32-year old lefty swinging 2B Chase Utley is off to a good start in A-ball for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is rehabbing a bum knee that caused him to miss a lot of time last year. He has played in 3 games for the Clearwater Threshers so far this year and he is 4 for 10 (.400 avg, 1.255 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 1 RBI. The Phillies are going to take their good ole sweet time with Utley as they have until the end of the month to activate him from the D.L. Utley has played in 1,006 games in his first 8 years with the Phillies and he is 1,095 for 3,735 (.293 avg, .894 OPS) with 677 runs scored, 177 homers, 650 RBIs and 96 stolen bases. The Phillies have been winning without Utley, but they are a much better all-around team with him. They can’t wait to get him back.

The Phillies have placed backup catcher Brian Schneider on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained left hamstring. Schneider has played in 16 games for the Phillies so far this year and he is 9 for 52 (.173 avg, .545 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 2 homers and 4 RBIs. The Phillies are going to activate starting catcher Carlos Ruiz from the D.L. for tonight’s game. Ruiz has played in 21 games for the Phillies so far this year and he is 14 for 62 (.226 avg, .681 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 2 homers and 9 RBIs. Schneider’s injury buys more time for Dane Sardinha to get to stay in nice hotels while earning a good paycheck. He has played in 6 games for the Phillies so far this year and he is 3 for 13 (.231 avg, .606 OPS) with 2 runs scored.

The Phillies have placed starting catcher Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 28th due to lower back tightness. The Phillies got tired of waiting around for Ruiz to get better as he hasn’t played since April 27th. Ruiz has played in 21 games for the Phillies so far this year and he is 14 for 62 (.226 avg, .681 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 2 homers and 9 RBIs. Brian Schneider will likely get most of the work while Ruiz is out of action. Schneider has played in 13 games for the Phillies so far this year and he is 8 for 44 (.182 avg, .575 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 2 homers and 4 RBIs. Dane Sardinha will continue to back up Schneider until Ruiz is ready to return to action. Sardinha has played in 3 games so far this year for the Phillies and he is 1 for 7 (.143 avg, .476 OPS).

The Phillies have placed Roy Oswalt on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 27th due to lower back inflammation. Oswalt has pitched in 5 games (all starts) for the Phillies so far this year and he is 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The Phillies have called up 27-year old righty reliever Scott Mathieson to replace Oswalt on the pitching staff. Mathieson has already pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Phillies this year and he is 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA and a 4.20 WHIP. He has now pitched in 11 games (8 starts) in his first two years with the Phillies and he is 1-4 with a 7.62 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP. The Phillies will likely take their time with Oswalt and let him get fully healthy as either Vance Worley or Kyle Kendrick will replace him in the starting rotation until he is ready to return to action.

The Phillies have placed 30-year old righty starting pitcher Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list due to a impingement of his right elbow. Blanton pitched in 4 games (all starts) for the Phillies so far this year and he is 0-1 with a 5.92 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. The Phillies have called up 23-year old righty starting pitcher Vance Worley to replace Blanton in the starting rotation. Worley pitched in 4 games (all starts) in AAA-ball earlier this year and he was 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He whiffed 25 batters while only walking six of them in 22 2/3 innings in the minors which shows how nasty he can be. Worley got his first taste of the majors last year when he pitched in 5 games (2 starts) in which he was 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. Worley came into this season as the Phillies’ #11 ranked prospect, so they are expecting him to do a solid job while Blanton is out of action.

The Philadelphia Phillies have placed closer Jose Contreras on the 15-day disabled list due to a right flexor pronator strain. Contreras has pitched in 8 games (0 starts) for the Phillies so far this year and he is 0-0 with 5 saves, a 0.00 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He has only given up 4 hits while whiffing 9 batters in his first 8 innings of the year. Righty Ryan Madson will replace Contreras as the closer until he’s ready to return to action. Madson has pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Phillies so far this year and he is 2-0 with 2 saves, a 1.00 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. I think Madson will do a solid job this time around as the Phillies’ closer. The Phillies have recalled 24-year old righty reliever Michael Stutes to replace Contreras in the bullpen. Stutes has pitched in 7 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 2-1 with 1 save, a 1.80 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. This is Stutes’ first trip to the majors.

The Phillies have placed lefty reliever J.C. Romero on the 15-day disabled list due to a left calf strain. Romero has pitched in 7 games (0 starts) for the Phillies so far this year and he is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Phillies have recalled 28-year old lefty reliever Mike Zagurski to replace Romero in the pen. He pitched in 3 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he is 1-0 with 1 save, a 0.00 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. He only gave up 2 hits and 1 walk in his first 3 1/3 innings in the minors this year and he had 7 whiffs, so he was outstanding in the minors. The Phillies hope that Zagurski can handle replacing Romero until he returns to health.

The Philadelphia Phillies have placed starting 2B Chase Utley, starting RF Dominic Brown, shortstop Brian Bocock and righty reliever Brian Schlitter on the 15-day disabled list to start the 2011 season. Utley has right knee tendinitis which will keep him out indefinitely. Wilson Valdez will replace Utley at 2B until he’s ready to return to action. The Phillies really need Utley if the offense is to click on all cylinders in 2011. Dominic Brown has a fractured left hand, so he’s also going to miss a while. Ben Francisco and Ross Gload are going to share time in RF until Brown is ready to return to action. Bocock (left wrist fracture) and Schlitter (right forearm strain) will likely be sent to the minors when they get healthy.

34-year old righty closer Brad Lidge will start the 2011 season on the disabled list due to right shoulder pain. Lidge pitched in 50 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-1 with 27 saves, a 2.96 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. 30-year old Ryan Madson will replace Lidge as the closer until he is ready to return to action. Madson pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-2 with 5 saves, a 2.55 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. 39-year old righty Jose Contreras will likely take over Madson’s old role as the set-up man. Contreras pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-4 with 4 saves, a 3.34 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Phillies should be o.k. until Lidge is ready to return to action.

UPDATE: (3/29/2011) - Lidge has a partially torn rotator cuff which will keep him out at least the first half of the 2011 season. He will likely be unable to throw a baseball for at least the next two months.

The Philadelphia Phillies will be without 23-year old lefty swinging outfielder Domonic Brown for the next 3-6 weeks as he will likely need surgery to repair a fractured bone in his right hand. He was injured swinging a bat. Brown is the Phillies’ #1 prospect coming into this season according to Baseball America. He played in 35 games for the Phillies last season and he was 13 of 62 (.210 avg, .612 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 2 homers, 13 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Brown whiffed 24 times for the Phillies last season so he will need to tighten up his discipline a bit. He was supposed to start in RF when this season opened for the Phillies. Ben Francisco, Ross Gload and John Mayberry will likely split up the P.T. with Brown out of action.