April 7 -- ABOUT VICTORINO

CINCINNATI -- Sorry for the late post this morning. The unusual 12:35 p.m. start bumps everything up a bit, and I'm just getting upstairs from the clubhouse now. Anyway, one more game in Cincy before we head to New York for the big home-opener at Shea. Much more on that later today.

For now, though, let's address some great comments from Zach and others about Shane Victorino, who remains in the lineup today despite his 0-for-4, 2-strikeout game yesterday and his 3-for-23 slide to start the season. Victorino took extra swings in the cage for at least an hour after yesterday's game and said he's seeing positive signs even though the results remain lousy. Charlie Manuel said yesterday that Victorino is chasing some bad pitches out of the strike zone and conceded that he may consider giving him a day off. But he also said it's easier to rest your regulars when the team is winning, and the Phillies have won only twice in the first six games.

So, that's that.

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So many questions about Brett Myers' start yesterday. Manuel thought Myers' fastball velocity was down, but Myers insisted he feels fine. Myers was more puzzled by the swings he didn't get on pitches that ordinarily fool hitters. The game story takes a look at one such situation in Corey Patterson's fourth-inning at-bat. Myers told us about a 2-2 slider in the dirt that he expected Patterson to swing at. Instead, Patterson didn't flinch. Patterson ripped the next pitch for an RBI double. Myers couldn't say for certain if he was tipping his pitches. If so, he needs to correct it before his next start, Friday night at home against the Cubs.

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Most pitchers aren't fond of Great American Ball Park, which, like Citizens Bank Park, is prone to allowing a lot of home runs. Cole Hamels loves it here. Hamels gave up one hit in five innings of his major-league debut here in May 2006. Last April, he struck out 15 in a complete-game shutout. Yesterday, he mentioned that the mound here may be the highest in the NL, which he believes gives him an advantage. Regardless, it bodes well for the Phillies, who give the ball to Hamels today.

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For the Spanish-speakers among us: The nameplate above Pedro Feliz's locker here has been replaced by a strip of paper that reads "Pete Happy."

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Phillies lineup today against RHP Bronson Arroyo: SS Jimmy Rollins (.269/1/4), CF Shane Victorino (.130/0/2), 2B Chase Utley (.429/3/6), 1B Ryan Howard (.200/1/2), LF Pat Burrell (.421/1/6), RF Geoff Jenkins (.263/0/1), 3B Pedro Feliz (.211/0/2), C Carlos Ruiz (.188/0/1), LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 1.13 ERA)

More later.