Stutes injures back
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Stutes injures back
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Phillies reliever Michael Stutes was removed from the game Tuesday night with back pain. (Barbara Johnston/AP Photo)
ST. LOUIS -- The last casualty on a road trip that could not end soon enough was rookie righthander Michael Stutes. He was the first reliever used Tuesday night and lasted three pitches before needing to leave the game.
Stutes said he felt burning in his lower back after throwing his second pitch, a 93 m.p.h. fastball to Lance Berkman. He tried to pitch through it, threw another 93 m.p.h. fastball and then the pain was too much.
The Phillies are unsure if Stutes will require the disabled list. He will see a doctor when the team returns home Wednesday.
"I don't know," Stutes said. "I've never had an injury before. I guess we'll figure it out [Wednesday]. Hopefully it's just a freak thing where I just strained something and I'll wake up tomorrow feeling good."
Stutes said he felt fine warming up in the bullpen and did not feel any pain until the Berkman at-bat.
It threw a wrench into Charlie Manuel's bullpen plan after Roy Oswalt gave him five innings while on a pitch count. Manuel said he had hoped to squeeze two innings out of Stutes.
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Comments (42)
Phillies need to hire Andy Reid so he can say, "Arrghhh..hmmmm...injuries..." after every game.— dasher- Howard get's pitches to hit. He just isn't hitting them...— RichieAshburn
- what about Utley as the number 5 b behind Howard?? top three of Rollins-Vic-Palanoc, when all are on track, work pretty well. or will it be another case of "we ALWAYS had Utley as number 3"?— Rando
- Can't understand sending Worley down?? Let's not lose the war trying to win 1 battle. It's May not September/October.— thenutz72
- It is too early to panic; I trust Amaro will get us help by the deadline.A healthy Utley will have a big impact.Biggest need is a right handed bat in the outfield.Francisco is basically a bench player.— J.W. coach
- Shame if the kid is injured; he was the only one in the 'pen throwing strikes!— JBinPA
- Sign Dr. Oz— NewMick314
- Greg Gross is probably not the problem, this lack of hitting started last year, around May— yumack
- Scully used to do the games of the week on Saturdays with Joe Gargiola and Tony Kubeck on NBC, if memory doesn't fail me. He's the best play-by-play announcer.— EL Zorro
- And it with all probability, it's going to get worse in the next few years or so. As of now there is uncertainty about Utley and Rollins (do you bring him back, and at what price and how many years?). It's 2012 the last year of Polanco?, who btw, is not making a lot of money but will be 36 this October. Will you get equal or better value at his price (6.5 million in 2012 and a mutual option of 5.5 in '13)? So RAJ might have to replace the whole infield to the left of Howard, which happens to be the first 3 batters in the order. And we are not even talking about resigning Hamels and Madson and/or getting a closer.— EL Zorro
- Any fan should have legitimate concerns about the hitting we've been seeing.— s
- While I agree with phrontrunner and otown about baseball being a marathon, this lack of hitting has been a concern for a while, more so now with players getting there on age and suffering injuries at a concerning pace, most notably Utley. If you look at all the players, most of their numbers have declined over the last 2 years or so, in Rollins' and Utley's case since 2007. If you add that to the coaching staff unwillingness to adjust to a different style of play, you can't help but to be concerned no matter how optimistic you want to be or regardless of the recent success and history of bouncing back strongly. Sooner or later is going to catch up with you.— EL Zorro
- I don't think the past 4 seasons guarantee anything this year. The Braves and Marlins are both playing well. But it's also too early to jump ship. They really need to see a full, healthy lineup with Chase in it before they can judge any needs for a trade. Probably also with Brown in the mix and Mayberry starting over Francisco if Ben doesn't get something going. They're also going to have to change something in the bullpen. Baez/Romero need to be addressed at some level ... hard to say exactly how (not Worley IMO). When Lidge comes back (assuming he does) my guess is Baez goes and they go with Stutes and Romero, using Romero in very limited one-batter type roles with Bastardo being the primary lefty.— s
- Agree with Phront Runner. Can't believe the guy who thinks we'll finish third! Are you serious?!?— otown philly fan
- Tough home stand coming up. The immediate keys to the offense are probably Victorino's return and Chase finally making a major league appearance. But it sounds like there's no guarantee that will happen during the home stand.— s
- These comments crack me up. For those of you new to MLB baseball, it's a 162 game marathon, not a 10 game sprint. Their pitching is excellent, their defense is the best in MLB, and their hitting will come around when the injuries heal and the weather warms up. After the Phillies track record over the past 4 seasons, you should all know better than to panic. Chill out....— Phront_Runner
- The Phillies need to do something about their hitting, be it firing a coach or whatever. The team OPS is .691...their lowest since 1991. Also, I think they might need to revamp that training/health/conditioning staff.— slovak34
- I just hope this dont mean the return of david hernia!
dannies, fat boy joe, and martinez cant play.
