The bats of the Philadelphia Phillies have come alive over the past ten games, allowing the team to surge further ahead in the standings and hold on to the best record in the MLB. Part of the reason for the return of the Phillies offense has been the return of key players from injury. Many people have credited the success to the short swing of Chase Utley, who began to get hot at the same time as the team. However, the credit should go to Shane Victorino, who has been the much needed spark at the top of the line-up.
Over the past ten games, Shane Victorino is hitting a staggering .452, bringing his season average to .305. In addition to his impressive average, it is more important that Shane is fitting his role as the number two hitter by getting on base. As the fastest player on the team, Victorino simply needs to put the ball in play and get to first. From there, a combination of steals, aggressive base running, and strong hitting from the batters behind him will allow Victorino to quickly find his way to home plate. Since his return, the Phillies are 10-3 when he scores at least one run. When Victorino gets on base, and the team helps bring him home, odds are the Phillies are going to win.
Not only has Victorino been able to score runs, but he has had a knack for coming up with a hit in the clutch. On Wednesday of this past week, Victorino came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with runners on second and third trailing 4-2. Victorino ripped a two-out, two-run single off Florida Marlins closer Leo Nunez that sent the game to extras. The Phillies went on to win 5-4, taking both games in the day-night double header and extending their win streak to six games. Just last night, Victorino carried the Phillies to victory over Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners. In the seventh inning, again with two outs, and the bases loaded, Victorino sent a fly ball just off the chalk in left field and it bounced into the stands. The ground rule double brought two runners to the plate and gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead. Then, in the ninth, with (you guessed it) two outs, Victorino hit a two-run home run to finish off the Marines and give the Phillies a 5-1 win.
Along with his offensive production, Victorino has been strong in center field, proving why he has won a Gold Glove in each of the past three seasons. Victorino uses his speed to cover a lot of ground and get to balls that many fielders would not be able to track down. This was illustrated in the game on Friday night, in which Victorino made a running catch in the spacious Safeco Field, preventing an extra base hit. With a slow, aging left fielder, and a young, inexperienced fielder in right, Victorino has taken control in the outfield and played errorless baseball this season.
With the Phillies hitting the ball well again, it is easy to point to Chase Utley and say that has been the reason. While Utley’s return to the lineup has provided a strong presence, as well as some key hits, the resurgence of Shane Victorino has almost been forgotten. Victorino’s personality is almost as crucial as his outstanding numbers as the rest of the team feeds off the enthusiasm provided by Victorino on the field and in the dugout. In order for the team to keep scoring runs, and win games, Shane Victorino will have to use his energy to produce hits wherever he is placed in the line-up.