Ben Davis is back in Camden

Ben Davis, our favorite player who we saw in Las Vegas and Camden during the same year, is back in Camden as he tries to return to the the major leagues as a pitcher instead of a catcher:

Davis, 33, played with three major-league teams from 1998 to 2004, batting .237 in 486 games, and has been with eight minor-league clubs since. Not ready to give up baseball, he reinvented himself after the Baltimore Orioles cut him in 2008.

"I was with Baltimore in triple A, and I was just not hitting at all," Davis said. "I had a very good opportunity there to play, and just really didn't take advantage of it.

"I came home and I was like, you know, I don't think any club is going to pick me up to be a catcher. So I figured why don't I start pitching. I know I still had a pretty good arm, and I could probably throw strikes."

Of course, we hope he makes it. We have a soft spot for a guy we followed one year from New Jersey's worst city to the glitz of Sin City. And, Christine always likes players who convert from a hitter to a pitcher and vice versa.

Good lede: Paul Hagan went a little SoxandPhils to kick off a column about how the Phillies can't blame all their problems on injuries:

Their All-Star second baseman, a perennial MVP candidate, is in a cast. Their starting catcher is on the disabled list and the backup catcher is unavailable as well. They're also without their No. 1 starter, best outfielder and an important setup reliever.

And the Red Sox went into play last night tied for the second-best record in the majors despite being without Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury and Manny Delcarmen.

So, yes, the Phillies have been decimated by injuries.

But, no, that doesn't fully explain why the team that's won the division three straight years is spinning its wheels at the mathematical midpoint of the season.

Good to see that Hagen's reading the blog and knows how badly the SoxandPhils have been injured. And now, it looks like we can add Kevin Youkilis to that list.

Tonight's games: Bad. Sox lost to the Rays. Phillies lost to the Braves.

It sure ain't baseball season anymore

After I finished the yard work for likely the last time of the year, we put up the Christmas lights. It was fricking cold. I feel less Christmassy than I did yesterday, but I'm sure I'll have the feeling again once I take a ride around the block and see the house with the big holiday display for the first time of the season.

Being in a cold frame of mind, we caught the end of the Eagles game on the radio and TV. Wow, what a mess they are. In a few months, Charlie Manuel will be the longest-tenured coach in Philly. He's already the most successful and beloved.

In the last three weeks, the Iggles have been crushed by the Ravens, tied the Bengals and lost to the Giants in a game that was attended by several Phillies. Christine is wondering whether the football players have been intimidated by being so close to champions. Interesting theory.

Just when I thought there was no baseball news today, at the bottom of Nick Cafardo's column we learn that Ben Davis, our favorite catcher who we saw at games in Camden and Las Vegas in 2007, is trying to become a pitcher. Good luck.