Phillies Notes: Manuel plays lineup close to the chest

It's times like these when Charlie Manuel likes to maintain his strategic advantage. He lectured baseball writers a week ago about not having to disseminate any information. Why should he, he asked, when all it does is give the opponent a leg up?

So that's the stance the Phillies' manager took Tuesday with his lineup for Game 1 of the National League division series.

"I've been writing lineups down," Manuel said, "but I pretty much know what it's going to be."

Care to share Wednesday's batting order? Nope.

Manuel did say this: He will not break up Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, two lefties who hit third and fourth in Manuel's lineup, even though Cincinnati is carrying four lefthanded pitchers in its bullpen.

"I think they're very well-equipped," Manuel said. "I think what it gets down to is we've got to hit their lefties, because they're going to bring them, especially from the middle part of the game on. Our lefthanded hitters are going to be facing lefthanded pitchers."

If Manuel were to split Utley and Howard, he'd bat Placido Polanco third and Utley second. But Utley is hitting lefties better than Polanco, so the manager will stick with what has worked.

The other decision is where to bat shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who once again Tuesday proclaimed himself as healthy as he'll be this season. But even that comes with a caveat.

Rollins missed 14 games late in the season with a hamstring injury. He said his legs "won't be completely back until I have a chance to stay off of them. But I'm good enough to go. I've had a chance to run, which is good."

Asked where he thinks he'll bat, Rollins was brash.

"Ask Charlie," he said. "He makes the lineup. Don't know. Don't care."

Well, that means it won't be known until Wednesday. One thing in favor of batting Rollins lower and Shane Victorino at leadoff is Rollins' lack of desire to steal a base. It's not that he can't do it, he said; he just doesn't want to be injured on a play like that.

"Unless the situation is right," Rollins said, "it's probably something I'll try to stay away from."

Carlos Ruiz and J.C. Romero left Sunday's season finale with injuries. But both will be ready to play in Game 1, Manuel said. That was backed up with the roster decisions the Phillies made - no extra catcher or pitcher was needed.

Ruiz said that he took batting practice in the last two days and that the swelling in his elbow had gone down. He was hit by a Tim Hudson pitch in the third inning. X-rays were negative.

"I'm ready to go," the catcher said.

Romero left the game with lower back pain, but his exit was precautionary. The Phillies weren't concerned with the injury on Sunday and still weren't on Tuesday.

The Phillies waited out the rain and managed to work out at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday afternoon. Team president David Montgomery stood behind the batting cage with Charlie Manuel. Senior adviser Dallas Green was behind the cage, too. The Reds followed with their workout. . . . Wednesday's forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of early evening showers, according to the Weather Channel. . . . John Hirschbeck will be the umpiring crew chief for the series. Hirschbeck's crew will comprise Bruce Dreckman, Sam Holbrook, Ed Rapuano, Gary Cederstrom, and Rob Drake. . . . Former Phillie Scott Eyre will throw out the first pitch in Game 1. He was hanging around the clubhouse on Tuesday.