Phillies Notes: Harang scratched from start with back ailment

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The first sign Aaron Harang would miss his second start of this spring came Friday morning, when he watched as the rest of the Phillies pitchers played catch.

The veteran righthander was scratched for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Detroit Tigers because of lower-back discomfort. His status is day-to-day, the team said.

"It's a little muscular thing that he has," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I'm not that concerned about it."

Righthander Paul Clemens, a nonroster invitee, will start in Harang's place. Righthanders Ken Giles, Phillippe Aumont, and Nefi Ogando are also scheduled to pitch.

Harang, signed in January to a one-year, $5 million deal to slot in as the Phillies' No. 3 starter, missed his first start of the spring with a back problem. He made his spring debut Monday against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing three hits and issuing two walks over a scoreless two innings.

After playing catch with Cole Hamels on Friday morning, Cliff Lee said he still felt the same level of discomfort in his pitching elbow. The 36-year-old lefthander is attempting to pitch through a tear in his common flexor tendon.

Jesse Biddle earned the decision in the Phillies' 2-1 win Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays after pitching two scoreless innings. The lefthander from Germantown Friends executed much better than in his first appearance, when he surrendered two runs on three hits in just an inning.

Biddle allowed two singles to open his second inning but struck out Desmond Jennings on a curveball to work out of the jam and cap his outing.

Righthander Jonathan Pettibone, the only pitcher in major-league camp yet to throw live batting practice, will throw his sixth bullpen session of spring training on Saturday.

Pettibone, 24, will start the regular season behind schedule as he works his way back from June shoulder surgery. He will likely stay behind in Clearwater to pitch in extended spring training and slide into the triple-A rotation later.

- Jake Kaplan