Latest Not-Hurt-Anymore Phillies Forced to Rejoin Team

The rule is that when you’re not hurt anymore, you have to come back to the team.

That’s what I assume someone is saying to a distraught Cliff Lee and Domonic Brown, while they have their faces buried in pillows and kick their legs in frustration.

Apr 9, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Michael Young (10) and left fielder Domonic Brown (9) celebrates scoring with pitcher Cliff Lee (33) during the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Watching the team from the sidelines can’t be fun, but it also can’t be very enticing.  This is isn’t a sweet playoff run we’re talking about, rife with intensity that anyone sitting out with an injury is actually going to miss.  This is half-ass, barely audible baseball, in which the runs don’t score and every goes home nightly feeling they let everyone down.

The parade of rivals and enemies storming through here, pounding the Phillies into the pavement, tipping their cap, and strolling out of town with a fresh win streak wouldn’t make me too eager to get out of bed and stop sobbing either.

But, the Phillies’ 2013 All-Stars have to come back now, as they are both feeling better (Lee says he feels “fresh” and Brown says he feels “great”).  Brown was swinging a bat for the first time all week, after his stint on the concussion DL from banging his head on a misguided dive.  And Cliff Lee’s – who hasn’t thrown since July 21 – neck soreness is either very real, or the longest con Ruben Amaro has bothered to organize during one of his trades.

So, whether it’s to waste the rest of the season, using their appreciated talents on a roster mostly lacking it or not, they have to come back.