Aug. 24 -- FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

It's going to be a big Friday night in Reading. Chase Utley and Adam Eaton will be making rehab appearances there in an Eastern League (double-A) doubleheader against Akron.

Utley, as you know, is recovering from a broken right hand. He'll play second base in the first game, DH in the second. He's scheduled to play second base again tomorrow, and although the Phillies have offered any definitive plans for him Sunday, GM Pat Gillick said Utley won't be activated until Monday. But, if Utley feels no pain the next two nights, I'm betting he's in the lineup Sunday against the Padres, which, in many ways, is a bigger series than the four games against the Mets. The wild card is looking like a more realistic path to the playoffs than winning the division, even though the Phillies don't want to hear that.

Eaton, placed on the disabled list last week with right shoulder inflammation (and a National League-worst 6.36 ERA), will start the first game tonight and throw about 40 pitches. It'll be like a more intense bullpen session, with Eaton aiming to start Tuesday night against the Mets, a team he has dominated (5-0, 1.89 ERA) during his career.

Check back here tonight for updates.

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From the Didn't Make The Paper files: Tom Gordon insisted he felt fine during the eighth inning of yesterday's 5-2 loss to the Dodgers, even though he allowed three runs on two hits and two walks and didn't retire any of the four batters he faced. For the past week, Charlie Manuel has been saying Gordon is close to being able to pitch in back-to-back games. Yesterday, Gordon agreed.

"I've got to get out there," he said. "I think I'm very close. I just hope I'm not tricking myself. I hated that happened [yesterday]. It's definitely not the way I wanted it to go, at all. I hated to put [reliever Geoff] Geary in that situation. I hated to put our team in that situation."

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Kevin Noonan wonders what's wrong with Ryan Howard. Is he just struggling, or was he a one-year wonder? You tell me.