The injury that also goes by the name of ‘he sucks so he must be hurt’ has hit Freddy Garcia. Charlie Manuel apparently got the confession out of him after last night’s 1 2/3 inning debacle:
“When I took him out of the game, I walked him downstairs and started talking to him,” Manuel said. “I asked him [about his shoulder]. I told him if he’s hurt, I don’t want him pitching. I told him, ‘The way you’re throwing, it definitely looks like to me that you’re hurt.’ He’s a mentally tough guy and wants to pitch, but at the same time — then he told me his shoulder was sore.”
So it took a ridiculous outing that put the Phils out of the game early for Tough Guy Garcia(trademarked) to let someone know that he was pitching hurt. That’s just great. Now it’s up to the team doctor to decide where we will go from here, and whether it deserves a trip to the DL.
In any event, it puts the Phils in a hard spot. Who fills Garcia’s slot the next time around? Word is that Brett Myers could end up going back to the rotation, so there could be a silver lining to Garcia’s injury. However, if that doesn’t happen then who’s it? I would guess that JA Happ may get a pinch-start or two if Myers would be unable to return to the rotation. Happ has been up and down in AAA, but has pitched decently. His WHIP is high at 1.48 but there’s really no one else in a position to be brought up. He’s still getting strikeouts, which is an improvement over Zach Segovia( 67.2 IP, 20 Ks). I guess they COULD make a doublejump and bring up Kyle Kendrick at AA, but that may be pushing it.
When does the good news start?
I can’t tell if you were being sarcastic in the comment you left.
Injuries and underperforming pitchers suck, don’t they?
I was being serious. Great stuff, you are way beyond me with your writing.
I think we now have the official date of when the Phillies threw in the towel on the 2007 season. It was the day they signed Jose Mesa to replace Garcia on the roster.