Lieber must be traded

By Michael Rushton
The Phanatic Magazine

Disappointed. Stinks. Piece of meat. Signed here to be a starter.

Those are just some of the words and phrases that came out of Jon Lieber’s mouth upon learning he was, as everyone else had already figured out, heading to the bullpen. And in speaking such honesty, Lieber effectively signed his ticket out of town.

The Phillies, contrary to general manager Pat Gillick’s statement last season about waiting until 2008, think they are built to win this year. Having Lieber around, waiting for the ax to fall once and for all on his desire to start and not pitch in relief, won’t help at all. It will create tension in what the Phillies are trying to keep as a loose dugout. It will also serve as a constant – and annoying – postgame discussion after every game. Then double the second-guessing every time a Phillies starter gets lit up.

We’ve seen off-the-field antics harm a Philly team before, every city has. From Terrell Owens’ antics to Scott Rolen’s desire to desperately leave town, we have experienced unhappiness in the locker room unravel the thread of a team before, dooming them before they had a chance to doom themselves on the field.

That’s why Lieber must go. He deserves a fate better than this anyway. He has started the Phillies last two Opening Days and won 17 games in his first year with the club. Though his record didn’t show it, he pitched well down the stretch last year and would have been a huge asset if Philadelphia had made the postseason. Yet, with the snap of the finger, or more specifically the signing of Adam Eaton, Lieber has gone from ace to chump.

Some argue to keep him around, stash him in the bullpen, and call upon him once an injury hits the rotation; insurance in case Eaton goes down. But is that fair to Lieber, who has been nothing but class since he got here? Besides, if the Phillies are that worried about Eaton getting hurt, doesn’t that call into question his signing anyway?

Lieber deserves to be treated better than that. It’s like that kid you were friends with in elementary school, not because he was cool or fun to hang out with, but because he always had the newest video game or something like that. The day Super Mario Brothers 3 came out, you were at his house for two straight weeks. And once you tired of the game, you cast it and him aside.

There is no guarantee that Lieber works out of the pen anyway. Or how efficient he would be in the rotation after pitching in relief for two weeks. Pitchers are ones of routine that is not to be messed with.

No, the Phillies made their bed when they filled one open rotation spot with two bodies. We knew this day of reckoning was coming, and now it's here and we know what needs to be done.

Lieber must go. He has earned it.