Shane Victorino benched as Charlie Manuel laments his approach
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Shane Victorino benched as Charlie Manuel laments his approach
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
There was a meeting before Charlie Manuel benched Shane Victorino. It happened Thursday night after a Phillies loss. Victorino had started 70 of the team's first 71 games and in his last one, he popped out in the eighth to strand the potential tying run on second base.
He was booed as an ordinary season slogged to another day — until Manuel told him he would not be a part of Friday's action.
"There was no apparent reason," Victorino said.
The manager was more revealing.
"I wanted to sit him down and want him to relax," Manuel said. "I just want him to sit there and see if he can clear his head a little bit. We'll give him a break and see what happens. Sometimes an off day is good for you."
Victorino, who is some 100 days away from free agency, says he is not concerned by that impending status. When asked if Victorino's contract has had a negative effect, Manuel rolled his eyes and said, "What do you think?"
That said enough.
For one, Victorino has not driven the ball with the frequency he did a season ago. He was among baseball's best when 10.2 percent of his hits went for extra bases. That rate has dropped to 7.4 percent in 2012, which would be his lowest since 2006.
Nearing the halfway point of this season, Victorino is on pace for career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Victorino predicted he would lead the league in triples as part of a national ad campaign for Major League Baseball before the season started. Through 71 games, he doesn't even lead the Phillies. Juan Pierre has three and Victorino has two.
"The way they're pitching him, he's striding quick and getting out on his front side," Manuel said. "He's an arm and hand hitter right now. He's an upper-body hitter. He's like a two-strike, defensive hitter from the left side right now.
"I want him to stay back and take better cuts at the ball."
Data from MLB's Pitch F/X system shows Victorino is seeing slightly fewer fastballs. He has seen more change-ups in 2012 while putting fewer in play.
"They take the sting out of his bat," Manuel said.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
how is charlie manuel the manager in the fourth largest market????want a joke (HTML deleted)— stayoutofphilly- I heard Victorino on the radio today say something negative to a reporter last night in reaction to the game. Charlie doesn't like it when players get negative toward the fans or in their interviews, so thats why I partly think he is sitting, to try to cool down some and get his head together,— watsonmr
- Yellow journalism, .Com style: The picture accomadating this article is meant to inflame the masses in some manner. Pictured is a dugout scene featuring Victorino standing, hands on hip, scowl on face while Charlie appears to be uttering something while looking towards Victorino. Totally unneccesary and just meant to inflame those who want to make something more out of something that may or may not be there. Just uncalled for, IMO! :)— DelawareRiverRat
- Yeah, Utley is really close to retiring. That's why he is playing every day and batting 4 times a game. And I'm sure Ryan Howard will never be the same again....because most posters on this column are sports medicine experts and no player over 28 years old ever comes back from an injury (eyes rolling). Morons. Those two guys are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES. If it was over for them, it'd be over by now. We'll probably see Utley in the next few weeks and Howard after the break and with them more runs and better fielding which, ***gulp***, just might actually mean more wins. But keep your heads in the sand, super fans, I'm sure the ride is over because we are 9 games out of first on June 22nd (eyes rolling at you again).— girouxforpresident
- Nice to see you have taken time off from the campaign trail. Stick with politics and hockey, you don't seem to know much about baseball.
All Vic is good for is rubbing shaving creme in someone's face during an interview....and there hasn't been much call for that lately....Can't wait till he leaves....Let him walk,he served his purpose here...— JimiZero- This will give Victorino more time to concentrate on what he really cares about - runway modeling.— ej610
- Benching the wrong guy. Pence/Rollins/Martinez...take your pick.— Ssteve115
- .... Yet JRoll continues to bat at top of order, with worse numbers than Victorino (?)... SO... WHY Isn't Charlie Manuel 'permanently benched' himself?— ExiledinFla
- Yeah, this headline is meant to get the reader, not portend what the article is actually about. Poor "journalism."
But really, most guys in this lineup should be given many days off. If one player is not doing the job, try someone else. And keep trying until you find something that works. Just throwing the same old pieces out there simply because they cash the biggest checks is ludicrous. Two of the most important spots in the batting order is 1st and 3rd, and they are the only two slots where Rollins has batted. Now please, most any observer can tell that Rollins is NOT one of this team's better hitters, but look where Charlie always puts him. He must be afraid of Lil' Jimmy.— MrPhillie - About Time— cleusner
- five years back the phillies had a rookie sitting on the bench who i thought was the next ashburn. he was raw and needed a couple years to get into his basic skill set, but boy, did he ever look like the real thing. they traded him away, and, okay, the guy they got won us a world series, but i've always felt they traded the wrong centerfielder. then last year they had a big chance to get him back, and blew it. two different gms, the same mistake. that victorino won three goldens is sure sign the voting is done by writers. (remember, they once gave it to abreu!) vic, like rollins, is a little guy who believes he's a slugger. it's apparent by now he will never change that attitude, and for sure the hitting gooroo won't/can't change him.— bubba church & granny hamner
- Is it possible to bench Booben Amaro permanently? He created this mess of a team. The buck stops with him.— DameB
- Could the benching be due to Victorino's recent comment that Manuel told him he wants him to just be who he is when batting (This was after attempting to bunt to get on base).
Remember this spring when Manuel said he was totally onboard with Amaro's decree that Phillie batters must become better situational hitters.
Seems like someone is lying... - Somewhere along the line these Phillies became too self-satisfied - Victorino and Rollins most of all. Shane thinks they're preordained to win - no need to work hard. Rollins has all he wants - his ring and his contract. He's already semi-retired.— ekurilla
