Phillies: Pitchers auditioning to stay
With two Phillies relievers and a starter close to reactivation, three hurlers could be heading to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs or receive a designation for assignment by general manager Matt Klentak.
Coming and going:
Not too long ago, the Philadelphia Phillies were carrying players who were not ready for the majors. For now though, Victor Arano and Yacksel Rios again this year have the opportunity to impress management with a signed veteran still on the disabled list.
IN OTHER WORDS: “In today’s world, everything seems like some sort of long audition.” – Bob Fosse
Firstly, when Jerad Eickhoff returns, either Nick Pivetta or Ben Lively will be the odd man out. And, currently, Lively will be the one returning to Lehigh Valley, but the IronPigs have an open slot due to a flamethrower on the DL. So, Jake Thompson as a long man is temporarily getting his 3-4 innings from the first pitch on.
Hoby Milner was the Phils lefty specialist, but he had experienced some difficulty in two outings versus the Atlanta Braves. He allowed four earned runs for three outs against Atlanta in those two. But his other eight appearances including three against the Braves were scoreless.
Being the long man due to Mark Leiter on the disabled list and Thompson getting experience with the Allentown affiliate, Drew Hutchison has only worked two innings once: March 29. And most of his chances were for one frame. Now, how would he even handle three innings?
Asking about bullpen decisions with everybody healthy, Double D, a poster from a Phillies site, wondered which reliever Klentak will be moving next. Well, they aren’t making it easy for the GM, are they?
While Arano and Rios are the hopefuls to stick, Pat Neshek will be returning this month. And Leiter is also an excellent spot starter if he increases his arm strength to toss five frames.
On the other hand, does the team need a long reliever or, for that matter, a one-out southpaw? To illustrate, Kapler on many occasions didn’t have a left-hander available for the late innings anyway. Why?
Considerations:
When you have a long man like Hutchison with limitations inning-wise, he’s only going to function as a middle reliever. And he’ll probably be the next to relinquish his bullpen slot, Double D.
Of course, Hutchison’s usage has demonstrated the red pinstripes might not need a long man. And while fans and writers expect Leiter to return after his DL stint, the front office may decide their five-man staff doesn’t give a long reliever enough opportunities to be worthwhile.
During the last game with the Braves, Double D, Kapler brought in Milner to face two left-side batters, but the portsider didn’t get the job done. And the skipper didn’t want to use another reliever for those two eighth-frame outs: Milner’s role was to get two outs, and he eventually did. The deciding factor?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “Competition is very good as long as its healthy. It’s what makes one strive to be better.” – Christine Lahti
Arano hasn’t allowed a run, a hit or a walk during his 11 performances. And fireballer Rios has only yielded one run (earned) in his eight outings. Ergo, Hutchison may not have a spot if the higher-ups prefer Rios due to Kapler’s pen management. On the other hand, Neshek might not finish his rehab until late April.
As for Tommy Hunter, Double D, he fired a clean inning with two punch outs for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils on April 20 and is ready to return. Apparently, Klentak did not wait for consecutive appearances because Hunter is successful against left-handed hitters: A piece of after-the-fact information strikes again.
Young guns:
Locals on another Phillies site had a small disagreement regarding the ninth-inning fireman. Basically, one poster wanted Arano, the best reliever (his words), and referred to Neris as an imaginary closer. But another fan pointed out that Neris has been solid this season, so the first armchair GM reluctantly agreed.
Even though the five-man staff has exceeded expectations, one doubting Thomas declared Vince Velasquez isn’t a starter (in all caps). Tired of hearing it, another stated his objection thusly, while a third fan noted the good Velasquez has been pitching lately. It never ends!
THE SEVENTH-INNING STRETCH: “They (Expos fans) discovered ‘boo’ is pronounced the same in French as it is in English.” – Harry Caray
Every fifth day, Double D, Lively has two things working against him. Velasquez and Pivetta have the stuff baseball men prefer, and Lively has been inconsistent. That stated, he has until early May to produce before Eickhoff returns. Ergo, three outings.
Regarding the rotation, Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta have been dominant, while Pivetta and Velasquez are surpassing their initial forecasts. Now, all the red pinstripes might need is a pitching coach’s best student with the ability to consistently go 6-7 frames, and who is that? Eickhoff!
Next: Phillies: Quirky winning habit
If you have any questions or opinions regarding the Phillies’ decisions, please open the comments section.