As the Bullpen Turns: Rosenberg is next
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As the Bullpen Turns: Rosenberg is next
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
UPDATE (9:41 a.m.): Indeed, it's B.J. Rosenberg who gets the call. He'll wear No. 53 and is available beginning Saturday.
EARLIER:
BALTIMORE — Raul Valdes has the unfortunate distinction of being lefthanded. Typically, that will prolong a pitcher's career, but in this case, it earned Valdes a ticket to Allentown despite a 2.13 ERA in 12 2/3 innings for the Phillies.
"We want to bring up a righty and see if we can get some balance in our bullpen," Charlie Manuel said after a 9-6 victory over the Orioles. "That was hard because Valdes, I felt like he did a super job for us. He could be back. He pitched good enough. It wasn't because we didn't like the way he pitched."
It's just Chad Qualls and Michael Schwimer have been so bad that another righthanded arm is required.
The Phillies are looking outside the organization for bullpen help, but they will dip into the minors again Saturday for a new face. One possibility is B.J. Rosenberg, a 26-year-old righty who is throwing quite well for the IronPigs.
He began the season at double-A Reading. In 11 games and 20 2/3 innings at triple A, he has a 1.74 ERA with 26 strikeouts and six walks.
The Phillies have two righties on the 40-man roster — Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez. They, too, are possibilities. So is Brian Sanches, who spent some time with the Phillies earlier this season. But both Aumont and Sanches pitched Friday for Lehigh Valley. Ramirez was just recently promoted to triple A and isn't on the radar.
Plus, the Phillies outrighted Pete Orr off the 40-man roster after Friday's game to leave 39 active players. That suggests the righthanded reliever will come from outside the 40-man roster.
In addition to Rosenberg, Tyson Brummett has decent numbers at triple A after starting in Reading. But Phillies officials have long viewed Rosenberg as a potential arm because he throws strikes.
With a dearth of options at the major-league level, he may finally have his chance.
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Judge, learn to read. Who the hell is talking about contracts, drafting? We are talking about input, genius. Who was the one who wanted Brown here against Amaro's wishes? How did that turn out?
Manuel confident in makeup of Phillies bench
“I think the moves you see made, I think it’s something Ruben heard during the summer,” Manuel said with a sly smile following a short workout at the Carpenter Complex Thursday. “He watched us play and when games were over, he’d come by the coaches’ office and my office, I’m sure he heard what we were talking about.”
Manuel then let out a good-old, country-boy belly laugh.
http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20120301/SPORTS12/120309982/1007/hide/manuel-confident-in-makeup-of-phillies-bench
— EL Zorro- The Phils need to release Qualls. Move Blanton to the Pen and bring up Tyler Cloyd...
- Howie Rosenberg will take a leave of FO duties with the Eagles, and help the Phillies bullpen.— watsonmr
- The AT&T call to the Phillies' bullpen has been made: "Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard..."— dasher
- Rosenberg? Is he the team accountant or attorney?
Fire Chris Wheeler & the dead rat glued to the top of his head!— kelprod2 - Now or never for Aumont?????? I remember when everyone called Madson a gas can. He has great stuff and when he gets his control straightened out he will fun watching this guy mow players down. He will be a back end reliever at some point along with Defratus— pattymac3
- Valdes is sent packing?!!! Now there's a kick to the head!— MooseBreathMints
- The Phils are sending the wrong message to Valdes. He's pitched well and deserves to stay in the bigs. Rosenberg may be able to help the Phils more than Qualls. Since the Phils only have a little over a million invested in Qualls who will be a 34 year old free agent after this year, he should be the one being sent down to the minors. He'd have to clear waivers, and if he didn't, so what. Let someone else take him and pick up his salary. If he did clear waivers, he might be able to figure out his problem and correct it. The Braves and Marlins used to have a ton of lefties in their bullpen, and the Phils always had a tough time against them. I like the 4 lefties the Phils had, and I think there were other ways to get some right handed relief in the pen without sending Valdes down. Kendrick will be rejoining the pen shortly, and at that time if Qualls hadn't made a dramatic improvement, the Phils should recall Valdes and give Qualls his Dorney Park tickets.— onthebucks
- dasher, You've identified the real problem with the Phils. It's Ryan Howard's nickname. Instead of The Big Piece, he should be called Dr. Howard. It would give Howard a whole new persona and make him seem much more formidable. The Big Piece sounds like something you get at Delassandro's in Roxborough or at the Sawmill on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights.— onthebucks
- Doesn't anyone realize no team could have sustained the injuries the Phillies did and still prevail? Most of the posters assume (very wrongly) that the injuries don't count. You can't succeed if your players are on DL, unless it's a DL league.— 2smart4philly
This is no way to run a ball-club seeking a World Series attempt.— Homersez- We'd like to thank the phillies for participating in the 2012 season. It's over and time to trade everyone. Phillies could use joe banner who wouldn't have signed that stiff rollins, and all these old pitchers.— mike64
- COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHEN COMCAST IS GOING TO GET RID OF TMAC, WHEELS AND SARGE. tHEY ARE JUST TOO PAINFUL TO LISTEN TO. WHY CAN'T THEY JUST SHUT UP HALF THE TIME.— revjim
- There is a reason why guys like Fontenot get cut by 2 or 3 teams they can get it done for more then A week or two you have Martinez use him bags loaded leaves in DP by wiginton that's when you let chooch hit not pinch for the lefty Schneider Manuel never gets it right he makes at least one bad move a game most times more let's hope the qualls move doesn't cost us today u— gates2012
