Results tagged ‘ Rich Dubee ’
Oswalt Says He’s Good to Go
Roy Oswalt threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session this afternoon, and said he felt fine.
Oswalt left Friday’s game against Florida because of a strained lower back. He said his back is good, and he expects to start Thursday in San Diego. Rich Dubee said the same thing, although he said they need to see how Oswalt’s back responds tomorrow.
The short of it: If Oswalt wakes up fine tomorrow he’s pitching Thursday. If he wakes up with a sore back he won’t. But the feeling is he will pitch.
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Lidge Has Sore Right Bicep
I’m off today, but MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez is in Kissimmee and filed this update on Brad Lidge:
Lidge was scheduled to be on the bus today to play the Astros, but remained in Clearwater because of tendinitis in his right bicep. Rich Dubee said it is the usual issues of Spring Training and didn’t sound too concerned.
He said he’s unsure if Lidge will pitch in Thursday’s “B” game, but added that he’s still on track to be ready by Opening Day.
“He generally has it in the spring,” Dubee said. “It’s nothing that he doesn’t go through.”
While there’s no timetable for Lidge’s return to the mound, Dubee said that doesn’t necessarily throw him off track because the right-hander “already got more innings than he usually has in the spring.” Lidge has made five one-inning Grapefruit League appearances this spring, giving up five runs in the process (a 9.00 ERA).
Dubee said Lidge’s arm strength isn’t where it needs to be. For now Lidge will get a couple days of rest and see how he feels.
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Phillies Hire Samuel
The Phillies announced today they have hired Juan Samuel to be their third base coach and outfield instructor.
Sam Perlozzo, who served as the team’s third base coach the previous two seasons, will move from third base to first base and handle the team’s base running instruction. The Phillies hired Samuel because Davey Lopes, who handled the team’s outfield and base running duties as first base coach the previous four seasons, left the organization following a stalemate during contract negotiations.
Samuel and Perlozzo join pitching coach Rich Dubee, hitting coach Greg Gross, bench coach Pete Mackanin and bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer on the 2011 coaching staff.
“I feel fortunate that we were able to add someone of Juan’s stature to our coaching staff,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said in a statement. “He was a tremendous Major League player and a big part of Phillies history and I’m looking forward to him passing on his knowledge of the game to our players. He’s a great addition to our organization.”
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Blanton Will Start Game 4
Charlie Manuel confirmed what he had been saying all week: Joe Blanton will pitch Game 4 of the National League Championship Series tomorrow night at AT&T Park.
Here is what Manuel, Rich Dubee and Roy Halladay had to say after today’s 3-0 loss in Game 3:
MANUEL
Q: Was there any discussion to start Halladay on short rest?
A: I didn’t see any use in discussion. Did you? Whatever. No. No discussion.
DUBEE
Q: Why not Halladay on short rest?
A: You had to determine if you were going to pitch (Roy) Oswalt and (Cole) Hamels short or you were going to pitch Joe Blanton somewhere. So we think this is the best thing to do.
Q: Charlie left the door open this week during his press conferences that he could go in another direction. Was it ever discussed?
A: I don’t think so. I really haven’t come across going up to him and saying what do you think of moving guys up? No.
Q: Is that because Hamels hasn’t done it?
How Can the Phillies Stop Cody Ross?
After Cody Ross hit two solo homers Saturday against Roy Halladay, somebody figured out Ross’ name spelled backward is “Ssory Doc.”
Hey, it’s close enough.
Ross’ homers in Game 1 of the NLCS helped the Giants to a 4-3 victory. It was an unbelievable game against an incredible pitcher, but when Ross broke up Roy Oswalt‘s no-hitter Sunday with a home run in Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park, the question had to be asked:
What must the Phillies do to stop Ross?
“We’ve got to make better pitches,” Rich Dubee said. “Give him credit. He’s hit them. But we haven’t made good pitches to him, either.”
Oswalt threw high and tight to Ross in his first at-bat in the second inning, but Ross walked and then homered in his next at-bat. He flied out to the deepest part of Citizens Bank Park in center field in the seventh before Ryan Madson struck him out looking in the ninth.
Phillies Set NLDS Rotation
The Phillies announced their rotation for the National League Division Series, which begins Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park.
Game 1: Roy Halladay.
