Phillippe Aumont Not Sure how World Baseball Classic Could Possibly go Wrong

If Phillippe Aumont was the Phillies set-up man in 2012, you knew something had to be wrong.

Seeing him on the roster and the frequency of his use would have been a red flag – not because of his talent level, which is high, but because the Phillies certainly didn’t plan to use him in a primary capacity. That’s what Chad Qualls was for!  Isn’t that right, Chad?

Ha, ha, ha. Chad can’t talk right now. Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

So even seeing the monstrous 24-year-old righty out there might have been a bad sign.  But he proved himself on occasion, despite a Phillies season nobody wanted to look at too often, culminating in a clutch strikeout of Jose Reyes, back when we thought we were one improbable run away from the second Wild Card spot.

Now, Aumont is starting a terrifying 2013 campaign, which begins with him leaving spring training early.  But don’t worry, he’s not leaving to do anything suspicious.  Just joining up with another country’s organization to actively compete against the U.S.

Aumont will be playing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic; a move that most managers would frown upon, as it would take away from preseason development with the team, but Aumont believes the WBC will only be good for him, even though he’s competing for a role on the Phillies that, like, 20 other young guys are also striving for who are not leaving camp on March 3.

"“I think if I do well, it can only help me.  There is better competition there than in spring training. Most of the lineup is bigger guys. Even if it’s Italy or Mexico, a lot of those guys are playing professional baseball.  They’re all competitive.”—Phillippe Aumont"

What Phillippe’s problem is with Italy and Mexico, I don’t know, but through a combination of skill, that slider, and his youngness, Aumont is in position to play a key role in the Phillies’ pen in 2013.  As long as he doesn’t make a habit of