April 25 -- FLASH BACK

PITTSBURGH -- Good afternoon, and TGIF, from the Steel City.

Scott Lauber here (not to be confused with Buddy Hurlock, who has been chiming in periodically in this space with his thoughts on the Blue Rocks). Left Milwaukee in a rain storm before the sun came up, and tried to file a post from Gate C30 at bustling O'Hare International in Chicago while I waited for my connecting flight. But the folks at Blogger.com were having some, well, issues that foiled my plan. Better late than never, though, I wanted to go over a few things before we walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge to beautiful PNC Park, one of my favorite National League ballparks, for a 7:05 Phillies-Pirates series-opener. So, without further ado ...

***
Pat Burrell got another big hit -- a game-winning hit, in fact -- yesterday at Miller Park, but that's nothing new. Burrell is having a phenomenal April (it's not too soon, by the way, to start thinking about the possibility that he could play in his first career All-Star Game). But it feels like every game story I've written in the past two weeks has been focused on Burrell and/or Chase Utley (a.k.a., the Dynamic Duo), so I went another way in today's paper and wrote about Tom Gordon.

"Flash," as he's universally known, bailed Jamie Moyer out of a two-on, none-out jam in the seventh inning yesterday. And, very quietly, he has posted a 2.16 ERA in eight outings since that horrendous opening-day performance. Plenty of folks, including yours truly, wondered after that game if Gordon, at age 40, was finally finished. Gordon, himself, admitted yesterday that his opening-day meltdown was tough to get over.

Clearly, though, he's over it. And, just as clearly, he has plenty of bullets left in his right arm. Gordon said yesterday that his curveball (his signature pitch for two decades) felt good in spring training. His success has stemmed from being able to throw his fastball for strikes. And although he fanned Tony Gwynn Jr. on three straight curveballs yesterday, his ability to command his fastball was the key to his success.

***
Ryan Howard won't play again tonight, Charlie Manuel said. Howard's "mental health day" yesterday wasn't quite as productive as Manuel had hoped. Howard pinch-hit in the eighth inning and struck out. He stayed in the game and struck out again in the ninth. So much for a slump-buster. If you've lost track, Howard is now 3-for-28 with 11 strikeouts (and 6-for-41 with 17 Ks).

I asked this question of y'all last weekend, and I'll ask again today: As amateur hitting coaches, how would you go about trying to get Howard out of his funk?

***
Here's a preview of this weekend's series:

PHILLIES at PIRATES
Tonight, 7:05: RHP Adam Eaton (0-0, 4.74) vs. LHP Zach Duke (0-1, 4.37)
Saturday, 7:05: RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 5.59) vs. RHP Matt Morris (0-3, 9.15)
Sunday, 1:35: RHP Brett Myers (2-1, 4.78) vs. LHP Paul Maholm (1-2, 4.22)
Hot: Phillies 2B Chase Utley had three more hits Thursday and is 17-for-33 (.515) over the past eight games; Phillies CF Jayson Werth has hit three home runs in his last four games; Pirates CF Nate McLouth opened the season with a 19-game hitting streak before going 0-for-4 Wednesday; Pirates RF Xavier Nady was batting .385 (15-for-39) over a 10-game hitting streak entering Thursday night's game.
Not: Phillies RF Geoff Jenkins is hitless in his last eight at-bats; Phillies C Carlos Ruiz has two hits in his last 15 at-bats; Pirates 1B Adam LaRoche had two hits in his last 21 at-bats and one home run in 63 at-bats overall entering Thursday night.

Back in a few hours with lineups and other news. For now, I need a nap!

Blue Rocks: A day off

Today is the Blue Rocks' first day off of the season. Let's assess the season so far.

The Blue Rocks are 7-12, tied for third place (and last) in the Carolina League Northern Division, 6.5 games back. The team batting average of .221 is last in the league, and the staff ERA of 3.86 rates seventh out of eight.

About the stolen bases the Blue Rocks have promised? Their 44 steals lead the league by far (Frederick is second at 29). But the Rocks have been caught 22 times, also tops in the league. It's nice to steal bases but being caught one of three times is not ideal.

Catcher Jeff Howell is hitting .359, He only has one home run, but it was a blast (and a grand slam) to center field in Frawley Stadium. So, Howell shows some promise when it comes to providing power. The league has no standout HR hitter at this point. Only five players in the league have hit three or more homers, with just one having four, Frederick's Matt Wieters.

Also hitting well so far are right fielder Joe Dickerson (.344), infielder and reigning league player of the week Kurt Mertins (.339) and third baseman Josh Johnson (.267, 12 walks, .476 OBP).

No one else is hitting better than .222.

On the mound, the standout is reliever Tyler Chambliss. He has three saves in six games with a 1.54 ERA. Everett Teaford and Greg Holland, who every time through the rotation alternate as starter and first reliever, have been effective. Teaford is 1-0 with one save and a 1.04 ERA. Holland is 0-1 with one save and a 3.00 ERA, but has 20 strikeouts in 13 and two-third innings.

As for staff ace Blake Wood, he has had his ups and downs. He is 0-1 in four games with a 5.29 ERA, with 20 strikeouts, 17 hits and six walks in 17 innings pitched.

The Blue Rocks start a six-game homestand Friday night at 7:05 against Winston-Salem. Saturday, the first fireworks show of the season follows the 6:05 game. After a 1:35 game Sunday, Frederick comes in for three games, starting with 6:35 starts Monday and Tuesday, and then an 11:05 a.m. game Wednesday.

April 24 -- HOWARD OUT; ROLLINS REHABBING

MILWAUKEE -- OK, just came upstairs from the clubhouse, and we have two newsy items to report.

1. Ryan Howard, mired in a 3-for-27 slump that has dropped his average to .181, isn't in the lineup today against Brewers RHP Jeff Suppan, and Charlie Manuel said Howard won't play tomorrow night in Pittsburgh against Pirates LHP Zach Duke, either. Consider these "mental health days" for Howard, whose body language over the past few days has reflected his poor performance at the plate.

2. Athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said Jimmy Rollins is taking batting practice today at the Phillies' spring-training facility in Clearwater, Fla., as he continues to recover from a sprained left ankle. No timetable yet on when Rollins may begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Obviously, a lot of that depends on how he feels after taking BP.

The rest of today's lineup: CF Jayson Werth (.300/3/8), 1B Greg Dobbs (.379/2/8), 2B Chase Utley (.368/10/21), LF Pat Burrell (.351/8/23), RF Geoff Jenkins (.239/1/3), 3B Pedro Feliz (.225/3/8), SS Eric Bruntlett (.185/1/1), C Carlos Ruiz (.203/0/6), LHP Jamie Moyer (1-1, 4.79 ERA).

April 24 -- FEELING WERTH-LESS

MILWAUKEE -- Morning, all. Quick turnaround today, so I'll get right to it.

Nobody, not even Cole Hamels, took last night's loss harder than Jayson Werth. When the clubhouse opened to the media, Werth was still in full uniform, seated at his locker and staring into nowhere. And when we walked out of Charlie Manuel's office a few minutes later, Werth, still fully dressed, was watching video of his ninth-inning strikeout against Brewers fill-in closer Derrick Turnbow.

