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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He is absolutely 100% correct. Leave him the heck alone.... if you think you can do it better, go ask for the job!!!— likhon- Those who can't perform or even teach become critics. Tell 'em to go pound sand, Charlie!!— Glider2001
- Charlie is 100% right. The object is to win with the players you have. Last I checked Contreras is part of the team.— delcodanno
- Gotta agree with Chooly 100% on this one. If a starter is expected to pitch 6 or 7 innings every 5 days, why can't a reliever be expected to pitch one inning every day for a week? It's absurd. Maybe Contreras wouldn't have a high pitch count if he didn't go to 3-2 on every batter. And what is this stuff about guys being tired and needing days off— TexColorado
- If RAJ had paid more attention to the offense last winter, Charlie wouldn't have to manage each game like it's the post season.— Jeff Dowder
- Gotta agree with Cholly 100% on this one. If a starter is supposed to throw 6 or 7 innings once every five days, why can't a reliever be expected to throw 1 inning every day for a week? Maybe Contreras wouldn't have a high pitch count if he didn't go to 3-2 on every batter! And what is this stuff about guys being tired and needing days off? They haven't even played a month of the season yet! Hey Phils, get your heads out of your butts, get in shape, stop whining and play ball. You all certainly make enough money.
— TexColorado - What good is it to have a guy you want to call your "closer", where you have to watch his pitch count that carefully? A closer is supposed to be a stud...the guy you go to when you need him. If Contreras can't pitch as a closer, better to find it out now when you have time to make trades, bring up minor leaguers etc. And isn't Contreras capable of speaking up if he feels a problem coming on? Give Charlie a break!— bartfr
- Actually no he isn't capable of speaking up he needs a translator .... ha ha ha — DPL
- Leave Charlie alone. He's doing his best to win with the players he's got.
If Contraras is hurt, then he wouldn't have lasted the entire season anyway.
Amaro fails to address the biggest need on the team: closer, then people are all over Charlie because he's using the players he's been given?
People are just plain crazy.— fmMD - Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!— Nihilist
- Charlie is right. Contreras has pitched a little over 9 innings over 21 games. Hardly overuse. The starters have averaged almost 7 innings a game. The relievers need to get some balls.— fischman
- And when you consider that Lee and Halliday throw 8-9 innings every start, that's two days a week when the bullpen is not used at all. How can they possibly be overworked?
— TexColorado - At 15-6,how can you argue with Charlie?— peteinmich
Comment removed.- The point of 81 pitches for Contreras in the last five outings is poorly made. As Tex said, if the guy would throw strikes, the count would have been more like 65. The last appearance of 22 pitches was all Contreras' fault. What's Manuel supposed to do, go out and get him if he goes beyond 15 pitches? And ExinFla up there doesn't realize it's not what Amaro said in public that ticked off Manuel, it's the conversation in Manuel's office Amaro had with him yesterday or today.— calm weather
