CAN HEAR CLEARWATER CALLING
Update: Jimmy Rollins has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, the Phillies announced today. Infielder Wilson Valdez had his contract selected from Triple A Lehigh Valley. Rollins' DL stint is retroactive to April 13.
An MRI exam yesterday revealed that Rollins has a Grade 1/Grade 2 strain of the right calf.
“We believe it to be a mild to moderate strain and we’re hopeful it will be a 2-to-4 week recovery,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “As in all of our injuries, precautions will be taken so that Jimmy is 100% when he returns to the field.”
Rollins, 31, is hitting .391 with one home run, three RBI and eight runs scored in seven games. It is the second time in his career that he has been placed on the DL. He previously spent time on the DL in 2008 with a sprained left ankle.
Charlie Manuel said on a national radio show today that Jimmy Rollins has "between a Grade 2 and 1" calf injury that will sideline him for the forseeable future.
"He's definitely going to be out some time," Manuel told Jim Duquette and Kevin Kennedy on Sirius XM radio. "How much, I don't know, but he's hurt pretty bad."
Manuel used the word "tear" when discussing Rollins', which is accurate in the sense that a Grade 2 strain involves some partial tearing of the calf muscle. A rough recovery time is three-to-six weeks, although each case is different. It's safe to say that the Phillies will have to plan on Rollins missing at least a month.
The short-term plan is to have Juan Castro take Rollins' spot at short-stop, with center fielder Shane Victorino moving into the leadoff spot in the batting order. Castro will likely hit eighth, with catcher Carlos Ruiz moving up from eighth to fill Victorino's old spot at No. 7.
Castro hit .266 in 29 starts for the Dodgers last season, but is a career .230 hitter who was signed more for his defensive ability than his bat. The Phillies don't have many options in the minor league system. Veteran Wilson Valdez, who had a strong spring as a non-roster invitee and is currently hitting well at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, helped man short stop for the Mets last season when Jose Reyes went down with a calf injury.
Valdez would seem to be a likely option, since the Phillies have a spot on the 40-man roster open. The only option on the current 40-man is Brian Bocock, who was claimed off of waivers from the Blue Jays this spring.
The Phillies could call-up right-handed hitting outfielder John Mayberry Jr., but that would hamper their ability to pinch-hit for Castro in late-game situations, or replace him in the event of an injury. Veteran third baseman Placido Polanco has started close to 100 games at short stop in his career, but none since 2005, and none regularly since the early years of his career.
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Brad Lidge and the Phillies will tell you that they are not worried about results at this point. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that the rehabbing righthander threw a scoreless inning today for Class A Clearwater. This is notable because Lidge allowed runs in his first two rehab outings, and in every one of the handful of minor league games he pitched in back in March.
The closer walked the first batter he faced, who was then caught stealing. Lidge then struck out the next two batters he faced, both of them looking.
Phils pitching coach Rich Dubee said over the weekend that Lidge's arm strength has improved, but that his execution and control remain well behind where they need to be before the team starts thinking about a possible return.
Hard to know what to make of a box score line. Just passing it on.
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An interesting tilt will take place tonight in Reading, where Phils righthander Phillippe Aumont is scheduled to square off against New Hampshire righty Kyle Drabek. Drabek, of course, is the Phillies' former top pitching prospect, whom they shipped to Toronto in December in the trade for Roy Halladay. Aumont is one of three players the Phillies acquired from Seattle in the Cliff Lee deal.
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