Phillies Nation

18 Responses to “Is Bastardo Close To The Majors?”

1. Mike W. Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

   He might not be “ready” but I can almost guarantee he’d be better than Eaton. While we dont want to stunt his growth as a future MLB #3 starter, we absolutely need someone to replace Eaton, and fast. We can’t just keep giving away wins every 5th day. At this point it is literally impossible for us to get a 5 game winning streak b/c of it.

2. Kwasi Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

   Do you think this move is more to replace Eaton or get someone ready for when Myers heads to the DL for the season? I don’t think Myers is completely healthy and could be headed for some year ending surgery this year.

3. Tim Malcolm Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

   Happ is lined up with Myers, but who knows with him. There’s no word on Myers’ health yet.

4. Gavin Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

   I agree with Kwasi. Something isnt right with Myers. The Phillies brass always blows smoke up our butts then we find out there was a legit injury.

   Not only do I think Bastardo will be better than Eaton, there are other reasons it will help the team.
   1) It will send a message to the team that no matter how much you make your job isnt safe and you will be demoted if you don’t fix it.

   2) I think a young arm or hitter infuses the team with some energy b/c they all like giving the new guy a hard time, and they all like giving advice, and they get excited when a young guy does good.

   I think its a win/win.

5. ryan Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:46 pm

   don’t bring him up yet. i say wait for benson to be ready and just tread water with eaton until then. get bastardo a full season in the minors and maybe let him come up in september to get a taste of the big show. but he’s too young. lets not ruin him

6. Mike T. Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:51 pm

   With all of this being said, we’re going to need to get help from an outside source.

7. Geoff Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

   the way benson was throwing the other day it looks like he wont be ready until july. they dont have until july. they need a june callup. i thought it would be happ, but i guess theyre preparing for bastardo as well. i think myers is hurt too. looks like a strained/sprained elbow ligament? he has no control and much less velocity. it looks like they at least understand that one of those two are likely to need to be pulled from the rotation at some piont. seems like theyve prepared so that whichever guy goes first theres someone matched with them reayd to come up at a moments notice. i say they should just pull eaton now. i mean he really cant do much better or worse than he already is.

8. Geoff Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

   i think if eaton gets smoked tonight by this uinjury-riddled colorado lineup then tahts it for him, right? i mean theyd HAVE to do something then. theyre going to wait until the deadline for their “big pitching acquisition” and theyll plug the gap with a call up or two and give them starts. im all for giving bastardo AND happ some starts.

9. Geoff Says:
   May 27th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

   if they want to win a championship theyre still going to need to trade for a number 2…

10. Tom G, ballssticksstuff.com Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    I’ve been wondering as well why JA Happ doesn’t get mentioned as a possible replacement. Last I checked he was tearing through the IL.

11. Tim Malcolm Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    I’d hate to think that the front office feels Happ isn’t cut out for the Majors because of his tryout last year (which wasn’t really a tryout).

    As it stands, and an interesting note: The Phillies are the only remaining team in baseball that hasn’t strayed from its 5-man rotation. They are also the only team that hasn’t changed anything in their pitching staff. Amazing.

12. OZ Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

    take the risk on Bastardo. there’s enough other arms that have SOME hope for major league spots someday, e.g., Carrasco, Avery, Outman, Carpenter, Drabek, maybe even the Lakewood guy who leads the league in K’s….

    i think they’re saving Happ for Myers’ spot, or maybe even to upgrade the bullpen when Condrey a/o Madson go completely south. they still have time to let Happ develop if that’s the plan…

13. Geoff Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 2:43 pm

    Happ is like 25/26 years old, how much longer do you let him gather dust down there? you have to give him a shot this year or maybe hope he can make the roster next year.

    its insane that this team hasnt hanged their rotation personnel yet given the era’s of some of these guys. its a glaring statement taht indicates how stubborn they are.

14. Tim Malcolm Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    The Phillies signed Independent Leaguer Joe Valentine. Yes, THE Joe Valentine. He is evidently the long-lost brother of Jose Valentin. Also, he looks like Ray Liotta. Also, he’s been a good closer in the Indies. He’s going to Lehigh Valley, where he’ll proceed to be the best pitcher on the team.

15. Kwasi Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    The bullpen has been awesome so far. I think the Durbin signing is up there with the Werth signing. I also hope that it will allow the Phils to dangle Ryan Madson to someone in hopes of packaging him with another to land a decent, innings eating starter. I wouldn’t mind seeing A Victorino/Madson package for a Joe Blanton type. (For the record, I am not a Blanton fan, but he is one of the names you hear in the rumors all the time). Werth could take over CF and you have Golson waiting in the wings for now. Durbin fills the 6th-7th inning role, followed by Romero-Flash-Lidge.

    And by the way, they better get Lidge signed. He is healthy and dominant again. He is the reason the Braves are moving Smoltz back to the pen.

16. Jason Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

    Eaton hasnt been horrible. Hes the fifth starter. Look around the East no one has 5 real starters. In New York Perez and Pefrey are alot worst than Eaton. He has been better than Myers. First off, Myers wants to be a closer, so the Phils need to decide if they want Lidge or do they want Myers as a closer after this year. Knowing the phils they wont touch Myers until the end of the season. Two options, one, sign Lidge, make him the long term closer, and trade Myers. Second keep both Myers and Lidge till the end of the season and if you cant sign Lidge or if he gets hurt you always have a backup closer other than old flashy. What i would like to see is they sign Lidge in June (take a risk on him), trade Myers, pick up a young kid, and bring up Carlos or Happ and use the money you would be giving to Myers to the real ace kid Cole.

17. Tommy A Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Kwasi — Without a doubt, Lidge has been one of the most pleasant signing surprises in years. Granted, it’s still early, but he truly has been “lights out” (one of the biggest baseball cliches of the 21st century). Take that Werth outfield snafu away from a couple of weeks back, and this guy still has a 0.00 ERA.

    By the way, here’s a classic for some yuks: http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/10843505

18. Lewisauce Says:
    May 27th, 2008 at 5:40 pm

    Lot of intrigue here. Happ synchronized with Myers, Bastardo synched with Eaton.

    I agree with some of the folks on here that maybe there’s something physically wrong with Myers. I think the next two starts will determine which of them rises and falls. Eaton is facing a Colorado lineup that barely has a heartbeat. If he can’t win tonight, it could be Bastardo time. Myers is facing a Fish team that absolutely needs to be bent over the knee and spanked like the bitches they are. If he can’t do it, it’s Happ time (which is not to say that Happ can dominate the Fish; it’s just to say that Myers couldn’t dominate at Lakewood right now).

    Neither of those potential moves addresses the real hole on this team: lack of a No. 2 (or even solid No. 3) starter. Myers has the talent, but if he is tanked, then you’re rotation is, in order: Hamels, Moyer, Kendrick, Happ, Eaton/Bastardo.

    We ain’t winning the World Series with that. We might not win a single playoff game with that.

    Of course, we could always throw Durbin in there, but that means Madson would play often in crucial, late and close situations. Ugh.

    Lots of intrigue.

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