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BY SCOTT LAUBER
ATLANTA -- A few notes before Jimmy Rollins takes his highly anticipated first swing here tonight:
1. Raul Ibanez has left the team to begin working out with Class AA Reading. It's possible, Charlie Manuel said, that Ibanez could play in a game for Reading tomorrow. Assistant GM Benny Looper, who is on this trip with the team, said Ibanez likely needs 10-12 at-bats in the minors before he's ready to play. So, it's unlikely that Ibanez will be back by Friday night's game against the Mets, but a weekend return isn't entirely out of the question. Of course, the Phillies won't rush Ibanez either, and groin injuries can be tricky. If he needs a few extra days to make sure he's OK, he'll get them.
2. As we Tweeted earlier today, J.A. Happ will start here Thursday night on his regular rest. Jamie Moyer could start on normal rest Friday night, but the Phillies "most likely" will give him an extra day and start him Saturday. That means they'll need a starter for Friday night. ...
3. ... which brings us to the ongoing storyline of who that starter might be. Looper said the Phillies are "pretty close to making a decision." Carlos Carrasco and Drew Carpenter remain the frontrunners, but it's possible they could opt for veteran Rodrigo Lopez, a solid starter for the Orioles once upon a time. Lopez has one thing working against him: He's out of minor-league options, so if the Phillies choose to send him back to Lehigh Valley, he'd be exposed to waivers. Carpenter and Carrasco can be shuttled between the majors and minors without that risk. Looper said Antonio Bastardo will be shut down from throwing for at least three weeks, so the Phillies aren't considering Friday night's game a spot start. That said, I think they may bring Carrasco here and let him make a few starts. If he pitches well, who knows, maybe it will make it less urgent for them to trade for a starter. If he doesn't, well, he'll just go back to the minors and get more seasoning. Regardless, we may know something more definitive tomorrow.
So, that's the latest. Enjoy the game.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
TORONTO -- So, I'm a child of the '80s. Ronald Reagan, heavy metal, New Coke, Michael Jackson's moonwalk -- these are indelible images from my youth. But it wasn't until the '90s that I truly became aware of what was happening in the world. I was a sophomore in high school in 1992 when Bill Clinton ran for president against George H.W. Bush, and the catchphrase he used throughout his campaign still strikes a chord today.
"It's the economy, stupid."
Well, when it comes to the Phillies' ability to sustain success, Charlie Manuel and Ruben Amaro Jr. might as well have their own catchphrase. It applied in the 10-0 rout over the Blue Jays here yesterday, and it will continue to apply whenever the Phillies finally put together a another winning streak.
"It's the pitching, stupid."
Sure, it was nice that they pounded 14 hits and scored 10 runs yesterday and that Jayson Werth belted only the 14th home run ever hit into the fifth deck at 20-year-old Skydome/Rogers Centre. But they also were facing Brad Mills, a rookie lefty whom they knocked around 10 days earlier at the Bank and who, after yesterday's game, was sent all the way back to double-A.
No, the reason to be optimistic about yesterday's victory was the sight of J.A. Happ still standing on the mound, still throwing bullets, at the Jays hitters in the ninth inning. It marked Happ's first-ever complete-game shutout (he didn't have any in 97 career minor-league starts), and it rivaled Cole Hamels' June 5 shutout at Dodger Stadium for the title of best start for the Phillies this season. Happ is now 3-0 with a 3.25 ERA as a starter this season, cementing his status as a reliable member of the rotation.
"I'm paranoid anyway, but that's something I think about a lot, earning the manager's confidence and trust and the general manager's confidence and trust," Happ said. "Games like this are a step towards that."
Now, the Phillies still have a gaping hole in their rotation thanks to Brett Myers' likely season-ending hip surgery, and as we've written in The News Journal, Amaro is racking up his cell-phone bill in the pursuit of another starter. Which pitchers are the Phillies tracking? Quite simply, all of them. They have at least some interest in Jason Marquis and Brad Penny and Aaron Harang and Erik Bedard and Brian Bannister and too many other pitchers to list, and while they'd likely make a move to acquire any of them, they also want to be certain that the guy they obtain is an upgrade over anything they have in their farm system.
So, the search will continue, probably all the way until the July 31 trade deadline. Last weekend, a scout with knowledge of the Phillies' front office told me he's certain Amaro & Co. will come up with someone, maybe even two someones, before July 31 because they know, more than anything, "it's the pitching, stupid," that wins championships.
***
Lots of baseball in your Sunday News Journal. We've got the latest on J.C. Romero's altercation with a fan in Tampa after Thursday night's game. Within the Phillies notebook, we find out if Jimmy Rollins will return to the lineup today (don't count on it, Manuel said) and speculate about which pitcher will take Antonio Bastardo's spot in the rotation Thursday night in Atlanta. And, within the Sunday MLB notes, Kyle Drabek tells us that he'd be surprised if the Phillies call him up next week. I would be, too.***Don't forget to follow me -- and Philled In -- on Twitter. Time to scoot downstairs to the clubhouse. More in a bit from Rogers Centre. Enjoy your Sunday.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
CINCINNATI -- So, I was wrong. Dead wrong.