But it was a base running gaffe in the seventh inning that had him most despondent.

"I single-handedly probably gave the game away," Werth said. "On second. Top of the order up. My instincts have got to be better. It was a screw up. I take responsibility for this loss. It's my fault, for sure."

***

Hindsight is always 20-20, so the second-guessers will say Manuel should've replaced Hamels before he gave up the decisive homer by Prince Fielder. I think Manuel did the right thing by sticking with his ace, who had retired 18 of the previous 22 batters, 10 by strikeout. Yeah, I know J.C. Romero's job is to get out left-handed hitters like Fielder. And I know Fielder already had homered once against Hamels. But to me, and apparently Manuel, Ryan Braun's leadoff double wasn't enough of a sign that Hamels was done. And if you're going to lose that game, wouldn't you rather do it with Hamels on the mound than anyone else?

***

Talked to Brad Lidge before last night's game about his strong start. Lidge said it's pretty simple, really. He's sticking with his fastball and slider (his slider has been particularly nasty). Over the past two years, he has tinkered with other pitches in April, and they haven't worked. Last season, after fumbling the closer job in Houston, he scrapped a cut fastball and split-finger, went back to the fastball-slider combo, and pitched well for the rest of the year. This season, he said he was determined to use only the fastball-slider, and so far, it's working.
***

Geoff Jenkins showed his class when he took out a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel last November to thank the fans for 10 good years with the Brewers. Many of those fans showed their last night by giving Jenkins a standing ovation before his first at-bat. It was much different than last season, when they booed Wes Helms, another former Brewer. The difference: Helms left the Brewers of his own volition and signed a free-agent contract with Florida in 2006. The Brewers cut Jenkins loose and made him a free agent when they didn't pick up his $9 million option for 2008.

Fans, like everyone else, prefer to do the dumping instead of being dumped.

Back later with lineups and in-game updates.

April 23 -- RETURN OF THE JENK

MILWAUKEE -- So, after a 5 a.m. wakeup call and an early-morning flight on Midwest Airlines, we've arrived here in the Brew City, home of Arthur Fonzarelli, Laverne and Shirley, and of course, the famous sausages that race around Miller Park during the seventh-inning stretch at Brewers' games. (I'm hardly a gambling man, but I always pull for the chorizo). If you like beer and/or bratwurst (I say yes to both), this is the town for you. When I'm in Milwaukee, I always try to stop here for some dinner.

But the Phillies' resident Milwaukee expert -- and Brett Favre lookalike (see below) -- is right fielder Geoff Jenkins, who spent 10 seasons with the Brewers. He was Milwaukee's first-round pick in 1995, and he ranks second on the franchise's all-time home-run list with 212, behind only Hall of Famer Robin Yount (251). Jenkins liked it here so much that, when the Brewers declined his $9 million contract option for 2008, he took out a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel to thank the fans for their support.

That's classy.

"When you're there for a decade and you're part of something, it's just something I wanted to do," Jenkins told me before last night's game in Colorado. "I enjoyed my time there, had some great success, had a lot of fun, played with a lot of guys, and I thought it was something I needed to do for the fans to give back. I wasn't looking for any feedback. I was just looking to say thanks."

Over the past few seasons, Jenkins' star had begun to fade in Milwaukee, as the Brewers developed young stars like Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun. Jenkins will be in the lineup the next two nights against right-handers Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan. Here's hoping the Miller Park crowd gives him an nice ovation before his first at-bat tonight.

We'll be back with the lineups in a bit.

***

***
(Updated, 6:22 p.m.): Tonight's lineup against Brewers RHP Dave Bush: CF Jayson Werth (.300/3/8), 3B Greg Dobbs (.346/1/6), 2B Chase Utley (.357/9/20), 1B Ryan Howard (.190/4/9), LF Pat Burrell (.357/7/22), RF Geoff Jenkins (.250/1/3), C Carlos Ruiz (.200/0/6), SS Eric Bruntlett (.180/1/1), LHP Cole Hamels (2-2, 1.86 ERA).

April 23 -- BURRELL MAKES 'EM PAY

DENVER -- Pity Clint Hurdle.

With his team leading 6-5 in the ninth inning last night, and the Phillies threatening with runners on second and third and one out, the Rockies manager was faced with an impossible decision. Either he could have closer Manny Corpas pitch to slumping Ryan Howard, or he could order that Corpas walk Howard to pitch to sizzling Pat Burrell.

Flip a coin.

Hurdle made the move that most managers would've made. He walked Howard, setting up a possible game-ending double play and a righty-on-righty matchup between Burrell and Corpas. But, except for Chase Utley, there's been no hotter hitter in the Phillies' lineup -- and perhaps in the entire National League -- than Burrell. And even after falling behind 0-2, Burrell waited for a fastball from Corpas and jerked a bases-clearing double to center field that gave the Phils an 8-6 victory.

"Against a sinker-ball guy, the approach is to just try to get something you can elevate," Burrell said. "A ground ball is not good because that's a double play. Fortunately, I hung around long enough to get something to hit. In that situation, the pressure is really on the pitcher. Not that there's not pressure on the hitter. But he's got to execute pitches.

"When I hit it, I thought, 'Oh cool, a sacrifice fly.' But it seemed like the ball hung up there quite a bit."

***

Stop the presses: The Phillies have won three straight games for the first time this season, and at 11-10, they're over .500 in April for the first time since April 21, 2005.

"Usually, that happens in June," Burrell said.

***
So, in a few hours, it's on to Milwaukee. We'll have more from Miller Park tomorrow, including the return of Geoff Jenkins to the city in which he played for the past 10 seasons. For now, though, here's a look at the matchups for the series.

PHILLIES (11-10) at BREWERS (12-8)
Tonight, 8:05: LHP Cole Hamels (2-2, 1.86) vs. RHP Dave Bush (0-3, 7.02)
Thursday, 1:05: LHP Jamie Moyer (1-1, 4.79) vs. RHP Jeff Suppan (1-0, 4.13)
Hot: Phillies LF Pat Burrell leads the National League with 22 RBIs; Phillies 2B Chase Utley led the NL in home runs (nine), extra-base hits (18), slugging percentage (.823) and total bases (65) entering Tuesday night's game; Brewers LF Ryan Braun, last season's NL Rookie of the Year, has four hits in his last nine at-bats; Brewers OF Gabe Kapler is batting .382 this season after coming out of retirement.
Not: Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz had one hit in his last 15 at-bats before picking up three hits Tuesday night; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard has struck out at least once in eight straight games; Brewers 1B Prince Fielder has only one homer through 20 games; Brewers 2B Rickie Weeks has three hits in his last 19 at-bats.

April 22 -- ATKINS ON UTLEY

DENVER -- Garrett Atkins gave the best-man speech at Chase Utley's nuptials in January 2007 (sorry ladies, Utley is, in fact, married), and he said the experience was more nerve-wracking than playing in the World Series last October.

"That was way worse," Atkins told me before tonight's game. "I was probably 20 times more nervous than trying to hit in the playoffs. It was my first [best-man speech]. I think I had a few cocktails to make myself loosen up a little bit."

And Utley?

"You know him. He doesn't show nerves at all," Atkins said.

