The Philadelphia Phillies could be close to replenishing their farm system soon. No, I don’t mean trading away a front-line starting pitcher for studs like Phillippe Aumont and Tyson Gillies. I mean they might have to send Domonic Brown back to where he came from.
On Friday, centerfielder Shane Victorino is expected to return to the club after a stint on the DL with an abdominal strain. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the outfield is then overcrowded.
So what do you do? Go to an outfield rotation? Manager Charlie Manuel didn’t think that was an option and acknowledged that Brown could be headed back to Lehigh.
“The only problem with that,” Manuel said, per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, “the people we signed, we pay them money and they’re our regular players. That’s like saying because a guy gets hurt he loses his job. I don’t think that happens in baseball very much.”
While Brown has shown us just why many considered him the No. 1-overall prospect in MLB, he’s also shown why he’s still young and raw. The fastball away has given him some trouble, and his fielding needs some polish. Although, it needs to be said that the latter comment does not include his arm. I could not be clearer on that. I’ve actually enjoyed seeing the Phils give up base hits to right field with runners on just so I can watch the cannon that is his arm. Unreal.
If Brown is sent down, it’s not the end of the world. He seemed to show enough to justify all the hype. We’ll just have to look forward to seeing him in September and most likely as the starter in 2011.
Wonder if they can convert him to a “Closer” role with that cannon he has Micah…
It’s great he got some time and at bats in the big leagues this year, and will probably be the everyday RF next Season when they come to camp next Febuary…
Either Werth or Victorino will not be part of the Phillies future after this season