So former MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins could miss up to four weeks on the disabled list. Who cares?
“Jimmy is a tremendous player, but that’s part of what you go through,” said manager Charlie Manuel. “You’ve got to make the best out of it you possibly can.”
In their first official game without Rollins, who is having the best start of his career, the Phillies walloped the visiting Washington Nationals in a purely offensive game by a score of 14-7. The score at the end of the third inning was 7-7, over an hour and a half after the game started.
Rollins’ replacement at the leadoff spot, centerfielder Shane Victorino, went 4-for-5 with a homerun, five RBIs and three runs scored. The five RBIs were a career high for Victorino, and in one night he raised his batting average from .161 to .250.
Second baseman Chase Utley went 2-for-4 with two homeruns, four RBIs and a walk. Ryan Howard added two RBIs of his own.
The Phillies, who are playing like the modern version of the Bid Red Machine, scored in five of the eight innings in which they played. At 7-1, the Phillies are off to their best start since the 1993 team that went to the World Series. Coming into Wednesday night’s game against the Nationals, the Phillies were already leading the majors in most offensive categories, including batting average, an area where they typically struggle.
On top of it all, Roy Halladay, the much ballyhooed offseason acquisition, has so far lived up to all the hype, and then some. Through two starts, Halladay has allowed just one earned run in 16 innings while striking out 17 batters. His ERA is an incredible 0.56 and he was named the National League Player of the Week during the first week of the season.
The Phillies wrap up their series against the Nationals on Thursday during an afternoon game at Citizen’s Bank Park. The Phillies will receive their National League Champions rings in a pregame ceremony.
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