The first half of the season with a 2-5 record and 5.58 ERA does not garner any confidence in Vince Velasquez as a starting pitcher.  Despite having 53 Strikeouts in 50 Innings this season, he has allowed 11 Home Runs and 31 Runs in 10 Starts this season.  This rough half of the season for Velasquez fuels speculation that his future is as a Closer and not as a Starting Pitcher.

Bucks County Courier Times Phillies Beat Writer Kevin Cooney joined The Sports Bash on Monday and discussed the future for Vince Velasquez with the Phillies:

"I think Velasquez and the Phillies would like to see how it goes in the second half of the year....I think that Vince Velasquez, if he's going to be a five inning pitcher, I understand the rationale of want to see him make 30 Starts a year and you want to see him go 180 innings as apposed to 65 or 70 or whatever a Closer goes, but if he's only going to go five innings and give you 150 innings (a season) and toll it takes on the rest of your bullpen, I think you have to move him.  Because quite honestly they're going to have to rebuild this bullpen, again, in the offseason.  Now Neshek's going to go, Benoit has to go, I don't know if you can count on Hector Neris to be a Closer.  He may get the first shot at it next year out of Clearwater but they're going to have to do some rebuilding of the bullpen and Velasquez's stuff, at least in the interim, might be the best thing they can put back there, it might be better than any trade or free agent they pick up."

Checkout what Cooney had to say about Odubel Herrera struggles, expectations for future prospects, and decisions GM Matt Klentak has to make moving forward

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