Long Beach State University Athletics
Carpenter's Outing Has Phils Buzzing
3/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 28, 2008
CLEARWATER, Fla. - What's the word? Oh, yeah, gush. That's the word.
Righthander Drew Carpenter came over from the minor-league complex yesterday and left the two most important decision-makers in the Phillies' dugout gushing over his performance against a big-league New York Yankees lineup.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee, still looking for arms less than a week before opening day, sounded as if he had found a winning lottery ticket in his sanitary stockings as he talked about Carpenter's four shutout innings in a 4-0 win.
"I know it was just a spring-training game, but he made a lot of quality pitches," Dubee said enthusiastically. "He commanded his stuff as well as most of the guys we've got in this camp."
Manager Charlie Manuel was so impressed with Carpenter's two-hit, six-strikeout effort that he wished the pitcher had been in big-league camp all along.
"From what I saw today, it would have been nice to see him, yes," Manuel said.
Carpenter struck out the side - Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada and Wilson Betemit - in the seventh. In the ninth, he worked out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts and a pop-out.
"He's got great presence," Dubee said. "I loved that ninth inning. I'm not saying I want to see guys struggle, but at the same time you like to see how they will react when their backs are against the wall. He really responded."
Carpenter's performance probably won't put him into consideration for a spot on next week's opening-day roster. But team officials were buzzing that he could be this year's Kyle Kendrick. A year ago, Kendrick was in minor-league camp, getting ready to report to double-A Reading. He came up in June and won 10 games.
"I'm trying to be the next Kendrick," Carpenter said. "That's all I'm working for - to get to Philly. I want to help the Phillies this year."
That's a common motivator at the minor-league camp, where the Phils' lack of big-league pitching depth is well known.
"I'm aware of that - big time," Carpenter said. "We're really aware of it over there."
Carpenter, who will turn 23 in May, might not be a household name, but those who follow the Phillies' minor-league system know him. The wide-bodied (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) former Long Beach State pitcher was the team's second-round pick in the 2006 draft, signed by Tim Kissner - the same scout who signed Kendrick. Carpenter won 17 regular-season games (including a seven-inning perfect game) for single-A Clearwater last season and two more in the Florida State League playoffs, including the championship clincher on three days' rest.
Carpenter's 19 wins were the most in minor-league baseball in 2007, yet, surprisingly, he was not named the Phillies' minor-league pitcher of the year. That honor went to lefthander Mike Zagurski, who pitched 25 games in the minors and 25 in the majors last season.
In a way, being overlooked for the award typified how a lot of baseball people look at Carpenter. Baseball America rates him as just the ninth-best Phillies prospect. In a game in which people are obsessed with power arms and perfect bodies, Carpenter is a finesse guy whose fastball tops out in the low 90s, and his bulky frame is considered less than ideal.
Carpenter said he tries not to pay attention to those who might underestimate him, but he admitted that he was disappointed about not being invited to big-league camp. Having spent just a year and a half in the system apparently worked against him.
"You can't bring everyone to camp," Dubee said.
If it makes Carpenter feel better, he impressed the Phillies' brass more in four innings yesterday than some pitchers did in a month. He might not be in the team's opening-day plans, but . . .
"I don't think he's that far away," Dubee said. "We plucked 28 [pitchers] last year from Clearwater to Ottawa, Canada. If you're pitching well, we'll be noticing."
Dubee loved the way Carpenter threw strikes with his fastball but kept it off the middle of the plate. Carpenter also throws a change-up, splitter, slider and curveball.
"He's a pitcher," Dubee said. "He's not going to overpower you, but he's got a lot of pitch-ability. He changes speeds and commands his fastball."
Carpenter used one of those well-located fastballs to get Alex Rodriguez to ground into a double play in the sixth inning.
"He's a little intimidating," Carpenter said. "All I was trying to do was look at the mitt.
"This was a good challenge for me to see what I can do, to see what I'm made of. It was fun."
Carpenter is slated to open the season at double-A Reading. Don't be surprised if he's in Philadelphia well before the season is over.
