Carlos Ruiz

ROY HALLADAY yesterday had surgery to repair his $20 million shoulder, which, with the rest of him, was 36 years and 1 day old. The surgery likely will end his season and surely will alter his career. Mike Adams, the Phillies' featured addition to their pitching staff, has pitched through aches all season and is shelved for the time being with a back injury. Veteran middle man Chad Durbin, usually lousy early in seasons, has been lousy early this season. Huge reliever Phillippe Aumont, a 24-year-old who had pitched in 31 major league games since he was called up in late August, has pitched like a giant 24-year-old with about a half-season of experience.

1. Carlos Ruiz's elbow          2. J.C. Romero's back 3. LeSean McCoy's ribs       4. Michael Vick's ribs

The cameras first surrounded Erik Kratz, who said he was "disappointed" when he arrived Monday at Citizens Bank Park and did not see his name in the lineup. Then the pack shuffled to the other side of the Phillies clubhouse to question Humberto Quintero. All the while, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels stared as the two catchers were interviewed. Halladay, immersed in preparation for his start, raised his head from his notes and sneered. The players may have viewed it as a media concoction, but the melodrama Monday was set in motion by Halladay's words five days earlier.

MAY IS A month in which any amount of optimism can be excused, and if you spend enough time scanning the airwaves and sports pages in this town you will find a number of sources attempting to talk themselves into believing in this Phillies team. Some of that might be the result of a coping mechanism - the thought of 4 months of meaningless baseball is a weighty thought to process - but even the most ardent of cynics cannot deny the multitude of variables that could blossom into positives between now and October.

IF BEN REVERE was hitting .300 and doing the types of things the Phillies envisioned when they acquired him from the Twins, he might have started in centerfield last night against the Marlins. But the diminutive speedster was hitting .204 with a .471 OPS that ranked ahead of only Adam LaRoche among qualified batters in the National League. On top of that, he had jammed a finger sliding into second base during the third inning of the Phillies' 6-0 loss to the Indians on Wednesday.

If you are heading to tonight's exhibition game against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies will be using what could be their lineup for Opening Day. Charlie Manuel has talked this weekend about using Juan Pierre at the top of the lineup and moving Jimmy Rollins down to third. Manuel used 108 different lineups in the regular season last year, but the batting order he used most often (10 times) had Rollins batting third. Another interesting quirk, when Pierre bats first, the Phillies might bat 5 straight hitters who average under 10 HRs per season (Carlos Ruiz, Freddy Galvis, Pitcher, Pierre and Polanco)

Count Wilson Valdez among the many who would not enjoy seeing Carlos Ruiz and Brian Schneider become unavailable in a game at the same time. Valdez is the Phillies' emergency catcher to start the season, said Mick Billmeyer, the team's bullpen coach and catching instructor. Every team picks a guy in case something bizarre happens. Rarely is one needed. "Please, God, no," Valdez said. The 32-year-old utility man said he played catcher once - as a 20-year-old for Montreal's Dominican summer-league team in 1998.

This was was no Phanatic puppet, even if it did have green fur and a face. Including mini-megaphone beak and tongue. It's a Phanatic Dangle Hat, explained Francis Winkey, holding the new novelty item aloft inside the Majestic Clubhouse Store he manages at Citizens Bank Park. The "dangle" part refers to blue-tassled green thingies that hang over the wearer's ears. "I really believe this will be our No. 1 seller this year," Winkey said. It's "OSFM" - one size fits most - and will sell for $24 when it hits the shelves there, sometime around the first home exhibition game, April, 1, Winkey said.

Here is who plays where for the Phillies: ROTATION Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton CATCHER Carlos Ruiz, Brian Schneider FIRST BASE Ryan Howard, Ross Gload SECOND BASE Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez, Pete Orr THIRD BASE Placido Polanco, Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez, Pete Orr SHORTSTOP Jimmy Rollins, Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez LEFT FIELD ...