AS THE ONLY member of the veteran infield who hadn't had a day off, Ryan Howard sitting against St. Louis and lefthanded starter Jaime Garcia made sense right?
Sure, but it wasn't the only reason he was out of the Phillies' starting lineup Friday for the first time this season.
"Ryan's got a sore groin," manager Charlie Manuel said. "But this is a good time, gives me a chance to sit him down. He can pinch-hit."
Howard was 2-for-12 (.167) off Garcia with a homer and six strikeouts in his career. But, groin injury? When did that surface?
"He said something about it yesterday during the game, in the middle of the game," Manuel said.
Officially, the injury is being called right groin soreness. Howard is listed as day-to-day.
Howard acted as if it wasn't a big deal when he took the field for regular pregame hitting and fielding work. Manuel said he hopes to start Howard on Saturday.
Howard went 3-for-4 in Thursday night's game but left for a pinch-runner in the eighth inning. It was the second time in 5 days Manuel used a pinch-runner for Howard, who has struggled to build foot speed following Achilles' surgery a year and a half ago. Howard is hitting .274 with one homer and 5 RBI in 16 games.
Frandsen at first
Kevin Frandsen started at first base for Howard, his first start in 17 games this season. It also was his first start at first since July 23, 2010, while with the Los Angeles Angels. Frandsen has started four games in his career at first base, all with the Angels in 2010.
"I've got a glove in my hand, so I feel comfortable there," he said. "That's all that matters to me."
After starting 49 games for the Phillies in the final 2-plus months of the season in 2012, Frandsen has had a difficult time getting on the field at all in 2013. He entered Friday with eight at-bats; among position players, only Ezequiel Carrera, with seven, had fewer.
"You go in the cage and work your butt off and when the time comes [to play], you hope you're prepared," Frandsen said. "It is tough when you go a while without getting a lot of at-bats, but that's part of the job. It's not about a complaint. That's what my role is.
"Obviously, it is a lot different when you're playing every day. Last year I got that chance. I proved that I could do it every day. I hit .340. You hope that didn't get lost in the shuffle with everything."
Phillers
Carlos Ruiz was hit with a pitch on the left wrist Friday in an extended spring training game in Clearwater. X-rays were negative. Ruiz, who was suspended for the first 25 games of the season for testing positive for Adderall, is eligible to return to the Phillies a week from Sunday . . . Lefthander Joe Savery was recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley to take the spot on the 40-man roster vacated by John Lannan (out 6 to 8 weeks with a left knee injury). Savery struck out 11 without walking a batter in five games with the IronPigs. The Phils still haven't named a starter for Monday, Lannan's turn in the rotation . . . On Comcast SportsNet's Philly Sports Talk, setup man Mike Adams hinted that he might not be 100 percent healthy: "I wish I felt a little bit better, it might just be coming off surgery . . . we'll monitor it," Adams told CSN before Friday's game. "Don't get me wrong, I don't feel bad; but I wish I felt better."