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Inside the Phillies: Rookie hits town swinging a hot bat

This was not the move general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies spent so much time trying to make before the trade deadline. The last thing in the world they wanted or needed was another one of their starting position players on the disabled list.

This was not the move general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies spent so much time trying to make before the trade deadline. The last thing in the world they wanted or needed was another one of their starting position players on the disabled list.

Unfortunately for centerfielder Shane Victorino, his trip to the land of the injured did not cause nearly as much dread as did trips by shortstop Jimmy Rollins, third baseman Placido Polanco and second baseman Chase Utley this season.

That's because Victorino was replaced by The Prospect.

Domonic Brown arrived in the big leagues Wednesday night and made his major-league debut by batting sixth and playing right field against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Citizens Bank Park sizzled with anticipation and the 22-year-old Georgian with the sweet, powerful lefthanded swing did not disappoint the 90th straight sellout crowd.

Brown simply did the same thing he has done all season at double-A Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley: Hit the baseball.

After Jayson Werth doubled to open the bottom of the second inning, Brown stepped to the plate and was greeted with a standing ovation. After taking one fastball for a ball and another for a strike, Brown lowered his raised hands on the third pitch and scorched a breaking ball from Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson off the top of the right-field wall for an RBI double, accounting for the first run in the Phillies' 7-1 victory.

Perhaps it would have been more dramatic if Brown's shot to right would have cleared the wall for a home run in his first major-league at-bat, but then he could not have shown off his speed, athleticism and enthusiasm. After sliding into second, Brown quickly bounced up, clapped his hands and listened to the second standing ovation of his one at-bat career.

"I wasn't expecting all that," Brown said. "That was great."

Brown also singled and scored from first base on a Carlos Ruiz double in the sixth inning and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the seventh.

He jokingly suggested his debut could have been better.

"A couple of bombs would have been nice," he said.

The rookie also whiffed on a ninth-inning dive in an attempt to catch a Miguel Montero line drive and it resulted in an RBI double that spoiled Roy Halladay's bid for his fourth shutout of the season.

After Halladay retired the next hitter to end the Phillies' seventh straight victory, the staff ace gave Brown a pat on the back. In the clubhouse, Halladay said he was glad the Phillies did not include the rightfielder in the trade that brought him here from Toronto in the offseason.

"It went great, but let's not get all head over heels," Brown said.

Why not?

The Phillies may still land Roy Oswalt in their trade talks with the Houston Astros and csnphilly.com reported that they are also in the running for Cleveland's Fausto Carmona. Don't be surprised, however, if the addition of Brown proves to be as big as any the Phillies make before the deadline. Also don't be surprised if Brown becomes the best of the Fab Five N.L. East rookies to make their debuts this season.

Atlanta started the season with 20-year-old Jason Heyward on its roster and it could be argued that he's a major reason why the Braves are once again a contender in the National League East.

Ike Davis joined the New York Mets 13 games into their season and injected some life into a team that started 4-8.

Stephen Strasburg arrived on the scene June 8 for the Washington Nationals, the same day rightfielder Mike Stanton joined the Florida Marlins. Those two gave their fans a reason to go to the ballpark but no more hope for those teams this season.

Brown, on the other hand, could be the injection of youth and energy that fuels the Phillies to a fourth straight National League East title or playoff appearance.

Brown is that good. He's so good, in fact, that it's entirely possible he will not play another game in the minor leagues even if Victorino makes a quick recovery from the strained left abdominal muscle that sent him to the disabled list Wednesday.

"He bounces around with all this energy," a National League scout said after watching Brown this week at Lehigh Valley. "I watched him in the outfield power shagging and I'm like, 'He's going to wear himself out.' But it was exciting to see that. Then you watch him take batting practice and it's unreal. He has plus power."

Those who watched Brown play for a month at Lehigh Valley were certainly impressed by his tools. Teammate John Mayberry was asked if he could remember a "wow" moment by Brown.

"The first five games when it seemed like he was hitting one out every day, so I guess that's four or five wow moments," Mayberry said.

IronPigs catcher Paul Hoover said his jaw dropped the first time he saw Brown show off his left arm from right field.

"It didn't even really seem like he got behind the ball that well and he made this throw to third and I went, 'Wow,' " Hoover said. "For the most part, he's done something special every night. It has been a lot of fun to have him here."

When you talk to the people who spent the last month around Brown, the prevailing opinion is that his sixth tool - a plus attitude - will make him a major-league superstar.

"We got a bobblehead coming out tomorrow," Manuel said. "I suggested it."