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Phillies Notes: Polanco says he's happy with Marlins

MIAMI - Placido Polanco's home is 15 minutes from Marlins Park, one of the luxuries the 37-year-old former Phillies third baseman currently enjoys. The other is health, a difficult ambition in recent seasons. Oh, he is also Miami's cleanup hitter.

Placido Polanco during a MLB baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, April 9, 2013 against the Atlanta Braves. The Braves won 3-2. (J Pat Carter/AP)
Placido Polanco during a MLB baseball game in Miami, Tuesday, April 9, 2013 against the Atlanta Braves. The Braves won 3-2. (J Pat Carter/AP)Read more

MIAMI - Placido Polanco's home is 15 minutes from Marlins Park, one of the luxuries the 37-year-old former Phillies third baseman currently enjoys. The other is health, a difficult ambition in recent seasons. Oh, he is also Miami's cleanup hitter.

"If nobody called, that was good enough," Polanco said Friday. "I'd stay with the family. I've done enough. I've played baseball my entire life."

The Marlins, needing to somehow fill a major-league roster, called and offered $2.75 million. He is hitting fourth for the first time in his 16-year career. His job is to protect Giancarlo Stanton, one of the game's finest power talents.

When Stanton was scratched shortly before first pitch Friday, Polanco moved up to third. He batted fourth in four of the Marlins' first nine games.

Polanco's time with the Phillies concluded before the 2012 season did. The Phillies placed Polanco on the disabled list last Sept. 5, even though it was a needless transaction because of expanded rosters. A few days later, Polanco left the team for good.

"It was a little bit of a confusing situation," Polanco said. "But I was hurt. My back was hurting. I think it was very nice of them just letting me go home and rest it. I think it helped me."

Polanco started 318 of a possible 486 games during the span of his three-year, $18 million stint with the Phillies. He batted .281 with a .686 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and won a Gold Glove in 2011.

Miami invested in a plethora of former Phillies. They started Greg Dobbs at first base Friday. Juan Pierre led off. Chad Qualls is in the bullpen.

Polanco sometimes clashed with management over playing time and diagnosis of his health while he was with the Phillies. His relationship with the team, especially near the end, appeared contentious. On Friday, he thanked general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and team president David Montgomery but did not mention manager Charlie Manuel.

Amaro watches Delmon

The Phillies were off Thursday, so Amaro took a trip to the team's complex in Clearwater, Fla., to watch Delmon Young.

Young played seven innings in right field on consecutive days, marking another step in his progression from ankle surgery. Amaro said Young should start an official rehab assignment sometime next week. That activates a 20-day clock.

"He did OK," Amaro said.

There is no target date for Young's return. When activated, the Phillies must pay him a $225,000 bonus.

"Delmon isn't going to come here unless he can play right field," Amaro said. "If he can't play right field, he ain't coming."

Extra bases

Miami's top prospect, 20-year-old Jose Fernandez, will make his first home start Saturday against the Phillies. He had never pitched above single A before an impressive five-inning, eight-strikeout debut in New York Sunday. . . . Friday started a stretch of 17 consecutive Phillies games without a day off. It is the second-longest such span of the season.

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