Here's what Brett Myers said on the February day in Clearwater, Fla., when Charlie Manuel picked him, not Cole Hamels, to be the Phillies' opening-day starter:"I think I'm a pretty good 1-A."
Really?
In 17 starts, Myers is 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA. He has surrendered 24 home runs, more than any pitcher in the majors. Of the pitchers who qualify for the ERA title, the only ones with a higher ERA than Myers are Brad Penny (5.88), Barry Zito (5.91), Carlos Silva (5.92), Mark Hendrickson (5.93), Ian Snell (5.99) and Bronson Arroyo (6.52).
But here's the most telling stat: The Phillies are 4-13 in Myers' starts, including 1-11 in his last 12.
Simply put, he isn't giving them a chance to win, and last night, after the slumping offense gave him a 5-1 lead on Pedro Feliz's grand slam, Myers all but gave it right back. His body language was disturbing. After almost every hit, he shook head, which was hanging so low that he could've dragged the infield with his lower lip. You get the feeling that Manuel would love to remove Myers from the rotation before his next start, slated for Thursday in Atlanta. But, really, what are the alternatives?
1. Chad Durbin? He has been invaluable to the bullpen, and with the uncertainty of Tom Gordon's shoulder, Durbin's role is being expanded even further.
2. Kris Benson? Yeah, he'll be making his first start Sunday for Class AAA Lehigh Valley, but he probably will need a few more tuneups before he's ready to make his return to the majors after March 2007 shoulder surgery.
3. Carlos Carrasco? The top prospect got roughed up in his start Friday night for Class AA Reading, and although he has generally pitched well (5-7, 4.18 ERA), I haven't gotten the sense that the Phillies believe he's ready to make the leap to the majors.
It has been suggested that the Phillies trade Myers, but his stock has never been lower. His persistent problems, though, make it almost imperative that the Phillies pull off a deal before the July 31 deadline. Then, maybe, Manuel will have a viable option with which to replace Myers.
7 comments:
I'd bring up JA Happ or even Brian Mazone before Carrasco. I wouldn't mess with Durbin's BP success. I also wouldn't count on Benson.
The Phils can't continue to let Myers hurt them.
We're looking for someone who can replace a pitcher who consistently gives up five or six runs per outing. It's time to give Happ another chance in the majors. DFA Condrey again (at his best, Condrey is mildly effective on occasion but is still pretty subpar), put Myers in the bullpen's long relief role where he'll only really be used in blowouts just like Condrey, then call up Happ for the fifth spot in the rotation. Or is it the second spot in the rotation?
Either way, I really hope that he's taken out of the rotation for a while. The best case scenario would be to throw him on the DL for a while. Can they do that for mental problems or just physical?
Right now it would be tough to find a worse option. Maybe Bruntlett can pitch.
They could make a Snelling-like move where they outright him to the minors. If he refuses the assignment, then he'd be an FA. He won't get nearly what he's owed for this year and next year. He'd be stupid to pass up that money; and if he does, we'd have some salary for next year.
DL him with a phantom injury and let him rehab in the minors till he gets his head on straight. Use either Happ or Mazone in the rotation till then. Mazone has been slightly better but Happ has way more upside and is still young.
I can understand why you don't go on every road trip, Scott, but it seems cheap for the NJ not to send someone. All this talk about the Phillies being the "hometown" team is just that. Talk.
Just to clarify Earl, this is the first roadtrip that Scott has not made this season.
And he didn't go for two reasons - money (which is tight, as it is for all newspapers these days) and the game schedule. When the Phillies play at 10 p.m., the game ends too late for the story to get into most of our newspapers.
If you'd like to donate to a "Send Scott On Every Road Trip Fund," I'd be more than thankful :) I'm kidding ... kind of.
I agree that Happ is the best option right now. Carrasco is not ready, ditto on Benson, and why mess up the bullpen by moving Durbin. Gordon could probably be helped with a stint on the DL, Myers could hopefully figure out his problems with a few weeks in the pen, and we can find out if Happ will ever be a capable SP in the majors. Also if Myers does figure it out Happ might then be able to fill the 2nd lefty in the pen role. Myers obviously is not having trouble with his "stuff" because of the K's he's been getting, it's all location and his "head", so BP might help him.
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