Phillies Notes: Worley may get call Monday

Before Friday's game, Charlie Manuel said the team had not decided on a second starter for Monday's doubleheader against Florida.

"We don't know exactly who it is yet," he said.

But hours later, a giant hint was dropped. Righthander Vance Worley started for triple-A Lehigh Valley and was removed after a scoreless first inning. A Phillies official said he was not injured.

That means Worley, 23, will likely be the guy Monday. In 27 starts between triple A and double A, Worley has a 3.36 ERA. He was a third-round pick in the 2008 draft.

Worley pitched one inning for the Phillies earlier this season during a brief call-up. He struck out two Rockies on July 24.

Roy Oswalt will start the other game of the doubleheader - exactly which one is yet to be decided.

If anything, following two roster moves Friday, Manuel now has increased flexibility on his bench. That doesn't exactly bode well for the "Free Domonic Brown" campaign.

The Phillies added two lefthanded batters to their bench. Ross Gload was activated from the disabled list and Greg Dobbs' contract was purchased from triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Brown, the Phillies' top prospect, has been Manuel's top lefthanded bat off the bench since Gload went on the DL with a right groin strain Aug. 21. In that time, Brown had 11 at-bats (and two hits) in 13 games.

Before Gload was injured, he was hitting well. In 11 August games, Gload was 8 for 29 (.276) with two home runs and seven RBIs. As a pinch-hitter in 2010, Gload is batting .231 (12 for 52) with three home runs. His 12 pinch-hits are tied for third in the league.

"We have three guys to choose from," Manuel said. "That makes us better."

Dobbs returned to the Phillies after being designated for assignment twice before. Dobbs, who flourished as the Phillies' primary pinch-hitter in the 2008 championship season, has struggled immensely in that role this season. He is 5 for 42 (.119) as a pinch-hitter in 2010.

At triple A, Dobbs hit .210 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 16 games. But in his last six games, he hit .391 with two home runs and eight RBIs. Manuel said the recent reports on Dobbs' swing were good. Who knows, he could even start Saturday. In his career against Milwaukee starter Dave Bush, Dobbs is 6 for 14 with two home runs. Manuel typically pays close attention to batter vs. pitcher history, no matter the sample size.

Plus, Manuel said, frequent playing time may have helped Dobbs.

"I know it's good for you," he said. "When you're sitting on the bench, it's just a matter of time. You lose your timing. You're not comfortable at the plate. Pitchers are beating you."

That playing time could decrease for Brown, the rookie whom the Phillies had hoped to get regular at-bats in the minors at some point. But because of the injury to Gload, Brown remained on the bench.

Righthander Alvaro Bacil, a Phillies' farmhand, was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball on Friday for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Bacil pitched for the organization's Dominican summer league team. The 19-year-old was 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA and two saves.

He tested positive for a metabolite of Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension is effective at the beginning of next season.

The Phillies didn't call up an extra pitcher after using seven Thursday night. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said the team had discussed a move but decided one wasn't necessary. . . . Brown had a bright smile in the clubhouse before the game. The team gave him a gift on his 23d birthday - a framed photo and official lineup card from his major-league debut July 28.