It seems like pretty simple math... You bring back Roy Oswalt from the DL knowing full well that his first start or two is going to be limited. Five to Six innings is really a best case scenario. So who do you send down to make room for him? The best long relief option you have in Vance Worley. As I write this, the Phillies Post Game folks are echoing the same sentiment.
Michael Stutes looked great in the spring has shown flashes of brilliance so far this season, but his skill set as a future major league pitcher is as a one inning type of guy. Vance Worley is the guy you need right now to kill multiple innings. Kyle Kendrick simply cannot be your only option for multiple innings out of the bullpen. When two fifths of your starting rotation is battling through injuries, you HAVE to maintain a bullpen that can get you multiple innings on multiple nights. ESPECIALLY when you're in the midst of a 20 games in 20 days stretch. It's really fundamental.
And don't get me started on the Lance Berkman play at the plate. Berkman, who moves with the speed of a glacier, was sent home on what should have been an easy play at the plate. John Mayberry Jr. makes a reasonable, but not perfect throw to the plate. Dane Sardinha makes an absolutely terrible attempt at a tag, reaching out with the kind of effort that would earn you a seat on the bench on my slowpitch softball team.
As big of a crapfest as that game was, without that run, the Phils are up a run in the 9th inning, Martinez is playing deeper, and that Berkman fly ball ties it up with runners on 1st and third with a very good shot at extra innings... then again, Romero probably would have just served up another 1st pitch volleyball.
Ugh. Frustrating loss.
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