The Phanatic Magazine continues its preseason coverage of the Phillies, profiling one player per day to get you set for the 2007 campaign. Our 35 straight days of Phillies coverage kicked off on February 25th, and will continue to roll until Opening Day on April 2nd. Then we will hand it over to Michael Rushton, who will provide an in-depth season preview before the first pitch is dealt.
DAY 22: Jon Lieber
By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine
Now just a little more than two weeks away from when the Phillies open their season against Atlanta Jon Lieber still finds himself waiting to get traded.
It's simple math. The Phils have six starting pitchers for five spots. Someone is getting jobbed and it won't be Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, or Jamie Moyer. It probably won't even be Adam Eaton, of course that is until he gets hurt, which leaves Jon Lieber.
Amidst talk of who the backup outfielder and catcher will be, or who's going to make the cut for the open bullpen spots, Lieber has quietly gone out and had a nice spring.
He's 0-0 in two starts with a 1.50 earned run average, allowing one run in six innings. More importantly, he's getting ground balls which is the key to his repertoire.
Is he going to Toronto for Alex Rios? Might he be packaged in a deal with Aaron Rowand to the White Sox for Joe Crede, Rob Mackowiak, Mike MacDougal and a minor leaguer or two? It doesn't really matter to Lieber.
He is the classic team guy. The soft-spoken righty even told the Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times, "I'm going to do whatever they tell me to do. If they want me in the bullpen, I'll go down to the bullpen. If they want me to start, I'll start. If they want to trade me, they'll trade me. … I'm just getting ready. I'll be pitching somewhere."
Lieber is a hot commodity in a market that's gone nuts for starting pitching. He's made seven Opening Day starts and is making a bargain-basement $7.5 million in the walk year of his contract.
If it was my decision I never would've signed Adam Eaton, who will be lucky to make it to the All-Star break without a least two trips to the disabled list, but Lieber will almost certainly end up somewhere and be a productive back-of-the-rotation starter.
It seems the only way he will get a staring spot in with the Phillies is if Tom Gordon was lost for a significant time with an injury and Brett Myers was moved into the closer's role.
Remember it was only two years ago that Lieber won 17 games for the Phillies, two years after missing a season with Tommy John surgery. Apparently, Charlie Manuel and Pat Gillick have short memories.
He struggled early last season but he has been a consistent pitcher throughout his career. Lieber went 9-11 with a 4.93 ERA while having three times as many strikeouts as walks.
He really turned it on after the trading deadline when the Phillies were battling for a playoff spot, winning five of his last seven decisions. The 36-year-old also went into the sixth inning in all but one of his last 11 starts in 2006.
Lieber has a career record of 126-115 with a 4.26 ERA in 361 outings, including 314 starts.
The Phillies are going to be in the postseason hunt again and Lieber has got playoff experience, unlike Hamels, Eaton and Myers.
Sadly, the Phils will almost certainly deal Lieber to an American League club, and then be left scratching their heads in June and July when they are looking for a starting pitcher for the stretch run.
Tomorrow: Jamie Moyer
DAY 22: Jon Lieber
By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine
Now just a little more than two weeks away from when the Phillies open their season against Atlanta Jon Lieber still finds himself waiting to get traded.
It's simple math. The Phils have six starting pitchers for five spots. Someone is getting jobbed and it won't be Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, or Jamie Moyer. It probably won't even be Adam Eaton, of course that is until he gets hurt, which leaves Jon Lieber.
Amidst talk of who the backup outfielder and catcher will be, or who's going to make the cut for the open bullpen spots, Lieber has quietly gone out and had a nice spring.
He's 0-0 in two starts with a 1.50 earned run average, allowing one run in six innings. More importantly, he's getting ground balls which is the key to his repertoire.
Is he going to Toronto for Alex Rios? Might he be packaged in a deal with Aaron Rowand to the White Sox for Joe Crede, Rob Mackowiak, Mike MacDougal and a minor leaguer or two? It doesn't really matter to Lieber.
He is the classic team guy. The soft-spoken righty even told the Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times, "I'm going to do whatever they tell me to do. If they want me in the bullpen, I'll go down to the bullpen. If they want me to start, I'll start. If they want to trade me, they'll trade me. … I'm just getting ready. I'll be pitching somewhere."
Lieber is a hot commodity in a market that's gone nuts for starting pitching. He's made seven Opening Day starts and is making a bargain-basement $7.5 million in the walk year of his contract.
If it was my decision I never would've signed Adam Eaton, who will be lucky to make it to the All-Star break without a least two trips to the disabled list, but Lieber will almost certainly end up somewhere and be a productive back-of-the-rotation starter.
It seems the only way he will get a staring spot in with the Phillies is if Tom Gordon was lost for a significant time with an injury and Brett Myers was moved into the closer's role.
Remember it was only two years ago that Lieber won 17 games for the Phillies, two years after missing a season with Tommy John surgery. Apparently, Charlie Manuel and Pat Gillick have short memories.
He struggled early last season but he has been a consistent pitcher throughout his career. Lieber went 9-11 with a 4.93 ERA while having three times as many strikeouts as walks.
He really turned it on after the trading deadline when the Phillies were battling for a playoff spot, winning five of his last seven decisions. The 36-year-old also went into the sixth inning in all but one of his last 11 starts in 2006.
Lieber has a career record of 126-115 with a 4.26 ERA in 361 outings, including 314 starts.
The Phillies are going to be in the postseason hunt again and Lieber has got playoff experience, unlike Hamels, Eaton and Myers.
Sadly, the Phils will almost certainly deal Lieber to an American League club, and then be left scratching their heads in June and July when they are looking for a starting pitcher for the stretch run.
Tomorrow: Jamie Moyer
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