A losing proposition

THEY WORE red pinstripes and sat in the home dugout, but the similarities between the Phillies and whoever took the field yesterday ended there.

But as Charlie Manuel reminded reporters yesterday, his team is not only finishing a season-ending stretch of 33 games in 31 days, but is doing so with everything but its postseason opponent secured. So if you were looking for signs of panic after a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Nationals, well, you were probably just bored with the Michael Vick saga.

Roy Halladay said it on Monday night and Manuel said it yesterday afternoon and Cliff Lee said it last night. Despite a lackluster offensive showing that, in reality, predates their NL East-clinching win on Saturday, the Phillies' 98-56 record has earned them homefield advantage throughout the postseason as well as the benefit of the doubt.

Manuel acknowledged after last night's 3-0 loss in Game 2 - after a 4-3, 10-inning defeat in Game 1 - that his team still has some work to do to prepare for the postseason. Topping that list? Get healthy, an objective that became a bit more complicated last night when the Phillies announced that Hunter Pence was suffering from a case of patellar tendinitis in his left knee and was headed for a precautionary MRI today. Both the team and the rightfielder insisted that they were operating with an overabundance of caution. Pence, who had two hits in Game 1 despite a noticeable hitch in his gait, wanted Manuel to keep him in the lineup for the nightcap. The training staff requested otherwise.

"Our doctors and our trainers checked him out and our trainer came back and said he'd prefer him not to play in the second game," Manuel said. "Hunter was wanting to play."

It should be noted that, heading into yesterday, Pence had played every inning of every game since joining the Phillies in late July. He said he has dealt with the tendinitis all season, but that yesterday was the first time it had flared up. He did not rule out playing tonight.

The Phillies already are awaiting the return of Ryan Howard, who has not played since Saturday and is not expected to return until at least tomorrow after receiving an injection to combat the ankle bursitis that has plagued him. Placido Polanco continues to play through a sports hernia. Chase Utley has played regularly since returning from a case of patellar tendinitis, chondromalacia and bone bruising, but his numbers are well shy of his usual pace. He was also hit on the hand by a pitch last night, although the Phillies did not provide any further information. Carlos Ruiz had to take a few moments of Game 2 to walk off what Manuel said was a "pop" in an ankle that has resurfaced for brief moments the last couple of nights, but the catcher remained in the game.

That being said, the Phillies can't spend the rest of the season encased in bubble wrap. An offense that scored fewer than four runs in eight straight games leading up to the NL East clincher has scored fewer than four runs in four straight games since. Manuel said yesterday he wants his regulars to play at least five games together, starting with the second game of this weekend's series in New York against the Mets.

In the meantime, he will attempt to make his final evaluations on the various personnel combinations he can carry into the postseason. One of those decisions involves the final spot or two on the bench, where the Phillies lack the type of lefthanded power option they possessed in players like Matt Stairs and Geoff Jenkins in 2008.

Ross Gload is the top lefthanded pinch-hitting option. He has battled a hip injury all season, but has eight hits in his last 24 at-bats, two of them doubles. He is also 18-for-73 with five doubles as a pinch-hitter this season.

Utility infielder Pete Orr went 1-for-4 in Game 1 and is hitting .226 with three extra-base hits in 93 at-bats.

Catcher Brian Schneider has six extra-base hits in 118 at-bats.

The Phillies traded for John Bowker just before the Aug. 31 waiver-trade deadline in an attempt to add another option, but he is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts. Recent call-up Brandon Moss has three at-bats, two of which ended in strikeouts.

"That's why we are going to play those guys," Manuel said. "That's why I played them this game and we'll play them some [tonight] and the next day and probably the first day against the Mets some. Some of them, I'll try to mix-and-match. I won't just throw them all out there like I did today."

Rookie outfielder Domonic Brown had 16 extra-base hits in 189 at-bats before returning to the minors, where he struggled for the rest of the season. Brown appeared as a pinch-runner in Game 1, but has yet to see an at-bat since being recalled.

The good news is that the starters are healthy. Lee threw 120 pitches last night and allowed two earned runs on 11 hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings. All season, the rotation has been the constant. Which, despite recent offensive sluggishness, leaves the Phillies liking their chances.

http://twitter.com/HighCheese.