Well it seems the Phillies brass surprised a lot of people today, announcing that Pedro Martinez will replace Jamie Moyer in the starting rotation and bumping Moyer to the bullpen. They've been saying all along that Moyer is not fit to pitch in relief, and I agree with them on that point. But I've also said that Moyer is the least deserving of a spot in the rotation now, so I am surprised but pleased.
Looks like Pedro will be making his debut for the Phils on Wednesday against the Cubs. Here's hoping he's a real bargain at $1M for less than half a season. I wonder what will happen with Moyer at this point. He's obviously a leader in the clubhouse and an excellent mentor for the younger players. He's also a fan favorite. Perhaps he will be reinserted into the rotation when and if Pedro fails, or if someone gets injured. Curiously, Moyer leads the Phillies in wins (10) despite an ERA in the stratosphere.
I'm starting to worry a little bit about the Phillies. No, they'll make the playoffs because the rest of the NL East seems content to let them walk to the title without putting up a fight. But come playoff time, I'm not sure the Phils have what it takes to repeat. Neither Cole Hamels nor Brad Lidge seems like the pitcher he was last year, and those guys were crucial to last year's World Series run. We'll see what those guys are made of as we start heading down the home stretch here in the regular season and into the postseason. Go Phillies!
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