has on his slider and how much break it has," Dubee said.

Eyre hoped to be available for Tuesday's doubleheader at Florida.

"I don't know about that," Dubee said, "but it could be soon."

Happ, who left Friday's game in the third inning for what the team called "precautionary reasons," continued to insist yesterday that he had suffered no setbacks and would make his next start. Dubee backed those assertions.

Manager Charlie Manuel has hinted strongly that if Eyre and Romero are not able to return and pitch effectively, Happ would be sent to the bullpen for the playoffs.

Ruiz update

On Friday night, Manuel said that Ruiz sprained his wrist while blocking the plate in the second inning. Yesterday, Ruiz and Manuel said that the catcher actually was injured when he was hit in the hand by a foul ball during last week's series against Washington.

"I was feeling it; it was something in the swing," Ruiz said. "I can play like that . . . yesterday, after [the collision], I was like, 'Ah, I don't think I can do it.' "

Until Ruiz returns, Paul Bako will be the starting catcher and Paul Hoover the backup.

Extra bases

"I figure Francisco's got three hits, might be getting hot," Manuel said. . . . Reliever Jack Taschner is suffering from a mid-back strain and left the team before the Atlanta series for rehabilitation in Clearwater.