Phillies Notes: Mike Adams on schedule in recovery from surgery

CLEARWATER, Fla. - When Mike Adams first heard the news, he paused. St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter's career has likely succumbed to the same condition - thoracic outlet syndrome - that Adams underwent surgery for months ago, and his reaction was natural.

What if?

Adams, the Phillies' top free-agent acquisition, placed a call to Gregory Pearl, the doctor who performed his surgery in October. Pearl told Adams he also did Carpenter's surgery.

"The doctor told me he was a little upset [Carpenter] came back so quick," Adams said Wednesday. "He pushed himself. The doctor told me, 'Take your time with it. Don't rush it.' "

Thoracic outlet syndrome involves pain in the neck and shoulder, a weak grip, and numbness and tingling of the fingers. In the surgery, Adams had a rib removed that was pinching a nerve and causing numbness in his arm.

The righthander has followed that advice and said he is on schedule as camp opens. He has thrown off a mound three times and will do so again Thursday with the rest of his pitching group.

"I'm not behind in any way," said Adams, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal and will pitch the eighth inning.

Adams estimated he will not pitch until the second week of games. That, he said, is by design.

His first outing should come at the beginning of March.

"It has nothing to do with injury reasons," Adams said. "It's going to be a long spring training. There really is no reason to get 18 innings in the spring. We're going to save some bullets from the very beginning."

Adams was asked earlier this winter to pitch for the United States at the World Baseball Classic and accepted that invitation. But when the team's preliminary roster was unveiled, Adams was missing. He called for an explanation and heard from Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., who advised Adams to sit.

"I figured it's probably best if I just focus on the season and do what's best for the Phillies," Adams said.

The Phillies and righthanded reliever Juan Cruz "mutually parted ways," Amaro said. Cruz had agreed to a minor-league contract but never officially signed it.

Amaro said the dynamics changed after the signing of Chad Durbin. He fills a role Cruz theoretically would have fit had he made the team. Cruz, 34, was solid in 43 games for Pittsburgh last season. He had a 2.78 ERA.

The Phillies completed a 20,000-square-foot training facility in January.

The facility will be used mostly by minor-leaguers during the spring and regular season. It features a 5,000-square-foot weight room, six batting cages, video rooms, and office space.

Lee McDaniel, the team's director of minor-league operations, would not disclose the cost of the building, a portion of which was covered by the city of Clearwater.