Howard says he’s ready, but Phils opt for more rest
PHILADELPHIA >> After missing two games with a minor knee issue, Ryan Howard declared himself ready to return to the Phillies’ lineup Tuesday.
Minutes later, the lineup was posted .. and Tommy Joseph, not Howard, was playing first base, even against Chicago White Sox righthander James Shields.
Pete Mackanin, who typically arrives at the ballpark around 1 p.m., was counseled by trainers to provide Howard with additional rest. Since the White Sox are scheduled to start left-handed Chris Sale, Howard will not start Wednesday, either. That will have given him a five-day, four-game rest after he’d reported a slight fluid buildup on his left knee Saturday.
“When I originally talked to (trainer) Scott Sheridan he said he thought it would be best to give him another day,” Mackanin said. “It’s not in his best interest even to tweak it a little bit, this late in the year.”
The Phillies had planned to start Howard as often as possible, particularly against righthanders, during their late-season home games. They are expected to exercise their option to buy out the final year of Howard’s contract at season’s end, and they were trying to give their fans as many chances as possible to see the top left-handed home-run hitter in franchise history.
But Howard sat out Saturday and Sunday, and the Phillies were off Monday. By Tuesday, he was ready?
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he said. “I said I had a small problem. That’s all it was. I had some rest. We isolated the problem and controlled the problem.”
Howard was available to pinch-hit Tuesday. After Wednesday, the Phillies will take a sevengame, eight-day road trip to visit the Braves and Mets. They will return Sept. 30 for three games against the Mets.
“I think the worst thing that could happen is that if it did blow up again,” Mackanin said. “It’s not going to help him for next year. He’ll play quite a bit on this next road trip and certainly the last three games here.”