It still hurts

My cousin, a Mets fan who I haven't seen in quite a while, stopped by when we were visiting my parents. He asked what was new, so after I filled him in on the personal family stuff, I slipped: "Watched the end of the World Series."

"What World Series? I didn't watch a single pitch of the post-season," he said.

Later, I forget how this exchange started, but he looked at Christine, made a flabbergasted harrumph and just muttered, "Phillies."

He's more of a football fan, and I thought he'd be more jazzed about the Jets than still stinging from another Mets collapse, but I can understand the feeling. I still feel burned about 2003 even though I know it just made 2004 even sweeter.

Red Sox: After the Phillies grabbed attention yesterday with the Mike Koplove acquisition, the Red Sox stole back the thunder at SoxandPhils with a big trade. OK, it was a little one: Wes Littleton from the Rangers for not one but two players to be named later and cash (currency, not Kevin).

Like Koplove, his numbers are neither bad nor dominating. He's out of options, so the deal officially creates a log jam in the bullpen unless/until Justin Masterson is moved to the rotation or a pitcher is moved in a trade.

Littleton's career highlight is that one of his three career saves came in a 30-3 game. Christine likes when pitchers get three-inning saves in blowouts. That was a doozy.

Also, the Red Sox plucked Tim Bogar from their archenemy Tampa Bay Rays to be the first base coach. I hope he took good notes on how the Rays beat the Sox last year.