Adam Eaton has been absolutely awful so far this season for the Phillies.  In 6 starts this season, Eaton is 3-2 with a 8.18 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP and that will need to improve soon or the Phillies will be in really big trouble this season.  In 33 innings this season, Eaton has allowed 40 hits, 5 homers, hit 3 batters and walked 17 of them.  Those are absolutely horrible numbers, but with Brett Myers now the stopper and all of the money the Phillies invested in Eaton….he will continue to stay in the rotation.  The Phillies can only pray and hope that he gets better.

Matt Smith has pitched in 6 games so far this season and he’s 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA and a 3.75 WHIP!  He’s only thrown 2.2 innings so far and he’s allowed 4 hits and he’s walked 6 batters.  If Smith doesn’t straighten up soon, he’ll likely wind up back in AAA despite the Phillies desperation in the bullpen.

This is a panic move by the Phillies who have started the year very poorly.  Myers has pitched in 4 games (3 starts) and he’s 0-2 with a 8.82 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP so far this season.  Myers has pitched 16.1 innings so far this season and he’s allowed 17 hits, 16 earned runs, 5 homers and walked 9 batters.  He has whiffed 20 batters this season so far so maybe he will do a good job in the pen.  Jon Lieber pitched in 2 games so far this season and his ERA is 11.57 and he has a 2.57 WHIP.  Lieber has been a starting pitcher his whole career and he’s had trouble adjusting to the bullpen as he has allowed 4 hits and walked 2 batters in 2.1 innings so far this season.

Adam Eaton and Jon Lieber both got lit up pretty well in their first performances of the 2007 season.  Eaton only lasted 4.2 innings and he gave up 7 hits, walked 4 batters and he allowed 7 earned runs.  He lost the game and compiled a 13.50 ERA and a 2.36 WHIP.  The Phillies need him to pitch much better than that if they’re going to compete with the Mets and Braves this season.  Jon Lieber appeared in his first game of the year in a relief role and he had a rough time.  He pitched 2/3 of an inning and he allowed 2 hits, 2 earned runs and 1 walk.  The Phillies need help in the bullpen and Lieber could fill an important role if he can get some outs.