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Hey guys! The Phillies are bringing up a hard-throwing right-hander from the minors to pitch in the bullpen! Should we get excited?
Oh hey Shawn Camp got outrighted, does that mean Ken Giles gets--...oh, nope, Luis Garcia again.
— Paul Boyé (@paul_boye) May 8, 2014
Oh well.
Phillies outrighted Shawn Camp. Luis Garcia is coming to the bullpen.
— Matt Gelb (@magelb) May 8, 2014
No, not Ken Giles, you impatient goofballs. Luis Garcia.
Garcia had been pitching very well for Lehigh Valley this year. In 13 2/3 innings he was 2-0 and had not given up an earned run, striking out 13 and walking four, with six saves for the Iron Pigs. It'll be his second time with the team this year. Earlier, the 27-year-old right-hander pitched one scoreless inning in the Phils' 9-6 loss to the Braves on April 14.
Control is key for Garcia. Last year, he pitched 31 1/3 innings for the Phillies and gave up 23 walks with a 3.73 ERA but a FIP of 5.12. His K/9 last year (6.61) was identical to his BB/9 (6.61), which is not good. However, as noted above, his control has been much better so far this year with the Bacon.
Garcia is a hard thrower who throws three pitches, a fastball that averages 93-95 mph, a slider and a curveball. The Phils are likely looking for something, anything, that will stick, and Garcia is as good a guy to take a chance on as any (non-Ken Giles division, anyway).
Camp, meanwhile, can either agree to be sent down to AAA or refuse the assignment and elect for free agency. Camp appeared in just three games with the Phils this year, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, striking out one and walking no one.
Camp, 38, is an 11-year veteran who has posted a lifetime ERA of 4.41 in 592 1/3 innings. In 2012, he pitched in a league-leading 80 games for the Cubs with a 3.59 ERA.
Camp's removal means the Phillies now have one spot open on the 40-man roster. As Matt Gelb notes, Ethan Martin continued to rehab his right shoulder Wednesday with single-A Clearwater. According to Gelb, a scout had his fastball at around 88-90 mph, well below the 93 mph he averaged in 2013.