Translation: When Brown is recalled, he will be here to stay. This is no trial like last season, when the prospect was pressed into duty with Shane Victorino out of the lineup. And the last thing the Phillies want to do is set up Brown for failure by promoting him and handing over a starting job before he actually is ready.
At the major-league level, there are winds of change. Ben Francisco (4 for his last 42) sat against a lefthander Wednesday, with John Mayberry Jr. in right field for his fourth consecutive start. The production has been no better in left field, with Raul Ibanez at .223 entering the homestand.
Brown has played 16 minor-league games (11 at triple-A Lehigh Valley) and is hitting .350 (21 for 60). He has an 18-game hitting streak at triple A dating from last season and had the winning hit in Wednesday's game for the IronPigs. Injuries have slowed his development since August.
He had played in only nine straight games for Lehigh Valley before a sprained right thumb cost him five days. Since returning from the injury, he has played two days in a row.
"When it's time for him to come to the big leagues, he has to be ready to be a big-league player in a lot of different facets of the game," Amaro said.
That includes his defensive play and route running, something drilled into the outfielder's head during his brief stint in spring training with third base coach and outfield instructor Juan Samuel.
In the meantime, manager Charlie Manuel is biding time by taking a closer look at Mayberry. The athletic outfielder stole three bases in his last three starts and made a few decent plays in the field.
"He's shown me enough he gets to play tonight," Manuel said before Wednesday's game.
Utley plays again
