All of the questions have been answered. Now, some of the answers will be questioned.
The topic is the 25-man playoff roster that Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel has selected to begin Wednesday's National League Divisional Series against the Colorado Rockies.
When the bedraggled team arrived home from a 5-5 road trip with a Magic Number of 3 last week, fans turned out on droves to watch the Phillies limp through the last home stand of the regular season, although they did clinch the Eastern Division on Sept. 30. Injuries and fatigue were the obvious questions then.
During his pre-game radio show on Sept. 29, Manuel pointed out that everybody else was just as tired — that every team in the big leagues had played more than 150 games also.
Looking on the bright side, the manager also noted that his was one of a few teams that still had something to play for. For a guy who has had me scratching my head for years, Charlie sometimes amazes me with his simple wisdom.
As for the roster, there were few questions about the position players, except for backup infielder Miguel Cairo. Although he spent most of 2009 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Cairo began and ended this season with Philadelphia. Whether he would go to the playoffs would depend on how many pitchers Manuel decided to go with — 11 or 12 — so it was something of a surprise that Manuel took 12 pitchers and Cairo and dropped Eric Bruntlett. Also, outfielder John Mayberry was sent to the Florida Instructional League to stay sharp if needed in case of an injury.
Charlie didn't tip his hand for a few days on the starting rotation, but he finally announced on Tuesday that Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels would start the first two games in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Beyond that, nobody knows who will start next, but that decision most likely will depend on what happens in the first two games.
Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ will work out of the bullpen during those games, and if either is used extensively, the other will start Game 3 on Saturday in Denver. If both are used too much, I'm guessing that Pedro Martinez, who is on the playoff roster with an undefined role, starts Game 3.
Conventional thought had Happ in the bullpen, but Manuel seems to be indicating that he would like to get him a start in this series, whether it's in Game 3 or 4. Both Lee and Hamels would be available for Game 5, if the series goes that far.
It was the bullpen that caused all of the indecision. Previously, I wrote that all scenarios seemed to leave veteran Jamie Moyer out of the playoff picture, but a season-ending injury solved that dilemma. Likewise with J.C. Romero, who won't pitch again until next season. Also, Chan Ho Park won't be available before the National League Championship Series at the earliest, but this will only be a factor if the Phillies make it past Colorado, the hottest team in baseball right now.
As for the rest of the bullpen, I previously wrote that Manuel is very loyal and tends to project future performances based on past ones. Consequently, it wouldn't have surprised me if Charlie went with veterans Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson and Brett Myers, although I didn't necessarily agree with those choices.
Left-hander Eyre is pitching in pain with an elbow that will need off-season surgery, and neither Condrey nor Myers have pitched much in the last few months. Who knows if they can be effective in the playoffs? And, of course, Lidge battled ineffectiveness through much of the season. Would you want Lidge on the mound with a game — or the entire series — on the line? I wouldn't.
Madson is the only reliever that I feel comfortable with, and there is no way of knowing how Manuel will use him. Will he set up for Myers or Lidge, or will it be the other way around?
As for other options, I thought that Kyle Kendrick and Tyler Walker should have been considered for the bullpen, and if either, or both, were on the roster, it would be at the expense of Condrey and/or Durbin. As things turned out, Charlie decided to keep Kendrick and left-hander Antonio Bastardo, leaving both Condrey and Walker sitting out this series, although both could be reinstated if the Phillies advance.
Also, lefty Sergio Escalona has been sent to the FIL, like Mayberry, should he be needed. The fact that Charlie has a young, untested left-hander (Bastardo) in his bullpen and another one on the shelf (Escalona) is another indication that he hopes to give Happ a start in this series.
In closing, I've never been one to make predictions, but I will say that the Phillies will go only as far as the pitching takes them. The starting rotation, which was a strong point during the second half, struggled in September, and the bullpen has too many unanswered questions.
Whether the offense wakes up is another story, but in any short series, pitching is crucial, and there is no margin for error. Every game is important, and each loss brings the team closer to elimination.
If the Phillies don't get past Colorado in this series, these roster decisions will be questioned all winter.
That's my opinion. What do you think? Click on the "Comments?" link below and let me know.
Next post: Oct. 14.
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