None of the candidates have distinguished themselves, and for a team desperate for a fast start, patience may not be a virtue. They'll get another look at their options today when they host the Yankees in Clearwater.
The Phillies are past the half-way point of spring training and find themselves in a worst-case scenario: the bullpen competition is wide open, for as many as three openings. That's bad news on several levels. Aside from set-up candidate Antonio Alfonseca, most of the relievers have been rather terrible, including Geoff Geary, Ryan Madson and Matt Smith, who’re still trying to find their rhythm.
None of the choices are without drawbacks. The Phillies may chose between a hot hand, such as rookie Joe Bisenius, older candidates, such as Clay Condrey and Justin Germano, who’re out of options, left-hander Fabio Castro, who's very young and struggles with command, or Rule 5 pick Jim Ed Warden, who must be offered back to Cleveland or be put on waivers if he doesn’t make the 25-man roster.
Going with a hot hand risks depleting pitching depth, which they can’t afford to do. Going with an experienced, albeit struggling, arm risks heading north without putting their best foot forward. Someone like Germano may be a safe choice, and it would also mean they could hold on to an arm with upside. Until his last outing, the 25-year-old right-hander - who's drawn praise from pitching coach Rich Dubee as a steady talent, was having a decent spring. The Phillies are monitoring whether the converted starter can handle a bullpen role.
The Phillies may decide to bag uncertainty altogether, like they did last season when they acquired David Dellucci at the end of camp and send three bench hopefuls packing. Candidates include standard middle relievers, like Rick Bauer or Scott Feldman from Texas, to versatile swing man Byung-Hyun Kim in Colorado.
Veteran southpaws duel today on CSN
Jamie Moyer makes his fourth outing when the Phillies face Andy Pettitte and the Yankees today at 1:05 EST. Moyer has had the best spring of any starter, tossing a five-inning gem his last outing to lower his ERA to 3.60 this spring.
Richard Peter Dubee Jr, or as I like to call him Junior Dick-Dick Dubee better start gettin these relief candidates pitching more effectively!
I need to add that 6-Finger Alfoseca was pitching well until yesterday, so now all the bullpen choices have faltered in an outing this spring except Bisenius.
Almost game time, I can hardly contain myself...love these meaningless spring games!
Posted by: GM-Carson | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 01:01 PM
Howard not looking so hot. Wheeler says he's been pulling off all spring.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 01:23 PM
That observation about Howard has me worried. Let's hope that it's him just struggling to get back into a rhythm as opposed to him listening to the pundits who say he could break 60 home runs this year.
And for all the talk about Spring Training stats, the importance of who is hitting what or how dead an arm one of our pitchers has, check out this article by Dayn Perry on foxsports.com:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6570558
After getting so wrapped up in our discussions, I find it's a nice return to reality for me.
Posted by: Inky | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 01:38 PM
Called third strike on a fastball right down the middle. Pat the Bat looking in mid season form.
Posted by: The Reverend | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:29 PM
Matt Smith is looking good today. Sarge sounds better today then before. Maybe he needed ST to get his rythm too.
Posted by: The Reverend | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:41 PM
The promise of Spring sure faded fast. Not only are Burrell and Rowand and the Pen picking up right where they ended last year (awful), the starters are looking shakey, as is our MVP and the few bring spots in last year's Pen (Gordon, Geary, Smith).
I doubt Shane can carry this team very far.
Posted by: curt | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:51 PM
Our first television look at Bisenius wasn't his best effort of spring; he loaded the bases and walked in a run. Wheeler said the combination of big crowd and Yankees probably made him anxious. He got out of the inning using the hammer curve that has Phillies so excited. Very nice pitch.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 03:14 PM
to continue from last thread:
Yes, Rick White is not a "good" pitcher, if he were, he'd be starting or closing.
The question is, was he "good enough"? and, is he better than any of the collection of chuckleheads that we got now?
Posted by: joe | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 03:40 PM
I was glad to see they have given up on Alfredo Simon - we have enough Simons. ;-) I get the impression the team will try and keep Jim Ed Warden just to keep adding good pitching depth to the farm system for next year if nothing else - hopefully he'll be able to do well in slop innings like Fabio last year.
As I've said before, Byung-Hyun Kim would be a great pickup for the back of the pen. With a healthy Gordon and resurrected Alfonseca, Kim would make for the completion of a pennant-capable bullpen. They just need to try and get him either for prospects or Lieber - the offense doesn't look capable of losing Rowand at this point unless there is some miracle deal involving Lieber for Rios out there.
Posted by: Verdeforce | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 05:02 PM
Wasn't Gordon supposed to pitch today? If so, why didn't he? Hmmmmm....
