Comments on: Amaro: We’re Done Looking For Pitching

By: JC

JC — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:45:07 +0000

“at some point you have to call off the jam and go with the people that you have.”

+1 for the roller derby reference

By: NJ

NJ — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:06:09 +0000

I agree the vote of confidence for Kendrick is big and there’s no reason to think he won’t be on the opening day roster but especially with the reliever situation I doubt we see Happ much in AAA. He’s gone as far as he can there and there’s nothing for the team to gain with him in AAA so I have a feeling we’ll see some kind of moderate shake-up IF Kendrick wins out in the rotation.

As for being done adding pitching that’s just posturing, if the price drops on Ohman or Beimel of course the Phils will jump in but for now we have to be content to see them sign elsewhere for a higher figure than Amaro’s happy going to. As demostrated by the Dunn deal, some guys can and will still get pretty decent deals and expect more minor league deals because not all of these guys have the luxury of sitting out until the draft.

Bottom line is getting excited, so much is being made about the Phils being lesser than the championship winning team like it’s black and white with addition vs subtraction on the free agent market.

By: Chuck P

Chuck P — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:04:34 +0000

Right on, Doug D… that is probably the best situation that we could hope for. If Kendrick pitches well, everything sets up nicely.

By: From Section 113

From Section 113 — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:02:07 +0000

E***n won’t be on the 25 man roster and won’t be traded. He’s goning to be released and the Phills will pray someone will pick him up and save them $400K. That’s all that will happen.

Happ deserves the rotation spot and will win it. I don’t understand why we cannot get Ohman, especially if Nomar is not an option. We need to shed Stairs’ salary and nab Ohman. pitchin gis what led us through the playoffs, and it’s the key to repeating. I have said it before and I will continue to be skeptical of Durbon. He’s never performed that well and never gave anyone any indication he could do it once let alone twice.

While Lidge/Madson/Eyre have all had their success, Durbin has done nothing to show me he can pitch like that again. I think Ohman would not take Romero’s spot at all. I think he’d eventually take over for Durbin.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:53:05 +0000

I think Eyre certainly does not need to be overused, looking for trouble there. I bet Park would make an excellent right handed addition to the bull pen, if he could handle it.
Tim, we are very anxious to hear your pitching lineup for the defending champs this year.

By: some mets fan (why is he even on here...??)

some mets fan (why is he even on here...??) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:05:43 +0000

wow, omar would never say that hes done looking for pitching. anytime he is asked about a possible transaction he always answers: “well, pitching is our first priority” or “well, you can never have enough pitching and there is always room for a little more depth”. its pretty annoying. just throwin that out there in case someone was wondering…

By: Doug D

Doug D — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:30:17 +0000

I think Dubee’s vote of confidence for Kendrick is big! The pitching coach knows the staff better than anybody else. It safe to say that he has seen Kendrick’s progression with his change-up. Everyone seems to forget that Kendrick did pretty well for a long stretch over two seasons with basically one pitch. He knows how to work out of trouble. Granted he has gotten himself into enough of it, so it’s become a survival skill. He’s shown the ability to pitch to contact…once again, with basically one pitch. If he has developed an effective change-up that he is not afraid to throw for strikes, Kendrick will emrge as the #5 starter. If this happens, Happ will end up starting (and staying sharp) down on the farm, because the Phils have options on him, and they view him as a starter, which Happ’s performance has bared out. Park may of had a shot at the #5 spot when he signed, but that was before JC’s suspension. Chan Ho will start the season in the pen…As far as the other lefty out there, remember that Charlie only had JC last year until late in the season…If you look at the scouting reports in the Phillies Insider, the Phils view Bastardo as a potential situational reliever. Of course, he’s left-handed and that’s ALWAYS a possibility for a southpaw. From the same scouting reports, it doesn’t seem that Escalona is ready to make the jump to the big club.

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:30:37 +0000

I’m fine with the pitching staff as it is currently. We can win with it and that is fine with me!

By: J cole

J cole — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:27:36 +0000

I think Zagurski is out at least the beginning of the season still. I could be completely wrong, but I thought I read that a while back. And I think a Kendrick / Coste package trade would be fine. Sure Kendrick can rebound, but I’d take my chances with Happ over Kendrick. And Coste, well, his story is finished. The 33 year old rookie has his ring, now can we send him back to the minors?

By: Links of the Day 2.17.09 « We’re the Team to Beat

Links of the Day 2.17.09 « We’re the Team to Beat — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:42:15 +0000

[...] to Phillies Nation, the Phillies are not interested in adding another reliever. The Phillies had been previously linked to Will Ohman and Joe Beimel. You have to wonder if [...]

By: PhillyGirlinMichigan

PhillyGirlinMichigan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:53:08 +0000

I’m hoping Bazardo gets a shot (at least at some point during the season). I didn’t look at his splits, but he was pretty good in 2007 overall for the Tigs and may do well in middle/long relief. Hopefully all the outside factors that held him back in 2008 have passed.

By: NJ

NJ — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:25:28 +0000

Maybe the coaches are confident Zagurski will be healthy enough to be servicable through Romero’s suspension.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:25:07 +0000

I cant believe theyd throw Kendrick out there again…do we know that he has improved speed and command of his slider? do we know hes improved his sinkers speed and movement arc? has he developed a changeup that batters will swing AND miss at?

By: Kev

Kev — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:19:09 +0000

Tyler, your right, Dubee said in the Daily News Monday that it is indeed Kendricks job to lose, but he also said that he has his eyes open to all of the players competeing for the 5th starter spot

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:09:08 +0000

geoff, for some reason i think dubee said the spot was kendrick’s to lose, but i’m not sure… tim, did u hear anything bout it… and i like the new policy… NO MORE E***N!!!!

By: Chuck P

Chuck P — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:49:11 +0000

Where did you see that E***n (I like the no E***n policy) is in the battle for the 5th starter? There’s no way that he can pitch here ever again. He has about 900 extra pounds on his shoulders here and he won’t prove himself in the minors so he’s going to rot away. He wasn’t invited to the celebration or the parade and was basically shunned by everyone. Can you imagine what would happen if he came out an pitched poorly? Anything less than fantastic would command boos.

By: Tim Malcolm

Tim Malcolm — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:35:45 +0000

Bottom line is Amaro recognized Eaton is in the fifth starter battle, though he has little chance. If he’s in that battle, he has to be at least mentioned for the bullpen.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:22:54 +0000

Kendrick has no chance to make this rotation unless hes LEGITIMATLEY turned the corner. Carrasco has a better shot than he does.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:21:15 +0000

Someone will take E**** for 1M eventually during spring training. He needs to go somewhere else. He might be able to come otu of the pen – for a bad team like colorado or pittsburgh – if he really focused on it.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:19:06 +0000

I dont like Happ out of the bullpen. Aside from his one world series shot i didnt like any of his other bullpen work I saw. Hes a starter. Theyre going to eventually need more pitching, but right now theres no one, either starter or reliever, attainable that Id really be excited about. If they move Coste or Jenkins or Stairs theyll get some kind of pitching for that, probably a B prospect or something. Id let Bastardo try it.

They CANNOT continue to bounce Happ around. Theyve already screwed with him way too much. Using him out of the pen would further delay his development. Durbin and Kendrick cant get left handed hitters out, so they still need someone. Internally, if Bastardo cant do it then you really have to look elsewhere because I cant think of anyone else…