Phillies Notes: Phillies sideline Danys Baez

SAN DIEGO - Danys Baez's back spasms might not be serious enough to keep him out for 15 days, but at this time of the season, the Phillies decided to make him the 17th player on the disabled list for a few reasons.

First, they would prefer a completely healthy bullpen on this seven-game West Coast road trip.

"We just didn't want to be short, pitching-wise," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. "It's unfortunate because the last few times out, Danys had thrown the ball well."

Second, it provides the Phillies with more flexibility should they make the postseason. With Baez, Ross Gload, and Jamie Moyer on the disabled list, the Phils have 28 players to choose from in building a playoff roster. Major-league rules state that players are eligible for the playoffs only if they are on the 25-man active roster or disabled list at midnight of Aug. 31.

Actually, the Phillies will have beyond 28 players from whom to select. Because Moyer will not pitch again this season, he can be replaced by any player currently in the organization - including those not on the 40-man roster. It also does not have to be a pitcher who replaces Moyer.

"We have that flexibility," Proefrock said.

The Phillies have used that flexibility in the past. In 2008, J.A. Happ was a September call-up but was on the postseason roster because he replaced one of the many disabled Phillies. Last season, the team purchased the contract of righthander John Ennis on Aug. 31 only to place him on the disabled list. That was done to allow flexibility, which the Phillies never used.

With Baez down, the Phils recalled lefthander Antonio Bastardo from triple-A Lehigh Valley. Baez signed a two-year, $5.25 million deal in the off-season and has been a disappointment. He is 3-3 with a 5.14 ERA in 45 games.

But the Phillies had seen progress in Baez, 32, recently. In his last three outings, Baez has been unscored upon, and just two of the nine batters he has faced have reached base. Both times, they were erased on double-play balls.

Bastardo gives the Phillies' bullpen a second lefthanded pitcher, joining J.C. Romero. The Padres have three lefthanded batters: Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Stairs, and Will Venable. The Dodgers have four lefthanded hitters, including Andre Ethier and James Loney. The Phils will be in Los Angeles beginning Monday.

"That could be helpful," Charlie Manuel said. "J.C. is throwing the ball better now. He'd be the late guy. But from the fifth to seventh, you can always use somebody to get a lefthanded hitter out. That gives you depth and situations you can play in."

Jon Garland will start for the Padres on Saturday. In five career starts against the Phillies, Garland is 0-4 with a 7.94 ERA. . . . The Phillies likely will face Carlos Monasterios during the three-game series in Los Angeles. Monasterios spent 2007-09 in the Phillies' system and was a Rule 5 pick by the Dodgers this past off-season.