What the rotation might look like
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What the rotation might look like
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
I've edited this post since yesterday, flushing out some details after watching G-Love kick it at Festival Pier last night. I'm really surprised the Phillies didn't announce their rotation yesterday, but it gives us another day to guesstimate. Here is what I believe to be a logical projection of the rest of the month:
- 8/11 @ Cubs - Cliff Lee: Keep The Phils are reeling right now. You don't want Martinez playing the role of stopper in his first start, and it is easy to rationalize getting J.A. Happ some extra rest given his career-high 127-pitch outing last Wednesday. Plus, this keeps Lee on his fifth day and sets him up for a start in Atlanta, where the Phillies have struggled and the Braves are currently 4.5 games back.
- 8/12 @ Cubs - Pedro Martinez: I'm not real sure about this one. I could see Happ getting the start here on six days rest. I could also see Blanton getting the start here on his normal day. My thinking is that the Phillies will want to keep Martinez as close to his normal day as possible, in order to keep him in his routine. He threw a bullpen Sunday, which would make Wednesday his day to start. But I could see them pushing him back to the opener in Atlanta, where the ball doesn't carry the way it does in the friendly confines.
- 8/13 @ Cubs - Joe Blanton: He gets an extra day off. I think you need Blanton pitching in this series because it keeps him lined up to face the Mets in a couple weeks.
- 8/14 @ Braves - J.A. Happ: Gives him four extra days rest after his 127 pitch outing. It isn't ideal to for him to have this much rest, and the more I think about it, the more I think he'll be starting in Chicago on Wednesday and Pedro will be starting his first game Friday in Atlanta. It just seems like a long time to keep a guy off the mound when he is supposed to be building arm strength and getting used to facing hitters. So I'll stick with the Phillies bumping Happ way back. But again, Pedro here would make a lot of sense -- it would put Happ in the Mets series, and keep Pedro away from his old team.
- 8/15 @ Braves - Cole Hamels: Hamels has said he likes pitching every 5th, but he could use a blow. Watching on television Saturday, I saw an athlete who needs to hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and reset himself. This could help give him an opportunity.
- 8/16 @ Braves - Cliff Lee: Like I said earlier, I think the Phillies need Cliff Lee to pitch this game. The Braves are the team that Phillies fans should be worried about. They have the pitching, and if they can muster any offense at all, they will be a dangerous team down the stretch.
- 8/17 OFF DAY
- 8/18 vs. ARI - Pedro Martinez: Keep the rotation in order. I don't see any benefit to starting Blanton here.
- 8/19 vs. ARI - Joe Blanton
- 8/20 vs. ARI - J.A. Happ
- 8/21 @ NYM - Cole Hamels: Sure, the Mets are 10 games back right now. But anyone who thinks that this definitely will not be a big series is fooling themselves. We've seen four-game sweeps before in this rivalry, and one by the Mets would give New York a huge boost heading into September. Remember the Phils' sweep a couple years ago and what it did for them?
- 8/22 @ NYM - Cliff Lee
- 8/23 @ NYM - Pedro Martinez: Again, this could be J.A. Happ's spot. But Happ allowed four runs in six innings against the Mets earlier this season, so I'm projecting a showdown that will have headline writers in both cities salivating.
- 8/24 @ NYM - Joe Blanton
- 8/25 @ PIT - J.A. Happ
- 8/26 @ PIT - Cole Hamels
- 8/27 @ PIT - Cliff Lee
- 8/28 ATL - Pedro Martinez
- 8/29 ATL - Joe Blanton
- 8/30 - ATL - J.A. Happ
- 8/31 - OFF
This set-up would give Martinez four starts by the end of August. It would give a start against his former team at CitiField. It would put the Phils' three top pitchers in the four-game series against the Mets. And it would put the Phillies in position to set up their rotation as they see fit for September.
The Phils could use the off day on Aug. 31 to do a number of things with the rotation. One of these possibilities would be to re-set it for the stretch run, starting September with a rotation of Cliff Lee, followed by Cole Hamels, followed by Joe Blanton, followed by J.A. Happ. At that point, they would also have enough information on Pedro Martinez to decide whether to leave him the rotation at No. 5, or to revert back to Jamie Moyer. At this point, rosters will have also expanded, so they won't have to worry about burning a roster spot.
Keep in mind there are two doubleheaders in Sept., where they'll need an extra starter.
Here's a look at a second rotation, which flips Martinez and Happ. This might be the way they go, as I pointed out in the other projection. This would enable them to have more balance, plus would get Happ back on the mound one day sooner. But it would also mean that Martinez would be making his 2009 debut after not having faced hitters for eight days:
8/11 - CHC - Cliff Lee
8/12 - CHC - Joe Blanton
8/13 - CHC - J.A. Happ
8/14 - ATL - Pedro Martinez
8/15 - ATL - Cole Hamels
8/16 - ATL - Cliff Lee
8/17 - OFF
8/18 - ARI - Blanton
8/19 - ARI - Happ
8/20 - ARI - Martinez
8/21 - NYM - Hamels
8/22 - NYM - Lee
8/23 - NYM - Blanton
8/24 - NYM - Happ
8/25 - PIT - Martinez
8/26 - PIT - Hamels
8/27 - PIT - Lee
8/28 - ATL - Blanton
8/29 - ATL - Happ
8/30 - ATL - Martinez
Comment removed.
At this point, I'll accept any rotation that does not have Jamie Moyer's name in it on a consistent basis. Is he the only problem? Absolutely not. I think Hamels' performance of late is cause for even greater concern. But I think it's time for a change at the back end of the rotation, and Pedro was not signed to be anything but a starter.— PhightinPhil- I doubt they'll pitch Lee and Hamels on back-to-back days.— DS17
- I wouldn't worry about getting my rotation set for the Mets. Braves and Marlins are the bigger concern.— yardbyrd
- They might want to set the rotation depending on whom the ball and strike ump happens to be for that game.— Dull
- Hamels could use more than a blow. He could use a mentality transplant.
- Rich Dubee is the worst pitching coach in baseball. Since the Cliff Lee trade last Thursday, Cliff Lee is 2-0 and the other Dubee dreck starters that he contaminated are 1-8. FIRE RICH DUBEE NOW! Replace him with Leo Mazzone for the strecth run for a wake up call! FIRE RICH DUBEE NOW!— Dr. Michael
- Rich Dubee is the worst pitching coach in baseball. Since the Cliff Lee trade last Thursday, Cliff Lee is 2-0 and the other Dubee dreck starters that he contaminated are 1-8. FIRE RICH DUBEE NOW! Replace him with Leo Mazzone for the strecth run for a wake up call! FIRE RICH DUBEE NOW— Dr. Michael
- "murphy, martino, and anyone under 40 are prejudiced against moyer because of his age. that must be it, because moyer's stats speak for themselves - moyer has won more games both this year and last than any other pitcher on the team." Yeah, that or his ERA is one of the worst in the NL. Thanks for the win total stat though, that's really relevant and useful information.— richjenkins
- ugh. thats a good idea swarte, let's rely on luck to take us to the world series rather than who is pitching well. you are an unqualified genius.— eric6655
- zwarte piet - - Yet another Jamie Moyer apologist - - I take it, then, you are over 40.— PhightinPhil
- How about packaging Moyer, Lidge, Stairs and Bako for Halladay.— mills621
- I could use a blow!— SPBilly
- I like your thinking Murph, but I would keep Blanton between Lee and Hammels for the change of pace effect.— SmartAlec
- Mills, is there a new trade deadline ?? And just why would that trade work for a team attempting to 'get younger?"— mick314