Game 2 on Oct. 8: Roy Oswalt.
Game 3 on Oct 10: Cole Hamels.
Game 4 presumably would be Halladay and Game 5 presumably would be Oswalt. The Phillies likely will be playing the National League Central champion Cincinnati Reds because they have a worse record the San Francisco Giants, who lead the NL West.
Halladay is the obvious choice to start Game 1.
“In my opinion, he’s the Cy Young award winner and there’s only one of those,” Rich Dubee said before tonight’s game against the Braves at Turner Field. “I think that would be the guy you would want to start. He is 21-10. I think his numbers are probably loftier than the other two guys, even though since Roy Oswalt’s been here he’s been unbelievable.”
The Phillies want Oswalt to start Game 2 at home because he is 9-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 10 career starts at the Bank. He also is 23-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 34 appearances (32) starts against the Reds. Hamels makes sense for Game 3 at Great American Ball Park because he is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four starts there.
“We like him at our place,” Dubee said of Oswalt. “We like him everywhere, but more so at our place where he’s pitched some pretty good games.”
A popular school of thought is to split up the two right-handers with the left-handed Hamels, but Halladay and Oswalt are no ordinary right-handed pitchers.
“Halladay is who he is. Oswalt is who he is,” Dubee said. “They’re different. If you’re splitting up guys who are alike, then you might want to. Those guys are different.”
Charlie Manuel provided a bit of a scare for fans today, when he cryptically said he is concerned about Hamels. Dubee tried to douse those concerns when he said Hamels has been battling a head cold and nothing more.
“That’s damn good,” said Dubee, asked about Hamels’ left arm. “He just threw right now. He looked real good.”
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Looking Like Halladay for Game 1
Roy Halladay seems destined to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 6 at Citizens Bank Park.
It is not official, but the Phillies dropped a couple hints today.
Kyle Kendrick will pitch Friday against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, which has become a meaningless series since the Phillies clinched their fourth consecutive NL East championship last night. The Phillies have not announced starters for Saturday or Sunday, but it sounds like Halladay will be skipped.
“There’s a real good chance,” Charlie Manuel said.
“He probably won’t start,” Rich Dubee said.
Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt both could pitch a few innings this weekend as a tune-up for the playoffs.
Manuel said the Phillies have chosen to play an eight-day NLDS because it allows them the luxury of pitching only Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt on normal rest through the five-game series. Because the Phillies only need three starters, they might carry fewer pitchers in the first round.
The Phillies would like to give left-handers Antonio Bastardo and Mike Zagurski work this week to see if they can carry two left-handers in the bullpen.
They also suggested left-hander Jamie Moyer, who has not pitched since July because of a left elbow injury, could be ready to pitch in the later rounds of the postseason. But Moyer just started throwing off a mound, and he only has thrown four-seam fastballs, which he does not throw in games. He is a way away from returning.
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Aligning Big Three to Face Braves
Expect the Phillies to align the Big Three to face the Braves next week at Citizens Bank Park.
Rich Dubee said today there is a “good chance” Roy Oswalt will pitch Friday against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park, which would allow Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Oswalt to pitch against Atlanta.
It only takes a simple switch to make it happen.
Kyle Kendrick, who currently is scheduled to pitch Friday, would pitch Saturday. Oswalt, who is scheduled to pitch Saturday, would pitch Friday. Oswalt still would be pitching on normal rest, so there is little risk involved.
“As long as (Oswalt) is feeling fine, there’s a real good chance,” Dubee said. “I don’t think there’s any downside to pitching Oswalt, Hamels and Halladay. They are our front three starters. I would think if you have two series with the Braves you’d want the best guys available, if possible.”
The switch also would allow Hamels, Halladay and Oswalt to pitch against the Braves on Oct. 1-3 at Turner Field, if necessary. The Phillies entered tonight’s game against the Marlins at Sun Life Stadium with a one-game lead over the Braves in the National League East.
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Did Workload Hurt Halladay?
Roy Halladay suffered his worst start with the Phillies today at Citizens Bank Park, and you knew the questions would turn to his heavy workload in recent weeks. How much did it play a role in his struggles against the Red Sox?
“Not a damn thing,” Charlie Manuel said.
