The Philly Phyles

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News from the 19th of March.

The Phillies reportedly don't plan to trade one of their six starters prior to Opening Day and the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Jon Lieber "seems the likeliest candidate to move to the bullpen."
Lieber has said he'd be willing to pitch in relief, while Adam Eaton said he expects to start. The newspaper suggests that speculation about Brett Myers becoming the Phillies' closer "seems a long shot because he is on schedule to pitch Opening Day."

Phillies optioned INF Danny Sandoval and RHP Brian Sanches to Triple-A Ottawa; reassigned RHP Ryan Cameron, RHP Kane Davis and 1B Randall Simon to minor league camp.
Sandoval spent most of the second half of last season in the minors, but he shouldn't be needed this year with Abraham Nunez moving back into a utility role. Not only is he a terrible hitter, but he was also having big problems defensively this spring.

Adam Eaton took his first loss of the spring after giving up three runs and eight hits in five innings Monday against the Pirates.
He has a 4.63 ERA in three spring starts. Eaton said he's willing to pitch out of the bullpen, but he'd prefer to begin the season in the Philadelphia rotation and the Phillies didn't give him $24.5 million to work in middle relief. He should be fine to draft in NL-only leagues. Even if he relieves initially, it probably wouldn't last for long.

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News from the 21st of March.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Wednesday that Jon Lieber will be shifted to the pen, effective immediately.
The switch is going to damage what trade value Lieber still had, but the offers weren't rolling in and the Phillies thought it was best to get him used to relieving now. Lieber said he was disappointed about the move and made it sound like he'd prefer a trade. "It's either 29 teams don't like me, or they're asking too much," he said. "They're going to do what's best for the ballclub. My hands are tied. I'm disappointed, but I'm going to give it my best, too." If Lieber remains in the pen, it caps a thoroughly unimpressive offseason for GM Pat Gillick. Freddy Garcia was a fine acquisition, but the best he could do for the offense was Wes Helms and Rod Barajas and the bullpen remains a major issue beyond Tom Gordon.

Freddy Garcia left Wednesday's game after one inning with right biceps tightness.
Jon Lieber might not be on his way to the bullpen after all. Garcia admitted to pitching through some shoulder soreness last season and hadn't impressed this spring, so this might be something more than a little muscle tightness.

Carlos Ruiz didn't play Wednesday because of right shoulder tightness.
Ruiz is considered day-to-day. Dusty Wathan started in his place.

Chase Utley had a two-run homer and an RBI triple Wednesday as the Phillies beat the Blue Jays 10-6.
Utley, doing nothing to hurt his status as fantasy baseball's No. 1 second baseman, is at .364/.429/.659 in 44 at-bats.

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News from the 22nd of March.

Freddy Garcia said he felt better Thursday after leaving last night's game with biceps tightness and he expects to be ready for Opening Day.
Nothing significant was found in an examination today, so while Garcia will be shut down for a few days, he could still be ready for the beginning of the season. As a result, the Phillies will move forward with their plan to use Jon Lieber in relief.

Pat Burrell went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Thursday against the Red Sox.
Burrell is batting just .189, though that has come with two homers, three doubles and seven walks in 37 at-bats. He still needs to hit for average if he's going to be an everyday player for the Phillies.

Jon Lieber pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three in relief Thursday against the Red Sox.
Freddy Garcia's injury didn't halt the Phillies' plans to use Lieber as a reliever. A trade remains a possibility, but Lieber is likely to have less value to other teams since he'll have to rebuild his stamina to start again.

Joe Bisenius pitched three hitless innings to preserve a 4-4 tie as the Phillies and Red Sox had their game called 10 innings Thursday.
Bisenius walked the first batter he faced, but thanks to a caught stealing, he faced the minimum over three innings. With a 1.80 ERA this spring, he's given himself a real chance of making the Phillies as a reliever.

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News from the 23rd of March.

In his first at-bat in five days, Greg Dobbs hit a three-run homer Friday off the Braves' Chad Paronto.
Dobbs had been bothered by a sore wrist. Despite the injury, he seems likely to make the Phillies as a bench player. He's batting .372 with five homers in 43 at-bats.

Brett Myers will get the Opening Day start for the Phillies, manager Charlie Manuel said Friday.
Freddy Garcia was also being considered before leaving his last start with a sore shoulder. Myers allowed six runs in 6 1/3 innings in a minor league game today, but he's had a strong spring otherwise.

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News from the 24th of March.

Adam Eaton was tagged for five runs in 4 2/3 innings by the Reds on Saturday.
Eaton no longer has to worry about getting sent to the pen, but the lack of anxiety didn't aid his performance today. He's struggled his last two times out, boosting his ERA to 6.06 in 16 1/3 innings.

Jon Lieber suffered a strained right oblique during his appearance Saturday, and the Phillies aren't sure when he'll pitch again.
Lieber was hurt in his first outing since a switch to the bullpen. The Phillies are hoping he's day-to-day, but he might begin the season on the DL.

