Et tu, Mayberry?
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Et tu, Mayberry?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
(YONG KIM / Staff Photographer)
TAMPA, Fla. — Earlier, we discussed some hints that Juan Pierre stands to gain quite a deal of playing time. He's leading off for Charlie Manuel a day after officially making the team.
Manuel said he's running through lineup combinations in his head.
"I want to try Pierre at the top," Manuel said. "Pierre, to me, has always been a top of the order hitter."
How married to the idea is Manuel? Well, he's even talking about batting Jimmy Rollins lower. That's when you know it just got real.
"Jimmy can hit in the three hole," Manuel said. "When he's hitting, he can hit anywhere. I've put him there before and he's hit well. Last year, he was having a hard time getting off to a good start."
Friday's lineup doesn't include John Mayberry Jr. When asked who Pierre could take time from, Manuel did not name Mayberry specifically, but there was a strong implication he's the guy.
Commence rant.
"What the hell? Our expectation is to win," Manuel said. "We have to try to put the best team on the field every day. It's always good to be good enough to develop some players as you go along. But at the same time, you should be ready to play here. We're in this to win. Go ask ownership. We're not in it to mess around. Keep your job. Make sure you stay out there. That's what the game's about. It's not about feeling sorry or hurting people's feelings. I get my feelings hurt every day. Every day, seriously. Go ask Joe Girardi, I guarantee you he'll say the same thing. Every day you'll get your feelings hurt. Forget that. You have to be a man to play this boys' game. That's the old saying."
Mayberry is .188 (13 for 69) this spring with four doubles.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Comments (22)
The Gnats didn't even try to re-sign Laynce Nix, and they cut Blanco. Yikes.— joe seamhead- El ZERO: You're the one ranting. Chuck feels bad for Mayberry and that was his way of saying it. He said the same things about Francisco last year...it's just the way it goes in the Big Leagues.
Nix and Wiggy will turn out to be the bumb signings of the year. But who could have predicted that Pods and Pierre would have such springs? I'd rather keep them both...this team might end up with them both entering the playoffs...— BullZinski - and philadelphia sports fans continue to disgust me— AlexSp
- El Zero-the difference between Wiggington's spring and Mayberry's spring is the past body of work. Mayberry had a chance to come in this spring and grab a spot and take charge-he did not do so. I don't think a job should be handed to anyone-however if I was in a position to decide playing time-and forced to decide between two players that had mediocre springs-I pick the guy with the best past performance history.— Smoothellc
- Wigginton is hitting .190 and has made a couple of errors. I don't think he has outplayed anybody this spring. He's slow, old and another K machine.— EL Zorro
- Manuel's right. Could that be possible? Mayberry has never put together a full season, so spring training was important for him. He was outplayed and outhit by Podsednik, Pierre and Wigginton. He's a valuable bench guy because he plays four positions, can be our RH pinch hitter late in games and can pinch run. That's who he is and that's all he is.— eman
- Brilliant! Here's who else Manuel screwed up: Utley, Rollins, Victorino, Howard, Werth, Hamels, Madson, and Ruiz. Oh yeah, and the World Series he won was the dumbest thing he's ever done! You guys don't know how good you have it right now.— John621
Comment removed.- Maybe he reads these chat boards everyday and it hurts his feelings that so many of the posts he reads come from people who are so lonely, angry and delusional that they have lost their grasp of reality. Hurt that they TROLL for others hoping to steal away their joy of Phillies baseball and their joy of sharing that with other happy fans. Hurt that they miss the joy that millions share watching the best team this city has ever had and maybe ever will. Hurt because every day he has to sit down a guy who loves what he does for a guy who loves what he does and does it a little better and sometimes has to tell them that their dream to play for the Phillies has come to an end. Charlie, I feel your pain.
