Phillies' Joseph leads the way in an 8-3 rout
Tommy Joseph reported to spring training last February as a 24-year-old in minor-league camp. He was nine months removed from being forced to learn to play first base after a series of concussions ended his catching career. Joseph was an afterthought on baseball's fringe.
Tommy Joseph reported to spring training last February as a 24-year-old in minor-league camp. He was nine months removed from being forced to learn to play first base after a series of concussions ended his catching career. Joseph was an afterthought on baseball's fringe.
The goal, he said after Wednesday night's 8-3 win over the White Sox, was to stay healthy and perform well enough this season in triple A that the Phillies would promote him to the major leagues when rosters expanded in September.
A modest goal led to strong results. Joseph joined the Phillies in May, hit his 21st homer of the season on Wednesday night, and appears to be carving himself a role for next season.
"It means a lot just to be given the opportunity to do it," Joseph said. "And making the most of it is what I'm trying to do."
Joseph finished Wednesday 2 for 5 with three RBIs as the Phillies chased Chris Sale after just four innings. Joseph, 25, is ending his rookie season on a tear. He is batting .390 with an .468 on-base percentage and four homers in his last 14 games. Manager Pete Mackanin challenged Joseph earlier this month to raise his on-base percentage, and Joseph answered.
He is the fourth Phillies rookie to hit 21 homers in a season. Joseph likely will trail just Willie Montanez (30) and Dick Allen (29) at season's end for the franchise's all-time mark.
"He has a few things that he needs to continue to work on," Mackanin said. "But to have that many home runs . . . and he's starting to get more RBIs. And he's playing a pretty good first base for a guy that's never played over there. He's a positive item for the future."
Joseph, who was acquired from San Francisco in 2012 in the Hunter Pence trade, shared first-base duties this season with Ryan Howard and the pair combined to hit 40 homers when playing first base. No other team has received more homers from the position. Howard has just 10 games left with the organization, which will force the Phillies to make a decision if Joseph is next season's first baseman.
They could play him in a full-time role or acquire a new lefthanded first baseman to platoon with Joseph.
Joseph - albeit a smaller sample size - has found almost the same success this season against lefthanded pitchers as he did against righthanders. He entered Wednesday batting .257 in 210 at-bats against righthanders and .267 in 86 at-bats against lefthanders. He has a .512 slugging percentage against lefthanders and a .510 slugging-percentage against righthanders.
"I'm going to appreciate any role that they give me at the major-league level," Joseph said. "That's what any major-league player wants. We want to compete and we want to compete every day. If given that opportunity, I'd feel grateful and try to make the most of it like I am right now."
Jerad Eickhoff allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, his longest start since July 26. The righthander struck out six and walked one. It was his sixth straight start with three earned runs or less. Eickhoff, like Joseph, certainly has played himself into a role on next season's roster. Eickhoff ran into trouble in the seventh as he was tagged for a pair of homers. Mackanin kept him in the game and Eickhoff ended the inning on a deep fly out to Roman Quinn, who leaped against the wall to make the catch.
Joseph's RBI double in the first seemed to get the Phillies started. Cameron Rupp - the next batter - followed with a two-run double. The Phillies looked to be in for a good night against one of baseball's top arms. And that was solidified in the third when Joseph lined a two-run homer to left field. Rupp waited near the on-deck circle as Joseph cleared home plate. The players pounded fists and then punched each other in the gut. Joseph, no longer an afterthought, was playing the starring role.
Note
Tyler Goeddel left the game after being hit in the head by a 93 mph fastball. He was examined by the team's doctor after the game and was scheduled to travel with the team to New York.
@matt_breen philly.com/philliesblog