WASHINGTON -- It's official: For at least the next two weeks, Adam Eaton will be replaced in the Phillies' starting rotation by J.D. Durbin, but the decision has to do with more than just Eaton's National League-worst 6.36 ERA.Evidently, Eaton has been bothered for the past two weeks by stiffness in his right shoulder. And today, three days after he received a cortisone injection, the Phils put him on the 15-day disabled list. He's eligible to be activated Aug. 27, the same day the division-leading Mets open a four-game series at the Bank. Typically, Eaton pitches well against the Mets (5-0, 1.89 ERA in five career starts), but I'd be surprised to see the Phils' $24.5 million investment pitch again before the team is convinced he's right, physically and mentally.
Especially mentally.
Eaton, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee indicated Eaton likely would pitch through the discomfort if his ERA was, say, 4.36 instead of 6.36. But now, Eaton has a good reason to stop pitching for two weeks and clear his head while he also rests his shoulder.
Time to start hacking away for the print edition, but I'll leave you with a quick update on Shane Victorino. He'll see Dr. Michael Ciccotti in Philadelphia tomorrow to determine if he did any further damage to his strained right calf.
And, almost forgot, the answer to our trivia question from today's initial post. The last Phillies player to homer in his first at-bat for the team was, indeed, Jeremy Giambi on May 25, 2002, at Montreal. We have a winner, and it's "Ron Santo's Legs." You're not a Cubs' fan, are you, Ron?
1 comment:
thank god! eaton probably isn't all that hurt physically, but he sure could use a 2 week mental vacation to get back on track and not do any more damage!!
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