The Final Roster & Starters Named

The final roster does not include Eric Bruntlett, Clay Condrey, or Tyler Walker. Instead, it will feature Miguel Cairo, Antonio Bastardo, and Kyle Kendrick.

A year ago, Bruntlett scored the game winning run in game five of the World Series. Bruntlett highlighted this season with an unassisted triple play, but that couldn’t overshadow his .171 average. Clay Condrey had a 3.00 ERA, but was plagued with injuries all season. For awhile, it looked like Tyler Walker earned a spot on the postseason roster, but he fell apart at the end of the season.

Miguel Cairo made a strong push in the last two weeks of the season. Cairo batted .267 overall, and ended the season 5-for-13 (.385) with a homer. The Phillies made an interesting move by adding rookie Antonio Bastardo to the roster. The Phillies are in need of a left-handed pitcher. Bastardo will likely be in the same role that J.A Happ was in last year. Bastardo breezed through the farm system, but went 2-3 with an ERA over six with the big club.

Kyle Kendrick does not forget 2007 when he started against the Rockies in the NLDS. Charlie Manuel pulled him, in what many felt to be too soon. He’ll be given another opportunity, but out of the bullpen this time. He pitched well in Triple-A this season, and had a 3.42 ERA in the majors this year.

Cliff Lee was tabbed for game one of the series. Cole Hamels will start game two. Joe Blanton and J.A Happ will likely be available in the bullpen for the first two games. It is unsure as to what Pedro Martinez's role will be, but he will likely pitch out of the bullpen.

In other news, J.C Romero will need surgery. He will miss 3-4 months. In Rockies news, Jorge De La Rosa will not pitch in the NLDS.

Blog of Note: Phillies Phanatics had a round table discussion. I was part of the discussion with several other Phillies bloggers. Check it out!

Injuries and Elimination

Brett Myers was activated from the disabled list today. To make room on the 40-man roster, Joe Bisenius was out-righted to Lehigh Valley.

As one man returns, another suffers a setback. Clay Condrey’s (oblique) rehab assignment was pushed back because of a setback to his slow-healing muscle.

Ruben Amaro said that it is “possible” that Condrey could be done for the season, but won’t know details until Condrey visits the team physician next week.

Johan Santana, among others are finished with 2009. You can add Grady Sizemore to the list. His season is over. The Cleveland Indian's star center fielder will go under the knife for season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow. Sizemore batted .248 with 18 HR, 64 RBI, and 13 SB this season.

The season is also over for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. They were both eliminated from their divisions. Well, they still have hope. The Orioles are 24.5 games out of the Wild Card. The Nationals are 28 games out, but the elimination number is down to one.

The Phillies magic number is down to 22.

Vote for the Pepsi "Clutch" Performer of the Month! Clifton Phifer Lee is a nominee.

Minor Moves

The Phillies made some minor transactions today:

• Paul Hoover was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room for Hoover on the 40-man roster, catcher Joel Naughton was designated for assignment.

The 33-year-old catcher batted .253 with one home run with the IronPigs. The move adds another catcher to the September roster. He played in the majors last season with the Marlins. He batted .200 (8-for-40), and is a career .230 hitter. It's also notable that he does not have a Major League home run.

Naughton batted .240 with 7 HR and 34 RBI in Single-A Clearwater this season.

• The Phillies activated Antonio Bastardo from the 60-day disabled list. He was optioned to Double-A Reading. To make room for Bastardo, Steven Register was designated for assignment.

Bastardo was 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA in five starts with the Phillies. Register went 1-3 with a 3.20 ERA with the IronPigs. He pitched one game with the big club this season.

• Clay Condrey (left oblique strain) is scheduled to make a rehab assignment on Saturday.

Condrey, who has been on the DL since July 23, is 6-2 with a 3.41 ERA this season.

• Even though the postseason roster deadline is up, the Phillies may still have interest in Nomar Garciaparra, who cleared waivers a while ago.

The Phillies are in need of a right handed bat off the bench, and Nomar would provide that. He is currently with teh Oakland A's.

• Brett Myers will be activated tomorrow prior to the game against the Houston Astros.

Myers, who recovered from hip surgery, will likely start pitching in the 6th and 7th innings. Myers was 4-3 with a 4.66 ERA in 10 starts this year. In four rehab appearances, he pitched eight innings allowing one run. He struck out 14.

If this video doesn't get you pumped for the postseason, then I don't know what does. Bon Jovi, baseball, and oh yeah the reigning World Champs are featured several times.

Also, my mad photography skills were featured on the blog Who Does He Play For?

Bullpen Moves

Clay Condrey was placed on the disabled list. Steven Register has been called up. Register has a 2.88 ERA in 25 innings with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Condrey just returned from a stint on the disabled list.

In addition, Kyle Kendrick replaces Andrew Carpenter in the bullpen. Carpenter made two appearances out of the bullpen. He allowed two earned runs in 1 and 1/3 of an inning. Kendrick allowed 3 earned runs in 2 innings in the Phillies bullpen earlier this season.

Condrey Placed on DL

Clay Condrey will be placed on the 15-day disabled list today with an oblique strain. Left handed relief pitcher Sergio Escalona will be recalled from Tripe-A Lehigh Valley.

Condrey is 4-2 with a 3.71 ERA this season. He was an unsung hero this season, but struggled in his last two outings allowing 6 earned runs in 0.1 innings.

Blog of Note: Phoul Ballz is having a contest to win tickets to a Reading Phillies game! Answer the trivia question for your chance to win.

Call of the Day: Tommy Greene threw a no hitter in 1991.

"All eyes are on Tommy Greene. 2 outs, no base runners, ninth inning. Greene
working on a no hit no run game. Tim Wallach, who is 0-1 has walked, line to
right and walked. Hard ground ball! Great grab Greene! It's over! He's pitched a
no hit, no run game, making the final out himself! Tommy Greene a no hitter! And
he is really being mobbed by the entire Phillie bench. What an effort by Tommy
Greene. Terry Muholland who pitched the last Phillies no hitter at Veterans
Stadium against San Francisco last year, one of the first ones out. That young
man has to be really excited. The appreciative Montreal fans even though they
lost giving Tommy Greene a standing ovation. What a thrill for the 24 year old
from North Carolina."