Fifth Starter Competition Narrows; Other Phillies News

THE BATTLE FOR NUMBER 5:

The battle for the fifth start in the rotation continues.  Now it seems to be a two man race between J.A Happ and Chan Ho Park.  Happ continues to impress.  He shows good poise, confidence, and stuff.  He’s my new front-runner to win the spot.  Park was my original front-runner for the job.  He still looks good, but has done a good job in out of the bullpen situations.  That seems to be the role he’d fit best in, considering Romero will miss the first 50 games.

Here’s our updated chart: (keep in mind exhibitions against WBC teams don’t factor into the stats)

Carlos Ruiz’s Panama team was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic after just two days.  Ruiz was reportedly injured in a game earlier this week.  According to what I’ve read, Ruiz seems to be OK and will return to continue spring training with the Phillies soon.

Chris Coste checked into yesterday’s game in the top of the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Bright House Field. He caught two innings and went 0 for 1.  Coste was reportedly not going to start playing until Wednesday, but got his way in early.  It’s an off-day today and Coste will likely play again tomorrow.  Now the battle for backup catcher begins.  We may add another chart comparing Paulino and Coste once the battle gets further underway.

Tomorrow:

Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phillies will scrimmage at the Carpenter Complex on Wednesday afternoon.  Some new faces are expected to return:

• Pedro Feliz, who is recovering from lower back surgery.

• Brad Lidge, who has had some tightness in his right forearm.

• Chris Coste, who has had tightness in his right hamstring.

• Chad Durbin, who had tightness in his right hamstring.

Feliz will be required to pass a sliding test before he gets the final OK on his status.

Chase Utley is NOT expected to play Wednesday.  Ruben Amaro, Jr. told the media, “Over the next few days, if things go well, hopefully we’ll get him into some games.”

(some information courtesy of Todd Zolecki’s Zo Zone)

According to Dave Murphy we’re all pronouncing Gary Majewski’s name wrong.  “It’s muh-JESS-skee, like shuh-SHEF-skee,” Murphy writes.  Let’s all get it right because it looks like we’re going to be saying his name a lot over the next few years.

In three spring training appearances, he has pitched six scoreless innings, and has struck out six while allowing just two hits.  Majewski pitched with the Nationals in 2005, when he appeared in 79 games and had a sub-3.00 ERA.  Hopefully he can get back to the pitcher he was then.

I should have interviews with Andy Martino and Scott Lauber later this week.