Pedro Martinez is scheduled to make his third and perhaps final minor-league rehab start tonight at Double-A, but as Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports the Phillies haven't revealed what they plan to do once he's deemed ready to join the rotation.
Jamie Moyer turned in another rough outing last night and now has a 5.55 ERA through 21 starts, so bumping the 46-year-old southpaw would be the obvious move. Of course, manager Charlie Manuel is loyal to the veteran who won 16 games with a 3.71 ERA last season, Moyer makes $6.5 million this year with another $6.5 due in 2010, and Zolecki notes that he's "not seen as a viable bullpen option."
Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Joe Blanton obviously aren't going anywhere, so if Moyer stays in the rotation and Martinez joins him that pushes J.A. Happ to the bullpen. As a 26-year-old rookie it's not surprising that Happ is seen as the most flexible in terms of not making a stink about his role and he's had past success as a reliever, but he's also dramatically out-pitched Moyer by going 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts.
Prior to the Lee trade signing Martinez looked like a worthwhile move for the Phillies, but swapping Pedro for Happ while keeping Moyer and his bloated ERA in the rotation hardly looks like an upgrade. Martinez has incentives in his contract based on relief work, but the Phillies are clearly prepping him to start and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has said that he's not a bullpen option.
The good news for the Phillies is their five-game lead in a division that doesn't really look capable of challenging them much down the stretch, so regardless of who fills the last two rotation spots they're likely playoff bound. Once there Hamels, Lee, and Blanton will be the workhorses anyway as the need for a five-man rotation disappears, so maybe prepping Happ for a postseason bullpen role has some upside too.
_
Leave a Comment:
Saving...
We had this same discussion at home. Moyer has outlived his benefit. I love him, but the end is here. From a business perspective, it makes more sense to bench Moyer than Happ. The goal is to win, which in turn creates revenue in both tickets and merchandise. Happ is more capable in being an aid in this goal than Moyer. $6.5m will be a spit in the ocean next to the lost revenue from not making it far into the playoffs.
I do not think the Phils would be wise to move Happ to the bullpen. Martinez was signed as insurance, not as a solution, and Pedro would do well to serve in whatever role the Phillies see fit for him since he is lucky to be playing for them at all. And Moyer does not have the record of performance this season to merit anything but giving way to Happ, who has been outstanding.
None of the pitching has lived up to its potential this year. The Phillies would not have made the playoffs without Jamie Moyer last year; they won't do it this year either. Who has the most wins for Philadelphia? It is not Happ, Blanton or Hamels....it is Jamie Moyer. The offense is also a big problem. Someone needs to forbid everyone from swinging at every first pitch. You give the pitchers too much power. As for Ryan Howard, he's getting to be a joke to the pitchers. Yes he may hit a home run a few times a month but he strikes out at least twice in every game! They'll take their chances on a fluke home run over a more likely strike out. Maybe Charlie should bench him for a few games like he did Jimmy Rollins. That worked out okay. I agree pitching is a problem but you can't lay the blame solely on Jamie Moyer...the other starters as well as the bull pen...which is not the best in the league this year.....has to man up and assume some of the blame. Albert Pujols gets all the buzz because he does hit home runs and he does not strike out.
If it comes down to Moyer or Happ, it's gonna have to be Moyer. I hate to say that, because like most Philly fans I fully support Moyer and think he's a class guy. But Happ is just on too good of a roll right now (including tonight's game against the Rockies, as of the typing of this post). You can't yank him out of the rotation now.