Odds & Ends: Halladay, Injuries, Minor Deals
March is quickly coming to an end. The Phillies play one more game in Clearwater before returning north for an exhibition series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. April 5th will be here before we know it. There was plenty of Phillies news to end the third month of the year:
- The Phillies lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-2.
Roy Halladay surrendered four runs in the first inning. He would settle down by striking out the side in the second, and retiring the side in order in the third. In the three innings he worked, he struck out five.
Placido Polanco and Ben Francisco provided the Phillies with their only two runs. They each hit solo shots.
Lidge is having elbow troubles once again. Lidge has inflammation on the outer part of his elbow. His off-season surgery was on the inner part. No MRI will be required for this injury, as there is no structural damage.
Michael Ciccotti, the team physician, said that the injury is due to “[Lidge’s] reconditioning routine.” Lidge’s goal is to return by mid-April, although it could be later.
The Phillies will not know more about the injury until tomorrow, when Blanton is examined by the team doctor. Blanton, who was scheduled to pitch on Saturday, felt the injury when throwing a bullpen session today.
Blanton has never been placed on the disabled list in his career. If Blanton were to miss time during the season, Kyle Kendrick would likely be the one to fill his shoes.
If the Blanton and Lidge injuries weren’t bad enough, Carlos Ruiz was kept out of today’s lineup after being hit by a pitch on the arm yesterday. The move was just cautionary though.
- The Phillies signed right handed pitchers Josh Fogg and Ty Taubenheim to minor league contracts.
Both pitchers will report to minor league camp. These moves could kick Brandon Duckworth out of Triple-A.
Fogg was recently released by the New York Mets. He has a career 62-69 record, and 5.03 ERA. Taubenheim has only pitched in 46 major league innings, and also has an ERA over five.
