Just a few days after losing the NLCS to the Giants, the Phillies have already started shaping their 2011 roster. CSNPhilly.com reports that the Phils have declined J.C. Romero's option for next season, making him a free agent.
Romero had some success in Philadelphia, as the Phillies picked him up off of waivers from the Boston Red Sox back in 2007. Romero pitched well that year, and then did even better in 2008, winning two World Series games for the Phils when they took down the Tampa Bay Rays. The last two years haven't been as kind to Romero. In 2009, he missed the first 50 games of the season due to a banned substance suspension, and then he battled injuries and inconsistency through the rest of that year and 2010.
This past season was Romero's worst as a Phillie, as he struggled to get right handers out all year long, and walked more batters than he struck out. Though his ERA was just 3.68, it was high enough that the Phillies feel more comfortable with Antonio Bastardo and Mike Zagurski as in house options to replace him, and the $4.5 million that they were due to pay Romero can now go towards signing another left handed relief pitcher or resigning another player that they might need (Jayson Werth). It might not be the most popular move, but it's a good one for the Phillies moving forward. Romero wasn't going to get any better, and had gone through a few different injuries over the last two years. Bastardo has shown flashes, and the Phillies can always find another left handed pitcher on the market for even less than Romero was going to make. It's not fun to see any player from the 2008 team leave, but this feels like the right move at the moment.
I'll always wish Romero luck, just as long as he's not pitching against the Phillies.
CSNPhilly.com: Phillies decline option for Romero.
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