Update [2006-8-22 16:15:6 by dajafi]: S/WB infielder Joe Thurston evidently has been recalled to take one roster spot. ESPN's transactions wire has OF Michael Bourn recalled as well.
On a night when the focus should have been the Phils' triumphant summitting of Mount .500, the team finds itself with yet another roster crisis prompted by Aaron Rowand's broken ankle. The outfielder suffered the injury in a violent 8th-inning collision with Chase Utley in the Phils' 6-5 win at Chicago. He's expected to miss at least five weeks, essentially sidelining him through the end of the season.
While Rowand hasn't officially been placed on the DL, closer Tom Gordon, sidelined since Aug. 12, was put on the 15-day after last night's game. The move was retroactive to Aug. 12, and Gordon reportedly had a successful long-toss session at Wrigley yesterday, so hopefully this is just a move to give the Phils more options in the meantime.
The problem is, none of those options--in-house, anyway--look all that good.
All year, we've talked about the bleak state of the Phils' minor-league system on the positional side. With Chris Roberson already in the majors and Michael Bourn playing for the U.S. National Team, there's even less left at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Catcher Carlos Ruiz is an option, though the recent strong play of Chris Coste and Mike Lieberthal renders that a position of relative strength for the Phils. They could summon Bourn back from the U.S. team, or activate OF Josh Kroeger despite his very disappointing season. Among the infielders, there's Joe Thurston and Bobby Scales, confirmed Quad-A types, and Brennan King, a third baseman of some promise who was just himself activated from the DL.
I expect another trade, probably for a reserve outfielder, to be announced today or tomorrow. If the team was serious enough to go get Jamie Moyer, they should be able to scrounge up a decent bench bat. With both David Dellucci and Shane Victorino now set for everyday use, almost anyone would help.