Myers: As A Starter, I’m Lost

Posted by Tim Malcolm, Wed, July 02, 2008 10:06 AM

The hot topic of the moment has been Brett Myers, who was sent to AAA Lehigh Valley after a horrendous start to 2008.

The Inquirer’s Bob Ford ponders Myers has been a reliever all along, and the Phillies should recognize that enough to put him in the bullpen for good.

“What was previously speculated, that Myers hasn’t felt as comfortable starting as he did relieving, was confirmed. You can’t blame Myers, who liked the pace and the frequent work, for feeling he had been yanked around again. If it had been Myers’ call, maybe the Phillies would have gotten another starter in the off-season rather than Lidge.”

Ford dances around Myers’ mental state, but the man himself cut right into the problem yesterday talking to the Inky’s Jim Salisbury . Looks like we finally have some reasons, and they were what we figured all along:

“I wasn’t prepared to become a starter because my heart and my mind-set were still in the bullpen. That’s my fault.

“I want to be great, and honestly, I realized last year that I’d only be a good starter, I felt like I had rock-star status as a closer. I enjoyed the bullpen. I felt like they liked me in that role. But it was easier to get a closer than another starter. Lidge has done a hell of a job for us. I don’t think I could do better.”

Yes, Myers was generally peeved that Lidge was brought in to close out games. Myers got a dangerous taste of the glory, and was The Man on September 30, 2007. He had the winning Polaroid, that glove in the air, those arms outstretched.

He then says he has to learn “to start again”:

“We’re in a playoff race, and I have to be there to help my team. This isn’t a question of what I want to do. It’s what I have to do. … I need to go work on it, take it seriously, and get back in a starter’s mode. People call me stubborn and hard-headed, but I have no friggin’ clue how I’m supposed to start. That’s what I need to work on these next couple weeks: learning to start again.”

It’s great that he recognizes his problem, but really, this is all troubling. We have to face it: Brett Myers is a relief pitcher. His mind, stuff and acumen are all appropriate for a reliever, not a guy who needs to be consistent and focused for six-to-eight innings.

David Murphy goes into more depth concerning what Myers has lost mechanically.

But for me it starts with Myers’ mental state. He doesn’t even know how he’s going to become a good pitcher again. So maybe the best idea is to put him in the back of the ironPigs bullpen and just hurl away.

Permalink Comments (56) | Trackback (0)

56 Responses to “Myers: As A Starter, I’m Lost”

  1. JB Says:

    I find what Myers is saying very troubiling. He went his entire career as a starter and now after a few months as a closer has to learn how to start again. Come on, that is a total cop out. When Myers said “I want to be great, and honestly, I realized last year that I’d only be a good starter, I felt like I had rock-star status as a closer.” He wasn’t great last year in the closer role. Last year he also had no confidence in his fastball. He got lit up a few times with his fastball and consistently threw his curve. I think his career is over. I do agree with you that Myers should be put in the bullpen to show case him for other teams like the yankees who need someone to fill Joba’s role.

  2. Geoff Says:

    Good post, Tim. Yeha I think the Phillies now are the ones being stubborn. Brett Myers is a late-inning reliever. Period. End of Discussion. Either get him acclimated to the bullpen in AAA Lehigh and/or send him off in some deal as a reliever.

  3. Geoff Says:

    In my estimation: hes gone. He is signed long-term at starters money. The only way they want him is if they intend to let lidge walk and take the draf tpicks. thats unacceptable. You have to give lidge what he wants.

  4. MS Says:

    i am really interested to see what happens in the next week or so with the open spot in the rotation. it really feels like they are going outside the organization.

    as for myers- i just wonder how this impacts the front office and their decision on making an offer to Brad Lidge. as good as Myers was last year in the ‘pen, he was no lidge. i’d much rather see lidge back there next year than myers, and i don’t think myers will accept a set up role.

  5. JB Says:

    Also, I think “Rock-star staus closer” is the new “For who, for what”

  6. Brian Michael Says:

    He’s a head case. There’s no other way to explain it. He beats his wife, loses his stuff, yet has flashes of brilliance. Sounds like a reliever to me.

  7. Jeremy Says:

    It’ll be interesting to see who pitches in Myers’ place vs. the Mets. Durbin could get a start, but that may only be good for 3-5 innings. If they promote from within Taguchi could be the odd man out. The plan may be to plug his spot with Durbin until the All Star Break and then hope Kris Benson is ready for the 2nd half.

