Phillies Notebook: Just rest, not surgery, for Lee

RYNE SANDBERG, a man whose fate as a first-time big-league manager could be determined by how the Phillies bounce back next year after a dreadful 2014, was certainly happy to hear Cliff Lee would not need surgery on his ailing left elbow.

"That's good news," Sandberg said. "Looks promising."

An MRI from earlier this week revealed that Lee has a Grade 2 left flexor pronator strain. Lee had a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection on Wednesday and will once again combat the injury with rest.

"It sounded like it was basically the same diagnosis as last time, which he obviously came a long way in a 2-month period," Sandberg said yesterday. "So it'll be more of a conservative route."

Lee's 2014 season is over, as expected. He has already cleaned out his locker at Citizens Bank Park and gone home to Arkansas to rest.

Lee will be re-examined in Philadelphia next month, with the hope that he'll reboot his throwing program early in the offseason and be ready for Opening Day 2015.

Although general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week that Lee likely would visit with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, the pitcher was examined by Dr. David Altchek in New York instead Wednesday. Yesterday, Amaro said that surgery was never considered.

"It wasn't," Amaro said. "It wasn't something that was even discussed with [Phillies team doctor Michael] Ciccotti or Altcheck. Everybody was kind of on board. I think the strain was mild enough such that it does not require any type of surgery. They injected him. They'll see how it heals and we'll start him on a throwing program whenever it's time to start."

Justin De Fratus, for one, was optimistic about Lee's eventual return.

In 2012, DeFratus was shut down in late April and had a PRP injection to combat a flexor pronator strain. He was back pitching in mid-July and has had a healthy elbow since.

"I didn't throw for a week [after the injection]," De Fratus said. "And then I remember I woke up the day I threw for the first time, threw a ball, and told my trainer, 'My arm is healthy.' "

Lee, who turns 36 later this month, is still owed $37.5 million of the 5-year, $120 million contract he signed in December 2010. The Phillies can only hope to get more value out of that in 2015 than they did in 2014, when Lee was limited to 13 starts because of an elbow injury that still hasn't subsided.

Ben Revere's four-hit game on Wednesday night was his fourth four-hit game of the season, tying the major league high this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only one Phillies player has had more four-hit games in a season in the last 30 years: Shane Victorino (five four-hit games in 2009) . . . Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard started their 889th game together in the infield. On Tuesday, they set the all-time major league record for starts together as an infield trio of a shortstop, second baseman and first baseman, according to Elias. The previous record (886 games) was held by the Dodgers trio of first baseman Steve Garvey, second baseman Davey Lopes and shortstop Bill Russell . . . Roy Halladay will throw out the first pitch tonight to open Alumni Weekend at Citizens Bank Park. There is also a Halladay Bobblehead Giveaway for all fans tonight. Tomorrow, former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel will be inducted into the Wall of Fame. Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and future Hallof Famer Jim Thome will be among the large contingent of Phillies alumni in attendance.

Blog: ph.ly/HighCheese