The promotion at the other night's game in Reading included this photo of former prospect Michael Taylor, now with the A's. Taylor was fun to watch and I hope he gets a chance to prosper in Oakland. Joe Blanton gave up two homers to the tune of five runs in his final (we hope) rehab stint of the season last night in Reading. Afterwards, Blanton was predictably unfazed by the runs surrendered, focusing instead on how he was able to use his pitches and how that oblique that put him on the DL was doing. Just fine, he said, for both. He also sounded very done with rehab. This is the first time he's been on the injured list and the guy is absolutely pining to be back with his team.
If Blanton returns next week, the Phillies will be minus one starter, not the current two. Cross fingers that Happ too gets back and the starting rotation starts functioning as a working unit. That should give the bullpen some, ahem, relief, but Brad Lidge, likely back this weekend, has still got to show he's got his 'lights out' stuff.
Jimmy Rollins is not expected back till mid-May (ouch!) at the earliest. Meanwhile, Placido Polanco, showing lingering effects of the hit he took to his elbow last week in Atlanta, got drilled in the foot yesterday. Like the elbow, it must have hurt like hell.
