Presenting the four-and-a-half man rotation
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Presenting the four-and-a-half man rotation
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies have a decision to make. With righthander Roy Oswalt sidelined for at least the rest of the first half of the season, they can play out the final 14 games before the All-Star Break while using a fifth starter once. But that would require them pitching Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay on normal rest the rest of the way. Both pitchers can handle it. But both are among the NL league leaders in innings, and the Phillies have always been a fan of getting their starters an extra day of rest whenever possible.
If they stay in order through Monday's off day, they will be in the unenviable position of starting both Vance Worley and Kyle Kendrick against the Red Sox in the three-game series between the two leading World Series contenders that starts on Tuesday.
Both Halladay and Hamels have had an extra day rest in two of their previous four starts, and keeping them on their normal turn would allow Kyle Kendrick to remain in a bullpen that is without Jose Contreras and last night was without Ryan Madson due to a hand condition that Charlie Manuel did not really expand on.
Here is how the rotation would look if they keep Halladay and Hamels on their normal turn the rest of the way:
June 24 v Oak - Worley (5)
June 25 v Oak - Hamels (5)
June 26 v Oak - Halladay (4)
June 27 - Off - OFF
June 28 v Bos - Lee (5)
June 29 v Bos - Worley (4)
June 30 v Bos - Hamels (4)
July 1 at Tor - Halladay (4)
July 2 at Tor - FIFTH STARTER
July 3 at Tor - Lee (4)
July 4 vs Fla - Worley (4)
July 5 vs Fla - Hamels (4)
July 6 vs Fla - Halladay (4)
July 7 - OFF - OFF
July 8 vs Atl - Lee (4)
July 9 vs Atl - Worley (4)
July 10 v Atl - Hamels (4)
In this scenario, the match-ups for the Boston series will go like this:
Tuesday - LHP Cliff Lee vs. RHP Josh Beckett
Wednesday - RHP Vance Worley vs. RHP John Lackey
Thursday - LHP Cole Hamels vs. LHP John Lester
The Phillies could keep those match-ups for the Boston series and also get Halladay two extra days of rest by using Kendrick in a second start, against the Marlins on July 6. That would also line up Halladay, Lee and Hamels to pitch against the Braves in the final series of the regular season.
Right now, this would appear to be the best scenario. Hamels is already getting an extra day before tonight's start against Oakland, so he would only be pitching on normal rest in three straight starts. Halladay would get the same number of starts before the break, but he'd get two extra days of rest. The only starter getting one less start than in the first scenario would be Worley.
In parantheses are the days of rest the starter will be working on.
June 24 v Oak - Worley (5)
June 25 v Oak - Hamels (5)
June 26 v Oak - Halladay (4)
June 27 - Off - OFF
June 28 v Bos - Lee (5)
June 29 v Bos - Worley (4)
June 30 v Bos - Hamels (4)
July 1 at Tor - FIFTH STARTER (Kendrick on 7 days rest)
July 2 at Tor - Halladay (5)
July 3 at Tor - Lee (4)
July 4 vs Fla - Worley (4)
July 5 vs Fla - Hamels (4)
July 6 vs Fla - FIFTH STARTER (Kendrick on 4 days rest)
July 7 - OFF - OFF
July 8 vs Atl - Halladay (5)
July 9 vs Atl - Lee (5)
July 10 v Atl - Hamels (4)
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@argonne: The organization owes it to the fans to give the team the best possible chance to progress in the post-season. Cutting off rest to please a few fans (and since they sell out every game it's clear that they won't be alienating a whole lot of people) by using a rotation, however good it might be for one series, that weakens their over-all chances is silly and short-sighted.— judas_priest- The Red Sox series doesn't mean squat...The series that mean more are the series that are in the NL East...— PhilliefaninAZ