After Sunday's game in DC, I didn't detect any real difference in Charlie Manuel's words about Chan Ho Park's tenuous spot in the starting rotation than I did two weeks ago when Park was struggling. Basically, Manuel said he'd talk things over with Rich Dubee and determine if the time was right to replace him with lefty J.A. Happ. He never said Park's spot was in real jeopardy, but he didn't give him a vote of confidence either. And although Park got rocked Sunday by the Nationals, the fact that he pitched well previously in back-to-back starts against the Mets and Dodgers led me to believe he'd get at least one more start against the Yankees on Saturday in New York.
But I was wrong.
About 90 minutes ago, Manuel and Dubee met with Park and told him he was being moved to the bullpen. So, after winning the fifth-starter spot in spring training, Park held the job for exactly seven starts. He went 1-1 with a 7.08 ERA, and perhaps most damning, he allowed 61 base runners (41 hits, 17 walks, three hit by pitches) in only 34-1/3 innings.
Not good.
Happ, meanwhile, coped with the disappointment of losing the No. 5 starter job by posting a 2.49 ERA in 12 relief appearances. He didn't sulk or whine. He just got batters out, same as he did last July after being sent back to Class AAA. Happ was supposed to start the second game of Saturday night's doubleheader in DC, but he was needed in the 11th and 12th innings Friday night. He didn't have time to be disappointed about missing out on a starter. Instead, he just held the Nationals scoreless for two innings and picked up a win in relief.
"I don't want to say too much about it out of respect for my teammates and stuff," Happ said of taking Park's spot. "But I'm going to try to take advantage of it. Other than that, it's a job, and I'm going to try to do well."
Park, quite clearly, wasn't happy about the decision. He revived his career as a multi-inning reliever in the Dodgers' bullpen last season, and this year, he'll try to salvage his season in the same role with the Phillies.
"I'm disappointed I lost the job as a starter which is what I wanted," Park said. "I don't make the decisions. I lost the job, but I've got a new job. So, I have to figure out how to prepare to be good with the new job as a bullpen [pitcher]. It's not easy. That's why I don't like to be in the bullpen. But it's a situation where the team expects more from me in the bullpen. Whatever I have to do, I have to do my best. It's disappointing, but I have to figure I'm still playing with the good guys."
So, why now? Was Sunday's game, when Park allowed five runs and lasted only 1-1/3 innings in DC, the tipping point?
"We've been weighing this all along, when to do it, if we had to do, why we needed to do it, why we didn't need to do it," said Dubee, who cited Ryan Franklin and Chad Durbin as examples to Park of starters who have been more effective as relievers. "Sunday's game put it over the top that this was the time we needed to do it."***READER POLL: Did the Phillies do the right thing by taking Park out of the rotation now? Why or why not?
***
Manuel said Matt Stairs won't be the Phillies' designated hitter against left-handed pitchers, and with the Yankees scheduled to start Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia on Saturday and Sunday, it would appear Stairs won't be in the lineup. (Stairs is 0-for-9 lifetime against Pettitte, so odds are, Manuel will stick to his word.)
It's possible, then, that the Phillies could call up a right-handed hitter to play this weekend. Otherwise, they'll have to use either Eric Bruntlett or Chris Coste as the DH, and Coste is also the backup catcher. Of course, there's plenty of time to make decisions on this. It's only Tuesday, and the Yankees series doesn't start until Friday night.***Don't underestimate the signing of catcher Paul Bako to a minor-league contract yesterday. Assistant GM Scott Proefrock just reiterated that Bako was added to provide more catching depth (he likely will report to Class AA Reading after he plays himself into shape in extended spring training). But Proefrock also pointed out that Bako once was Greg Maddux's personal catcher with the Braves in 2001 and stayed with the team despite batting only .212. "That's his forte," Proefrock said. "His offensive numbers aren't why he's stayed in the big leagues."Subtle translation: Chris Coste better hit if he wants to keep his job.
Much more on all of this in tomorrow's News Journal.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
WASHINGTON -- J.A. Happ pitched well enough in spring training to win a spot in the Phillies' starting rotation, but he was edged out by Chan Ho Park. He was slated to make a spot start in the second half of today's day-night doubleheader here against the Nats, but because Brad Lidge blew another save, the Phillies needed Happ to pitch in extra innings.
So, instead, it'll be Andrew Carpenter making his first major-league start tonight. Carpenter, who pitched one scoreless inning in his major-league debut for the Phillies last season, is 1-0 with a 4.72 ERA in six starts at Class AAA Lehigh Valley. He has allowed 31 hits and 15 walks in 34-1/3 innings. To make room on the roster, the Phillies designated seldom-used infielder Miguel Cairo for assignment. Cairo was 2-for-17 during his brief Phillies career.
