Phillies Notes: Polanco in a hurry to return to action

A doctor told Placido Polanco he should start feeling better Tuesday. The Phillies third baseman, out since June 25 with left triceps tendinitis, is starting to believe.

"I don't know if you've ever been hurt," he said Wednesday, "but there's one day when you feel like you turn the corner. You feel like, 'Wow.' Yesterday was that day."

It's an encouraging sign for the Phillies, who are down both Polanco and Chase Utley in the infield. Polanco is expected to resume baseball activities Saturday after two full weeks of rest. He could play in some rehab games during the all-star break.

And if all goes well, Polanco said, returning for the series in St. Louis that begins July 19 is a realistic possibility.

"I feel pretty good," Polanco said.

After taking two cortisone shots in the left elbow in less than a month, the Phillies and Polanco decided he needed to stop playing through it.

Rest is also a way to avoid possible surgery, Polanco said. In order to comply with the two weeks of rest, he hasn't done any upper body work yet, His rehab has mostly consisted of running and constant icing and compression on the elbow.

"I don't want to rush it," Polanco said. "Before, I wasn't 100 percent. I just kept playing, playing, and playing."

Polanco is hitting .318 with five home runs and 27 RBIs in 62 games this season.

When he returns, Polanco could play either second or third base depending on whether the Phillies make a trade for an infielder. On Tuesday, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Polanco offers the team flexibility.

Part of the reason the Phillies may wait on making a move on an infielder is because of Polanco's prognosis. Should he come back in two weeks, as he expects to, the Phillies could chose to simply stick with Polanco and Wilson Valdez in the infield and pursue pitching help instead.

"We have to assess what our needs are going to be two or three weeks for now," Amaro said.

In Tuesday's 11th-inning loss to Atlanta, Charlie Manuel used Rule 5 pick David Herndon and lefthander Mike Zagurski in a tie game while Danys Baez sat in the bullpen.

Baez, who signed a two-year, $5.25 million deal in the off-season, pitched two-thirds of an inning Wednesday night, just his second appearance in the last 10 games. He has a 4.60 ERA in 311/3 innings.

Manuel said he was most concerned about Baez's command. The righthander has walked 17 and struck out 16.

"We'll keep using him, more likely for one inning or a couple hitters in the sixth or seventh inning," Manuel said. "We'll try to make sure we get him some time pitching and get him sharp. As the season goes on, hopefully he'll really come into his own and get back to where he used to be."

Baez said he had no complaints about how he's been used.

"It's the way it is right now," Baez said. "I'm ready to pitch every day. I'll wait for the phone call. There's nothing you can do. There's nothing he can do."

Dane Sardinha started his sixth game in a row at catcher even though Brian Schneider (sprained left thumb) said he was ready to play.

"I'm good," said Schneider, who caught in the ninth inning Wednesday night.

Manuel said Schneider was available to start, but he wanted to be cautious. It's helped that Sardinha has played decently. He was 8 for 36 with three home runs and eight RBIs entering Wednesday.

Schneider could start Thursday.

Ryan Madson (broken right toe) rejoined the team Wednesday and should be activated from the disabled list Thursday. . . . Catcher Carlos Ruiz was 0 for 2 with a walk and caught seven inning in his first rehab game for triple-A Lehigh Valley.