  8. RK Says:

    Myers is a headcase and a big baby. If he could get his head around it, and the Phils came up with another starter he would be great as the eigth inning guy. Bullpen would be lights out. The Phils are not going to let Lidge go, they might as well use Myers in the pen this year and trade him at the end of the year.

  9. Geoff Says:

    Lidge is going to get like 4 years 45-50 mm total. Do you think the phillies will cough up that money?

    i think they have to, but you know the phillies…

  10. RK Says:

    I think they dont have a choice, and I am hoping they learn from history and try to lock him in soon, rather then wait like they did with Wagner. He was willing to sign for a huge discount during the year and they passed it up. Lidge is not a cancer like Wagner so they should do whatever they can.

  11. NEPA Says:

    Yea, they need to lock up Lidge, and pay whatever it is he wants. As for Myers, I’ve truly grown to hate this guy and wouldn’t be upset if I never saw him in a Phils uniform again. He’s an attention-crazed baby. “Rock star status”..? are you kidding me with that bullshit? You were a pretty good closer for a few months and had your one shining moment closing out a 6-1 victory, which I think Condrey could’ve done. I think this guy might be finished unless he has a total change in attitude with this reality-check assignment to Lehigh Valley. If he comes back as the same stubborn, immature little kid then the Phils need to rid themselves of this guy.

  12. Greg V. Says:

    Hate to say it, but if we don’t lock up Lidge soon, I’d expect Myers back as a closer next season.

  13. Rosco Says:

    Time for Brett to move on, I just hoe his trip to AAA doesn’t hurt his trade value (as if his lack of fastball doesn’t already do that).

    The last thing this team needs is a cancer in the bullpen wanting to close instead of being a “set up” guy. From the “cold dead eyes” of Mesa to the “dull blank stare” of Myers.

  14. Geoff Says:

    I cant stand gillicks policies. they guarantee failure. no pitchers get deals more than 3 years? no extensions during seasons? do you WANT to fail?

  15. Rob Says:

    There is no way the Phils bring back Lidge. Unfortunately if a top 15 team in draft order signs Lidge we do not get there 1st round Pick. Burrell will also be listed as a type A free agent so we could get picks for him also, but there are not many shitty AL teams so he will probably go to a top 15 team

  16. Rock Star Says:

    Prediction…….

    Myers stays in the rotation the rest of this year. They agree to move him to the pen and he and Lidge anchor the back end of our bullpen next year. :::Guitar wails in backgroun:::

  17. Mike T. Says:

    If the Phillies don’t bring Lidge back, I’m going to be furious. Myers is not, and should never be, a starter. Get him out of here.

  18. Thurgood Marshall Says:

    I think Brett Myers is the worst pitcher to have ever played the game of baseball – and I’ve seen a lot of baseball. Also, today is my birthday.

  19. Lewisauce Says:

    I’m agreeing with the consensus here. Myers is simply not a starting pitcher anymore, period. He has decided that he will not be a starter, that he will only be a closer. A trip to AAA (or advice from Doobs or whatever) will not change his mind, because I think he has already incorporated into the core of his being the identity of a closer. I’m no shrink, but a tiger can’t change its stripes (so to speak). Mentally, he’s gone to Closer Land, and he ain’t coming back.

    The sad part is that he has put his rock-star desire ahead of everything else. The team has said all along that they need him to pitch well as a starter for this season to be a success. Now, his self-absorption may kill the Phillies’ playoff chances — or at least their chance of going deep into the post-season.

    The correct move now is to make him a bullpen setup guy and hope he can be marketed as a closer, perhaps during the off-season. (And resign Lidge, of course.)

  20. RK Says:

    Lew
    I agree, he has shown how selfish he is and unless he totally commits out of the blue to being a starter he will never get the respect of the fans and nothing is worse to a player in this city then losing the fans. Teams are hurting for closers hopefully someone will make the Phillies and offer for him soon based on last years mediocre performance, because they are in need of a closer.

  21. Julie Says:

    As the Nation’s psychologist in training, I’d like to offer my assessment and diagnosis on our dear patient, Brett Myers:

    Assessment: Brett was a good starter when he first came up, but he was never GREAT. The closer role fit more into his rockstar persona. The music blares, the door swings open, Myers comes out and everyone cheers. He pictches 12-15 good enough pitches to close the game out, and all are happy. Once he’s asked to move back to the rotation, he thinks, oh shit, I’ll never have it as good as the closer role, and instead of working hard to be better, he rebels by not conditioning well and spending his time concocting plans to trade Kendrick to Japan. Manuel is aware he is a head case and promotes him as the “ace” in order to boost his ego. Still not the music and the energy of the closer, but Myers will take it. So then he comes out with his good enough pitches again, but they’re not good enough for more than a half of inning. He becomes dejected, and his confidence and skills become worse and worse.

