People have "got to wait and see and watch us play," Francisco said, addressing the civic anxiety that has accompanied Werth's departure and Chase Utley's disabling injury. "Everybody was a little panicked, but we've got good players here. . . . Everybody loses guys every year. It's our job to replace them."
Both Francisco and Wilson Valdez, whose super-sub performance in 2010 already has earned him cuddles, played key roles in the 5-4 season-opening win over Houston, their first as the replacements for Werth and Utley, respectively.
It wasn't all hugs and high-fives for Francisco. Earlier, in the fifth inning of a scoreless game, the rightfielder misplayed a ball hit by catcher Humberto Quintero.
"I kind of got turned around," Francisco said. "The wind kind of blew it toward the line, and I kind of took a bad route on it.
But pitcher Roy Halladay, who escaped the inning with no further damage, "picked me up," Francisco said.
The play accentuated what is manager Charlie Manuel's biggest concern about the player who arrived here from Cleveland with Cliff Lee in 2009, the player he started in lieu of John Mayberry Jr. and Ross Gload: Defense.
"The ball he missed he should have caught," said Manuel. "Outside of that, he charged a couple balls. . . . Defensively, he needs to play, and we'll see how good he is. Sometimes when you're not a regular player and you sit on the bench a little while, sometimes it takes you a little while to get used to playing in the field."
The decisive ninth showcased some of the players the Phillies, who raised almost no fuss against Astros starter Brett Myers, need to produce - Francisco, Valdez, and Mayberry.
With runners at first and third and one out in a game the Phils trailed, 4-2, Francisco singled to left-center, scoring Jimmy Rollins. After Carlos Ruiz singled, so did Valdez. It was his second hit and first RBI of 2011, tying the game.
