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The Phillies Zone

Archive: September, 2009

Two catchers named Paul, and an all-righty bullpen

POSTED: Friday, September 18, 2009, 11:46 PM

Andy Martino

OK, that’s a doomsday scenario for the Phils, but one worth putting out there nonetheless. This was a bad night for the team despite their 9-4 win over Atlanta.

Why? Because the players just keep dropping, in ways that could bite the Phils in the playoffs. The news after the game on J.A. Happ and Carlos Ruiz did not sound terrible—Happ insisted he was fine and would make his next start, and x-rays showed no fracture (but a sprain) in Ruiz’s wrist—but the Phils would have a hard time if they lost either of these guys. Despite the post-game optimism, time will tell how Happ and Ruiz heal.

Charlie Manuel confirmed that Ruiz hurt himself while blocking the plate in the second inning. Atlanta’s Matt Diaz ran over Ruiz’s wrist, causing a sprain.

Why is this so alarming for the Phillies? Because of these names: Jason Jaramillo, Ronny Paulino, Chris Coste and Lou Marson. Those are all the catchers traded or let go by the Phils in the past year. When Ruben Amaro Jr. sent Marson to Cleveland in the Cliff Lee deal, he knew that the organizational catching depth had shrunk to a perilous level. But in that situation, you trade for Cliff Lee and hope Carlos Ruiz doesn’t sprain his wrist.

If Ruiz misses time, Paul Bako and Paul Hoover are the top two catchers on the organizational depth chart. Manuel said that he didn’t expect Ruiz to miss significant time, but wouldn’t really know much until tomorrow.

On to Happ. He swore he felt nothing tonight, but here’s the thing: While running to cover first in the third inning, he slowed and then grimaced, bringing the coaches and trainer onto the field. So we might be dealing with some wishful thinking there. But everyone said “precautionary” over and over, and Happ expects to make his next start.

And the Phils hope he does, because with Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero hurt, this staff is short on lefties who can relieve in the playoffs (both those guys will throw a bullpen session tomorrow, by the way).

***

Manuel was not happy with the baserunning of Ben Francisco, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Francisco made the first out of the sixth when he was caught trying to steal third—a big no-no in baseball. Howard was nabbed at third trying to lead a double steal involving Werth.

“I thought they knew enough about baseball, if you want to know the truth, but that wasn’t a good play,” Manuel said. “The Big Piece can hit the ball, but he can’t steal third, and neither can San Francisco.”

As you can see, he was more funny-mad than angry-mad, but still didn’t like what he saw.

16 comments

Pop goes the bullpen

POSTED: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 11:15 PM

Andy Martino

Sure, the Phillies were happy to have won a game, albeit one that came more as a result of Washington ineptitude than anything else. But the most significant moment last night occurred when when Chan Ho Park felt a “pop” in his hamstring while delivering the final pitch of the seventh inning.

Lemme tell you, this does not sound good. Let’s put it this way: After the game, Park struggled to lift his right leg high enough to pull on a pair of pants. He now joins Scott Eyre (elbow) and J.C. Romero (forearm) as hobbled bullpen pieces.

“Not good,” Park said, somberly. “A lot of pain right now.”

Park suffered a mild hamstring stain during spring training, and rated this injury as far worse. “No, this is like a pop,” he said. “(Then) I was just a little uncomfortable.”

Charlie Manuel did not sound optimistic. “He pulled it pretty bad,” the manager said.

You all know that the bullpen remains a source of huge uncertaintly for the team. Through all the injuries and ineffectiveness, Park has been a rock. Now, he is a significant question.

By the way, Manuel said he would have used Brad Lidge in a save situation, had Jayson Werth not put the game away with a granny off that stellar Nats bullpen.

20 comments

Dobbs activated, Happ will start Friday

POSTED: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 4:51 PM

Andy Martino

Greg Dobbs (calf) has been activated from the 15-day disabled list. “I made a lot of progress over the days I was down there,” Dobbs said of his time rehabbing in Clearwater, Fla.

