Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009, 5:44 PM | 9 comments |
 

Everyone says Eyre is OK, other pregame stuff
options
 

Pregame greetings from a possible clincher. Last night’s game will be hard to top; hope you were able to stay up for what I thought was the most entertaining game of the season. Some news and notes to chew on as you settle in for Game 5:

 
--When Scott Eyre collapsed on the field while fielding a bunt last night, Charlie Manuel feared that the important lefthanded reliever was seriously hurt.
           
But Eyre insisted after the game that he suffered only a mild ankle sprain, and team brass backed that today. “He wasn’t limping when I saw him this morning,” Manuel said yesterday.
           
“He is fine,” said general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. “He can pitch.”
           
Lefthander Sergio Escalona is working out in Clearwater, Fla., but Amaro said he would not be needed.
 
***
 
The 2009 regular season for Chad Durbin mirrored the experience of the entire Phillies bullpen: Disrupted by injury and not as effective as last year. But in a crucial division series inning Sunday night, Durbin provided his team with relief pitching, 2008-style.
           
He earned the win with a perfect eighth inning, which came after a dominant September. Earlier in the summer, Durbin attempted to pitch through an upper back strain, and changed his arm angle. That hurt his command, and led to 21-day stint on the disabled list. 
           
Fully healed, Durbin posted a 1.98 earned run average in Sept., convincing the Phils to include him on the playoff roster.
           
“His arm angle has been better, so he has been throwing strikes,” said pitching coach Rich Dubee.
           
“(Sunday) night, when I brought him into the game, he was aggressive,” said Manuel. “A lot of times when I bring him in, he’g got what I call spor control. He wants to go out and he gets too fine with his pitches. (Sunday) night he was aggressive, came in and threw strikes. Got ahead of the hitters. If he missed with the first pitch, he stayed aggressive.”
 
***
           
Chan Ho Park (hamstring) participated in fielding drills Sunday in Clearwater, and threw a bullpen session yesterday. Amaro said that he did now know if Park would be ready to pitch in Thursday’s National League Championship Series opener, but the team remained hopeful he would be ready.
Posted by Andy Martino @ 5:44 PM  Permalink | 9 comments
9
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:50 PM, 10/12/2009
    "Fully healed, Lidge posted a 1.98 earned run average in Sept., convincing the Phils to include him on the playoff roster." You mean Durbin?
    — BroadcastingWisdom
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:01 PM, 10/12/2009
    Do thses writers ever proof read what you write. Tell me any month in 2009 where Lidge posted a era of 1.98. You must mean 11.98. That's more like it. Please read your articles before you submit them.
    — tonytony32
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:06 PM, 10/12/2009
    geez, theyre blogging... give them a break
    — leeal02
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:09 PM, 10/12/2009
    Isn't it funny Leeal, the criticism dropping on free content.
    — 17MileDrive
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:30 PM, 10/12/2009
    Right, meant to say Durbin. Fixed. Tony, send your address and I'll issue a full refund for the price of this blog.
    — Andy Martino
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:01 PM, 10/12/2009
    Glad Broadcasting and tony have all day to edit everybody else's writing. It's not like Andy doesn't have a bazzillion (is that spelled wrong?) things to trace down on a gameday. I think they deserve a break or two. Thanks for the info, Andy. Go Phils!
    — PSU DEJA BLUE
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:58 PM, 10/12/2009
    tonytony32: I think you meant to write: "Do these writers," not "Do thses writers." Please read your comments before you post them.
    — spinmeister
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:12 PM, 10/12/2009
    Agreed, Crusty. I'm tired of these frustrated editors who couldn't deliver a paper, much less edit for one. What a great game tonight. Can't wait to see the Phils to come home Sunday.
    — CenterCityPhan


9 comments
About Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover












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.

Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.

Join on Facebook    Follow on Twitter

Advertise Here
BASEBALL NEWS FROM PHILLY.COM
The Phillies Zone: Manuel: Thome 'can still hit'
The Phillies Zone: Phils to limit Utley's play
High Cheese: Blanton and the luxury tax
Regular season only half the battle
Phillies sign Kendrick to two-year deal - 5:25pm
The Phillies Zone: Qualls yet to report
Latest Phillies Videos