Posted by: Dukes | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 05:51 PM
On Howard: He's hitting .300 with nearly 1.000 OPS this spring.
Posted by: Billy Mac | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 06:24 PM
GORDON WILL PITCH IN ONE OF THE GAMES TOMORROW. end of message.
Posted by: EK | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 06:36 PM
Verdeforce said "the offense doesn't look capable of losing Rowand at this point unless there is some miracle deal involving Lieber for Rios out there." Are you serious? Rowand is NOT an offensive force. How did the offense do when Rowand wasn't playing last year? Don't get me wrong I like Rowand and don't want to see him traded because I like his attitude and how he plays but he is not a big factor on offense.
Posted by: The Reverend | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 06:37 PM
I didn't catch the game today, but that's an interesting mention about Howard pulling off. My worst fear was that the home run derby would cause him to start doing that last year. It didn't happen, remarkably, but now comes this worrisome observation. He'd only be human if he let the homers go to his head a little.
How is Byung-Hyun Kim any more of a 'great pickup' than Alfonseca? He's as erratic and unpredictable as they come. These guys have been living off their little more than their reputations for any number of years and teams now. Pass. I do agree with Joe, though, about Rick White. Why is it he was considered good enough to add to a depleted bullpen in June, but not again in January?
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 06:38 PM
"Rick White. Why is it he was considered good enough to add to a depleted bullpen in June, but not again in January?"
RSB, it's simple. Because they thought it was going to cost them more money than he eventually signed for.
Posted by: AWH | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 07:40 PM
RSB, I agree with you on Kim. I have not looked at any stats, but I certainly do not remember him lighting up the league the last 3-4 years. Maybe lighting up the league is not the right phrase; I haven't heard of him rubbing sticks together in the last few years. The only thing that I would disagree with you about, RSB, is that Kim is getting by on reputation. I half agree with that, but the only reputation he has in my mind is giving up a series ending HR to Aaron (F-in) Boone. Since then, he has bounced around the league. I dont even know who he is pitcing for now. If it is Colorado, then I know he is finished. Colorado is a graveyard for relievers. If it is not a graveyard, it is the visitation ceremony.
Posted by: Parker | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 08:02 PM
Parker: It was Tim Wakefield who gave up that homerun, not Kim. I don't even think he was on the Red Sox at that point.
Posted by: Eddie S. | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 08:31 PM
verdeforce: I'd be quite surprised if the Phils kept Warden. They'd have to keep him on the 25-man roster all season and he's shown no evidence that he can pitch in the majors yet. If this wa a non-contender, yes. But the off-season moves were geared toward making the playoffs.
Posted by: clout | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 08:36 PM
i cant see Warden on the 25 man, either, but I could see a deal worked out for him... a semi-competent submariner would be a good gamble, although I don't know if we have the kind of expertise to train him.
and as for howard pulling off the ball... his number suggests he's hitting ok, and besides, its spring trining and he should be working the kinks out.
Posted by: joe | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 09:38 PM
I don't see any 2007 Rule 5 guy making this team.
Posted by: Bedrosian's Beard | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 11:49 PM
Put Coste in left field and make Pat the Bat,,boy.
Posted by: dennis | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 06:02 AM
Game observations- it's official, every bullpen candidate has had a poor outing now. Bisenius was the one skating through without a blemish until his bout with wildness yesterday.
Matt Smith may have not given up a run or walked anybody, but his control was still bad.
Jamie Moyer is a pro. I love having him on the staff. People keep predicting him to breakdown, but he's a soft-tosser, not much to breakdown on. He knows how to pitch, in and out, up and down, slow and slower...consistent.
Our bats looked horrible, besides Utley, and we played mostly regulars for the first 6/7 innings.
Howard is pulling off pitches, he looks confused. If you watch the game, you could see his frustration.
Posted by: GM-Carson | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 06:56 AM
Carson: Without trying, you made a case for veterans versus untested youngsters when it comes to making the playoffs. A Matt Smith or Fabio or Bisenius (or Sanches or Condrey) doesn't have the savvy to compensate when one pitch or another isn't working. A Rick White or Jamie Moyer does.
I remember Larry Andersen in 1993, when all he had was a halfway decent slider. If that wasn't working he had nothing at all, yet I saw him get guys out with guts and guile and no stuff at all. Only pitchers with experience get away with that.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 08:38 AM
Rick White did a decent enough job. But by not challenging Morgan Ensberg and trusting his stuff, Rick White sealed his fate out of Philly in that final home game against the Stros.
Posted by: Billy Mac | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 09:54 AM