Lee says he wants to pitch in All-Star Game
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Lee says he wants to pitch in All-Star Game
Daily News staff
PHOENIX -- The Phillies had made it clear they would have been just as happy if Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game. After all, they rank first and second in the National League in innings pitched.
NL manager Bruce Bochy, who named Halladay to start, said he never got the message.
“That’s news to me,” he said.
Since the All-Star starter generally pitches two innings, it’s likely Halladay won’t pitch for the Phillies this weekend against the Mets at Citi Field. He’ll probably make his first appearance of the second half against the Cubs on Monday or Tuesday.
“That’s something we had talked about, keeping things as minimal as possible and that feeling fresh in the second half was what was most important,” Halladay said. “I talked to (pitching coach Rich Dubee) and we talked about it and obviously that’s still the goal, to be as fresh as I can. But if I were to go a little longer than we really wanted pitch-count wise, then we’d take care of that on the back end after the break.”
-- Lee said that even though Halladay is starting, he doesn’t want Bochy to shy away from using him as well.
“That’s not my decision. I’m not going to be disappointed one way or the other. Obviously, I’d like to pitch and help this (National League) team win to get homefield advantage in the World Series. That’s important and means something,” he said.
-- Three Phillies who are in Phoenix will not play. Cole Hamels is automatically out since he started Sunday. Placido Polanco, who would have started at third, hasn’t played for a week because of a bulging disk in his back. Outfielder Shane Victorino is on the disabled list with a sprained thumb.
Polanco said he’s feeling better and would like to play Friday when the Phillies open the second half.
“We have optional hitting Thursday. I want to hit there. Friday there’s a game and I’ll see if I can play. The option would be a shot. I’m really thinking about it because when you talk about a shot in the spine, those are words I don’t like,” he said.
Victorino said he would take the same treatment as if he had stayed in Philadelphia and that he would do as much throwing and hitting as his thumb allowed both during the workout and the pregame.
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This comment has been deleted.— Handsome B. Wonderful- Looks more like a members only jacket. — Cheesedog
- @Handsome B. Wonderful
"Ayyyyy!"— PhightinPhil - The Phillies starting pitchers have the X-Factor— shawnmac
- If Cholly and Dubee are so worried about innings pitched, why send Cole out there in the 8th yesterday with the Phils leading 10-1?— jimyd0315
- All fans of the National League should be blessed to root for Cliff Lee for one inning,— bearsfriend
- How come the silly, old fool isn't on Bochy's coaching staff? Is it because he's the dumbest manager in the history of the National League?— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Yeah, it was pretty funny how Charlie was blasted for assembling the worst NL All-Star lineup in the history of the universe last year and yet sill won the game. Its also pretty funny how, despite all of his country-bumpkinness, he has still somehow managed to win 600 games as the Phillies manager. Oh yeah, he won a WS as well. I think one would be thankful to have a manager as good as Charlie coaching their team. We could have 28 other terrible coaches out there but in the end we have the best players coach in the game. — ESFjellin
- NOW the organization is worried about innings pitched? As if 2 innings are going to make a difference with Doc or Cliff with all the innings the organization allows them to throw.— Apache9
- Amen. A pretty silly statement from Dubee. Sunday was funny seeing as they had a 10-1 lead and yet Cole was still sent out there in the 8th inning. — ESFjellin
- If the man wants to pitch...he pitches. He has earned and deserves it. Done!— Phillyfan666
- Cholly and Dubee were more worried about Herndon and Baez giving up the 10-1 lead than they were about Hamels pitching another inning.— SteveS11
Comment removed.- All Star with bulging discs takes 5 hr + flight to Phoenix in order to sit, the reverses the process.
Who is making these stupid decisions ?— NewMick314 - Got to agree on Polanco...why travel that far with a bad back not to play? I wish all our guys were home chilling. Could care less about the bs homefield advantage nonsense.— PhillySubsMac
- Not only a 5 hour flight each way, but a couple of hours early too, with more sitting at the airport and then sitting in the clubhouse andon the bench during the game....all that sitting is very bad and definately counterproductive with regards to a bulging disc. Stupid.....he should be home on bedrest, recumbant, letting that disc decompress.— Mark1npt
- Did wheels's hair make the all-star team?— Cheesedog
- I hate everything about that baseball team by the freak bay city and Bochy just adds to it. It's gamemanship on his part. He knew they didn't want Doc pitching, so naturally, he starts him. And leaving Cholly off his staff is a bit of a snub as well.— rjpfoley
- Why are people making a big deal over an inning or two? These guys don't even approach the innings guys threw a generation or two (or more) ago, and they lasted for years.— phillyinsd
- I hope Boches pitches Doc and Cliff 8 innings combined. One game to get home field in the WS? If we don't get to the WS, it's a failure anyway so this is the most important game of the regular season...— thefadd
- Looks like the all the "expert" fantasy wonks are all spewing out their best hate everything's today......— Wheel
- Reply on Wheels issue: his hair did not make the CUT.— NewMick314
- mark1, I doubt sitting on a comfy leather recliner counts as "waiting at the airport". At least as we know it to be...— MFPhils
- I don't think Polanco should have flown either. Maybe Cholly and Dubee need to look at the bigger picture. What is more important, having the 7th game of the WS at home or pushing back Lee and Halladay two days because they pitched the all star game? If you lose game 99 during the season because you didn't have Halladay or Lee to pitch and you are in the WS with game 7 at home, then pitching them in the All Star game was the better decision. Kendrick is not that bad against the Mutts.— alihajishank
