Regardless, the Phillies have a packed end to their season. As it stands, they will play 32 games in the season's final 31 days. Sept. 15 was their final off day this season, and now that is eliminated.
The players' union prohibits teams from playing more than 20 consecutive days without a day off. The Phillies players, led by union representative Jimmy Rollins, voted to forgo that rule in this instance.
"Off days are good," manager Charlie Manuel said. "That's something we'll have to play through. If you have to do something, you have to do it."
Easing that arduous task is the expansion of rosters on Sept. 1. There may be only a few extras who report to the Phillies immediately, because triple-A Lehigh Valley could be in the International League playoffs. But fortifications eventually will arrive.
That does not help Rich Dubee right now. The pitching coach already has been forced to juggle his starting rotation because of last week's rain delays and postponements. Halladay is scheduled for Saturday. Beyond that, there are no certainties. Cole Hamels will pitch Monday in Cincinnati, and Cliff Lee is expected to go Tuesday on eight days' rest.
"Where do you want to push Hamels back?" Dubee said. "Instructional league?"
The rest has eased the heavy workloads of the Phillies starters, but sometimes too much is harmful, Dubee said.
"I think a sixth day is fine," he said. "When you start getting into seventh and eighth days, it's too much. But you can't do much about it."
If the Phillies play Saturday, and if the two teams can play fast enough, the Phils want to fly before the brunt of the storm hits. Then again, that's not up to them. The alternative is flying Monday morning before the game in Cincinnati - something baseball players despise.
"If the FAA doesn't allow us to fly, we're not going to fly," Amaro said. "We can't make that happen."
Ibanez healthy
Raul Ibanez was not in Manuel's starting lineup Friday, but the leftfielder is healthy and available to play, by all accounts. The scorching-hot John Mayberry Jr. started in left.
Ibanez said his left groin strain had healed. He pinch-hit and singled in the ninth inning.
Questions about the lineup decision made the manager act quite defensive.
"Make something out of it if you want to," Manuel said. "I wanted to play Mayberry."
Extra bases
Amaro said Rollins (strained right groin) is moving more, but once again the GM emphasized caution. The shortstop is eligible to return Sept. 6, but the Phillies likely will hold him out longer. . . . Joe Blanton (right elbow soreness) threw 15 pitches off a mound Friday. He still believes he can pitch out of the bullpen in September and will throw another session Tuesday.
Contact staff writer Matt Gelb at mgelb@phillynews.com or @magelb on Twitter.
