Gather ’round, kids, and listen to Nick Williams’ secrets for pinch-hitting success.
“Honestly,” the Phillies’ outfielder said, “I’ve been doing a really good job of just closing my eyes.”
Williams was kidding. But seriously, it’s striking that a 24-year-old former top prospect who was accumstomed to playing every day in the minors has three pinch-hit home runs this season, including a solo shot in the eighth inning Saturday that beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1, and put the Phillies in sole possession of first place for the first time since the end of the 2011 season.
It gets better.