Today's fans poll: What is the best story out of Phillies spring training?
Domonic Brown’s emergence
865 (63.5%)
The resurgence of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard
451 (33.1%)
The dominant showing by Cole Hamels
47 (3.4%)Total votes = 1363
it was a hard choice, but voted Domonic Brown Why is answered here
With Domonic Brown, the Phillies' luck could change by Paul Sheridan:
What the Phillies have not done since the arrival of Howard in 2005 is this: produce a difference-making everyday player from their minor-league system. And what an impact Howard had: rookie of the year in '05, MVP in '06, playoff debut in '07, championship in '08.
Big Piece, indeed. He completed the lineup puzzle partly assembled with Utley, Rollins, Pat Burrell.
And now - eight of the best years in Phillies history later - that lineup needs another jolt. It will mean a lot if Ben Revere can get on base and Michael Young can be a good situational hitter. It will mean much more if Utley and Howard, the 3-4 hitters who produced so many great moments already, can return to form.
But if Brown can add the production and the pitcher-stressing presence the young Howard did? That would give the Phillies a lineup on par with what the Nationals and Braves have assembled in the National League East.
Can Brown do what Howard did? The similarities suggest he can.
"My swing is similar to Ryan's swing," Brown said. "I've learned a lot by watching him. I'm a visual guy. I learn off what I see."
Like Howard, Brown is a big lefthanded hitter with remarkable natural power. Like Howard, he was not a first-round draft pick handed a ton of money just for signing a contract. Like Howard, he drew notice for his play in the minor leagues, but his ascension to the majors was delayed.
For Howard, it took an injury to Jim Thome for him to finally get an extended look. He was already 25. He won the rookie of the year award despite being held back in the minors until June.
For Brown, it has been a combination of injuries and slow starts and the organization's inability to be patient while in win-now mode. What he needs is to be allowed to play every day for the entire season. The way manager Charlie Manuel sticks with his guys through slumps? He has to count Brown among his guys, along with Rollins, Utley, and Howard.
There are two reasons that's the right approach: The Phillies need Brown to be an impact player, and Brown has earned the chance with an extraordinary spring performance.
Grapefruit League stats may not mean much, but a consistent swing, mature approach, improved defense, and superb attitude certainly should. Brown is 25. It is time.
"When you're around guys like Howard, Utley, and Rollins every day, it makes you want to get better," Brown said. "If you can't get better with those guys around, there's something wrong."
As the Phillies desperately tried to extend their run, they traded away many of their top prospects. Brown is the one they've held through all of it. It doesn't matter now that he was compared to Darryl Strawberry or ranked No. 4 among all prospects by Baseball America in 2011 (behind Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, and Jesus Montero) or that he has hit just .236 with 12 home runs in 147 big-league games.
What matters is what he does with an opportunity that is hanging there like a double-A slider. If he does what he's done all spring, the Phillies will have their first homegrown impact player since Howard, hitting behind Howard.
That would count as a pleasant surprise after a series of bad shocks.
The Phillies are due. |
