Posted: Friday, September 2, 2011, 6:12 PM | 23 comments |
 

Carpenter claimed off waivers by San Diego
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(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Needing to clear space on the 40-man roster, the Phillies attempted to slip Andrew Carpenter through waivers. But the righthander was claimed by the San Diego Padres.

"Clearing some roster space, just in case," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

The move puts the Phillies at 39 on the 40-man roster. They could need a spot for Joe Blanton, who currently is on the 60-day disabled list and pitching in his first rehab game Friday.

Also, do not rule out a possible acquisition of Aaron Rowand. The former Phillies outfielder was designated for assignment by San Francisco on Wednesday and is a favorite of Charlie Manuel's.

The Giants have said they will cover the remainder of Rowand's salary, which includes $12 million due in 2012. Rowand would not be eligible for the postseason in 2011, but he could compete for a bench job next spring.

Carpenter was designated for assignment during the first week of spring training but still appeared in six games for the Phillies this season. The 28-year-old had a 7.71 ERA. He will join the Padres on Saturday.

Converted from a starter to relief this spring, he experienced a great deal of success at triple-A Lehigh Valley. In 60 1/3 innings, Carpenter posted a 1.79 ERA with 65 strikeouts and only 11 walks.

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Posted by Matt Gelb @ 6:12 PM  Permalink | 23 comments
23
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:43 PM, 09/02/2011
    Rowand could be a good fit for the 4th outfielder spot next year, and be a fallback guy if Mayberry can't succeed in replacing Ibanez in LF.
    — SteveS11
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:02 PM, 09/02/2011
    Steve: why ?
    — NewMick314
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:27 PM, 09/02/2011
    Why not? He is a great character guy and it won't cost them much. He's still got a little left in the tank...especially as a righty off the bench and a solid defender. And can play center when Shane has his annual DL stint next year.
    — Curse of Billy Penn
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:30 PM, 09/02/2011
    I liked Rowand as much as the next guy, but if he isn't good enough for a lackluster Giants offense, why would we need him coming off the bench? He is proven to be more productive as an everyday player...but is no longer the 2007-run-into-the-centerfield-fence guy we once knew. Between Victorino, Pence, Mayberry, Brown and even Ben Francisco (i believe he's still under contract). Francisco's stats are a mirror of Rowand's this year. So unless the Phils cut Francisco, kept Brown down in the minors, I guess they would be in need of an outfielder off the bench, esp if the Giants will pay his way for 2012...but if Mayberry continues to play the way he has, and Dom Brown progresses to even a fraction of his potential, aren't the Phils already strong enough in the outfield?
    — mckenziep2
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:30 PM, 09/02/2011
    At this point, do you really want to see Fat Joe on the mound? Seriously?
    — scootch
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:38 PM, 09/02/2011
    I don't think Joe, after missing 3/4ths of the season is a viable option for any significant pitching this year, it's a joke. He just started throwing off a mound and needs a good 4 weeks to get the arm in shape after basically a season off. Carpenter is zero loss....nobody wanted him 6 months ago. I'm totally shocked SD took a flyer on him now, there is nothing there. Rowand? He thumbed his nose at the Phils brass by taking the deal with the Giants and as I predicted then, he would not serve out the 5 year deal or be productive over that span. At this time Mayberry is a huge upgrade over Rowand. We don't need him.
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:55 PM, 09/02/2011
    Carpenter is at a crossroads, and he is better as a reliever.The Padres do develop pitching and the manager is a forme pitching coach...so good luck to him...Rowand? Just remember the catch and his grit...He makes 12 mil, and his best days are behing him.
    — bearsfriend
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:10 PM, 09/02/2011
    Rowand would cost the Phillies the league min.... SF would be on the hook for the rest..... that would save Phillies money to spend on Cole and Jimmy.
    — joeolive
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:13 PM, 09/02/2011
    Rowand won a World Series with 2 of the 3 teams he played for, Giants and White Sox but not the Phils. I would like to see him back with the Phils next year if he has anything left.
    — zeke128
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:42 PM, 09/02/2011
    Bring Rowand in for the stretch run, even though he isn't PS eligible, still let him get his time in with the Phils. Still a fan favorite, plus above posters are right: Would cost league minimum and could be a solid OF. Def. better option than MM
    — ESFjellin
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:51 PM, 09/02/2011
    Rowand is awful, both offensively and defensively. No thanks.
    — Jeff Dowder
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:53 PM, 09/02/2011
    I think everyone is thinking of the Aaron Rowand of 2007. This is the 2011 Aarown Rowand... He's batted .230 for the past two years, and .260 before that.
    — fafafooey
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:27 PM, 09/02/2011
    fafafooey... so, basically, he would be batting about what Ibanez and Ben Fran are batting, but the Phillies will only be paying league min.....
    — joeolive
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:54 PM, 09/02/2011
    joeolive, I'm not saying I'm against getting him. I'd take him over Francisco any day - I never saw what the Phils thought they saw in Francisco. I'm just saying that I think people remember the Rowand we had, and he isn't that any more. That is, it would be a decent pick up, but don't get too excited.
    — fafafooey
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:08 PM, 09/02/2011
    Next year is just that----next year. At this point, who cares? Right now, isn't the objective to win the 2011 World Series? We can debate these issues after the parade down Broad Street OR argue the failed decisions in mid-November till late March. In either case, who cares? Are we all not locked into the 2011 season and the post season?
    — gusschultz


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Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.

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