Domonic Brown

The Philadelphia Phillies still need a corner outfielder and Alfonso Soriano is not the answer.

Dominic Brown- Untouchable.  Jake Diekman- Off the radar.

As the Phillies try for a sixth consecutive NL Eastern Division crown, it's obvious this season will be more challenging than the previous divisional crowns.  Injuries and age are taking their toll on this core and the latest blow, a shoulder strain to ace Roy Halladay might be too much to overcome.

In the past few years, the Phillies have been incredibly aggressive and competitive when it comes to attracting big-name players. In order to do so, however, they had to make some pretty big trades in which they parted with some of their best and most highly touted prospects. 

It is for that reason that Domonic Brown is even more important to the Phillies organization.

The good news first: What's actually growing in the Phillies farm system is rich and healthy and improving. According to Keith Law's midseason Minor League Top 50, RHP Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton have developed since May.

2010 was dubbed the "Year of the Rookie" after many top tier prospects entered the big leagues.  Jason Heyward and Neftali Feliz were among those to make it to the show on Opening Day, but a wave of impact players took a little time to join them.

Among the superstar midseason replacements were Buster Posey, Mike Stanton, Danny Valencia, and Starlin Castro.  Even Evan Longoria had to wait to make the bigs until May.  These cornerstone players are now on their way to superstar status.

The beginning of the Philadelphia Phillies' most anticipated season to date starts tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at Citizens Bank Park at 1:05 p.m. EDT when Roy Halladay starts for the Phillies against their former "ace" Brett Myers, who will be starting for the Houston Astros to begin a three-game series.

This season is undoubtedly one that all Phillies fans are looking forward to, and one that they hopefully will never forget for all the right reasons.

The Philadelphia Phillies cured? Say it isn’t so.

But what if that figment of our imagination came true? What if the World Series favorite Philadelphia Phillies were indeed cursed from here on out?

Looking at the way this team is shaping up for the 2011 season, I’d put my money on the Phillies being cursed… here’s why.

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The Phillies come into this year as preseason favorites to reach their third World Series in the last four years, and with good reason.

Domonic Brown is the tenth best prospect in the majors according the ESPN.com's analyst Keith Law. Recently, Brown fractured his hamate bone in his hand. Surgery will be required, and he will have to miss 4-6 weeks.

This is a blessing for the Phillies. It is never a good thing when a player gets injured, but this injury is not necessarily a bad thing. Ben Francisco is in line for the starting right field job.

Philadelphia Phillies star rookie prospect, Domonic Brown, fractured the hamate bone of his right hand during an at bat in last Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Clearwater, Florida.

This was a major blow to a player who had just gotten his first hit this spring training after looking lost since the start of the preseason.

While the injury has derailed Brown’s spring, the Phillies may be better off without him, at least for now.

The following slideshow shows why the Phillies will be fine without Dom Brown in the short term.