Bunts and Balks (6/26)

Antonio Bastardo's left shoulder will be examined on Monday, but he is expected to miss his next start, scheduled for Wednesday. Why not put Bastardo on the DL, retroactive to Thursday, and reinforce the pen with an eighth arm? Sergio Escalona could be recalled (again, in fewer than ten days), as these would be "emergency circumstances." When a starter (Carlos Carrasco?) is needed on Wednesday, another roster move can be made. It seems pointless to keep Bastardo on the active roster; even if he is physically able to pitch, he has been overmatched at this level.

Chan Ho Park was injured in Friday night's game, and may require some time on the DL. Park has been one of the better Phils' relievers recently, and is the only one who appears capable of pitching multiple innings. This would be horrible timing for a Park DL stint, with Scott Eyre and Clay Condrey already disabled. Kyle Kendrick might be the best replacement option for the long relief role, and nobody wants that.

Brad Lidge pitched in a non-save situation on Friday, in his return to the Phils. Lidge faced five batters. He allowed two hits, two walks, and acquired one out. He left in favor of J.C. Romero, with the bases loaded, and one run already in. Romero permitted one of the inherited runners to score, boosting Lidge's ERA to 7.86. Not a promising return for the closer.

Scott Eyre is expected to return in a week, for the Mets series, starting July 3rd. The Phils really need Eyre right now. Not just LOOGY Eyre, either. They need Whole-Inning Eyre.

Who else could bolster the Phillies' bullpen?
Reading (AA) southpaw Mike Zagurski is on the 40-Man roster.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) relievers Gary Majewski, Cedrick Bowers, and Jason Anderson have been pitching decently, and could be moved into the one open spot on the current 40-Man Roster.

Eric Bruntlett batted eighth and started at SS for the Phils on Friday in Toronto.
Bruntlett went 0 for 3, and is now batting .138. Jimmy Rollins needs to return to the lineup, batting leadoff, or sixth, or eighth, or ninth, wherever. Bruntlett has been dreadful.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) clinched their fourth consecutive series win, defeating the Indianapolis Indians, 6-1. The FeHogs have won ten of twelve. Rich Thompson hit a homer leading off the game, for the first time in LV history. Starter Carlos Carrasco was the big story, however, pitching six and one-third strong innings for the win. Carrasco permitted seven hits, one run, and walked three, with seven strikeouts. The 22 yr. old RHP is due to pitch again next Wednesday. He may be a candidate to start for the Phillies, in the event that Antonio Bastardo is unavailable.

The Reading Phillies (AA) had their game against the Trenton Thunder suspended. The game will continue on Saturday, with the R-Phils trailing, 1-0. The game was delayed almost two hours at the start, and play was halted before the bottom of the second began. The game lasted long enough for R-Phils starter Joe Savery to allow a run, ending his scoreless streak at 15 innings. The game probably should have been rained out before play began. That decision likely cost the R-Phils the services of Joe Savery for the series.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) blew a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth, but beat the Jupiter Hammerheads on a pair of tenth-inning runs.
Jonathan Velazquez pitched six scoreless innings, surrendering four hits, two walks, and striking out a pair. The blown save cost him what would have been his first FSL victory, in his second appearance.