Brown will miss more time
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Brown will miss more time
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
ATANTA -- Ben Francisco has three hits in 28 May at-bats. His last extra-base hit was 51 plate appearances ago, a double in the first inning of a game in Arizona on April 27.
His season batting average is down to .230. (Yes, lower than Raul Ibanez.) But his on-base percenatge is still at .340. (Only six points below Ryan Howard and nine points below Shane Victorino.) So the patience is there, but the hits are not.
We bring this up because of the clamoring for Domonic Brown. And yes, most of it can be justified. Brown has been hitting the ball in triple A and at this point, you wonder if he has anything left to prove in the minors.
But the latest news, that Brown will miss at least another five days with a first-degree sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, means the timetable is pushed back even more. Francisco has a longer leash.
Brown injured his thumb in Wednesday's game when diving for a ball in right field and the team said it was not serious. This morning, that prognosis was updated to the sprain, with a 5 to 7 day total timetable for recovery.
The Phillies sent Brown to the minors after a broken hook of the hamate bone cost him most of spring training because they said he needed more at-bats. Injuries -- a strained quadriceps last September, the hamate bone in the spring and now the thumb -- have slowed Brown's progression.
The 23-year-old prospect needs to show he can stay on the field and be productive for a few weeks at a time. Until then, the Phillies may hold off on promoting him and making him a regular at the major-league level.
***
The lineup as Joe Blanton takes the mound, opposed by Jair Jurrjens:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Shane Victorino 8
3. Placido Polanco 5
4. Ryan Howard 3
5. Ben Francisco 9
6. Raul Ibanez 7
7. Wilson Valdez 4
8. Dane Sardinha 2
9. Joe Blanton 1
***
The Phillies will wear uniforms that look like this, to honor the Negro League Philadelphia Stars.
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That jersey looks a whole lot like the Red Sox.— riles1875- Thanks for the Dom Brown Injury Update. The way he is going, he fits right in with this team for the future (injury after injury). I'm still a Dom Brown fan, but I would still prefer him to survive a full season at AAA and dominate it over the long haul. I know I'm beating this dead horse, but don't you think Ross Gload deserves some time in the outfield? He is a very good hitter. Against right handers, why not? Mayberry needs to learn to lay off the outside breaking pitch, so he is always one pitch away from a K. Whatever happens, Uncle Cholly continues to press the right buttons as RAJ gives him the right buttons to press. Phight On Phils!— drhoffman
- Is he a half brother to that Eagle Abiamiri?????? Just wondering.....soft seems to be their middle names......— Mark1npt
- the HUGE difference in his performance between AAA and the show last year was either a) psychological, b) he is still not good enough for NL pitching, or c) the consequence of not playing every day. when they started to adjust his mechanics, he was AWFUL. A, B, and C are better served by staying in the minors for as long as it takes. the phils are on pace to win 109 games right now. they can wait.— doc35
- If Joe can only go 3-4, does that mean Scot M. and D.Baez are the go too guys? The Pen has been a bit overworked just last night. And what if Roy O only goes 3-5, will the Pen be rested enough to rescue him. As to Dom, let him heal and let Charlie rotate the 3 guys in rt.— Koons
- I was just wondering this myself. Kendrick should be available if Joe only goes a few. Bastardo and Stutes only faced one batter each so they should be available for later innings. — s
- Ohh boy. Look at that lineup from the 5 spot down. They essentially have 4 batters in this lineup and 5 wasted spots. Ben francisco is so typical of the below average hitter who is pull happy and has an uppercut swing on every pitch. He stinks. I never got the buzz over him. Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are better hitters than every guy from the 5 spot on down. Yes, I'm being sarcastic, but only slightly.— Sewellmatt
- need a good game from country joe— mph161
- Lineup from 5 down made me throw up in my mouth... but just a little.
Comment removed.- If you're looking for positives in the bottom of that lineup, Ibanez is hitting over .400 in May and Valdez has hit Jurrjens well (.667) the 6 times he's faced him. They'll have to play better than last night to win this one but the other positive is we have Halladay on the mound tomorrow.— s
- Utley, Brown, Ruiz - that's a lot of injured offense. How are we in 1st place?— dragoon6
- Not our best line up today. Just cant wait for this:
1 Rollins 6
2 Polanco 5
3 Utley 4
4 Howard 3
5 Brown 9
6 Victorino 8
7 Ibanez 7
8 Ruiz 2
9 Pitcher 1 - 6 days— shawnmac
- Ben wouldn't let them walk him last night no matter how hard they tried. It looks like if you throw him a slider that starts its break 3 inches off the plate you can strike him out with no risk of giving up a hit or walk right now.— jtj06
