The Phillies announced this morning that pitcher Chad Gaudin was released after failing a physical. No details on why the physical was failed but I imagine physical failing can get you fired from the Phillies.
Gaudin has played for 11 different MLB teams, (not including the Phillies), and won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009… against the Phillies.
I had him as being in the IronPig’s starting rotation to start the year so it shakes our snowy world up a bit. The Phillies signing AJ Burnett also potentially pushes another starting pitched down to us in the Lehigh Valley.
Jeff Schuler of the Hog Blog had some interesting thoughts on that subject. Read his story here.
noisenation.mlblogs.com 
I had Gaudin as the swing man in Philly, based on his recent role in San Francisco. Reading about the interwebs today suggests that Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez (MAG) may get that role if he can earn it. They want to keep his innings down as he hasn’t pitched regularly in two-plus years. Even if MAG ends up with the IronPigs, it may be more as a reliever than as a starter. Although, I suppose they could start him and just limit his innings on the minor league level.
Interesting news about Cole Hamels. I know we’re not supposed to be concerned, but then we were never supposed to be concerned about Chase Utley’s knees, either, I recall. Assuming Hamels at least starts the season on the active 25, then I think there’s a very real possibility that Jon Pettibone starts here with us. Good for us, not so much for Jon. But he’ll be up there soon enough and he’ll be fully ready to take a spot in the rotation if need be.
Further, with the AJB news, Ethan Martin should now be free to head off to the bull-pen to fulfill his destiny. They could have him start here with us in Allentown to fine tune things if he can’t crack the Philly pen, or they could possibly send Munson back where he came from via Rule 5 regulations. Interesting to watch.
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