Photos: 2008 Phillies
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The 22-year-old righthanded hitter went 2-for-4 with a home run and threw out a baserunner in the Phillies' 8-3 win over the Nationals. A reporter asked manager Charlie Manuel if Marson was ready for full-time action in the big leagues.
"He's going to be a good big-league player," Manuel responded.
He also said some other things about Marson's frame (6-1, 202) and the size of his hands and his ability as a hitter. But there was no timetable, no perspective on when the Phillies expect him to contribute.
It is far too early for that kind talk. The Phillies have two catchers who are important pieces in their upcoming postseason run. Even though Carlos Ruiz hit just .219 this season and 35-year-old Chris Coste isn't considered an everyday catcher, Marson isn't going to bump either player off the playoff roster.
And right now, the postseason is all the Phillies are focused on.
But there likely will be no postseason for Marson, so it is fair to wonder what his future holds.
He hit .314 with a .433 on-base percentage at Double A Reading this season, recording five home runs and 46 RBI in the process. Yesterday, in his first appearance in a big-league game, he scored a run in the fourth and hit a two-run home run in the eighth while leading a team of reserves to the Phillies' 92nd and final victory of the regular season.
Granted, it wasn't against the best talent the major leagues have to offer. The three pitchers the Nationals used finished the season with ERAs of 4.34, 5.66 and 7.82. But Marson didn't do anything to rule out the notion that he might compete for a big-league job next season.
As for the postseason, Marson said yesterday that the club is considering keeping him on the traveling squad in case of injury. If not, he will head to the Arizona Fall League. What's in store for next year?
"I don't know what the brass is thinking on anything like that," Marson said.
For now, neither do we.
Shane Victorino was back to his usual self yesterday afternoon, lounging in the office chair in front of his locker and joking with teammates and reporters. One day after he limped out of the Phillies clubhouse with a somber expression and a badly bruised shin, the prognosis was considerably more sunny. Charlie Manuel and trainer Scott Sheridan both said they expect Victorino to be ready to play in the playoff opener Wednesday against Milwaukee. Victorino was injured when he collided with Jimmy Rollins in shallow centerfield in the eighth inning of Saturday's 4-3 division-clinching win over the Nationals. He remained in the game, legging out an infield single and scoring a run in the bottom half of the frame. But afterward, Manuel admitted he was "concerned" about the injury. After the game, Victorino underwent X-rays, which were negative. He said yesterday that the shin was simply "sore."
The Phillies remained tight-lipped about their playoff roster yesterday, although Manuel admitted it was essentially set. Lefthander Cole Hamels will start Game 1 on Wednesday. Beyond that, pitching coach Rich Dubee said they had not made any decisions. The Phillies could pitch either lefthander Jamie Moyer, who allowed one run in six innings of the clincher Saturday, or righthander Brett Myers, who was dominant in his first 11 starts after the All-Star break but has struggled in his last two.
Righthander Kyle Kendrick, who allowed three runs in four innings yesterday, will not be on the playoff roster.
The Phillies likely will keep 11 pitchers, eight regulars and six reserves. Perhaps the biggest question is whether the team keeps speedy outfield prospect Greg Golson for his base-stealing ability in key late-game situations. That likely would mean leaving So Taguchi off the squad. Although Taguchi entered yesterday hitting just .198 in 86 at-bats, he went 3-for-5 with three RBI in yesterday's win. It is also unclear if the Phillies are considering keeping lefthander J.A. Happ as a long man.
Ryan Howard, who finished with 199 strikeouts, is no longer the single-season recordholder in that department. Arizona's Mark Reynolds finished with 204 . . . Howard ended up leading the league with 48 home runs and 146 RBI . . . The Phillies finished with a franchise-record total attendance of 3,422,583, and a record 50 sellouts . . . Reliever Les Walrond earned his first major league victory, pitching scoreless fifth and sixth innings, striking out four. Afterward, he had the entire team sign the lineup card. *
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