Phillies' outfield will have many different looks

CLEARWATER, Fla. — At the winter meetings in December of 1992, the Phillies announced two free-agent signings that were hardly earth-shattering. One was Pete Incaviglia, a 28-year-old outfielder who had hit just 22 home runs in the previous 2 years combined. The other was Milt Thompson, then a 33-year-old veteran fresh off a 4-year stint with St. Louis.

Between them, they had played for six teams in 16 major league seasons with zero All-Star Game appearances.

But in 1993, the duo played an integral role in the Phillies' surprising run to the World Series, hitting a combined .268 with 28 home runs while platooning in leftfield. And in rightfield, Jim Eisenreich (.318) and Wes Chamberlain (.282) platooned for a combined 19 home runs and 99 RBI.

"It's about success," said Thompson, now the Phillies' hitting coach, "and we had a lot of success."

This year, Thompson and other Phillies coaches feel they have the components for an outfield that could be as diverse and flexible as the one that helped lead the organization to its most recent National League title. Gone are Aaron Rowand's .309 batting average, 27 home runs, 89 RBI and 612 at-bats. In their place is a variety of outfielders with varying skill sets whom Charlie Manuel will likely mix and match.

Although Shane Victorino replaces Rowand in centerfield, Manuel said he will use Jayson Werth and So Taguchi to help keep the high-motor player fresh. Werth, however, will spend most of his time in rightfield, where free-agent acquisition Geoff Jenkins also provides a powerful lefthanded bat.

The combinations seem endless, but Manuel and general manager Pat Gillick are convinced they have the personnel to not only offset the departure of Rowand, but improve upon the unit's production from a year ago.

"There's more depth than we had before, more versatility than we had before," Gillick said. "It probably gives us a little more depth and a little more power than we had before."

Manuel says one key will be the play of Werth, who toiled in the minor leagues for 7 seasons before breaking into the majors full time with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004. After missing all of 2006 while recovering from left wrist surgery, the 6-4, 210-pounder signed with the Phillies and started 63 games in the outfield, hitting .298 with eight home runs in 255 at-bats.

Although Werth is entering his 12th professional season, he is just 6 months older than first baseman Ryan Howard. In 2004, the outfielder hit 16 home runs in just 290 at-bats while hitting .262 for the Dodgers. While his power numbers weren't so impressive last season, Manuel thinks Werth has the potential to hit 30-plus homers.

Which makes the rightfield situation so compelling.

Taguchi, who turns 39 in July, provides a big offensive presence off the bench — last season, he went 13-for-32 (.406) as a pinch-hitter — and can play all three outfield positions. But the most delicate balancing act will likely feature Werth and Jenkins.

Jenkins, whom the Phillies signed this offseason, has hit at least 20 home runs in four of the last five seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. If Werth improves on his power numbers, as Manuel expects, and Jenkins' production remains what it has, it isn't hard to imagine the duo combining to hit 30-40 home runs.

Of course, a lot depends on how Manuel employs his personnel. But the manager thinks he'll be able to get guys like Werth and Jenkins the correct number of at-bats to be successful. Manuel doesn't envision Victorino as the type of player who can start 159 games, as Rowand did last season. That should mean playing time for Werth in centerfield. In left, the Phillies started someone other than Pat Burrell 59 times in the past two seasons, which could provide further opportunities for both Werth, who started eight games at the position last season, and Jenkins, who saw significant time there during his 10 years in Milwaukee.

Jenkins will play a lot against righthanded pitchers, but Manuel said he isn't looking at rightfield as a classic righty-lefty platoon, as Thompson and Incaviglia were in 1993.

Both players say that it's easier being an everyday player than splitting time. But they understand they will likely be sharing time. Werth wasn't an everyday player last year and still hit close to .300. Jenkins, meanwhile, hit .255 with 21 home runs while sharing time with Kevin Mench.

"You just have to deal with the role you are given and do the best you can with it," Jenkins said. "I think sometimes where it can get tough is when you get 2 or 3 days in a row off, because the game is all about timing."

That said, Manuel has had success juggling outfielders.

While managing the Indians in 2001, four reserve outfielders finished the season with at least 200 at-bats. Wil Cordero, Jolbert Cabrera, Russell Branyan and Ellis Burks all started games in leftfield that season.

That year, Cleveland won 91 games and a division title. This year, the Phillies would love to replicate both marks.

Phillers

Lefthander Joe Savery, the first-round pick out of Rice last June, will start the Phillies' exhibition opener against Florida State on Tuesday night. *

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