Roy Halladay, Brad Lidge among guest spring instructors

When Roy Halladay retired last December as a Toronto Blue Jay, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he hoped to keep Halladay somehow involved with his organization. The Phillies secured him as a guest instructor for spring training.

Halladay is among a larger-than-usual group of Phillies alumni who will attend spring workouts. The team announced Wednesday that Halladay will be joined by Brad Lidge, Larry Andersen, Dave Hollins and Gary Matthews.

Andersen, one of the team's radio broadcasters, was supposed to serve as an instructor last spring but those plans fell through. Matthews was removed from the team's TV broadcasts by Comcast SportsNet but remains a Phillies employee. Hollins is a special assignment scout for Amaro. And Lidge, who rejected overtures to join the broadcast booth, retired from pitching last winter.

Halladay, who does not live far from Clearwater, Fla., spoke to minor-league players during previous springs while still playing for the Phillies. He was hailed as a mentor by Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick and many others.

In all, the Phillies will have 26 coaches at this year's spring training workouts. Noticably absent is Phillies great Mike Schmidt, who served as a guest instructor for 11 springs.

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