So, maybe the Phillies were a bit too hasty in putting Gavin Floyd in the starting rotation after a few good spring-training starts. Hindsight, always, is 20-20, but couldn't Floyd have benefited from a strong April in Scranton-Wilkes/Barre?
It's no surprise that manager Charlie Manuel is defending Floyd. The Phillies made it clear in spring training that the decision to put Floyd in the rotation belonged to Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee. To abandon Floyd now would be to admit he's wrong.
Here's the problem: If not Floyd, who?
Option A, Ryan Franklin, has become a valuable part of the bullpen. If Franklin goes to the rotation, who pitches 7th innings when the Phillies are ahead? Neither Geoff Geary nor Julio Santana have inspired much faith that they can do it.
Options B and C, Scranton-Wilkes/Barre lefties Matt White or Eude Brito, may not yield any better results than what Floyd is getting. Like Floyd, those guys are young (White is 28, but has only one previous major-league start), and young or inexperienced pitchers tend to be inconsistent.
Option D, prized lefty Cole Hamels, makes his Class AAA debut Thursday night. But even if he's as dominant there as he's been everywhere else, and even if the oft-injured Hamels stays healthy, he's still only 22. Felix Hernandez, the 20-year-old phenom in Seattle, is struggling. Scott Kazmir, a lefty who Hamels is often compared to, has endured growing pains in Tampa Bay. Why should anyone think Hamels can step into the Phillies' rotation this season and be an ace.
Ultimately, even though Floyd isn't ready for primetime, he may be the Phillies' best option right now, which, is as sad a commentary about the pitching staff as it is for Floyd.
2 comments:
With Floyd's and Madson's early struggles -- coupled with spotty efforts from middle relief -- you wonder if Pat Gillick has thought to himself: I really, really should have traded Burrell or Abreu for a pitcher. Any decent pitcher.
To allow Mr. "Mock Draft" on your blog is a bit embarrassing.
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