Phillies Notes: Cliff Lee's first pitches: No complaints

CLEARWATER, Fla. - For eight minutes Wednesday, Cliff Lee offered pitches to a rotating trio of teammates: Carlos Ruiz, Ben Revere, and Freddy Galvis.

The live batting practice was the first time Lee threw to hitters since a strained elbow cost him the last two months of last season. The reports provided to Ryne Sandberg were "excellent," the manager said.

"Felt good," Lee said. "Felt normal. No complaints."

Lee threw each of his pitches in the session. The 36-year-old lefthander warmed up with a bullpen session, his third of spring training. To ease into camp, his schedule has called for two days between bullpen sessions, while most of the other pitchers take a one-day break.

Before reporting to Clearwater, Lee threw about 15 bullpen sessions at home in Arkansas. An upper-

respiratory illness he had before leaving home has not been an issue, he said.

Lee was not sure when he would throw his next bullpen session. He appears on schedule to soon pitch in games, which begin Sunday with a scrimmage against the University of Tampa. The Phillies open Grapefruit League play on March 3 against the Yankees at Bright House Field.

Luis Garcia has pitched in several stints in the majors over the last two seasons, but the righthander, 28, has yet to stick in the Phillies bullpen.

The organization's reigning minor-league pitcher of the year played winter ball in the Dominican Republic, focusing on throwing strikes more consistently. That's also been his focus early in spring training.

"Last year is the past," said Garcia, who surrendered only five earned runs in 462/3 innings in triple A last season. "Yeah, I had a good year last year, but now I'm thinking about this year. What I have in mind is [to] work hard and try to make the team."

Garcia boasts a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a slider. In 82/3 innings as a September call-up, he allowed two earned runs.

"He's done it at

triple A. He's done it in winter ball, and he did it the last month in the big leagues," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "He's done all the steps. He can do it here, too."

Carlos Ruiz left Wednesday's workout early after a Hector Neris pitch hit him on the arm, but Sandberg said the catcher was fine.

"He was more upset about being told to go in and [us] making him go in than the fact that he got hit, so that was a good sign for me," Sandberg said.

- Jake Kaplan