Phillies Notes: Phillies brass backing Roy Halladay

Charlie Manuel offered a history lesson Tuesday afternoon. He was talking about Roy Halladay, once a Phillies ace but now unrecognizable, and brought up Brad Lidge's name. The former Phillies closer is the quintessential example of Manuel's loyalty.

Lidge blew 11 saves in 2009, pitched to a 7.21 ERA, but remained the closer as the Phillies won the pennant.

"I looked down there and, to me, Brad Lidge was probably still the best I had," Manuel said. "If I was going to lose the game, it was going to be with Brad Lidge. I was committed to Brad Lidge. If I commit to you, I'll commit to you."

On Tuesday, the Phillies steadfastly committed to Halladay, which came as no surprise. Halladay, one of the great pitchers of this generation, has earned that right.

"Doc gets as long as he needs," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I think he's going to get himself straightened out."

Manuel was defensive when asked about the topic.

"Roy has earned the right to tell us how he feels and how he wants to go about certain things," Manuel said. "We never once thought about shutting him down. I can tell you that. And you know something else? Shutting him down isn't the right way, neither. I don't see any way in the world, if he's healthy, where you shut him down."

"He hasn't complained of any pain," Amaro said. "He hasn't complained of any issues. He just doesn't have the same velocity and we have to live with it."

Halladay will start again Sunday afternoon in Miami against the hapless Marlins.

Delmon Young spent the first week of the regular season in Florida as a participant in extended spring training. The Phillies want Young to play right field, a process complicated by offseason ankle surgery.

The next step is nearing. Amaro said Young could be cleared to begin an official rehab assignment within the next week.

Young has not manned right field since 2007. Amaro said he reviews daily video of Young's activity from Florida.

"He's had a couple of fly balls he's made plays on, but nothing really challenging," Amaro said. "But he looks OK so far."

For 248 days, the verified Twitter account for Roy Oswalt was dormant. Then, at 9:19 p.m. Monday - 43 minutes after Roy Halladay was yanked from another dismal outing - Oswalt tweeted.

"I haven't felt this good since 2010, I would love to come back to Philly, loved my time there, amazing fans," he wrote.

Oswalt's agent, Bob Garber, confirmed Tuesday it was indeed Oswalt sending those messages.

It's unlikely the Phillies will have any interest in Oswalt, 35, who pitched in 17 games for Texas last season. Oswalt started 35 games for the Phillies from 2010 to 2011 with a 2.96 ERA.