It was circumstances more than anything else that forced the Phillies to make a few roster moves this weekend, but my guess is that this is just the beginning. More on that later.
We're all happy with the four-game sweep of the Washington Nationals over the weekend, but the extra-inning game on Friday forced the Phillies to use J.A. Happ, who was slated to start Saturday night, out of the bullpen. Consequently the Phils summoned Andrew Carpenter from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start the nightcap of Saturday's day-night doubleheader and designated Miguel Cairo for assignment to make room on the roster for Carpenter.
Cairo will clear waivers, and it will be up to him to accept an assignment to Lehigh Valley or become a free agent. He was told that he could be recalled if he plays well, but that's unlikely because the club is still looking to upgrade the bench with a right-handed outfielder with some power.
In my last column, I was recalling a conversation toward the end of spring training when the Phillies released outfielder Geoff Jenkins and kept Matt Stairs as the left-handed bat off the bench. My argument was that Stairs was a one-dimensional player as a late-game pinch-hitter and that the Phillies were leaving their outfield thin by carrying only the three starters and Stairs.
It would be unwise to expect 162 games from starters Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino and Jason Werth without any injuries. Stairs has started a few games in right, but the team must step up its search for another outfielder. In my thinking, Jenkins, who is 34 and seven years younger than Stairs (41), could have given the Phillies that extra outfielder to spell the starters.
Several readers responded that they would have kept Jenkins and passed on Cairo. I remind those readers that hindsight is 20/20. Cairo had a decent spring and was versatile enough to provide defensive insurance at all four infield positions and the corner outfield slots. Nobody knew at the time that he wouldn't hit. His average was .118 when he was designated.
Another reader was a little more blunt.
"I don't get having both (Eric) Bruntlett and Cairo on the roster," he wrote. "Both are utility players who do nothing well except play a little defense."
I agree with this opinion. Cairo is a moot point, and Bruntlett is on the team for the same reason as Stairs. Stairs became a folk hero in this town by winning Game 4 of the division series last season with a two-run blast against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bruntlett only hit .217 last year, but everybody remembers the clutch hits that won games in the regular season and the playoffs. He's also off to a slow start (.138 avg. in games through May 17), so I'm uncertain about his future.
Getting back to the roster moves, Carpenter was optioned back to Triple-A after Saturday's game, and left-handed reliever Sergio Escalona was promoted from Double-A Reading. As of Monday, the Phillies had four left-handers — Happ, Scott Eyre, Jack Taschner and Escalona — in the bullpen. With J.C. Romero set to return June 3, that logjam will have to be broken.
Complicating the picture was Chan Ho Park. Park seemed to have found himself in his two previous outings — six innings, one hit, no runs against the New York Mets on May 6; six innings, seven hits, two earned runs at Los Angeles on May 12 — but he was lit up for five runs in less than two innings on Sunday. He is headed for the bullpen, and Happ will finally get his shot in the rotation.
While the above move helps both the rotation and the bullpen, three remaining lefties in the 'pen is only a temporary situation. Since the Phillies are still shopping for an outfielder — they could choose to promote John Mayberry Jr. from Triple-A — any one of the three could go if there is a trade. And one of those southpaws will be deducted when Romero returns.
Escalona will stay in Philadelphia only for as long as he pitches well. He hurled one scoreless inning on Sunday, and he was called up because he was off to a good start as the closer at Reading — 10 saves in 14 games and 16 strikeouts in 17 innings with a 2.08 earned-run average. Taschner looks to be the odd man out here. In 13 games, he's given up eight earned runs in 18.2 innings (through May 17).
Look for the Phillies to make a few more moves over the next week or two, even if they're just in-house moves. This roster will not be the same by the time Romero returns to the team.
That's my opinion. What do you think? Click on the "Comments?" link below and let me know.
Next post: June 3.
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