Game 72: Rest for Shane Victorino
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Game 72: Rest for Shane Victorino
Matt Gelb
For only the second time in 2012, Shane Victorino does not appear in Charlie Manuel's lineup.
It's not that Victorino has been especially bad of late; he's hit .257 with a .696 OPS in June. But those numbers mirror a season that has been a veritable slog for the free-agent-to-be. If the season ended today, Victorino would post career lows in rate stats like batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Victorino was among league leaders last season when 10.2 percent of his hits went for extra bases. That rate has dropped to 7.4 percent in 2012, which would be his lowest since 2006.
Before the season started, Victorino boasted he'd lead the league in triples as part of a national ad campaign for Major League Baseball. Through 71 games, he doesn't even lead the Phillies. Juan Pierre has three and Victorino has two.
The lineup against James Shields:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Juan Pierre 7
3. Hunter Pence 9
4. Carlos Ruiz 2
5. Ty Wigginton 3
6. Placido Polanco 5
7. John Mayberry Jr. 8
8. Michael Martinez 4
9. Cliff Lee 1
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Time to trade Victorino for a decent middle reliever and a bag of chips.— Philliesguy- He's out because he's getting moved.
Stay tuned.— 24sDad - Dad. Did you hear something or is it just a hunch ?
— zubzub - Sit Pence! he's absolutely worthless in RISP. You might as well pinch hit Lee/Hamels for Pence late in the game.— palmyra21
Victorino is as dumb as dirt.— HappyBob- This lineup wouldn't throw fear into a good Legion baseball team. How can such a mish-mash of bench players and under achievers ever expect to mount a sustained rally or hope to beat a quality pitcher like Shields? I will make a prediction for the first inning tonight: Rollins pops up, Pierre gronds out to second and Pence strikes out. End of inning...— Russ
- what else do the have?its all they have.injuries have taken its toll on the phillies.....you say the line up.what do suggest?they have no one . — ackid38
- Lee will win tonight..........bet on it!!! Even though this lineup looks horrible, some magic will happen tonight.....watch and see!— huntnmike3666
- It's too bad the Phillies can't bench Victorino, Rollins, Polanco and Pence and call up Matthew Martinez, Mark Martinez, Mitchell Martinez and Magglio Martinez.— dasher
- I don't know about worthless. He knocked a guy in to tie the game Wednesday night, so he's had success once or twice.— Jeffy3
- if they arent careful, they could get swept this weekend. shields/price matchup with lee/hamels, and then saturday is up for grabs. phils fortunate longoria is still out.
man, that lineup is bad. cliff lee should bat sixth.— jim715 - forget the howard/utley updates, im dying for just laynce freaking nix at this point-— jim715
- Jim715, this is a horrible lineup, thats why i said they win tonight because everyone expects them to lose and i still have little hope, just a little!!!!— huntnmike3666
- just hysterical that Michael Martinez gets written into the lineup every single night, as though all the guys who alternated at 2B before he returned from the DL were just holding his job for him.
This guy shouldn't have even been brought back for this campaign, after hitting .196 last year and with the understanding that the genius GM didn't want to lose him as a Rule 5 player. But brought back he was, and then Wilson Valdez was sent to Cincy, and had Martinez not been hurt in the spring, Galvis never would have played a game for the big club this year.
He's one of Amaro's Rule 5 sweethearts (along with the wonderful David Herndon) and if there is one thing you need to know about Amaro, it is that he will NEVER admit a mistake.
To those who will now challenge me as to what I would do different, try this...play and bat Fontenot at 2B, or, play Polly at 2B (his natural position) and give Luna a start at 3B. All of these guys are hitting a hundred or more points higher than the Rule 5 sweetheart, Martinez.
— advantasux - Why is Michael Martinez in the major leagues? Once he gets released (fingers crossed when Utley gets back( bet the house that no one picks him up.— march951