And Atkins isn't surprised by the his college roommate's recent power surge. Last night, Utley tied a Phillies record by homering in his fifth straight game, and he leads the NL in several offensive categories, including homers (9), extra-base hits (18) and slugging percentage (.823). Is it too soon to start thinking about him as an NL MVP candidate?

"You don't want to handicap the race in April," Atkins said, "but it's got to be between Chase and [Cubs first baseman] Derrek Lee right now. He got off to the hot start last year, and he was probably the leading MVP candidate at the time he got hurt. He's a great hitter, and when things are going well like they are right now, anything's possible. Six home runs in five days, and nine home runs already, that's pretty impressive."

April 22 -- THRILL OF THE CHASE

DENVER -- So, Chase Utley made history in the sixth inning here last night, becoming only the fourth Phillies player to belt a home run in five straight games. The others: Bobby Abreu (May 8-12, 2005), Mike Schmidt (July 6-10, 1979) and Dick Allen (May 27-June 1, 1969). Pretty good company.

But it was Utley's mind-bending defense that had his teammates talking.

By now, it no doubt has been played on every highlight show. But, in case you missed it, Utley launched himself in the air, practically getting parallel with the ground, to snag Clint Barmes' grounder that hit the mound and changed direction. If the ball had gotten past Utley, it almost certainly would've scored at least one run, perhaps two. The Rockies already were leading 3-0 in the third inning against Kyle Kendrick, and they had the bases loaded with one out.

And while my game story in most editions of The Paper leads with slumping Carlos Ruiz's game-winning hit, the very latest edition features reaction from the Phillies on Utley's defensive wizardry, starting with The Man himself.

Utley: "The ball took a funny hop off the mound, but fortunately, it hung up in the air. I got lucky and caught it."

Kendrick: "It was amazing. That was the play of the game. I owe him a steak dinner. He's pretty good. He saved our [butts]."

Jayson Werth: "Incredible. One of the best plays I've seen -- ever."

Charlie Manuel: "Big play. Great play. That might've turned the game around."

***

If Manuel had to pick the faces for his Mount Rushmore of baseball players, he probably would start with Kirby Puckett and Harmon Killebrew. Hang around Manuel, and you'll hear him talk about those guys a lot. Tony Oliva is another player he mentions quite often. And, of course, he has a long relationship with Jim Thome. But Manuel puts Utley's name right alongside those others.

"Chase Utley is a very, very, very tough player," Manuel said before last night's game. "I've been in the game a long time, and he's as tough as any player I've seen. I'm talking about old throwback players, guys like Pete Rose and Kirby Puckett. You could put Utley in that category. He could play with any of them."

Also, within the notebook, J.C. Romero talks about how he convinced Jimmy Rollins to go on the disabled list.

***

Between Utley's heroics and Ruiz's big hit, I ran out of real estate in the 50-center to really get into Werth's inside-the-park home run in the sixth inning. The ball caromed off the base of the center-field wall and kicked away from Willy Taveras. Werth, probably the funniest guy on the team, was asked if he'd ever hit an inside-the-parker before.

"I was 13. Mount Zion," Werth said, referring to a suburb near his native Springfield, Ill. "Back fields. Corner field. No, it didn't get trapped under the fence."

Just the other day, Manuel was talking about how Werth is deceptively fast. Manuel even said he may take Werth in a foot race against Shane Victorino. So, how did Werth feel as he was rounding third and heading for home in the thin Rocky Mountain air?

"It's not the same as sea level, I'll tell you that," he said. "We almost had to call in an oxygen tank."

***

Spoke to Eric Bruntlett before batting practice yesterday about filling Rollins' shoes. Something to remember about Bruntlett: He's a .250 career hitter who began last season in the minors. In other words, he's no Rollins. But all the Phillies are really looking for from him is solid defense at shortstop, and he certainly came up big Sunday night with his game-ending -- and game-saving -- play to rob Carlos Beltran of the potential single that would've tied the score.

April 21 -- MEMORIES

DENVER -- Because we're at Coors Field, and because I'm staring at the field where this actually happened, please indulge me this flashback to last July 8.

April 21 -- ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

DENVER -- Greetings from the Mile High City.

In addition to being one of my favorite stops in the National League (very underrated among East Coast folks who so rarely come out this way), Denver is, of course, where the Phillies' brief playoff run came to a close last October with a Game 3 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field. I'm sure last night's sweep-averting 5-4 win over the Mets made the overnight flight more pleasant for the Phils, who will send Kyle Kendrick to the mound tonight.

A little about Denver: Coors Field is located in the LoDo (lower downtown) section of town, and there are plenty of good restaurants nearby. If you're ever here, check out this place, or this one, or even this one. But if you eat here, make sure you bring your appetite. Not far from LoDo, you'll find 16th Street Mall, a pedestrian nirvana with plenty of restaurants and shops.

The Rockies were the talk of the town last autumn, winning 14 of their last 15 regular-season games, including that thrilling play-in game against the Padres to capture the NL wild-card berth (still waiting for Matt Holliday to touch the plate, by the way). Then, they swept the Phillies and Diamondbacks to advance to the World Series, where they were ousted by the Red Sox. But, like the Phillies, the Rockies are off to a slow start in 2008, taking a 9-9 record into tonight's game. Here's a preview of what you'll see over the next two days.

PHILLIES (9-10) at ROCKIES (9-9)
Tonight, 8:35: RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 4.40) vs. LHP Mark Redman (2-1, 4.60)
Tuesday, 8:35: RHP Brett Myers (2-1, 3.96) vs. LHP Jeff Francis (0-2, 5.89)
Hot: Phillies 2B Chase Utley is 8-for-16 (.500) with five homers and eight RBIs in the last four games; Phillies C Chris Coste has six hits in his last 10 at-bats; Rockies LF Matt Holliday (right) is 13-for-34 (.382) in the last eight games; Rockies 2B Clint Barmes has started four of the past five games and is 8-for-25 (.320) during that span.
Not: Phillies 1B Ryan Howard has one hit and seven strikeouts in his last 14 at-bats; Phillies C Carlos Ruiz has two hits in his last 14 at-bats; Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki is 6-for-41 (.146) in his last nine games; Rockies C Yorvit Torrealba, who batted .389 against the Phillies last season, has four hits in his last 21 at-bats.

More later from the ballpark.

April 20 -- MORE ON ROLLINS

So, Jimmy Rollins is taking the blame for not agreeing to go on the disabled list sooner, and before tonight's game, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. admitted the Phillies probably erred by not forcing the issue. These quotes -- from Rollins, Amaro and Charlie Manuel -- come courtesy of colleague Geoff Mosher, who's pinch-hitting at The Bank as I travel to Denver for the opener of the Phillies-Rockies series tomorrow.

Rollins: "Most of it was me. [Athletic trainer] Scott [Sheridan] asked me if I was willing a couple days ago, but my idea was to keep going if I could work on it. You know pain is going to be associated, and that's part of it. I don't mind that. But not being able to go out there and be useful was really the ultimate decision.

"It's going to take, at best, a week before you can go out and play, and that's under very good circumstances. The average time is three weeks, 21 days, so getting on [the DL] now only puts me at 25. I was trying to see how far I could go. There wasn't any swelling. There was just it being tender, and of course, going on the DL is something I don't look forward to."

