July 2 -- SWINDLE & LINEUP

ATLANTA -- So, have you ever seen a 53 mph curveball?

One scout here in the press box has, and it was pitched by R.J. Swindle, who was called up by the Phillies last night. Swindle, a 24-year-old lefty who has spent parts of the past three seasons in independent ball, arrived in the clubhouse at about 3 p.m. and told us he got about 2 hours of sleep last night. But his numbers at Class AAA Lehigh Valley and Class AA Reading have been stellar (2-0, 1.35 ERA, 48 strikeouts and only six walks in 40 innings). The scout said that Swindle's slow stuff had left-handed hitters in the minors "all fouled up."

Then, there's this from Newark Bears manager Wayne Krenchicki, who managed Swindle last season in independent baseball: "He's proof that sometimes, it's not about the number on the gun. The key is the difference in velocity is so much that it's tough to adjust, especially for left-handed hitters. We're so obsessed with what the gun reads that at some point we have to understand that it's not about the gun but about getting hitters out, and if you just look at the numbers, he's done that at every level on the way up."

It'll be interesting to see if Swindle gets a chance to face any of the Braves hitters tonight.

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Tonight's lineup against Braves RHP Jorge Campillo (3-2, 2.54): SS Jimmy Rollins (.267/6/28), CF Shane Victorino (.274/3/22), 2B Chase Utley (.298/23/65), 1B Ryan Howard (.218/20/68), LF Pat Burrell (.275/20/51), RF Jayson Werth (.268/11/32), 3B Pedro Feliz (.256/9/40), C Chris Coste (.312/7/20), RHP Adam Eaton (2-6, 4.86).

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Still no word on who will replace Brett Myers in the rotation, and I don't necessarily expect the Phillies to make a move until tomorrow. My best guess remains J.A. Happ, who now isn't slated to start until Friday night for Lehigh Valley.