Romero activated, Herndon optioned
The Phillies have activated J.C. Romero from the 15-day disabled list and optioned righthander David Herndon in the process, clearing a roster spot.
Romero activated, Herndon optioned
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Phillies reliever J.C. Romero has been activated from the disabled list. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
The Phillies have activated J.C. Romero from the 15-day disabled list and optioned righthander David Herndon in the process, clearing a roster spot.
Needing a third catcher for at least the next two days, the Phillies must stick with 11 pitchers for now. Herndon was the odd man out.
That should come as little surprise given Herndon's recent performances. In 11 outings (10 2/3 innings), Herndon has a 9.28 ERA. Throwing strikes was an issue (7 BB to 3 K) and Herndon had lost confidence in his best pitch -- the sinker -- while attempting to throw his secondary pitches more often.
It's the first time since the Phillies acquired Herndon in the Rule 5 draft two winters ago that the righthander will not be on the team's active roster. Herndon has never pitched in triple A, having skipped the level to go to the majors.
Romero pitched in a rehab game for single-A Lakewood Tuesday and allowed one walk but picked the runner off. More interesting will be to see how the lefthander is used with the emergence of Antonio Bastardo.
Manager Charlie Manuel said Bastardo will remain in his current role and Romero will be used more as a situational lefty.
Bastardo has allowed one run in 11innings and has the best swinging strike percentage (19.4%) in all of baseball. Lefties are 1 for 16 against him with eight strikeouts.
Romero was signed to a one year, $1.35 million deal in the offseason to be the primary lefty. But Bastardo has arguably passed him.
Read Thursday's Inquirer for more.
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Comments (45)
We'll see if this Bastardo is now the top lefty. I say that he is.— tgray83- I agree, Romero is no longer the top LH guy out there and I want to see Charlie show some guts and make that happen.
Time to manage, Charlie, not just always yuck it up with your guys. This team is out to a 19 - 9 start, although against mostly weaker teams. They can blow the doors off every other team with the right moves.
— advantasux - Get rid of them both. They stink!— Mr. Underhill
- Never has a player less deserving of being on a big-league roster spent so much time on one. Herndon, please take your time up in Triple A and straighten out. In fact, spend the whole year there if you want, and we'll see you in spring training...— Danielson
- i am actually not sure which is better news: bin laden dead or Herndon in AAA— tremo12
- Herndon sucked last year, waste of a roster spot, and sucks now!!!!!— twpman
- So we end up in a better spot in a roundabout way: Stutes is on the roster, Herndon is sent down where he really belongs right now and Bastardo has had a chance to show he can be the key lefty in the bullpen. They should be using Romero as a situational guy now and giving Bastardo more work. By the time Contreras is back Ruiz will be back so they'll carry 12 pitchers again. I suppose if/when Lidge is ready Stutes gets sent back down? That will be an interesting call if Stutes has proven himself.— s
- I actually like Romero as the primary lefty specialist. Bastardo is pitching too well to come in to face a batter or two. Bastardo's got a chance to be the 8th inning guy next year. Throw him in the 7th/8th inning role even with a complete bullpen, and let Romero come in to face a lefty or two at a time.— tripleplay83
Comment removed.- As much as Herndon is mediocre, Romero is no better. I don't trust him at all in any situation that matters.— dblankj
- @tremo12- i tried not to laugh at your comment but gave up. too funny— Sam Crow
- Finally Hernden is gone but Romero isn't any better. Having him on the DL was a good thing. Manual will use him in a situation that will cost a win.— eaglesman1
- Agreed that Herndon isn't major league ready at this time, but I wouldn't give up on him yet. Assuming that he uses his time at AAA to get his sinker back and further develop his secondary pitch, he could be valuable later on, especially when you really need someone to come in and throw a double play ball.