Freddy Garcia played catch Saturday despite being diagnosed with mild biceps tendinitis earlier in the day.
"I will throw tomorrow again -- long toss," Garcia said. "It's not a big deal. It's soreness in the tendon. They told me to take my time. They don't want to rush me." The Phillies expect Garcia to get back on the mound soon, and he should make a start during the first week of the season.

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News from the 25th of March.

Cole Hamels won for the first time this spring by allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings Sunday against the Twins.
Rondell White and Luis Castillo had solo homers. Hamels struck out six and walked none in his first strong outing since his spring debut three weeks ago. It's about time he began rounding into form.

Chase Utley went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI to lead the Phillies to a 10-2 win over the Twins on Sunday.
Maybe the Phillies need to start worrying about how Ryan Howard is going to protect Utley in the lineup. Or maybe not. Utley is, however, batting .370/.433/.778 this spring, giving him 480 points of OPS on Howard.

Aaron Rowand sat out a third straight game Sunday, with manager Charlie Manuel explaing that he simply needed a few days off.
Rowand has struggled mightily this spring, and he was getting enough at-bats that the three days off are unlikely to do him any harm. Still, this is only going to fuel speculation that he might be involved in ongoing trade talks.

Chris Coste (strep throat, hamstring) said he is feeling much better and has begun a running routine.
He ran from foul pole to foul pole at 60 percent eight times and expects to increase the intensity and duration on Monday.

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News from the 26th of March.

Manager Charlie Manuel said Sunday that he expects Jon Lieber (oblique) to miss about 10 days.
The Phillies' rotation depth sure dried up in a hurry. Like Freddy Garcia, Lieber may begin the season on the disabled list.

Phillies optioned LHP Fabio Castro and LHP Eude Brito to Triple-A Ottawa; reassigned INF Brennan King and C Dusty Wathan to minor league camp.
Castro pitched three scoreless innings in his first appearance of the spring, then proceeded to allow 16 runs -- 13 earned -- in 9 2/3 innings over his last six appearances. He probably would have earned a spot with a better showing. Brito never had a chance because of injuries he sustained in a car accident in the offseason.

Aaron Rowand returned to the starting lineup on Monday and went 0-for-1 with a walk and an HBP.
If there were trade talks going on, they must not have come to a positive resolution. Roward sat out the previous three games, allegedly because he needed a break.

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News from the 27th of March.

Despite a fine spring, Joe Bisenius was told Monday that he wouldn't make the Phillies.
Bisenius had allowed two runs in 10 innings. There's a good chance he'll be up to stay by midseason, and he could be the setup man for Tom Gordon the team is dying to add.

Freddy Garcia, sidelined the last week with biceps tendinitis, threw 30 fastballs off the mound in a bullpen session Tuesday.
"He looked OK. We'll see where he is tomorrow, see how he progresses, see how he responds," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. The next couple of days will help determine whether or not Garcia misses his first scheduled start of the season.

Pat Burrell went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI Tuesday against the Reds.
At .204/.322/.449, Burrell is having a better spring than Ryan Howard, who went 0-for-4 tonight and is hitting .203/.294/.356. Still, the Phillies aren't going to be happy with his performance unless he starts hitting for average. If he keeps struggling, he'll set in favor of Jayson Werth on occasion.

Jamie Moyer threw seven innings and allowed two runs for his first win of the spring Tuesday against the Reds.
Moyer has a 3.42 ERA that drops to 2.22 if you throw out his first outing. His days of being a strong fantasy starter are over, but even at age 44, he has enough left to be of some use in NL-only leagues.

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News from the 28th of March.

Former MLB pitcher Ugueth Urbina has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the attempted murder of five men in Venezuela.
Urbina, a two-time All-Star who last pitched with the Phillies in 2005, was also found guilty of illegal deprivation of liberty and violating a prohibition against taking justice into his own hands during a dispute in October of that year. Urbina allegedly attacked the men with machettes at his family's ranch. Agent Peter Greenberg indicated than an appeal is planned.

Phillies released outfielder Karim Garcia.
Keeping alive the slim possibility that Michael Bourn could be kept as a reserve. As things stand now, Greg Dobbs would be the fifth outfielder behind the regulars and Jayson Werth. Also on the bench will be Abraham Nunez and Carlos Ruiz. Chris Coste should have the last spot if healthy. If not, Bourn would likely make the team. Garcia is getting dropped despite hitting .305 with a homer in 59 at-bats.

Brett Myers threw six innings of shutout ball and struck out seven Rays in a victory on Wednesday.
Myers, the Phillies' Opening Day starter, is 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings. He's one of the better values available among top-tier NL starters this year.

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News from the 29th of March.

Following the release of Karim Garcia Wednesday, Michael Bourn is expected to make the Phillies as a bench player.
Bourn gets the nod in large part because of Chris Coste's hamstring injury. Bourn figures to see few at-bats, but could serve as a late-inning defensive replacement or pinch runner.

