Pack your bags, kid, you’re moving up! To Lehigh Valley, that is. The Inquirer’s Jim Salisbury reports that right-hander Carrasco has been promoted to the triple-AAA* IronPigs. He will be taking the spot in Lehigh Valley’s rotation formerly occupied by Les “I Am The” Walrond (goo goo g’joob), who was called up to fill in for Rudy Seanez. Seanez is currently on the DL after his Thursday night collision with the Nationals’ Lastings Milledge.

Assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle said the organization had been considering promoting Carrasco anyway.

“We feel he’s ready,” Arbuckle said. “We want to see how he handles the challenge.”

Carrasco is rated as the Phillies’ No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. He was 7-7 with a 4.32 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) at double-A Reading.

Carrasco, whom many thought would become trade bait in one of several different deadline scenarios, is projected to be a #3 starter in the major-league rotation when he gets called up to The Show. Adam Eaton, weeping quietly in a dark corner of the IronPigs’ locker room, could not be reached for comment.

(*Yes, that’s right: Triple-AAA. The IronPigs are an AAAAAAAAA team, and I am an idiot. Thank you.)

Phillies Opening Day starter Brett Myers has been optioned to the minors.  He is now a proud member of the Phillies AAA-affiliate, Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Myers was a lowly 3-9 for The Fightin’s this year, having given up 115 hits in just over 101 innings while posting an unimpressive 2-to-1 K/BB ratio.  He also gave up an MLB-worst 24 home runs.  Three more than his closet competition, Paul Byrd.  (Some people in Philly are actually open to the idea of trading for him, too.  I’ll pass.)

Myers, however, is being extremely cooperative with the whole thing.  Under MLB rules, a player with 5 or more years of service time has the right to reject any demotion to the minors.   His compliance was praised by GM Pat Gillick,

“I can’t say enough about Brett’s willingness to accept this assignment,” Gillick said. “He understood and is eager to get back on track again. He’s struggling right now, but he is a quality Major League pitcher who we are going to need in the second half of the season.”

Brett will take the hill on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park in Lehigh when the mighty Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees roll into town.  His replacement in the Phillies rotation has yet to be named.

Phillies option Myers to Triple-A | Phillies.com
Brett Myers optioned to the minors | The 700 Level

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