"Brett worked real hard with that hip surgery to get back, but the fact of the matter is, you need mound time to be effective," pitching coach Rich Dubee said prior to the start of Game 1 at Dodger Stadium. "That's the one thing he's lacking."

Myers rejoined the Phillies in early September after a strenuous 3-month rehabilitation program from early June hip surgery. He thrived in his first four outings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two in 4 1/3 innings. But after he allowed three runs while recording one out in the eighth inning of a 10-9 loss to the Mets on Sept. 12, the Phillies shut him down with what was later diagnosed as a lat (shoulder/back) strain. When Myers returned Oct. 1, he struggled, allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two in 2 1/3 innings over three appearances.

In his lone appearance in the NLDS, Myers walked two and hit a batter while recording two outs in the eighth inning of Game 2 while relying mostly on his curveball and cutter.

By the end of the NLDS, Myers had retired just eight of the last 19 batters he had faced. With the return of Chan Ho Park and the decision to add an extra bench player, he was the obvious choice to replace.

"One, we cut a pitcher. We went with 11 pitchers," Dubee said. "Two, we didn't think his command was very good."

Manager Charlie Manuel and Dubee informed Myers of the decision on Wednesday. Manuel said the veteran righthander simply shrugged and walked out of the room.

"I look at Brett and it's almost like spring training for him," Manuel said. "He had a very serious injury, came back, and maybe it was too early. I don't know."

Myers, who will be a free agent after the season, will continue to throw bullpen sessions in hopes of preparing himself for World Series action.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said before the game that the club has not ruled out re-signing Myers, although logic suggests that he would have to take a dramatic pay cut from his $12 million 2009 salary.

Dubee also left the door open for Myers to return, should the Phillies advance to the World Series.

"It depends on what we decide to do," Dubee said, "and how he's throwing."

Bruntlett back

 

There were two moments in the National League Division Series when Charlie Manuel could have used Eric Bruntlett. The first came in Game 2, when the manager was forced to use Game 1 starter Cliff Lee as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning representing the tying run. Although Bruntlett is no speed demon on the basepaths, he is 31-for-39 in his 7-year career in stolen-base attempts and would have been much more of a threat to swipe second than Lee. He also would have had a better chance at going first-to-third on Jimmy Rollins' two-out single to rightfield.

But the biggest moment came in Game 4, when Manuel pinch-hit Greg Dobbs, then was forced to put Miguel Cairo in leftfield to replace Ben Francisco, who had entered the game the inning before as a defensive replacement for Raul Ibanez.

So it wasn't a huge surprise that the Phillies decided to put Bruntlett on their NLCS roster, giving them six bench players and 11 pitchers.

"I felt like we could go with 11 pitchers because we definitely need another position player," Manuel said. "I figured if we needed a guy, he can run the bases and he can play situational baseball as far as bunting and handling the bat and stuff, and I felt like that's the way we wanted to go."

Bruntlett hit just .171 in the regular season, but played a key role in last year's World Series, when he scored three runs, including the Game 5 winner.

Weather watch

 

The game-time temperature yesterday was in the mid-70s with sunny skies, a far cry from the freezing temperatures the Phillies endured in Denver (where, by the way, temperatures were in the high 60s yesterday). Similar conditions are expected today. The forecast for Game 3 in Philadelphia on Sunday calls for mostly cloudy skies with temperatures in the upper 40s and a chance of rain.

Phillers

 

As expected, Manuel said lefthander Cliff Lee would start Game 3 Sunday in Philadelphia . . . Former Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal, who lives in Southern California, visited the Phillies clubhouse with his baby son . . . Former Phillies second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and his translator were spotted sitting in the lower bowl behind the Phillies' dugout.