Who Will Be The Phils 5th Starter?

Baseball season is right around the corner and TheWizWit [dot] com is here to get you prepared with more Phillies knowledge than your tiny little brain can handle. Over the next few weeks we're going to answer a multitude of questions facing our 2010 Fightin' Phils, all leading up to the ultimate question: Will the Phillies win the World Series? [The answer, yes.]

Jamie Moyer vs Kyle Kendrick vs Antonio Bastardo vs Jose Contreras - one of these four will take the hill every 5th day…

This one is pretty easy - the job is Jamie Moyer's to lose. While Moyer pitched well in relief appearances last season, he's simply not a relief pitcher. If Charlie Manuel has shown us anything, it’s that he’s loyal to his veterans. But that certainly doesn't mean Charlie will give him a full year’s worth of slack. Should he falter as bad as he did last season, he'll get pulled. Charlie has already showed us that he’ll do it, if necessary.

However, with Moyer’s recent injury problems, he may not be ready to make his first start of the year on time - or make it through the rigors of a full season for that matter. Keep in mind Saint Jamie is 47 years old, has been in and out of the hospital for various ailments since October, and just had minor knee surgery a month ago. If Jamie can't keep it together (from both a pitching and physical standpoint) the ball goes to Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick showed some promise last year, and shouldn’t scare you as much as you think he should. I mean, I get nervous when he takes the mound too, but he does have some talent and is young enough where we shouldn’t give up on him or anything. His sad 2008 shouldn’t sour you on him. Honestly, between Moyer and Kendrick, you really could do far worse as a 5th starter.

Bastardo and Contreras are afterthoughts. Bastardo is going to be a reliever on this team and doesn't really figure into the starting rotation plans for 2010. Contreras was an interesting pick up by the Phils. Should Moyer and Kendrick fail or fall victim to injury, Contreras would likely slide in. Contreras has a ton of big league experience and has the ability to help this team in either a starting or relief role. But let’s remember, Contreras isn't much younger than Jamie at “38” years (God knows his real age is somewhere in his early 40’s), so temper your expectations with him. There’s a reason he was picked up off the street.

All in all, the Phillies have options should things not go to plan. But out of the gate, the plan is to trot out Old Man Moyer… health willing.