High Cheese

Victorino not in lineup tonight for Hamels vs. Happ

News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.

12 comments

Victorino not in lineup tonight for Hamels vs. Happ

POSTED: Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 4:41 PM

David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer

Shane Victorino will not start against the Astros. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

As first reported by the Wilmington News-Journal's David Hale, this is the Phillies' line-p tonight against former lefty J.A. Happ, who has had a rough go of it this season.

One interesting thing is that Shane Victorino is not in the lineup, despite the fact that he has crushed left-handed pitching this season. There was no indication yesterday that he was hurting, and the Phillies said it is just a day off, nothing more.

Jimmy Rollins SS
Placido Polanco 3B
Hunter Pence RF
Ryan Howard 1B
John Mayberry Jr. CF
Ben Francisco LF
Carlos Ruiz C
Michael Martinez 2B
Cole Hamels, LHP

Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for easy access to all of our Phillies coverage, plus app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.

12 comments

Comments (12)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:02 PM, 09/13/2011

"against former lefty J.A. Happ"

Does that mean Happ converted and he's now a righty?

— Zherog

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:14 PM, 09/13/2011

Good on getting Vic a day off. He has been in a funk his last 17 games (13 for his last 74). Phils clinch a playoff berth tonite and the East against the Marlins on Thursday

— ESFjellin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:35 PM, 09/13/2011

So is it Orr or Martinez? Other article has Orr.

— philorchphilsphan

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:37 PM, 09/13/2011

to break his funk, let him play against a soft lefty.. often not a lot of logic in Chollie's 'decisions'

— warbiscuit

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:02 PM, 09/13/2011

Agreed, his timing has been off lefthanded...last night would have been perfect.

— bearsfriend

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:05 PM, 09/13/2011

Don't understand what this love affair is with Martinez who can't even catch the ball lately. He doesn't hit from the right side either, so what is the point? Help me understand this Chollie. Does he have some magic pixie dust or something that he give you before gametime?

— alwaysphil1

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:17 PM, 09/13/2011

@alwaysphil- Nothing to do with pixie dust. Cholly has always maintained that Martinez's smile lights up a room and makes the skipper feel giggly inside when Martinez learns he's in the starting lineup. Who are we question it?

— Sam Crow

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:18 PM, 09/13/2011

can't wait to see who Chollie brings in late to blow lead: Shwimmer or Herndon? so many decisions...

— warbiscuit

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:20 PM, 09/13/2011

agree with @alwaysphil1, what is the fascination with Martinez? The guy had a few clutch hits and made some nice plays in a good stretch a month ago but since then he has shown himself to be not quite up to the task, hitting barely above the Mendoza line and fumbling far too many ground balls.

Would always rather see Valdez when he's healthy again and would rather see Orr tonight, even against a lefty.

— advantasux

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:23 PM, 09/13/2011

so does Bowker strike out in his next pinch-hitting appearance like his first 3 times at bat or pop out like last time? great to see Ruben make major bench upgrades just like Gillick was able to do...

— warbiscuit

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:08 PM, 09/13/2011

Has any of you complainers ever seen Martinez play ? He's raw, he's a rookie, and unlike Domonic Brown, has not been given a permanent job playing daily to prove he can be useful to the club. The kid has an arm that's a gun. He generally fields very well, and has some pop in his bat. He needs to be brought along in a minor league position.
Comparing him to Brown is interesting. Martinez fields better, runs better, and is being taught to throw to the right bases. Brown may be slightly better in average,but overall ,Martinez is a better bet to help a major league club, than the puffed up , over hyped Brown. The knock on Martinez is his age. He is old for a rookie.

— phineas