Oswalt In, Worley Out

As the regular season comes to a close the Philadelphia Phillies have begun to setup their playoff rotation and it might not make fans happy. Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that the Phillies will be moving Vance Worley to the bullpen after his start Wednesday. That would mean Roy Oswalt will be their fourth starter during Red October.

It’s likely the Phillies will move Vance Worley to the bullpen after his start Wednesday to prepare him for that role in the postseason. (Philadelphia Inquirer via Philly.com)

If this is indeed the Phillies decision it’s smart to do so now. There’s nothing worse then trying to have a starting pitcher warm up fast in the late innings of a playoff game. They’re conditioned to take their time in warm ups in hopes of a long outing, it’s totally different as a reliever. They can be called upon and sometimes need to be ready by the end of the current batter. Giving him a week or so to adjust is a great idea.

Now to the actual decision. I may be in the minority but I agree with it. It’s something I’ve said for weeks now, Oswalt needs to be the fourth starter. The main reason is experience.

Worley has had a great rookie season going 11-2 with a 2.85 ERA over 20 starts but Oswalt has been no slouch himself. Yes, he did miss time with a back injury but he’s pitched quite well himself.

Oswalt’s line currently stands at 8-9 with a 3.66 ERA over 21 starts. Most of his struggles came during the month of June when the back injury first surfaced. Since he returned in August he’s gone 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA. Those are numbers definitely worth of a fourth starter.

Looking at those numbers, yes Worley should get the nod BUT those are regular season numbers. When it comes to the postseason experience is what you need more then anything and it’s something Vance has none of. He’s pitched well for a championship caliber team but who knows how he’ll perform when the big lights are on, the postseason is nothing like the regular season.

Oswalt has pitched when those lights are on and proven he can handle the big stage. Over 7 playoff series, Oswalt is 5-1 with a 3.39 ERA over 10 starts. When the pressure is on he doesn’t perform much differently then he has the rest of his career.

In the playoffs, I’d rather go with the sure thing and right now I’d trust Oswalt more in a Game 4 potential clincher or a potential season saver. He’s been there before and that’s why Charlie will be putting him there again.

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Tags: MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Oswalt, Vance Worley