Staying southpaw
Utility player Romine will bat left-handed the rest of the season
Andrew Romine stepped into the left-handed batter’s box in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday and slapped a 1-2 pitch from Louisville reliever Tim Collins through the shortstop hole vacated by the Bats’ shift.
It was one of several times this homestand when the IronPigs have beaten the shift, but what made it a significant moment was that Romine, a switch-hitter, batted left-handed against a left-handed pitcher.
“I have not had much extrabase power right-handed,” Romine said, “so I figured I’d give this a shot and see what happens for the last couple of weeks.
“I can always go back. I’m naturally right-handed. I’m not going to forget how to hit right-handed. I’ve never done this before. Maybe it can spark something. You don’t know unless you try.”
Romine knows the numbers. He entered Saturday night’s game against Charlotte slashing .303/.366/.433 hitting left-handed. His OPS is exactly 100 points lower right-handed.
The California native in his 13th professional season has seen this trend with his splits the last two seasons after previously being better right-handed.
“This is all me,” he said. “[The Phillies] are not thrilled about it to say the least. … Maybe I’ll fall on my face, but I’ve got try it. I’ve got to try something. I’m headed toward the latter part of my career. I don’t want to go out thinking, ‘What if I tried this and it worked?’ ”
The 33-year-old has yet to spend a day this season in the majors for the first time since 2013. He is on pace to have the most plate appearances since that year in Triple-A Salt Lake, affiliate of the Angels.
It has taken a toll on the veteran utility player.
“There have been a couple of bumps and bruises,” he said, “weird little things everybody has to play with and don’t get reported. That’s everybody. You get older, things start to hurt.
“It’s different now playing every single day. I’m a guy who has always been up, a utility guy in the big leagues. For the last seven, eight years, I’ve had partial playing time. Now I”m playing a lot, sitting on bus rides for a long time. It takes a toll on your body when you’re doing it for six months.”
Steady playing time has helped keep Romine’s mind focused on baseball instead of drifting to thoughts of being in Triple-A rather than the majors.
Romine’s overall numbers reflect him being well distracted. His 19 stolen bases are tied for third-most in the International League. He took a nine-game hitting streak into Saturday night’s game.
The mental grind however remains just that.
“I’m torn,” he admitted. “Some days, I know waking up that [I’m] going to play a baseball game today; whereas a lot of days up in the big leagues, I might not step on the field for a week at a time.
“It’s great. You’re living your dream playing big league baseball, but there’s something to be said for coming out to the field today, even if it’s a Triple-A field, and do the things you’ve loved since you were a kid.”
Romine also fights the urge to think about Sept. 1, the day major league rosters can expand to 40 players. He said Triple-A pitchers require his full attention because most of them only lack the ability to consistently execute pitches — evidenced by the fact that he has reached the point that he must bat left-handed against left-handed pitchers.
“I woke up today trying to figure out how we can win today,” he said. “Tomorrow, hopefully the sun will come up and I’ll get to play again.”
Injury updates: Maikel Franco did not play Saturday, one night after taking a pitch off his left wrist area. Manager Gary Jones said the team expects test results back in the next 24 hours, but believes it’s just a bruise. … Outfielder Jan Hernandez continues to work out with team medical staff as he awaits clearance for baseball activities. He broke a bone in his left hand sliding into home plate in a July 25 game against Toledo. Jones said it is unclear if Hernandez will return to the active roster this season.
Rotation: Rehabbing RHP Jerad Eickhoff will start Tuesday’s game in Louisville. He last appeared Thursday for Double-A Reading, allowing four earned run in three innings (44 pitches). LHP Cole Irvin will then be pushed back to Wednesday.
Roster moves: The Phillies signed RHP Nick Vincent and assigned him to Triple-A. He was 0-2 with a 5.58 ERA in 18 games with the Giants before they released him last week. The California native was a 2008 18th-round pick of the Padres. He has spent parts of the last seven seasons with the Padres, Mariners and Giants.
To make room for Vincent, the Phillies released LHP Tom Windle (7-2, 4.26 ERA in 42 games with the IronPigs).
Former IronPig/Phillie outfielder Dylan Cozens signed a minor-league deal with the Rays. The 25-year-old has not played since May 4 because of foot surgery.
Up next: LHP Damon Jones (0-1, 10.20 ERA) faces Charlotte RHP Dylan Covey (0-0, 1.85) in a 1:35 p.m. first pitch.