WASHINGTON - We'll dive into the new, somewhat flavorless (knee-jerk reaction) Nationals Park shortly, but in the meantime, we're not at RFK anymore. Nope, not at all.
Stay tuned.
In the meantime, here's the camera-phone view from my seat in the press box:
Meanwhile, as far as Phillies news goes, pitching coach Rich Dubee said starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick would be in the bullpen for tonight's game against the Nationals. However, Kendrick would pitch in relief only "if it's an emergency."
The reason Kendrick will take in the game from the bullpen is because he tossed just 12 pitches in his rain-shortened outing against the Blue Jays at the Bank yesterday. So rather than have Kendrick throw just 12 pitches in 10 days, the Phillies are going to make use of the right-hander as best as they can.
"In all likelihood, he'll pitch Thursday," Dubee said.
Thursday's outing would be one day ahead Kendrick's normal turn, which means the Phillies should have some well-rested starting pitchers heading into the road series with the Nats and Astros.
Perhaps that means the Phillies are in no hurry to get a pitcher like Kris Benson healthy and ready in the near future. Benson, a free-agent that went to spring training with the Phillies, is working his way back from an arm injury that caused him to miss all of last season. During his spring work with the Phillies, Benson had some shoulder tendonitis and a groin strain.
"He's going to have to show some improvement if he's going to pitch in the big leagues," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He has to pitch like a big leaguer. Just because he's down there throwing doesn't mean we're going to bring him up."
Benson can opt out of his deal with the Phillies on June 1 if he is not pitching in the Majors.