As to Romero, I think it will be between him and Stutes to see who the 7th inning guy is. Agree with all on here who say that Bastardo has earned the right to be the set-up guy so long as Madson is in the closer role. In fact, assuming the Phillies don't pick up Lidge's option next year, and choose to sign Madson long-term, that's likely the set up in 2012 and beyond— erformc1 - Herndon needed to go back to the minors,never looked like he was a good choice to go to.Romero?He needs to really get on his game,or let him go.Bastardo looks like he`s learning the game well.Time to manage Cholly!!!— dtowndestroyer
- Additional roster issues:
- Once Chooch is ready and Dane Sardinhia goes back to AAA, who takes his roster spot? You would think it has to be a relief pitcher. The question is which one. The options that immediately come to mind are Herndon and Zagurski. However, neither has distinguished themselves in the majors this year. Matheison would be the next assumption, but he is struggling at AAA.
- Next roster issue - when Contreras is ready to come back in 2 weeks, who gets sent down? Logical assumption is whatever reliever gets called up under the scenario listed above. I can't see it being Stutes, unless he totall blows up in the next 2 weeks. I would prefer to see Kendrick go down, but they seem to like him as a long-man/mop-up guy.
- Next roster issue - when Dominick Brown is ready - and that's assuming he is ever ready this year - who gets released sent down? Hard to make a case for it being Mayberry, as he's playing well? I also can't see them releasing Gload, as he's their only experienced lefty PH on the bench. This one is going to be a tough call. Pete Orr perhaps?
- What about when Chase is ready (again, assuming he is ready in 2011)? The logical choices are Orr and Michael Martinez, but the issue there is whether that they risk losing Martinez as he's a Rule 5 guy. Really though, Orr is a more versatile and better player.
- Clearly Vance goes back down when Joey B. is ready to come back.— erformc1 - Right now they're only carrying 11 pitchers. So I think when Contreras is ready, it more or less lines up with Ruiz coming back and Sardinha being sent back to AAA.
Martinez makes the Brown decision tougher since he's a Rule 5. Martinez hasn't shown a lot but I think they'll still want to hang onto him so my guess is that Orr goes down when Brown comes up. But, as you note, the Martinez issue will be forced when Chase is ready. They'll keep Gload and Mayberry in my opinion.
Also of interest is who goes down when Lidge is ready.— s - I think Herdon has the stuff to be a great setup guy. His slider is terrific. His sinking fastball is hard an moves great. He simply needs to learn to not be wild in the strike zone.
I like JC romero. He is a gritty survivor. We could not have had the comeback in '07 nor the WS in '08 without him.
On ESPN on Sunday night on commentator stated after Bastardo threw a nasty Carlton like slider, "closer of the future."
We have a train of relievers in AA and AAA. Our bullpen will be solid for years to come.— bluejfk - actually romero has looked pretty solid this year...easily the best he's been since 2008. Bastardo clearly has more potential but romero adds much needed depth to this bullpen. the people who say we were better with him on the DL are living in the past. he looked effective early and did well in his rehab assignment. the phils are a better team with romero on the active rost and herndon in the minors.— dreinterests
- Right now Bastardo looks like he can be more than a situational lefty.— PhillyfaninMD
- Chewing gum sales in the Lehigh Valley will now skyrocket.— dasher
- Bin Laden blew things up but Herndon just blows.— dasher
Bastardo is our setup guy for now and Romero will be nothing more than a situational lefty - Romero better learn to throw strikes because if he come in for one batter and walks him his name will quickly be followed by DFA.— bird11- The Herdon-Osama quote might be the best of the year. Now if we could get an OF that was consist. and our catcher back. BTW, Kratz is having a way better year than Dane did. I think Dane is nearing Raul's once frustration level. O hits. Good for Raul getting two last night. If he continues...but I do not think he will. Wishing though.— Koons
- Right now the Phillies back up catcher's job is to not upset the starting pitchers. Dane did a great job Saturday catching Halladay I wouldn't be surprised if he started tomorrows game with Halladay pitching. — bird11
- Romero? Really? Geeze Louise...how many lives does this guy have? Is there not anyone else in the world that is available? When he pitches, I change the channel. Can't stomach this guy.
