"The injury-filled spring for the Philadelphia Phillies got even worse Friday when closer Brad Lidge acknowledged that he won't be ready for Opening Day due to soreness in the back of his shoulder.

"We're optimistic and hoping that it will be only a couple of weeks, and not much past that," Lidge said Friday. "It looks like we'll rest it for a week, then play catch for a week, then do a couple of bullpens and see how it feels."

Lidge pitched Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, but felt pain deep in the back of his shoulder after the game. He will see a doctor in Clearwater on Saturday, then have an MRI on Monday or Tuesday in Philadelphia after the club returns home from spring training Monday.

"I've never had shoulder issues before. This is frustrating because I felt so good when I came into camp," said Lidge, who had a mild case of biceps tendinitis this spring, but said Friday that that issue "is feeling better.""