By FRANK WARD
DailyPhiladelphian.com Editor
The last time Kyle Kendrick pitched like pure crap for a lengthy period of time, he was demoted to Allentown — albeit for just four days. This time, Kendrick’s future as a member of the Phillies starting rotation during the stretch run is out of his hands.
Vance Worley, who has all of one inning pitched in The Show, has a chance to grab Kendrick’s spot. Nobody will officially say that so as to not put added pressure on the 22-year-old rookie from Long Beach State. But, the facts show us that Kendrick is getting worse by the start. When he was demoted earlier this season, he had numbers that were OK for a fifth starter. Not any longer. Especially not when you’re primed to pass the Braves for first place in the division.
Vance Worley and his Eric Gagne-type goggles will start for the Phillies on Monday.
In fact, had the Phillies won on Sunday against the lowly Brew Crew, Philadelphia enters its four-game series against the Marlins in a tie for the division lead. Kendrick isn’t solely to blame for the Phils’ 6-2 loss Sunday, but surrendering five runs in four innings doesn’t help.
Kendrick has lost three of his last four starts. Since August 10, he’s given up at least four earned runs in five of his six starts, pitching past the sixth inning just once. When you’re trying to win a fourth straight division championship and put yourself in position to claim the top record in the NL and homefield throughout the playoffs, you can’t have a starter like KK on the mound. You just can’t. How could you possibly justify it?
The problem is, the trading deadlines have come and gone. There is no real other option unless you dig down to the minor leagues. Would you dare put a rookie in that spot? If Worley comes out guns blazing on Monday, he may make the Phillies decision a rather easy one.
The 6-2, 230-pound right hander is a combined 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA at reading and Allentown this year. With the Ironpigs, his record looks shoddy; he’s 1-3. However, his overall numbers are much better. He boasts a 3.77 ERA with 7.1 Ks per nine innings and a 3-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
In his lone inning with the Phils on July 24 against the Rockies, Worley didn’t allow a hit and struck out two batters.
Can Worley continue to show that kind of poise on the mound, especially during a playoff run for a team many are starting to believe can win its second World Championship in three years? Monday will tell us a lot about whether we see Worley the last four weeks, or whether KK gets another start.
Even if Kendrick gets more starts, Worley could be the guy who can save the arms of Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels, while still giving Manuel the opportunity to set up his rotation for the coming series against the Braves.
