Phillies Notebook: Oswalt feels better, eyes return to roster soon

THE GUNSLINGER from down in the delta has walked with a noticeable spring in his step over the past few days. Yesterday, it was easy to see why, as Roy Oswalt turned in a sharp three-inning performance in a simulated game at Citizens Bank Park. Both he and the Phillies sound optimistic that his next step will be a rehab start in the minor leagues.

That could come as soon as Wednesday if Oswalt gets his way. He is scheduled to throw another bullpen session tomorrow before he and the team finalize the next step.

Oswalt, sidelined since June 23 with bulging disks in his back, said yesterday he thinks he can get his arm ready with only one rehab outing. The Phillies, however, will err on the side of caution when it comes to the 33-year-old righthander. Even before Cole Hamels held the Padres to one earned run over eight innings last night, their pitching staff had combined to go 14-7 with a 3.18 ERA in the 21 games since Oswalt's last start. Their biggest goal is to have Oswalt pitching in the stretch run as he did in his first four starts of the season, when he went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 21 strikeouts and six walks in 24 innings.

"Clearly, he seems to be passed some of the back issues he's been having, so that's a great thing," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "[One rehab start] is optimistic. I don't know if it's realistic. But he knows his body better than anybody else. . . . We've got to be cautious with him. We still need him for the long haul."

Lidge back, Baez gone

 

The biggest questions about Brad Lidge's role have yet to be answered: Can he stay healthy? Can he pitch as he did last year down the stretch? And if both of those answers are "yes," where does he fit into the Phillies bullpen? Pitching coach Rich Dubee apparently is taking a wait-and-see approach, because he repeated those words at least three times to reporters who asked him about the return of his former closer.

"We're not going to make concessions," Dubee said. "He's going to pitch when we think the opportunity is right."