Phillies Notes: Oswalt won't face old team as the Astros come to town

By pitching Sunday, Roy Oswalt will avoid facing the Astros, the team he spent his entire career with before coming to Philadelphia. That was neither a disappointment nor a relief.
"It doesn't matter," Oswalt said. "Once you step across the nfl jersey
lines, nobody is really friends anymore."
That theory will be tested often this week as Ed Wade Reunion Tour '10 rolls into Citizens Bank Park. Houston - led by Wade, the general manager who spent seven seasons in the same position with the Phillies - has five former Phils on its roster: Brett Myers, J.A. Happ, Nelson Figueroa, Michael Bourn and Jason Michaels. (The sixth member of the group, Pedro Feliz, was dealt to St. Louis last week.)
Both Myers and Happ will start against their former team, Monday and Wednesday, respectively.
"I think we know them pretty good," manager Charlie Manuel quipped. "I think we'll take it to them."
Myers pitched against the Phillies in spring training at Bright House Networks Field and was cheered. This past off-season, the Phils let the righthander walk after 10 years in the organization.
"I miss the guys," Myers said March 25. "I miss Charlie and all that, but you have to turn the page and play for a different team now. You have to go win for that team and not worry about the past."
He's done a good job of that. Myers is 8-7 with a 3.11 ERA for a rebuilding Astros team.
"He's a more polished pitcher," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said last week.
Myers has pitched at least six innings in each of his 25 starts this season. His 2.6 walk rate Indianapolis Colts jersey
per nine innings is the lowest of his career. In 171 innings, Myers has allowed just 14 home runs. He served up 18 in 702/3 innings with the Phillies last season.
Now, with Oswalt gone, he's the new ace of the Houston staff. Myers, 30, was rewarded with a two-year, $23 million extension that he signed Aug. 1.
The homecoming will likely be more emotional for Happ, who was a part of the Oswalt trade in July. As an Astro, Happ has a 2-2 record with a 4.62 ERA.
Since going to Houston, Figueroa has become the team's fifth starter. In 221/3 innings as an Astro, Figueroa has a 2.42 ERA.
Utley sits
After Saturday night's loss to Washington, Manuel hinted at wanting to rest Chase Utley, something he is not wont to do. But with Utley coming off right thumb surgery, the manager is apparently willing to relax his rules for sitting his star second baseman.
After playing in his first five games back from the disabled list, Utley sat Sunday. Wilson Valdez started at second (and had a two-run single in the sixth).
"He played five days in a row," Manuel said of Utley. "I just wanted to sit him down. He was striding real quick and getting over his front side. Thought I'd give him a break."
Extra bases
Ryan Madson extended his scoreless streak to 132/3 innings with a perfect, nine-pitch Dallas Cowboys jersey
eighth inning Sunday. During the stretch, Madson's season ERA has gone from 5.40 to 3.23. . . . The results were also encouraging for lefthander J.C. Romero, who pitched a scoreless ninth. In back-to-back days against the Nationals, Romero retired all seven batters he faced.