Sunday, May 19, 2013

Subscriber Services |

Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Phillies Zone

Archive: August, 2009

Q&A: Playoff rotation, Hamels and more

POSTED: Monday, August 31, 2009, 4:31 PM

Andy Martino

Join Andy Martino for a live Phillies chat Tuesday at 11 a.m.

11 comments

Myers allows two hits, one inside-the-parker

POSTED: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 8:27 PM

Andy Martino

The following courtesy of Jim Salisbury, beating the bushes out in Reading:

Brett Myers got out of his most recent rehab outing healthy and dry, but he was not particularly sharp while pitching two innings for the Reading Phillies against the Bowie Baysox tonight.

Myers, recovering from June 4 hip surgery, allowed two hits, including an inside-the-park home run, and struck out two. He threw 30 pitches, 16 strikes and 14 balls

11 comments

Myers starts at 6:30, could throw 50 pitches

POSTED: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 2:42 PM

Andy Martino

A news flash for all of you out there interested in seeing big league talent at Double-A ticket prices: Brett Myers will start game one of a doubleheader in Reading tonight at 6:30. He could throw as many as 50 pitches, a key test of his durability as the Phils decide when to bring him back. It stands to reason that Myers could return sometime next week if all goes well.

Our Jim Salisbury is out there tonight, and we'll keep you updated.

6 comments

Rollins talks PEDs and privacy; Myers, Pedro and the waiver wire

POSTED: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 6:13 PM

Andy Martino

A federal appeals court in California yesterday reached a decision about baseball that had implications regarding the privacy rights of every American—another example of sports and society intertwining. Phillies union rep Jimmy Rollins weighed in on the situation today.

The case demonstrated the conflict between civil liberties and the effort to rid baseball of performance-enhancing drugs. Drug testing for one’s employer is an infringement on personal privacy, of course, though one many of us are willing to endure. In this particular case, the court ruled that U.S. Attorneys had gone too far in sezing a list of 104 players who had failed an ostensibly anonymous drug test in 2003.

Most of you know this background, but quickly: The tests were meant to gauge how many players were using performance-enhancing drugs; because more than five percent tested positive, a full testing program was instituted the following season.

The prosecutors were investigating whether 10 players, including Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, had testified accurately in a case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative. During a 2004 raid of the company that oversaw drug tests for those players, the prosecutors stumbled across the 2003 list, and seized it.

That’s how A-Rod, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa were outed as PED users of one kind or another.

As a journalist and citizen, I’ve been of two minds on this: I like when the truth comes out, but these players were obviously violated. When the court ruled that the prosecutors were wrong to seize the list, they reached a decision that could limit the government’s ability to get its hands on your medical information. At the risk of getting all Ron Paul on ya, that strikes me as a good thing.

Here’s some of what Rollins had to say: “The leaks didn’t surprise me. If a President’s cabinet leaks to the media, anything will come out this day in age. But to my eyes, this was an easy case. How do you rule any other way? We took the test with the assumption it was protected.”

Rollins also said that he did not see a conflict between cleaning up the sport and maintaining personal privacy.

“No, they don’t have to be in conflict,” he said. “You just have to respect the way things are done. In 2003, the rules were different and it was meant to be kept private. Now, it’s okay to name players who test positive, because the rules have changed.”

***

Back to on-field matters, Brett Myers is expected to make his next appearance for Reading on Saturday.

Pedro Martinez starts tomorrow at the Bank, and Charlie Manuel said this afternoon that the next few Pedro starts will be key in determining what the guy can contribute. “We’ll get a real good read on him in a couple more starts,’ Manuel said. “That’s when he’ll get stretched out. The next two starts will really determine where we can take him in the game, and where he can take us.

***

In talking with Ruben Amaro yesterday and his assistant GM Scott Proefrock today, I’m not getting the feeling that the Phils are likely to make a trade before the Sept. 1 postseason eligibility deadline.

But one also has to keep in mind with the Phils that they are always on the hunt for ways to tweak the club—that’s the Pat Gillick influence—so if something appealing comes up five seconds from now, the team could jump on it. But they don’t see any glaring positions of need. They expect to get Greg Dobbs back, and the biggest question mark (you get one guess, rhymes with Lad Bridge) is a problem they’re more likely address internally, if they address it.

