Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that Roy Oswalt has been activated from the DL and will be starting tomorrow against the St. Louis Cardinals. To make room on the roster, the Phils sent Vance Worley back down to AAA Lehigh Valley. Sources in Lehigh Valley say that Worley will be starting tomorrow night when the ‘Pigs start their series against the Yankees in Scranton. Worley could not have performed much better then he did for the Phils, both in the rotation and out of the ‘pen in his several weeks with the big club.
In another roster move, ‘Pigs pitcher Jason Grilli has been placed on the DL with back problems. Grilli threw 12 pitches yesterday before removing himself from the game with a back problem. With both Scott Mathieson and Mike Stutes in Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley relief corps is very thin with Grilli’s placement on the DL. Grilli had been unscored upon 11 of his last 12 outings, currently throwing ten consecutive scoreless innings.
Phuture Phillies 
I guess the Phils want Worley to be a starter. If not they would have sent down Mathieson.
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Worley needs to be in AAA stretched out. You can’t have both of your 6th starters on your Major League roster as long RP.
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Sure you can…its stupid to think that you NEED an emergency starter when you can easily stretch a guy back out in 2+ starts. Worley offered more value to the team than Mathieson or KK so he should have stayed up on the 25 man.
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The definition of an emergency starter is someone who can immediately step in a give you a full start. Not sure how being able to stretch a guy out in 2-3 starts helps in that situation.
When Blanton went down they needed an emergency starter and Kendrick was only able to give them 5 innings because he’s been pitching out of the pen. It makes sense to send Worley to AAA to keep him ready to fill holes as needed.
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Its a completely overvalued commodity. Worley is worth far more to the team as a reliever at this point than he is sitting in Lehigh on the off-chance we need an emergency start.
At worst, you just do a Bullpen committee start like they did with KK last week.
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As they are in the midst of 20 games in 20 days right now logic would dictate that the bullpen is already going to be overtaxed in that time. Having a bullpen committee start would hurt you in a number of games, unless the next starters respond with a complete game.
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In the very off chance that you actually need a spot starter…odds are we wont.
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Not sure why you think we won’t need a spot starter. Oswalt and Blanton are both question marks at this point. Tonight is really going to be like a rehab start for Oswalt as he’s limited to 65 pitches.
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That’s a rather strange position to take seeing as how Worley has thrown 16 ML innings so far this year, 12 of them as an “emergency” starter in 2 games and 4 as a reliever split over 2 games.
It would seem that those 12 innings are more valuable then the 4.
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Wouldn’t it have made more sense to keep Worley up with Oswalt only able to go maybe 5 innings (at best). As it is, we’re likely gonna see at least 2-3 IP from KK.
But yeah, it makes sense to have KK up on the big club over Worley. Or Baez up over him or Mathieson when he’s better than all 3.
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I think Worley is a better pitcher than Blanton. I think Worley is eventually going to give up some runs because his stuff is not stellar. But I think Joe could be a nice trade chip because of Worley’s ability to step in.
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Worley = Cheaper Blanton if you’re lucky.
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Is this a bad thing?
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Not a suprise, Worley is a 4 peak, and at present is a 5 (talent wise)… meaning he could get a little better. But ultimately, he’s not gonna be a star. He’s had a couple really good starts and seems to have a major league mentality but I still see him as more of a JA Happ type (though not a KK).
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Nice to have crystal balls. Here is the crux what if Oswalt goes 3 innings what then,
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Kendrick who’s been solid out of the pen minus two bad outings.
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Cut BAEZ IT WAS THAT SIMPLE.
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Worley can be a starter so he should get starts in Lehigh Valley rather than inconsistent work in the bullpen. I’m glad since I’ll get a chance to see Worley pitch tomorrow in Scranton.
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If Anthony Hewitt faced the VSL Phillies pitching staff, something would have to give…
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So does someone get the call to AAA from Reading? Maybe Rosenberg. He has pitched well.
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I assume Worley takes the roster spot and Brian Gordon moves back to the bullpen.
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Brian Gordon has taken to starting like a mountain goat takes to cliffs. Why move him to the bullpen?
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The Phils are either very confident in Oswalt’s health and don’t feel they need a long man tomorrow or they aren’t and want Worley to mirror his spot in the rotation.
As I type this that is exactly what McCarthy just said on TV.
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I wouldn’t make a habit of that…
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Stephen Batts and Jim Murphy should not be in Lakewood. Either send them up to Clearwater or release them.
Joe Esposito, Derrick Loop, Jordan Whatcott, John Suomi, and Troy Hanzawa should not be in Clearwater. Either send them up or release them.
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Organizational fillers are important–not enough true prospects to go around and they fill an important role.
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The Phillies need a catcher like Suomi. Who is going to fill in for injured catchers? You can’t exactly move a prospect behind the plate in an emergency.
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I don’t think so. Your assumptions appear based on the theory that all minor league players should be hot young uber prospects. That is not the development system that MLB has chosen. They operate a 50 round draft that allocates the rights to some 1500 players every season, there are not 1,500 top prospects becoming available every season. MLB operates minor league teams that have some 9,000 players, There are not 9,000 top prospects at any given time. A system that was all top prospects would operate very differently, with maybe 4 “complex” leagues around the warm weather states, each with, I guess around 10 teams of 30 players each, in each, and maybe x4 that makes 1,200 pro players, who could then be drafted by teams when ready. Players not obviously talented would then be, if they seek a pro career, be forced to play in Industrial or Twilight Leagues to be looked at , or , more likely , not looked at at all. Numerous great players have been lightly regarded coming into professional ball.
Also, the team aspect requires some players to fill lesser roles on a team basis, such as long relievers, and such. Top prospects need to play regularly, and to have them infrequently used, puts crucial time to waste. The veteran players get the economic and other benefits they can, and the opportunity to be seen and perhaps rise. Also, the all prospects theory would require what amounts to “social promotion” where they would not really have risen to the level of play, but would be moved on up , because of the need for players at every level, and there always new ones filling behind them, and the level of play would not be based on merit, but in placing by year of signing, which is similar more to another collegiate experience.
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I really think the Phils are hoping Joe B can put together a little run here. He goes with money to team A(in the race) for best prospects team B(out if it) wants. Team B then trades RH OF TO Phils for propects. Worley takes over as the #5.
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I thought we were trying to win the pennant. What is Worley’s era in the majors?
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Why is it that some of the potential calll-up guys get ‘hot’, then become unavailable?
Garcia at AA, Frandsen and Grilli at AAA. Certainly not great players but a high performing minor leaguers might give a spark to the major league club for a week or two.
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Blanton is still owed at least $12M, he’s not going anywhere soon.
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He is if he pitches competently and a big-budget team (hello Yankees) who cannot afford to suck needs a pitcher. Don’t be so sure.
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Where is the line when a minor leaguer is placed on the DL that minor league DL assignments are “phony”?
Gordon will stay a starter due to above average pitching efficiency promise since starting , then you add Worley.
Add 3 from the relative veteran starters: Fierabend , Bump, Bonine, and Bass.
Bullpen:
one of above listed veterans: I say Bass.
Chapman, Carpenter, Schwimer, Juan Perez, Zagurski , and Herndon.
That’s 5 starters and 7 relievers, that’s 12 pitchers, no need to call anyone up.
Or, to put it another way, Worley on-Grilli off- no change in roster.
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Good post. LV relief corps is not thin at all. Four of those relievers have ERAs under 3. Perez is 3.38.
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