Jan. 24 -- AMARO: EATON WON'T BE NO. 5

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Adam Eaton watched the playoffs, even the World Series, from his couch. He wasn't invited to the Phillies' championship parade. And, now, he isn't even a candidate for the up-for-grabs No. 5 spot in the starting rotation.

"It's a four-man competition, and he's not involved in that," Ruben Amaro Jr. said a few minutes ago at Citizens Bank Park. "Is it possible that Eaton pitches well enough to put himself in the mix? You never know what's going to happen. Right now, we just think those other four guys [Chan Ho Park, J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco] give us a better opportunity to win."

But what about the $8.5 million that Eaton will make in 2009?

Eaton is expected to report to spring training next month, but the Phillies undoubtedly will try to trade him (they've been shopping him all winter). Even then, though, they'll likely have to assume most of his salary. During the winter meetings, one source said the Phillies' asking price for Eaton was merely $1 million of salary relief. If they're unable to find a taker, they'll most likely release Eaton, which will make them responsible for his entire salary less the nearly $400,000 major-league minimum.

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Other notes from this morning's media availability:

--Chase Utley says it's "very realistic" that he'll be ready for opening day. Utley, who underwent right hip surgery in late November, has been doing a five-day rehab program that includes running on an underwater treadmill. He expects to begin running and swinging a bat in 2-3 weeks in Clearwater. "It's about listening to my body," Utley said. "Right now, we are listening, and it's responding well." Amaro, however, says the Phillies won't rush Utley. If he has to start the season on the disabled list, it's a small sacrifice for keeping him healthy for the bulk of the season.

--Ty Wigginton is the latest free agent to draw interest from the Phillies as a right-handed hitter for the bench. I covered Wigginton in the minor leagues when he was a Mets prospect, and he'd be a decent fit here. He has pop and can play second base, third base, first base and left field. Last season, he had 23 homers and 58 RBIs in 386 at-bats for the Astros. Of course, the Phillies don't necessarily have to spend money on Wigginton, Nomar Garciaparra or Moises Alou. They could just use Chris Coste as a right-handed pinch-hitter and keep Ronny Paulino has the primary backup catcher.

--During the World Series, embattled reliever J.C. Romero confided in Brad Lidge about the arbitration hearings to determine if he'd be suspended for testing positive for a substance banned by Major League Baseball. That's significant because Amaro said most Phillies front-office personnel wasn't aware of the hearing, which is confidential. "I was thinking this is remarkable that he's able to perform at his highest level despite all the crap that was happening to him," Lidge said. Lidge's opinion on Romero's 50-game suspension: "I don't think he should've been suspended at all," he said. "He really wanted to make sure he was doing nothing wrong."

More on this, and other Phillies-related stuff, in Sunday's News Journal.