Why is Mike Koplove Still an IronPig?

Meet Mike Koplove, baseball journeyman. The 32-year-old reliever from South Philly took the opportunity to sign a minor league contract with his hometown team this past offseason and was one of the Phillies’ final roster cuts, as he even made the trip to Citizens Bank Park for the two-game preseason series against the Rays. But once catcher Ronny Paulino was traded to San Francisco (and then immediately flipped to Florida) for reliever Jack Taschner, Koplove was sent down to AAA Lehigh Valley as an insurance policy for the major league club.

Koplove’s submarine-style delivery has been baffling the opposition, and the only run he allowed this season was from an RBI single on April 10, just about a month ago. He’s thrown 15.2 innings through 12 appearances with a 1.340 WHIP and a 0.57 ERA. He’s averaging 10.3 strikeouts per nine — a number that bests both Jake Peavy and Dan Haren who rank fourth and fifth in the MLB in strikeouts, respectively.

Koplove is a guy who can go two innings if he has to, and it’s a shame that he’s stuck in the minors right now. He’s had major league success with the Diamondbacks from 2001 - 2006 but hasn’t been given a chance in three years. If relievers like Scott Eyre, Chad Durbin, and Jack Taschner continue to struggle, maybe a shakeup will become necesary to get the bullpen back in line. Getting bumped up to a major league contract wouldn’t hurt Koplove either. The extra cash could go a long way towards getting some protection for those bloody knuckles of his.

Photo courtesy MiLB.com.