Philadelphia.Phillies.MLB.com

By Ken Mandel / MLB.com

Shawn Wooten hit .292 in 2002, and helped the Angels win the World Series. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The utilityman started at third in place of David Bell on Thursday, a chilly, 49-degree night. Bell was going to be rested either Thursday or Friday, but since the Phillies will be in sunny Miami on Friday, manager Larry Bowa opted to sit him for the series finale against the Pirates.

"I'm playing it safe," said Bowa.

Healthwise, Bell said that he's fine, though he battled through injuries this spring and was limited to 20 at-bats. He understands the move, but wants to play.

David Bell  /   3B
		Born: 09/14/72 Height: 5'10" Weight: 195 lbs Bats: R / Throws: R More info: Player page Stats | Splits Gallery Team Site | Shop

"It's not something I wouldn't say to anybody else. I want to be playing," he said. "If I'm not in the lineup, at any point, it has nothing to do with what I want. I want to be there every day. If I didn't feel confident about my health or about the way I play, that's different. I feel confident now."

For Wooten, Thursday represented a personal Opening Day, and his first chance to see National League pitching when the games count.

"Whenever I get in there, it seems like I'm starting the season, and I get the jitters," he said. "My first at-bat will be interesting. The season hasn't really started for me yet, but it's like that every year."

Wooten began his Phillies career with a double. It was a much better beginning than the one he had in 2001, as a member of the Angels, the first time he broke camp with a Major League team.

This was also during his transition to a bench player after having been a in the minors. He wasn't exactly ready for that first opportunity, which came on April 5, 2001, in the third game of the year.

"My first at-bat came in Texas," he said. "We were winning, and Wally Joyner was on deck. Our bench coach told me to get ready, so I started to get loose, not thinking they were talking about hitting, because Wally was already on deck. I had my shin guards and jacket on."

"The next guy got a single, and I hear, 'What are you doing? You're up.' So I grab a helmet, a bat -- [Ivan Rodriguez] and the umpire are wondering what's going on. I go up there with no batting gloves. I swung at three pitches in the dirt and sat back down. That was the beginning of my 2001 season. After that it was all good."

Fittingly, Wooten learned an important lesson that day.

"I learned to always be prepared," he said. "Since then, I always start getting ready in the fourth inning, and I always have my batting gloves."

Wooten had a banner first game as a Phillie, collecting a double, single and a walk.

Don't blame the bats: The quality of the bats -- made from Canada's finest maple trees, rather than ash -- isn't the reason for Mike Lieberthal's slow start.

Mike Lieberthal  /   C
		Born: 01/18/72 Height: 6'0" Weight: 195 lbs Bats: R / Throws: R More info: Player page Stats | Splits Gallery Team Site | Shop

Lieberthal acknowledges that it isn't the stick, but rather the man wielding it. He's been hitting the ball near the center of the bat, which in turn has led to four broken bats. Six more are on the way, but the catcher is down to his final three for this road trip.

"I'm swinging at balls and hitting them [in the middle of the bat]," he said. "Then they'll pitch me in further, and I'll swing at that, too."

Lieberthal found a good pitch from Ryan Vogelsong on Thursday for a homer just inside the left-field foul pole.

The Phillies had been the last Major League team to hit a home run this season.

Philling in: Mike Schmidt lost his managerial debut with the Single-A Clearwater Threshers. His squad scored four in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game against Dunedin, but lost when Dunedin scored three in the top of the 11th. ... David Coggin, who lost the fight for the final bullpen spot to Ryan Madson, will be used as a starter at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Coming up: Probables for the Marlins series: Friday: Eric Milton vs. Carl Pavano; Saturday: Brett Myers vs. Darren Oliver; Sunday: Kevin Millwood vs. Josh Beckett.

Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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