Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 10:30 PM | 14 comments |
 

Manuel: "Very concerned" about Park's hamstring
options
 

It was the last thing the Phillies bullpen needed, but they may have gotten it anyway in the seventh inning last night: after throwing a pitch that resulted in the final out of the frame, Chan Ho Park grabbed his hamstring and limped off the field.
Manager Charlie Manuel said after the Phillies' 6-1 win that Park, who said he felt the hamstring "pop", could be out for a significant stretch of time.
"He's probably going to down awhile," Manuel said.
Asked if the injury could jeopardize Park's availability for the playoffs, Manuel said "I don't know, we'll probably know more about it tomorrow. But yeah, he's out for ahwhile. I'm very concerned about him, because he pulled it pretty good."
Park has been a vital cog in the Phillies bullpen, going 2-2 with a 2.57 ERA and holding opposing batters to a .231 average since losing his spot in the rotation in May.

^

Just a quick analysis:

If Park is down for an extended period of time, it could jeopardize the Phillies current closer-by-committee approach. Brett Myers can pitch multiple innings and brings a similar skill set to the table as Park. But if he is needed in the sixth or seventh innings, he might not be available to pitch the eighth. Lefthander J.C. Romero said today that he was thrilled with how he pitched in his bullpen session, and that he plans on being back with the team within the next week to 10 days. But even he admitted that he probably won't be throwing in the low-to-mid-90's, so the Phillies can't count on him being able to resume the eighth-inning duties that he once shared with Madson. 

Manuel said after the game today that he was planning on using Lidge as closer today. That is interesting because the Nationals are the team that spelled the temporary end of his job as closer, loading the bases with one out on Sept. 8 and causing Manuel to switch to Madson.

But Park going down could change Myers' role, which would in turn change Madson and Lidge's role. The Phillies have plenty of right-handed options -- Tyler Walker and Clay Condrey have both shown the ability at times this season to shut down the seventh inning of a tight game. 

Regardless, if Park is sidelined for a long stretch, the ripples will be felt throughout a bullpen that has been in flux all season. 

Stay tuned, we should know more tomorrow.
 
Posted by David Murphy @ 10:30 PM  Permalink | 14 comments
14
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:42 PM, 09/16/2009
    He's probably done for the first round. We'd better hope that Condrey can go without re-aggravating his oblique. If he can, we won't miss Park much. He can cover the same amount of innings for the same reasons. Whatever we do we can't use Durbin.
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:42 PM, 09/16/2009
    He's probably done for the first round. We'd better hope that Condrey can go without re-aggravating his oblique. If he can, we won't miss Park much. He can cover the same amount of innings for the same reasons. Whatever we do we can't use Durbin.
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:49 PM, 09/16/2009
    Droppin' like flies. At least it's not an oblique strain.
    — scootch
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:50 PM, 09/16/2009
    Condrey? Condrey? He belongs in Triple-A
    — Delaware Jim
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:00 PM, 09/16/2009
    He was actually pitching pretty well before he landed on the DL.
    — phillyfan14
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:08 PM, 09/16/2009
    Tyler Walker been doing a great job... but hope park gets better quick.... looked painful though... might even be a tear
    — EndTheDrought
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:09 PM, 09/16/2009
    I'm hoping for the return of Claytime regardless. Clay's a battler when he's on. Tough break for Chan. He's been solid.
    — frankenslade
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:56 PM, 09/16/2009
    Oh bleep...that's just what we didn't need...
    — oirerflaksdjflijfifasdf
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:13 AM, 09/17/2009
    Condrey and Park are interchangeable pieces. Clay actually gets more groundballs with his sinker than park and can pitch multiple innings too. Stats don't lie. As long as he's recovered, we're in good shape.
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:43 AM, 09/17/2009
    If Park tore his hamstring hes done for the year. Pain is very telling in this type of injury, reading the reports at the very least it sounds like a severe strain(if not a tear) Park probably wont be able to do anything for 2-3 weeks then he has to rehab, bad bad bad. One of the starters has to chip in at the bullpen level. Its paper thin out there.
    — argonne
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:46 AM, 09/17/2009
    Hey thanks for writing this, but I already read it on the column above you. At least you provided some insight, and baseball intelligence. Guess I'll just skip over Martino's column and go directly to your's. It appears as if you guys are competing for the job anyway...you both write about exactly the same thing everytime. One of you is sure to go...can't believe they are paying 2 of you...
    — MFPhils
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:50 AM, 09/17/2009
    MFPhils - Take it easy, alright? Show some humility and keep your sarcasm and negativity to yourself. Let the man do his job to the best of his ability.
    — Preserve Jon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:05 AM, 09/17/2009
    MFPhils is probably too dumb to realize that Martino and Murphy write for different papers.
    — Captain Splendor
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:36 AM, 09/17/2009
    No, I won't take it easy. I really enjoy reading their blogs and it really sucks having to pick one over the other or reading the same thing twice....
    — MFPhils


14 comments
About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times. E-mail Dave at dmurphy@phillynews.com.

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