“From the horse’s mouth, it didn’t affect me,” Halladay said. “It was just a matter of not making good pitches. That’s the bottom line. You prepare yourself obviously all winter and all season to be able to handle the workload. That’s your job as a starting pitcher. I feel like I’ve done that and I feel good going out there. Obviously, people are going to say what they want to say.”
We knew this much about Halladay before he stepped onto the mound today: He led Major League Baseball in innings (71 1/3); he ranked second in pitches per game (111.8) and fourth in pitches thrown (1,006); he had thrown 118, 119, 121 and 132 pitches in his previous four starts, which were the most pitches he had thrown in a four-start stretch in his career; and his 111.8 pitches per game were the most he had averaged in his career.
Halladay allowed eight hits, seven runs (six earned runs), two walks and one home run in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out one. It is just the second time in Halladay’s career he struck out one or fewer batters in five or more innings. It last happened June 3, 2006.
He didn’t seem to have his best stuff.
Why was that?
The Phillies said before Sunday that Halladay, 33, had adjusted his routine in between starts because of the increased workload. He skipped his bullpen session and instead threw on flat ground. I asked Rich Dubee on Friday about Halladay’s workload. He said they planned to keep him fresh by giving him extra rest in between starts. In other words, they planned not to have him pitch every five days, regardless of the schedule. If there was a day off, they would let him get that extra day. If there was a rainout and a day off, they would let give him the extra two days.
But the focus goes back to his start Tuesday against the Pirates. Should Halladay have thrown 132 pitches in a complete-game 2-1 loss? Asked why they felt comfortable having Halladay pitch the ninth, Dubee said, “Charlie wanted to send him out.” Was he comfortable with it? “I’m not going to talk about it,” he said.
Halladay had thrown 130 or more pitches just twice previously in his career. Interestingly, he threw one shutout and one complete game in the starts following those 130-pitch starts. He threw 130 pitches Aug. 9, 2008 against Cleveland, and allowed one run in nine innings at Boston on Aug. 16, 2008. He threw 133 pitches against the Angels on June, 2, 2009, and threw a shutout June 7 against Kansas City.
It’s May. The Phillies have lost four of the last six games Halladay has pitched, although this is the only the second game that can be traced to Halladay’s performance. And even then the Phillies scored just two runs in the two losses (at San Francisco on April 26 and today vs. Boston). Before everybody starts freaking out, let’s see how Halladay responds Saturday against the Marlins in Miami. Maybe it’s just coincidence. We’ll find out soon enough.
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Romero Looks Sharp
There is some concern about the Phillies’ bullpen with Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero opening the season on the disabled list. Lidge pitches in his fifth Minor League Spring Training game tomorrow, which means he might need five just more outings before he is ready to join the Phillies.
Romero pitched in his first game today at the Carpenter Complex. He looked sharp. He retired the four batters he faced, needing just 13 pitches to do it.
“Today was a big step for me,” Romero said. “I was very pleased with the outcome today. The good thing is that I was throwing a lot of strikes. My arm speed was outstanding.”
Rich Dubee said Romero’s arm speed is progressingly more quickly than Lidge’s. He said he is not concerned about Lidge.
“Two different surgeries,” Dubee explained. “Two different individuals. … Power guys, especially closers, they come a little bit slower. A lot of them come with adrenaline also. Billy Wagner was one of the best. He was one of the finest at looking absolutely awful in Spring Training. He didn’t have arm speed and he didn’t have adrenaline. Closers pitch off a lot of adrenaline.”
Romero earlier this spring said he could rejoin the team for its April 12-18 homestand against the Nationals and Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. He said he is more confident following Monday’s outing that he can be back in time for the team’s first homestand.
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Joe Blanton allowed 11 hits, 11 runs, 10 earned runs and three walks in 5 innings in a Minor League intrasquad game. He struck out two. … J.A. Happ allowed three hits, two runs and five walks and struck out four in five innings against the Braves at Bright House Field. Happ did not think he missed the strike zone by much. Dubee agreed. … Ryan Madson threw a 3-0 fastball to Eric Hinske, who hit a game-winning solo homer in the top of the ninth. Madson is 1-1 with a 6.43 ERA this spring. “He was dead today,” Dubee said. “Yeah, just a little dead. Everybody goes through stages this time in Spring Training.”
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Todd Zolecki
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