So what possibly could happen next?
It seems just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Phillies. And yet they wake up today tied with the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League wild card race. The Phillies beat the Dodgers last night at Citizens Bank Park, 5-4, but news that Cole Hamels could miss up to three weeks with an elbow injury overshadowed that.
Understandibly, so.
Hamels is their ace. He's an all-star. But Hamels seems pretty confident that the injury is not serious. An elbow injury limited him to just four starts in 2004, and he thinks it happened because he kept quiet and tried to pitch through it. He said this time he is being cautious. He expects to miss two starts, but no more than that. Of course, he's no doctor. We will know more today when the Phillies announce his MRI results.
If it's three weeks, that's a major blow.
But the Phillies are confident they can get through another injury to another key player.
"We have heart, man," Brett Myers said. "I think this team has that edge. Teams that have been here the past four years haven't had that edge. . . . No disrespect to those other guys, but it just seems that will to win is here more this year than it has been in the past."
But how far can heart take the Phils?
"You've seen those feel-good movies," Myers said. "In Rudy, it took him all the way until the end and he got to play in a game, right? That's a true story, right? Heart takes you a long way, man. That's how you get off the canvas."
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J.D. Durbin starts in Hamels' place tonight.
So who pitches tomorrow night? The Phillies could move everybody up a day, which means they wouldn't need a fifth starter until Sunday against the Padres. Regardless, Fabio Castro is a possibility. He made six starts for triple-A Ottawa and went 1-4 with a 4.23 ERA. His turn in the rotation would be tomorrow, so that could make sense. Lefthander J.A. Happ is 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA (seven earned runs in 31 2/3 innings) in his last six starts for Ottawa. But he just pitched Monday, which means he wouldn't be available until Saturday. Carlos Carrasco, the team's No. 1 prospect, threw a rain-shortened no-hitter in six innings last night for double-A Reading. But in 12 starts for Reading, he is 5-3 with a 4.85 ERA. He's not ready.
Interestingly, Freddy Garcia is scheduled to pitch again tomorrow. But he pitched just two innings Saturday for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. He doesn't seem to be stretched out enough to help the Phillies at the moment.
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Phillies doctor Michael Ciccotti said there's no reason Chase Utley can't be back for next week's series against the Mets, if he continues to feel great while swinging the bat. Utley seems pretty confident about that, too. But he's shooting to be back before the end of the weekend.
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New rule: Nobody on the Phillies can leave the clubhouse without being wrapped in a protective bubble.
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Here's some other injury news: Shane Victorino (strained right calf) and Rod Barajas (strained right groin) made rehab appearances last night for double-A Reading. Ciccotti said Victorino could rejoin the Phillies as early as today, if the Phillies think he is ready. ... Michael Bourn (left ankle sprain) is at least a week away from a rehab assignment, and could be back with the team in two to three weeks. … Mike Zagurski (strained right hamstring) suffered a tear and is likely lost for the season. … Ryan Madson (strained right shoulder) has not started to throw. Based on a strength test, Madson said his shoulder is about 50 percent. "He's a good ways out yet," Charlie Manuel said. Ciccotti said if Madson returns, it could be for the final week to 10 days of the season. … Adam Eaton (strained right shoulder) will throw a bullpen session today. … Yoel Hernandez (strained right shoulder) won’t throw for at least a week, possibly two weeks. He likely is out three to four weeks. ... Jimmy Rollins said he has some tendinitis in his knee, but said it's something he has every year at this time. He doesn't seem to be too concerned.
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Randy Wolf and Mike Lieberthal are back in town, but you won't be seeing much of them this week. Wolf is hurt, and Lieberthal isn't expected to be in the lineup with Russell Martin getting to start.
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Do the Phillies feel a little like MacGyver (or maybe it's MacGruber), trying to piece together a team without its key parts?
"Duct tape and Motrin," Rollins said.
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Balls, Sticks, & Stuff compares Castro to Happ. Eric Grissom from PhilliesFlow.com picks Ryan Howard as the face of the Phillies.
Comments (10)
Eagles anyone?
Posted by Bryan | August 22, 2007 7:56 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 07:56
Can Jeremiah Trotter pitch?
