Todd Zolecki is reporting that Rule 5 Draft pick Robert Mosebach has cleared waivers and has been offered back to the Angels. who have accepted Mosebach back into the fold. That leaves three vying for the one bullpen spot remaining in Philadelphia. RHP Gary Majewski, along with lefties Jack Taschner and JA Happ are the last three standing. It seems likely that the true competition at this point is between Taschner and Happ(as lefties), although Majewski has pitched very well in Spring Training. One has to feel for Happ who has done everything asked of him over the pasttwo years both for the IronPigs last year, as well as during his stint with the Phillies. Although I believe he ends up back with the IronPigs as a starter to begin the year, I believe Happ will play a prominent role in Philadelphia before the years end.
25 thoughts on “Mosebach Back to the Angels”
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Phuture Phillies 
Koplove had very good numbers- what’s happening with him?
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A little frustrating that we’re paying $14mil to Moyer over the next two years when Happ might spend two months in AAA and is roughly the equivalent. Guess it’s good to have 6 starters though.
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Honestly I’d rather Happ go to AAA if he isn’t going to start, I just don’t see him as a successful reliever.
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Pat I have to agree with you. I really like Moyer and his intangibles but 14 million is 14 million. Happ will likely be able to duplicate Moyer’s line if not surpass it. I hope they send Happ down again. I won’t understand why they’d want to mess with a ready starter.
Any possibility that Happ is traded? He’s not a top 2 pitcher but a lot of teams need young quality guys at the bottom of their rotation.
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“Pat Says:
April 1, 2009 at 10:26 pm
A little frustrating that we’re paying $14mil to Moyer over the next two years when Happ might spend two months in AAA and is roughly the equivalent. ”
You put way too much stock into a couple of late season starts then.
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until they give Happ some early season starts we will never know.
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Happ is ready. With the way he pitched in ST, he’s be the 5th starter on a lot of teams. Park pitched slightly better and with 2 lefties in the rotation already, Park had to pitch worse than Happ to end up in the bullpen. Remember Kendrick was given the 5th slot to lose and he did.
I don’t think Happ can come out of the bullpen. He’s a starter. He should go back to LHV and start. He’s the first call up and I agree Gregg that we’ll be glad we have him.
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He should at least be given a decent shot at relief most appearences he has had have been colored . I am sure he was not in a great frame of mind yesterday after losing out.
Happ on his knees is better than Taschner. I dont thing Happ
has ever felt the backing of management
ps I want as many young pitcher exposed to Moyer for as long as possible
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Agree that Happ would be better served going to AAA and remaining a starter in the short-term. He will most likely get multiple starts with the big club before the season is over because it is unlikely all five starters remain healthly for an entire season.
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Right, Happ is ready to step in and win 16 games and have a 3.71 ERA for the defending World Champs. I question the 2nd year to Moyer, but Happ hasn’t set the world on fire when given the opportunity. I’m all for keeping him around, of course.
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We were spoiled last year. We will need at least 6 starters this year. It’ll be good to have him ready at AAA.
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There was never any room for Mosebach, but the Phils are always looking for the next Shane Victorino. But hey, what’s a $25,000 net loss to this new moneybag ownership anyway. lol
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You make and interesting point Bob. With the huge dollars tossed around these days what’s $25K for a flier on someone to see what you can do once you get their hands on them in Spring Training. If you don’t think they can cut it on the roster for the year – ship them back. Really is a drop in the bucket (especially for the Phils who are now up around $18M or so in salaries we are paying for people NOT to play for us!).
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Shane Victorinowas offered back as I remember
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Victorino was offered back. They refused and he spent some time in our minor leagues.
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Steve, don’t forget about Thome! That makes it more like 20 million.
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Will everyone stop with the $20 mil, at least the FO is more concerned with putting the best team on the field and not concerned with saving face. And did you ever think you would hear that “compliment” being given to a Phillies FO? Plus you had to pay those guys anyway, so why pay them and have them mess up you’re season as well!
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A few years ago people complained that the Phillies were hoarding money and not spending it. Now when the Front Office pays players who suck and would hurt the team (Thome was good but had to be traded) not to play, people are complaining. I just don’t get it.
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I wasn’t complaining… I was only joking. I don’t care even the slightest bit how much the FO spends so long as they field a good team with it. Every team has dead-weight contracts, its all a part of the inherent risk of signing players.
Although I do kind of wish instead of giving Eaton a release they kept him around and made him mow the lawn or scrub the toilets or something. Do you think there was a clause in his contract that would prohibit that? Damn agents and their contracts.
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Taschner may have hurt his chances with yesterday’s outing. I remember seeing an interview with Joe Torre when he was managing the Yanks. The interviewer was asking what he was going to do about his lefthanded relievers who weren’t getting the job done. He said something like, I’d rather carry 6 righthanded relievers who can get guys out than carry lefties who can’t. Good answer.
I see Outman’s having a decent spring with Oakland, although he got lit up like a xmas tree two outings ago. He’s making it as a starter where I always thought he had the best chance.
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to me no matter what outman,cardenas become with oakland. The trade won us a series ,,when made I hated it but he did go 10-o so it was a great trade for us.
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Listening to the Phils game on the radio, and they announced that Happ has made the big club, but will be in the pen. What a mistake.
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Mosebach was worth a shot. I wonder what Amaro offered the Angels to keep him?
Emotionally, Happ needed to make the opening day roster; I think the Phillies did the right thing keeping him on. He was due.
Happ is a starter but having him in the pen in the first month is one way to keep his innings in check so he won’t be overworked by October. We’re going to need him, now is the time to show a commitment.
If Happ can’t relieve he can go back to the rotation in AAA and force a call up with one good month. He may have an up and down season but his future is definitely bright. He’ll need to hang in there and fight like he always seems to do.
I’m pleased the Phillies had the flexibility not to make a mess of things. Stashing Majewski and Koplove in Lehigh Valley gives us true depth. The bullpen promises to be a strength again.
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Seriously, why is Happ going to the pen a huge problem? Tons of young pitchers have started out in the bullpen and then gone into the rotation. If he’s kept as a 2-3 inning guy in the Pen, he’ll have little issue switching to starting if and when one of our starters goes down. Park clearly outpitched him and won the job, it happens.
Prediction: Either Majewski or Koplove will replace Taschner in the pen by mid-May.
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I dont have a problem either way I just want to be the club
back him for once (management) If someone really asked my view the worse thing they did last year is make Myers a starter. He did ok the second half but his real talent is he can do everything in the pen
1.Close if Lidge needs a break or get hurt
2. Setup done that
3. come in if the starter gets in trrouble Myers could get out of the trouble and get to the back end
I could see him as sorta an HBACK in that role he could win
15-20 games in the pen while Happ and Park start but
never happen. lets hope we get the seond half starter Myers the other guys was as bad as it gets
the hell with it let PLAY BALL
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