The Phillies still haven't decided who will take Brett Myers' place in the rotation.
If they don't want to mess with the bullpen and give Chad Durbin a look... J.A. Happ
is a pretty good possibility. It would make a good story because Happ coincidentally pitched against the Mets, who he would face Friday or Saturday, in his one and only major league game last year.
In the don't-pat-yourself-too-hard-on-the-back department, I did write back in spring training about how Happ was the overlooked minor league pitcher in the big league camp. While everyone was trying to track down "the next Kendrick" in talking to every newly-hyped minor league pitcher, I caught up with Happ, who clearly had something to prove after a lacklucter 2007.
(I would post the link here, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, the links aren't working any longer from our archived stories. So much for that idea...)
Happ has done well at Lehigh Valley this year. The 25-year-old left-hander is 5-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 starts.
Here's the story (not the link), but the actual text from spring training:
By RYAN LAWRENCE
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Like a pack of teenage girls chasing down the latest, greatest pop star, a group of reporters sought out the Phillies newest, prized pitching prospect in front of his locker early Sunday morning.
Joe Savery, who will take the mound to open the 2008 exhibition season Tuesday, answered the questions amiably and soaked in the attention that comes with his first, professional baseball camp since being drafted as the team’s top pick last summer.
Savery is also on a short list of young pitchers, with top-prospect Carlos Carrasco and hard-throwing lefty Josh Outman, who receive daily praise from Phillies manager Charlie Manuel in his meetings with the press.
Meanwhile, not unlike at least a dozen other players inside the Bright House Networks clubhouse, J.A. Happ goes about his work in relative obscurity.
For the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Happ, one of the more popular young pitchers in camp a year ago who even participated in a “first time in big league camp” blog via mlb.com, that may not be such a bad thing.
“You can kind of go under the radar and bit and say, ‘Hey, I’m gonna show you,” said Phillies assistant G.M. Mike Arbuckle. “Kids can react two ways - They can say ‘Aw cripes, these other guys are getting all the attention, or other guys will say, ‘Okay, that’s alright, I’m going to show them who’s going to be the guy at the end of the day.
“I think (Happ is) a competitor who’s going to step up and say, ‘I’ll show everybody.’”
Just one year ago, Happ, a 25-year old left-handed pitcher, was one of the more popular, trendy picks as a pitching prospect that could contribute soon at the big-league level. While others have received more praise this time around, Happ has the right mindset.
“We’ve got some good guys coming up… but at the same time I want to make sure you let them know there are other guys still here,” Happ said. “That’s what I’m trying to do, prove last year was last year and that this year is a new year.”
Happ struggled in 2007. He finished 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 24 games (all starts) at Triple-A Ottawa.
But he was also injured. The lefty made a trip to the disabled list in June with an elbow injury that continued to linger.
When asked by the team to take part in the Arizona Fall League, Happ came clean with his arm ailment.
“I think he was one of these kids who felt he was right there, just about in the big leagues and he wasn’t going to say anything - so he was not as effective all year,” Arbuckle said. “I won’t say it was a wasted year, but it was a year where he was treading water.”
Happ, now entering his fourth, full, professional season since being drafted by the Phillies in the third round of the 2004 draft, has showed signs of “getting back on track” thus far, according to Arbuckle. Although he’ll likely start the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he’s feeling better and confident he can pitch himself back onto the radar this spring.
“I probably pushed it a little too hard coming back from injury (last year) and I learned from that experience; you have to give yourself time to rest, and be honest with yourself,” Happ said. “Lesson learned; this is new year.”
An Illinois native and former Northwestern University pitcher who makes his off-season home outside of Chicago, Happ spent his time away from baseball fine-tuning his most important instrument. Along with lifting weights and cardio, Happ routinely practiced exercises to strengthen his left arm.
He said it’s “responding well” and hopes to show that if he gets into the Phillies exhibition opening on Tuesday night, when he believes he’s scheduled to pitch next.
“I think we’ll see a guy who’s back on track this spring now that his arm is feeling good and he’s ready to go again,” Arbuckle said.
The goal, as is for everyone tapped for the minor leagues, is to earn an extended stay in Philadelphia. Happ made his major league debut on June 30 – in a rocky, 8-3 defeat to the New York Mets.
Despite the final result, and the fact that he was back on a plane bound for Ottawa after the game, Happ called the game an “awesome, great experience.”
“I learned a lot… hopefully I get another chance against (the Mets),” Happ said.
But he’s also learned not to rush the process. If he pitches to his capabilities and stays healthy, Happ is confident he’ll pitch himself back into the picture and earn another opportunity.
“Just being around (the major leagues) and knowing the guys, the pitchers - I feel like I can compete with their stuff,” Happ said. “It’s a matter of consistency, and that’s what I’m going to try to prove.”