Mulling over the playoff roster (again)

It’s funny how important putting together a postseason roster can be. If you really think about it, the core part of the roster is already determined and the only players Charlie Manuel, Ruben Amaro and the rest of the gang are discussing are bench and complimentary bullpen pieces. In other words, the most debatable parts of the 25-man playoff roster are for spots filled by guys Manuel hopes he won’t even have to use.

Funny, isn’t it?

So in the take two edition of the Phillies playoff roster, here’s the 25 we’ll go with. By Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. we’ll see if this is the way it works out:

Starting pitchers (4) Cliff Lee * Cole Hamels * Joe Blanton Pedro Martinez

Relief pitchers (8) J.A. Happ * Ryan Madson Brad Lidge Scott Eyre * Chad Durbin Brett Myers Kyle Kendrick/Tyler Walker Sergio Escalona*/Clay Condrey/Antonio Bastardo*

Catchers (2) Carlos Ruiz Paul Bako *

Infielders (6) Ryan Howard * Chase Utley * Pedro Feliz Jimmy Rollins # Miguel Cairo Greg Dobbs *

Outfielders (5) Raul Ibanez * Shane Victorino # Jayson Werth Ben Francisco Matt Stairs *

* lefty # switch hitter

With Jamie Moyer, Chan Ho Park and J.C. Romero out for at least the first round of the playoffs, the decisions got much easier for the Phillies in the bullpen. Otherwise, Manuel says he would prefer to have three lefties in the bullpen—including situational man Scott Eyre—which is why Escalona could find his way on there. Kendrick gets on as the long man, and if Brett Myers gets on, there might not be much of a need for Clay Condrey since they both do the same thing (more or less).

Forget about Myers pitching in the end of the bullpen. Scouts tell me his stuff just isn’t there… and never was.

Probably the toughest decision is whether or not to have Pedro Martinez or J.A. Happ as a starter. Logic tells me that Happ is the best choice based on how consistently good he has been all year. However, based on some of Manuel’s comments over the past few days, it seems as if he likes Happ as the wild-card pitcher. Happ could come in for the seventh and close out a game, he could come in if a starter gets knocked out early, or he could take the ball and start if need be.

Pedro, on the other hand, is likely effective only as a starter. Anyone have doubts whether or not he’ll dial it up for the playoffs?

So there it is… for now. We’ll see what Charlie and Ruben come up with on Wednesday.

It's a rager

OK, where do I start? After all this time of wondering what it was like to be in the clubhouse when the players are going nuts and pouring beer and champagne all over each other, I finally got to witness it firsthand. And to tell you the truth, it’s a lot like a couple of the really good parties I help throw when I was in college. Only we had a band play and someone started a bonfire, which was kind of cool.

Nevertheless, no one ever won anything at those parties so there was no spraying beer and champagne all over the place. I guess that’s why they put that plastic sheeting in place, which gave the clubhouse a more intimate/sky lodge-type aura. It was nice.

But what is not nice is that even after taking two showers I still think I stink like champagne and beer. Maybe the scent is just embedded into my nostrils or something, but I suppose that’s just the hazard of the job – occasionally (rarely) a kick-ass party will break out where cases of champagne and trucks of beer are wheeled in. Meanwhile, no one will actually drink the beer (they are professional athletes, after all), but instead they will pour and spray it on anyone or anything that moves.

And if some dude gets a hold of the hose that they use to water the field, look out…

It’s on.

Anyway, you know it’s was a good party when mirthful catching instructor (and all around good guy) Mick Billmeyer noted that he had more beer on him than in him, and Pat Burrell’s English bulldog, Elvis, was one of the first to arrive in the clubhouse.

Afterwards, Burrell surveyed the scene from the field as the party raged and the fans screamed from the seats and stated aptly, “This is what it’s all about.” He also took a moment to remember mentor and legendary Phillies coach, John Vukovich, which could have been the most poignant moment of the day.

But parties end and when they do it’s time to get down to business. In that regard, GM Pat Gillick, assistants Ruben Amaro and Dallas Green didn’t waste any time. Even before all the beer had stopped flying into air and dried into everyone’s skin, hair and clothes, the team’s brass huddled in the coach’s room across the hall from the clubhouse, undoubtedly to discuss what comes next.

Setting the roster The first thing the Phillies will have to do – aside from learning who their opponent will be – is cobble together a playoff roster. With a 10 a.m. Wednesday deadline to submit the roster, it still hasn’t been decided if the Phillies will take 10 or 11 pitchers into the NLDS. My gut is 11, but we should have a better grasp on this figure tomorrow when the team meets at the park for a workout.

Anyway, the 25-man roster:

Catchers: Carlos Ruiz; Chris Coste Infielders: Ryan Howard; Chase Utley; Jimmy Rollins; Greg Dobbs; Tadahito Iguchi; Abraham Nunez; Wes Helms Outfielders: Pat Burrell; Aaron Rowand; Shane Victorino; Jayson Werth; Michael Bourn Pitchers: Cole Hamels; Kyle Kendrick; Kyle Lohse; Jamie Moyer; Adam Eaton or J.D. Durbin; Brett Myers; Tom Gordon; J.C. Romero; Clay Condrey; Geoff Geary; Antonio Alfonseca

*** I'm not basing this on anything other than idle talk, but it appears as if the Phillies will play all day games in the NLDS.

*** I will have more later regarding the Mets and what we were writing about the Phillies and Charlie Manuel earlier this season. Look for that during the Padres-Rockies game.