Jason Worthless? Booooooooooo.............— Flyerfan666 - People have either short memories and/or don't know much baseball. Romero has been a good reliever most of the time here. People forget that he won the other two games Hamels didn't win in the WS and that he has being hurt the last two seasons. In 2008 and 2010 he didn't allow a run in the playoffs (7.1 inn.) Stick to the facts or shut up. When Romero is healthy he produces. In 5 years with the Phillies he has a 2.64 ERA.— EL Zorro
- Herndon needs to spend some time in triple A. Good move. Wecome back
JC. Hope your healthy. Without a doubt, the #1 lefthander out of the pen is Bastardo with his nasty stuff. He's come through every time.
Antonio has a very bright future and is only going to get better.— mdcasino - goodbye dave please dont come back— jodya2
- I don't like the idea of a situational lefty, but we're probably stuck with it. The problem I see here is that neither Bastardo nor Romero seem suited to the role, and both are capable of getting righthanders out. What I suspect we'll see for now is Bastardo continuing to get more meaningful innings while they see again what Romero's got. Stutes will also keep getting looks. Then as Contreras and Lidge come back the decisions will be made on how guys have pitched. Stutes still could end up going down, though, if for no other reason than to ensure that he pitches rather than sits.
— Joe Light - Bastardo really came through when he was needed. Here's hoping he can keep on doing it. AND I say give Romero a couple of situational chances, and see if he has rounded out his game any. It'd be GREAT to have two Lefty options in the pen wouldn't it? While a lot of people soured on Lidge two years ago, I think he showed last year that he rebounded QUITE well. I would like to see him get a few chances in re-habs (When he's ready...if ever.) I hate giving up on a guy that was instrumental in us winning the World Series in '08. Just look at how formidable our whole staff (Except for Baez of course) has been this year, and how much better it could still be if Lidge, Romero, et al can be solid contributors down the stretch. And when you consider our offense this year, we will need every pitching asset we can muster, mister!— TBear
- Let's face it, Herndon would have been sent down multiple times last year if the rule 5 regs allowed it.They should have just offered him back to the Angels last year, he really doesn't add anything to the club that guys like Stutes and Mathieson couldn't do better.— drbob1
- How could someone tell Charlie it is time to manage and not just stick with his guys? When I guy has a successful track record, you don't speak. Does Charlie stick with guys a long time and let them work their way out of slumps? Yes. This has been a strength of his. He also is at the mercy of his roster. Don't argue with first place.— hawk18
- Not sure why the Phils didn't offer Herndon back last year. Didn't mean the Angels would have taken him back. The Dodgers didn't want Victorino back and he was Rule 5.— mike l
- Thank goodness they kept Stutes...— M60tanker
- When are they going to option Kyle Kendrick?— Gnip Gnop
- Comment removed.
- I totally disagree with this Herndon demotion------the Phillies should have sent him way,way back to their Little League affiliate, if that exists....the kids would show him a thing or two about pitching essentials.— TEDcGEGI
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- Where is that Herndon lover/ Halladay hater Wolf?— simplefreedom
- jc romero was good back in the day. but then he got busted for that magic drink and ever since, i dont know. ok?
- Herndon gone! Yippee! Now, can we ship Baez to...anywhere??!! Stutes looking not bad, eh? Finally, go Worley!! Out-pitched all of em, and out-hit Howard!— Rando
- keep stutes and get rid of Baez— anothervoice
- Agree with the previous two posters - get Baez OUT OF HERE!— F. Harry Stowe
- Herndon has potential to be a valuable situational reliever. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this.— road515
- JC's role is a 400 foot jog from the bullpen to the dugout, with a slight pause on the mound to walk a lefty. At least that's how it seems.— COskier
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