— DUDESKINS - Mike, read again, Ramirez was the best player coming out of HS. He was the Bryce Harper and Chipper Jones of his generation. He was going to be good regardless and Thome also.— EL Zorro
- I don't. I hope John finds it and starts every day. If not he will be platooned, rotated with Nix, Wiggy, the outfield mix and the bench. One thing about this year is there will be more moving parts with guys that can play multiple positions and injuries. Whoever steps up will play more, pretty simple.— DUDESKINS
- So Dudeskins, how do you explain Wigginton playing 1B over John? He's a butcher with the glove and is not hitting his weight either.— EL Zorro
- I'm not apologizing for Brown. My point is the kid was not ready. The kid should have been in the minors learning the game. He was set back by this idiot manager.— EL Zorro
- More apologists for Brown. Hand him a crutch to lean on.
He can't field.... Oh, maybe the field's too large ? He isn't hitting because as one poster said, Charlie went against Amaro , and convinced him he could fix Dom Brown. It would appear the poster agrees Brown needs fixing. I would submit, perhaps he's too dense to take instructions. He hasn't learned to field yet, but of course someone else is to blame. Isn't it soon time Brown takes blame for his own deficiencies ?
— phineas - No, it is just what he is said, Play good or don't play. Love Mayberry, I do, but he is struggling big time. I know, it is spring training, but John has had a real bad time at the plate, Every one wants more offense and 120 BA.will get attention no matter who you are. Different approach at the plate does not equate to swing and miss. Charlie didn't stop Dom, Dom did and not because he couldn't hit because he has no clue in the field, NONE, NADA, NICHTS. Ben Francisco got a good shot, didn"t grab it and they got Pence, John Mayberrry won a spot last year but so far he has been out there more than most this spring and cant buy a hit. Crying, there's no crying in Baseball.— DUDESKINS
- This is the same guy who went against Amaro and convinced that he could fix Dom Brown. That he has done it before with young players like Thome and Manny Ramirez (although Manny was one of the best players in the nation coming out of HS). Now that he stalled Brown progress, he kicking him to the curb. Now he's playing games with Mayberry.
Twenty-four hours before Domonic Brown was promoted to the majors in late May, Ruben Amaro Jr. said his top prospect wasn't ready. The next day, after a meeting with Charlie Manuel, Amaro had called Brown to the Phillies and he has been here ever since.
Manuel was a supporter of Brown because he believed then that the 23-year-old was his best option in right field with The Great Ben Francisco Experiment a bust.
…..
So... what are the advantages of Brown being here?
"Advantage?" Manuel said, before laughing. "Getting time in the big leagues. Getting more money. More meal money."
I have been telling you for years this guy is a joke.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Charlie-evaluates-Brown.html#ixzz1qdjrCsga— EL Zorro - Thome and Ramirez bothe learned under Manuel. How'd they turn out, genius? Both probably make the HOF.He gave Brown lots of chances. He let Mayberry make a move to be a regular. They may both turnaround, they may not. Phillies didn't have much of an option so they had to bring Brown up. Hey, Baseball America and everyone else had him pegged as top 5 prospect. Maybe the kid's got the tools, but can't handle the pressure. — mike l
- Charlie knows that this is it for him and he's in a panic mode. Don't mention Girardi please. Last year, he told his old buddy Posada, one of the great Yankees of recent memory, that he was not starting anymore. Posada retired this year. Charlie would have thrown him outthere everyday. He's clueless. Not way Pierre is a better player than Pods at this stage of his career, let along Mayberry.— EL Zorro
- Awesome rant.— evolutionary
- Manuel is 100% clueless. He put the finishing touches on the Indians failed dynasty and record sell out streak and his determined to do the same here.— jtj06
- I think it would send a good signal to have a guy like Pierre lead off at least once in a while. No one should feel entitled to anything the way the hitting has dried up at important times over the past two years.— s
- Listen to Charlie talking tough. Of course I'm sure Gelb had to take some poetic license with his quote, but I'm sure the career .198 hitter had his feelings hurt as a player, too.— PhightinPhil
1
About this blog
The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
Matt Gelb
Inquirer Staff Writer
Bob Brookover
Inquirer Baseball Columnist
Search this blog:
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners:
Powered By:
