Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The front office saw the afternoon as enough of a cataclysm for Lopez to pack his bags and join the plethora of young and/or fringe players that have set up in Triple-A camp.  Lopez, a 37-year-old right hander often appearing in spot start or long relief roles for the Phillies, seems to often be in the position of a guy who goes out to be shat upon, whether it is a predicted shatting or purely organic shatting.

Indeed, Chris Branch of the Delco Times describes Lopez as an “insurance policy” for the Phillies, presumably in case they need to lose a game by ten runs or so in order for better placement in the draft or to teach somebody some kind of lesson or something.  Lopez and Aaron Cook look to be the likely replacements, in case one of the Phillies’ hallowed starters goes down for some reason.  But just because they keep worrying people and throwing up doesn’t mean substitute starters will play a key role in any success (but probably failures) for the Phils in 2013.

Lopez leaves the Phillies with his aforementioned plus-size ERA, nine innings pitcher, 14 hits allowed, six K’s, and three walks.

August 31, 2011; San Francisco, CA, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez (50) reacts after a pitch during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT

I’d name the names, but we all remember them; Jim Thome in 2012, Placido Polanco in 2010, Cliff Lee in 2011, Jayson Werth in 2016.  Even when the Phillies sign Mike Trout to the second half of his brilliant career in a little less than a decade, it will technically be a return, as the kid hales from Millville, NJ and is a bigger Phillies fan than he ever could be of the Angels.

This year’s celebrated reunion was thought to be canceled, as Ruben Amaro made several moves and then claimed to have closed up shop for the winter.  But that old Ruben, he sure knows how to get out goat!

And boy did he ever get a goat.

“RODRIGO LOPEZ!!! THE MISSING PIECE!!!”

–John Stolnis, via email

Yes, 37-year-old right hander Rodrigo Lopez is back, after making several appearances as a seldom seen reliever/spot starter for the 2009 Phillies.  You remember them, don’t you?  They had Rodrigo Lopez.

Well, Lopez went onto a long and illustrious career of injuries, bouncing from team to team, and leading the league in undesirable categories.

“The veteran hurler has spent 11 injury-plagued years in the pros, twice leading the league in losses (18, 16) and earned runs (124, 111) in 2006 and 2010 (He also led in home runs allowed in 2010 with 37).”

–Philly.com

Ruben proved he still loved us by only signing Lopez to a minor league deal.  But you better believe he’ll be competing for that final rotation spot with John Lannan in the least exciting roster spot competition ever.

Jimmy Rollins went down yesterday with a bad case of “foul ball to the shin,” and Shane Victorino followed that spritely bit of fun dip with an oblique injury for the ages.  Or hopefully just 15 days, if not less.

Maybe that’s what you get for dicking around in an airport.

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