"Charlie Manuel is not a doctor, but he's starting to play one on TV. Every day seems to bring another health update, or word of another injury, in Manuel's daily pregame meeting with reporters.

Tuesday's list of ailments was so lengthy that Manuel had to wave in help from the bullpen and let general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. finish it off.

The short version:

Reliever Jose Contreras' season is over. The righthander, limited to just 17 games by a sore elbow, is headed for exploratory surgery in California. Amaro said Contreras may have some loose fragments in his elbow, or possibly a problem with his flexor tendon. The Phillies are hoping for a quick and easy surgical fix that will allow Contreras to be ready for spring training.

Ryan Howard did not start Tuesday night's game because of what Amaro called bursitis in his left heel/Achilles area.

Raul Ibanez missed his second straight game with a left groin problem that is similar to the sports hernia he had surgically repaired after the 2009 season. He had an injection of medication on Tuesday, and if it works as well as the one that Placido Polanco had for a similar problem, he could be back in the lineup sometime over the weekend.

Tuesday's injury update actually started early Tuesday afternoon – moments before the earth shook – when the Phillies media relations department sent out an email announcing the Cole Hamels had been placed on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation.

The email was a little alarming at first because all signs pointed to Hamels being over the shoulder problem that has forced him to miss a couple of turns in the rotation. In fact, Hamels was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday afternoon and he had been tentatively penciled in to start Friday night.

Was there a setback?

The answer to that question came at about 3 p.m. – after the earth stopped shaking – when Hamels came out onto the field at Citizens Bank Park and started firing baseballs.

He was fine. Or, as pitching coach Rich Dubee said after the lefty's bullpen session, "Absolutely fabulous."

So why the trip to the DL?

Several reasons: Foremost, Dubee, who handles all matters pitching for Doctor McDreamy – er, Manuel – decided that re-inserting Hamels into the rotation on Friday would mean too many days between starts for the rest of the staff. Hamels had already been down for 11 days, so several more on a 15-day DL assignment wouldn't hurt. Besides, the transaction would allow the Phils to bring up an extra body for the banged-up bench. Utility man Pete Orr came up from Triple A."