Castro thrust in at shortstop for Phils

Juan Castro played the role of Jimmy Rollins in Monday's matinee, but the career understudy said no one told him to be ready for the spotlight again later this week.

Yet if Rollins, who injured a right calf muscle stretching in the outfield before the Phils' 7-4 home-opener win over Washington, is hurting as much as Greg Dobbs seemed to suggest, Castro could be the Phils' shortstop for the immediate future.

"They haven't said anything," said Castro, who went 1 for 4 with an RBI double and committed an error, when asked if the Phils had discussed Rollins' situation with him.

Then again, it's not like the 37-year-old utilityman had a lot of warning Monday either.

Two minutes before the 3:05 game started, Castro was sitting at his locker, changing from spikes into turf shoes, the baseball equivalent of slippers.

"Chase [Utley] came in and told me I'd better change and get out there because Jimmy is a little sore," Castro said later.

Rollins, who wasn't available after the game, will get an MRI today. Dobbs, who endured the same injury a year ago, said that when he encountered the veteran shortstop in the clubhouse, he was "extremely frustrated."

That might indicate Castro, now with his fifth team in a 15-year career, could be getting a lot more early-season playing time than either he or the Phillies anticipated this winter when he signed a one-year deal for an estimated $750,000 to replace Eric Bruntlett.

"It wasn't a pleasant surprise seeing Jimmy get hurt," Castro said, "but I got into the game and I was glad I got to help a little bit."

Despite not having swung a bat in anger since spring training, Castro had one of the key hits in a five-run fifth.

With runners at first and second and one out in a game the Phils trailed, 4-2, he one-hopped a Jason Marquis pitch off the 387-foot sign in left-center field, scoring Carlos Ruiz and sending Cole Hamels to third.

"I probably closed my eyes," Castro said of the double.

Castro then scored on Placido Polanco's two-run single. Though he's known as a defensive specialist, in the sixth inning he booted Adam Kennedy's grounder for an error.

"Jimmy's a special type of player. It's hard to replace a guy like that," said Utley. "But with Castro, you know what you're going to get. He plays great defense. He's fresh off of spring training, and he's had some at-bats recently."

Manager Charlie Manuel had already submitted the lineup card with Rollins in the leadoff spot when the shortstop told the manager he couldn't go.

So when the Nationals' second batter, Willy Taveras, slapped a ball to shortstop that Castro fielded cleanly, you could hear a confused murmur rumble through the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

The fans had just seen Rollins run come out for the starting-lineup introductions. And Castro, alone among the Phils' position players, had yet to appear in any of the previous six games.

Their reaction was understandable. And so was his.

"I was very surprised," Castro said.

In the minute or two he had to prepare, Castro stretched a little and warmed up as best he could. It's basically what he has been doing throughout his long career as primarily a reserve infielder with the Dodgers (twice), the Reds (twice), the Twins, and Orioles.

"It's different," Castro said. "When you don't see pitching and you don't play, it's kind of hard to go in there and try to do it all the time. For me, I just stay positive and keep working hard, and I believe that I can do the things that help us. That's all that matters.

"My whole career I've been learning how to stay ready," he said. "This kind of thing has happened before, so I just go out there and try to play my best."

Last year, the Phillies were the least injured team in the National League. Now, a week into 2010, they'll have to hope that Rollins' injury isn't of the nagging variety, and that the sore hip that forced Jayson Werth from the game was nothing serious.

"When we plug somebody in they go out there and play as hard as they can," said Manuel.

Overall, the Mexican native has a career average of .230 with 36 homers and 220 RBIs. In 121 at-bats with the Dodgers last season, he hit .277 with one homer and nine RBIs.

It was enough to impress the Phils, who were looking for someone to replace Bruntlett.

"When I became a free agent, the Phillies were the first team to call me," he said. "It's an honor. I didn't hesitate too much to say yes. I was very happy to come to a winning team. . . . I talked to my agent and my wife, and we were very happy to sign here.

"These guys are unbelievable. One of the things I see is that they never quit. Every day they want to win. They have heart."