Happ, meanwhile, can't catch a break.
It's a shame, too, because he has pitched superbly out of the bullpen. A starter throughout his minor-league career, Happ has posted a 2.49 ERA in 12 relief appearances, including his two scoreless innings tonight. At least Happ got credit for the victory. That's one thing, I suppose, that couldn't be taken away from him.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
NEW YORK -- From the moment he signed with the Phillies in December, Chan Ho Park made his intentions crystal clear.
He wanted to be a starting pitcher.
And Park wasn't shy about his motivation either. You see, Park was the first South Korean to play in the majors, and when he was winning games and pitching well for the Dodgers from 1997 through 2001, his success was a great source of pride in his country. Fans would wake up in the middle of the night to watch him pitch on live television. He was a national hero. But over the past few years, with Park struggling to stay in the majors and then pitching in the Dodgers' bullpen last season, it has been harder for Koreans to follow him. Believing he can still be an effective starter, Park was determined to win the final spot in the Phillies' rotation, and during spring training, he edged out J.A. Happ.
So, after four largely dreadful performances, the significance of tonight's game isn't lost on Park. If he pitches well against the Mets, he'll earn himself another start. If he doesn't, it's entirely possible that Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee will decide to go with Happ when Park's spot in the rotation comes around again. Neither Manuel nor Dubee will stay that publicly, but they've dropped not-so-subtle hints that their patience with Park is wearing thin.
"There comes a time when he has to pitch better, and there also comes a time when we have to evaluate our pitching and determine where we go from there," Manuel said yesterday. "I'm not saying it's a life-or-death thing, but I think it's important for him to start pitching better than he has been."
From the start, my perception of this situation was that Manuel and Dubee preferred Park in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever who could help bridge the gap to Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge and take some burden off Chad Durbin and Clay Condrey. But Ruben Amaro Jr. promised Park the chance to compete for the No. 5 starter job, and wouldn't you know it, Park won it. The Phillies couldn't exactly go back on that promise.
Things are different now, though. Park admittedly is pitching without much confidence. He has lost his aggressiveness. He isn't throwing inside, and when he leaves the ball over the plate, hitters are teeing off. Last Friday, he gave up seven runs on eight hits and six walks against the Mets. He has permitted 39 base runners (28 hits, 11 walks) in 21 innings and has a woeful 8.75 ERA. Happ, meanwhile, has pitched well in a long relief role that he viewed as a disappointing consolation prize for not being named the No. 5 starter. He has started throughout his minor-league career and pitched well in two September starts against the Braves last season.
So, clearly, Park needs to pitch well tonight, for the Phillies and for himself.
"I've got to be confident," Park told me the other day in St. Louis. "When you have confidence, you trust yourself and don't give hitters too much credit. That's the kind of thing that's going to make you pitch positive. You have to be positive and be aggressive."
Think he can do it?
BY SCOTT LAUBER
So, Cole Hamels threw a bullpen session today, and it was your classic good-news/bad-news scenario.
First, the good news: Ruben Amaro Jr. said Hamels felt some mild -- but expected -- soreness in his sprained left ankle when he dragged his foot in his follow-through. Otherwise, he threw well, Amaro said.
Now, the bad news: Hamels likely won't be ready to pitch by Tuesday night.
"He could probably pitch if he stood on the mound and didn't do anything but pitch, but that's not how it works," Amaro said. "We've got to see him do some other things, coming off the mound, fielding and doing some other things. We don't want to put him in a position where he could reinjure it by fielding or other things."
If the Phillies don't have to use J.A. Happ in relief over the next two games, it's possible he could start Tuesday night in Hamels' place. But if Happ has to pitch out of the bullpen, Amaro said it's possible the Phillies could call up a pitcher from triple-A Lehigh Valley.
***
Also, Charlie Manuel said Chan Ho Park "most likely" will make his next start, scheduled for Wednesday night against the Mets at Citi Field. Would that be different if Happ wasn't going to be needed Tuesday night? Perhaps, although, at this point, I just don't think the Phillies are ready to pull the plug on Park.
***
Day off for Chase Utley, who has a bruised foot after being hit a pitch last night. The Phillies are saying it's nothing serious. Sans Utley, Manuel got creative with the lineup against Mets lefty Oliver Perez. Here goes:
CF Shane Victorino
LF Raul Ibanez
RF Jayson Werth
1B Ryan Howard
SS Jimmy Rollins
3B Pedro Feliz
2B Eric Bruntlett
C Carlos Ruiz
LHP Jamie Moyer
And, as you can tell from that lineup, Ruiz has been activated from the disabled list. Lou Marson is on his way back to Lehigh Valley. He should be hitting the Pennsylvania Turnpike right about now, in fact.
More in a bit.
