EL1 Reading Fightin Phils

The right tools for the job

Published on June 2, 2005 under Eastern League (EL1)
Reading Fightin Phils News Release


In their 111 years of playing professional baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies have captured five pennants. Incredibly, they have produced even fewer quality leadoff hitters.

In fact, after Richie Ashburn (1948-59) and Lenny Dykstra, (1989-98) name a Phillies player who has been able to sustain outstanding leadoff qualities. That's right, except for a decent year here and there, nobody belongs with Whitey and the Dude.

Check the postseason for proof: In 1915 the Boston Red Sox dismissed the Phillies in five World Series games, their pitchers allowing a total of nine earned runs. Milt Stock, the Phillies leadoff man, was 2-for-17 and scored a run.

In 1950 the New York Yankees took the minimum four games to banish the Phillies, who managed a paltry three earned runs. It was Eddie Waitkus, not Ashburn, who led off, his 4-for-15 effort producing no runs or RBIs.

Then came three straight years of disappointments in the NLCS from 1976-78 when Dave Cash, Bake McBride and Mike Schmidt were a combined 11-for-47 with four runs and three RBIs.

Finally, in 1980, the Phillies broke through against first the Houston Astros in a thrilling five-game championship series, and then the Kansas City Royals in six games to snare their only World Championship. Pete Rose and Lonnie Smith joined to go 8-for-20 against the Astros, but with just two runs and one RBI. Against the Royals they were 5-for-23 with two runs and one RBI.

So far you would have to agree that's not a lot of production at the top of the lineup.

In 1983, in four games against their playoff nemesis, the Los Angeles Dodgers, leadoff man Joe Morgan was 1-for-15 and scored a measly run while the Phillies were winning in four games. In losing to the Baltimore Orioles in five games, Morgan was a little better at 5-for-19 with three runs and two RBIs.

Then came 1993 and a bulked-up Dykstra, who told reporters he had discovered the weight room and "good vitamins" that year to help him produce one of the great all-time performances by a leadoff man. He became the first player in NL history to lead the league in at-bats (637) and walks (129). He also led in hits (194), scored 143 runs, rapped a career-high 19 home runs and batted .305.

In the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, Dykstra was 7-for-25 with five runs and two RBIs. He doubled, ripped two homers and walked five times.

That was just a warmup for an amazing display of grit, power and showmanship in the six-game letdown to the Toronto Blue Jays and the heroic Joe Carter: 23 AB, 9 R, 8 H, 8 RBI, 4 HR, 7 BB.

Since Dykstra departed, the Phillies have hung their hats on the likes of Doug Glanville, the banished Marlon Byrd, and lately Jimmy Rollins, all of them ill-suited to the demanding leadoff position.

Now along comes another hopeful in Michael Bourn, a 22-year-old speedster, a fourth-round draft pick out of the University of Houston with marvelous physical tools and extraordinary mental characteristics. So sure were the Phillies about the kid's ironclad mental makeup that they jumped him a level this year from low Class A Lakewood to Double-A Reading.

So far Bourn has held his own. Fifty-one games into the season he was batting .257 out of mostly the leadoff position. He was second on the team in runs scored (27), third in hits (46), first in walks (29) and first in stolen bases (13). He also has struck out a little more (38) than you would prefer from your leadoff guy, but remember, he is young and his game is a work in progress.

Last year he all but owned the Sally League with 58 stolen bases, 85 walks, 14 triples and a .431 on-base percentage, all league bests. Oh, and he hit .317.

He wasn't fazed this spring when the Phillies told him he was bypassing Clearwater Beach for the Schuylkill River. He said it was his goal all along.

"I have seen a difference in the pitching," he said about the jump to Double-A, "but I think it's more me than the pitching. I gave the pitchers too much credit in the beginning, but after you see the pitching for a while it's like I know I can play here. That's how you have to approach it.

"The big difference is probably in the fastball. Here, the fastball moves more. They know how to sink it and locate it. You just have to make adjustments. I have to do that here if I want to get to the big leagues."

Bourn, as you might imagine, is a terrific outfielder, whether he's in center or right. With his innate ability and speed – he's been compared favorably with former Phillies Juan Samuel and Jeff Stone – not many airborne balls elude Bourn. But he also has displayed a strong, accurate arm that came unadvertised.

He said early in his career his arm was about as strong as, well, Dykstra's, which was the Dude's only shortcoming. He said he developed strength and corresponding accuracy through long hours of long-tossing.

By all accounts, his included, Michael Bourn will soon be leading off for the big club. He has it all, we are told. Which is the same thing they said about Byrd, who quickly fell out of favor with the Philly brass. Hey, don't blame us for being cynical. Remember, this is the Philadelphia Phillies we're talking about. And the figures don't lie.

"I've always been confident," said Bourn, who talks about as fast as he runs. "You have to be, especially in baseball. It's a game of failure. If you don't have confidence in yourself, who will? I have all the confidence in the world in myself. I don't have any doubts. It's just a matter of time till I get to the big leagues. I just know I can do it."

John Morris, his hitting coach and a former major leaguer, is a Michael Bourn fan.

"I'm very confident in Michael," Morris said. "I think he's made nice progress. I think he's being challenged by the league, and his batting average has come down a little bit. He went through a little spell where he had the flu for four or five days, but I really think he's holding his own. I think he's capable of much more, but I also think he's at a level where he needs to be.

"One of his greatest assets in his makeup. He has such a strong personality and a great presence about himself that the organization felt that if he did struggle up here he'd be able to withstand those challenges and compete.

"He's a joy to work with. He comes out and works hard each day and does the extra work. He loves taking extra bunting. He throws well during infield practice, he has attention to detail, he takes the job very seriously, and at the same time he mingles well with the veteran players and he's very personable in the clubhouse."

Headline writers love the guy: "Bourn to run" is a natural. Michael probably prefers "Bourn to play baseball."

It remains to be seen if he puts that name alongside Ashburn and Dykstra or with Byrd, Johnny Briggs, Terry Harmon, Stan Javier, Wally Backman, Adolfo Phillips and so many others who have tried and failed at the top for the Phillies. Only time will tell.

Bourn Supremacy: It does have a nice ring to it.

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Eastern League Stories from June 2, 2005


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