John Smallwood: Phillies' Domonic Brown learning how to be a winner

OFFICIALLY, Domonic Brown's postseason history consists of one at-bat, with no hits, no walks and one run scored.

If Phillies manager Charlie Manuel does not activate the 23-year-old rookie for the National League Championship Series, those might be Brown's only postseason stats.

Even if Brown is on the roster for the series with the San Francisco Giants that begins on Saturday, he's likely to be used only as a pinch-hitter or a pinch-runner.

But if you think Brown isn't gaining valuable experience, think again. By being around a team making its third straight NLCS appearance, with designs on capturing its second World Series in 3 years, Brown is learning the most important intangible of all - how to become a winner.

"You just look around this clubhouse and you have all these guys who have been in the playoffs," Brown said yesterday after the Phillies' afternoon workout at Citizens Bank Park. "They got such good stuff on their resumes.

"There is a lot of stuff I know now that I didn't know before, just from sitting on the bench with these guys. How to win. Just being around these guys, you learn what it takes. You know what to expect."

When Brown made his major league debut on July 28, he put a charge in Philadelphia fans who had been clamoring to see the phenom.

But when the injury situation that prompted his call-up worked its way out, some argued that Brown might be better served by going back to the minors and getting regular playing time instead of sitting on the Phillies bench.

Considering Brown got only 62 at-bats in 35 games, there might have been some merit to that.

Still, what Brown has gained by being around major leaguers who know how to elevate their game when things get serious late in the season cannot be overlooked.

The Phillies were 53-46 and trailed the Atlanta Braves by 2 1/2 games in the National League East when Brown joined the roster.

They started September trailing the Braves by three, but then finished 23-7 and easily won the division by six games.

They just dusted off the Cincinnati Reds, 3-0, in the National League Division Series.

Despite playing without key players at critical times, and playing with the pressure of extreme expectations, the Phillies just plowed ahead.

And during that time, Brown was there, sometimes contributing, a lot of times watching, but always observing how championship-caliber players go about their business.

"This guy is the future of this team," Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said. "He's here and he's watching and learning. At some point, it's going to be on him to pass on these things to next generation of Phillies."

It's not just the big things Brown can absorb from being around the precision of a Chase Utley, the professionalism of a Roy Halladay, the confidence of a Jimmy Rollins or the enthusiasm of a Shane Victorino.

It's something as small as talking to a veteran such as 37-year-old backup first baseman Mike Sweeney, who made five All-Star teams, but, until this season, his 16th in the major leagues, had never reached the playoffs.

What does Brown learn from a guy who has as many postseason at-bats as he does?

"How to stay humble," Brown said. "[Sweeney] has been a great friend to me and has helped me tremendously. He talks to me every day.

"This is Mike's first go-around [in the playoffs]. That's something you have to take into consideration when you look at yourself. He lets you know that you can't take an opportunity like this for granted. You have to make the most of it. You keep working. You never know if it will happen again."

The other day, Manuel took the time to call Brown in for a meeting - the first they've really had time for during the playoffs. Manuel said he just wanted to let the youngster know what he thought of him and how he fit into the organization's plans.

Manuel said he has no doubt that the lessons Brown is learning with the Phillies are important to his development.

"I think that when you are managing in rookie ball, A ball, AA, AAA, winning should be put first," Manuel said. "I want players to learn how to win in the minor leagues.

"I've had people tell me, 'We've got 10 top prospects on one team,' yet they lose 100 games. I can't buy in to that, because those 10 prospects, on a given day, should win some ballgames for you. You have to learn how to win.

"To be at the major league level and be around players on our team who like to win, I think that only helps a player, especially a young guy."

Brown will get plenty of at-bats playing in a winter ball league, but the valuable lessons he's getting now about how to be a champion major league player are just as vital to his future. *

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