Photos: 2008 Phillies
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Righthanders Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson, two of the top options in setup situations, are also their two best choices in long relief. Lefthander J.C. Romero, another setup option, is also valuable when an out is needed against a lefthanded hitter.
Though lefty Scott Eyre, who has pitched 7 2/3 innings since the Phillies acquired him from the Cubs, provides more flexibility for using Romero, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee face the delicate balancing act between use and overuse.
On Wednesday night, for example, the Phillies were in a situation that normally would have called for Romero. Leading the Mets, 3-2, with two out in the eighth, they needed to retire lefthanded-hitting Carlos Delgado to get to the ninth inning, where Brad Lidge is a perfect 31-for-31 in save opportunities.
Instead, righthander Rudy Seanez allowed a game-tying solo home run, and the Mets went on to win, 6-3.
"They are the bosses. They are the ones that run the team and they know what is best for us," Romero said. "Sometimes, we just have to stay back and watch, even though as an athlete you are very competitive and you want to be there every time. But its not that easy. We play 162 games, and they are trying to do what is smartest for the team, so when September comes, we can all be ready to go."
The Phillies also must monitor Durbin and Madson. Durbin, a converted starter, has pitched 74 innings, including one-third last night in which he was chargd with two runs on two hits.
Madson, meanwhile, has had issues with his shoulder over the past year. He said yesterday he is pleased with the way his shoulder has responded since a bout with soreness forced the Phillies to shut him down for 6 days in April. But Manuel said he isn't at the point at which he can throw two innings in an outing and return to the mound the next night. Madson, who did not record an out last night said the Phillies' recent road trip through California was tough, because he appeared in two games and warmed up in several others, which can be as taxing as pitching in a game. But he said his shoulder has gotten stronger all season, thanks to his adherence to the rest and exercise program the Phillies placed him on.
"All you can do is keep your fingers crossed and do what you can do," Madson said, "and hopefully it will be there in the end."
Andrew Carpenter's first big-league stint lasted all of 1 day, but the Phillies' decision to send him back to Double A Reading yesterday wasn't a judgment on his performance, a scoreless ninth inning against the Mets on Wednesday.
Instead, the Phillies think Carpenter's future is as a starter. After struggling early in the season and earning a demotion to Class A Clearwater, Carpenter has pitched at least seven innings and allowed fewer than three runs in four of his last five starts at Reading.
"His past three or four times out there down there, I understand he was throwing real good," Manuel said. "His command was good. He was pitching much better. We figured that that is going to be pretty tough on him to pitch him 2 or 3 days in a row."
To replace Carpenter, the Phillies called up lefthander Fabio Castro, who was 0-2, 8.10 in three games for Lehigh Valley after going 8-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 27 games at Reading.
Castro appeared in 30 games for the Phillies in 2006 and 2007, but was sent back to the minors after posting a 6.00 ERA in 10 games last season.
Eyre, acquired by the Phillies after the Cubs designated him for assignment this month, said he has no hard feelings toward the Cubs or general manager Jim Hendry.
"I don't want to say I wasn't wanted, but I kind of got dismissed," Eyre said. "But the best thing is . . . he didn't send me somewhere that doesn't mean anything. He sent me to a playoff-contending team and I'll be forever grateful."
The Phillies-Cubs game was the first of three games yesterday that used baseball's new instant replay system, which is being implemented by baseball to review questionable home run calls . . . Former Athletics teammates Rich Harden and Joe Blanton, traded 9 days apart in July, will square off today . . . One option for the Phillies, who continue to look for a lefthanded bat for the bench, could be veteran utility man Mike Lamb, who was designated for assignment by the Twins this week. Lamb, 32, is hitting .233 this season, but carries a career average of .277. *
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