Inside the Phillies: Injuries cast a pall over Phillies' drive to top

The Phillies found themselves back on top of the National League East when they arrived for work Wednesday.

What they did not find was a sparkling new script to the 2010 season that guaranteed a happy, healthy ending.

Since the beginning of this 26-week journey that started in the nation's capital, the Phillies have had some real high points that always seem to be immediately tempered by the injury report.

Such was the case again on this breezy evening at Citizens Bank Park, where the starter most often sidelined by injury this season had to sit down again during the Phillies' harder-than-it-should-have-been 10-6 win over Florida.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was hurting when he arrived at second base after lining a third-inning double down the left-field line. Two batters later, Carlos Ruiz dropped a single into left field, and it was obvious Rollins was not moving well between second and third.

Third-base coach Sam Perlozzo waved Rollins home, and, thanks to another of his uncanny hook slides, the shortstop was safe.

As soon as Rollins returned to the dugout, trainer Scott Sheridan greeted him. A few moments later, Rollins disappeared into the clubhouse, and the team later announced that he had tightness in his right hamstring. Wilson Valdez replaced Rollins at shortstop.

Rollins, according to a team spokesman, had left the clubhouse by the time it opened to the media. But manager Charlie Manuel downplayed the severity of his shortstop's latest injury.

"He had some tightness and he was sick a little bit today and he was dehydrated," Manuel said. "He didn't take [batting practice]. He was kind of under the weather."

Add the fact that closer Brad Lidge was quarantined in the bullpen for the second straight night because of elbow soreness and there is ample reason for concern as the Phillies attempt to hold off Atlanta for their fourth straight NL East title.

For Rollins, the timing could not be any worse, and the story line must be giving him a sickening case of deja vu.

If you recall, Rollins got off to a pretty good start this season, batting .391 with eight runs scored during the Phillies' season-opening road trip.

When the shortstop got back to Philadelphia, he strained his right calf warming up for the home opener and missed 30 games. He missed 26 more with the same injury later in the season and also sat out three games with a bruised left foot.

In addition to missing 59 games, he also had an unhealthy .236 batting average after going hitless in two at-bats during the Phillies' opening-game loss during Monday's doubleheader with the Marlins.

Manuel reacted by moving Rollins down in the batting order, and the veteran shortstop seemed to be responding. The double in the third inning Wednesday was Rollins' second hit of the night and his fifth in his last nine at-bats.

Now, he's hurt again. It's not that the Phillies cannot win without him. But with 21 games remaining, the team needs its best players even if they're not having their best seasons.

That goes for Lidge, too.

Thirty-nine days ago, the idea of the Phillies' going through the final three weeks of the season without their closer probably would have been met with a deep sigh of relief.

On July 31, Manuel asked Lidge to get the final three outs at Nationals Park, and the Phillies' closer managed to get only one of them before surrendering a game-winning home run to Ryan Zimmerman.

It was Lidge's fifth blown save in 14 opportunities, and his earned run average sat at a fat 5.57. Manuel had a potential crisis on his hands because Lights Out Lidge still looked like Lit Up Lidge, the guy who made every save opportunity an adventure in 2009.

Fast-forward five weeks and four days, and the news that Lidge's elbow is sore should be every bit as alarming now as it would have been in September 2008, when he was the most dominant closer in baseball.

Since the July 31 outing in Washington, Lidge has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities and allowed just one run, seven hits, and three walks in 161/3 innings. Only a balk in San Diego has kept him from being perfect in that span.

He is again Lights Out Lidge.

With the team getting its first off day Thursday since Aug. 16, the hope is that Lidge will show up for work against the New York Mets on Friday at Citi Field ready to pitch again. Pitching coach Rich Dubee said he was "very confident" that will be the case based on what he has heard from his closer and the team's trainers.

We'll see Friday in New York if Rollins and Lidge are ready to play again. If the 2010 script remains the same, adversity of some sort is sure to stand in the Phillies' way.