NewsBastardo could stick if Phils come up empty
Philadelphia (37-32) at Tampa Bay (38-35), 7:08 p.m. ET
By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
06/24/09 11:38 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- It's no secret the Phillies are looking for pitching help.If they find a starter before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, rookie left-hander Antonio Bastardo most likely would be replaced. But if he keeps pitching well and the Phillies can't find a deal they like, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Bastardo could stick with the team.
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"If he pitches effectively, there's no reason he shouldn't continue to pitch," Amaro said Wednesday. "There's no reason to think we're going to get somebody better than he is."
Bastardo has shown flashes of dominance that he could remain in the rotation. He allowed four runs in seven innings Friday in a loss to the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park, but he allowed three of those runs in the second inning before settling down nicely after that.
Throw out Bastardo's start against the Red Sox on June 13, when he allowed four earned runs in just one inning because of a rain delay, and Bastardo is 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three starts.
Not bad.
But Major League hitters know how to adjust, which means Bastardo will need to adjust, too.
Could Bastardo stick the remainder of the season? It's possible. Right-hander Kyle Kendrick came up in 2007, pitched well and started Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Rockies, so it certainly would not be unprecedented.
Pitching matchupPHI: LHP Antonio Bastardo (2-2, 5.21 ERA)
Bastardo pitched a career-best seven innings and tied his career high with five strikeouts in Friday's 7-2 loss to the Orioles. The rookie left-hander was effective at times, allowing just five hits. He struck out five and walked none, which has to be a good sign. Bastardo threw 108 pitches, 73 for strikes. TB: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (5-7, 6.60 ERA)
Sonnanstine has been looking more like the old Sonnanstine lately, and that means the guy who gets ahead in the count and quickly dispatches of opposing hitters. He allowed four runs against the Mets on Friday night to take his seventh loss of the season, but save for a three-run homer he allowed, he pitched well through six innings. He is a master of deception, employing an array of pitches that he can throw from all different angles. Sonnanstine has never made a regular-season start against the Phillies, but he was the loser in Game 4 of the 2008 World Series. He is 12-9 with a 5.01 ERA in 30 career starts at Tropicana Field. Tidbits
The Phillies scored six runs in the top of the first inning Tuesday on their way to snapping their six-game losing streak. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only one other team in Major League history has scored six or more runs in the first inning at the beginning of a road trip after finishing a homestand with six consecutive losses. That team was the Angels on June 30, 1975, against the Twins at Metropolitan Stadium. ... Jamie Moyer, who picked up the win Tuesday, is 106-0 with eight no-decisions when given a lead of five or more runs. Tickets
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• Friday: Phillies (J.A. Happ, 4-0, 3.47) at Blue Jays (Ricky Romero, 4-3, 3.59), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Phillies (Cole Hamels, 4-3, 4.24) at Blue Jays (Brad Mills, 0-0, 9.82), 1:07 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Phillies (Jamie Moyer, 5-6, 5.97) at Blue Jays (Brian Tallet, 5-4, 4.36), 1:07 p.m. ET
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
