April 21 -- TEAM MEETING; HOWARD NOT STARTING

CINCINNATI -- Who said Charlie Manuel doesn't hold team meetings?

The Phillies blew off batting practice today and held an 80-minute closed-door meeting, in which Manuel, each member of his coaching staff and several players talked calmly about how the team can improve its 4-11 record, baseball's worst. The meeting began at about 4:20 p.m. and ran until about 5:40 p.m., 10 minutes after batting practice was scheduled to begin. After the meeting adjourned, the Phillies took batting practice in the indoor cage adjacent to the clubhouse.

Manuel decided to call the meeting after last night's demoralizing, 10-inning loss in which closer Tom Gordon had a ninth- and 10th-inning meltdown.

"There was enough people that talked that probably everybody got something good out of it," Manuel said. "I sense they want to play better and they expect to play better. They think they are better than what they have shown."

The Phillies are off to their worst start since 1982, when they opened 4-12. They also haven't won back-to-back games, the longest they've gone in a season without successive victories since 1982, when they went 22 games.

"Also, Ryan Howard is not in the lineup, although Manuel said he may use him as a pinch-hitter. Manuel expects Howard will be ready to play tomorrow. In Howard's absence, Manuel has juggled the lineup, though the changes aren't expected to be permanent.

RF Shane Victorino
CF Aaron Rowand
SS Jimmy Rollins (right)
2B Chase Utley
LF Pat Burrell
1B Wes Helms
3B Abraham Nunez
C Rod Barajas
P Cole Hamels

I'll have more in tomorrow's paper. Speaking of which, it's time for me to start writing. More later.