Notes: Opening Day roster likely set
Barring late change, Offerman expected to be on club
By Erik Cagle / Special to MLB.com

Veteran Jose Offerman gives the Phillies a versatile switch-hitter off the bench. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)



PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies general manager Ed Wade appears to have made his final decisions on the team's 25-man roster for the start of the 2005 season.
The demotion of Marlon Byrd to Triple-A on Thursday virtually assured a roster spot for the switch-hitting Jose Offerman. Wade didn't anticipate any other moves between Friday and Saturday at midnight, when the 25-man rosters are frozen.

When asked if the roster was finalized, Wade responded that there were still a "couple of guys we haven't talked to." But barring anything unforeseen, there are unlikely to be any changes.

"We don't have anything going right now," Wade said.

In other words, the team's braintrust wants to get a grasp on how this nucleus responds once the season commences.

"We have to let things unfold at this stage," Wade said. "We have to pay attention to what's happening with this group. We spent a lot of time putting this club together, and I have confidence in what we've been able to do."

Offerman is an interesting case. His value is predominantly as a pinch-hitter, and Wade noted that the team has ample depth at the positions Offerman plays defensively.

Springtime fresh: Manager Charlie Manuel said that while Kenny Lofton is healthy and ready to go, the first-year skipper will keep the outfielder's playing time in check periodically. This will mean occasional starts for Jason Michaels.

"Kenny's the kind of guy who will get time off because he gets worn down mentally," Manuel said.

Lofton noted that while his right hamstring isn't 100 percent, that won't limit his effectiveness.

"I can steal bases at 70 percent," Lofton said. "I don't have to be 100 percent. I don't think I've ever been 100 percent during my career, anyway."

Injury update: While Lofton made the trip to Philadelphia, Vicente Padilla and Randy Wolf both stayed behind for minor league assignments -- Wolf on Friday, Padilla on Saturday -- at the complex.

Padilla will likely sandwich another minor league start around his trip to Philadelphia for Opening Day. He is slated to rejoin the rotation in a couple of weeks.

Lay of the land: Jon Lieber sat motionless at his locker during a barrage of questions from the media regarding his Opening Day assignment Monday against the Nationals. But when asked if he'd been able to learn anything regarding the nuances of pitching at Citizens Bank Park, locker neighbor Billy Wagner offered his own advice.

"Keep ... the ball ... down," Wagner said, measuring his words.

"It's just like Billy said," Lieber said with a laugh. "Keep the ball down and make pitches."