The injury bug  could take another bite out of the Phillies rotation.

According to CSNPhilly.com, J.A. Happ could miss his next scheduled start Wednesday against Atlanta.

Happ is dealing with forearm stiffness.

If Happ doesn’t pitch, it’s likely the Phils will go with Nelson Figueroa, who has been a pleasant surprise since being acquired on waivers at the end of spring training.

Joe Blanton (strained oblique) is slated to return in about two weeks. If Happ misses significant time, the starting rotation would include Kyle Kendrick, Jamie Moyer and Figueroa as the Nos. 3, 4 and 5.

Phillies 14, Nationals 7

Wednesday, April 13th

The Flyin' Hawaiian had himself a ballgame.

I was at this game — a chilly night in South Philly — and it’s safe to say I got my $48 worth.

Kyle Kendrick might need that much money on his inevitable bus ride to Lehigh Valley. He was awful.

Luckily for Kendrick, so was Greg Stammen.

Kendrick allowed three runs in the first inning — all with two outs. The Phillies promptly responded with four runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a two-run single by Ryan Howard.

Kendrick showed no appreciation for his offense and failed to get out of the second inning. The Nats scored three to take a 6-4 lead. The Phils stormed back when Chase Utley hit a three-run bomb to make it 7-6.

The Nationals tied the score off Nelson Figueroa in the third inning. The score was 7-7 after three.

Whew.

The Phils’ bullpen, though, kept the lowly Nats, who despite their god-awful pitching are a pretty solid offensive squad, in check. Kudos to Figueroa, who really did a heck of a job in relief of Kendrick. Figgy (is that what those New Yawkers called him?) pitched 3 1/3 strong innings and helped his cause with two hits, including a double.

Shane Victorino hit a two-run homer in the fifth to put the Phils ahead to stay. Victorino, who entered with a .183 batting average, was 4-for-5 with a career-best five RBIs batting leadoff for the first time. It’s obvious that Victorino is not comfortable batting out of the No. 7 hole, and he’ll need to be the offensive spark at the top of the order until Rollins returns.

Utley hit a solo dinger in the sixth to make it 10-7, his18th career multi-homer game.

Placido Polanco had two hits, but sadly his BA dipped to .486.

I’m really impressed by Howard. He looks like a completely different hitter. He doesn’t swing at sliders outside in the dirt or chase high heaters. The Big Fella is really developing into a complete hitter.

Kendrick is a mess. It’sobvious he cannot handle the pressure of starting in the big leagues. My early guess is they’ll skip his next start or replace him with Figueroa until Joe Blanton gets back.

Unfortunately for K-K, he seems destined for a long relief role at best, but perhaps more likely, a baseball career spent primarily in the minors.

Nationals 6, Phillies 5

Thursday, April 8th

The Phillies should have came away with a season-opening sweep of the lowly Nats on Thursday. They had ample opportunities to score the game-tying and winning runs. Ultimately, they fell flat… sort of like Raul Ibanez’s batting average.

Kyle Kendrick resembled the same marginal major-league pitching talent from last year. He allowed three runs in the first inning and five total over four innings.

So much for all the preseason hype.

The Phils battled back and eventually tied the score. Jayson Werth was 3-for-5 with three doubles, while Ryan Howard and Chase Utley both had two hits.

Too many dudes left stranded in this one (11 LOBS, 1-for-14 RISP), though. The Phils had runners on second and third in the eighth, but couldn’t capitalize.

In the ninth, you got the sense they were going to pummel Matt Capps, who might as well be the team’s personal BP hurler. Utley got things going with a hustle double, followed by an intentional walk to Howard. Werth got Utley over to third with a fly ball, but Ibanez popped up and Shane Victorino grounded out to end the game.

Ibanez is a smokin’ 1-for-11 on the year. Victorino’s not too far off.

Well, the 162-0 season is out the window.

On a personal note, I vomited in my mouth in the bottom of the seventh inning when Nelson Figueroa and Brian Schneider re-formed one of the greatest battery’s in recent Mets history.

For the love of hell, why must we employ not one, but two regulars from the Mets’ 2009 roster?

Having  a pair of perennial losers on the 25-man roster is a bad omen. Believe it.

Where’s Paul Bako?

A few hours before the Phillies routed the Nationals for a second straight game, the team announced the signing of Nelson Figueroa.

The Mets castoff is being brought on board as insurance. He’ll likely replace Andrew Carpenter as the long reliever until Joe Blanton returns from the disabled list, at which time Kyle Kendrick will probably take that spot in the bullpen.

Figueroa went 3-8 with a 4.09 ERA last season. He pitched in five spring training games for the Mets prior to his release.

He broke into the majors as a Phillie in 2001, posting a 4-5 record with a 3.94 ERA in 19 games.

Phillies 4, Mets 2

Friday, September 11th

Cole Hamels was sharp over 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out six, as the Phillies were triumphant in the opener of a four-game series against the Mets.

Hamels (9-9, 4.21 ERA) has been very good in his last four starts, going 3-1 with a 1.51 ERA since the Aug. 21.

The left-hander was backed by little run support, but managed to get by. The Phillies left 12 runners on base over six innings and were 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position… a problem that has been well-documented.

The offense let Nelson Figueroa off the hook, despite banging out nine hits off the veteran right-hander.

The Phillies’ bats didn’t rely on the long ball for run production. Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz and Chase Utley each collected RBI hits. Utliladelphia ey’s knock was a double that gave the team a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning.

Carlos Ruiz added a sacrifice fly.

Shane Victorino, who had been struggling over the last several weeks, was 3-for-3 with three doubles and two walks.

Ryan Madson earned the save and is 3-for-3 as the Phillies’ new closer since Brad Lidge was removed from that role. Brett Myers worked a six-pitch eighth inning and has yet to allow a run in four appearances since being activated from the disabled list last week.

The Phillies recorded their 80th win of the season and, with a Marlins loss against Washington, extended their NL East lead to six games.

Player of the Game

Cole Hamles (6 2/3 IP, 6K)