Drew Carpenter is a decent, but dropping, prospect in our system. They had high hopes for him coming into this season, but he was terrible at Reading. When they dropped him to High-A, he excelled, when they brought him back up, he was terrible. He won’t make the team out of spring training. But could be a Kendrick type guy if someone gets hurt and Carrasco isn’t ready.

I don’t know how serious a look the Phils are thinking of giving him.  He did come up to the bigs in a pinch and threw one inning of  relief on August 27th, but he just barely dipped his toe in the AAA pool, making only 1 start at that level.

Also, I just checked the Inquirer.  Todd Zolecki has a topic up talking about the same things that we are (The 2009 roster and the 5th starter).  Here is his take.

There is no denying that we won last year because of the marked improvement in our overall pitching.  The bullpen should be just as good as last year, but the starters still concern me (as they always do).  Not counting injury, since it’s a wild card, here’s how I feel about our starting 5:

1) Hamels should be there, not concerned.

2) We need a consistent Myers.  He appears to have turned it around, but I’m always concerned that he’s never too far away from going kaflooey (technical, baseball insider term).  However, he is in a contract year, so that should keep him more “focused”.  Moderately concerned. 

3) Blanton seemed to round into form as the season went on and pitched his best in the postseason.  I really think that biceps tendinitis affected him for quite a while.  With that resolved, I expect him to be solid.  Mildly concerned.

4)  I would be much happier if Moyer were our 5th starter.  That way we could keep him to around 28 starts, give him some extra days off, and limit some of the wear and tear on his body with an eye toward increasing his effectiveness (incentive clauses be damned).  I know he’ll keep himself in great shape and be very well prepared to take the mound every 5th day, but I keep thinking, like Pete, that he is going to start moving closer to the 5-point era pitcher he was in 2007.  I just hope it is a slow, gradual slide.  Moderately concerned.

5) The 5th spot is what could really make or break us. (I know that it’s really no different for every team, but who cares about them?  I want it all.)  To me, relying on depth to determine your 5th starter means you haven’t got anyone who is clearly good enough to take the spot.  I hope I’m wrong and someone emerges in the spring as the clear cut, no doubt, best, solid option for the 5th spot.   I’m afraid of Park and I think Carrasco does need another year (a half-year at least) before he’ll be ready.  That leaves us with Happ as our best option for now, IMO.  Whatever the case, I’m looking for consistency from someone.  Remember that last year, even though neither one was our 5th starter, we got a bunch of lousy starts from Myers and Eaton and we were able to overcome them.  However, it would be nice to get a solid start every 5th day, as I’d rather not have to overcome any more self-imposed obstacles.  Very concerned.

Speaking of Utley, another display of brattish arrogance yesterday … (paraphrased) “… bad word; don’t use it, kids.  But when you’re 29 (like me) and win a World Championship you can say it.  Now let’s move on.”  From the old ‘do as I say, not as I do’ handbook.  The humble hero, not.
Role model?

Am I concerned about how the Phils plan on using Park?  Uh, yeah!  Still, I’m figuring this is Chad Durbin, the sequel.  Durbin was told he’d get a shot at starting too, wasn’t he?  I don’t think he was entirely happy about being in the bullpen at first, but I would hope he is now.  Durbin has pitched well enough to work his way to the back end of the bullpen.  Most likely, Park will get a shot at the rotation in the spring with a chance of earning the 5th spot if he really shows something.  If not, he will be in Durbin’s old bullpen role.

Barring a below-the-radar, adding depth type of pick up, I’d say we’re done.  I’m really not expecting any big splash.  Other than Garcia, (and Eaton I guess)–where we got soaked, btw—Gillick hasn’t made any big time acquisitions.  Amaro seems to be following the same blueprint.  Plus, we have our 8 arbitration eligible players to take care of,  so I’d say that we are now looking at our 2009 Phillies.