Phillies Notebook: 'Everything just clicked' for De Fratus

ATLANTA - On days when it's uncomfortably humid, as it often is at Turner Field, or when the rain won't go away, as it has been this week here, Justin De Fratus yearns for the near-perfect temperatures of his hometown of Oxnard, Calif.

In Oxnard, an hour's drive from Dodger Stadium, it's almost always sunny and somewhere between 60 and 72 degrees.

But when De Fratus got to go home and pitch in his comfort zone in Southern California, he ended up facing adversity for the first time in his first full season in the big leagues. The 25-year-old righthander gave up runs in three consecutive outings in San Diego and Los Angeles, allowing five hits and five walks to the 15 batters he faced.

De Fratus, pitching coaching Rich Dubee and bullpen coach Rod Nichols have worked diligently to get the rookie reliever back on track since, and that's why he felt so encouraged with his one inning of work on Tuesday night at Turner Field.

De Fratus pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out the final two batters he faced, in a 3-1 defeat.

"That was about as well as I could throw the ball," De Fratus said yesterday afternoon. "I think a lot of things had been leading up to that. After the West Coast, we took a step back and said, 'Why is this happening, what's going on?' So we did some minor mechanical adjustments and threw ideas back and forth, myself, Dubee and Rod Nichols. Ever since that trip we had been trying to implement some things. And last night everything just clicked."

As the Phillies play out the remaining 42 games of the season, the front office is going to need some of their younger players and pitchers to emerge as viable candidates for the 2014 roster. That need is no more vital than in the bullpen, where they've had a gluttony of young relievers come up in the last two seasons as the veteran free agents they've brought in have either failed miserable or suffered injuries.

De Fratus looked like one of those potential bullpen pieces on Tuesday, when he threw nine of his 12 pitches for strikes, had his fastball tapping out at 95 mph and got good break out of his slider, too. But it wasn't just the case of one good game, either: De Fratus hasn't allowed a run in 10 of his 11 outings in the last 3 weeks (0.82 ERA, 10 strikeouts, three walks in 11 innings).

Like most young major leaguers, De Fratus endured rookie growing pains. But he might be better for it, having emerged with a renewed confidence.

"I wouldn't say I lost confidence, but there is that doubt after that rough of a trip," De Fratus said of the late June West Coast trip. "I know what I can do, and I'm glad [the coaches and management] kept allowing me to keep getting the opportunity. So I took it as an opportunity to show them, this isn't going to be me. We're going to make it better."

De Fratus has a 2.51 ERA in 16 appearances since that road trip.

"[Before] there were certain pitches where you just didn't have that conviction," De Fratus said. "You knew things could still work out, but last night it was more, I have confidence in the things we've been working on, I'm comfortable with them and now it's time to take it [into the game].

"I know what this pitch is going to do, I know how it's going to work. Just go at it. Take what's yours."

Charlie Manuel watched Roy Halladay diligently go through his rehab program and peeked at a fellow coach's phone to see the two-time Cy Young Award winner's most recent throwing session. He is eager for Halladay's return to the Phillies rotation.

"I'm looking forward to it," Manuel said, grinning like a kid at Christmas. "It'll be great [having him back]."

Halladay will begin an official minor league rehab assignment at noon today with the Gulf Coast League Phillies. Halladay also will be celebrating the 3-month anniversary of his arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

He is expected to throw between 70-80 pitches. As long as Halladay doesn't experience any setbacks, he could rejoin the Phillies as soon as Aug. 25, the final game of the upcoming homestand.

The success rate for aging pitchers coming off shoulder surgeries isn't great, but Manuel isn't one to bet against an athlete as driven and determined as Halladay, 36.

"Ain't nobody going to work harder than Halladay," Manuel said. "He's going to put everything in it that he possibly can . . . He's very determined."

Has Manuel ever met anyone more determined than Halladay?

"I've met guys that work out harder in Japan," Manuel said with a chuckle. "In U.S., he might be the top . . . Halladay is definitely up there. I can't think of anyone that can beat Halladay."

If Halladay feels fine after today's game, he could make his next rehab start Tuesday against a higher level of competition. Triple A Lehigh Valley, Class A Clearwater and Low A Lakewood are all home on Tuesday.

Delmon Young was released by the Phillies yesterday after refusing an assignment to Triple A. Young cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week. Young hit .261 with eight home runs and a .699 OPS in 80 games with the Phillies this season. He signed a 1-year, $750,000 deal this winter but ended up making a total of $1.75 million after reaching several incentives . . . Carlos Ruiz entered yesterday hitting .275 (46-for-167) with three doubles and two home runs in his last 49 games after getting off to a 2-for-20 start this season . . . Jonathan Pettibone (right shoulder strain) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Double A Reading today.