Phillies Baseball

J.A. Happ was informed by pitching coach Rich Dubee that he made it onto Charlie Manuel’s postseason roster for the NLDS.

The Phillies have to set their roster by 10am Wednesday morning.

With Happ in it might mean that veteran righty Rudy Seanez might be left off of the postseason roster. That doesn’t make sense though. Seanez should make the team over struggling starter Kyle Kendrick.

Kendrick had a decent first half to the season but struggled mightily after the All-Star break; allowing Happ to make a case for himself as a starter and long reliever.

In other Phillies news; left fielder Pat Burrell left practice early on Tuesday after feeling discomfort in his back after taking swings during batting practice.

He will be re-evaluated Wednesday morning and a decision will be made as to who starts in left field after that. It could either be Matt Stairs or Geoff Jenkins in left field for game one against the Brewers.

Major League baseball announced on Tuesday that Phillies closer Brad Lidge has been named the 2008 National League Comeback Player of the Year.

Lidge finished the season 41 for 41 in saves, with the most important one coming on September 27 against the Washington Nationals. It was his 41st save of the season and it clinched the National League East title for the second straight season for the Phillies.

Lidge finished the 2008 regular season with a 2-0 record and a 1.95 ERA in 72 games. He tallied 92 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

The Phillies acquired Lidge along with infielder/outfielder Eric Bruntlett from the Houston Astros in the offseason for pitcher Geoff Geary, outfielder Michael Bourn and minor leaguer Mike Costanzo.

The trade will likely go down as one of the best in Pat Gillick’s storied career as a baseball executive and the best in 2008 for the Phillies. Without Lidge, the Phillies would have had to turn to either converted starter and hot head Brett Myers or the oft-injured Tom Gordon to close out games.

Myers was shipped to the minors mid-season to straighten out his mental problems, known as relearning how to be a starter, and Gordon was put on the shelf midway through the season and will more than likely require Tommy John Surgery.

So congratulations to Phillies closer Brad Lidge for earning the 2008 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award for 2008. He was the only NL closer to finish perfect in saves (100%).

The Brewers have not made it official yet but there are rumors swirling that Yovani Gallardo will be starting game one of the NLDS in Philadelphia against the Phillies on Wednesday.

Stay tuned for more…

The Phillies announced late Monday the next two starters for Games two and three of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

After Cole Hamels starts game one on Wednesday for the Phillies he will be followed by Brett Myers in game two and Jamie Moyer in game three. Game three will take place in Milwaukee.

Jamie Moyer is no stranger to big game situations. He was the winning pitcher in game 162 of the 2007 season when the Phillies clinched the NL East title and their first playoff appearance since 1993. Moyer most recently was the winning pitcher, his 16th of the season, on Saturday when the Phillies clinched their second straight division title and second consecutive postseason appearance.

This is the first time since 1980-81 that the Phillies are making back to back postseason appearances.

The Phillies sent lefty reliever Fabio Castro to the Blue Jays as the player to be named later in the trade for Matt Stairs.

Stairs hit his second homerun as a Phillie in the season finale on Sunday as a pinch hitter. He went back to back with rookie catcher Lou Marson, who hit his first career homerun before Stairs hit his.

Castro has spent time in the Majors with the Texas Rangers in 2006 and the Phillies in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Castro was called up in 2008 but did not pitch in a game for the Phillies.

He spent the majority of the season at Double-A Reading, going 8-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 27 games, 16 of them starts. He struck out 95 batters in 110.1 innings pitched. He went 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

For his Major League career, Castro is 0-1 in 30 games with a 3.30 ERA. He has 32 strikeouts in just over 47 innings pitched.

Castro was acquired by the Phillies on June 29, 2006 when they sent Daniel Haigwood to the Rangers for the lefty reliever. Haigwood was one of the players acquired by the Phillies from the White Sox for Jim Thome.