    Diagnosis: Myers needs to decide his role as a pitcher. Does he want to be a starter, a reliever, or a closer? I’m all about the “let’s help the team wherever I can” attitude, but Myers is too mentally unstable for this. He needs to decide what he wants instead of everyone else deciding for him, as in the past. After he decides this, he needs to be commited to mentally dealing with his new role and working on technical issues to improve his pitches, speed, and control. He is at a level of baseball where you can’t just be a “pitcher.” He needs to define what role he wants to fill and work specifically on that. If the Phils don’t have the time and space for him in the role he chooses, then we should send him elsewhere. This is a business, and the Phils should allow Myers to fill a position if it’s open and he’s the best guy for the job. If not, send him packing or keep him in AAA.

  22. Freud Says:

    Mr. Myers didnt get enough attention growing up so he craves the attention a closer gets over a starter. His passive aggressive tactics will push the Phillies to move him back to the pen next year. He is also stuck in the “anal phase”. (ie. he sucks ass right now)

  23. Tim Malcolm Says:

    I would log in as Lenin and say it’s the bougeoise’s fault that Myers is pitching so horribly, but I won’t. I am worried Myers doesn’t even know what he’s saying and doing out there. I mean the guy is no Rhodes scholar.

    He has to stop thinking and just pitch. And stop thinking and just work out. Forget mental preparation. Throw it out and do work.

  24. Julie Says:

    I hear ya, Tim, but forget mental preparation and do work? I’d love to think Myers could just wake up every morning drink raw eggs, run up the art museum steps, and pitch a perfect game, but this guy is a mental disaster. He needs all the mental preparation he can get.

  25. Don M Says:

    Myers is both OUT OF SHAPE… AND… A HEAD CASE!!!

  26. Geoff Says:

    Myers has a huge beer belly on him.

    maybe he should get rid of that down in AAA too

  27. Groty Says:

    Interesting update to his Wikipedia entry – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Myers

  28. Antonio Alfonseca Says:

    Myers looks great! Leave him alone.

  29. Geoff Says:

    has anyone picked up antonio alfonseca? not that we should, just curious

  30. Tim Malcolm Says:

    Well he says he has no idea how to start. (I wish that was qualified – does he mean start a game or start fixing himeslf?) That’s the problem, though, he thinks there’s a certain way to get going. He has to just do it. Pitching success is as much mental as it is physical, and the mental part is blocking out everything around and in you and just throwing the ball to your best ability.

    I don’t know what Myers thinks, but I would bet he thinks so much about throwing great pitches that he overdoes it. He’s mad that he’s starting while the job he wants is filled and the guy is flourishing. On top of that he feels pressured because he’s Opening Day starter (he was last year and look what happened – he quickly started to bomb). On top of that his fastball lost velocity. On top of that his poor workout regimen hurt his pitches. On top of that he started poorly and it added on and added on and added on.

    There are many, many layers to the Brett Myers problem, and it’s all because he thinks too much. Also, because he didn’t condition himself. That’s why he should concentrate on getting in shape and throwing the ball well.

  31. chris Says:

    I really think they should consider moving him back to the bullpen in the 8th inning role. He was better as a closer than any time as a starter. Then, you could trade him for a starter once he’s solidified in that role, or leave him in there and have a lock-down pen.

  32. JB Says:

    Why are people so insistant that Myers was a good closer? He was 14-19 in save opportunities last year and he lost confidence in his fastball last year as a closer. He relied on his curveball and was not dominant.

  33. Phil Says:

    He was 21 of 24 last year which is pretty good for the couple months he was a closer…

  34. Geoff Says:

    I think, instead of starting him in AAA, ill bet he gets shelled tonight in AAA by the way, they should assign a special instructor to re-brainwash him into being a setup man. I mean really work on him and work with him for like a month (assuming he isnt traded) and have him come back as a setup man for the stretch run.

    or trade him, lol

  35. Matt Says:

    Gotta agree with JB, all in all, he’s nothing more than a middle reliver with a beer belly. I think we all get caught up in his attitude that we forget his stuff is average.

  36. Don M Says:

    His stuff… when he was on.. was FILTHY.

