In late February, David Bell began experiencing back spasms. Due to his history of back problems, the Phillies sent him for a thorough examination, which uncovered a sprained ligament in his lower back. He received an epidural and on March 3rd and doctors mandated that he remain out of games for three weeks after that date. Following the epidural, Bell feels fine and is anxious to shorten the window the doctors laid down. While he may be able to return by Opening Day if he sticks to the three weeks on the bench, his history of back problems and reticence to follow doctors' orders create concerns about his ability to remain in the lineup.