Amaro: "We had talked through this whole process about whether it made sense for us to DL him. Jimmy didn't feel comfortable with that situation. His ankle continued to feel better. It just got to the point where it maxed out. He didn't get to the point where he could play like Jimmy Rollins could play without risking more injury and we agreed."

Manuel: "When he first got hurt, and he came out the next day, the way he was moving around I didn't think it was going to be very long. I definitely didn't think it was going to be 10 days to two weeks or something like that. But that's why you got doctors and that's why there are trainers, and that's why I'm not a doctor and I'm not a trainer."

***

A few quick observations from the Phillies' sweep-averting 5-4 win tonight:

1. From the files of what's in a name, how often do you see Pedro Feliz homer against Pedro Feliciano? Actually, tonight was the first time. And it was a big home run, a game-winner, in fact.

2. Chase Utley has five homers in his last four games.

3. Nobody expects Eric Bruntlett to hit like Rollins. But if he can keep making plays like the one on Carlos Beltran to end tonight's game, he'll have done his job in replacing Rollins.

April 20 -- BREAKING: ROLLINS TO DL (UPDATED)

So, after days and days of insisting that Jimmy Rollins wouldn't have to go on the disabled list, the Phillies announced a few minutes ago that Rollins is being placed on the DL.

Oops.

And, because Rollins pinch-hit yesterday against the Mets, he isn't eligible to be activated until at least May 5.

Double oops.

It should be noted that Rollins looked more mobile yesterday when he tested his sprained left ankle by fielding grounders during batting practice and when he ran to first base after grounding out in the sixth inning. And Rollins has never before been on the DL during his eight-year major-league career. Just yesterday, in fact, he was boasting of his ability to steer clear of the DL. But, as Rollins also said yesterday, "It's an ankle. It would be nice if you didn't have one." He meant that sprained ankles can linger for several weeks, even months. So, it's no surprise that Rollins hasn't progressed much since the injury occurred April 8 at Shea Stadium.

Anyway, we'll have more on this story as it develops.

Outfielder Chris Snelling also went on the DL today with left knee inflammation. The Phillies have recalled infielder Brad Harman and outfielder T.J. Bohn from the minors. Here's a look at how Harman was doing at Class AA Reading and Bohn at Class AAA Lehigh Valley. Offensively, neither has gotten off to a particularly strong start.

(Update, 6:18 p.m.): Here's what Rollins had to say today at The Bank. Click here to listen to the audiofile: Jimmy.mp3

April 20 -- HARD TIMES FOR HOWARD

Well, what do you think is wrong with Ryan Howard? No, I'm really asking. If you have any ideas, the Phillies would love to hear them. Seriously.

Charlie Manuel knows a lot about hitting. A lot. The man loves to talk about it, and he's gone toe-to-toe for hours with the likes of Ted Williams about the best approach to hitting a baseball. But when it comes to Howard's early-season struggles, even Manuel seems to be at a loss.

When the Phillies face the Mets tonight -- and try to stave off a three-game sweep -- at The Bank, Howard will be batting .182 (12-for-66) with 26 strikeouts. He's hitless in his last 10 at-bats with six strikeouts. And the best explanation that he or Manuel can come up with is that he's "uncomfortable" at the plate.

Ya think?

"I'm just not seeing the ball the way I want to see it," Howard said after going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts yesterday. "When you're not comfortable, that's what happens."

Said Manuel, who has told Howard to move closer to the plate, particularly against lefties: "He's just wanting to do too much. He's struggling and not hitting too good right now. That's common. We've got to work our way out of it. Believe me, he's trying hard. He's coachable. He'll listen."

So, amateur hitting coaches, what do y'all think?

***

Spent a few minutes before yesterday's game with Jimmy Rollins, and trust me, it's killing him that he's still unable to start a game. Especially against the Mets. Especially on national TV. At every key point yesterday, Rollins stood on the top step of the dugout to enhance his front-row seat.

Hey, if you can't play, cheerlead.

Considering the circumstances tonight -- Phillies-Mets, ESPN, Mets going for a sweep -- it wouldn't shock me to see Rollins in the lineup, even if he limps to the plate Willis Reed-style. He looked more fluid yesterday fielding grounders before the game, and he seemed to run well to first base after grounding out in the sixth inning. But, if I was a gambling man, I'd say he won't start until at least tomorrow night in Denver.

***

Hey, Phillies fans, Billy Wagner says he disapproves of some of your brethren cheering as Jose Reyes writhed in pain at second base Friday night. What has society come to, Wagner asked.

"It's really sad when humanity comes to the point where somebody getting hurt, it's fun to watch," he said. "It's sad when that happens. Nobody wants anybody to get hurt. I don't want Jimmy Rollins getting hurt. I don't want Pat Burrell to get hurt. I want to compete against these guys because they're the best and you want to beat the best.

"When you see Reyes laying there -- it's a tough shot, a clean play -- and the fans cheering that he's hurt, that just goes and shows you volumes about where our society is headed."

***

Finally, in the Sunday MLB notes, Rollins isn't the only shortstop for whom April has been tough. But the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki seems to be heating up, just in time to face the Phillies.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.

April 19 -- MASTERING THE PHILS?

A few weeks ago, after the Phillies stretched their winning streak to nine games against the Mets, the question was raised here and elsewhere if the Phillies "had the Mets' number."

Uh, maybe not.

The Phillies left 12 runners on base today and squandered their 11th quality start of the season in a 4-2 loss, their fourth straight against the Mets after rallying for a win in the opener at Shea Stadium on April 8. All four Mets wins have come, by the way, with Jimmy Rollins out of the Phillies' lineup. Rollins may not playing tomorrow night either, as the Mets go for a three-game sweep at The Bank in a nationally-televised ESPN game.

So, Mets manager Willie Randolph, how confident is your team feeling against the Phillies right now?

"We were always confident against the Phillies," Randolph said. "There was no doubt in this team's mind. When a team is really on you, and you know you can't beat them, you know that. We lost some games last year against the Phillies in that so-called streak that everyone likes to bring up where we knew we should have won some of those games. If you know that, then you don't lack confidence against a team."

Chew on that, Phillies fans. Talk to you tomorrow.

April 19 -- WORLD ACCORDING TO WAGS

Whenever the Mets visit Philly, Billy Wagner always is a topic of conversation. And, don't kid yourself, the Mets' closer loves it. Wagner spent two seasons with the Phillies, and during that time, he got cheered and booed, just like every other pro athlete in this town. But Wagner never has been shy about sharing his thoughts with the media, and before yesterday's game, he cleared up his recent comments that the Phillies are less of a formidable rival for the Mets than the Braves in the 1990s.

Well, duh.

The Braves won 14 straight division titles. The Phillies have won one, last year. Until the Phillies can sustain long-term success, there's no comparison. And while I was able to include Wagner's thoughts on the Phillies-Mets rivalry in today's notebook, I ran out of real estate to use this quote about how he gets treated by Phillies fans whenever he returns to town with the hated Mets: "It's a tough place to play, a very draining place to play. That's why you have to be ready to go, mentally. [The fans] like to talk about family members and animals. They get a little twisted. It can be a hard thing to swallow."

