Or maybe it's Gload. . .
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Or maybe it's Gload. . .
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
In our previous post we took a look at why parting ways with Michael Martinez might make the most sense for the Phillies at this point in time. But the Phillies have made it clear they would like to hold on to him for as long as possible. One option that would enable them to continue to do so would be to send first baseman/pinch-hitter Ross Gload to the disabled list.
Gload is battling a hip injury that has clearly affected him at the plate. All 11 of his hits are singles (he posted a .484 slugging percentage last year), he has yet to draw a walk, and he has struck out eight times in 40 at-bats (his career average is about once ever eight at-bats). He has not started a game since May 19, and he has three hits and five strikeouts in his last 19 plate appearances. The last two time he has reached base, the Phillies have immediately pulled him for a pinch runner, including Wednesday night, pitcher Kyle Kendrick replaced him on the basepaths.
Could the Phillies really send Gload to the disabled list? According to one of the folks who subscribes to my Twitter feed, Ruben Amaro Jr. said exactly that during a Q and A with WB Mason clients at the ballpark last night. If true, credit the scoop to @NovaLeprachaun
But it's hard to see Gload to the DL as a long-term answer. The move would leave the switch-hitting Martinez as the Phillies' only left-handed option for a late-game pinch-hitting situation (Wilson Valdez, John Mayberry Jr., Ben Francisco and Dane Sardinha are all righties). At some point, you have to figure the Phillies would need to promote a guy like Scott Podsednik to give Manuel a left-handed hitter who has demonstrated an ability to hit the ball out of the infield with some degree of consistency.
Maybe the Phillies figure that they will be able to do so in the next couple of weeks, and that by that point they will be able to swap in someone like Podsedik, who has played center field and last year hit .297 with 35 stolen bases, for someone like Mayberry.
In the short term, the Phillies can survive without a LH bat on the bench. Francisco and Mayberry might be better off batting against righties than any left-handed option the Phillies have. At the very least, DL'ing Gload buys the Phillies time, presuming they are as intent to hold on to Martinez as it appears. They can give Shane Victorino a week or two to get his feet back under him (Mayberry is the back-up at center field), get Domonic Brown to a point where he is playing every day (at which point Ben Francisco will be the regular right-handed bat off the bench), and re-evaluate everything.
If the Phillies feel like carrying two utility men all season will not be too much of a detriment, this would enable them to continue to do so.
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Two things missing in this report: 1. As I understand it, Gload's real decision is when to have hip surgery; this isn't an injury that will heal without surgery. 2. When does Schneider come off the DL? He's no Ted Williams but he is an OK left-handed pinch hitter in games that Ruiz starts.— eman- kdavis2172. That would be ideal. But that won't solve the second utility infielder either. My bet is they have tried to no avail. Maybe the division rival Washington is trying to get a pretty good prospect in return.— EL Zorro
- eman, it's pretty difficult for a manager to use a catcher as PH unless it's necessary and/or you are playing at home and there is an ideal situation, like a men on third with less than two outs and the pitcher coming up to bat.— EL Zorro
- Oh, and the game tied.— EL Zorro
- I don't understand what Martinez brings to the table. He can't hit, doesn't field particularly well, is a so-so baserunner, is 28 going on 29 and has only played 33 AAA games in his career. In AA he was caught stealing as many times as he made it. Hope the Phillies don't outsmart themselves with their Rule 5 love. Neither Herndon nor Martinez are worth a roster spot.— jtj06
- Rule 5 players are obviously very talented players who for one reason or another just haven't put it all together at the major league level yet. The Phils brass saw something in Victorino and they stuck with him. They saw something in Herndon last year (as did I) and I think he will prove to everyone to be a big part of our BP over the next few years. They just tried to get to cute with him and make him throw another pitch or two like they did with KK.....Martinez is a potential GG SS, who can run a lot, play different positions, has speed and might one day hit enough to actually get to play. Unfortunately, we need hitting now, not 2 years from now. Gload tothe DL to stall for time for a few more weeks is a no brainer. He needs surgery, it won't heal...but maybe a reliable PH PH singles hitter can get us to the postseason? I'm sure Podsednik is the answer, they are probably just waiting for him to get over his foot injury and get going in the minors before they bring him up.— Mark1npt
- Am I missing something?
Michael Martinez is not some 22-year old prospect. He's 28, for crying out loud. He couldn't even get playing time with the Nationals. Do you mean to tell me that his upside is so high that they'd consider demoting someone like Mayberry just to prove a point?
Offer him back to Washington. If they take him back, which I think is remote, you have someone like Delwyn Young, who is also 28 years of age, at Lehigh Valley, who at least has a professional resume as a backup infielder / outfielder.— PhightinPhil - Teams that don't catch the ball lose. MM can catch the ball and is versatile. Gload is not needed right now. DL him, and if the hip doesn't improve, 60 day DL him. Pods or another pikup (Stairs?) can give you a LH bat off the bench on August 29. This move is a no brainer.— NCNovaguy
