Explaining Mini-Mart
Michael Martinez has hit .188 in 354 plate appearances over two seasons with the Phillies. He hit .239 in 121 plate appearances this season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
But he took Chase Utley’s spot on the 25-man roster when the Phillies placed Utley on the disabled list yesterday because of a strained right oblique. (They placed Roy Halladay on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Martinez on the 40-man roster.) Utley is eligible to be activated June 5, so Martinez is unlikely to be around long. But why Martinez and not somebody like Darin Ruf, who could provide a little help offensively? Or somebody like Triple-A infielders Pete Orr or Cesar Hernandez? I got a ton of questions about this move, so here is the explanation from the Phillies.
“We could always use somebody to run,” Charlie Manuel said. “If we take Delmon (Young) out of the game, we might want to keep (John ) Mayberry back to hit. Things like that. Michael is a switch hitter. He can play a lot of positions. Hopefully we won’t have to run Cliff (Lee) no more.”
Ruf is hitting .262 with 13 doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but he had just three hits in his last 29 at-bats entering today. But Ruf also only plays left field and first base, which means there would be little opportunity for him to play. He is unlikely to take away starts from leftfielder Domonic Brown or first baseman Ryan Howard. The Phillies play two interleague games Monday and Tuesday in Boston, but bringing him up for essentially two games didn’t make sense to them.
“I think the better fit was someone who could play all over the field,” assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. “We’ve got two (interleague) games. It would be hard to find (Ruf) a place to play (otherwise) and it probably wouldn’t be the right fit. At this particular point in time Michael would step into what Freddy (Galvis’) role is and play all over the field. He can play some center field if he had to. He’s been here before. That seemed to make some more sense than something like that. It was more Michael’s versatility and just the really short window of interleague play.”
Proefrock said Martinez’s versatility probably helped him over Orr. Hernadnez, who is hitting .312, is primarily a second baseman.
“Freddy is going to play ahead of him, so it didn’t make a lot of sense to bring him up,” Proefrock said of Hernandez. “He’s not as versatile as Michael. He’s pretty much limited at second base right now at least from playing on any kind of regular basis.”
Utley to DL
It seemed a certainty Chase Utley would land on the disabled list this week.
The Phillies confirmed this evening he would.
They announced Utley, who felt a burning sensation on his right side when taking swings during batting practice Monday in Miami, will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with what they have called a “very mild” Grade 1 strained oblique. They said there is no intercostal or ribcage injury. He is eligible to be activated June 5.
The Phillies selected infielder Michael Martinez’s contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place on the roster. Martinez has hit a combined .188 with a .512 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in parts of two seasons with the Phillies. He has hit .226 with a .570 OPS with Lehigh Valley this season.
Ruben Amaro Jr. said the typical recovery for this type of injury is two to four weeks.
“We do believe and hope that Chase will be ready to play in Philadelphia within 15 days,” Amaro said in a statement.
MRI Scheduled for Utley, Won’t Play Tonight
Chase Utley knows he needs to be smart about this.
He felt a burning sensation in his right ribcage taking swings in the batting cage before last night’s game at Marlins Park. He got scratched from the lineup a short time later, will not play in tonight’s series finale against the Marlins and will have a MRI exam tomorrow in Philadelphia.
It seems likely Utley will miss time with a trip to the disabled list a good possibility.
“It definitely scared me a little bit,” he said today. “My first swing I took in BP, I felt something. My second swing, I felt it again. My third swing, I felt it again. After the fourth swing, I realized something wasn’t right. That’s when I told Charlie (Manuel) I have some pain in my side. He told me to go see (head athletic trainer) Scott (Sheridan). He took me out of the game. I think it was a smart thing to do. You want to be careful with these things because they could linger and get worse if you try to play through it. I think we caught it early enough but it’s hard to know until we have some imaging on it.”
Utley said he felt about the same as yesterday, not great, but not terrible.
“It’s kind of in between,” he said.
Utley has spoken with teammates and former teammates who have had similar injuries in the past. Several Phillies pitchers have spent time on the DL in recent seasons because of strained obliques, but so have position players like catcher Carlos Ruiz and former outfielder Jayson Werth. Ruiz spent 23 days on the DL in 2009, while Werth spent 15 days.
“The main thing they said was, ‘Don’t rush back,’” he said. “That’s when you can make it worse and prolong the time you’re out.”
Utley has been one of the team’s few bright spots this season. He is hitting .272 with seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 games. He has an .814 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, which ranks seventh out of 20 qualifying second basemen in baseball. He has missed much of the previous two seasons because of chronically injured knees, but the knees have not been an issue so far.
“I just hit into a little bad luck,” he said. “I have felt pretty good. Hopefully this is just a small bump in the road.”
*
Roy Halladay reported to Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla., two days ago to begin his rehab following right shoulder surgery. “He’s feeling like he’s got pretty good range of motion, which is a plus,” Amaro said. “I talked to him yesterday. He’s very positive.”
