Antonio Bastardo

Danys Baez does not watch much baseball these days. He is paid $2.75 million to stay away from the game that once compelled him to spend 10 days in hiding to defect from his home country. "It's tough for me," Baez said Friday from his Miami home. But then he heard about Antonio Bastardo, and Baez was interested in baseball again. For the first five months of the season, Bastardo emerged as one of the game's most dominant relievers. It was something Baez, who mentored the 25-year-old Phillies lefty, took pride in watching.

The Phillies will have their closer back when the first-place Mets come to Philadelphia. Satisfied with his rehab from off-season elbow and knee surgeries, the Phillies will activate Brad Lidge from the disabled list before Friday's series opener against New York, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Thursday. To make space for Lidge, lefthander Antonio Bastardo will be optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Lidge pitched in eight rehab games between Lehigh Valley, double-A Reading and single-A Clearwater.

IT TURNED OUT to be a good bullpen night: Antonio Bastardo got two strikeouts in the eighth inning and Chad Qualls followed him and got the third out, surviving a line drive that was caught by Hunter Pence in rightfield. Then Jonathan Papelbon — warming up in a save situation — still pitched the ninth after Placido Polanco's home run turned it into a non-save situation. But it was one night. And, well, put it this way: if the Phillies expect to do any damage in October, they will need to acquire a power bat and fix their bullpen.

THE ETERNAL optimism that wells inside of Charlie Manuel and Jimmy Rollins is either a spiritual gift or a coping mechanism. Either way, the Phillies have no choice but to buy into the belief that, at some point, a victory like the one they posted against the Padres Sunday will jump-start the winning streak that will take them over .500 for the first time since Opening Day. "This is a team that can go on a run and put things together," Rollins...

BUFFALO - Antonio Bastardo scattered six hits over seven shutout innings to lead the Lehigh Valley IronPigs past the Buffalo Bisons, 7-1, yesterday in the International League. It was the righthander's second start for triple-A Lehigh Valley after being promoted from double-A Reading last week. He struck out 11 in six innings against Charlotte on Saturday but did not get a decision. Bastardo was 2-2 for Reading with a scintillating 1.82 ERA. Akron 6, Reading 5 Reading 2, Akron 1 AKRON, Ohio - A two-run single by Ozzie Chavez in the top of the seventh gave the Phillies a win in the second game of an Eastern League doubleheader.

Lefthander J.C. Romero said he would pitch in only one rehab game - Tuesday at single-A Lakewood - before being activated from the disabled list. He could return to the Phillies on Wednesday, which is the first day he is eligible to come off the DL. Romero strained his right calf April 18. He will throw a bullpen session and participate in pitchers' fielding practice to test the strength in his calf. He has been throwing to keep his arm strong. "I feel good," Romero said. When he does return, it will be interesting to see how Romero is used with the emergence of Antonio Bastardo, who has allowed only one run in 2011.

Joe Blanton reached for his helmet and bat without hesitation. Maybe, if he avoided Charlie Manuel or Rich Dubee in the dugout, he could extend his outing beyond the seventh inning Monday. Manuel stopped Blanton before he escaped. "How do you feel?" the manager asked his fifth starter. "Good," Blanton said. So he batted. Even as Blanton cursed when Manuel finally emerged with the hook in the eighth inning of a 5-1 Phillies victory over Houston, there was so much to be happy about.

Noah Hall drove in three runs to lead the Trenton Thunder past the Erie SeaWolves, 9-6, in the Eastern League last night. Gabe Lopez had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Andy Cannizaro added two more RBIs. Earlier, Thunder outfielder Justin Christian was promoted to triple-A Scranton. Trenton got outfielder Colin Curtis and first baseman Juan Miranda from single-A Tampa. First baseman Shawn Garrett was released. Columbus 4, Ottawa 0 COLUMBUS, Ohio. - John Lannan pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and four relievers completed the shutout as the Clippers beat the Lynx in the International League.

J.C. Romero has a new partner. Looking for another lefthanded reliever to help combat the dangerous Dodgers duo of James Loney and Andre Ethier, the Phillies have called up 24-year-old Antonio Bastardo from Triple A Lehigh Valley. Bastardo was on the Phils' Opening Day roster, but was used sparingly during the first two-and-a-half months of the season. After allowing two runs and hitting two batters in two-thirds of an inning against the Yankees on June 15, the Phillies placed him on the disabled list with elbow inflammation.

