Monday, October 5, 2009

Projecting the Phillies postseason roster

Charlie Manuel is expected to announce his postseason roster in the coming days, so I thought I would take a stab at who I thought would be on the Phillies postseason roster. The Phillies have some tough choices, especially in the bullpen, so there is more interest around the roster this year than in previous playoff runs.

Starting Pitchers: Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ
There is still some speculation as to whether Happ or Pedro Martinez is the 4th pitcher, but Manuel has hinted that Happ will get the nod. As for who pitches the first game, Charlie could go on loyalty with Hamels but Lee is more deserving for what he is done this year.

Bullpen: Pedro Martinez, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Tyler Walker, Clay Condrey
Here is where things really get interesting. With Jamie Moyer, J.C. Romero and Chan Ho Park all out, guys like Walker and Condrey will get a shot. Just missing this list are Sergio Escalona and Kyle Kendrick, although both could be added should Myers or Eyre not be healthy enough to contribute. I'm not sure how much value Pedro will have out of the pen, but should any starting pitcher falter it will be nice to know he can be called upon. As for who the closer will be, your guess is as good as mine. I would be inclined to let Madson have the first crack.

Starting Bats: Carlos Ruiz, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez
Duh.

Bench Bats: Paul Bako, Greg Dobbs, Ben Francisco, Matt Stairs, Eric Bruntlett
4 out of the 5 are obvious, it's the last bench spot that many Phillie fans are arguing about. While I would love to see Miguel Cairo get the last spot, Charlie is going to go with his guy, and that's Bruntlett. We all know that Bruntlett is a waste at the plate but his versatility in the field is of some value. You never know when he might pull off a triple play!

That is my projected roster for the Phillies as they begin their quest for another Title. Feel free to disagree in the comments section!

1 comment:

phils93 said...

HAHA cracked up at the triple play line