Posted: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 5:08 PM | 23 comments |
 

Myers headed to Miami; Phils adjust rotation UPDATED
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UPDATED 8:20PM:

Brett Myers boarded an airplane to South Florida last night, ready to re-join the Phillies today and hoping to pitch by early next week. But a timetable set by the team was more conservative.
 
 An MRI in Philadelphia today showed that Myers suffered a grade one strain of his right latissimus dorsi (back) muscle, a team spokesman announced last night. Myers is scheduled to throw a bullpen session next Tuesday, and the Phillies hope—but did not guarantee—that he would return by the end of the regular season.
           
Reached by telephone this afternoon, Myers told the Inquirer that he was optimistic about appearing in a game early next week.
           
“I think I could be ready by the homestand,” which begins Monday, Myers said. “My strength is good.”\
 
Myers’ injury could have been a side effect of making five relief appearances in seven days after returning from the disabled list. The righthander did not pitch in a major-league game from May 27-Sept 5 because of right hip surgery.
           
Phils reliever Chad Durbin suffered the same injury earlier this season, and said that it affected his mechanics and lowered his arm angle.
 
If Myers is able to return, he will then need to demonstrate—as will all the injured Phils relievers who hope to come back this season—that he can be healthy and effective enough to contribute in the postseason.

***

Also some changes in the rotation: The Phillies flipped Pedro Martinez and Cliff Lee. Lee will start Friday at Milwaukee, and Martinez is tentatively scheduled for Saturday’s game. 
           
J.A. Happ will start on Thursday, good news for a team concerned about the lefthander’s nagging side muscle strain.
           
Martinez left Saturday’s loss to Atlanta after three innings with neck stiffness. He saw a chiropractor after arriving in Miami, and the Phillies hope that the extra day of rest will be sufficient.
           
Martinez played catch yesterday, and also created some confusion by appearing to mention a new injury. “I feel a little bit better,” he said. “I think I had a rib out of place.”
           
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. seemed unaware of the apparent rib issue, and was hopeful that Martinez would be ready Saturday.
Posted by Andy Martino @ 5:08 PM  Permalink | 23 comments
23
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:18 PM, 09/22/2009
    good news all around
    — EndTheDrought
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:55 PM, 09/22/2009
    "Myers has been playing catch this week"..... is that with his son, or with the Phillies?
    — joeolive
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:00 PM, 09/22/2009
    Could it be that Pedro is cracking a joke at the expense of another high-profile Phila. athlete?
    — DDiceRC
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:36 PM, 09/22/2009
    Gotta love Pedro.
    — Bob1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:50 PM, 09/22/2009
    lol pedro
    — MFPhils
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:12 PM, 09/22/2009
    Pedro had a stiff neck and went to a chiro, then mentioned a "rib". Given the language differences, he probably meant he had a cervical-dorsal vertebrae displaced which the chiro worked on. Next time, double check what he says in Spanish.
    — atp2007
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:56 PM, 09/22/2009
    anyone tired of t-mac, wheels, and sarge yukking it up nightly?
    — oz
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:47 PM, 09/22/2009
    joe, that was Pedro playing catch. So much for the joke.
    — P Even
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:57 PM, 09/22/2009
    Oz - YES - I can't stand listening, particularly to wheels, who knows everything. And to think how great the Phil's announcers were back when the team wasn't so hot.
    — CrotchetyOldMan
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:58 AM, 09/23/2009
    Gotta love how the Phils aren't backing iinto the division title. Don't know how far their gonna go but it's been a great season so far. GO ALL THE WAY PHILS!!!!
    — James TL
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:03 AM, 09/23/2009
    Ok, Wheels knows everything. Does he have to say it? A little dead air during a ballgame never hurt anyone.
    — James TL
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:57 PM, 09/23/2009
    I think the TV broadcast team is pretty drab overall. TMac is not edgy enough to carry the PBP duties, and then you have Wheller and Sarge on top. I'm pulling for a change in the off-season: Hire Todd Kalas to do PBP, and he would upgrade the whole lineup! TMac can either go back to his 'man in the stands' reports or whatever.
    — bobby
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:55 PM, 09/23/2009
    Phils still have great announcers ... but they work on the radio side.
    — GoPhilsGo


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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.

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