Skip to content
Phillies

Domonic Brown staying positive at Lehigh Valley

    by Matt Breen
    Published 

ALLENTOWN - Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. came to Allentown on Tuesday morning to meet with Domonic Brown. The right fielder's rehab assignment was coming to a close. His batting average at triple-A Lehigh Valley was just .139.

The Phillies had to make a decision: keep Brown with the triple-A IronPigs or fly him to St. Louis to join the Phillies. They chose to keep him in Lehigh Valley, where he bats third Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park. Brown said it felt good that Amaro delivered the news in person.

"You're damn right it did," Brown said. "I felt good with him coming here face-to-face to tell me exactly what's going on. And I get a free lunch out of it."

Brown had five hits and one RBI in 36 at-bats with the IronPigs as he rehabbed his sore left Achilles tendon. Wednesday night is his first game as a member of the team's active roster. Brown said he has to get his swing right. He said his timing is off from missing the last two weeks of spring training.

"It's a blessing that they're looking out for me like that," Brown said. "They could've sent me up there cold turkey."

Brown said he was not happy at first when Amaro told him he would be staying with the IronPigs. He said he had to "think about the big picture." He texted Amaro later on Tuesday that he wants to make sure "everything is right" with his game before joining the Phillies. Brown said doesn't know when that time will be, but he will know when he's ready.

Brown's free lunch was at the Copperhead Grille across the street from the ballpark. He ordered what he always does: seafood pasta. Would Brown have been comfortable if he learned during the lunch that he was joining the Phillies?

"You're damn right I would've been comfortable," Brown said. "I wouldn't have had a choice. That's just me being a competitor. I'm going to go out, I'm going to fight, and I'm going to battle to get my swing right. That's what it's all about."