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.
Turns out Truth was also behind Cary Grant's "Judy, Judy, Judy..."— John in LA
Sam Donnellon stole my Aron Rowand post from yesterday and printed it almost verbatim today with some embellishments. Copyright infringement!— RAS- Personally, I think they should send Dubee to AAA (or A) and try someone new as the pitching coach. Phillies pitchers (other than Hamels and Moyers, who may be making adjustments on their own)never seem to make . Why not let Moyers be the pitching coach?— freebistat
- the blame for the myers fiasco,falls squarely on the phillies top brass.not only do they shuffle myers from starter to closer to starter,they name him opening day and number one starter,way to much pressure and way to much to ask of any major league pitcher— soliteryman
- Sorry to disagree with everyone, but I give Brett a lot of credit for taking responsibility for his pitching troubles. He did show a lot of maturity. I'm not making excuses for him not being able to readjust to the starter role, but at least he's being honest. He could easily have declined the assignment and said...."Trade me to someone who needs a closer." He wants to help this team make it to the post-season again. If we can't trade him, send him to the 'pen next year and let him be the set-up man. I think he'd be ok with that. And we wouldn't have to worry so much about Flash's arm. And I had a totally different read on his "rock star" comment, but it would take me another page to explain why. LOL!— Norma
- John how many athletes are mature nowadays?— mondonj
- Only Norma could empathize with Myers, it must be the motherly instincts. Only a mother can defend a wife beater, a drunk, a probable steroid abuser, a flake and a sub par pitcher that has gone from the 1A starter to minors in half a season. Can anyone answer how many saves Myers blew last year? How many runs he allowed? How many days he spent on the DL, how many of his svs were high wire acts? The guy is pathetic.— Truth
- Yet all YOU want to do is bash Howard, praise the front office, and empathize with Myers-PATHETIC.— Truth
- First, Myers is a mess. I agree. Howard, on the other hand, is 1.5 years off a MVP, the face of MLB (in terms of ntl. endorsements), was given the highest arbitration award for service ever, and wants to be paid ARod money. He's as delusional as Myers - and in about the same shape. By the way, the "maturity" comment by mondonj is a fair point.— John in LA
- "Yet all YOU want to do is bash Howard, praise the front office, and empathize with Myers-PATHETIC" Tell ya what, give Ryan (Kingman) the same scrutiny and since you are so good at calling stuff, tell us when he is going to hit above .230 Who is praising the front office? They are doing to Myers what they should have done to Eaton last year and maybe Howard earlier this year. And few empathize with Myers, most of us are scratching our heads at his comments. BTW, still waiting for some backup facts to the claim he is a drunk and a probable steroid abuser, as you claim. Times your's.— jimmymack
- JIMMYMACK-how childish. I can't prove Clemens, Bonds, Dykstra, Bell et al used steroids or HGH. I'm pretty sure they did though. You make my point exactly-"they should have done demoted Eaton last year" well they didn't thats why this thing stinks to the high heavens and there is much more than meets the eye....— Truth
- So funny the focus is on a guy (Howard) that has brought great memories as well as individual hardware to the city while everyone shrugs when a guy tht avg's what 9 wins per season and has beat his wife silly is cheered and beloved....YOU fans particulary you JIMMYMACK are PATHETIC. Keep bashing Howard though, just remember he has accomplished something. Hold Moyer in high-esteem9career avg of what 12 wins per season) while you bash Howard. Cheer like crazy on Victorino bobblehead night(I didn't they had bobbleheads for career .265 hitters) while you bash Howard. Speaks to cluelessness in this city. Sports IQ = 3— Truth
- Truth.....All my sympathies go out to YOUR mother!— Norma
- Oh, by the way......I'm not "defending" Myers. I'm as upset as anyone over his performance this year. I just think this is a great move for the team AND Brett.— Norma
- Myers has always been a bit of a head case, but I gotta say, it seems like he's got the right attitude with this. We desperately need a power starter; someone who can mow down the other team at will. Most likely, the Phils won't be able to get that without giving up too much. We need Myers to turn it around in AAA and get the form he had as a starter a few years ago back.— hjs742
