To Philly town

came Domonic Brown,

an outfield job to find.

The kid had all five tools, and longballs on his mind.

But mostly what he sought was a Champion’s cap for his crown.

The 22-year-old lefty didn’t hurt his cause on this sun-splashed west-Florida day. In the second-inning, with Detroit-ace Justin Verlander buzzing his heat, the kid turned on an inside pitch and launched it over the rightfield seats for a 1-0 Phillies lead. Two innings

later, hitting against lefty Steve Coke, the phenom was at it again with a two-run blast to center, and then in the fifth he bounced a bases-loaded infield hit to complete his three for three, four RBI day. After the game, Domonic Brown packed his bags and headed for the Phillies’ minor league camp. Say what?

If the Phillies were a bad team and destined for a somnolent summer, Dom Brown would no doubt still be polishing his major league credentials, but when you are three-straight NL East Division Champions, and have all-stars at all three outfield positions, Brown has to go down to the farm and wait his turn. He will do that, and so will Phillies’ fans – thank you, Ruben, Junior, for not trading what might be the next Phillies superstar. The folks in Reading are smiling.

More good news: Cole Hamels pitched five innings, yielding one unearned run, and Ryan Howard hit his first Spring Training homerun.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Brighthouse Field, Clearwater, Florida.

Philadelphia – 6, Detroit – 1.

WP – Hamels (1-0), LP – Verlander (1-2).

HR – Brown -2 (2), 2nd; 4th, 1 on. Howard (1), 4th.