WOULD RATHER BE IN CLEARWATER
The most interesting event tonight came in Charlie Manuel's office after the game, when he went further than ever about the idea of shifting J.A. Happ to a key bullpen role.
“I like Happ as a starter, always have,” Manuel said. “But at the same time, also seeing the way out pitching looks, there would be a chance that he could wind up in the back end of our bullpen if things…if we don’t get some things straightened out, and if Romero don’t come back. I’m not saying we’re going to do that, but we’re going to talk about it if we don’t have no lefty.”
Asked if he could see Happ as a closer, Manuel said: “Yeah, probably,” though he implied he would be more likely to use Happ in a role like Romero’s last year, assigned to retire both lefties and righties in the late innings.
What does Happ think? His strong preference is to be a starter, and tonight he did not want to think about the issue after an encouraging win. “It’s too early for me to think about (going to the bullpen)," he said. "I’m really just trying to get back into the routine of doing my job.”
If temporarily reassigned, this would be much different than other threats to Happ's job security this year. Manuel, desperate to avoid a season spoiled by the bullpen, spoke glowingly of Happ and would trust him in big spots in the playoffs.
What do you think? Is he too effective as a starter, or would he be most helpful this year in the bullpen?
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.
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