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Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Pirates, due to lingering soreness in his knees. Howard was spotted limping after Tuesday's game, and manager Charlie Manuel opted to keep him out of the lineup to rest from his chronic knee pain, the 13th time he has been out of the starting lineup.
"I can about look at him and tell it’s bothering him by the way he walks," Manuel told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That (first to home) is a hard run for him and his knee is worse some days than others."
Manuel also said he will likely continue to sit Howard against tough left-handed pitchers, such as Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke, as long as his knee remains a lingering concern. Howard should be back in the lineup Thursday, and hopes to play all three games during a weekend series against Atlanta.
"When Ryan’s knee is bothering him and a lefty is pitching, I think that’s a good time to give him a blow," Manuel said. "That’s kind of what we’ve been doing. When he gets going good, we’ll put him back in there."
