Phillies suck

For once I can use this title without complaint from Christine, although she will point out that it is because the Phillies don't stink that we have a beef with the organization right now.

For more than a decade, way back since we were in college, Christine and I have always seen the Red Sox at least once every year they have had a series scheduled in Philadelphia. Similarly, we've always made it a point to attend Fan Appreciation Day - the last Sunday home game of the year. Christine thinks we may have skipped one in the few years between graduation and marriage, but I'm pretty sure we've had perfect attendance.

But now, the Phillies have pitted two of our family's oldest traditions against each other. Their new rules for six-pack tickets include either a Red Sox game or Fan Appreciation Day, but you can't get a six-pack with both a Red Sox game and Fan Appreciation Day.

What a crock.

Yes, I know that winning sometimes has negative consequences such as price hikes, fewer available seats and even **gasp** a new breed of pink-hat-wearing fans, but this is ridonkulous.

As a consequence, Christine and I are in serious negotiations deciding whether to succumb to the Phillies' marketing trap and just buy the entire Sunday plan like we did in 2008. Hey, maybe doing so will jinx another World Series, and maybe we'll jinx something else even better.

Today: I hung out with my buddy Joe Wolf's Vertical Jump while Christine attended his wife's baby shower. Along with the usual baby gifts, we bought a set of Washington Nationals baby garb for the baby. Poor kid - he's going to inherit my name and possibly his father's love of a hapless team. But at least he'll have a lot more character than a brainless Yankees fan.