--SS Jimmy Rollins' rehabilitation from a sprained left ankle took another step forward when he went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, two walks, two runs and a stolen base in his second extended spring training game in two days in Clearwater, Fla. Rollins, who sprained his left ankle April 8 and went on the disabled list April 20, is slated to play for Class A Clearwater on Wednesday, and it's possible the Phillies will want him to play one more minor league game Thursday before having him rejoin the team in San Francisco.
--RHP Adam Eaton only had to throw strikes, and he might have escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning at Chase Field. Instead, Eaton threw four straight balls to Diamondbacks LHP Randy Johnson. Eaton walked Johnson to force home the tying run, then yielded a two-out, three-run home run to Stephen Drew in a fateful five-run inning. "To walk the pitcher on four pitches is pretty pathetic," said Eaton, who fell to 0-1 in seven starts as his ERA rose to 5.63. "I don't think Arizona beat us. I think I beat ourselves." Eaton, who sported a dismal 6.29 ERA in 30 starts last season, posted a 4.12 ERA in his first three starts of 2008. But his ERA in his last four starts is 7.23. --RHP Kyle Kendrick, who faces the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, said he planned to get advice about his change-up from Arizona ace Brandon Webb. Webb, a fellow sinkerballer, incorporated a changeup a few seasons ago before he won the NL Cy Young award in 2006. Kendrick has been trying to add a changeup, but it isn't evolved enough for him to throw it more than about five times per start. "I love watching how he pitches to lefties, how he attacks hitters, how he uses his changeup," Kendrick said of Webb, who is 7-0 with a 2.49 ERA and is Arizona's starter Thursday against the Phillies.
--C Carlos Ruiz swung the bat well during spring training, but when last week's six-game homestand started, his average had slid to .188. He has recovered his swing in the past week. In his past six games, Ruiz is 7-for-16, and last Sunday he slugged his first homer in 134 at-bats. "(Ruiz) hasn't been using his legs and hips," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's been all upper-body. Even (Monday) night, a couple of those hits to right field, they were good hits, but at the same time, he didn't really explode on the ball." Ruiz, 29, said he's been working with Manuel and hitting coach Milt Thompson to regain his stroke. Last season, he batted .259 with six homers and 54 RBIs en route to cementing the starting job.
--SS Eric Bruntlett, filling in for injured MVP SS Jimmy Rollins, has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games. During that stretch, he's batting .302 (16-for-53) with two doubles, a triple, one home run and nine RBIs. Bruntlett went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in Tuesday's loss to the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
BY THE NUMBERS: 95 -- RBIs since last July 1 for Pat Burrell, tied with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun for the most in the majors.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Philly fans are very passionate, smart fans. It's nice to know that a lot of fans, whether they like me or not, knew that I came out to play every game and gave it all I had. It had been a while since we had won a (division) and the city had a winner. It was a blessing to be part of that. I appreciated every moment." -- Giants CF Aaron Rowand on the two seasons he spent with the Phillies.
