GaryMrMets
03-16-2002, 06:57 PM
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/phi/news/phi_news_story.jsp?article_id=phi_20020316_person_ news&team_id=phi
News
3/16/2002 11:30 am ET
Person tabbed to open for Phillies
By Ken Mandel
MLB.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- On another hot day in Florida, Robert Person wasn't.
"He said 'Cool,' " said Phillies manager Larry Bowa on Person's reaction to being named Saturday to start Opening Day April 1 at Atlanta. "If it weren't for Person last year, we wouldn't have been close to being in the race."
Person, the clear ace of the Phillies last season, when he went 15-7 with a 4.19 ERA, has been anything but hot this spring. His ERA is 19.13 and he has allowed 18 hits in eight innings, including five home runs. He was particularly upset after his last outing against the Reds, when he allowed five runs on six hits and two walks.
After leaving that game, he had an angry bullpen session with pitching coach Vern Ruhle, who along with Bowa openly questioned his willingness to improve. The outbursts were later attributed to frustration. Person said confidence in his pitches was an issue, and the situation may have been exaggerated by not having been named the Opening Day starter.
Bowa said it wasn't a factor.
"It didn't take a rocket scientist to backtrack from the first of April to where he was pitching," said Bowa. "He was scheduled to pitch Opening Day. That has not been taken off its course at all.
"I think it's a honor every time you're an Opening Day pitcher. There's only one Opening Day. It's just a big honor to get the ball Opening Day."
Person agreed.
"Behind closed doors, me and Larry, we've had discussions," Person said. "Each day he knew where I stood. It wasn't like I was doubting and biting my fingernails every day. It was just a matter of him saying it. It's not solving my problems or anything. That really wasn't an issue for me in the first place." Person's next start is scheduled to be Sunday against Triple-A hitters at the Carpenter Complex.
"We got to get him straightened out or we're going to be in trouble," said Bowa.
Person is expected to face long-time Atlanta ace Greg Maddux on Opening Day.
In his last start of 2001, Person coughed up seven runs on nine hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings in one game of a key weekend series against the Braves that ultimately decided the decision.
"We ended last season there on a bad note," he said. "Hopefully, we'll start this season on a good note and that might set the tone for the rest of the series ... and the season, you never know. I don't think we're going to sneak up on anybody this year."
Down to three
The cloudy fifth-starter spot became a bit clearer Saturday, when Bowa said Cliff Politte and Nelson Figueroa are no longer in the running for the job, and will compete for jobs in the bullpen.
"I want to be honest with them," said Bowa. "I've got to get their minds set that they're going to be coming into the game in relief. Stuff-wise, I'm sure Cliff and Figgy can both start, it's just that right now we're in a situation where we're pretty deep there."
Bowa said neither player should look at it as a demotion.
"I don't like players that think the bullpen is a demotion because it's not," he said. "It's a very important part of being successful in the big leagues, and if you don't have quality people down there, you're in trouble."
Politte said he wouldn't mind pitching out of the pen, as he did last year after returning from an injury. Figueroa also echoed that sentiment. Both pitchers are out of options, and their chances of making the team are largely dependent on some factors, including how many lefty relievers Bowa decides to carry and the status of Turk Wendell's elbow tendinitis.
Of the three remaining contenders -- Vicente Padilla, David Coggin and Brett Myers -- Bowa said no one is leading.
"We still have two weeks," Bowa said.
Ken Mandel covers the Phillies for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Robert Person, pictured, is expected to face the Braves' Greg Maddux on Opening Day.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/mlb/photo/2002_news/p/person_robert/0305_person_robert288.jpg
News
3/16/2002 11:30 am ET
Person tabbed to open for Phillies
By Ken Mandel
MLB.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- On another hot day in Florida, Robert Person wasn't.
"He said 'Cool,' " said Phillies manager Larry Bowa on Person's reaction to being named Saturday to start Opening Day April 1 at Atlanta. "If it weren't for Person last year, we wouldn't have been close to being in the race."
Person, the clear ace of the Phillies last season, when he went 15-7 with a 4.19 ERA, has been anything but hot this spring. His ERA is 19.13 and he has allowed 18 hits in eight innings, including five home runs. He was particularly upset after his last outing against the Reds, when he allowed five runs on six hits and two walks.
After leaving that game, he had an angry bullpen session with pitching coach Vern Ruhle, who along with Bowa openly questioned his willingness to improve. The outbursts were later attributed to frustration. Person said confidence in his pitches was an issue, and the situation may have been exaggerated by not having been named the Opening Day starter.
Bowa said it wasn't a factor.
"It didn't take a rocket scientist to backtrack from the first of April to where he was pitching," said Bowa. "He was scheduled to pitch Opening Day. That has not been taken off its course at all.
"I think it's a honor every time you're an Opening Day pitcher. There's only one Opening Day. It's just a big honor to get the ball Opening Day."
Person agreed.
"Behind closed doors, me and Larry, we've had discussions," Person said. "Each day he knew where I stood. It wasn't like I was doubting and biting my fingernails every day. It was just a matter of him saying it. It's not solving my problems or anything. That really wasn't an issue for me in the first place." Person's next start is scheduled to be Sunday against Triple-A hitters at the Carpenter Complex.
"We got to get him straightened out or we're going to be in trouble," said Bowa.
Person is expected to face long-time Atlanta ace Greg Maddux on Opening Day.
In his last start of 2001, Person coughed up seven runs on nine hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings in one game of a key weekend series against the Braves that ultimately decided the decision.
"We ended last season there on a bad note," he said. "Hopefully, we'll start this season on a good note and that might set the tone for the rest of the series ... and the season, you never know. I don't think we're going to sneak up on anybody this year."
Down to three
The cloudy fifth-starter spot became a bit clearer Saturday, when Bowa said Cliff Politte and Nelson Figueroa are no longer in the running for the job, and will compete for jobs in the bullpen.
"I want to be honest with them," said Bowa. "I've got to get their minds set that they're going to be coming into the game in relief. Stuff-wise, I'm sure Cliff and Figgy can both start, it's just that right now we're in a situation where we're pretty deep there."
Bowa said neither player should look at it as a demotion.
"I don't like players that think the bullpen is a demotion because it's not," he said. "It's a very important part of being successful in the big leagues, and if you don't have quality people down there, you're in trouble."
Politte said he wouldn't mind pitching out of the pen, as he did last year after returning from an injury. Figueroa also echoed that sentiment. Both pitchers are out of options, and their chances of making the team are largely dependent on some factors, including how many lefty relievers Bowa decides to carry and the status of Turk Wendell's elbow tendinitis.
Of the three remaining contenders -- Vicente Padilla, David Coggin and Brett Myers -- Bowa said no one is leading.
"We still have two weeks," Bowa said.
Ken Mandel covers the Phillies for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Robert Person, pictured, is expected to face the Braves' Greg Maddux on Opening Day.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/mlb/photo/2002_news/p/person_robert/0305_person_robert288.jpg