***

Charlie on J.A. Happ: "I think that Happ should definitely be Rookie of the Year." Agreed.

38 comments

Amaro on Lidge's role: "Those are mainly decisions for Charlie to make."

POSTED: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 5:36 PM

Andy Martino

We all know that Charlie Manuel has been publicly supportive of Brad Lidge. But what does Ruben Amaro Jr. think, on a day when all of Philly seems to be buzzing with Lidge-related anxiety? After all, he’s the general manager, "the decider," to quote a former president.

Reached by phone a few hours ago, Amaro did not say, suggest, hint or imply that he was thinking about making a change at the position. But he did place the onus for any decision largely on Manuel.

“Those are mainly decisions for Charlie to make,” Amaro said. “But I believe in Charlie and I believe in Lidge. There is no question he has had some rough games. He has had some struggles, but when Lidge is pitching right, I’ll put my money on Lidge.”

Of course, Lidge isn’t pitching right this season, and I don’t have to retype the stats to prove it. My personal opinion hasn’t evolved on this since I blogged last night. It’s a problem for the team. Some of the more sabermetrically-inclined members of the Philles Zone community have rightly pointed out that a closer’s importance is overstated, and the Phils should just put different people in that role or mix-and-match. I almost always agree with sabermetric arguments, but actually covering baseball has changed my view on this one.

Yes, the save stat is one of the dumbest metrics in baseball, and middle-relief swingmen are more valuable than closers—at least modern, one-inning closers in the post-Eckersley/Sutter/Lee Smith era. But actually getting to know relief pitchers has taught me that they like to be in prescribed roles, and they really do believe that the ninth inning is different from any other.

So while the Jamesian crowd smartly notes that stuff that works in the seventh innings should translate to the ninth, it just doesn’t seem to work that way for the humans who play the game. That’s why demoting Lidge would potentially create new and serious problems for the bullpen, reshuffling the whole mix with weeks to go before the playoffs.

Also, Manuel was also asked today whether he would use Lidge again four days in a row. “If he’s sore or if he’s stiff or whatever and he feels like it’s going to be tough for him, if he tells me I won’t use him,” Manuel said. “I mean that. But at the same time, I felt like he was ready.”

***

Tomorrow, Antonio Bastardo (shoulder strain) will pitch a Gulf Coast League rehab game, Clay Condrey (oblique) will throw in a simulated game, and J.C. Romero (forearm strain) will throw a bullpen session, according to Amaro. The GM said that he still hopes to have all three back this season.

Poll: Who should be the Phillies' closer? (7552 votes)

62 comments

Phillies, you have a problem

POSTED: Tuesday, August 25, 2009, 11:38 PM

Andy Martino

“Angry,” Brad Lidge said when asked to describe his reaction last night. “It makes you angry.”

That’s probably how many of you feel after the closer blew his ninth save. Charlie Manuel is remaining supportive. “He’s our closer,” Manuel said tonight. “I’ve said it all over the place. That’s the guy who we’ve got.”

A lot of fans are frustrated with Manuel for his steadfast refusal to make a change, but he has to say those things. Manuel’s job is to coax an improved performance out of Lidge, and he is not going to achieve that by publicly questioning a guy whose confidence is known to sometimes waver.

The larger question that many of you are asking is, why keep putting him into save situations? It’s a reasonable question, getting more so with every blown save. But the team really, really doesn’t want it to come to that. Think about how disruptive it could be to make such a major change so soon before the playoffs. The closer anchors everyone else in his role, and any change would be a major risk, perhaps a greater risk than hoping Lidge improves or at least survives in the playoffs.

And who are your candidates to replace him? Ryan Madson, who struggled in that role earlier in the season, and Brett Myers, whose third rehab outing tonight takes on increased significance. Some emailers have suggested Chan Ho Park, but the Phils cannot afford to lose him in his current role. A swingman capable of pitching several innings and setting up is more valuable than a closer.

I think that Manuel has been crossing his fingers all year that Lidge would turn it around, and that he wouldn’t have to make a tough call. Manuel has often referenced the way Lidge was treated in Houston, where he was demoted from the closer job, and said he doesn’t want to operate like that.

