Phillies Notes: Utley comes out swinging in first rehab appearance

Chase Utley went to the Cecil P. Englebert Recreational Complex in Dunedin, Fla., on Saturday to competitively swing a bat for the first time in 196 days. He played in nothing more than a glorified scrimmage with Phillies and Blue Jays players in extended spring training. He played in the field only every other inning.

But in seven at-bats, he had five hits. Two were home runs.

"That's good anywhere," manager Charlie Manuel said.

Phillies fans will be overcome with giddiness seeing any footage of Utley playing in a game. The results are encouraging, but reality says Utley is not on the cusp of returning from the tendinitis, chondromalacia, and bone inflammation in his right knee that has sidelined him since the beginning of spring training.

He is closer, though.

"That's real good," Manuel said. "At the same time, we still have to see how he recovers, and he'll need some at-bats."

Utley also had an infield single. He faced a lefthanded pitcher in all seven at-bats.

"It felt pretty good just to get back out between the lines," Utley told the Associated Press. "So far so good, and we'll see how it responds tomorrow and go from there."

Utley will not play Sunday because no games are scheduled. Since he did not play in the field for all nine innings, the expectation is that he will progress slowly, possibly playing every other day to begin.

Once he is comfortable with a regular schedule, Utley could begin his official rehabilitation assignment with an affiliated minor-league team. When that starts, Utley can spend a maximum of 20 days on rehab.

"The big step is when he gets to two days and sees how he recovers," Manuel said. "Then he gets to three days and sees how he feels."

The Phillies can manage Utley any way they'd like in these extended-spring-training games, such as sitting him every other inning in the field. He can bat as many times as he'd like.

Manuel and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. have repeated the familiar refrain that there is no timetable for Utley's return. The second baseman will tell them when he is ready to advance.

Taking swings Saturday on a back field while wearing his socks high as every Phillies minor-leaguer is required to do, Utley did nothing to suggest he is not nearing a return to the majors.

"That's pretty good for somebody who had no spring training," Manuel said, "for him to walk out there and swing the bat like that."

The Phillies chose not to place catcher Carlos Ruiz on the disabled list even though he missed his eighth consecutive game because of back soreness. Ruiz said it hurts the most when he is squatting, but he will attempt to catch a bullpen session Sunday.

If the Phils had put him on the DL Saturday, they could have done it retroactively to April 28, meaning Ruiz could be activated Friday. But the team thinks Ruiz will be ready before then.

"With the way I'm feeling, it could be very soon," he said.

Roy Oswalt has made at least 30 starts in each of the last seven seasons. He made sure to highlight that fact when discussing just his fourth trip to the DL since 2003. Soreness in his lower back has bothered him since April 15, and the righthander decided to stop pitching through it.

"Just give me a little time and I'll be good," he said.

Oswalt could be activated in time to start Friday's game because his disabled-list stint is retroactive to April 27.

Joe Blanton (impingement in right elbow) threw another bullpen session, and the team expects him to come off the disabled list to start Monday's series opener in Florida. . . . Righthander Scott Mathieson returned to the majors to replace Oswalt. He had struggled with his command at triple-A Lehigh Valley, walking 10 batters in 132/3 innings. He also has been battling flu symptoms for a few weeks. "I've been pitching in every role," Mathieson said.