Fresh off scoring a season-high in the 7-1 victory over the Marlins on Wednesday night, manager Charlie Manuel decided to switch up the lineup a bit against lefty Mark Buehrle.
Certainly mixing things up a bit is logical given that the team is facing a lefty, but Manuel adamantly refused to make any changes after the Phillies were stymied by Anibal Sanchez. The reason was because Manuel wanted to give his hitters a chance to succeed without his overreaction.
I played 20 years and if you take me out because I go 0 for 4 and let me sit a day or two days, likely when I get back in there Ill be trying too hard. Ill feel like Ill have to get hits, Manuel explained. The only way to get going is to get some at-bats in a row or something like that. I figured I might try the lineup out for a day or two in a row. Well see if we can get something.
Against the lefty Buehrle, Manuel is going with this batting order:
Shane Victorino, CFPlacido Polanco, 3BJimmy Rollins, SSHunter Pence, RFJohn Mayberry Jr., LFTy Wigginton, 1BCarlos Ruiz, CFreddy Galvis, 2BJoe Blanton, P
Meanwhile, the Phillies improved their team batting average from .198 to .237 with the 14-hit barrage on Wednesday night. Interestingly, the National League batting average is a not-so robust .239. In other words, the Phillies are hitting the ball just like every other team through the first week of the season.
The reason for that, says Manuel, is simple.
Pitching, he said. Better pitching and scouting reports. If you got a guy who doesnt walk, why would you try to throw him strikes? If you got a guy who has 600 at-bats and 25 walks, why would you want to throw him a strike? Make him chase. If he has a history of it, make him chase.
Not only are pitchers armed with more information, they have better stuff, too, and more of it.
They have more pitches. For instance, when I played they had two pitches and then all of a sudden guys had three pitches and now they have four and five pitches, Manuel explained. They have different kinds of fastballs, too. Look at (Roy) Halladayhe has about every pitch you can have.
Plus, command of the strike zone is much better.
Pitching, clearly, is the name of the game.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com.