Phillies Notebook: Phillies reliever Durbin suffers hamstring injury, is headed to disabled list

Charlie Manuel was asked prior to last night's game to identify his biggest concern, and if you think his answer involved an offense that ranked in the bottom half of the National League in scoring, well, you might want to spend some more time studying up on Ol' Skip.

Hitting, according to the thinking inside the Phillies' organization, and most certainly the thinking in the manager's office, isn't much of a worry, at least not when compared with a pitching staff that has shown some signs of being on the decline the last week or so.

"I think, in the long run, when the season runs its course, that's going to be the big thing about it," Manuel said. "As long as we get consistent pitching from our starters and our bullpen, that's what's going to determine [success or failure]."

As if on cue, workhorse reliever Chad Durbin scrambled after a bunt in the ninth inning of last night's dramatic, 7-6 win over Cleveland. Instead of coming up with the ball, he came up with a hamstring strain that will require a trip to the disabled list. Anderson Hernandez had dropped the bunt to Durbin's left. After reaching for the ball, Durbin pulled up lame, eventually hobbling off the field with Phillies athletic trainer Mark Andersen.

"It just grabbed, right as the ball touched my glove," said Durbin, who had pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

After the game, Manuel labeled the injury "pretty serious," although Durbin later was in good spirits, saying the team's medical staff has prescribed a 2- to 3-week recovery from what they diagnosed as a Grade 1 strain.

The Phillies already are without reliever Ryan Madson, who is scheduled to make his rehab debut on Sunday at Class A Clearwater and hopes to return from his broken toe before the All-Star break.

They also are continually evaluating their rotation. Last night, lefthander J.A. Happ made his fourth rehab appearance, allowing three runs in five innings at Double A Reading, but his return from an elbow strain still isn't a given. Meanwhile, righthander Kyle Kendrick allowed five runs (four earned) before being pulled three batters into the fifth inning. Just 6 days before, he held the defending world champion Yankees to one run on four hits in seven innings of a 7-1 Phillies win. He also has held the Braves, who are 3 1/2 games ahead of the third-place Phillies, to two runs in 15 innings over two starts, and the NL Central-leading Cardinals to six hits in seven scoreless innings.

Before last night, he was 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA in his last 11 starts.

But he also has allowed four or more earned runs in eight starts, the most among National League starters. Last night, both he and Manuel acknowledged the need for more consistency.

"That's what this game is about, consistency," said Kendrick, 4-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 14 starts. "But I think it is something that can be fixed. I've showed signs of being good, and I've also had some bad games. That's what everybody strives to be is consistent. I'll turn it around next outing and throw well and try to build off of that. But, yeah, consistency is what this game is about."

When the Phillies designated Greg Dobbs for assignment Tuesday, they said they hoped he would eventually end up at Triple A Lehigh Valley, where he would get more playing time and, ideally, swing his way back into the form he displayed in hitting .284 with a .798 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging), 19 home runs and 95 RBI in 598 plate appearances in 2007-08.

They achieved the first step yesterday, when they announced that Dobbs had made it through waivers - any team could have claimed him and his $1.35 million salary - and accepted an assignment to Lehigh Valley. He will report tomorrow.