--C Lou Marson, called up by the Phillies on Monday, went to work immediately, catching right-hander Joe Blanton's late-morning bullpen session Monday. With incumbent C Carlos Ruiz struggling offensively, is Marson, the Phillies' top prospect, ready for full-time duty? "I'd say he's pretty close," GM Pat Gillick said. "If it was the beginning of the season, he probably would be. I don't think it's fair to him to have him start games in the middle of the last 25 games of the season. But, from my standpoint, we don't have any hesitancy to put him in there." Marson, 22, has had a breakthrough season, batting .314 at Class AA Reading, playing in the Eastern League All-Star Game, the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and for Team USA at the Olympics last month in Beijing.

--LF Pat Burrell didn't start Monday. But he entered as a pinch hitter and drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning before striking out in the eighth. He is 4-for-36 with 13 strikeouts in his last eight games.

--RHP Adam Eaton rejoined the Phillies before Monday's series opener at Nationals Park after spending the past month in the minors. He agreed to the assignment July 28 after going 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA in 21 games for the Phillies and went 0-5 with a 7.02 ERA in seven minor league starts. The Phillies owe Eaton another $8.5 million next season, but even GM Pat Gillick admitted he won't be used for much more than long relief in lopsided games for the remainder of this year.

BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- Players in the last 15 seasons to go 4-for-4 after entering a game as a pinch-hitter. Chris Coste achieved the feat in last Tuesday night's 13-inning win, joining the Angels' Shawn Wooten in 2002.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The biggest thing, being Canadian, would've been partying down Yonge Street (in Toronto). But I'll find a new street in Philadelphia and party down there. Maybe I'll look for (Rocky) Balboa and hang out there." -- OF Matt Stairs, on attempting to make the playoffs with the Phillies after being traded Saturday.