Dobbs has honed a preparation routine designed to subvert the conventional wisdom that pinch-hitting requires regular at-bats. While hurt, he did his best to continue watching copious footage of pitchers, and he spent ample time in the batting cage.

“I did a lot of stuff down there to get myself mentally and visually ready,” he said.“There’s not a lot of video down there, but I found myself watching a lot of games and really focusing on the games that I watched. There was a Fox game down there, I didn’t care who was playing, I just needed to see baseball, and watch pitchers pitch and see the game. I tried to find a TV anywhere.”

Dobbs also said that the injury took longer to improve than he expected, and was not yet 100 percent healed. “I wouldn’t say setbacks, but it just didn’t respond the way we wanted it to respond. I’d take two steps forward one step back…calves are not any easy things, I’m hoping I can help the team any way I can when I’m here, then get it right once the offseason comes.”

***

J.A. Happ (strained muscle in his side) threw another bullpen session today, his second this week. Happ said that he felt good and expected to start Friday in Atlanta. “It will happen,” he said.

Charlie Manuel was not ready to commit to the Friday start.

***

Also, J.C. Romero (forearm) threw a bullpen session today. He said he will likely throw one more bullpen and a simulated game before the Phils activate him.

14 comments

Happ upbeat after bullpen session

POSTED: Monday, September 14, 2009, 12:50 PM

Andy Martino

J.A. Happ, attempting to return from a tricky oblique/intercostal/whatever, it's a muscle in his right side strain, threw 55 pitches in a bullpen session this morning at Citizens Bank Park, his first action off a mound since the injury occured nine days ago in Houston. Happ, who has missed two starts, was hopeful he could pitch Friday in Atlanta. He and the team will know more tomorrow, when soreness does or does not follow today's workout.

This was a significant test, because throwing meant risking re-aggravation of the strain.

"I was a little nervous getting on the mound," he said. "I felt good, though. I felt like I still had power and torque."

20 comments

Lidge not the closer now, could win back job

POSTED: Thursday, September 10, 2009, 5:12 PM

Andy Martino

Charlie Manuel still views Brad Lidge as an excellent closer, possibly this season. And he plans on shifting the bullpen dynamic this month with the goal of fixing Lidge in time for the playoffs.

But if that does not happen, others will use September to prepare for postseason job. What had become gradually clear this week and was made official in a meeting after Wednesday’s game: Lidge is no longer the Phillies sole closer, though he will likely still serve in that role at times, and could regain total control of the job this year.

In a meeting after Ryan Madson earned the save in Wednesday’s 6-5 win over Washington Wednesday, Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee informed Lidge of a change in the back of the bullpen. With the ultimate goal still to begin the playoffs with an effective Lidge as closer, the Phillies will use different pitchers in save situations in the near future.

Though Manuel did not name them, Madson and Brett Myers are the likely other candidates to close games. The manager summoned Madson Wednesday in part because Myers was unavailable after pitching four consecutive days.

Beyond that, specifics remained fuzzy. “It’ll be what it’s going to be,” Manuel said. “That’s the way I look at it. I see where he can be our everyday closer again.

Lidge said he agreed with Manuel’s approach. “It’s real simple. Just get me work to get me where I need to be, and that’s about it. I told him, listen, whatever you need me to do, I’ll be willing to take the ball any time.

28 comments

Lidge's role in flux

POSTED: Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 5:17 PM

Andy Martino

Regardless of what happens in tonight’s game—and Brad Lidge could be the closer if a need for one arises, but he also might not, according to Charlie Manuel today—one thing is clear: the situation has shifted from where it has been all season.

Manuel said “Brad Lidge is a closer,” but unlike at every other point this year, he did not say “Lidge is my closer.”

It had already changed last night, when Ryan Madson began warming in the ninth at the first signs of trouble for Lidge. “We wanted him ready,” Dubee said. “If we had to use him, I didn’t want him to wait until the last second. I just wanted him ready in case the situation came up."

Manuel said that, while he remained committed to getting Lidge right, he felt a different kind of hunch last night: the need to get Lidge out of the game. “We just go with how I feel,’ Manuel said. “Definitely I want to be loyal to him and things like that, but at the same time, like I told him last night, winning the game is the first priority.

