One day after Vance Worley's solid debut against the Marlins, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee declined to provide much insight about how they will proceed with their rotation.
Worley, who allowed two runs in five innings of the Phillies' 7-1 loss to the Marlins in the first game of Monday's doubleheader, drew a positive review from Dubee. But the coach would not say whether Worley had pitched well enough to unseat Kyle Kendrick in the fifth rotation spot.
"When we've got it totally finalized, we just might let you know," Dubee said.
Manuel was similarly evasive.
"We're playing today," he said. "I haven't talked to Dubee about our rotation beyond today. I came to the ballpark to win today."
Right now, the Phillies are lined up with the capability of starting one of their three aces - Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels - in all six games they play against the Braves in the last 2 weeks of the season. That would give each of those pitchers five more starts from tonight to the end of the season.
Righthander Joe Blanton, who pitched last night against the Marlins, would get four starts. That would leave the fifth starter with three more starts: Saturday in New York, at home against Washington on Sept. 18, and on the road in Washington on Sept. 28.
Kendrick, 9-8 with a 4.89 ERA in 29 games, has allowed 18 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings in his last four games. But even when you factor in Sunday's disappointing outing against the Brewers, which he finished with five earned runs in four innings, he is 9-7 with a 4.41 ERA in his last 24 games, not bad for a fifth starter. Plus, the last time he pitched at Citi Field, he held the Mets to one run in 6 2/3 innings of a 3-1 win on Aug. 15.
Still, Worley put his name in the mix with his performance on Monday. He was aggressive with his fastball and mixed in a slider and curveball, while working out of a couple of jams. He allowed a run in the first inning and a solo home run in the second.
"I like the way he competed," Dubee said. "I thought he worked with a good tempo, had a good presence. Sometimes the first start, you give up a run in the first, you can get a little shaken up. But I thought he was fine."
