Brett

Myers

Myers, eligible for arbitration after the season, will make $445,000 in the majors.

So he’d have to pitch like he did last year? Got it.

Myers’ head doesn’t face home plate as he releases the ball, and that puts extra pressure on his shoulder. Bowa and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said Myers has battled that for years, and they’re working on a correction. Something to keep in mind if you’re considering Myers as a long-term keeper.

Kerrigan says the flaw may have returned due to fatigue. We aren’t sure whether to praise Kerrigan or to bury him. Each of the Phillies’ four primary starters has at least 12 wins, but each has also suffered through a stretch this season where something just wasn’t right. Vicente Padilla had a 6.26 ERA in May. Randy Wolf had an 8.40 ERA in August. Kevin Millwood posted a 6.43 June. And Myers has a 7.92 ERA since Aug. 10. Kerrigan got the others straightened out and back to their standard level of performace by correcting mechanical flaws. Hopefully the same will happen with Myers.

Myers has given up 10 runs over his last two starts, but he’s only allowed 10 hits in the 12 innings. The problem is that five of them have been homers. He should be OK.

Myers struck out five of the seven hitters he faced in the first two innings and fanned nine overall, but Eric Milton’s double keyed a two-run third inning and the Reds hit back-to-back-to-back homers to knock Myers out of the game in the sixth. Despite a 43/7 K/BB ratio in 39 2/3 innings, Myers has a 4.76 ERA in six starts since his return following the All-Star break. It’s mostly because he’s allowed eight homers.

Myers didn’t get much help from his defense. In the third, Aaron Rowand failed to run down Endy Chavez’s triple. It would have been a tough play, but it was the kind of ball we’ve come to expect Rowand make a play on. Three batters later, there was another triple, this one going to Jose Reyes, on a clear error from Bobby Abreu. Myers was removed after that, and it was obvious as he was walking off that he wasn’t happy with Abreu’s effort.

Myers did walk six batters in the game, forcing him to throw 124 pitches, but he still bounced back well from his two worst starts of the season. The victory was his first since May 30.

In each of his previous 12 starts, Myers had lasted at least five innings and hadn’t allowed more than three earned runs. Surprisingly, the offense bailed him out for once, leaving him 4-2 this season.

Myers and Jon Lieber are both being moved up a day due to the injury to Cole Hamels. Lieber will start Wednesday’s game.