Phillies Notes: Phillies' Werth tried to tune out trade speculation

WASHINGTON - Jayson Werth didn't want the attention, so he wouldn't admit he was paying attention.

He was the constant source of trade rumors a week ago. Heck, a San Diego radio station erroneously reported Werth had been traded to the Padres on Monday.

But at that time, the Phillies were coming off a horrendous road trip and beginning their winning streak. Ruben Amaro Jr. had never closed the door on possibly dealing a player from his major-league roster, saying that if his current players performed better, he wouldn't have said it.

Of course, Werth and the Phillies took matters into their own hands. Before Werth hit a solo homer last night against Washington, entering the game with the Nationals he was hitting .405 (15 for 37) with eight walks and seven strikeouts in the last 10 games he had started.

"The only way I thought I was going to get traded was if we were out of it," Werth said Friday. "Maybe I'm way off base."

Probably not. The Phillies had seriously entertained the idea of trading Werth, even reportedly shopping him to any team with the best offer last week. But as the Phillies began their winning streak and Werth's bat came around, the possibility of a deal faded by the day.

Then, when Shane Victorino strained an abdominal muscle on his left side Tuesday and was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, there was no chance that Werth would be leaving the Phillies.

But now that the Phillies have taken on approximately an additional $12 million with Roy Oswalt's contract through 2011 (minus the money sent by the Astros to complete the deal), it seems even more unlikely that Werth, a free-agent-to-be, is a Phillie beyond 2010.

"I would assume that they would have to add salary if that means I'm coming back," Werth said.

On Thursday, when he announced the Oswalt trade, Amaro dodged a question about the repercussions for Werth.

"This is a situation where we'll have to take that matter when it's time," Amaro said. "Right now we're focused on trying to win this year."

Rollins returns

Wearing a protective guard over his left foot, Jimmy Rollins returned to the Phillies' lineup after missing three games with a bruised left foot.

Rollins said he was available to hit Thursday but couldn't yet play the field. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel decided to keep his shortstop out until Friday.

He wanted more assurance that Rollins was healthy.