"Batting practice was over for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and everyone was heading from the field to the clubhouse Wednesday when noticing their pitcher had arrived.

Roy Oswalt was in the trainer's room, his home away from home in clubhouses near and far all season long.

This pregame visit was no big deal, though: The one missing-in-action ace from the Phillies rotation was there just to stretch out his back for his first outing in five weeks.

Seventy-two pitches later, 12 more than a soft limit the Phillies' brass had set, Oswalt had passed an important test.

Oswalt didn't ace it. But, with his velocity a little down and his location not at its best, it couldn't take away from the one big positive:

There was no back flare up.

Asked how he felt after a one-run, four-inning outing, Oswalt said, "Not too bad."

Oswalt arrived from Philly hoping one rehab start would be enough to convince the Phillies he was ready to come off the disabled list right away.

He left realizing he's not quite ready."