Hot off the Wire news, rumors and tips

Phillies | Manuel impressed by Bastardo

Andy Martino, of the Philadelphia Inquirer, reports Philadelphia Phillies SP Antonio Bastardo impressed manager Charlie Manuel with his six-inning, one-run outing Tuesday, June 2. "It wasn't like his command was great," Manuel said. "What happened was, he had stuff. He was up and down, and he might just have been wild enough to be effective. But now his fastball is definitely good enough. He surprised me with his fastball. I didn't realize he could throw that hard. I saw his slider in spring training. He's got a good slider, and he's got a good change-up." The Phillies aren't sure what Bastardo's role will be in the future, though they haven't ruled him out as a reliever. Pitching coach Rich Dubee said Bastardo's 95 mph fastball and effective slider could make him an effective reliever.

2009-06-04 16:23:40 | Source:

Access more Charlie Manuel news and rumors by clicking here....

Access more Rich Dubee news and rumors by clicking here....

Access more Antonio Bastardo news and rumors by clicking here....