Luke Appert's two-run homer led a three-run fourth inning last night as the Reading Phillies beat the Connecticut Defenders, 5-3, in the Eastern League. Reading starter Antonio Bastardo struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings and allowed only two runs. Connecticut000111000 -364 Reading10301000x -580 WP: Travis Minix (3-6). LP: Dave McKae (7-9). Save: Justin Pope (10). HR: C-Olmo Rosario (10); R-Luke Appert (7). A: 6,300. Pawtucket320000006 -11182 Lehigh Valley040000000 - 4 81 WP: Marcus McBeth (2-1)

Joe Blanton reached for his helmet and bat without hesitation. Maybe, if he avoided Charlie Manuel or Rich Dubee in the dugout, he could extend his outing beyond the seventh inning Monday. Manuel stopped Blanton before he escaped. "How do you feel?" the manager asked his fifth starter. "Good," Blanton said. So he batted. Even as Blanton cursed when Manuel finally emerged with the hook in the eighth inning of a 5-1 Phillies victory over Houston, there was so much to be happy about.

IT TURNED OUT to be a good bullpen night: Antonio Bastardo got two strikeouts in the eighth inning and Chad Qualls followed him and got the third out, surviving a line drive that was caught by Hunter Pence in rightfield. Then Jonathan Papelbon — warming up in a save situation — still pitched the ninth after Placido Polanco's home run turned it into a non-save situation. But it was one night. And, well, put it this way: if the Phillies expect to do any damage in October, they will need to acquire a power bat and fix their bullpen.

THE ETERNAL optimism that wells inside of Charlie Manuel and Jimmy Rollins is either a spiritual gift or a coping mechanism. Either way, the Phillies have no choice but to buy into the belief that, at some point, a victory like the one they posted against the Padres Sunday will jump-start the winning streak that will take them over .500 for the first time since Opening Day. "This is a team that can go on a run and put things together," Rollins...

The eternal optimism that wells inside of Charlie Manuel and Jimmy Rollins is either a spiritual gift or a coping mechanism. Either way, the Phillies have no choice but to buy into the belief that, at some point, a victory like the one they posted against the Padres Sunday, will jump-start the winning streak that will take them over .500 for the first time this season. "This is a team that can go on a run and put things together," Rollins said after the Phillies recorded a 3-2 matinee victory at Citizens Bank Park to take two out of three games from the Padres.

ATLANTA - Around 9:15 Tuesday night, Antonio Bastardo tugged on his cap and climbed on the mound that helped vault him into prominence. You remember that game, don't you? It was 13 months ago, April 8 at Turner Field, the Phillies trailing 6-3 in the top of the sixth, the game destined to end in a garden-variety, early-season loss. In terms of leverage and pressure, it was one of the more inconsequential appearances Bastardo would log last season. But when you consider the impact it had on the evolution of the Phillies' bullpen, it meant everything.

PITTSBURGH - Sam Perlozzo stood in the visiting dugout at PNC Park and marveled at the majestic view of this city. The Phillies first base coach turned around, saw Joe Savery and Freddy Galvis, and smiled. "Big-league baseball," Perlozzo said. "Can you beat this? Is there anything better than this?" The two Phillies, both on an opening-day roster for the first time in their careers, didn't say a word. Savery smirked. Galvis fidgeted with his glove. Soon, the rest of their teammates filtered from the clubhouse onto the field, where these Phillies endured one more perfunctory workout.

TAMPA, Fla. - Antonio Bastardo sat in the visiting clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field and kept pounding his left arm, which was wrapped in ice, with his right fist. "I was feeling more power," Bastardo said. He pounded his arm again. "I was feeling on top of the ball," he said, "and I felt the whip of the ball. " That is a relief for the Phillies, who may have one less bullpen question. Bastardo started Friday's 13-9 Phillies loss to the Yankees and faced four batters.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - There is concern about Mike Stutes' balky shoulder, but even more about a muddled Phillies bullpen picture less than one week until the 2012 season starts. Stutes was scratched from his scheduled appearance Friday because of right shoulder stiffness. He had been dealing with it for at least a week and originally thought it was normal spring training tightness. But it persisted. "I finally had to say something," Stutes said. Stutes, 25, was considered a lock for a bullpen job even with a shaky spring.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Pitching coach Rich Dubee is concerned about the lefthanded pitcher he expects to fill a crucial role in his bullpen and smitten with another one he sent to the minors Tuesday. Antonio Bastardo was charged with three runs on two hits and a walk Tuesday. After a week of inaction to rectify what the Phillies believe is a dehydration issue, the team has yet to see improvement in Bastardo's velocity. "I would say there is mild concern," Dubee said after a 5-4 victory over Pittsburgh.