"But the more that I sat there and the way the game went, I felt like basically I had to go take him out. Basically, if we were going to win the game, I didn’t like how I felt about it.”

“I’m getting kind of tired of it, if you want to know the truth. I am, and the reason is because I figure I can put him in the game when I want to. I’ve been very loyal to him, and I’ve stuck with him. I did everything I think possible to get him going. There is no way I would ever lie to him, because I don’t do that, and I don’t have a history of doing that.

“But at the same time, we’ve got to win the games. The best way we’ve got to win the games now, if that includes Brad is not out there to close, then I guess that’s going to be my decision."

37 comments

Escalona and Tracy recalled, Lopez released

POSTED: Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 10:57 AM

Andy Martino

With the season over in Lehigh Valley and winding down in Reading, the Phils have added two more reinforcements, summoning lefty reliever Sergio Escalona (he’ll help with Scott Eyre banged up), and lefty-hitting veteran first baseman Andy Tracy. In an aside that ends one of 2009’s minor storylines, Rodrigo Lopez was released to make room for Tracy on the 40-man.

Greg Dobbs is expected to return soon, but with him rusty and Matt Stairs deeply slumping, Tracy gives the Phils some lefty pop off the bench.

In six games with the Phillies this season, the 25-year-old Escalona is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA and has limited left-handed hitters to a .143 average (1-for-7). Escalona finished the minor league portion of his season at 2-3 with 14 saves and a 3.13 ERA in a combined 47 games between Reading and Lehigh Valley.

Tracy, 35, hit .254 with 26 home runs and 96 RBI in 129 games for Lehigh Valley. He finished second in the International League in both home runs and RBI. Tracy appeared in four games for the Phillies last season.

19 comments

Charlie is mad

POSTED: Monday, September 7, 2009, 7:39 PM

Andy Martino

Here is some of what an agitated Charlie Manuel--more agitated than at any other point this season, in my view--said after the broom fell.

On his players: “I hear some of them talking, saying we’re a team that plays better when we have to,” he said. “(Expletive) the last couple years. What the hell? That don’t mean (expletive). Last year is dead and gone. We play for today.” On the series: “We did everything we could to lose. You name it, go back over each game. Any time we needed to hit we didn’t. Any time we needed to pitch, we didn’t.

On why the Phils have so far failed to show they can play as well with a September cushion than while chasing the New York Mets: “How come we couldn’t play better now?” Manuel said. “Or more relaxed now? Answer me that. And we’re sitting in a better place.”

42 comments

Happ scratched with oblique injury

POSTED: Monday, September 7, 2009, 12:39 PM

Andy Martino

The weekend of horrors for the Phillies continues. J.A. Happ suffred a mild strain of his oblique muscle on Saturday taking batting practice, and was scratched from his start today. Jamie Moyer will be starting against the Astros. Happ and assistant GM Chuck LaMar are stressing the word "mild," but as Clay Condrey demonstrated, oblique injuries can be nagging and always a cause for concern.

Happ said he was hopeful to make his next start, but the next few days will determine that. "It was enough where I though it would change my effectiveness, and right now that's not a good thing for me or us," Happ said.

LaMar called the injury "day-to-day."

23 comments

Utley hurts foot, x-rays show no fracture

POSTED: Saturday, September 5, 2009, 5:24 PM

Andy Martino

This is not good news for the Phillies, but it could have been worse. When Chase Utley fouled a ball off of his right foot in the third inning of Friday’s game, he reacted in characteristic fashion, telling no one how badly it hurt. After the game, though, the pain and swelling were enough to warrant disclosure to manager Charlie Manuel.

Utley is not in the lineup tonight (Miguel Cairo is at second), after x-rays showed no fracture, according to Manuel. “He fouled a ball off his foot and it’s swollen up,” the manager said. “He's going to be out today. We'll see how it is tomorrow. Hit it right off his bone, man. If he’d have told me during the game, I might have done something about it…It’s hurting today."

24 comments