A clearer picture of Charlie Manuel's plan for Juan Pierre and John Mayberry
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A clearer picture of Charlie Manuel's plan for Juan Pierre and John Mayberry
David Murphy
Well, if you were wondering whether the Phillies' line-up has the stuff to scratch out a 4-3 victory against a corps of relievers from a bullpen that finished 2011 ranked 12th in the National League, then last night qualifies as a resounding statement. Otherwise, as the ballplayers say, it was what it was.
When Freddy Galvis tripled home a run in the seventh inning, he did so against the only player on either side who is younger than he is, a 21-year-old right-hander named Ryan Beckman who has logged 139 2/3 innings in three minor league seasons, none of them above the level of Class A. When Juan Pierre led off the first inning with a double that traveled 200 feet, all of it in the air, he did so against a 26-year-old middle reliever coming off a rookie season in which he allowed 1.3 home runs and 4.4 walks-per-nine while posting a 3.95 ERA, 1.317 WHIP and 98 ERA+.
Look at it this way: In the first game of last year's end-of-March exhibition series against the Pirates, the stars were Ben Francisco, who hit a solo home run, and Luis Castillo, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Neither player was in attendance last night.
The only thing we can really take from these games is circumstantial evidence that supports the various observations that our intuition has recorded after a month-plus of watching the daily working of this team. For example, it seems clear that Charlie Manuel plans on handing Juan Pierre a big role in this year's offense. It also seems clear that he has some hesitation about John Mayberry Jr's ability to transition from last year's part-time success story to a valuable everyday cog in the line-up. Our own Rich Hofmann asked the manager about that yesterday, and Manuel swore that Mayberry would get his chances. And he will. Because the Phillies don't really have many other options at this point.
I think we have a pretty good idea of Manuel's intentions for the first month or so of the schedule:
1. Play Jim Thome twice per week at first base with Mayberry playing the other three or four games.
2. Rotate Juan Pierre and Laynce Nix in left field, with Pierre getting the bulk of the starts against lefties.
3. On occasion, against certain lefties, start John Mayberry Jr. in left and Ty Wigginton at first base.
In other words, I see Thome and Nix both getting two starts per week and Mayberry and Pierre both getting four. Mayberry will pick up a start every now and then in center field in relief of Shane Victorino, while Wigginton could work in at third on occasion. That puts Mayberry in position to reach 500 plate appearances, should he continue to earn the opportunity. But it is going to take a lot more than last night to convince anybody that the Galvis-Pitcher-Pierre-Polanco portion of the lineup is going to produce anything more than a convenient opportunity to grab beer, hot dogs and a bathroom break.
Pierre has been hot in spring training but he isn't a legit starter for a team with playoff hopes which is why he was available for a camp invite. Galvis will do well as he has been on an upward trajectory for several years and is going from poverty line to big leagues. If Nix and/or Wiggington are starting in non-emergency situations, that's a problem too. It puts the team on an Astros/Mets level. Those guys aren't bona fide big league starters. If Hamels or Lee are pitching, they are often the best and most compelling hitters to watch. They make the most of their at bats and hustle on the basepaths. Even Worley, Blanton, and Halladay put in a good effort at the plate and are fun to watch compared to some of the regulars who like to take the good pitches and swing at the bad ones.— jtj06- Think I'm with guy, to me this team has needed a true leadoff hitter and if he really has tread left on him, that's Pierre. Jimmy could do well at the 3 hole until/if Chase returns. I'd like to see JMJ at 1B a lot if he's hitting. Not much power in the wheelhouse otherwise.— PhillySubsMac
- I don't understand why everybody thinks Pierre is a true leadoff hitter. His OBP is identical to Rollins. Jimmy has a much better Stealing % than Pierre who gets thrown out fairly often.— mtuske
- Cholly has never shown this level of commitment to platooning - I'll believe it when I see it.— Bobby G
- If people are going to complain about grind out wins, then they're in for a rough season. I'll take a 95 win season, getting hot at the end of Sept, "slap-hitting" their way down Broad Street over hoping that JM Jr and Hunter Pence can hit 50 hrs apeice to make this team win. Jeez people.— Bruno Sammartino
- I am so glad we had this ELLITE team in 2008!! Wow how we have gotten so New Yorker! We think unless we spend $$$$$ we can not win!! In 2008 we won with these players Pedro Feliz 3rd, Pat Burrell LF, Werth RF (came out of no where), Victorino (came out of no where), Geoff Jenkins, Chris Coste, GReg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett, So Taguchi, Matt Stairs I can go on and on to name people who no longer PLAY, not to mention our starting Pitching had one Star HAMELS! We had Moyer, Myersm Kendrick, Adam Eaton and Joe Blanton! Come on People get off the BAND WAGON TRUCK!!! It takes timely hits, timely steals and great pitching. Do you think the cardinals won the WS with A+++++ players??? Please name them.— sjrgm73
- the question is can Thome play two games a week at 1st for 9 innings? If he can than maybe we will see some long balls from him more offen than it looks like he will hit one out of the park. LETS GO PHILLIES!— srcdaddy1216
- "Rollins leading off, no Rollins leading off. Like slap hitters, don't like slap hitters. Pierre shouldn't be on the team, Pierre is the right guy to lead the team, we need to play small ball, I hate to watch small ball." I think I'm gonna take a break from commenting here for awhile, I'm getting dizzy and I don't want to catch a case of the stupids. It's sounding contagious to me.— Mark1npt
- Pierre is much better than Pods. Don't care if he slaps half his hits, they are hits.— AbeVigoda
- Thanks David. The less juggling the better so hopefully Mayberry will get the most playing time either at first or LF. The less Nix and Wiggington the better.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Over/Under on Pierre "caught stealings" is 25— scootch
Comment removed.- Ummm, is there a reason we expect Rollins to succeed batting third given how bad he was at it last year? I don't know what choice Manuel really has, but I haven't seen anything that makes me think Rollins can bat third. I just can't see them scoring many runs. Looks like a white knuckle ride this season with a lot of low scoring, tight games.— esh
- the last sentence is priceless. Imagine the games they have Schnieder in. There will be a lot of time to head to the kitchen.— Back up the Bus for Gload and Bowker
- Well, if Pierre is going to play mainly against lefties, it looks as if there will be at least two leadoff hitters -- him when he's in the lineup and JRoll when he's not. So we'll get to see both the "traditional" type of leadoff guy and the non-traditional guy we've been seeing for a while. (Whom I like. Don't get me wrong.) Just two of the many moving parts of a batting order that's going to show more wrinkles than Mother Teresa this year.— Dave Clemens
