CAN HEAR CLEARWATER CALLING
Domonic Brown is here.
The Phillies have called up their top prospect from triple-A Lehigh Valley when they placed centerfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list with an abdominal strain on his left side.
After Tuesday's game, Victorino was optimistic the injury wouldn't require a trip to the disabled list. But an MRI this morning evidently showed the injury is serious enough.
Brown, 22, has hit .327 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs in 93 games for triple and double A. He is the top-rated Phillies prospect. Scouts have been impressed with not only Brown's numbers, but also the way he's gone about his business as one of the most visible prospects in the entire minor leagues.
A National League scout told our Bob Brookover on Tuesday that Brown was more than ready to play in the majors.
Brown will wear No. 9 with the Phillies.
The biggest test for Brown will be facing lefthanded pitching in the majors. His first test will be Thursday when Arizona starts Joe Saunders.
The toosly lefthanded outfielder is batting .303 against lefthanded pitching this season with an .881 OPS. But only three of his 20 home runs have come off lefties.
Brown will likely start in rightfield tonight with Jayson Werth shifting to centerfield in Victorino's absense. A few weeks ago, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr said Brown would only come up if he could play every day at the major-league level.
That opportunity has arrived.
Much more to come...
Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.
This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.
Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
 | Join on Facebook |  | Follow on Twitter |
