PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies manager Joe Girardi answered his share of questions Monday about rules.

Specifically, does he have them for the clubhouse? Yes, he said, but they will not be bullet-pointed on paper or posted on walls.

“As long as you're on time and you're prepared and you're accountable and that you're focused on winning, is there really anything else?” Girardi said during his introductory news conference at Citizens Bank Park. “You can encompass everything in those four rules.”

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Girardi has bullpen rules, too. He said he has “steadfast” rules on how he uses his relief pitchers because he does not want them to spend time on the injured list. That should be music to the ears of his relievers, who spent a lot of time on the IL last season and grumbled quietly about how they were used.

“Some of the things that I did in New York, it usually wasn't until the month of September that I would think about using a guy three days in a row because I wanted them to remain healthy,” Girardi said. “There would be a question sometimes in a postgame interview, ‘Why didn't you use him today?’ I don't believe in wearing guys out. Because when bullpen pieces start coming off the board that you don't have available, I think your team weakens significantly.

“So three out of four days I would do that, but then you would have an off day. I always informed the bullpen when they would have an off day. As far as using the bullpen, I like multiple-inning guys as well. I thought that was really important."

It will be interesting to see how the front office constructs Girardi’s 2020 bullpen. Relief pitchers Tommy Hunter, Pat Neshek and Juan Nicasio are free agents. David Robertson is expected to miss most of the season, if not all of it, following Tommy John surgery. Seranthony Domínguez, Adam Morgan and Vìctor Arano each finished the season on the IL with elbow injuries.

The Phillies can ease their bullpen concerns with significant upgrades to the rotation, which are expected. Gerrit Cole will be available, but he prefers the West Coast. (Of course, money has been known to change a person’s geographical preferences.) Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg (if he opts out of his contract), Zach Wheeler, Cole Hamels and others could be available.

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Girardi uses a common-sense approach to his rotation and bullpen. How much he uses each depends on the construction of both. The Nationals are dependent on starters Max Scherzer, Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez. The Rays rely mostly on their bullpen. But for as much talk as there is about openers and “bullpen-ing” your way to a World Series, Girardi believes a strong rotation is the way to go.

“When you get in those long series in the playoffs, the more they see the relievers, the more [the hitters] become familiar, so if you have starters that can give you distance and there’s not a huge drop off, I think it’s important,” he said. “But if you don’t, then you’ve got to find another way to win a game. And I’m not afraid to deploy a bullpen.”

Girardi could have a strong right-hand man to help with those decisions, too. A source confirmed that the Phillies have interviewed and like former Reds manager and longtime pitching coach Bryan Price.