*
Mike Adams threw a bullpen session today. He will throw another one Friday in Clearwater, Fla., before pitching in a rehab game Monday with Class A Clearwater. He would be activated Tuesday at the earliest.
*
John Lannan is scheduled to throw May 29 to hitters in Clearwater. Amaro said “he is doing very well. He feels good.”
Utley Scratched from Tonight’s Lineup
Just another health issue for another Phillies player.
Chase Utley had to be scratched from tonight’s lineup because he felt discomfort on his right side during batting practice. The Phillies said Utley will be reevaluated tomorrow.
Freddy Galvis took his place at second base.
Utley has been one of the few bright spots for the team this season. He is hitting .272 with seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 games. He has an .814 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, which ranks sixth among 20 qualifying second basemen in baseball.
Utley has missed significant time each of the previous two seasons because of chronically injured knees, but he has said the knees have felt fine.
Problems Down the Road? Howard Hopes Not
Ryan Howard has thought about the long-term prognosis about his balky left knee.
He tried his hand at gallows humor to discuss those concerns this afternoon at Marlins Park.
“I guess if I blow up, then I’d be worried about that then,” he said.
Howard received a cortisone injection in his knee Sunday in Philadelphia. A MRI exam yesterday revealed inflammation and changes in the meniscus, which essentially means he has tears in the cartilage. That would be a concern for anybody, but considering Howard is in just the second season of a five-year, $125 million contract and $85 million of that is owed following this season, Howard’s left leg problems carry a little more weight.
He said he does not know if the knee issue could require surgery following the season.
“I would guess that would obviously be worst-case scenario,” he said. “But I mean, right now I think it’s too early to tell.”
Howard Is Back
That didn’t take long.
Ryan Howard received a cortisone injection into his left knee Sunday in Philadelphia, but he is back in the lineup tonight against the Marlins in Miami. A MRI exam Monday revealed inflammation and changes in his meniscus. The Phillies said yesterday they were hopeful Howard would respond positively to the shot, although they could not be certain it would.
The Phillies face Marlins rookie Jose Fernandez tonight. He has thrown 13 scoreless innings in two starts against the Phillies this season. Can the Phillies finally find a way to score against him tonight? If not, the sad sack Marlins will win just their second series of the season.
Here is tonight’s lineup:
- Jimmy Rollins, SS
- Chase Utley, 2B
- Michael Young, 3B
- Ryan Howard, 1B
- Delmon Young, RF
- Domonic Brown, LF
- Ben Revere, CF
- Erik Kratz, C
- Tyler Cloyd, P
Howard’s Achilles and Knee Issues Related?
Ryan Howard missed much of last season following surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles.
He then had a cortisone injection in his left knee yesterday in Philadelphia because of inflammation and changes in his meniscus. He is unavailable to play tonight against the Marlins, but the Phillies said he is day-to-day. They are hopeful he can avoid a trip to the disabled list. They also hope this is not the beginning of a trend of leg injuries for the $125 million first baseman, who has $85 million remaining on his contract following this season.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. “That comes with the territory when you sign these guys. We have a bunch of pitchers on long-term contracts, too. It’s just a risk you take. You never know what’s going to happen. Chase (Utley) signed a seven-year deal and we lost out.”
Howard had an MRI exam this morning in Philadelphia before joining the Phillies in Miami. Phillies head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said Howard had symptoms in his knee for a couple weeks, but it was manageable. Recently, however, Howard told Sheridan the knee bothered him more.
Could the Achilles injury he suffered in Game 5 of the 2011 National League Division Series be related to the knee injury? It is common for pitchers to develop elbow issues because of shoulder and back issues. As a pitcher’s mechanics get out of whack, it causes stress on other parts of the body.
Chooch on DL, Could Miss 3-4 Weeks
The Phillies will place Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day disabled list tomorrow because of a Grade 2 strained hamstring.
He is expected to be sidelined three to four weeks based on the size and location of the tear.
The Phillies selected catcher Humberto Quintero’s contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Ruiz’s place on the roster. The Phillies placed right-hander Mike Adams on the disabled list with a strained back to make room for Quintero. Right-hander Tyler Cloyd will take Ruiz’s spot on the roster tomorrow.
Ruiz injured the hamstring running the bases in the second inning Sunday in a 3-2 victory over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park. He had hit .235 (12-for-51) with two doubles and two RBIs in 16 games after missing the first 25 games of the season because of a suspension for using a banned stimulant, although he had hit .325 (10-for-31) in his previous 10 games.
Phillies catchers have a .582 on-base-plus-slugging percentage this season, which ranks 27th in baseball. They were counting on Ruiz to boost that position upon his contract, but he lasted less than a month.
“We were comfortable with the (catching) situation we had to start the season,” assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. “Q did a good job for us. I think we’re comfortable with what we have. We’re not going to stop looking, but I don’t think we’re actively out there pursuing anything. But you keep your eyes and ears open.”
