"Brett Myers and Pedro Feliz don't live here anymore. They were back at Bright House Field only because of the special powers vested in Major League Baseball's Department of Fate, Coincidence & Circumstances.

Myers and Feliz were the two most prominent members of the last two Phillies World Series rosters to be subtracted last winter. Both were free agents. Neither was offered a contract. Each subsequently ended up signing with the Houston Astros, who happened to provide the opposition for yesterday's exhibition at Bright House Field.

The Phillies parted company with Myers even though, on paper, he fit the profile of the sort of low-risk, high-upside, payroll-friendly pitcher who could either start or relieve that they said they were looking for.

In the case of Feliz, the Phillies veered slightly away from the emphasis on defense that has quietly played such an important role in their recent run of success. Manager Charlie Manuel was enamored of Placido Polanco's tailor-made-for-the-second-spot-in-the-order abilities. Feliz is a superb defensive player. Polanco won a Gold Glove for the Detroit Tigers, but that was at second base, which requires a different skill set than playing the hot corner.

Time will tell whether the defending National League champions out-thought themselves in either case.

Beyond the fact that both were greeted warmly behind the batting cage before the game started, not much can be gathered from what turned out to be an 8-7 Phillies win.

Myers pitched 5 1/3 so-so innings before departing with a mild left groin strain. Feliz had a hit and a walk in four plate appearances.

There had been some hope that the unpredictable Myers would add a little spice to what has largely been a soporific camp so far. After all, earlier this spring, he jokingly said his goal was to "kick their rear end" when he faced his former team.

It didn't work out that way, but he said he had fun anyway. When a pitch from Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick zipped in close, he yelled out a reminder that he could throw inside, too. He said Manuel was yelling at him from the dugout to take a strike when he came to the plate, just like in the old days. He took a mighty swing in his first at-bat and beat out a dribbler to third."