Halladay, Nix, Brown, Lee, oh my

NEW YORK — Plenty of tidbits on this Thursday. Here they are:

— Roy Halladay will throw a bullpen Saturday then likely head to Florida for a rehab assignment during the All-Star break.

"We can set up some things were he does simulated stuff too," Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He's probably better off having some sort of rehab. We'll see how he feels Saturday and we'll figure out where we go from there."

— Laynce Nix is still at least a week away from beginning an official rehab assignment. He has been sidelined with a left calf strain since May 10.

"He's feeling a lot more optimistic," Amaro said. "He did have that setback but he's doing pretty good. He'll be back after the break. How far after, I'm not sure."

— Domonic Brown has not played for triple-A Lehigh Valley since June 14 because of a sprained right knee. Amaro said Brown could go to Florida on Friday to begin a rehab assignment.

"He needs to play," Amaro said. "He was going pretty good when he got hurt. He started to swing the bat pretty good, played some pretty good defense and was starting to do the things that we were hoping would happen. He's got to keep playing."

— Cliff Lee could pitch out of the bullpen this weekend, if needed. Lee started Wednesday and will not start again until after the All-Star break. So Charlie Manuel could be tempted to use him against Atlanta.

Kyle Kendrick, Joe Blanton and Vance Worley will start the final series of the first half.

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