Freddy Galvis

ATLANTA - When Charlie Manuel was asked on Monday who his lefthanded bat off the bench would be on days when Laynce Nix was in the starting lineup, the manager was somewhat stumped before coming to the conclusion that it would be switch-hitter Freddy Galvis. Manuel didn't mention Ender Inciarte, perhaps because he knew the 22-year-old Rule 5 pick, with no experience beyond Class A, wasn't long for the team. Inciarte was designated for assignment on Tuesday. In place of Inciarte is Ezequiel Carrera, a 25-year-old, lefthanded-hitting outfielder.

It was 4:47 p.m. Sunday when a beaming Charlie Manuel sauntered into his team's clubhouse. He found Freddy Galvis, shook the diminutive hero's hand, and disappeared to pack for an eight-game road trip. As Galvis described his elation upon hitting an unbelievable home run that sealed a 3-2 Phillies victory to a throng of reporters, Kevin Frandsen jumped up and down to make Galvis laugh. A few lockers away, Carlos Ruiz struggled to pull green shorts over his wrapped right leg. Across the room, Ryan Howard dismissed the notion that a left knee injury that apparently has afflicted him since spring training was serious.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Five miles away from Bright House Field, Delmon Young made his first exhibition appearance Friday in a Phillies uniform. Playing at the Toronto Blue Jays' minor-league complex in Dunedin, Young went 1 for 4 with a solo home run against R.A. Dickey, the 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner who was traded by the New York Mets during the offseason. "It was good to go out there and actually do something outside of batting practice and watch a game for five innings," Young said.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Humberto Quintero was twice released in the span of 22 days last July. First, when Kansas City designated him for assignment, the Phillies called the catcher right away. He signed with the Miami Marlins instead. His stint there lasted 10 days before he was released. The Phillies called again, and they called a couple of times. Quintero landed in Milwaukee - well, actually, triple-A Nashville. The 33-year-old did not play a major-league game after June 23. His chances of making the Phillies this spring are quite good.

CINCINNATI - The images of terror were shown on four TVs inside the visiting clubhouse at Great American Ballpark. A shirtless Jonathan Papelbon sat stunned. He stood up, pointed to a corner of one screen, and told Cliff Lee, "That's where I lived. " Papelbon played seven seasons for the Boston Red Sox. He called the corner of Boylston and Fairfield Streets home for a majority of that time. The second explosion Monday that rocked Boston happened yards away from his old building, which was above a steakhouse called Abe & Louie's.

WITH JOHN LANNAN expected to miss between 6 and 8 weeks with a strained quadriceps muscle, the Phillies seem likely to give the first crack at filling the void to one of their trio of righthanders at Triple A Lehigh Valley. Tyler Cloyd, Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin are all members of the 40-man roster and would be available to pitch on normal rest Monday, when Lannan's turn next arrives. Martin, acquired from the Dodgers in the Shane Victorino trade last summer, walked four and allowed four runs in his first start of the season but pitched five strong innings in his second, striking out eight and walking two while allowing just one run. Cloyd has the advantage of having pitched for the Phillies last season, but he has also walked seven batters and allowed eight runs in his last two starts.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Yuniesky Betancourt snared a line drive in the ninth inning Sunday and turned it into a double play for his final act as a Phillie. Six minutes after a 7-6 loss to Boston ended, Betancourt slipped on red shorts and walked to Charlie Manuel's office. He emerged a free agent four minutes later, destined for a job elsewhere in the majors. "It was a very difficult decision," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He played great for us. We had some other guys feel great, and we're comfortable with where we are as far as those players are concerned.

JIMMY ROLLINS said he is expecting a contract offer from the Phillies before the shortstop hits the free-agent market. Rollins said in an interview with Comcast SportsNet that whether he becomes a free agent depends on the Phillies' offer. He has said he would like a 5-year deal. Free agency begins 5 days after the World Series ends. "There haven't been any negotiations, actually," Rollins told CSN. "I know that Ruben [Amaro Jr., Phillies general manager] has reached out to my agent via text - that's how you do it nowadays - sent a text or two, maybe an email, but that has pretty much been about it. I was out of the country so I told him I didn't want to do anything while I was away, so it has not progressed in that nature.

It hurts when he runs. It hurts when he fields his position at first base. Nonetheless, when Ryan Howard steps into the batters box and uncoils his dangerous swing these days, opposing pitchers end up hurting just as much. Howard is on the kind of late-season surge that has characterized his career. He had five homers and 11 RBIs in nine games prior to Tuesday's rain-delayed matchup with the Atlanta Braves, but he is likely to get a few days off before the playoffs because of his sore left foot.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - At the beginning of spring training, Rich Dubee was reluctant to apply any labels to Joe Blanton. First, the pitching coach said, he needed to see Blanton take the ball every fifth day. Consider that done. But after Blanton allowed five runs in five innings Monday in a 6-0 Phillies loss to Boston, Dubee could not say when Blanton will make his first start in the regular season. Yes, Blanton is the Phillies' fifth starter. "Right now," Dubee said.