ATLANTA -- Encouraged by a pain-free rehab start on Monday, Brian Moehler is in line to start for the Marlins in Sunday's day-night doubleheader against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

 

On the disabled list since July 2 with a sore right big toe, Moehler threw 64 pitches in a Gulf Coast League rehab outing at Port St. Lucie on Monday.

 

"I felt good, and got my pitch count up," said Moehler, who played for the Jupiter team against Mets' Minor Leaguers. "I wasn't in any pain, which was a good sign."

 

In all, Moehler pitched five innings in his first game-like experience since going on the DL. Last week in Miami, he tossed a simulated game.

 

The veteran right-hander is set to throw a bullpen side session on Thursday, and he is expected to be reinstated off the DL on Sunday. Most likely, Moehler would start the second game of the twinbill, with rookie Anibal Sanchez starting the other game.

 

When Moehler returns, the Marlins will have to make some decisions. They will have six starters for five spots.

 

The fact that the current rotation of Dontrelle Willis, Sanchez, Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen and Ricky Nolasco have pitched so well means Moehler may be used in relief for a while.

 

"I have no problem coming out of the 'pen," Moehler said. "These five starters have done a great job."

 

Manager Joe Girardi is noncommittal about what role Moehler will fill after the doubleheader.

 

"The most important thing is he pitches Sunday, and he's healthy," Girardi said. "And we'll go from there."

 

Having an experienced arm like Moehler gives the team some versatility. He is an established starter who also has pitched in relief. And once he builds up endurance, he gives flexibility to make spot starts should one of the rookies falter.

 

With four rookies in the rotation, the team is monitoring innings because by late August, they project to have the most innings they've ever thrown in a full season.

 

Girardi said the organization will discuss how to address pitchers who may need a breather in late August. Depending on how the rotation is holding up, skipping starters now and then or using a six-man rotation are options.

 

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...sp&c_id=fla

 

 

 

putting Moe in the pen will improve the bullpen alot IMO... he can deffinitly benifit this team as a long relief pitcher/ emergency starter.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

Good to have too much pitching than not enough

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

 

Actually, he knows he doesn't have many options and really doesn't have major league stuff.

 

He realizes that on most teams, he would be in AAA so of course he would take any role. Every year this guy gives up 300 hits for every 200 IP.....

Of course Moehler has big league stuff, he can be a fifth starter on plenty of teams. Not only this, but I feel good having moehler close the double header. If he feels healthy that gives us a legit chance at possibly sweeping the D-H.

With four rookies in the rotation, the team is monitoring innings because by late August, they project to have the most innings they've ever thrown in a full season.

 

Girardi said the organization will discuss how to address pitchers who may need a breather in late August. Depending on how the rotation is holding up, skipping starters now and then or using a six-man rotation are options.

 

:thumbup

 

JJ and Nolasco can reach about 180ish. Olsen and Anibal should be limited to 140-160.

if he can help us out coming out of the bullpen it can only make us better.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

 

 

Granted hes not an ace, but hes pitched in at least 6 games where hes pitched 6+ innings and allowed 2 or less runs. Hes not worthless, he can help this or any other team to win games.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

 

 

Granted hes not an ace, but hes pitched in at least 6 games where hes pitched 6+ innings and allowed 2 or less runs. Hes not worthless, he can help this or any other team to win games.

well said

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

 

 

Granted hes not an ace, but hes pitched in at least 6 games where hes pitched 6+ innings and allowed 2 or less runs. Hes not worthless, he can help this or any other team to win games.

In evaluating him I'll take a look at his entire body of work and not only at his good outings. Bottom line this season he has an ERA close to 7.00 and hitters are hitting .334 average off him. I know the .334 is an improvement compared to what he allowed in July (.364), August (.363) and September (.338) of 2005 but it still stinks. I don't know of any other pitcher not named Brian Moehler who has allowed an over .300 average for 7 months in a row. He's a nice guy and is not worthless... he can be useful to eat innings in blowout losses.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

 

Actually, he knows he doesn't have many options and really doesn't have major league stuff.

 

He realizes that on most teams, he would be in AAA so of course he would take any role. Every year this guy gives up 300 hits for every 200 IP.....