Manager Charlie Manuel indicated Wednesday that Ryan Madson will be used to set up Tom Gordon.
That puts Madson next in line for saves. "When you look at our bullpen, he's the ideal guy for the eighth inning," Manuel said. "And he's also a guy who could step in and close for us if we needed."

Freddy Garcia (biceps) played long toss Wednesday.
"Garcia felt pretty good," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. However, he remains likely to begin the season on the disabled list.

Ryan Howard went 2-for-3 and hit his third homer of the spring Thursday against the Pirates.
Breaking out of a 1-for-23 slump. Howard hadn't homered in three weeks before taking Shawn Chacon deep today.

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News from the 30th of March.

Phillies placed catcher Ryan Budde on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25, with a strained oblique.
We don't see the point of employing roster shenanigans with Budde, a Rule 5 pick from the Angels. The 27-year-old is a poor bet to have a career as a backup, and the Phillies have three catchers ahead of him on the depth chart. It's hard to imagine the Phillies putting him on the active roster for 90 days.

Phillies placed RHP Jon Lieber on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25, with a strained right oblique.
Unlike Freddy Garcia, Lieber seems unlikely to be activated when eligible on April 7. He's expected to pitch as a reliever once healthy.

Phillies placed RHP Freddy Garcia on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25, with right biceps tendinitis.
Barring a setback, Garcia is expected to rejoin the rotation on April 7 or 8.

Cole Hamels was tagged for five runs in five innings Friday in a loss to the Red Sox.
Hamels had a 5/0 K/BB ratio, but four of the six hits he gave up were homers. He finishes the spring having allowed nine homers in 20 2/3 innings. If he doesn't generate a few more grounders, he's not going to pitch up to his potential this year.

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News from the 31st of March.

Adam Eaton was pounded for six runs in three innings by the Red Sox on Saturday.
Eaton allowed eight hits, walked two and hit a batter in another shaky outing. He gave up 11 runs over 7 2/3 innings in his final two starts of the spring. Despite his struggles, he should probably be left active in week one, as he gets the Marlins in Florida in his first start.

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News from the 1st of April.

Phillies placed RHP Scott Mathieson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, following Tommy John surgery.
Mathieson could pitch in minor league games in July and join the Phillies sometime during September.

Phillies placed catcher Chris Coste on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, following Tommy John surgery.
Coste's injury gets Michael Bourn added to the roster as a fifth outfielder and pinch-runner. Once Coste is healthy in mid-April, Bourn will likely return to Triple-A.

Zach Segovia, who had a 4.30 ERA in 14 2/3 innings this spring, has won a spot on the Phillies' Opening Day roster.
The Phillies had just 24 players on the roster they announced today, with Segovia acting as the 11th pitcher. It appears they'll add a 12th pitcher on Tuesday. Segovia will probably be sent down when either Freddy Garcia or Jon Lieber is activated.

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News from the 2nd of April.

Freddy Garcia (biceps tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session on Monday and then throw 45 pitches in a minor league game on Thursday.
"Freddy is coming along fine," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. If Garcia feels okay after Thursday's outing he will make another minor league rehab start on April 10 and then could join the Phillies.

Chris Coste (strained right hamstring) caught five innings on Saturday in extended spring training.
"He did fine, but he's not running 100 percent," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We don't want to put Charlie [Manuel] in a position where he's limited. It's in his best interest and ours to DL him."

Jon Lieber (strained oblique) was pain-free during a bullpen session on Saturday.
Lieber will throw a simulated game on Tuesday and based on that outing the Phillies will decide if he needs more rehab or if he is healthy enough to be activated from the DL. He will continue to work as a reliever.

Phillies purchased the contract of RHP Joe Bisenius from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
This gets them up to 25 players. Bisenius was told last week that he wouldn't make the team, but with both Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber on the DL, there was room for him after all. Maybe he won't be around for long this time, but he should be a fixture by the middle of the summer.

In a surprise change, Ryan Howard hit third for the Phillies on Monday. He went 2-for-4 with a walk.
Just like last year, the Phillies had Chase Utley ahead of Howard all spring. The two were reversed today, in part because No. 5 hitter Pat Burrell has been awful against John Smoltz in his career. Manager Charlie Manuel didn't commit to sticking with the arrangement. Howard would lose RBI as a No. 3 hitter, but it probably wouldn't hurt him overall, not in 5x5 leagues anyway.

Brett Myers surrendered three runs and four hits in 7 2/3 innings Monday in a no-decision versus the Braves.
With no setup man the Phillies have a lot of faith in, manager Charlie Manuel let Myers start the eighth with a 3-2 lead. Edgar Renteria ended up tying the contest with a solo homer. The other two runs off Myers scored on a Brian McCann homer. Myers struck out nine and walked two in a strong effort.

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News from the 3rd of April.

Freddy Garcia (biceps tendinitis) said his bullpen session on Monday went very well.
"I threw harder," Garcia said. "Today, I had life." He will make a rehab start in Clearwater on Thursday.