Friday, June 7, 2013

PHILLIES NOTES: Manuel keeps Mayberry in the lineup

MILWAUKEE – Charlie Manuel wanted to keep John Mayberry’s bat in the lineup while it’s hot, so after starting him in right field Wednesday, he had Mayberry giving Ben Revere a night off in Milwaukee Thursday.

That meant an opening at the top of the order. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Jimmy Rollins filling the role for the evening. Instead, Manuel went with Michael Young, who was at the top of the order for the first time since Sept. 8, 2004.

Rollins entered Thursday night with 10 starts in the No. 3 hole of the order, and although he was hitting just .233 with two RBI there, he has drawn 12 walks in 60 plate appearances – a rate the Phillies would have adored in, say, that decade he was batting leadoff every day.

Still, Manuel will take that .452 on-base percentage anywhere he can get it.

No comments:

Post a Comment