— depressed 
Comment removed.- This many injuries in one season could be written off as a fluke. Two seasons in a row, though, is a trend that points to a flaw in the training and conditioning of this team. Not Utley's knee, which is the result of wear and tear, but the plethora of strains and pulls and back problems. No doubt the age of the team is also a likely factor. And don't count out overuse, especially when it comes to the pitching staff. Uncle Cholly rides his horses into the ground on the mound. (AND, ditto on Chris Wheeler. He is horrible, as is Gary Matthews, who each season latches on to one or two comments and repeats them for every hitter all year -- "quick feet", for example)— Mr. Baseball
- We are the ONLY team in baseball with an analyst that never played the game. Wheeler is horrible.He obviously knows the game,what to do in every situation.Thank God for the mute button. I have the extra innings package and listen to the opposing team's broadcast whenever possible. Terrible!!— t4tuck
- Not so fast all you Chase lovers,this offense is beyond his control.This team has been dying on the vine since last summer.Chase won`t be the answer,so get over this soon.RAJ made a big mistake in not looking for a bat,instead he goes after another pitcher.And oh by the way-The two biggest "aces"are 7-7 now.Third place my friends and no playoffs this year.— dtowndestroyer
- El Z, you are absolutely right. As long as UC as at the helm, the players will not play small ball manufacturing runs, keep swinging for the fences, and his loyalty to his veterans...— M60tanker
- It is called having the oldest team in baseball and having played the most baseball games since 2007. This is why we are breaking down. I don't think it has much to do with the training staff.— kwasi2323
- It doesn't matter who you hire as a hitting coach when he's been overrule by the self-proclaimed hitting guru, who happens to oversee the whole team and whose philosophy about hitting is swinging hard all the time, and for the fences. (You heard the guys in the booth saying yesterday Charlie couldn't understand how Harmon Killebrew didn't hit a HR everty time out, or something like that?)— EL Zorro
- ONCE AGAIN, WHAT IS WITH THE CONDITIONING/TRAINERS IN THIS ORGANIZATION? INJURY AFTER INJURY AFTER INJURY---- SOMETHING IS AMISS HERE!— DONDEN31
- Mayberry should be starting and batting 5th. Ibanez is adequate to come off the bench and sub in LF. Francisco has too much pressure at 5 and could be an adequate 7 hitter a la 2008 Pedro Feliz (If you dont bring up Brown). If Chase comes back close to Healthy, youre O lineup isnt bad: JRoll/Poly/Chase/Howard/Mayberry/Vic/BenFran/Chooch/Ptchr
- Get Utley back. Platoon Brown and Francisco, Mayberry and Ibanez. Delete Orr or Martinez and add another bat to the bench. Get healthy.— PhillyfaninMD
- Chase should be back within a week. That will help at second and in the 3rd hole. Victorino can then move down to 6 or 7. The weakness is right field. Francisco stinks. They need a power hitter to bat 5th behind Howard or Howard will never get any pitches to hit.— fischman
- Worst leadoff hitter, worst outfield, worst bench, worst home run output, etc. = Make trades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— shawnmac
- I agree. GG has to go. Ryan Howard is on pace for just about 200 strikeouts this year and about 35 home runs. He looks completely lost at the plate. And when we are done firing GG can we please get rid of Tom McCarthy and Chris Wheeler? These guys never stop talking.— jpgulli
- If you want to hear professional announcing listen to Vin Scully do the Dodger broadcasts (by himself!). All the others are just pretenders. — MFinSC
- I've heard Scully and, yes, he's good. He still calls at least the first few innings with no sidekick. He goes back to the Dodgers in Brooklyn so he's called a lot of games. — s
- This is obviously all Milt Thompson's fault.— NMPartners
- Agreed that at this point they really shouldn't have a hitting coach. Clearly these hitters are stuck in their ways, not to be improved. They don't know how to advance runners, swing or take to counts based on situation, and they have no plan or patience. I'm not blaming Gross. I just think these hitters are who they are. No point in paying another guy.— twothousandeight
- None of it matters if the team can't hit. Fire Greg Gross. Why pay someone to sit in the dugout that provides no value.— palm_goodness
- Greg Gross isn't swinging at bad pitches or letting good pitches go by. Greg Gross isn't popping up to the infielders or shallow outfield. Why pay someone to set foot on the field and not do their job? When will the overpaid athletes ever be held accountable and take the blame for what they do.. — rolenfan
- People should look at Worley's latest AAA start as the reason he's being sent down. He was very rusty after not starting for almost two weeks. He only lasted 3 innings, giving up 3 runs and 7 hits. Moving viable starters between the bullpen and the rotation isn't the best idea in my opinion. Anyone remember when they did that with Madson? He never became a great reliever until he settled into that one role. Worley has the most potential as a starter and they may need him to step in very soon. Read the news on Blanton's "soreness" for example.— s
- If something happens to Blanton, or if Blanton falls, I think you will see Worley take his place. That is the reason Worley went to triple AAA...— PhilliefaninAZ
- With this team struggling so badly offensively I just cannot understand sending Vance Worley down to Lehigh Valley. Every run is crucial and you need your best arms on the Phillies 25 man roster.You simply cannot afford to have Worley getting stretched out in Allentown. Tonight was a prime example why.
The young guys Worley,Stutes,Bastardo have been invaluable and they may be a foreshadowing into the direction this organization needs to start heading in.— joe smith - The weakness of this team are the middle infielders and the corner outfielders.— escapedcamden4monterey
- The weakness of this team are the middle infielders and the corner outfielders.— escapedcamden4monterey
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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