by John Ryan
The daily operations of the Philadelphia Phillies are not unlike your favorite retail store: there’s an enforced budget, a goal for the given 
fiscal year, marketing concerns, public relations concerns, and a food-chain if you will of who’s making decisions. This wouldn’t be a problem or concern if we weren’t talking about a professional baseball team. As of right now, the collective bargaining agreement, negotiated in good faith by both the players association and the owners, and agreed upon just a few short years ago, contains no mention of a salary cap. Not a hard cap, not a soft cap, not a baseball cap. The Phillies, however, act like the Wal-Mart of baseball and act upon a strict budget from bottom-line conscious owners.
The point of this rant? The point, Phillies fans, is that Carlos Carrasco is not on our expanded
active 40-man roster in Philadelphia. Instead, he languishes on a team more buried than Jimmy Hoffa (the Lehigh-Valley Iron Pigs) and the Phillies send out the likes of Adam Eaton again. On Monday the Phillies called up Greg Golson, Lou Marson, Adam Eaton and J.A. Happ. With the exception of Eaton, they will help. But why not Carrasco? Money is why not. If he gets called up his arbitration clocks ticks away much like Ryan Howard’s did when he had his cup of coffee a few years ago, and the Phillies get queasy when thinking of potential pitching superstars one major league service day closer to demanding MULTI-year contracts. The Phillies also missed on a few other call-ups this time around, mainly because that’s more money they will earn on a big league roster.
Charlie Manuel has repeatedly said he likes using a lot of catchers, particularly with Coste having a strong bat to pinch hit when Ruiz catches. Why not call up Jason Jaramillo as well as Marson? He’s in AAA and close to ready? Why not have the extra hitter? Why not give youngsters valuable experience for next year and beyond by giving them a taste of a major league club house even if they get in no games? Money, money, and money.
Consider this: The Mets made 10 call-ups. The Diamondbacks made 8. Heck, the Philadelphia Eagles have 7 guys on their practice squad. As of press time for this article, Les Walrond, Mike Cervenak, and Andy Tracy were called up bringing the number to seven. But isn’t the idea to bring up guys to help you? Apparently not if you know they are just waiting in the wings to count their bucks. Cervenak versus Jason Donald? Carrasco versus Walrond? Who would you pick?
Great points, they should have called-up Carrasco and stuck him in the 8th inning at this point…whats the hurt of another arm in the pen…a quality arm, not a journeyman arm like Warlrond
100% AGREE! Has to be better than trotting out Seanez and Condrey.
Does it really suprise you the way that they operate?
Carrasco wanted to be home with his family, if you recall his home was broken into and his family was held at gun point, he asked to go home.
They didn’t call him up because they don’t need him right now, man. He is better off staying in the minors and getting consistent starts. He has had a good season but certainly nothing overwhelming – he’s 9-9 between double A and AAA pitching, and has gotten consistently better. I think you have a point about them not wanting to start his major league time, but guess what? Myers is playing well, Hamels is an ace, Moyer has been great, Blanton is average but going to start, and Kendrick is hit and miss. So we add him to the bullpen and have him pitch a few innings a week as opposed to starting? Point is it’s a defendable move. The Phillies spend money – they’re just at a point now where they are coming out of the disastrous Ed Wade years and their farm system is bearing the fruits of good drafting the past 5 years. So they can’t make some of the trades that the Cubs, Brewers, BoSox, Yankees, etc, can make.
@Brandon
Sorry, but I think the season’s over. So there’s no more consistent starts. And if I’m not mistaken, he’s back in Venezuela. Still think it’s justifiable?
I heard on the radio today that he went back to venezuela. The AAA season ended, hence all the SEPT call-ups.
while i agree that pat gillick makes all the right moves [the only exception being adam eaton], it kind of stinks they can’t bring up carrasco. not much we can do about it, venezuela needs him