Oh, the injuries! Oh, the decisons!
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Oh, the injuries! Oh, the decisons!
Andy Martino
Ah, the daily drama of what to do with these pitchers and that one itchy golfer. First, an injury update, per assistant GM Scott Proefrock:
--Brett Myers (right hip surgery) started running exercises today, another step toward returning as a reliever. At this point, the Phillies expect to have him before the end of the season.
–J.C. Romero (strained left forearm) will pitch in a game Friday night for Class A Clearwater. If you remember, Romero said when he went on the DL that he expected to be ready well in advance of today’s eligibility. When I reminded Proefrock of that, and asked if Romero had progressed more slowly than expected, he said “I would say that’s fair to say."
--The Phils are afraid they might lose Clay Condrey (oblique) for the season, so they’re taking it real slow with him.
--Two sources with knowledge of the situation told the Inquirer that Ray Martino is taking Prednizone to treat his poison ivy (yes, that’s a steroid, and he’ll be playing in a gold tournament at Oak Hill this weekend while on it. Take that Selena Roberts and Michael Schmidt! I got a drug scoop!). Also, mick, he sipped his first Genny Cream Ale at Thirsty’s in 1967. Apparently Dr. Leary hadn’t made it to Pittsford yet, and it was still all about the beer.
-Chad Durbin (strained back muscle) is scheduled to pitch tomorrow night at Clearwater, his first rehabber.
–Pedro Martinez (strained, cough, cough, ahem, right shoulder) is still on track to pitch tomorrow night at Class AA Reading. At that, folks, where the drama begins. I repeat: Good problem to have, too many pitchers. Best guess is that, by virtue of Moyer not being able to pitch from the pen and Martinez’s shaky health and general fragility, that Happ returns to a relief role. But that’s not definite.
Maybe you get creative and skip Moyer a turn or two for Pedro without making any big announcements. Or maybe you do something weird like a six man rotation. That’s highly unlikely because of all the Mondays off—it’ll be a stretch to need five starters for a while—but there was interesting moment this afternoon when Rich Dubee was asked about this.
“Personally, I think it would be pretty tough,” he said. “Organizationally, I don’t know.”
There are times when the coaching staff and front office disagree on something, and it sounds like this just might be one of those occasions.
Keep watching. It has to resolve at some point.
Comments (36)
if your scenario should play out that way (and it won't)....our clean up hitter should be right behind him. No wonder Pujols was so offended when Howard won the MVP Award two years ago. Actually, he shouldn't have been angry...he should have laughed. Ah, c'mon. Are we being "front runners".....chin up. Or....do I hear a giant sucking sound over the Delaware?— Nutinpa- if your scenario should play out that way (and it won't)....our clean up hitter should be right behind him. No wonder Pujols was so offended when Howard won the MVP Award two years ago. Actually, he shouldn't have been angry...he should have laughed. Ah, c'mon. Are we being "front runners".....chin up. Or....do I hear a giant sucking sound over the Delaware?— Nutinpa
- Well, the game is up now. Lopez can't do it. Moyer cannot do it. The hitters are in a royal funk and have stopped hitting with men on. Home Runs have disappeared. It is a time when the enemies are now just 4 games behind and closing. The team is in trouble. Now who goes, stays, pitches or does what? I do not think anyone knows now. Surely not the Phils who look anything but worldbeaters. Frustration is getting to all of them and us who love the team.— KGKoons
- Well, the game is up now. Lopez can't do it. Moyer cannot do it. The hitters are in a royal funk and have stopped hitting with men on. Home Runs have disappeared. It is a time when the enemies are now just 4 games behind and closing. The team is in trouble. Now who goes, stays, pitches or does what? I do not think anyone knows now. Surely not the Phils who look anything but worldbeaters. Frustration is getting to all of them and us who love the team.— KGKoons
- The question we need to ask is, which is more important, the starting rotation or the bullpen. If we all agree the starting rotation is more important, than we should keep Happ there and put Moyer in the bullpen. I understand that Moyer doesn't pitch well in the pen, but I would put him in there, not to strengthen the pen, but to strengthen the rotation (by not having Moyer in there). I would much rather have a rotation of Lee/Hamels/Blanton/Happ than Lee/Hamels/Blanton/Moyer. It doesn't make sense to pull Happ and put him in the pen.— androoo
- Phils are afraid to lose Condrey for the year - is that a joke? I'm hoping Condrey and Moyer spend the rest of the year on the DL (Can we throw in Bruntlet and Bako too?). We have more than enough pitching - let's make the tough decisions and win this thing running away!— dankil13
- Yes you are being front runners. There are peaks and valleys in a 162-game season. They just came off of their best month in over 60 years. Relax. See ya in October.— seaonasdad
- Can all the front runners please calm down. Yes we lost 5 of 6, yes we do not look good right now, but we have a good team and a decent sized lead. We can't always win every game. Why the knock on Condrey, he's one of the better bullpen arms we've had in recent seasons, the man quietly gets the job done. It would be a decent loss not to have him available for the rest of the year. I am the biggest Jamie Moyer fan, but you only weaken the starting rotation (and bullpen) by taking Happ out, keeping Moyer and inserting Pedro. Happ has the ability to pitch 7-8 innings with his stuff, youth, and stamina. How could the bullpen afford to have Moyer and Pedro pitch in the same rotation where 6 innings in their CEILING? Why wouldn't Moyer be able to come out of the pen? I don't think that would rattle him. I think it he could be utilized against the right batters with the right lead or defifcit in games. We'll see how it plays out.— PhillyPhan35
- seasonasdad, try best month since 1890— robm0202
- andrewfrombrooklyn - - Is that just another name for Andy Martino?— PhightinPhil
- Love Moyer, but he's way too inconsistant, make him a player coach or something but Lee should stay in the rotation!!!— FireChief
- FireChief - You really think Lee should stay in the rotation. I was thinking they should probably cut him.— B in DC
"Lee should stay in the rotation!!!" That's effin' brilliant. What do you think they should do with Ibanez?? Or Utley?? I say keep 'em.— bobby- Ugh, it is an absolute joke if they remove Happ from the rotation in favor of Moyer. Moyer's tank is pretty much empty. He gets rocked way too often and hasn't gone more than seven innings this year (went seven only twice). Anything other than a Hamels-Lee-Blanton-Happ playoff rotation would be unbelievably silly (unless Pedro is lights out, which won't happen).— kmw5002
- andrewfrombrooklyn: Why in G-d's name would you be upset that we did't fork over tons of cash to get Lowe? He's got a 4.21 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Way above his career numbers and nowhere near what he wanted. As for the Moyer's part, you are probably correct though it hurts to say so. I hope he finds teh courage to retire at the end of the season— fan_in_jerusalem
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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