April 19 -- THIS JUST IN: JOHAN'S GOOD

So, the reviews are in, and guess what? Johan Santana is good. Check out some of the Phillies' comments after last night's 6-4 loss to Johan and the Mets.

Charlie Manuel: "He has tremendous poise. He will give you good pitches to hit, but his slider's good, his fastball's good and his changeup's really good. Give him credit, man. He was that tough."

Chase Utley: "He was mixing his pitches well, and he was hitting the corners extremely well. He's tough.

So Taguchi: "His stuff is perfect, I think."

The Phillies better get used to it, though. They're going to see Santana again at various points throughout the season. I'm no hitting coach, but to me, the Phillies would be best served trying to ratchet up Santana's pitch count rather than swinging at first pitches (I'm talking to you, Pedro Feliz in the fifth inning last night) and get to the Mets' shaky bullpen more quickly. Aaron Heilman, in particular, struggles against the Phils, posting an 8.10 ERA, higher than against any other NL team.

Last night, Santana didn't leave the game until the eighth inning, and the Phillies nearly pulled it off when Greg Dobbs hit a pinch-hit three-run homer against none other than Heilman. What if they could make him throw 100 pitches in six innings? Regardless, though, Santana figures to be a nightmare for the Phils' lefty-dominant lineup. But, then, isn't what the Mets got him for?

April 19 -- VICTORINO AFFECTED BY ROLLINS?

Shane Victorino, strained right calf and all, jogged in the outfield before batting practice yesterday. He will report to the Phillies' spring-training facility in Clearwater, Fla., today, and by Friday, he said he could be playing for Class AA Reading (and for Class AAA Lehigh Valley next weekend). If all goes well, he likely will be activated before the Phillies' April 29 game against San Diego at The Bank.

All of which begs this question: Could Victorino have avoided the disabled list if Jimmy Rollins hadn't already been injured?

"I would think so," Victorino told me and two other reporters before last night's game. "I would think that might have happened. With both of us going down, somebody had to [go on the DL]. Obviously, they felt like he was going to be ready earlier, which is obvious because he was able to [pinch-hit] in games."

But Rollins has been unable to start since suffering a sprained left ankle April 8, and when Victorino went down last Saturday night, the Phillies couldn't afford two active but hobbled players on the bench. So, they placed Victorino on the DL and called up Chris Snelling from Lehigh Valley. Pat Gillick rejected the suggestion that Rollins' injury had anything to do with Victorino's status, saying "it was a decision based on the recommendation of the trainer and the doctor."

The Phillies also considered Victorino's injury history. He missed three weeks last August with a strained calf muscle, albeit in a different region, and was nagged by the injury in September.

"Definitely last year's injury rang a bell," Victorino said. "Same leg, so of course you're going to think, 'We don't want to prolong it for a month, month and a half. Why can't we make it two weeks?' It definitely made the decision easier. But I feel good. The progress is going the right direction. I'm in no rush. I've got until the 28th to get back. Hopefully, I'll be ready."

***

Chatted with Mets star third baseman David Wright before last night's game about his appearance a few nights ago on The Late Show With David Letterman. Smashing baseballs pitched by the soft-tossing Letterman on 53rd Street would foul up plenty of hitters' swings. I asked Wright if his was affected.

"Too early to tell," he said with a smile.

Hmm. Looked pretty good last night. Wright, previously 1-for-11 against Cole Hamels, went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and fell a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Wright had as many hits as the Phillies' entire team against Johan Santana.

***

Didn't make The Paper: Mets manager Willie Randolph on the Phillies' lineup without Rollins and Victorino: "You take that type of speed out of the lineup, of course it's going to be different. That doesn't mean it's any less tough. It's just different."

April 18 -- LINEUPS FOR HAMELS-SANTANA

T-minus 5 minutes until first pitch. ...

For the Mets vs. Cole Hamels: SS Jose Reyes (.296/1/7), RF Ryan Church (.321/2/10), 3B David Wright (.283/4/15), CF Carlos Beltran (.283/1/7), 1B Carlos Delgado (.245/1/6), LF Angel Pagan (.333/0/10), C Brian Schneider (.267/0/6), 2B Luis Castillo (.244/0/1), LHP Johan Santana (1-2, 3.05)

For the Phillies vs. Johan Santana: RF So Taguchi (.286/0/1), CF Jayson Werth (.370/1/5), 2B Chase Utley (.317/4/11), 1B Ryan Howard (.211/4/9), LF Pat Burrell (.373/6/17), 3B Pedro Feliz (.226/2/7), C Carlos Ruiz (.186/0/3), SS Eric Bruntlett (.176/1/1), LHP Cole Hamels (2-1, 0.82)

***

Great stat, courtesy of WIP's Brian Startare: Hamels is only the third pitcher in Phillies history to go seven innings or more and allow one run or less in three straight starts to open a season. The others? Billy Champion in 1969 and Curt Schilling in 1998. Neither Champion nor Schilling were able to do it four straight times.

***

J.C. Romero walked by a few minutes ago and said he's getting his popcorn ready. Should be fun. Enjoy.

April 18 -- MARQUEE MATCHUP

In order to be a baseball writer, one first must love baseball. Makes sense, right? But, and I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this, it's easy to become jaded about baseball when you cover it for a living.

It's a job, much as any other, and while most of us wouldn't trade this particular job for almost anything, the ballparks that once gave us so much joy now remind us of the pressure to write a coherent story while meeting our newspaper's deadlines, the athletes from whom we must coax quotes on a nightly basis, the anxiety that the competition has uncovered a story that we didn't know about, and the many nights and weekends we spend on the road, away from family and friends.

There are times, however, when we're reminded of why we delved into this enterprise in the first place. For me, tonight will be one of those times. There isn't a seat to be had at The Bank to watch the Phillies meet the Mets -- and, more specifically, Cole Hamels meet Johan Santana in a battle of the NL's best left-handers and perhaps the two best changeups in all of baseball. And it'll be my distinct privilege to watch Hamels and Santana and undertake the challenge of writing about them for The Paper and here on The Blog.

This is one of those games that has even the participating athletes excited. After yesterday's game, Phils reliever J.C. Romero told me he doesn't want to miss a pitch. "The first five or six innings, I'll be a fan," said Romero, Santana's former teammate with Minnesota. "I'll be in the bullpen, just watching a nice baseball game. [Santana] is going to bring his best stuff. Cole is going to bring his best stuff. It's going to be fun."

I couldn't agree more.

***

Here's how the Phillies have fared over the years against Santana:

Geoff Jenkins: 3-for-12, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Pedro Feliz: 1-for-4, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Jimmy Rollins: 0-for-3, 1 strikeout
Pat Burrell: 0-for-1, 1 walk
Eric Bruntlett, Chris Coste, Greg Dobbs, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Chris Snelling, So Taguchi, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth have never faced Santana in a regular-season game.

***

With Rollins and Shane Victorino injured, Charlie Manuel seemingly has been throwing darts at the wall to come up with a top-of-the-lineup combination that works. He found one yesterday with Taguchi and Dobbs, who each had two hits in the Phillies' 10-2, series-winning rout of Houston. Taguchi will start in place of lefty-swinging Jenkins tonight against Santana. Manuel said he will consider giving Coste another start, too. Coste went 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs yesterday. Meanwhile, No. 1 catcher Ruiz is hitless in his last seven at-bats and batting only .186.

