Just a quick word before tonight's game starts:
Shane Victorino has been activated from the disabled list (T.J. Bohn is back at triple-A Lehigh Valley). But Victorino isn't in the lineup tonight. Instead, Jayson Werth is in center field, while Geoff Jenkins is in right. Why Jenkins? He's a .426 career hitter (23-for-54) against Padres starter Greg Maddux, who is going for his 350th career win tonight.
Victorino isn't happy about not playing, but he seems to understand. He also doesn't believe he has lost his hold on the center-field job, regardless of how well Werth has played. Much more from Victorino in tomorrow's paper.
Here's the full lineup: CF Jayson Werth (.292/5/12), SS Eric Bruntlett (.217/1/3), 2B Chase Utley (.359/10/21), 1B Ryan Howard (.174/5/11), LF Pat Burrell (.349/8/25), RF Geoff Jenkins (.237/1/4), 3B Pedro Feliz (.202/3/9), C Carlos Ruiz (.188/0/6), LHP Cole Hamels (2-3, 2.75).
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2 comments:
Not to take your colleagues missteps out in this blog, but twice this morning read/heard "media inquiries" into why Victorino was not started last night. I would really not prefer to read a bunch of "IS THERE A CONTROVERSY?" articles which will ends up making some sort of controversy.
I don't think there needs to be much said about it. Werth is swinging a hot bat, is doing all the right things, and is playing decent defense. Victorino caught some flak as early as Spring Training for his laid-back attitude and it appears his approach to the plate is not where it should be. I agree that getting him starts in CF or RF is crucial to getting him back on track, but some limited playing time might drill into his head that he needs to be more focused.
Example #1: Victorino pops up to shallow left with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Not thinking of going to RF there?
Example #2: Werth fights and fights in a great AB to get a ball up in the air to score Ruiz on a sac fly.
Competition is a good thing...
Then don't read it. Quit whining.
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