Grape 24: Yankees at Phillies
Jimmy Rollins returns to the Phillies lineup Tuesday while Charlie Manuel uses a combination that could resemble the opening day batting order.
Grape 24: Yankees at Phillies
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Nine games remain in the Florida portion of the Phillies' exhibition schedule and experimentation will transition into implementation. Jimmy Rollins is back from the World Baseball Classic and atop Charlie Manuel's lineup for Tuesday. The last week or so of games should provide insight into what the manager is plotting for his batting order.
Without Rollins in camp, Manuel tinkered his lineup on a daily basis to see different combinations. Rollins, of course, will lead off on opening day. He is there Tuesday, and this is Manuel's lineup:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Michael Young 5
3. Chase Utley 4
4. Ryan Howard 3
5. Domonic Brown 7
6. Laynce Nix 9
7. Jermaine Mitchell 8
8. Steven Lerud 2
9. Kyle Kendrick 1
Substitute Ben Revere for Mitchell and Erik Kratz for Lerud and that could be Manuel's initial combination. There are moving parts; Young being the most flexible. Manuel has said he could bat his third baseman anywhere from second to sixth.
In this permutation, Manuel has three consecutive lefties in the heart of the order. With the way Brown has recaptured his power stroke, it could be difficult to move him from the fifth spot, at least against righthanded starters.
Is it riduclous to think Nix could start opening day? He has solid career numbers vs. Tim Hudson, Atlanta's probable opening-day pitcher. In 27 plate appearances, Nix has a .308/.333/.462 line. John Mayberry Jr. is better in a smaller size; he has hit .308/.471/.769 in 17 plate appearances.
For now, this looks like a probable order.
First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
TV: TCN/ESPN
Radio: None
Wednesday: Off day
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Uh, I think that's FIVE lefties in a row, and I think Lerud is, too, but he'd be replaced by Kratz opening day. Put Revere in for Mitchell, and you still have 5 lefties.
— SEEK313- Two things are certain , Rollins first and pitcher last. Play Ball!!— bmayer1865
- Revere should/ MUST bat 1st or 2nd . Period— WFChamps
@WFChamps. I agree that I would like to see Ben Revere develop into the leadoff man on this team, but what makes you think a player who had 29 walks last season is suitable for leadoff (he has 3 this spring over 60 ABs)? I like what I see from the kid so far, but he has to improve his plate discipline and see more pitches.— CosmoK- Revere's discipline is actually pretty good. The reason he never walks is that pitchers have no reason to throw anything but a strike, since he has (literally) about as much power as the average pitcher.— schmenkman
- Revere with 40 stolen bases and .300 average as a lefty should suffice as leadoff. Depsite the low walks he is disruptive and Rollins would be better suited with a man on base with his power. Also as a LH , with Rollins batting righty before Ut/Howard/Brown lefty parade. No point in having a speed SB guy wasted near or behind the pitcher.
Phils were best with Rollins/Vic speed at the top, despite both having low OBP, the idea being that ONE of them gets on base, then can steal and create more pressure for UT/Howard.— WFChamps
