Angered Manuel says Contreras was not overused
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Angered Manuel says Contreras was not overused
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
PHOENIX -- Standing in the manager's office at Petco Park on Sunday, Ruben Amaro Jr. briefed reporters on Jose Contreras' strained elbow that forced him to the disabled list.
"He had been pitching quite a bit," Amaro said of the 39-year-old Contreras.
The GM continued: "I think it was just the work that he’s done. He didn’t indicate it was one pitch, just over time, especially after his outing on Thursday."
Amaro did not say Contreras was overused. He did imply it.
On Monday, Amaro was asked to clarify what he thought of the situation. He said he did not think Contreras had been overused.
"Charlie has done a great job with our guys," Amaro said. "I don't have any issue at all with how Charlie is using our guys."
Contreras threw 81 pitches in a seven-day span, appearing in games five times. He is on the disabled list with a strained flexor pronator tendon in his right elbow. An MRI will be performed Tuesday in Philadelphia.
On Monday, Charlie Manuel went on a long-winded rant against his critics. He did not name his boss, Amaro, specifically. Included below are the questions asked to Manuel for context.
Q: Did you feel like you had the personnel to be able to stay away from Contreras?
A: Do I feel like I had the personnel? I feel like, first of all, that there's no way in hell we overused Contreras. That's how I feel. There's no way. What did he pitch? The most games was three. Then he had a day off. He pitched five times in seven days. We weren't trying to stay away from him. He was closing games for us. That's how I look at it.
Q: Ruben has said he was used a lot.
A: I don't think he had been used a lot. Really. What's today? April 25? It's April 25 and I already hear our guys need days off. Guys need this. Guys need that. I've been listening to that for about four or five years now. The object of it is, like I tell our guys in the meetings, the brass, the object is for us to win the game. Every day we come to the ballpark, that's the object, to win the game. Now do you want to win or do you want to lose? To me, I want to win so I'll put the best team I possibly can on the field that day. I'll give you days off when I think so. That's part of my job too. If I'm going to be accountable for my job then you let me do the whole thing. You basically let me do my whole job. I don't need nobody to tell me what to do and how to do it. It's up to me to do it. That's how I look at it. If you want to talk about it and say something about it, that's fine too.
Q: Is anyone saying anything to you?
A: That's none of your business.
A few minutes later, the rant continued.
"We still have to play the game the right way," Manuel said. "Over the years I get tired of hearing people say we want him healthy in October. October is a long ways off. It’s April 25. A lot of time, hell, there’s a lot of people that aren’t going to make October.
Q: Is that stuff coming from the inside or outside?
It's coming from me today, all right? That’s where it’s coming from. I hear it all the time. I hear it from [the media]. From everybody. From everybody around the ballpark."
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Contreras was throwing too many pitches per inning to handle the workload of a closer. Ultimately, it's up to the Big Truck to say he's tired, but Manuel may have been ignorant of the risk. Hopefully, there isn't any structural damage to his elbow, because it could be adios for the Big Truck if there is.— tgray83- Sounds like Charlie's having a meltdown. And the season is young.— aviator
- No, Aviator, sounds like Chuck is trying to do his job without meddling.
Hmmmmmmmmm, Aviator, great name by the way, sounds familiar.
Onward and upward.— 1aviator - Yeah, let Charlie do his job! And it isnt like the entire world doesnt think the Phils' bullpen could use another good arm. Rubin, crowbar some $ out of the owner's suite and get a thrower to help that all-too-often-crappy pen out. — Rando
- Starting to sound like Larry Bowa all over again.— willy33
- We do currently have the best record in the majors, right?— Jajohnsoniii
- Let's face it: If his injury is purely a result of the number of pitches he's thrown, he wasn't going to cut it for the entire year anyway. Let's wait and see what the diagnosis is. In the meantime, this is baseball. You move on and see who will step up. Better to see these situations early in the season than in the heat of a playoff run.— s
- U only have so many pitches in one wing…good lord!— The Philly Shadow
- I don't blame him. These players are paid big money to play. Contreras wanted the job and got it. Now the reporters want to twist an injury into the manager's fault. What about Lidge? Was his arm problem Cholly's fault? Or Utley, not enough rest? The BS got up to Cholly's hip and he called the fools in the press on it.— jjthree
Comment removed.- Looks like Charlie got up on wrong side of bed this morning...— M60tanker
- I don't think the fools in the press was the issue. That "none of your business" means Amaro was on him about using Contreras as he did and Manuel was probably telling him he was using who Amaro left him with to try to win games. Amaro said over the winter his biggest issue was the bullpen and, in the end, the only thing he did was subtract from it and claim Lee was the fix. Charlie knows when he sees someone playing CYA and is calling him on it.— calm weather
- Tell'um Cholly!! These mega-bucks pitchers get paid to pitch. The game of baseball is becoming a sport for prima-donnas. Hall of fame pitchers are laughing from the grave.— dogman5
- This is a tempest in a teapot folks, media trying to find a story. Can't blame them either, that's their job, find something to write about, even if there ain't nothing to write about. Ruben saying "He had been pitching quite a bit" is NOT the same as saying "he had been overworked." Contreras is SUPPOSED to be the acting closer...first option, until Lidge returns. He's 39, and hasn't been used to that role. The plan was try Contreras first, then go to Madsen to close if Contreras couldn't fulfill. He did great. Yeah, maybe that 39 is really 41, and he's thrown a few too many pitches. Amaro did not say "Charlie overworked Contreras." We're trying to find 'sizzle' here where there isn't. On to giving Madsen the ninth, 7th and 8th by 'situational-committee.'
