Phillies Notes: Manuel wants more homers from Phillies lineup

Charlie Manuel looked at the stat sheet after 14 games and saw 11 Phillies home runs. This upset him.

Manuel is and always will be an offensive manager. He is a former hitting coach. He often uses the Earl Weaver adage that the key to winning is hitting a three-run home run.

His previous Phillies teams were built for power. In four of the last five seasons, the Phillies have ranked in the top three of the National League in long balls. The exception was 2010, when the Phillies ranked fifth.

Entering Monday's play, they were 11th in the league. Many championship teams, Manuel noted, have been built for power.

"Right now, we don't have that kind of offense," Manuel said. "We could have that, but it's going to take some work, and we have to improve on some areas, and we need some players who have to live up to their career averages and their career performances."

In 2010, the Phillies had 58 fewer home runs than in 2009. (It's important to remember home runs were down across baseball, too.) Now take away Jayson Werth, who hit 27 a season ago, plus throw in the fact that everyone is a year older, and it's likely that number dips again. A healthy Chase Utley would help, but he only hit five home runs in 161 at-bats after returning from thumb surgery in 2010.

The question is, will these Phillies need home runs to win? Obviously, there will not be a shutout from an ace each night, and averaging 3.3 runs per game like the Phillies did in their previous six games will result in some losses. Their major-league-leading .296 batting average is not sustainable, either.

Maybe this is why Manuel has lamented the lack of power.

"Our pitching is definitely going to keep us in a position where we have a chance to win at the end," Manuel said. "But I think on offense we have to improve. The bottom line is we have to see where we can get those home runs from. Ryan Howard will definitely hit some. From there . . ."

No one knows. The corner outfield spots have been sources before. But Raul Ibanez hit 16 in 2010, his fewest since 2004. Ben Francisco hit 15 in consecutive seasons in 2008 and '09.

A 40-pitch bullpen session for Roy Oswalt was without issue Monday, and, so long as the righthander does not wake up with back soreness Tuesday morning, he will start Thursday in San Diego.

The commissioner's office voided the Phillies' waiver claim of righthanded pitcher Brian Schlitter, returning him to the Chicago Cubs. Schlitter has been on the disabled list with a strained tendon in his elbow, which apparently was affecting him before the Phillies claimed him Feb. 15.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. would not say if he filed a grievance with Major League Baseball, but said there was "no foul play" involved.

"He just wasn't healthy enough to be placed on waivers originally," Amaro said.

Utley (chronic right knee pain) continued to do more running and fielding drills before Monday's game. He was not available for comment. . . . Outfielder Domonic Brown (broken hand) played five innings in his first extended spring training game Monday and batted three times. He still has yet to be sent on an official rehab assignment. . . . Old friend Randy Wolf starts for Milwaukee on Tuesday. He is 2-2 with a 5.10 ERA in five starts against his former squad.