Instead, they had a centerfielder whose batting average has hovered around .250 most of the season.
"Very, very, very frustrating. But I don't look at it that way. I just kind of look past what's happened up to this point. There's nothing I can do about it," a suddenly hot Victorino said reflectively after knocking out a pair of doubles and a single in last night's 10-6 win over the Marlins at the Bank.
"Obviously, everybody around me is probably wondering what's the reason. But I can only look from right now forward. I can't change what I've done. Obviously I'd like to be hitting .290, .300. But I'm not. So I have to make the best of what I am and what I'm doing now."
What he's doing now is pretty good. In his last three games, all Phillies wins, he's 8-for-16 with four stolen bases and six runs scored.
While Placido Polanco drove in the game-winning run against Florida on Tuesday night, it was Victorino who made it all possible by singling and stealing second in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and nobody on.
And all of this became just a little more vital after the bottom of the third inning, when Rollins limped off the field with what was diagnosed as tightness in his right hamstring.
Manager Charlie Manuel said after the game that Rollins was also dehydrated, that the preliminary report he got from the medical staff was good and that his impression was that the injury might not be serious.
On the other hand, Rollins has been on the disabled list twice already this year with right calf strains. And hamstrings can linger. Until further notice, then, it will most likely be up to Victorino to get on base, set the table, rattle the opposing team with the threat to run, ignite the offense.
