Phillies Notes: Phillies' Polanco dismisses aches, buoyed by all-star vote

ST. LOUIS - Placido Polanco was back in the Phillies lineup Tuesday, one day after learning he was still at the top of the third-base voting for the National League all-star team.

After sitting out Sunday's game with what manager Charlie Manuel described as "aches and pains," Polanco brushed off the soreness he is feeling as typical for any player at this point in the season.

"It's just the same stuff you have and everybody has after 80 games," Polanco said before Tuesday night's game against St. Louis at Busch Stadium. "It's not anything that is going to keep me from playing."

Polanco, 35, admitted that one of the aches is coming from his surgically repaired left elbow. The third baseman had bone fragments removed from his elbow after last season.

"After you have surgery for something like that, there is always going to be soreness," Polanco said.

Polanco's batting average has also been on the decline. He batted .398 with two home runs and 19 RBIs in April, but was hitting just .233 with two home runs and 19 RBIs since then going into Tuesday's game.

"The only thing Polly does is, sometimes he drops his hands," Manuel said. "When he loads, his hands come down. If his hands come down before he strides, he gets in trouble, but most of the time that's about the only thing I ever see wrong with his hitting."

As for the All-Star Game fan voting, Polanco remained more than one million votes ahead of Atlanta's Chipper Jones at third base. He has only played in one All-Star Game - he started for the American League at second base when he was with Detroit in 2007 - and he said it would be special to start in another one.

"It would be special because it's the fans voting for you and it means they appreciate what you do," Polanco said. "No fans, no game - so it's special."

Pitching coach Rich Dubee made it official that Vance Worley will stay in the rotation and start Friday's interleague game against the Oakland Athletics at Citizens Bank Park.

"Now that I know I'm starting, it's a little bit more relieving to know I'll be here," Worley said.

Worley, after spending three games at triple-A Lehigh Valley to regain some lost stamina and velocity, pitched five innings and allowed one run on five hits Saturday in Seattle.

"I've said before that I think Vance has a real good chance to be a big part of this rotation," Dubee said.

Kyle Kendrick returned to the bullpen and was available for Tuesday's game.

"Right now, he is better suited for the 'pen with what we've got," Dubee said.

Rookie Domonic Brown was back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday's game in Seattle and despite hitting .133 (6 for 45) in his previous 13 games.

"I didn't think Domonic was going to come up here and be a world-beater," Manuel said. "I thought he'd have to be worked in slowly and get experience. So far, he's been holding his own. The biggest thing is he has to learn to keep good balance and stay behind the ball."

Asked if he would stick with Brown even when the overall lineup is struggling, Manuel said he would.

"He just needs to be more consistent, but the only way you're going to find out is by playing him - so, no, I don't mind playing him," Manuel said.