Uh-oh

I wonder which one of these tidbits will prove more disastrous: Manny has new representation or Brad Lidge limps.

Remember the other day when Manny reported on time and curiously didn't make a demand for a contract extension or for his $20 million option year to be picked up? Maybe that was strategy for his new agent Scott Boras. Flash-forward to Game 6 of the 2008 World Series, Sox down 3-2 in the series, 4-3 in the game. Winning run on second and Manny's due up. Boras will halt the game and demand an extension before Manny hits.

OK, a bit far-fetched, but this does look to be the end of Manny - not that we were expecting him to be around much longer.

Of more immediate concern is that Brad Lidge limped off the field after catching his spike while throwing off the mound. Is this really nothing, as the Phils are saying? Or is this going to be like 1997, when the big off-season acquisition (Danny Tartabull) got hurt on opening day? Or is it going to be like last year when the Phils brass insisted Tom Gordon was OK when he was injured in spring training, but were soon sending opening day starter Brett Myers to the bullpen to be the team's closer?

Hat update: Went back to Philly today. Christine's hat didn't fit. (It had cardboard in it so it didn't seem proper to try it on in the store.) I did learn something interesting: Don't attempt to buy tickets at the ballpark on Saturdays in the off-season; the box office is closed. Some guy, who apparently drove some distance to buy tickets, found out the hard way.