Phillies Notebook: Contreras injury increases burden on young Phillies relievers

ST. LOUIS - Maybe the Phillies' trade-deadline wish list will extend beyond a righthanded hitter. Yesterday, the club placed veteran righthander Jose Contreras on the disabled list with a Grade 1 strain of the flexor tendon in his right forearm, raising some questions about the bullpen's depth with 5 weeks to go before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The preliminary prognosis has Contreras missing 4 to 6 weeks, assistant general manager Benny Looper said yesterday. As with any injury, that is subject to change, but in a best-case scenario, Contreras will be sidelined until at least late July. The Phillies will shut him down for 2 weeks, after which they hope to start him on a throwing program.

In the meantime, manager Charlie Manuel's top two setup options will be rookie relievers Antonio Bastardo and Mike Stutes, meaning the Phillies will have to hope both players are prepared to continue to carry a heavy load.

"I'm a little concerned about those guys, too," Manuel said, "because they've never been here before, they've never pitched a complete season in the big leagues . . . and they've been pitching quite a bit right now. We want to be able to monitor that as much as we can. We don't want to burn them out too early."

Contreras was expected to be a vital part of the bullpen after a strong 2010 season prompted the Phillies to re-sign him to a 2-year, $5 million contract in the offseason. He opened the year as the team's closer after righthander Brad Lidge suffered a rotator cuff strain in late March. Contreras converted his first five save opportunities and struck out nine and walked four in eight scoreless innings before a strain of the flexor pronator, near his right elbow, shut him down on April 22.

After returning from a monthlong stint on the disabled list, he struggled to regain his earlier form.

The Phillies had hoped Contreras was back in a groove after last weekend's series in Seattle, when he appeared in two games and allowed one baserunner with two strikeouts in 1 innings.

But in the eighth inning of the Phillies' 10-2 win over the Cardinals on Tuesday, the 39-year-old righthander was unable to get himself loose for a potential save-situation appearance.

"At the beginning, he felt it, but he thought it was just general stiffness," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. "He kept on going and kept on going, and finally said, 'I can't get loose.' "

After Contreras was unable to shake the tightness in his forearm, Manuel sat him down and warmed up Bastardo. The Phillies had just tied the game, 2-2, when Placido Polanco was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and one out, prompting the bullpen to prepare for a save situation. They ended up scoring eight two-out runs against a Cardinals bullpen that could not find the strike zone.

"If we would have had more time, more than likely Bastardo wouldn't have gone in the game in a 10-2 game," Manuel said.

With Contreras and Lidge both sidelined until after the All-Star break, the Phillies will have to continue to rely on their two young relievers, who have combined to hold opponents to nine earned runs while striking out 55 in 50 innings. Only closer Ryan Madson, who entered last night having converted 15 of 16 saves with a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings, has seen more work in late-and-close situations.

Madson, a 30-year-old veteran, is used to the grind of late-inning relief. But Bastardo, 25, and Stutes, 24, are both in their first full seasons as big-league relievers. Bastardo, who entered last night with a 0.96 ERA that ranked second in the NL (mininum 20 innings), had appeared in 31 of the Phillies' 75 games. Stutes (2.38 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 14 walks in 22 innings) had appeared in 24 of the Phillies' 54 games since he was called up from Triple A Lehigh Valley.

Taking Contreras' roster spot is 32-year-old lefty Juan Perez, who last appeared in the majors with the Pirates in 2007, when he allowed six earned runs with 10 strikeouts and eight walks in 12 innings. Looper described him as a power pitcher with a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph and a good slider.

As a nonroster invitee in spring training, Perez lived up to that report, but also exhibited the command struggles that have prevented him from sticking in the majors. In 30 innings at Triple A Lehigh Valley this season, he struck out 41 and walked 21 while posting a 3.52 ERA.

The Phillies' stock of young relievers at the upper levels of their minor league system is deeper than it has been in recent memory. Righthander Justin De Fratus, a closer-type with a hard fastball and slider, was recently promoted to Triple A, along with power righthander Phillippe Aumont, who was acquired when the Phillies traded Cliff Lee to Seattle in December 2009. Righthander Andrew Carpenter, converted to reliever this season, has posted impressive numbers at Lehigh Valley. Righthander Michael Schwimer also has some potential.

But with the uncertain futures of Contreras and Lidge and the recent release of lefty J.C. Romero, the Phillies are thin on experienced relievers. Besides Madson, righthander Danys Baez is the only member of the bullpen who has more than 70 career relief appearances. Which means Bastardo and Stutes will continue to carry a heavy load.

"You try to protect against the injuries and you try to monitor the innings," Looper said, "but in the heat of the battle, those guys have been performing pretty well." *

For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at www.philly.com/HighCheese.

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