April 17 -- ROLLINS UPDATE

A little while ago, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. addressed the results of Jimmy Rollins' MRI exam and reiterated that the Phillies do NOT intend to place Mr. MVP on the disabled list. Rollins, as you know, has been out since last week with a left ankle sprain.

"We do believe that he should be ready to play by Saturday or Sunday," Amaro told us in the Phillies' clubhouse. "Not sure if he's actually going to play those days, but he's progressing towards that. We don't have any concern that there's any greater or less damage than we thought."

So, there's that.

April 17 -- WEEK 3 AUDIOFILE

Not to distract from the in-game updates in the post directly below, but as I said we would, Camden Courier-Post beat writer Mike Radano and I taped our weekly Phillies audiocast shortly before today's game started. This week, Mike and I discussed the value of a healthy Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard's need to step up while Rollins is out, and the big weekend series against the Mets, which starts tomorrow night with the dream matchup of Cole Hamels and Johan Santana (more on that later).

To listen to us rap for 12 minutes, click here: R09_0003.mp3

April 17 -- LINEUP ... AND UPDATES

Another day, another lineup for the Phillies. If you're counting, this is the 12th different lineup (not including pitchers) that Charlie Manuel has written out in 16 games. Today's vintage, against Astros RHP Brandon Backe:

CF So Taguchi (.222/0/1)
3B Greg Dobbs (.200/0/2)
2B Chase Utley (.310/3/9)
1B Ryan Howard (.189/3/7)
LF Pat Burrell (.362/5/15)
RF Geoff Jenkins (.216/1/2)
C Chris Coste (.267/1/1)
SS Eric Bruntlett (.207/1/1)
RHP Brett Myers (1-1, 5.00)

Also, Jimmy Rollins underwent an MRI exam today for what the Phillies called "informational purposes." The team says it has been pleased with how Rollins is progressing.

(Update, 1:17 p.m.): So far, Lineup No. 12 is working. Taguchi (above, Getty Images) and Dobbs laced back-to-back singles, and after Utley struck out, Howard lined an RBI single to right. Burrell followed with an RBI single in the hole at shortstop (yes, an infield single for Burrell). Then, Jenkins doubled, scoring Howard. Burrell was out at the plate. Not sure why third-base coach Steve Smith waved him home, but considering it's the first inning, I don't mind him taking a gamble there. 3-0 Phillies, end first.

(Update, 1:37 p.m.): So, Astros third-base Ed Romero just trumped Smith. With two out and the pitcher scheduled to bat next, Romero waved slow-footed Carlos Lee to the plate on a single to right by Humberto Quintero. Lee was easily thrown out by Jenkins. Still 3-0 Phillies.

(Update, 2:03 p.m.): Burrell opened the third with a walk and went to third when third baseman Geoff Blum's throw on a grounder by Jenkins pulled second baseman Mark Loretta off the bag. Coste followed with an RBI double off the left-field wall. Myers, by the way, has five strikeouts through three. 4-0 Phillies, end third.

(Update, 2:16 p.m.): Solo homer to right by Miguel Tejada got Houston on the board, but Utley answered with a two-run shot to right. 6-1 Phillies, fourth.

(Update, 2:57 p.m.): Back-to-back jacks by Howard and Burrell against Astros reliever Oscar Villarreal. 8-1 Phillies in the sixth.

(Update, 3:35 p.m.): To cap his four-hit, three-RBI day, Coste belted a two-run homer to center field against struggling Astros closer Jose Valverde. 10-1 Phillies, end eighth.

April 17 -- SEE YA SATURDAY?

So today's notebook, courtesy of hard-working Martin Frank (muchas gracias, Martin), is chock full of news, starting with the likelihood that Jimmy Rollins won't return to the starting lineup until -- gulp!-- Saturday, at the earliest.

Rollins' sprained left ankle continues to hamper him (apparently, he has taken a cue from Terrell Owens and started using a hyperbaric chamber to speed the healing process), and now comes word that Rollins will leave the team tonight to attend his uncle's funeral Friday in Oakland. So, Rollins will miss the big Friday night Cole Hamels-Johan Santana showdown at The Bank (full preview of that later today). But he's expected to take a red-eye back to Philly and could be available to play Saturday. More likely, though, I think Rollins will be out until at least Sunday. Did you see him hobble to first base after his pinch-hit single last night?

***

Two numbers that should be encouraging to the Phillies:

10 -- Groundouts recorded last night by Kyle Kendrick. That's more like it. When Kendrick is at his best, as he was for most of last season, he uses his sinker to get groundouts. He isn't a strikeout pitcher. Never has been, never will be, regardless of how hard he tries. If only ex-Phillie Michael Bourn hadn't hit that game-winning solo homer, Kendrick may have another win.

9 -- Quality starts in 15 games for Phillies starters (three apiece for Hamels and Adam Eaton, one apiece for Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Kendrick).

***

Martin also brings us these words from assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. about veteran lefty reliever Steve Kline, who signed a minor-league contract last week and is pitching at Class AAA Lehigh Valley: "He's an inventory guy. We have no plans to bring him to the big leagues right now. I think he has [lost velocity]. He probably has to be a little craftier. If he was as effective as he was in the past, he probably wouldn't be where he is right now."

***

On my way to the Bank for a 1:05 first pitch in the series finale with Houston. We'll bring you lineups and pregame/in-game updates, and check back in a few hours for my Week 3 audiocast with Camden Courier-Post beat writer Mike Radano. We'll be talking Hamels-Santana, Phillies-Mets and much more.

April 17 -- HOW MUCH ARE THE PHILLIES WORTH?

Forbes has released its annual rankings of MLB franchise values, and the Phillies came in 10th at $481 million. Not bad, considering the present ownership group bought the team for $30 million in 1981. Here's a list of the top 10 most valuable franchises:

1. Yankees -- $1.306 billion
2. Mets -- $824 million
3. Red Sox -- $816 million
4. Dodgers -- $694 million
5. Cubs -- $642 million
6. Angels -- $500 million
7. Braves -- $497 million
8. Giants -- $494 million
9. Cardinals -- $484 million
10. Phillies -- $481 million

Forbes suggested the Phillies' value rose 5% from 2007, and that the franchise turned a $14.3 million profit last year on revenue of $192 million.

April 16 -- DUBEE TO KENDRICK: BRING US A ROSE!

It had to be the quote of the week, but because Jimmy Rollins (sprained left ankle) and Shane Victorino (strained right calf) have turned the daily Phillies notebook into a medical report, it got buried in The Paper. So, in case you missed it, here's what pitching coach Rich Dubee said last Saturday in response to my question about why Kyle Kendrick suddenly has been trying to strike guys out instead of getting the ground-ball outs that made him so effective last season.

"Last year, I don't even think he knew where he was. He pitched in a blur last year. I wish last year never would've ended and he never would've reflected on what he did. We don't want him to change. Who he is, is what we want. We like Kyle to attack the strike zone, get all the ground balls he can get.

