Broadcast blues

At the end of 2006, Greg decided that we needed an HD TV. We were still on old-school cable and dial-up(!) Internet, but we held out until Verizon FIOS was available. Greg wanted to see whether Comcast or Verizon had the better offer; I didn't care as long as Comcast SportsNet was offered so we would still get Phillies games.

We didn't get a good idea last season of what the local broadcast in HD would be like. Services were installed Friday, Sept. 28, so we saw that thrilling victory, but then Saturday's debacle was on Fox - as if an Adam Eaton start isn't bad enough, it had to be combined with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Sunday's game was live and in person.

This year, there is something we hadn't considered: CN8 isn't available on Verizon. There are only four CN8 games, all to be played by April 16, but one is tonight, only one day after a business-persons special. They're killing me. Next week: two day games and two CN8 games. That means I'll get to see only one Mets game. The Wednesday night CN8 game is also supposed to be on ESPN2. My fingers are crossed that we'll get the broadcast, but it will probably be blacked out.

And as for the HD, I'll keep it. It really is amazing how much better the game looks.

Strange times: Every year when the Phillies are in Cincinnati, something odd seems to happen. Todd Zolecki has the highlights here.

Conspiracy theory: This tidbit has Greg speculating whether Charlie Manuel is trying to make sure that Eaton pulls a hamstring:

There's no telling what would have happened if Adam Eaton had rounded third with the chance to score a valuable insurance run and faced a home-plate collision with a catcher. But the righthander, who is scheduled to start against Cincinnati Saturday, didn't have much time to think about it when Charlie Manuel told him to get ready to pinch-run for leftfielder Pat Burrell in the seventh inning. At the time, the Phillies were leading, 7-6, and had men on second and third with no outs. Not wanting to burn a possible pinch-hitter to run for Burrell, Manuel sent Eaton scrambling into the home clubhouse. The veteran starter threw on his cleats, laced them up, and made it back in time to take second.

"I was hoping we'd hit a home run," Eaton said.

If Cholly is thinking like that, then he is more brilliant than anyone has ever given him credit for.

[Nah, he probably just still can't manage.]

Red Sox fans: Don't worry, I'll let Greg do some writing again this weekend.