Myers, Myers, Myers
Brett Myers talks to The Inquirer about being optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. His words are interesting.
Myers, Myers, Myers
Todd Zolecki
Brett Myers knows he needs to get his mind straight because right now it's not.
It hasn't been straight for some time.
"I wasn't prepared to become a starter because my heart and my mind-set were still in the bullpen," Myers told The Inquirer's Jim Salisbury. "That's my fault."
Myers relished the closer's role last season. He wanted to continue to pitch out of the bulllpen. But the Phillies acquired closer Brad Lidge in a November trade with the Houston Astros and returned Myers to the rotation, believing he and Hamels could become an effective 1-2 punch atop their rotation.
"I want to be great, and honestly, I realized last year that I'd only be a good starter," Myers said. "I felt like I had rock-star status as a closer. I enjoyed the bullpen. I felt like they liked me in that role. But it was easier to get a closer than another starter. Lidge has done a hell of a job for us. I don't think I could do better."
But the key is this: can he get past that, work out his problems with the IronPigs and return in a few weeks to be better than he has? Is his heart in it?
"We're in a playoff race, and I have to be there to help my team," he said. "This isn't a question of what I want to do. It's what I have to do. . . . I need to go work on it, take it seriously, and get back in a starter's mode. People call me stubborn and hard-headed, but I have no friggin' clue how I'm supposed to start. That's what I need to work on these next couple weeks: learning to start again."
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Read more from Myers in Salisbury's story.
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Bob Ford thinks the Phillies should be preparing Myers for a return to the bullpen, not a return to the rotation.
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Oh, yeah. The Phillies beat the Braves last night at Turner Field, 8-3.
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In an abbreviated Phillies Notebook, the Phillies agreed to terms with their top draft pick and called up lefthanded reliever R.J. Swindle from Lehigh Valley. Charlie Manuel said this doesn't mean the Phillies will go with Chad Durbin or Ryan Madson or somebody Friday or Saturady against the Mets, which means he could be here for just a couple days until they make another move.
Put Myers in the pen at LHV and then trade him and re-sign Lidge. Myers is a closer, not a starter— fanbefore93- I agree with fanbefore93. Myers is a head case who wants to be a "Rock Star." I'd rather have a baseball star like Lidge as closer. They would be making a huge mistake if they let Lidge go and move Myers back to closer next year. He was ok in the role last year, but not great. He gives up too many homers to be a great closer. Lidge is a great closer with his head screwed on straight. Keep him.— phink
- Wonder if they ever suggested the same remedy to Eaton last year and he said no? I'll give Myers (or his agents influence) props for agreeing to go down, but his comments to Jim Salisbury make you wonder about his head..."I need to take it seriously...I wasn't prepared to become a starter because my heart and my mind-set were still in the bullpen, I have no friggin' clue how I'm supposed to start."? Wow.— jimmymack
- Yeah, Myers comments are pretty baffling. Note to the delusionsal: he wasn't that great as a closer. Really. Go back and check. They're nuts if they let Lidge go and try and work Myers back in next year. Time for a change of scenery. Why is it we always end up with the immature that need to go elsewhere to prosper - Padilla, Floyd. PS: Nice Donnellon article basically ripping Rollins. Keep roling your eyes, Jimmy. And Kendrick should have only been charged with 2 runs last night and Utley (again) flubbed that DP ball.— John in LA
- John in LA and phink are right: Myers was OK but not great as a closer. He's never been more than an OK starter. The Phillies have always talked about his "potential" but at some point you have to say "what you see is what you get." This is what Brett Myers is: a decent pitcher (though right now he stinks).— Neal Obstat
- The "Rockstar" comment really speaks to how immature the guy is...— John in LA
- Get Myers some work as a closer, then trade him. Washington is my preference; trade for Jason Bergmann or Tyler Clippard. Do not try to get C.C. Sabathia. Let Happ start tomorrow in Atlanta.— JayW
- I find the starter/closer mind-set stuff to be total BS. Take the ball. Throw the ball. If you have to go 6-9 innings, prepare for that between starts and play like a professional when you pitch. If you close, prepare for it and play like a professional. "I have no clue how to start." WTF! He started 160 games in MLB, another 70+ in the minors. Give me a break. Like others have said, he's never been a stud pitcher. He will never be worth all this nonsense. Have him close in the minors. He will succeed. Then trade him.— Joe in Haddonfield
I don't think the kinder gentler Myers we have now as a result of his counseling for domestic (and sportswriter) abuse is congruent with the Brett Myers who needs to take the mound every five days as a MLB starter. Myers probably isn't introspective enough to be able to compartmentalize the two seperate roles in his life, i.e. be a lion on the mound a lamb with the family. I'm no Sigmund Freud and I don't know the guy personally, but I have a hunch that this is part of his problem. He doesn't seem like the same guy who helped orchestrate the Kyle Kendrick to Japan trade down in Clearwater.— RAS- Let him go to the 'pen. It's only a matter of time before Gordon's arm falls off. He's already breaking down, and the All-Star break is still 2 weeks away. Throw Myers a bone every once in a while if Lidge needs a night off.— jH
- Let's not rip Myers too much for his comments. They're an honest critique of his performance. We rip Andy Reid for avoiding subjects and not being honest with the media and the fans ("we feel we're alright with our WR's"). That's also why Myers avoided the media for a few days and most players don't speak with any amount of candor...they open their mouths and speak truthfully (thus getting ripped for 'disturbing comments') or give cliched answers that say nothing (and get ripped). Worry more about his 88mph fastball than his 100mph mouth.— vinni
- Once again I called it-Myers may be half crazed, half insane. Rockstar? Figure out how to start again-the loser started all but 20 gms in his life. He'll be back in two wks-sure? He admits to having no concentration. The guy needs a mental evaluation more than the minors. I was at the gm 2 yrs ago when he gave up three straight homers to the marlins-I'll never forget him walking around the mound shaking his head and scratching himslef like a junkie-it was really sad. I knew he was done that day-— Truth
- Furthermore i really like how Zo' "borrowed my Pitching, Pitching, Pitching and turned it into todays headline. Also all the dopes saying trade Myers what the heck do you think another team would offer for this headcase? You think he's the best option out there-fyi there are several other options way better than Myers that will/are on the trading block. WAKE-UP....— Truth
- I'm trying to figure out who is more delusional, you or Myers. I can't beleive Tierney hasn't offered you a column at one of the papers, or maybe a gig on Comacast might be the ticket. Now that you have Myers all figured out, can you share you theory on Ryan (Kingman)?— jimmymack
- JOHN IN LA asked an interesting question, "Why is it we always end up with the immature that need to go elsewhere to prosper - Padilla, Floyd." Yes, why is it that very few of our "top young arms" ever develop into pitchers making a valuable contribution on the major league level? We must have sub-par minor league pitching instructors who are poor at developing young pitchers. The few exceptions, like Hamels, prove the rule. Because Hamels was so good, he didn't spend enough time in the minors to get screwed up. Also, at the major league level, why is it that we don't turn around pitchers who have struggled elsewhere? There are many examples of pitchers who have either done well with their previous team, only to flounder here, or who have pitched poorly here, only to flourish for someone else after they leave. Overall, I would say that the Phils have a poor track record with regard to developing and getting the most out of their pitching at all levels.— bski
