Why Worley pitched the eighth
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Why Worley pitched the eighth
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- In the eighth inning of a three-run game, Charlie Manuel sent his relief pitcher, Vance Worley, to the plate with a runner on third and two outs.
It called for a raised eyebrow and probably what most of you are discussing from Monday's 6-4 Phillies' win because, really, what else could you talk about from this hideous baseball contest?
A few events led to Worley striking out with that runner on third.
1. Joe Blanton pitched only five innings. This was not much of a surprise to the people inside the clubhouse. Blanton hadn't started any kind of a game in 16 days and the most pitches he had thrown in a bullpen session was around 40. So without a rehab start, the Phillies could not expect a great deal of length from Blanton.
He gave them 66 pitches and it worked, only because his defense turned four (!) double plays behind him. He was not particularly sharp, and there were some red flags raised.
His velocity on all of his pitches was down by about 1 m.p.h. from his previous four starts. And in those four starts, Blanton claimed to have been pitching through the elbow pain. He said he was OK Monday. His next start comes Saturday in Atlanta and that will be a better indicator if there is a greater issue at hand.
2. Worley pitched decently for two innings. So Manuel's inclination was to stick with him. Worley needed 49 pitches to complete his first two innings and hadn't thrown in six days, so the manager could ride him. In both innings, Worley escaped jams and also showed some rust. But with righties Gaby Sanchez and Mike Stanton due up in the eighth before Greg Dobbs, Manuel saw no better option...
3. Because the only other relievers he had available for the eighth were J.C. Romero and Danys Baez. Manuel said he was staying away from Antonio Bastardo for a second straight day. That decision is curious because Bastardo has thrown only 34 pitches (two appearances) in the last eight days. Manuel said there is no medical issue for Bastardo.
The manager was also without Michael Stutes, who has pitched a lot of late. Scott Mathieson threw a bunch of pitches without effectiveness Sunday, so that left it up to Worley.
Worley allowed the solo home run to Sanchez but caught Stanton looking, induced a pop up from Dobbs and struck out John Buck to end the inning. Those could have been the three most important outs in a very forgettable nine innings.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
- I agree: Sardinha definitely goes down for Chooch and Contreras definitely bumps Mathieson. I don't think Worley going down for Oswalt is 100% but it's close. You really want this guy to continue starting and there's nothing lost with him doing that in AAA at his age ... Even though the sky is falling on a daily basis in these posts I mean.
Lidge is the interesting one. I'd probably put my money on Stutes going back down when Lidge is ready. Again, this is the right baseball move to make with a young guy and I know the Lidge haters will be out in full force, but when Lidge comes back he has to get a shot. This is probably his last hurrah as a Phillie though.
You can start to see some of next year lining up: Baez and Romero gone. Lidge gone in my book too. Contreras and Madson in the 8th/9th. Bastardo and Stutes probably being on the roster from day one. Worley probably in the mix for the #5 spot. The experience these young guys can get while we still retain first place is good for the longer haul.— s 
Worley is being showcased as part of a potential deal for a bat.— jp8899- The Phillies obviously own Getz an apology for the lack of aesthetics in last nights win. All 162 need to be works of art.— storebrandmayonnaise
- I call on the baseball gods to give Joan Danny Baez a season ending injury.— xone9
To eformc1: "Martinez would be the logical suggestion, but he's a Rule 5 and don't know if the Phils would want to risk losing him."
Yeah, like that slob David Herndon has done so well. He ruined the roster last year, so I wouldn't risk anything on a stupid Rule 5 this year. The Phillies have all the right parts, that is all that matters. One piece breaks down, insert another. Go PHILLIES. P>S. I'd check Dobbs for roids :) Since when has he learned to hit again.
- Why can't we just waive Baez??? he sucks and the Phillies have wasted far more than the 1. whatever million that they are paying him on other terrible players in the past. Move him out and make some more room for what appears to be, some promising young arms from the minors. Maybe we can package him and Ibanez in a trade for a pack of smokes— your_mom_says_hi!
- jp88 good call on Worley but God I hope they keep him. He is a possible #4/5 for the pitching staff in the not so far future when Oswalt is gone or Bluto or Kendrick finally are sent packing....— glove69
- I so enjoy reading all the negative comments day in and day out. "He stinks", "He needs to get cut", "He is terrible" You'd think the Phightens are 11-23, not the other way around. Tell me one team in MLB that has everything running on all cylanders w/o any problems for 162 games and I hand them the trophy. Cholly does some strange things, but he knows the players and their limitations better than any of us. His track record here is pretty darned good. His patch work line up seems to get the job done. RAJ said it in the offseason and it seems to working for now, Pitching and Defense wins championships (ask the Giants). Currently, the staring pitching is doing pretty darned good. The only issue I had is why Blanton didn't have a rehab start at AAA before he started last night (16 days and almost three starts is a bit much to go w/o a rehab start).— drhoffman
Comment removed.- Charlie knows how to manage for the long haul of the 162 game season. I think a lot of posters don't realize there are games on days other than Sunday.
Phillies are #1 in the entire league in fielding, #4 in pitching. In the NL they're #4 in batting average and OBP, #6 in runs and hits. Those hitting stats are pretty damned good considering the DL holes in their lineup.
Unfortunately the Braves have an easier May schedule. Falling out of the NL East lead is not out of the question at all. But I feel like after 162, they'll be where they need to be. If we can win the Marlins series then we go into the next Braves series with a shot to create enough of an NL East lead to weather the May schedule.
— s - Who the heck was Charlie going to go to pinch hit anyway? Sardina? Francisco? Martinez? Sure. Wake me up the next time the gut gets a ball out of the infield. Rule 5 my you-know-what. Somebody please explain to me why he and Orr are taking up space on this already weak hitting bench? Young or Barfield would at least bring a legitimate bat.— JLH
- whats worse that this clown's ongoing distaste for phillies baseball? A link to another one of his rediculous articles. I do hear he doesn't miss a buffett. Probably elbows his way past Blanton.— spittooncj
- I really hope they aren't showcasing Worley. I want to keep him. He's 23 and could be a solid starter and we may need that if Oswalt doesn't return next year or we finally get rid of Blanton.— WerthsOtherWife
- Call me crazy but could it be that Blanton is sandbagging it so he doesnt get traded from the Phils? Hes in a great situation as is why pitch well knowing that it will lead to him getting traded.
Next year is his contract year. He could just cruise this year while winning a another World Series and then pick it up next year to increase his free agent worth.
— joe smith - Worley turned in a Ron Reed-like performance last night. Charlie's Old School and comfortable with putting pitchers in Old School situations to establish the team's winning mentality now and then. This was no different than the last time people whined over a starter throwing 125 pitches. Remember the outcry over Pedro throwing that "unnecessary" complete game in 2009? I think these moves set a healthy tone if limited to once a month.— frankenslade
