Phillies' Halladay still recovering; bullpen struggles against Braves
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Roy Halladay, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, passed through an empty Phillies clubhouse Monday morning without stopping at his locker. It was shortly before 8:30 a.m., and again this would not be a lengthy day for the pitcher.
Halladay lasted just one inning Sunday because of what the team termed a stomach virus. Through a team spokesman, Halladay said he was still sick and contagious Monday. He was at the complex only to receive medication.
It is a curious spring for Halladay, one that has bred boundless conspiracy theories. The truth is impossible to know until Halladay throws again. The Phillies have not yet scheduled his next start, which could come Friday or Saturday.
The team is off Wednesday but will probably have pitchers throw in a minor-league game to stay on schedule. If Halladay's turn comes Friday against Atlanta, he, too, could pitch in a minor-league game because the Phillies start the regular season with the Braves and would not want those hitters to see Halladay fewer than two weeks before that outing.
They could also bump Halladay to Saturday against Baltimore and still keep him on schedule to pitch in one more Grapefruit League game before starting the second game of the 2013 season on an extra day of rest.
A mere 25 pitches Sunday makes evaluation difficult. One scout said Halladay's velocity was improved at 87 to 88 mph. Nonetheless, it required 25 pitches to record three outs. And Halladay has worsened this spring as his outings go deeper, something he was unable to do Sunday.
Halladay typically works hardest the day after pitching. He could not do that Monday.
Phillies officials were confident Sunday that Halladay can ready himself to start the season on time. Whether it be illness or injury, there are myriad questions two weeks before opening day.
LEE DOMINATES: Cliff Lee took the ball Monday and threw 80 pitches to minor-leaguers from the Pittsburgh Pirates system. Predictably, he dazzled. Two hours away, Phillies pitchers were bashed by the Atlanta Braves in a nationally televised Grapefruit League game.
The Phillies held Lee from Monday's game against Atlanta because the lefthander is likely to face the Braves in his first meaningful start of 2013, and he fanned nine Pirates farmhands in six scoreless innings.
GOOD AND BAD OUTING: With Lee dispatched to a minor-league game, the bullpen was asked to complete an entire Grapefruit League game against Atlanta at Lake Buena Vista. The result, 17 Braves runs on 19 hits, was horrifying.
Rodrigo Lopez was the primary culprit in the 17-10 loss. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in two innings. All five Phillies pitchers allowed runs Monday. Atlanta hit five home runs, including one off Mike Stutes, who is pitching for a bullpen job.
Freddie Freeman hit a home run that first bounced off Darin Ruf's glove in left field and then over the fence. It was an up-and-down day for Ruf, who had a runner thrown out at the plate until catcher Humberto Quintero dropped the throw. Ruf lashed two doubles and scored two runs.
Yuniesky Betancourt continued to help his cause at making the roster with four hits. Betancourt is hitting .450 (18 for 40) this spring. He must be added to the 40-man roster by Sunday or else he can ask for his release.
Domonic Brown smashed his fifth home run and added two more singles. He is hitting .400 (24 for 60) with a .471 on-base percentage during his breakout spring.
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