Jesse Biddle Gets Mental Break

Jesse Biddle has gone 3-9 with a 5.03 ERA, and while traditional stats aren't the be all, end all those stats are enough to make clear what Biddle has been struggling with mentally. The Phillies today placed Biddle on the temporary Inactive list for what Ruben Amaro referred to as "a mental break", per Jim Salisbury. Biddle's numbers are very similar to 2013, but at least in 2013 he had an early 1900's disease, a bad foot and was new to the level. In 2014, he's repeating the level and supposedly healthy. More was expected of him this season and I'm sure he expected more success himself.

He's been particularly bad in June, going 15.2 Innings across 4 starts with a 12.64 ERA (9.52 FIP, in case you thought maybe he just got really unlucky), 6.89 K/9 and 8.04 BB/9. That recent slump would seem to be really hard to deal with and it has been, per his interview with the Reading Eagle's Mike Drago:

Jesse Biddle, on his recent slump: "I’m miserable out there. I’m very unhappy. And I don’t know why." More on http://t.co/ihGRQnZ5lg shortly

— Mike Drago (@mldrago) June 26, 2014

It's not clear what Biddle will do during his time off, though I hope it includes at least a few days away from the game to clear his head. Go for what the Aussies call a walkabout or go to a favorite vacation spot or play Call of Duty all day or something. Get away from the game, come back refreshed. Then maybe he can go down to Clearwater and work with coaches in some simulated games to get his mojo back, as this tweet suggests, he could use it.

"Nothing feels fluid on the mound, nothing feels natural," said Reading's Jesse Biddle, who has been placed on the temporary inactive list

— Mike Drago (@mldrago) June 26, 2014