Myers' Value Increases as a Starter

November 12, 2007 @ 14:50:24

By Steve Ungrey
Edited by Tim Heaney

It was only a month ago when Philadelphia Phillies general manager Pat Gillick told the media he wanted to keep Brett Myers in the closer's role. "Our staff feels that's the place for him, and I don't like flip-flopping guys," he said. "I'm not saying it's etched in stone, but that's where we want him, in the back end. He likes to be in there four or five days a week.”

Gillick isn't normally a flip-flopper, but it isn't every day a team gets the chance to acquire a closer like relief pitcher Brad Lidge.

As a result of Lidge's acquisition from the Houston Astros, Myers loses the closer gig, but the consolation prize isn't bad. It appears Myers will be cut to one or two days a week of work as he is expected to rejoin the Phillies rotation.

Effective Starter

In the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Myers was one of the more effective pitchers in baseball. His 13-8 record in 2005 included a 3.72 ERA, 68 walks and 208 strikeouts. His record of 12-7 the next year included a 3.91 ERA, 63 walks and 189 strikeouts.

Myers didn't have a problem on the field, but off-the-field distractions soon began to creep in. There were allegations of spousal abuse against wife Kim, which were dismissed in October 2006 after she told the courts that she did not want to proceed with the case. That was followed by a lengthy arbitration process that resulted in a three-year, $25.75 million contract on Feb. 1 to avoid the actual hearing.

All that should have cleared his head before the season. Instead, the bottom immediately fell out. Rocked in his first start of the season, Myers appeared to lose his effectiveness, and that prompted manager Charlie Manuel to move Myers to the bullpen to help him regain some confidence. He was soon pressed into closer duty when Tom Gordon went down with shoulder problems, but Myers himself suffered shoulder injuries and had to be sidelined following the May 23 game.

Although the club hinted Myers would return within a few weeks, that soon turned into the end of June and eventually after the All-Star break. He came off the disabled list on July 27 but threw two wild pitches in one game that following week.

His wild streaks continued, magnified by a blowup with veteran Philadelphia Inquirer sports reporter Sam Carchidi when Carchidi asked him questions about serving up several home-run balls in the Phillies' August 25 game. Myers and Carchidi have had run-ins in the past, so this wasn't big news until the latest incident.

Control Issues

Myers finished the 2007 season with a 5-7 record and 4.33 ERA, to go with 27 walks and 83 strikeouts in 68.2 innings pitched. He had 21 saves in 53.1 innings of work as a reliever, demonstrating some effectiveness in the stopper role.

Regardless, the decision to move Myers back into starting duty is a good one. In his last two full years as a starter, Myers recorded 397 strikeouts and 25 victories, so his competence isn't in question.

Myers can bring stability to a rotation that could lose as many as three starting pitchers. Righthanders Freddy Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jon Lieber are all free agents that are hitting the market this offseason, and if all three disappear it will hurt Philadelphia's staff. Still, a 1-2-3 rotation punch of Cole Hamels, Myers and Jamie Moyer would be very effective in a short series. Don't forget that starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick will be around for his first full season.

Fantasy Impact

Myers has the potential to become one of the top pitchers in the National League if his 2005 and 2006 numbers are any indication, and his shoulder issues appear to be out of the way. His temper might be a different story, but even that appears to be a non-issue. Just don't ask him to send Sam Carchidi a Christmas card.

Myers' spot in the rotation as a solid No. 2 behind Hamels appears safe. With that and his good ratios in mind, Myers is highly recommended for pickup on draft days.

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Steve Ungrey

Steve Ungrey has been playing fantasy baseball since 1994. An avid baseball nut, he may be one of the only people who starts the spring training countdown immediately after the final out of the World Series. If there's a fantasy baseball or baseball preview magazine for 2003, chances are he has it. A sportswriter at The Grand Rapids Press, Steve has written for KFFL since 2001, concentrating on improving the site's baseball coverage but also helping the site with its unparalleled football coverage.

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