Brett Myers: From Closer to Opening Day Starter

Whether Brett Myers will be the Phillies best starting pitcher remains to be seen but the team is going to give him the nod as the opening day starter against the Nationals on March 31st.  I think most baseball fans would expect Cole Hamels to be the true ace of this team and go on to have the most impressive season among Phillies starters.  It looks like the Phillies are showing a bit of respect to Myers for his years of service here.  I'm sure it could help his ego a bit as well to know he was the guy Charlie puts his faith in on day one.

Comments

[GreggyD]

I have no problem with Myers being named the opening day starter. He has done a lot for this team lately and I think he was excellent as a starter and then great in the role of closer last year. You can tell he loves this team and has earned the nod on Opening Day. I've been to the last two openers and both have been awful losses. Let's hope to have a winning percentage of 1.000 after day one and a strong start from Myers.

[The Polish Punch]

Wife beater or not, I like the way the guy pitches. I hope he stays in Philly for a while.

[eric]

so Cole will go day 2. Who will go day 3, Moyer or Kendrick???

[Bean]

I'm guessing Kendrick so that the rotation is right left right left right

[ricky]

That means neither Cole or Myers will pitch against the Mets.

boo-urns

[Fat Ted]

I'd say Myers is a much better #1 than Cole. The Phillies want to keep the pressure off of Hamels and this is another good way of keeping the pressure off of him by not forcing him to try to be the ace (even if he may be).

[Paul]

I like this also because I think Myers will be more capable mentally to be an ace, especially against the mets he will probably bring a better approach facing santana than hamels would.

[sean]

I dig this move, but i really wish the Phils had another quality starter so they could have kept Myers in the pen as the closer, he was great there and really thrived in the role. He is a good starter as well but it would have been great to see myers warming up after Hamels goes 8 and strikes out 12.

[johndewar]

Myers was the starter on opening day last day, if you recall, so it shouldn't be that strange to Myers.

Also, I thought Myers really took one for the team by going to the bullpen the way he did. He could have bitched and complained, but he didn't (at least not publicly).

[Tony]

and this actually sets up the matchups better, hamels v santana in the first mets game here under the lights

[John]

I have a gut feeling Myers is going to get shelled his first time out

[Dave]

Starting Brett Myers the first game, after the year that Cole Hamels had, is a slap in the face to Cole. The Phillies are taking him for granted and I'm sure he won't forget this when he needs to sign.