I am a typical cynical Philly fan (I was traumatized at age 14 by the '64 team...so sue me). This team keeps hanging in there, beyond any reasonable expectations and I just feel they will hold on somehow. Maybe it's because this group is a bunch of battlers, and even if they finish up short again, it has been a great ride (so far). Really as a fan, I want to see a team that gives it's all, hustles and plays to it's talent...and these guys have. It's easy to root for them and want them to do well. So we'll all hang in and see if our collective karma can overcome the injuries, the bad AB's, the bullpen and whatever else gets thrown our way.
If Manual gets thru all this and keeps his team in the race, how can he not be rehired? They have had every reason to fold but he keeps them coming back for more, ya gotta love 'em.
Posted by jimmymac | August 22, 2007 8:50 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 08:50
Thanks jimmymac. I grew up with the mid sixties Phils. I was convinced that Johnny Callison was an all time great and Clay Dalyrimple was a top-notch catcher. I wept when they traded Richie Allen. I've also been there for the Tug McGraw heartpounding finish to the 80 playoffs and world series. I had to stick an orioles sticker on my car after losing a bet in 83, and actually loved how far those misfits got in 93. (Was it just me or did last night's should've been a rainout remind anyone of a playoff game against the dodgers at the vet, where Gary Maddox was sloshing around in ankle deep ponds?) Despite losing the one great starting pitcher on this staff, I'm not ready to call it quits. Keep pitching Kendrick and Durbin and call up Happ and let Moyer keep on til he gets Social Security - they have the heart to make it interesting.
Posted by Andy | August 22, 2007 10:13 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 10:13
Maybe it's because this group is a bunch of battlers, and even if they finish up short again, it has been a great ride (so far). Really as a fan, I want to see a team that gives it's all, hustles and plays to it's talent...and these guys have. It's easy to root for them and want them to do well.
I totally agree. I told a friend the other day that I love this team the way I loved the '93 team, and I haven't felt that way about a group of Phillies since then.
Posted by Clare | August 22, 2007 10:18 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 10:18
Thank God I'm not currently living in Philadelphia. Because then I'd have to endure all those inane E-A-G-L-E-S chants at the ballgames. (You don't hear them on XM Radio.) It's the Phillies' time of year. Not the Eagles. Get over it.
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I love Myers' mentality. That 'anything to win, whatever it takes' attitude definitely helps.
Posted by V | August 22, 2007 10:20 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 10:20
At this point I expect them to hang in there. It will have to take a freak injury to the Phanatic to shake my faith in the team right now. This team is going to crash the party in October. I can feel it!
These guys are starting to take the place of the ‘05 Phillies as my favorite Phillies team. I’m 30 so the ’80 & ’83 teams are barley in my memory and mostly back in the 80-90s it was players more then the whole team that I loved. The ’05 team was written off over and over again, but they kept fighting. Even after the whole city stopped going to their games after the Houston series, they still came one great defensive play in Houston away from a one game playoff.
I use to love the ’93 team until I started to figure out that team was the poster children of ‘roid use in the early 90s…
And I don’t think enough can be said about Werth and Gooch stepping it up big time. Werth is starting to look like the player he was back on the Dodgers before the injuries. Just great stuff.
Posted by B Dub | August 22, 2007 11:37 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 11:37
What time can we expect an announcement on Hamels's MRI results?
And whether Victorino has joined the team?
Thanks for all of your fine reporting ...
Posted by Chstk of Sffrng | August 22, 2007 11:37 AM
Posted on August 22, 2007 11:37
Todd, you and Marcus Hayes should chip in and get Brett Myers a nice gift at the end of the year. Dude is a quote machine.
Posted by tp | August 22, 2007 12:05 PM
Posted on August 22, 2007 12:05
todd, any insight into the castro over happ decision? doesn't make much sense, on the surface, unless happ has recently, quietly said something about his elbow.
Posted by gr | August 22, 2007 3:03 PM
Posted on August 22, 2007 15:03
When's the last time, all Phillie fans were on board ? Im desperate for a championship ! The journey , not just the destination , is what it's all about for me. Enjoy the moment, not the 10,000 losses. Think they,re havig a good time in White Sox land ? Their Championship season , is now a distant memory. Go Phillies ! We have a chance to get to that destination, let's do it ! This team oozes chemistry.......
Posted by Pat H | August 22, 2007 4:37 PM
Posted on August 22, 2007 16:37