Everybody Scores on Phillies Pen
If a Phillies relief pitcher enters a game with a runner on base there is a very good chance he will allow that runner to score.
The Phillies bullpen has allowed 46.3 percent (25 of 54) of its inherited runners to score, which is the worst mark in baseball. (The Mariners have been the stingiest at just 15.9 percent.) Upon further inspection, the Phillies’ mark is one of the worst in baseball in nearly 40 years. Going back to 1974, the 2013 Phillies’ bullpen has been the second-worst in baseball in allowing inherited runners to score.
- 1977 Reds: 48.1 percent (74 of 154)
- 2013 Phillies: 46.3 percent (25 of 54)
- 1974 Mets: 46.0 percent (63 of 137)
- 1992 Phillies: 44.8 percent (73 of 163)
- 1974 Expos: 44.2 percent (69 of 156)
The MLB average from 1974 through today is 33 percent. The best Phillies bullpen in that stretch? The 2011 bullpen, which allowed only 25 percent to score.
“I have a big concern about our bullpen,” Charlie Manuel said. “If we can’t hold people how can we win the game? You can say you’ve got to score runs to win, but at the same time how many runs do you have to score?”
Here is how individuals in the Phillies’ bullpen have fared:
- Justin De Fratus: 0 percent (0 of 4)
- Raul Valdes: 33 percent (1 of 3)
- Mike Adams: 40 percent (2 of 5)
- Jeremy Horst: 42.9 percent (9 of 21)
- Antonio Bastardo: 50 percent (1 of 2)
- Jonathan Papelbon: 50 percent (1 of 2)
- Chad Durbin: 60 percent (9 of 15)
- Phillippe Aumont: 100 percent (2 of 2)
“I think it’s a matter of pounding the zone, being the aggressor,” Durbin said about pitching better with runners on base. “I think we get 1-0 and 2-0 then you have to throw the ball over the plate and all the pressure is on us. So, the success I’ve had in the past with it has been getting ahead with an offspeed pitch or a well-located fastball to put the pressure on them and kind of let our defense get comfortable.”
Manuel: Players Can’t Give Up
Charlie Manuel had just watched the Phillies turn a four-run deficit into a 10-0 blowout loss this evening at Citizens Bank Park.
He had something to say about it.
“You can get down if you’re not careful,” he said. “That’s what you don’t want. You’ve got to stay together. You’ve got to keep plugging at it. You’ve got to grind it out. Actually, that’s how you build heart and strength about your team. That’s how you become a team. A lot of times in the second half you notice we play a lot better baseball. And that’s because we stay together and we don’t give up and quit and things like that. Almost every team goes through periods where they’re down. If you’re not careful you will get depressed and you will forget about the main object and that’s winning and you give in and you quit. But if you’re good and you’ve got heart and you want to win and you want to try, just stay together. It’s not how many times you get knocked down – I think Vince Lombardi said it – it’s how many times you get back up. When you’re struggling that’s when you really stay together.”
It sounded like he was saying the Phillies are showing those tendencies, getting down, getting depressed, giving up.
“I’m not saying that we’re quitting,” he said. “Not at all. I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is we’re in that period right now where we start doubting ourselves instead of just keep firing. You stay aggressive and keep working on trying to find a good ball to hit and not try to overdo it. Just stay within yourself and do something. Just try to score one run. Do something. Just keep going. Never get down. Play 27 outs. A lot of times when you’re young and there’s not a lot of expectation for them they’ll keep playing and you’ll say, ‘Hey, they hustle. They battle. They keep playing.’ A lot of times when you’ve got a lot of experience and things get tough you kind of get in position because of how long you’ve played and how many years you’ve been in the game that you kind of look up and see the score and you say, ‘It’s going to be hard for us to win.’ That’s kind of a negative. Say we’re talking about hitting. You don’t give no at-bats away. I’m not going 0-for-4. If I’m 0-for-2 or 0-for-3 the last time I’m up I want 1-for-4 or 1-for-3. I don’t care what the score is. You stay together and you keep fighting. And that’s what you’ve got to do. But if you don’t well that’s kind of sending a message of what kind of player that you are. That’s how I look at it. Like I said, I played for 20 years. I’ve been on a lot of teams. Your character is revealed. They say the game builds character. I don’t know about building, but it’ll definitely reveal your character. Does that makes sense? And that’s kind of what you see. You’ve got to fight to really not go there. Once that you get there you’ve got to do some real hard searching to get back to where you should be and things. That’s what I believe.”
A couple facts:
- The Phillies have been shut out six times in 43 games. They were shut out six times last season.
- They have scored two or fewer runs in 17 games. Only the Marlins (26) and Nationals (20) have had more punchless nights.
- They have allowed 10 or more runs six times to lead the Majors.
- The bullpen has allowed a mind-blowing 25 of 52 (48 percent) base runners to score, easily the worst mark in baseball.
Todd Zolecki
Recent Comments