    Thats why he is still around.. His curve and his two-seam fastball used to be untouchable.

  37. TJ Says:

    Honestly, I have never liked Brett Myers. Everytime he went out there to pitch I would cringe, because I just knew he was going to give up a homerun. I dont want him to start again for us and would like it if he were a set up man. I dont think, correction, I know he cant handle being out there more than 3 outs and its a shame that it took Manuel, Dub, and Gillick this long to learn their lesson

  38. MS Says:

    he won’t be a set up man. if he’s in the ‘pen he needs to be a closer. he is stuck in no mans land right now- and that is why he was sent down.

  39. Don M Says:

    He went like 7 innings of no-hit ball like a month ago… but then his next couple outings he got rocked again…

    He has talent… his location is just all over the place and he doesn’t trust any of his pitches

  40. Geoff Says:

    He has sick stuff and natural talent. He could be BETTER than hamels if he ever seroiusly put his mind to it. he has better stuff than hamels. but he has no mental toughness, work ethic, or physical fitness.

    im serious about that. hes big time wasted talent/stuff. i wish they got him right.

  41. chris Says:

    He or management has to make a decision at some point as to whether he is a starter or reliever. Can’t keep having doubt in his mind about what kind of pitcher he is. He’s no John Smoltz.

  42. JB Says:

    His stuff, when on, is more suited to being a starter than a closer.

  43. TJ Says:

    His stuff maybe, but hes not mentally stable to be a starter.

  44. Phil Says:

    I agree with Don M and Geoff. Myers has so much potential if he stopped being a psycho path. If he was able to be consitantly on he could be one of the best pitchers in baseball. His curveball is filthy when located right. He just needs to suck it up and become a starter again.

  45. Julie Says:

    The Phillies or any of us can’t tell him what he should be because he’s too much of a baby/mentally unstable/a psychopath/however you want to put it. He has physical and mental problems and no matter which one he starts with, both will get better. So, he just needs to start somewhere, and in my opinion, the starting point is deciding what kind of pitcher he is because he’s too much of a mess to keep going back and forth as a starter and a reliever.

  46. JB Says:

    Phil,
    Hannibal Lector would of been a brilliant psychologist if he didn’t eat people.

  47. Don M Says:

    Julie.. I think I know you… and you know a certain Matt M. that I went to high school with, and you went to school with my fiance’ Mary M. at NAZ Panda Institute??

    Whats up..

  48. Julie Says:

    Hilarious. What’s up, Don M? Glad you found Phillies Nation… Tell Mary M I say hi too. Also, tell her that Maureen M is running in the 5k Olympic finals Friday – I’m sure she’d be interested to know that. And to everyone else who is reading this, Brett Myers is still crazy.

  49. Don M Says:

    Yea i’ve been on here for a while now.. Yea we just heard that the other day… Olympic Trials are pretty crazy, trust me, I know from experience. well not me personally…

    Is this whole PhilliesNation thing your brothers doing or something??

  50. Brian Michael Says:

    It is.

  51. Lewisauce Says:

    We agree on the problem (Brett’s head). We’ve got a few dozen ideas on how to fix it.

    I guess from the team’s perspective, they have to figure he’s out of the starting rotation for the year. He’s simply never going to mentally get himself into “starter mode” again.

    I say make him a setup guy. It’s not rock-star either, but you might be able to sell it to him on the basis that it’s his stepping stone to his next closer’s job.

  52. SIGMUND FREUD Says:

    BRETT MYERS IS BATSHIT INSANE. I BELIEVE THE CLINICAL TERM IS “ROTO-RETARD”

  53. Jose Mesa Says:

    Brett Myers is the best closer I’ve ever been around. Except for myself.

    BTW, I’m currently looking for work. And my friend Ruben Amarro Jr. tells me that his bosses are too cheap to sign Brad Lidge next year, so if I keep myself in shape, I could be back.

    Viva la Philadelphia!

  54. Don M Says:

    Brian, keep up the good work!! Its great to have a site to rant, rave, and talk baseball with smart Phillies fans!

  55. kobayashi iwamura ^**^ Says:

    Why do philles no want me pitch for Kendrick? i can be good start too!!!!

  56. July MMLBRC: Philadelphia Phillies « Them’s Good Eaton: Philly/New York sports with a “PC twist” Says:

    [...] of weeks to put things together at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but if we assume the worst — that his days as a quality starter are behind him — then something must be done.  With Brad Lidge now inked to a three-year [...]

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