"He wants everything to be perfect when all he has to do is be the guy he was last year. Why change? I told him, it's like dating a pretty girl and bringing her a rose every night and having a great relationship, and then, he stopped bringing her the rose every night. Why change if things are working? Why complicate the matter? Hopefully, he brings the rose next time."

Next time is tonight. Kendrick will start against the Astros at The Bank.

***

Geoff Jenkins ran through third-base coach Steve Smith's late stop sign last night to score the winning run in that stirring, four-run ninth inning. But was Jenkins safe? After watching the replay, Smith still wasn't sure.

***

Rollins didn't start last night, but for now, the Phillies aren't thinking of putting him on the disabled list. If they were, Charlie Manuel's decision to use Rollins as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning was a gaffe. Why? Well, if Rollins hadn't pinch-hit last night and the Phillies placed him on the 15-day DL, they could've backdated the move to last Thursday, the last time he played, making him eligible to be activated April 25. Now, the move can't be backdated before yesterday, so Rollins wouldn't be eligible to come off the DL until April 30.

April 16 -- CALL IT A COMEBACK

So, I was applying the finishing touches last night to a game story about Adam Eaton's third straight quality start -- and a hard-luck loss -- when all hell broke loose at The Bank. To call the Phillies' four-run, ninth-inning rally "improbable" would be an understatement. For starters, the offense was in snooze mode for eight innings against Astros starter Shawn Chacon. Chris Snelling, who hadn't had a hit in the majors since last May 9 or a home run since last April 14 and was called up from Class AAA Lehigh Valley last weekend, was leading off the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter against flame-throwing Astros closer Jose Valverde, who had a 3-0 lead.

It didn't look good for the Phillies. Then, suddenly, they were celebrating a 4-3 win.

And I was doing a lot of re-writing.

A few random thoughts from last night:

1. Seeing Pat Burrell belt a game-tying, two-run homer wasn't particularly surprising. None of the Phillies have swung the bat better than Burrell through the season's first two weeks. The stunning part is that he actually was still in the game. Usually, Burrell is on the bench by the ninth inning, and chances are, if he had reached base in the seventh, he would've been lifted for pinch-runner So Taguchi. Good thing Burrell struck out, isn't it?

2. Last April, Brad Lidge lost his job as the Astros' closer after blowing a save on opening day and allowing five runs (two earned) in the ninth inning five games later. Valverde, his successor in Houston, has one loss, one save, two blown saves and an 11.37 ERA in six games this season. Something tells me he won't be losing his job, though. Lidge, meanwhile, hasn't allowed an earned run in five appearances for the Phils.

3. The Phillies acquired Snelling in November, and ever since, I've heard Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle and Charlie Manuel talk about how much they love Snelling's offensive potential. Now, we see why.

April 15 -- ROLLINS OUT ... AGAIN

Jimmy Rollins took grounders on the infield before batting practice and determined his sprained left ankle is still to sore to play. In particular, he felt it when he moved laterally to his left. But the Phillies still don't believe Rollins will need to go on the disabled list. In fact, if the situation presents itself, Charlie Manuel said he will use Rollins as a pinch-hitter tonight.

Tonight's lineup against Astros RHP Shawn Chacon: CF Jayson Werth (.421/1/5), C Carlos Ruiz (.211/0/3), 2B Chase Utley (.333/3/9), 1B Ryan Howard (.191/3/6), LF Pat Burrell (.359/4/13), RF Geoff Jenkins (.256/1/2), 3B Pedro Feliz (.200/2/6), SS Eric Bruntlett (.208/1/1), RHP Adam Eaton (0-0, 3.95).

Werth, at 6-foot-5, guessed he's the tallest leadoff hitter in baseball tonight. We'll check that out for you. And, yes, it's the first time Ruiz is batting second in his major-league career. He's a good choice, though. He runs fairly well for a catcher and can move runners.

April 15 -- WELCOME BACK, WADE

OK, quick question: When you think of Ed Wade -- and his eight-year tenure as Phillies GM -- what comes to mind first?

The good stuff: Drafting Brett Myers, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels; not trading Howard before Jim Thome got injured in 2005; giving Jimmy Rollins a five-year, $40 million contract extension in 2005.

The bad stuff: Trading Curt Schilling to Arizona in July 2000; firing Terry Francona after a 97-loss 2000 season; giving Pat Burrell a six-year, $50 million contract extension in 2003; trading Placido Polanco for jailbait reliever Ugueth Urbina in 2005; missing the playoffs for eight straight years?

The embarrasing stuff: Landing in a tree in South Jersey during a skydiving mishap last August?

Wade, fired by the Phillies after the '05 season, returns to The Bank tonight with his new team, the Houston Astros. The 'stros have a decent nucleus, including first baseman Lance Berkman, left fielder Carlos Lee, closer Jose Valverde and ace Roy Oswalt, who hasn't been very ace-like lately. They also have some promising young players, including right fielder Hunter Pence, center fielder Michael Bourn and catcher J.R. Towles. And they play in the weak NL Central. Still, it's hard to see Houston contending for a playoff spot in the near future.

***

A few weeks ago, the Phillies would've done anything to skip Adam Eaton's turn in the rotation. But, considering he has made back-to-back quality starts to open the season, and considering that he's 5-0 with a 2.90 ERA in eight career starts against the Mets, they've flip-flopped him and Kyle Kendrick, lining up Eaton to start tonight against the Astros and again Sunday against the Mets.

Eaton attributes his early-season success to the work he did in the offseason with Seattle-based athletic trainer Ken Roll to strengthen his right shoulder. If he pitches at least six innings and allows three runs or fewer tonight, it will be the first time he has had three straight quality starts since last June when he beat the Mets and White Sox and lost to the Tigers.

But will Eaton get cheered tonight by fans who booed him on opening day?

"I pitch for the guys in this clubhouse, not for public scrutiny or praise," he said. "I know the Philadelphia Phillies represent the city. At the same time, I've got to respect these guys in here and give it my all, regardless of a cheer or a boo."

***

Asked a front-office official yesterday about former Blue Rocks pitcher Kyle Snyder, who was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox. Apparently, the Phillies aren't interested. So, there's that. Also, within the notebook, there's an update on old friends Geoff Geary and Michael Bourn, who return to The Bank tonight with the Astros.

***

Mets third baseman David Wright made a guest appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman last night and admitted he's amused by watching fights in the stands at Shea Stadium between Mets and Phillies fans. He also hit a few Letterman-pitched baseballs over taxi cabs on 53rd Street. Funny stuff.

April 15 -- GOLSON, ANYONE?

So, I've gotten a few e-mails from folks who are wondering why the Phillies didn't call up center-field prospect Greg Golson to replace injured Shane Victorino. It's a good question, but really, there's a simple answer.

Golson isn't ready.

Yes, Golson has hit safely in eight of 10 games this season for Class AA Reading. Yes, he has a team-leading eight RBIs. And, yes, he's leading the Eastern League with seven stolen bases. But Golson also has struck out 12 times (and drawn only two walks) in 43 at-bats. That's one strikeout per 3.58 at-bats. To put it in perspective, NL strikeout leader Ryan Howard (17 in 47 at-bats) has whiffed once every 2.76 at-bats.

