Park Gets Hammered Again

After two pretty good starts in a row, Chan Ho Park didn't make it out of the second inning today against the Washington Nationals.  Here's his ugly line for today's game: 1.1 innings pitched, 5 hits, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts.  His ERA is now a huge 7.08, and that's after two good outings in his prior two starts.  It's pretty clear that the experiment has been a dismal failure, and that it's time for him to take a seat in the bullpen.  Perhaps he will be more effective in long relief.

What's also clear, from consistent performances all season to date, is that Charlie Manuel needs to find a place for J. A. Happ in this starting rotation.  Happ has been consistently excellent all season long, and the poor guy just can't buy a start.  He was supposed to start the first game of yesterday's split double header with the Nationals, but because he was needed on Friday night, he couldn't start yesterday.  

I think that Park is a battler, and I appreciate that about him.  However, his battling does no good if he can't get anyone out.  That's the bottom line.  It does the team no good if he gets torched every start and they have to try to come back from a serious deficit as they did today.  The Phillies are a great come-from-behind team, but I'd rather get a lead and hold it than have to try to come back because the starting pitching can't get anyone out.  

It's time for Chan Ho Park lose his spot in the starting rotation to Happ.  Happ can't possibly do any worse.