Phils Notes: Manuel trusts middle relievers

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So far, middle reliefa big area of concern coming into the seasonhasnt been a problem for the Phillies.
And manager Charlie Manuel said Friday he not only trusts middle relievers Michael Stutes, Antonio Bastardo and Chad Qualls as setup guys, he wouldnt hesitate to use any of the three to close when Jonathan Papelbon is unavailable.
Stutes (no runs in 2 23 innings), Qualls (no runs in 3.0 innings) and Bastardo (no runs in one inning) have been perfect so far this year. In all, the Phils bullpen has allowed four earned runs in 14innings, good for a 2.51 ERA.
Papelbon ... sometime hes going to have to be rested, and those guys, they play the same role and the same part in our bullpen as they always have, Manuel said before the Phillies opened a three-game series against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. If theyre pitching like they can, thats going to make us that much better.
Believe me, we can find pitching room for all these guys, and it gives you more options, if you want to match up a lefty on a lefty and a right on a righty, things like that. Thats what makes it good, and we need that kind of depth. Thats what we need.
Stutes and Bastardo were both terrific in relief as rookies last year, Stutes going 6-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 57 games and Bastardo 6-1 with a 2.64 in 64 games.
Manuel said he was impressed how both held up down the stretch in a pennant race. In September, Stutes had a 1.83 ERA in 10 games and Bastardo had a 1.14 in 10 games.
I sat here last year and told you guys I was pulling for the Braves bullpen to get wore out, and the reason I said that is the seasons long, and Septembers long, but that months different and it makes all the difference in the world, he said. Those young relievers have pitched more than they ever have before in big-league games, in a big-league bullpen, and the mental aspect of the game definitely starts wearing on you and the physical, too.
And all of a sudden youre in a pennant race and youre trying to win your division and stuff like that and go to the World Series and you put all that together for somebody whos young? I thought those guys handled it really well. They handled it great. ... They were outstanding for us last year.
Bastardo was the guy who probably surprised me more than anybody on our team last year. They proved to me they can do it. I have all the confidence in the world in them, and I know pitching coach Rich Dubee does, and theyll be out there in big situations. After what we got out of them last year, I trust them.
Qualls is a little bit different story. Hes 33 and a nine-year veteran now with his fifth team in six years. But Manuel said he wouldnt hesitate to use Qualls in a save situation or other key situations. Qualls has 51 career saves, including 24 for the Diamondbacks in 2009.
Ive always liked him, ever since hes come to the big leagues, Manuel said. Hes pitched all through the bullpen, and hes been a closer, and hes been a successful closer for a while.
All three of those guys, I trust them. Qualls, Stutesy and Bastardo. I trust all three of them. Ive seen them do it.
Knuckling underThe Phillies on Friday evening will face Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who has pitched well in his career vs. the Phils. Dickey is 2-3 with a 2.61 ERA in six starts against the Phillies, including a one-hit shutout last year.
When hes good, he has pretty good command, Manuel said. You definitely have to try to get ahead of him and be willing to hit his knuckleball, because thats what hes going to make you hit.
I think he does throw more curveballs and fastballs than probably former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield did. He was more like a Tom Candiotti, who had more pitches. He uses his fastball and curveball quite a bit, but when he really wants to get you out, when he gets in trouble, he uses his knuckleball.
The key to facing a knuckleballer?
Make him throw you strikes, Manuel said. Stay in the middle of the field, dont try to do too much with it. Theres a lot of things you can do, as far as adjustments go. You can get really close to the plate and cut down where he can throw the ball or you can get up front a little bit and catch the knuckleball before it breaks. Basically, you want to make him throw the ball over the plate.
No Wright for MetsEven though the Mets released a statement on Thursday announcing that All-Star third baseman David Wright had been cleared to return to baseball activities after breaking his pinky, Wright was not in manager Terry Collins lineup Friday.
Wright said even though he was cleared in general for baseball activities, his doctors told him not to swing a bat quite yet.
It's not about me sucking it up and playing through pain, Wright said. I functionally cant grip a bat or grip a baseball. This isn't banged-up. I take great pride in going out there and playing through pain. But this would be stupid. I would be hurting the team. It doesn't make sense.
A start for ThomeJim Thome will make his second start of the year at first base Friday, batting fifth. Thome is 0 for 6 so far in his second stint with the Phillies.
Hes got to play sometime, Manuel said. Hes got to get some at-bats.
LineupWith Thome getting the start, here is the rest of the Phillies' lineup:
CF, Shane Victorino3B, Placido PolancoSS, Jimmy RollinsRF, Hunter Pence1B, Jim ThomeLF, John MayberryC, Carlos Ruiz2B, Freddy GalvisP, Cliff Lee
Phils add FontenotThe Phillies announced that they have signed veteran infielder Mike Fontenot to a minor-league contract. Fontenot was waived late last month by the Giants.
Fontenot, 31, has hit .263 in 535 games with the Cubs and Giants. His best year was 2008, when he hit .305 with 22 doubles, nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 119 games for Chicago.
Fontenot had a .227 batting average in 252 at-bats for the Padres last year with 15 doubles, three triples, four homers and 21 RBIs in 85 games.
Fontenot, who bats left an throws right, has played 286 games at second base, 77 games at third and 50 games at short in his career.
Phils to honor RobinsonThe Phillies will honor Jackie Robinson before their game against the Mets Sunday, the 65th anniversary of Robinson breaking Major League Baseballs color barrier with the Dodgers in 1947.
All Phillies players will be wearing uniform No. 42, former Philly Negro League players Harold Gould and Mahlon Duckett will be honored on the field, members of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen will serve as the honor guard for the game, among other Robinson-related events.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.

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