Larry Greene, the Phillies' first pick and 39th overall in the compensatory round of Monday's first-year player draft, drew the attention of his high school coach when he was only seven years old, according to his local newspaper.
"He has always been a strong kid," Berrien (Ga.) High School coach Doug Nix told the Valdosta Daily Times earlier this year.
The guy who grew up in Dodger Blue learned to love being in Phillie red and he admitted it upon his return Monday how much he misses this place.
"I started to feel it last night when we flew in," former Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes said before his Los Angeles Dodgers opened a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. "Then you see people walking around downtown Philly and they say, 'How, Davey, how you doing? Sorry to see you're not back with us."
His emotions grew more intense after he said hello to Phillies players and coaches before the game.
PITTSBURGH -- The Phillies will attempt to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pirates without Jimmy Rollins. Their shortstop and leadoff hitter fouled a ball off the inside of his right kneecap Saturday night and had a pronounced limp in the clubhouse after the game.
Rollins did not think it would be a disabled list situation, but the Phillies will monitor the swelling in his knee. If it does not subside over the next few days, there could be a larger problem at hand.
Rollins was injured in the first inning but still managed the only extra-base hit off Charlie Morton and stayed in the game. During the bottom of the second inning, Rollins knew he had to come out.
PITTSBURGH -- The stay at triple-A Lehigh Valley lasted all of one day for John Mayberry Jr.
The outfielder is back in Pittsburgh with the Phillies to replace Ross Gload, who was placed on the paternity leave list Saturday.
Gload can stay on the list for 24 to 72 hours. It is a new roster option instituted by Major League Baseball this season.
PITTSBURGH -- You really don't want to hear more about Friday's game, so a few other notes to chew on before some more baseball...
The Phillies will really need five innings from Kyle Kendrick. He's making the spot start against Roy Halladay clone Charlie Morton (5-2, 2.51). Kendrick estimated he would be good for 65 or 70 pitches, much like his previous spot starts.
Behind Kendrick, the Phillies have Mike Zagurski, who can throw multiple innings and almost certainly will be the first guy out of the bullpen. J.C. Romero has not pitched in five days and will likely see some work. Ryan Madson has had four days off, so expect him to grab an inning even if there is no save chance.
Here's some bonus online minor-league coverage today:
The biggest minor-league story of the day is that top prospect Jonathan Singleton is moving back to first base after playing left field this season at single-A Clearwater.
Singleton, after hitting .290 with 14 home runs and 77 RBIs as an 18-year-old at single-A Lakewood last season, was voted the best prospect in the South Atlantic League.
PITTSBURGH -- The Phillies confirmed they are one of nine teams not compliant under Major League Baseball's debt service rule.
A report in the Los Angeles Times identified the Phillies along the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals as the teams out of compliance.
The rules were put in place following the 2002 collective bargaining agreement and are in place to ensure team's financial resources are stable. The general limit to a team's debt is 10 times its annual earnings, but the Times reported Comissioner Bud Selig has "wide latitude to enforce those rules."
PITTSBURGH -- Enough about the roster. This is what you really care about: For the first time all season, Charlie Manuel can write out a lineup with eight players he calls regulars.
The result is this:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Placido Polanco 5
3. Chase Utley 4
4. Ryan Howard 3
5. Shane Victorino 8
6. Raul Ibanez 7
7. Domonic Brown 9
8. Carlos Ruiz 2
9. Cole Hamels 1
PITTSBURGH -- Shane Victorino is back and the player to go is outfielder John Mayberry Jr.
Mayberry was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley as the corresponding move for Victorino's activation from the disabled list. The Phillies decided because of Mayberry's available option he was the odd man out. Michael Martinez, the utility player with an unsightly .481 OPS, would have to pass through waivers and then be offered back to his original team, Washington, due to his Rule 5 status. So he stays.
Mayberry, of course, can be optioned back and forth from the minors as many times as the Phillies would like this season. The guess is he will be back, eventually.
WASHINGTON -- Domonic Brown's .526 (10 for 19) batting average in his last six games has earned him a spot on the bench for the series finale against the Nationals.
That's because Washington is starting lefty John Lannan and Charlie Manuel said he is not ready to unleash Brown against a lefthanded starter. So Ben Francisco is starting in right field.
Brown's confidence has grown immensely in the past week so this seemed like a logical next step in the prospect's progression. But apparently Manuel does not agree.
