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Phillies Notes: Phillies' Delmon Young will remain in Florida as he recovers from ankle surgery

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Less than an hour before the Phillies' final Florida exhibition, Ruben Amaro Jr. found Delmon Young eating lunch in the clubhouse. The general manager shook the outfielder's hand, wished him luck, and patted him on the back.

Delmon Young will stay behind in Florida to allow his ankle to heal. (Matt Slocum/AP)
Delmon Young will stay behind in Florida to allow his ankle to heal. (Matt Slocum/AP)Read more

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Less than an hour before the Phillies' final Florida exhibition, Ruben Amaro Jr. found Delmon Young eating lunch in the clubhouse. The general manager shook the outfielder's hand, wished him luck, and patted him on the back.

While everyone else packed, Young faced the likelihood of another month here to recover from ankle surgery. It does not bother him.

"They can have April," he said. "I want October."

The Phillies have not assigned a hard timetable to Young's return and Young said he does not have a date in mind. It could be May before he wears a Phillies uniform in a meaningful game.

Until then, Young will bide his time in Florida. He played in his fourth minor-league game Thursday. He still hobbles in the clubhouse and is not yet ready to play in the field.

"I feel all right," Young said. "I'm still not game-ready to go out and play every day. I'm getting there."

For now, there is no reason to rush Young. The day he is activated and added to the 25-man roster, he receives a $225,000 bonus. That is motivation for the team to wait until he is fully recovered and capable in right field.

That patience could waver, of course, if the platoon of Laynce Nix and John Mayberry Jr. fails.

Young will use extended spring training to relearn that position, which he has not manned since 2007.

Manager Charlie Manuel said he envisions playing Domonic Brown in both corner spots for the first month of the season while Young recovers. Eventually, the team wants Young in right and Brown in left.

"When I see [Brown] sometimes, he's improving in both places," Manuel said. "I like him in left."

Back home

The Phillies departed Florida on Thursday night and are scheduled to play their final two spring training games Friday night at 7:05 and Saturday afternoon at 1:05 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park.

Cliff Lee is set to start Friday's game and will likely pitch three innings in his final tune-up.

Gates open at 5:35 p.m. (Ashburn Alley at 4:35 p.m.) on Friday and 11:05 a.m. (Ashburn Alley at 10:35 a.m.) on Saturday.

Extra bases

Kevin Frandsen (wrist) said he was day-to-day after being hit by a pitch Wednesday. The wrist was swollen but did not require an X-ray. . . . In a 7-2 victory over Toronto Thursday, Chase Utley homered for the fifth time this spring. . . . The Phillies finished the spring with a 16-15-1 record. Their pitchers had a 5.30 ERA, which was the worst in Grapefruit League play.