April 26 -- SNELL TO HOWARD: 'BE YOURSELF'

PITTSBURGH -- Few pitchers have made Ryan Howard look more foolish at the plate over the past few years than Ian Snell. Snell, who considers Howard a close friend, even joked in spring training that he "owns" the Phillies' first baseman, who is 1-for-10 with six strikeouts against him.

So, with Howard mired in the deepest slump of his career, I decided to visit with Snell yesterday to find out if he ever has seen him look worse. Turns out, Snell had already talked to Howard about a funk that has grown to 0-for-12 (eight strikeouts), 3-for-30 (15 strikeouts) and 6-for-42 (18 strikeouts).

"From a friend to a friend, I just told him to relax and be yourself," said Snell, the Pirates' right-hander and Caesar-Rodney High product. "He's a good hitter. He'll figure it out eventually, and he's going to strike fear in everybody again. He'll be fine. Everybody's going to start pitching him, and he's just going to start realizing what's coming and he's going to hit it 1,000 feet."

The Phillies will just have to trust that Snell is right.

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So, as I tapped away last night at the game story for The Paper's final edition, I considered shifting the focus away from the success of Charlie Manuel's creative lineup and spending more words on Adam Eaton's struggles. In the end, maybe because the Phillies held on to beat the Pirates, I stuck with the initial theme and looked at the three-hit, three-RBI night for new No. 5 hitter Chris Coste.

That said, we really should talk about Eaton, who, after being staked to a 6-0 lead, allowed three runs in the fourth inning and may have given up more if Manuel hadn't removed him from the game. Manuel, clearly frustrated, winged his gum as he trudged to the mound, and after the game, he took a few not-so-subtle shots at Eaton.

"I felt like he didn't have a whole lot when he started the game," said Manuel, who lost faith in Eaton last season while the right-hander posted a 6.29 ERA in 30 starts. "But through three innings, he did make a pitch when he had to, every now and then. In the fourth inning, they were hitting the ball hard, and he was starting to struggle. I thought they were catching up with him. If you want to know the truth, I didn't think he was going to hold 'em."

Regarding Eaton, Coste said, "I don't know if he was feeling very well." Eaton cryptically insisted nothing was wrong with him. Stay tuned, though, and pay close attention to Eaton's next start, slated for Thursday against the Padres at The Bank.

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Jimmy Rollins update: Manuel said he has been taking infield and batting practice at the Phillies' spring-training complex in Clearwater, Fla. Still no word on when he will begin playing in minor-league rehab games. That will be determined by how his sprained left ankle responds to the physical activity. The Phillies have time, too. Rollins can't be activated until May 5.