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Thursday, March 01, 2007

Phila Inky: Myers is open to being a closer

“I’ll do whatever helps the team,” Myers said. “I wouldn’t mind it. I wouldn’t mind doing either one. Either way, the game is on the line.”

The scenario would come about only if the Phillies couldn’t trade one of their starters, and they have indicated that they expect something to happen before their April 2 season opener against Atlanta at Citizens Bank Park.

Petro Posted: March 01, 2007 at 04:59 PM | 26 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: phillies

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1. robinred

Posted: March 01, 2007 at 05:19 PM (#2305161)

I have him for $7 in roto, so I am open to it, too.

But I think the Phillies should leave him where he is.

2. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: March 01, 2007 at 05:24 PM (#2305166)

That's totally insane! Use their best starter for only an inning at a time?

3. Loren F. Posted: March 01, 2007 at 05:33 PM (#2305175)

That's totally insane! Use their best starter for only an inning at a time?

That's just dumb stathead thinking. Myers sacrificing himself for the team in this way would have tremendous intangible benefits in the example he set.

/sarcasm

4. MSI Posted: March 01, 2007 at 05:42 PM (#2305190)

Over Jon Lieber? Just trade him Gillick.

5. Bill Liming Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:07 PM (#2305221)

I swear to god, this team exists solely to make their life-long fans want to kill something, doesn't it? Anyone have Gillick's home address...

Releasing any of Lieber/Moyer/Eaton would be a better solution than making Myers the closer.

6. billyshears Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:15 PM (#2305228)

I think this would be a great idea.

7. flournoy Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:22 PM (#2305235)

This is probably just posturing on the Phillies' part to increase their trade leverage. They want their potential trade partners to know, "Hey, we don't need to trade any of our pitchers, we'll be just fine either way."

8. MSI Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:28 PM (#2305241)

That's exactly what I thought flournoy.

9. Bill Liming Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:39 PM (#2305253)

This is probably just posturing on the Phillies' part to increase their trade leverage. They want their potential trade partners to know, "Hey, we don't need to trade any of our pitchers, we'll be just fine either way."

Dude, this is the Phillies we're talking about. They actually intend to put Myers in the pen, and when he bombs they'll trade him for Jose Mesa or Danny Kolb.

10. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:41 PM (#2305256)

My first thought: When did the Phillies sign Mike Myers?
My second thought: Interesting, creative, inexpensive idea for a closer.
My third thought: Doesn't he have a huge platoon split?

Even then, it took me a couple minutes after reading this thread to realize it's Brett Myers they're talking about. What a weird idea that is - Brett Myers as a closer.

11. HowardMegdal

Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:45 PM (#2305260)

"Don't jump to any conclusions. This is only a hypothetical discussed in one of many brainstorming sessions this off-season. It may never come to pass."

I grew up 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I was harassed mercilessly by Philly fans in all sports. But I am almost at the point of feeling sorry for Philly fans.

12. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 01, 2007 at 06:50 PM (#2305266)

"'I’ll do whatever helps the team,' Myers said."

Really? Know what'd help the team as much as anything? Don't beat your wife in full view of the public, you moron.

13. HowardMegdal

Posted: March 01, 2007 at 07:26 PM (#2305291)

"Really? Know what'd help the team as much as anything? Don't beat your wife in full view of the public, you moron."

In fairness to Myers, it seems quite possible that the Phils thought this was a good idea, too...

14. Lujack Posted: March 01, 2007 at 07:29 PM (#2305297)

Michael Young just signed for 5/80.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/030207dnsporanglede.b2765f5.html

15. John M. Perkins Posted: March 01, 2007 at 07:35 PM (#2305304)

Otsuka for Myers.

16. PatrickInTheWoods, Apostate Posted: March 01, 2007 at 08:10 PM (#2305336)

Is having a sixth real starter around such a bad idea?

Considering they gave thirty-seven starts last year to "Who's that again?" last year, having a whole 'nother starter kind of makes sense. Granted, those starts won't be distributed just the way you want.

17. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 01, 2007 at 08:58 PM (#2305382)

OH GOD WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY

It makes no sense at all to use your best starter for an inning at a time. Why on earth would Lieber not be a better choice in every way? He can drive his nine-foot-tall truck out from the bullpen to the mound, it would be awesome.

It makes more sense to think that this is for trade leverage purposes, i.e. "We're not desperate for bullpen help, as you can plainly see by the possibility of turning a starter into a reliever." But why not use Lieber in that example as well?

18. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 01, 2007 at 09:01 PM (#2305389)

That's just dumb stathead thinking. Myers sacrificing himself for the team in this way would have tremendous intangible benefits in the example he set.

Similar to how Aaron Rowand's burning desire to break his own nose is a positive attribute because of the example he sets.

19. bunyon Posted: March 01, 2007 at 09:06 PM (#2305395)

Really? Know what'd help the team as much as anything? Don't beat your wife in full view of the public, you moron.

How does that help the team? I mean, seriously, no one really seems to care and he avoided jail. I think his not beating his wife helps humanity, but I'm not so sure that the Phillies fall under that broad umbrella.

20. Bad Doctor Posted: March 01, 2007 at 09:24 PM (#2305410)

Considering they gave thirty-seven starts last year to "Who's that again?" last year, having a whole 'nother starter kind of makes sense. Granted, those starts won't be distributed just the way you want.

That's the killer. They're patting themselves on the back for getting a superfluous starter that they can deal in an overpriced market where everybody needs pitching, but even if they get a great piece back in trade (hardly a given), once they do that, who do they have ready to step in when an injury happens. (Not a rhetorical question ... with Madson needed in the pen and Mathieson out with TJ, I really don't know who this would be. Happ?) Of course, with Eaton, Hamels, and 44yo Moyer, maybe they won't have a need for a fill-in starter.

21. meet the mets Posted: March 01, 2007 at 10:08 PM (#2305437)

i didn't realize there were so many phillies fans on this site. i hope he does become a reliever. then you can suffer through that much more of moyer and eaton. haha suckers. LETS GO METS

22. meet the mets Posted: March 01, 2007 at 10:09 PM (#2305439)

i didn't realize there were so many phillies fans on this site. i hope he does become a reliever. then you can suffer through that much more of moyer and eaton. haha suckers. LETS GO METS

23. Fly, the most judgment-free human being on Earth Posted: March 01, 2007 at 10:21 PM (#2305448)

WOAH. That Michael Young signing was for 5/80? Someone had it in the other thread as 5/16, and I assumed the 16 was total, not per year. Now I understand what all the freaking out was about.

24. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 01, 2007 at 11:18 PM (#2305480)

I guess the Phillies are technically part of humanity, but Bunyon has a point.

To BadDoctor: Maybe if they get a great reliever back in trade, they no longer need Madson in the pen. Of course, he still will be an inadequate starter.

25. John Reynard Posted: March 02, 2007 at 04:24 AM (#2305659)

Zach Segovia would be among the first tried as a stopgap starter if someone gets hurt from what I can tell. That could be ok or really ugly, its hard to say.

26. Biff isn't really an apt handle anymore Posted: March 02, 2007 at 05:19 AM (#2305680)

Phase 1: Make your best starter a closer.
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit!

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Phila Inky: Myers is open to being a closer

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