Manuel: Phillies have to get going

This certainly isn't the script the Phillies had in their heads in February:

Another terrible start.

Injured starters.

Injured closers.

They are the fundamental reasons the Phillies are no better than .500 at the all-star break. The Phillies, who need one more loss for their 10,000th in franchise history, open the second half of their season tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park.

Rookie Kyle Kendrick is on the mound. He is evidence of the tribulations of a pitching staff ranked last in the National League and third worst in baseball. Kendrick opened the season in double-A Reading, but suddenly found himself one of the team's top four starters heading into the second half because of injuries to Freddy Garcia, who has a slim chance to pitch again this season, and Jon Lieber, who has no chance to pitch again this season.

This is not a knock on Kendrick, who has pitched better than expected. It's merely pointing out that a team that opened spring training with six experienced starters has just three remaining.

"We've got to get our team right," manager Charlie Manuel said Sunday in Colorado. "We've got to get going. It took us a long time to get over .500. We were playing pretty good and then we hit a bump in the road. Once we get all of our players back and get 100 percent and add a couple pitchers we're going to be OK."

Manuel paused.

"Outside that we'll be all right."

Yeah, no problem.

The Phillies have used 25 pitchers this season, two short of a team-record 27 in 2000.

That 2000 team finished 65-97 and cost Terry Francona his job.

Remarkably, that 2000 team had a better ERA (4.77) than this current team (4.91).

One could say the Phillies are fortunate to be 44-44. They could be 38-50 or worse if they did not have the best offense in the league.

The players aren't buying that, though.

"No, we're not in a fortunate spot," Jimmy Rollins said.

"We should be better," said closer Brett Myers, who could be back from a strained right shoulder after the team's West Coast trip through Los Angeles and San Diego. "You can't be pleased with it, but you also have to take into consideration what happened. Hopefully the break will get everybody healthy and we'll come back and dominate in the second half like we have the past couple years. Usually when people go home they get rejuvenated."

But it will take more than a little rest and relaxation to catapult this team to the postseason. First, they need to find a competent starter to fill out their rotation. The Phillies will have Kendrick, Cole Hamels and Adam Eaton face the Cardinals this weekend. Jamie Moyer will open the three-game series in Los Angeles on Monday.

Tuesday's starter?

It could be J.D. Durbin, who doesn't seem to be a long-term answer.

But even if Pat Gillick can pull off a trade for a starter, will that starter have much of an impact? Gillick has said he is not sure he has the trading chips to land somebody who would make a truly positive impact. That pitcher would be somebody like Dontrelle Willis or Matt Morris. That said, there just is not much out there at the moment. Everybody is looking for the same thing.

But the rotation - Hamels is the only starter with an ERA of less than 4.40 - is just half of the problem. The Phillies also need Myers and Tom Gordon to return to the bullpen.

And fast.

Gordon allowed four hits, five runs and one walk in just one-third of an inning in a rehab start Wednesday for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. He will pitch again tonight, but Wednesday's effort certainly was not encouraging. The Phillies will not bring him back unless they are confident he can perform at the big-league level.

Myers threw a bullpen session Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla. He will throw again Saturday, but he is not expected back until later this month.

Much has been made about Pat Burrell's struggles. There's no question he has been a disappointment. Barring a sudden upgrade to their pitching, the Phillies will need to continue to try to outslug teams. So a second half resurgence from Burrell and Wes Helms certainly would be welcomed.

Of course, the Phillies would prefer Myers, Gordon and another starter instead.

It's a wonder the Phillies are just five games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. They were 12 games back at the break last season.

Gillick gives Manuel credit for that.

"He's done a great job as far as holding things together," Gillick said. "We could have been out of it and we're certainly not out of it."

Extra bases. Outfielder Jayson Werth, who is on the disabled list with a strained left wrist, is headed to Clearwater to continue his rehabilitation. . . . Catcher Carlos Ruiz, who has been bothered with a sore right knee, had an MRI. The results showed no structural damage. ... Garcia and Francisco Rosario continued their long-tossing programs without any problems.

Listen to the Cardinals preview podcast at http://go.philly.com/philliescast.

Worse than 2000? Zolecki blogs at http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer/zozone/EndText