He's not that bad, there are teams that will put him in the 5th and even the 4th spot. But he'll certainly hold a team back from competing for a playoff spot.

Hopefully, he will take Vargas' spot in the pen since Vargas is pretty much wasting away in the pen after not pitching in over two weeks and seems to have no role on this team.

The ultimate pro.

 

Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can.

 

He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude.

 

Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

 

 

Granted hes not an ace, but hes pitched in at least 6 games where hes pitched 6+ innings and allowed 2 or less runs. Hes not worthless, he can help this or any other team to win games.

In evaluating him I'll take a look at his entire body of work and not only at his good outings. Bottom line this season he has an ERA close to 7.00 and hitters are hitting .334 average off him. I know the .334 is an improvement compared to what he allowed in July (.364), August (.363) and September (.338) of 2005 but it still stinks. I don't know of any other pitcher not named Brian Moehler who has allowed an over .300 average for 7 months in a row. He's a nice guy and is not worthless... he can be useful to eat innings in blowout losses.

 

The problem is stats can be misleading. What needs to be done is count how many bad outings hes had and how many good ones. Bc if he has one bad outing in which a team score 15 runs on him, of course all his stats are going to be skewed. He's very useful as a spot starter, helped us out a lot during our 9 game win streak, and will be useful coming out of the bullpen. Plus just looking at stats you dont consider the fact that he was playing hurt.

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help.

I surmise that it is going to be either Vargas or Resop going back down....but poor Vargas has not pitched since July 08...this will be his 18th straight day not throwing in a game....

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help.

 

 

 

Re-read my posts, do a game by game analysis. I repeat if he allows 10 runs in one game and we lose 10-1, in the standings it counts the same as a 2-1 loss. Now for every good game he has that we've won, hes been very helpful. So stats dont tell the whole story. Game by game analysis is the way to go

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help.

 

 

 

Re-read my posts, do a game by game analysis. I repeat if he allows 10 runs in one game and we lose 10-1, in the standings it counts the same as a 2-1 loss. Now for every good game he has that we've won, hes been very helpful. So stats dont tell the whole story. Game by game analysis is the way to go

Throwing out his last start (he left due to injury) he made 14 starts and was horrible in 7 of them. In my opinion a 50% ratio of horrible starts is pretty crappy and that's how you end up with an ERA close to 7.00 allowing a .300+ average every single month. He's mop-up man material.

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help.

 

 

 

Re-read my posts, do a game by game analysis. I repeat if he allows 10 runs in one game and we lose 10-1, in the standings it counts the same as a 2-1 loss. Now for every good game he has that we've won, hes been very helpful. So stats dont tell the whole story. Game by game analysis is the way to go

Throwing out his last start (he left due to injury) he made 14 starts and was horrible in 7 of them. In my opinion a 50% ratio of horrible starts is pretty crappy and that's how you end up with an ERA close to 7.00 allowing a .300+ average every single month. He's mop-up man material.

 

No b/c in those 50% hes pretty solid. So hes still useful, much better than just mop up

Not sure I'd like to have Moe as the 6th man in the rotation. Depending on Mitre's situation come September, I'd like to see him.

 

And if we're contending, I definitely don't want Moehler starting at all. Dunno who else they could use, but still.

Moehler should be used for mop-ups or when we need relief for one or two innings.

Moehler should be used for mop-ups or when we need relief for one or two innings.

 

 

 

I rather have mitre be the 6th starter if needed as well

I'm not sure we can count on Mitre coming back at all this year, is that wise considering the extent of the injury? anyway, Moehler isnt particularly good, but on a doubleheader I'd rather see him start than this year's version of 2004 Logan Kensing (not even close to ready for majors)

Moehler should be used for mop-ups or when we need relief for one or two innings.

 

 

 

I rather have mitre be the 6th starter if needed as well

 

 

Me too - but I do commend Moehler's attitude.

Moehler should be used for mop-ups or when we need relief for one or two innings.

 

 

 

I rather have mitre be the 6th starter if needed as well

 

 

Me too - but I do commend Moehler's attitude.

 

Agreed. My main argument is that having moehler healthy will help is more than hurt us, and hes more useful than just in mop-up games