Phillies Notes: Schmidt, Morandini to be in Clearwater

Former Phillies Mike Schmidt and Mickey Morandini will return to Clearwater, Fla., as guest instructors for the Phils in spring training this year, the team announced yesterday.

Hall of Famer Schmidt, 60, will be working his ninth spring as a guest instructor. For Morandini, 43, this will be his second time around as an instructor.

The Phillies' spring-training coaching staff will consist of 21 instructors, including manager Charlie Manuel, the major-league coaching staff, the minor-league coordinators, the triple-A coaching staff, and two minor-league instructors.

Manuel's coaching staff remains the same from the 2009 season.

Watching Lowry. The Phillies are among the teams who will watch former San Francisco pitcher Noah Lowry in a throwing session. That was originally scheduled for yesterday. Lowry's agent, Damon Lapa, told the Associated Press that Lowry did not have a health setback but instead wanted to throw more bullpen sessions before his audition.

The new date for the session is unknown and Lapa was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Lowry has not pitched in the majors since 2007. He had surgery to repair a neuromuscular disorder in his left forearm and later had bone spurs removed from his elbow. The 29-year-old lefty was 14-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 2007.

The Phillies have attended similar tryout sessions with other pitchers this off-season, such as Ben Sheets and Eric Gagne.