Manuel compared the situation to the 2008-09 seasons in which Matt Stairs was limited with his field play (115 games played, 19 of which he played in the field and 15 he started) and in 2011 when Ross Gload was hampered by a hip injury and made only seven starts in the final 55 games of the regular season.
There has been some talk and chatter that the Phillies should trade Thome to an American League team if he can't play the field for the Phillies. But I don't see that happening. The coaching staff and members of the front office love his positive energy, enthusiasm and work ethic.
"He'll be the first one to tell you we're in this to win," Manuel said. "He'll pull his weight."
FOR STARTERS
In spring training when it was obvious Ryan Howard and Chase Utley would be out for extended periods of time, people, including fans and those within the organization, re-assured themselves by emphasizing how good the Phillies starting pitching was.
That hasn't been the case lately.
In the last 26 games (heading into Saturday), Phillies starters were 7-13 with a 5.30 ERA (94 ER, 159 2/3 IP) and only 10 quality starts. Opponents hit .281 (179-for-636) off them during the stretch in which the Phils were 10-16.
Compare that to the first 40 games when members of the rotation were 17-11 with a 2.93 ERA (87 ER, 267 2/3 IP). They had an opponents batting average of .241 (239-for-990) and 31 quality starts.
If this makes you feel better, things seemed to go well when Roy Halladay (right lat strain) played catch for the first time before Friday's game, which was two days shy of the three-week shutdown mark the team originally set.
According to reports, Halladay threw 30 balls from 60 feet with pitching coach Rich Dubee.
"It was a real light catch, but he felt very good," Dubee told reporters in Toronto. "He actually felt better than he expected. It was good."
Halladay, who has been doing exercises during his rehab, hasn't thrown a ball since leaving his May 27 start in St. Louis after two innings.
It is just one step in a lengthy recovery process for Halladay, who has bigger things on his mind.
"It was good … (but) I've still got a long ways to go," Halladay said to traveling writers. "I want to pitch. I'll be anxious to get out there and pitch. That's the big one."
Twitter @inthephilshouse
NUMBER
1,732: Career walks Jim Thome had entering Saturday's game. He needs only one to tie him for seventh place with Mickey Mantle on the all-time list.
FIRE
Ike Davis (New York Mets) … It's been quite the turn-around in the last week for the first baseman. In his last six games, Davis is hitting .563 (9-for-16) with two doubles, a home run, seven RBIs and six walks. He raised his season average from .158 on June 8 to .191 heading into Saturday's game.
ICE
Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals) … One of the league's best hitters has had a rough go of it in his last six games, a stretch in which he hit only .167 (4-for-24) with no extra-base hits, five strikeouts and only one RBI.
CATCHING UP WITH … Brad Lidge. Since coming off the disabled list, the now Nationals reliever has yet to settle in. In his last three games (1 2/3 IP), the right-handed reliever, who was a perfect in save opportunities with the 2008 Phillies, allowed two hits and four earned runs for a 21.60 ERA. For the season, Lidge, who signed with the Nationals as a free agent in the offseason, has a 8.31 ERA in 8 2/3 innings pitched.
DID YOU KNOW?
Hunter Pence is the only Phillie with a multi-home run game this season (he has two). … Jim Thome is the only player in major league history to hit his 599th and 600th home runs in consecutive at-bats. … Michael Schwimer led all International League relievers in SO/9.0 IP with 11.38. … The Phillies have finished only six seasons with winning records in Interleague play (1999, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2011). … The Phillies are 17-7 (.708) this season when Shane Victorino scores a run … Jimmy Rollins is fourth in club history with 102 triples (most among switch-hitters) and needs only one more to tie Sam Thompson for 3rd place (103). … Juan Pierre Is hitting .375 (24-64) with three doubles, a triple and four RBIs in his last 15 games, raising his average from .299 to .325.
