Bunts and Balks (6/4)

Shane Victorino is out of Thursday night's lineup with hip/lower back issues. The issues don't appear to be serious, and Victorino may be available off the bench. As the Phillies face LHP Clayton Kershaw tonight, they'll go to their four-man bench for right-handed "hitting" "outfielder"...Eric Bruntlett. John Mayberry is with Lehigh Valley (AAA), but reliever Jack Taschner is still with the parent club. If Thursday's game goes forty-seven innings, and Charlie Manuel doesn't want to have a position player pitch, we might see Taschner.

Brett Myers underwent surgery today, and is three months away from long-tossing. Best wishes to Brett. A successful (and timely) recovery would guarantee draft pick compensation to the Phillies, when he signs elsewhere as a free agent.

Five members of the Clearwater Threshers (A) were named to play the Florida State League (FSL) All-Star game. Dominic Brown (OF, probably the top positional prospect in the organization), Kyle Drabek (probably the top pitching prospect in the organization, now with Reading (AA)), Yohan Flande (P), Fidel Hernandez (middle infielder), and Tim Kennelly (catcher, also plays some infield and outfield) were all honored. As All-Stars now, their trade values have all gone up, which means that it will take fewer of them to acquire Roy Halladay.

Carlos Carraco got his first win for the IronPigs on Thursday night. Carrasco pitched six and one-third innings, allowing three hits, two walks (five strikeouts), and two earned runs. He threw 105 pitches, 62 for strikes. Carrasco has pitched much better than his 1-6 record, and 5.14 ERA, would seem to indicate. Poor guy has had some serious BABIP issues (.374 before tonight). There seems to be a good chance he'll been seen with the parent club this season, if he isn't part of the Halladay trade...

Tyler Walker got his second save for Lehigh Valley on Thursday, lowering his ERA to 1.76. The Phils might promote Walker this season, as well. He certainly should be promoted in September, when rosters can increase to forty players. (Though his BABIP of .176 seems to indicate that some bad luck may be in Walker's future.)

The Phillies will miss Dodgers' ace Chad Billingsley and slugger Manny Ramirez (suspension) in their weekend series. Good timing for the Phils, who won't have to face that pair until the postseason.

On the heels of the pending success of "The Pen", negotiations have begun for the rights to the new reality show "I'm a Phillie...Get me out of here!" My money is on Clay Condrey to win the competition, which is expected to be held in Antarctica.