Phillies Notebook: Schwimer called up after Polanco placed on DL

DON'T READ anything into the fact that the Phillies had both Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson warming up in the bullpen during the ninth inning of their 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. According to pitching coach Rich Dubee, Bastardo simply needed some mound time after 4 days without warming up or appearing in a game.

In other words, the Phillies look at Madson strictly as a closer, and Bastardo as the setup man.

"I just didn't want [Bastardo] sitting around until Christmas," Dubee said.

The Phillies eased Madson back into the closing role shortly after he returned from a monthlong disabled list stint in mid-July. But the veteran righthander has converted all four of the team's save opportunities since the start of August, bringing his season total to 22 in 23 chances.

The front end of the bullpen was reinforced yesterday with the addition of 25-year-old righthander Michael Schwimer, who was called up from Triple A Lehigh Valley to take the roster spot of third baseman Placido Polanco, who was placed on the disabled list with a sports hernia. Schwimer was 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA while averaging 11.6 strikeouts-per-nine-innings and 3.0 walks-per-nine in 46 appearances for the IronPigs. Selected in the same 2008 draft that produced righthanders Vance Worley and Michael Stutes, the 6-8, 240-pound reliever sounded ecstatic to be joining his former minor league teammates in the majors.

"I've always wanted to be a major league baseball player," said Schwimer, who pitched collegiately at the University of Virginia and this spring participated in big-league spring training. "Since I was 5 years old, I'm the guy who when they said, 'What do you want to be?' it was, 'A major league baseball player.' It's always been a dream of mine and I'm just really, really happy that I'm doing it."

Manager Charlie Manuel said he envisions Schwimer, who relies on the deception of his funky delivery more than an overpowering fastball, as a guy who can pitch multiple innings. The move gives the Phillies seven relievers for the first time since righthander Roy Oswalt returned from the disabled list late last month. Polanco, whose DL stint was backdated to Aug. 7, will be eligible to return on Monday.

Polanco says he has ruled out sports hernia surgery, which would likely end his season. A corresponding roster move will have to be made when he returns, but rosters expand on Sept. 1, which means the Phillies can then recall whoever they send down, along with additional reinforcements.

Schwimer definitely will be with the team this weekend in Washington, D.C., where he expects a healthy showing of friends and family. Schwimer starred in baseball and basketball in Alexandria, Va., a 15-minute drive from Nationals Park.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz was examined by doctors yesterday after he was hit in an unfortunate spot while blocking a Roy Halladay curveball in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's loss. Ruiz was diagnosed with a bruised left testicle. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday that the catcher is "day-to-day." Brian Schneider started in his place last night with Cliff Lee on the mound.

Cole Hamels, who is skipping his turn in the rotation to combat shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session tomorrow. The Phillies have yet to announce when he will rejoin the rotation. Roy Oswalt will pitch on normal rest in Washington tomorrow, followed by Kyle Kendrick on Saturday and Roy Halladay on Sunday . . . Shane Victorino said he has no idea when he will find out the result of his appeal of a three-game suspension, which MLB handed down after a benches clearing incident in San Francisco on Aug. 5.