If Victorino was going to be sidelined for several months, the Phillies may have considered bringing up Golson. But, with Victorino expected to return in only a few weeks, they have the luxury of keeping Golson in the minors until he proves he can make more consistent contact.

Blue Rocks: Home for three

The Blue Rocks are home for three games this week, and hopefully some home cooking can jump start their season.

The Rocks are off to a 3-7 start, enduring a tough road trip during which they went 2-4. The trip started with 4-3 and 8-7 losses to Salem, the first one taking 14 innings and leaving the Rocks with only available reliever the next night. In that 8-7 setback, the Blue Rocks eventually had to ask utility infielder Wilver Perez to close the game, and a three-run lead turned into a one-run loss.

Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2004, it was Perez's professional pitching debut.

The Blue Rocks won 5-4 the next night to escape Salem with one win.

In Lynchburg, the Blue Rocks won the opener 2-0 behind another solid effort from the pitching tandem of Everett Teaford and Greg Holland. But two more losses to finish the road trip followed, including a ghastly 14-2 loss on getaway day Sunday.

Back home tonight, the Frawley Stadium weather remains chilly as ace Blake Wood (0-0) makes his third start of the season. First pitch against Kinston is at 6:35, with games Tuesday and Wednesday starting at the same time.

The Blue Rocks offense improved slightly on the road trip. But the Rocks are hitting .216 as a team, not a good number to have if that's an improvement. John Sadak (the Blue Rocks' director of broadcasting/media and on-air play-by-play announcer for WWTX-AM) has reported that Jeff Bianchi (.111) has taken to growing a mustache as perhaps some help to his offense.

Right fielder Joe Dickerson has not been cold. He's hitting .395 (15-for-38) and his six stolen bases lead the Carolina League. The Californian stole 26 bases in 115 games for low-Class A Burlington (Iowa) last season.

Much was made about how aggressive the Blue Rocks would be this season on the bases. Their 23 stolen bases lead the league. The Rocks have been caught 12 times, second in the league, though it should be noted that pickoffs are sometimes not officially recorded as being caught stealing, and the Rocks have had at least four of those I can think of.

Josh Johnson, who is starting tonight, has split time with Kurt Mertins at third base. His bat has also been a welcome one in the lineup. Johnson is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with five walks.

Tonight's lineup: CF Derrick Robinson, SS Chris McConnell, DH Bianchi, RF Dickerson, 2B Perez, 1B David Wood, 3B Johnson, C Jeff Howell, LF Brett Bigler.

UPDATE: Kinston wins 7-5. In the bottom of the second, Howell blasted a grand slam, the Blue Rocks' first grand slam since September 2006. But Blue Rocks pitching gave up 11 hits and 11 walks, as Blake Wood had an 82-pitch count (42 for strikes) over three innings. Chris Nicoll worked next. In 3 and two-thirds innings, he struck out four and gave up one run, also walking three. When Nicoll left the game, it was 4-4. "I thought Nicoll did a great job in getting us deep in the ballgame and giving us a chance to win. We just came up a couple hits short," manager Darryl Kennedy said.

April 14 -- VICTORINO, ROLLINS & CRYING FOUL

So much to discuss from yesterday's wild one at The Bank. Good thing the Phillies are off today, leaving us time to digest everything. We'll start, though, with a few injury updates, both of which are covered in the notebook in the 50-center.

Shane Victorino: Turns out, an MRI exam showed his right calf strain is in a different location -- and is less severe -- than last season when he missed three weeks in August and was in and out of the lineup in September. Best-case scenario, he starts running by the end of the week, goes on a minor-league rehab assignment when the Phillies are in Denver and Milwaukee and comes off the DL on April 27 in Pittsburgh. But athletic trainer Scott Sheridan made it perfectly clear that they won't rush Victorino. Lesson learned after last season, I suppose.

Jimmy Rollins: He took a "significant step," according to Sheridan, by running in a pool yesterday. He'll work out at The Bank today, and if everything goes well, he may be back in the lineup tomorrow night against the Astros. Rollins hasn't started the past five games. That's only happened one other time in his major-league career (July 18-22, 2003).

***

Take your pick of reasons the Phillies lost yesterday.

1. They went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position
2. They left 15 runners on base.
3. Third-base umpire Adrian Johnson completely botched a sixth-inning call when he ruled that Mark DeRosa's foul ball was a home run. Charlie Manuel argued and got ejected. The replay clearly showed the ball went foul. "Really? You mean the umpires were wrong?" Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.

But, to me, the biggest culprit was the defense. Chase Utley committed a 10th-inning error on a would-be double play that allowed Ronnie Cedeno to score the go-ahead run. Meanwhile, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee saved the game in the ninth inning by stabbing a bouncer by Carlos Ruiz that would've driven home the winning run if it had reached the outfield. Cubs reliever Kerry Wood also made a nice play on a bunt in the ninth inning, and Cedeno handled So Taguchi's sharp grounder to snuff out a two-on, two-out rally in the 10th.

Utley leads NL second basemen with four errors. Only the Pirates (18) have committed more errors than the Phillies (15). I asked this question in a post last week, but it bears repeating. Are you worried about the Phillies' defense?

***

Barring rainouts or changes to rotations, Cole Hamels will face Johan Santana Friday night when the Mets visit The Bank. Ryan Howard's eyes lit up at the prospect of that matchup. "Two of the best change-pieces in the game right there," Howard said, referring to Hamels' and Santana's filthy change-ups.

***

If Rollins plays tomorrow night, he's expected to wear No. 42 in honor of the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major-league debut. Former Phillies outfielder Michael Bourn will wear No. 42 for the Astros.

April 13 -- LINEUP NEWS

Just got upstairs from the clubhouse, and Geoff Jenkins is, in fact, batting leadoff for the first time in his career. Jenkins said he thought it was a joke when he walked into the clubhouse and saw the lineup posted near the door.

"I was like, 'Nah, somebody just grabbed the dry-erase pen,'" Jenkins said. "I talked to Charlie [Manuel] and said, 'If I'm going to lead off, I've got to have the green light.' He's like, 'Uh, no.'"

Why Jenkins? Manuel cited his career success against Cubs starter Jason Marquis (10-for-32, three triples, six RBIs). Jayson Werth is batting second and playing center field in place of Shane Victorino, who is seeing team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti right now.

"I chuckled a little bit when I saw the lineup," Werth said. "If all the lineups that I projected in my head, Jenks leading off was not one of them. That's why I love Charlie, man. I looked at the lineup and said, 'That might work.'"

The rest of the lineup: RF Jenkins (.243/1/2), CF Werth (.400/0/3), 2B Chase Utley (.326/3/8), 1B Ryan Howard (.205/3/6), LF Pat Burrell (.378/4/12), 3B Pedro Feliz (.220/2/6), C Chris Coste (.308/1/1), SS Eric Bruntlett (.105/0/0), LHP Jamie Moyer (1-0, 4.66)

Howard's impression of the lineup, minus speedsters Victorino and Jimmy Rollins: "I don't know if our short game is going to work. I've been upgraded to the yellow [light] now."

By the way, Manuel reiterated that Rollins should be ready to play Tuesday night against the Astros. Rollins' reaction: "Don't know."