So what’s wrong with the guy this year, after a perfect 2008? I would not be at all surprised if we learned during the offseason that his knee was more seriously injured than we knew, but that is mere speculation right now. Tonight, he blamed fatigue caused by appearing in four consecutive games. His confidence cannot be very high.

Whatever the causes, the fact is: This is a problem for the Phils. I’m sorry not to have any sharper insight than that, but truly complex problems never have easy solutions.

78 comments

Big day for injury news

POSTED: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 12:48 PM

Andy Martino

Some fairly meaningful rehab news just came in regarding three pitchers who have progressed far more slowly than originally anticipated. Clay Condrey (oblique), who the Phils were afraid at one point could be lost for the season, will throw a bullpen session tomorrow, as will J.C. Romero (left forearm strain). Antonio Bastardo (left shoulder strain) will finally appear in a rehab game tomorrow, pitching for the GCL Phillies. All of these guys have experienced unexpected setbacks, so the Phils have to be relieved to get them on a mound again.

Also, the Phillies earlier today placed Greg Dobbs (right calf strain) on the 15-day DL, an recalled INF Miguel Cairo to replace him. Cairo has been the subject of many reader email this season, as in WHY DON'T THEY CALL UP CAIRO TO REPLACE BRUNTLETT!!!!???!!, but the organization always preferred Bruntlett's ability to fill in at shortstop. Now Cairo will get another shot to impress and perhaps hang around for September.

The Dobbs injury is one of those little things that's actually kind of a pain for the Phils. Just when their bench finally looked impressive, with Dobbs and Matt Stairs from the left side and Ben Francisco from the right, the Phillies lose Dobbs. With Stairs slumping a bit, it is a bad time for the team to lose depth on the bench. Not a crisis, but not a good thing, either.

34 comments

Myers makes rehab debut

POSTED: Thursday, August 20, 2009, 6:11 PM

Andy Martino

Well, Brett Myers made it to the ballpark today without running into any doors, and made his first rehab appearance since June 5 hip surgery. Myers pitched one inning, allowed two singles and struck out the side for Class-A Clearwater.

Assistant GM Scott Proefrock told me last week, before the swollen eye drama, that the Phils do not expect Myers to need the full 30 days allowed for a rehab assignment, and we can assume that he's now back on that clock. As with any first rehab outing, we'll know more when he wakes up tomorrow and has a feel for how he bounced back.

You may have noticed less blogging the past few days; I've been working hard on some stuff for Sunday and not covering too many games this week. That will continue for a few days, but I'll keep ya posted if anything big happens, here and on Twitter.

29 comments

Phils confirm Brody Colvin signing

POSTED: Monday, August 17, 2009, 6:13 PM

Andy Martino

Hours before the 11:59pm signing deadline for this year's draft picks, a report from Louisiana's 2theadvocate.com, among other reports from Lousiana, says that the Phillies have agreed to a deal with highly-regarded righthanded pitcher Brody Colvin. Colvin slipped to the seventh round because of a commitment to play at LSU. Colvin participated in a workout at Citizens Bank Park this week. A Phillies official could not confirm this for the Inquirer a few minutes ago.

UPDATE 10:06p.m.: The Phillies have confirmed the Colvin signing to the Inquirer.

32 comments

Myers denies altercation rumors, witnesses agree

POSTED: Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:14 PM

Andy Martino

ATLANTA-- Brett Myers says that he was not involved in an altercation that occurred while he was at a Jacksonville, Fla. bar early Saturday morning, and multiple eyewitnesses confirmed his account.

Witnesses who were in Shannon’s Irish Pub, 111 Bartram Oaks Walk in Jacksonville at the time of the incident, said Myers and several friends were at the bar and listening to a band called Chuch Nash at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday. One witness saw an elderly man, passing through a dance floor in front of the stage, fall into a musician.

An altercation ensued that lasted for “a pretty good while,” the witness said, and ended when officers from the St. John’s County Sheriff’s office intervened. Both Myers and other witnesses said that one of Myers’ friends was involved in the incident, but Myers was not.

4 comments