May 13 -- MOYER'S MISERY (UPDATED)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

In a little while, we will hear from Jamie Moyer, who had another miserable start here tonight. After cruising through three innings, he surrendered five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, and just like that, his night was done.

Moyer's line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R/ER, 1 BB, 1 K

This comes only six days after he allowed seven runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out one in only 2-1/3 innings against the Mets. So, in his last two starts, Moyer has allowed 14 runs on 15 hits in only 6-2/3 innings for an 18.90 ERA. In his last three starts, he's 0-2 with a 13.86 ERA. It's his worst three-start stretch since May 6-18, 2005 when, against the Red Sox and Yankees, he allowed 17 earned runs on in only 10 innings for a 18.30 ERA.

Should be interesting to hear from Moyer.

(Updated, 11:58 p.m.): OK, so Charlie Manuel said J.A. Happ will start the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, but don't go thinking he's going to replace Moyer in the rotation. "I don't see how [Moyer] can get right by sitting," Manuel said. "I don't think that can get him right. You can sit him down, but what's that going to do?"

And this is from Moyer: "I'm not making the pitches I'd like to be making. Every mistake I've made has gotten hit hard. That's more or less how I'm feeling. The mistakes I'm making I'm being punished for. It's got to be mistake-free."

That's a tough way to pitch. And after Moyer led the Phillies with 16 wins last season, it's reasonable to wonder if, at his age, he can still be as effective.

"If I start to doubt, then it's time for me to go home," Moyer said. "I've done this over 500 times. So, you know what, I don't really worry about what's behind me."

***
Wasn't able to squeeze this into the paper, but Manuel had this to say today about first-base coach Davey Lopes' influence on the Phillies' running game, specifically Jayson Werth's four-steal game last night that included a steal of home.

"Basically, we run when Davey gives indications or signs or kind of tells guys when to go," Manuel said. "If I don't want them to run, I can stop them. But that's the only [role] I play. When I turned the baserunning over to him, I kind of committed to him. I not only trust him, but I believe he has shown me how good he can be. He's that good. We're very fortunate to thave a guy like that."