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Phillies Notebook: Phillies' Cody Asche returns to third base

The move from leftfield means more at-bats for Asche and allows Phillies to give outfielder Darnell Sweeney some playing time.

Cody Asche.
Cody Asche.Read more(Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)

CODY ASCHE said he took ground balls at third base maybe twice in about two weeks before returning to his old position on Friday night in Boston. He started at third base for the third time in four games last night, when the Phillies returned home to host the Atlanta Braves.

But Asche has already had experience this year changing positions on short notice.

"This time I didn't have to go practice in Triple A," Asche said thankfully before taking pregame batting practice with his teammates.

At this point in the season, Asche is simply grateful for the at-bats.

"The way I'm approaching it is there could be worse things happening, you know?" Asche said. "I like to play and be in the lineup. I talked to [manager] Pete [Mackanin] and he said that'll be the best way for you to get at-bats going forward the rest of this year."

Mackanin was reluctant to move Asche back to third base from leftfield when rookie Maikel Franco was first placed on the disabled list last month, fearing it could affect his offense. But two things have changed in the four weeks since the injury.

For one, it looks increasingly unlikely that Franco [left wrist fracture] will return this season. The Phillies have also acquired outfielder Darnell Sweeney in that time and want to give him and fellow rookie outfielders Odubel Herrera and Aaron Altherr regular playing time in the season's final month.

"We like Sweeney, we like what we see so far," Mackanin said. "And it's important [to see him]. Same thing with Altherr. [Moving Asche to third] enables us to do that."

Asche is hoping to end what he called a "trying" season on a strong note.

Asche, 25, entered last night night hitting .248 with a .295 OBP and seven home runs in 105 games this season. Among the 205 major league players with at least 350 plate appearances, Asche's .674 OPS ranked 173rd.

Among the 90 major leaguers with at least 300 plate appearances as outfielders, Asche's .678 OPS ranked 81st. His -1.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) ranks 89th.

"Very trying season, mentally [and] emotionally" Asche said. "You learn a lot about yourself, about who you are. Obviously I would have liked to have performed better with the opportunities I've been given. I still have a month left . . . I wouldn't say turn things around, but to leave a better impression than what I've given. And maybe show some versatility. Show that I'm worth something moving forward to the organization."

Brown's return in doubt

Domonic Brown is apparently nowhere close to resuming baseball activities, and thus, remains a long shot to return this season.

Brown experienced concussion symptoms after falling over the short wall along the first base line at Citi Field on Wednesday night. Yesterday - five days after the incident - Brown was apparently still not feeling well.

"He came in today and said he felt a little dizzy," Mackanin said. "He just doesn't feel right. If he goes another week to 10 days without any action it just doesn't make any sense to put him back in the lineup . . . I'd be surprised if he came back the rest of the year."

Brown could be through playing for the Phillies, period.

The 28-year-old outfielder is arbitration eligible for the second time this winter; he earned $2.6 million through arbitration last winter. Since players never make less than a previous season through arbitration, Brown could be in line to make in the neighborhood of $4 million in 2016. And thus, he could be in line to be non-tendered.

Brown, an All-Star in 2013, is hitting .228 with a .284 OBP and five home runs in 63 games this season. After hitting 23 home runs in 95 games before the 2013 All-Star Break, Brown has hit .239 with 19 home runs in 251 games in the last 2 1/2 years.

Major promotions

With rosters expanding last week and the Triple A season ended for Lehigh Valley yesterday, the Phillies will call three additional pitchers up to the big leagues today: Righthanders David Buchanan and Nefi Ogando and lefthander Ken Roberts. Buchanan could be plugged into the Phillies rotation as soon as tomorrow.

The Phillies have yet to announce who will start tomorrow against the Braves, but they do plan on moving toward a six-man rotation for the season's final 3 1/2 weeks to ease the burden on their rookie-laden rotation.

"Look at a guy like [Adam] Morgan, with injuries the last few years he hasn't pitched a whole lot, so we have to taper him," Mackanin said. "Same thing with all of the guys, we have to be careful with innings and not overextend them."

Although Buchanan is 2-7 with a 9.00 ERA in 10 starts with the Phillies this season, he still stands a better chance to be with the organization in 2016 than veteran Jerome Williams, the likely other option for the sixth starter spot. Buchanan went 1-2 with a 2.31 ERA in four starts with Triple A Lehigh Valley in his most recent demotion.

Both Williams and lefthander Adam Loewen took batting practice with the Phillies' starting pitchers yesterday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Loewen, a former outfielder, has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 2015.