Breaking news: Happ will make ML debut Saturday

Ottawa left-hander J.A. Happ will have his contract purchased to pitch Saturday's game against Jorge Sosa and the Mets, as reported in today's press notes. [Link]

The 24-year-old former third-round pick is 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 13 starts for the Lynx. He missed two starts between May and June with soreness in his pitching elbow and has been used sparingly this season, pitching into the seventh inning only once all year. His last start in Columbus, he went five innings and allowed three earned runs.

A Northwestern University product, Baseball America rated Happ as the Phillies' eighth best prospect after a dominant 2006 season, in which he moved three levels through the Phillies' system. He also pitched in six spring training games with the Phils including four starts, going 0-2 with a 6.98 ERA.

In related news, Adam Eaton is still scheduled to pitch tomorrow night’s game against the Reds. There had been speculation his start would be pushed back to Friday against the stronger Mets, with J.D. Durbin getting the start tomorrow. The Phillies will need to make 40-man roster moves for both Durbin and Happ, and also clear space on the active roster.

Comments

[J. Weitzel]

I'm not going to complain if Eaton faces the Reds instead of the Mets. Eaton isn't exactly a ringer. His first start against the Mets was in 40-degree weather. The second was six innings, two runs. Whoopie-damn-doo.

[R.Billingsly]

There is no sarcasm whatsoever in this question, but is there any insight in why they would not start Durbin tomorrow and Eaton on Friday? I'm trying to find a logical reason why they won't, but I've been coming up empty. Does the time between starts not work out? What am I missing?

Your help is appreciated.

[R.Billingsly]

Not that Eaton has been exactly lighting it up, but would it be better for the inexperienced Durbin to get his feet wet against a poor team rather than a division rival in the opening game of a big series?

[J. Weitzel]

They still have time to change their minds. And also, the pitching assignments haven't been determined for Friday, as in, whether Durbin or Hamels pitches the afternoon opener, although Hamels is much better at night.

[gr]

happ has a blog here: http://jahapp.mlblogs.com/

maybe he'll update it now that he's made the show?

[clout]

Billingsly: I'll take a wild stab here at their thinking, even though I prefer Eaton vs. the Mets. Eaton pitched Saturday and threw 92 pitches. His regular turn is tomorrow night. Most pitchers prefer to pitch on their regular day. Plus, if they hold Eaton back a day that means Durbin gets 2 starts, one tomorrow and one next Tuesday at Houston. Next Thursday is an off day. By starting Eaton on his regular day you go Durbin & Hamels on Friday and then Happ, Kendrick, Moyer, Eaton, Hamels and off day. Voila! Durbin only has to make one start.

[R.Billingsly]

Thanks, Clout. There had to be a reason in there somewhere.

[Tim from Williamsport]

That makes perfect sense, I think pitching Eaton (with a win tonight) gets the Phils a sweep. Happ and Durbin are probably going to get shelled but with the lineup as it was last night maybe the Phils can outbat the Mets, who are still in the midst of a hitting slump that doesn't look as if they are going to break out of anytime soon. Although pitching against two double A prospects might help facilitate that. The sweep the Reds and then split the series against New York, i'm OK with that.

[yt]

I think Clout makes and excellent point, but I am sadly not convinced anyone in this organization is smart enough to see this or bothers too think that far ahead, this is a good move by accident if I ever saw one.

[TJ]

There is something seriously wrong with this team that I can't recognize the names of three out of the next six starting pitchers and it's not even the All-Star break. I am amazed that this team is poised to snatch the NL East lead from anyone at this point in the season.

[CJ]

Yeah, TJ, it's called injuries.

[Sophist]

I disagree that the injuries (with the exception of Howard early on and Myers) are a serious problem for the Phils, although they are a reason for the lack of recognizable names in the rotation. I've noticed plenty of despairation with the team in the past week or so, but the Phillies are one of the most entertaining teams in the league -- just look at last night's lineup.

They're first in the NL in runs scored (almost 20 more than the second-place Brewers), and are, despite all the injuries, 12 or 13 games over .500 since a shaky start. Currently, only Myer's injury is a loss on the field -- the other injured players, Garcia and Leiber, were playing at or near replacement level. Kendrick has pitched better than Garcia, in fact. Leiber is overweight. What's more, the Phils pen has been great of late. Sanches is showing promise; Madson hasn't allowed a run in 4 of his last 5 appearances; Geary, after a horrible June, seems to be getting back to pitching as he was in April and May; Zagurski, with the exception of his role in the CLE game, has been a very good.

Of course, if Garcia hadn't been damaged goods and gave the Phils what he gave the Sox last year, the Phils would probably be in first. But complaining about the wasted money on Garcia is like complaining about the decision to go to war in Iraq. The relevant question is what Gillick at the rest should do now, and they have a few players (Burrell, Helms/Nunez, Ruiz/Bara) that could be shipped out at 60 cents on the dollar for some pitching, preferably starting pitching.

[SirAlden]

What good starting pitcher would be give up to get (Burrell, Helms/Nunez, Ruiz/Bara)?

Noone would even give us a good starting pitcher for Abreu.

Pitching will come from within, or for our prospects for pitchers about to go into free-agency.