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Aumont moves into starting rotation for Lehigh Valley

ALLENTOWN - For Phillippe Aumont, baseball used to be the only thing in his life. He was almost afraid to think about what would happen if his career did not pan out.

Phillippe Aumont. (David Swanson/Staff Photographer)
Phillippe Aumont. (David Swanson/Staff Photographer)Read more

ALLENTOWN - For Phillippe Aumont, baseball used to be the only thing in his life. He was almost afraid to think about what would happen if his career did not pan out.

"Like it was baseball or I was just going to be a bum on the street," Aumont said. "There was nothing after."

Aumont's mind-set changed in April as he packed his belongings into a red duffel bag inside the Phillies' spring-training clubhouse. The 26-year-old had been designated to the minor leagues. Each of the other 29 major-league clubs passed on him.

Aumont carried his bag to the minor-league clubhouse.

"It made me realize that baseball was just a phase of my life. It's not going to be the end of the world after," said Aumont, who is at triple-A Lehigh Valley. "It eased off, and I could go out there and relax. I'll give my 100 percent every day. I'll go out there and battle. But if it doesn't work out, it's not going to be the end of the world."

Aumont's new outlook has been freeing. This season, he said, has been more fun than the previous three. And it seems to have translated onto the field. The righthanded pitcher was used as a starter last Sunday for the first time in five years. He is off to the best start of his career and has a 2.25 ERA after his start Friday against Indianapolis.

Aumont said he always thought about transitioning back to being a starter, but he never asked the Phillies whether he could until they demoted him. Aumont told Lehigh Valley pitching coach Ray Burris that he was available if the team needed an emergency starter.

The IronPigs did last week, when Severino Gonzalez was promoted to the Phillies. Aumont was invited to the starting pitchers' meeting in manager Dave Brundage's office. Aumont was told he was four days away from starting.

The next few days, Aumont said, seemed to take forever.

"I was excited. I was anxious. I was a little nervous," Aumont said. "I didn't really know what to expect with the emotions and everything."

Aumont was acquired in 2009 as part of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners. Aumont spent his first season in the Phillies system as a starter before transitioning back to a reliever, a role he played in Seattle's system.

Aumont spent parts of the last three seasons in the majors, working out of the Phillies bullpen. The results were maddening.

His 6-foot-7 frame, matched with a powerful fastball and sharp breaking pitches, should have made Aumont a key bullpen arm. Instead, he was inconsistent and averaged a walk every 1.4 innings.

In last Sunday's start, Aumont walked no batters over five innings. He allowed three hits and struck out two batters in five scoreless innings. Brundage said Aumont is a "different guy this year." The manager said Aumont's new attitude has carried onto the mound.

Aumont's success eventually may be met with some failures. The pitcher is ready for that. Aumont said he is able to move on if he has a bad outing or bad inning. There is no way to bring it back, he said.

"Everybody has a bad day," Aumont said. "You just move on from it. You can't let that affect you because tomorrow might be the best day of your life. You just have to go for it."

If his transition to starter proves to be a success, Aumont could blaze a quicker path to the big leagues than if he stayed in the bullpen. The Phillies could trade two or three starting pitchers over the next three months. Rotation spots might open.

Aumont is not thinking about promotions. When that happens, Aumont said, it will happen. He used to stress about those things. He needed to be there, Aumont said.

The pitcher said he'll be in the majors if the Phillies decide they want him there. For now, he said, his mind is set on having fun. And the results have been refreshing.