Phillies Notebook: Deadline (In)Activity, Pedro Feliz, J.A. Happ, Brett Myers, Chase Utley

-The trade deadline has come and gone... and the Phillies lived up to general manager Pat Gillick's reputation of "Standing Pat." Hey, at least the Marlins didn't trade for Manny Ramirez, which would have given the Fish the ultimate weapon. And at least the Mets, who sit a half-game behind the Phils, didn't do anything, either.

According to multiple sources, the Phillies were in intense talks with many teams for a left-handed relief pitcher. In the end, the Phillies were not players. Typical of Phillies management to do absolutely nothing to bolster the team heading into the final months of the season.

-It could be a long time before Pedro Feliz returns to the Phillies' lineup. Feliz was diagnosed Thursday with a bulging disk in his back and may not return by Aug. 9, when the third baseman is eligible to return from the disabled list.

- J.A. Happ was recalled earlier this week. Happ, who made two starts in July, will likely fill the role of the left-handed longarm in the Phillies' bullpen. The 25-year-old, who recorded 13 strikeouts in a class-AAA start with Lehigh Valley a few weeks ago, could fill a spot in the starting roation if deemed necessary (i.e. if Brett Myers reverts back to his gawd-awful form).

- And speaking of Myers, I will admit that it was encouraging to see how well he pitched in the Phillies' 2-1 victory over the Nationals Tuesday. Myers gave up only one unearned run and was doing a great job locating his fastball, which, of course, has been his Achilles Heel all season. I know that it doesn't say much when you're dominating the worst-hitting team in the majors, but in Myers' case, any improvement -- no matter how weak the opponent -- is a positive.

- Well, Chase Utley appears he's slowly getting back on the right track after a two-month-long slump. The MVP favorite has, according to Gillick, been playing with a bad hip most of the season and could need surgery in the offseason. Utley belted his 26th and 27th homers of the year in wins over the Nationals this week.