Game 3: The quest for runs
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Game 3: The quest for runs
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH — And on the third game, Charlie Manuel sacrificed his defense for offense.
The manager will start Jim Thome and Juan Pierre for the first time Sunday as the Phillies attempt to win this series against the Pirates. He'll also put Ty Wigginton at third base.
His lineup:
1. Juan Pierre 7
2. Shane Victorino 8
3. Jimmy Rollins 6
4. Hunter Pence 9
5. Jim Thome 3
6. Ty Wigginton 5
7. Freddy Galvis 4
8. Brian Schneider 2
9. Vance Worley 1
Thome will play a major-league game at first base for the first time in 1,761 days. He showed he could handle the position on a limited basis during spring training, but Thome was rarely challenged. No one attempted to bunt up the first-base line. Expect one of the many speedy Pirates to try that.
He also did not play more than six innings at first during Grapefruit League play. So also expect a defensive replacement in the later innings.
Worley makes his first start of the season behind the worst defense the Phillies have used yet. If anything, this should be interesting.
Bonus: Thome last played first base for the Phillies on June 30, 2005. The lineup on that day is cringe-worthy:
1. Kenny Lofton 8
2. Endy Chavez 7
3. Bobby Abreu 9
4. Jim Thome 3
5. Jimmy Rollins 6
6. Chase Utley 4
7. Tomas Perez 5
8. Todd Pratt 2
9. Jon Lieber 1
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Today's lineup looks like a AA team. Shutout by the Pirates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— shawnmac- The GM put all his finances into a few contracts. His signings besides Pierre and POds made little sense. What would a Beltran look like in this line-up. This year will be frustrating. The following years will be devastating. Pitchers is great, but you must score runs. Clueless in GM office.— wmontanez27
- Both lineups look similar, starting at the leadoff spot, past their prime table setters we got a few years too late.— EL Zorro
- Its not the GM's fault your two best hitters who should be in their primes are injured. It transforms this whole team.— ronin32
- Both Utley and Howard are past their primes. Compare them to other greats at their ages and also note that the steep, downward trends in their statistics over the years. All of baseball mocked the Phillies for extending Howard so you can't pity Amaro for missing what everyone else saw coming. — jtj06
- Look up HOF second basemen Sandberg, Morgan, and Alomar and see what they did after age 33. They were mere shells of their former All-Star MVP candidate selves for the rest of their careers. Why would Utley, who has already been declining sharply for years, be expected to be able to turn that trend around in the twilight of his career? — jtj06
- Nobody seems to remember Lofton hit 335 that year...— Knowledge King
- Because Thome's strikeout last night weas so special....it looked worst than a Ryan Howard strikeout...look at the perfect pitches and miss the garbage pitches by 2 feet.— kelprod2
- I wouldn't expect runs consistently from any lineup. Just put them out there and hope for the best. Jim Thome's a great guy but I wouldn't expect a whole lot. More of a p.r. move to distract fans from the problems and the hapless performance in last year's NLDS.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- I knew when they brought in fat joe, the game was over. I was at the bar and told everyone that, they gave me dirty looks at first, then they seen what i was tellin them. You gotta score four to five runs to win when fat joe pitches......and that you can bank on!— huntnmike3666
- Agree the Thome signing was a PR move. (BTW, the day after they signed him, the raised ticket prices.) They already used him the other day in a event before one of the exhibition games against the Pirates at CBP. A lot of fans pay to spend time with him for an hour or so.— EL Zorro
- Ronin, you are unfortunately wrong about the injuries not being an organizational fault, as we have known about Utley's chronic knee condition for some time and failed to do anything significant. Could have either signed a 2B, or better yet, moved Polly to 2B and acquired or brought up someone who could play 3B. Wigginton is not capable of playing 3B with any kind of proficiency.— Bobby G
- Thank God the coach's kids get to play today. I know Charlie has been dying to get his boys in there. Shame for Mayberry that he is doomed to being mismanaged this year and we will never know if he is a long term solution.— Scope33
- the thome experiment should end NOW! nice guy etc put mayberry jr in and hope for the best they need a bat after pence.....mayberry and ruiz not terrible for two of the bottom four.....— malco49
- That 2005 line up looks alot better than today's.— jtj06
