Our first game back

Yesterday was our first game back to Citizens Bank Park since we became parents. Lots of things were different - bootleg vendors sold ponchos instead of pretzels, the sax guy wasn't playing, and they now have a trivia game outside of Bull's BBQ.

But one major thing didn't change - it rained. We sat through it. We got wet. I got grumpy but hung in there.

Despite the hour and 45 minute rain delay - including a scary moment when I dozed off and thought I was blind because I could see only the white of the tarp on the field - it was a pretty good game. Roy Oswalt shut down the Nationals, giving up five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over seven innings in the 6-0 win. The lack of runs was impressive because he let the leadoff guy on in the first four innings. And in each of those innings, someone got in scoring position, including the first inning when Oswalt struck out Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman after letting the leadoff guy get to third with one out. Roy also went 2-3 with a run and came close to an extra-base hit in his final at-bat.

But he might not have been the player of the game. That award could be claimed by Christine's favorite, Carlos Ruiz, whose only hit was a meaningless single in the 4th and whose fielding was marred with a throwing error and three stolen bases.

Despite those feats, Chooch set up the big two-run 6th inning, which iced the game. With two outs and runners on second and third, the Nationals elected to walk the fearsome Chooch, who's actually been intentionally walked 33 times in his career (nearly all in front of the pitcher), to get to Wilson Valdez.

Valdez, filling in for a resting Chase Utley, was never so insulted in his life and stroked a two-run single to put the Phils up 4-0. Raul Ibanez hit a two-run home after the rain delay in the 7th.

Observations from the stands: It was a fairly uneventful game on and off the field. A funny moment came after the rain delay when the new Nationals second baseman, Alberto Gonzalez, complained that the field was too wet. He was booed when the grounds crew came out to sop up more water. After they left, a bunch of sea gulls (you can sort of see them on the right) swarmed the field, mocking the Nats.

We weren't sitting in our usual area of seats, and it seemed much more quiet than usual. We could hear the radio broadcast floating through the stands. In fact, the crowd never really seemed to wake up until the end of the rain delay when they played Chubby Checker's Let's Twist Again, followed by the original The Twist. The crowd was really going as the Nats took the field and an usher was shown on Phanavision while Twisting.

The team honored Philadelphia native Jerry Crawford, who was umpiring his last game in the city before retiring after a 33-year career. He also umped the last game at the Vet and the first at the Bank. You can read about him in the Inky and Daily News. Instead of giving him a gold watch, the Phillies gave him a plush Phanatic. More on that later this week, but I wonder if that's why the Phillies won so easily.

Debbi Kee's Keenote Chorale did the anthem. ... WPXN's Ben Arnold did God Bless America. No one told him it was raining. He could have trimmed a few minutes off it.

Antiquated T-shirts: We didn't see that many: Cliff Lee, Jim Thome and Jacoby Ellsbury's No. 46.

Babies on the brain: Of course, when we saw the Cole Hamels lunch bag, I was upset we didn't bring Trent. (OK, I was upset we didn't bring Trent as soon as we left the house.) The several young tots we saw in the stands didn't help. There was one nearby (kind of looked like Peyton Manning) who kept staring at Christine. Of course, being the proud, responsible parents that we are, we compared every youngin to Trent. There was no contest: The cutest baby wasn't at the park. ... There were some youngsters on the field with the Phanatic in the middle of the game doing some Latin dances. I dunno why we were amused by this; probably because it's the most people we've seen involved in a Phanatic skit.

Tonight's games: The Phillies faced former mate Brett Myers. On the radio broadcast, Scott Franzke said young Brett was starting for the Phillies. I think somebody is stuck in 2009. Myers pitched well in his return to Philadelphia, but was outpitched for seven innings by Blanton. Myers left trailing 2-1, but Ryan Madson blew it in the 8th. Astros 3, Phillies 2.

Unfortunately, the big story involving a former SoxandPhil is that the Red Sox put in a waiver claim on Johnny Damon, who's considering whether to waive his no-trade clause to Boston. I hope he stays in Detroit. John Lackey was also locked in a pitcher's duel but outpitched the Mariners Doug Fister and got a well-deserved 6-3 win.

I'm not talking to Christine

I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox. I will not jinx injury on the Red Sox.

Explanation for Christine's chalkboard punishment? Last night when writing again about our teams' quiet spring trainings except for flu bugs, Christine pointed out that neither team had an injury. Less than an hour later, she was wondering why Dustin Pedroia wasn't in the Red Sox game that was on MLB Network:

The injury bug had been biding its time with the Red Sox this spring.

Last night, it struck pretty hard.

Dustin Pedroia left the game against the Twins at Hammond Stadium because of a mild sprain to his left wrist. He was listed as day-to-day but the Sox no doubt will take a conservative tack in the days ahead to ensure their All-Star second baseman and team sparkplug does not carry the injury into the regular season.

Fortunately - for the Red Sox and Christine - the X-rays were negative and he seems to be OK:

"He's already lobbying to play tomorrow," Francona said after learning that the wrist was not broken. "That probably won't happen." Francona said Pedroia likely will take batting practice tomorrow to see how he feels and play Friday.

That kind of manager-bratty player exchange reminded me of Brett Myers, who will pitch against the Phillies tomorrow. He is already missed by Charlie Manuel:

"I miss Myers," Manuel said. "I miss getting on him. I miss his mouth. I miss everything. I think in our camp this year, it’s been a little quieter without Myers."

Attitudes, perception and perspective

I got bad vibes from John Lackey when he was continually frustrated by the Red Sox in the playoffs (until last year, of course). He'd glare at defenders and spout off at his offense for lack of support.

"He's no Jon Lester," I wrote during the 2008 ALDS.

He seemed the type of player I wouldn't want on my team.

Today, however, Amalie Benjamin tries to explain his attitude - he wants to win so badly that he's a jerk when he pitches:

"But every fifth day - ask the guys that played with me - I'm probably not the nicest person in the world. I'm ready to get after it. I'm there to win. I'm not there to mess around, for sure."

"I'd never really seen John get mad until I saw him screaming on the mound one day," [his wife] Krista says. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' I've never seen him get that angry. He's just always a very calm, mellow person. Just goes with the flow. Then he was so intense. It was kind of scary."

If Lackey's attitude really were a problem, you have to figure Benjamin would have found a teammate to spout off anonymously. If it were a problem, there's no way his former manager Mike Scioscia would speak so glowingly about him now that he's gone:

"You're not going to find a better teammate, you're not going to find a better guy in the clubhouse," Scioscia says. "For a guy that you would think is as competitive as you see on the field, he is really soft-spoken off the field. He is very caring. He's in touch with the community."

So, hopefully, my opinion of John Lackey as a a player I wouldn't want on my team was wrong. Or maybe I'm just a biased Red Sox fan enjoying his team's latest acquisition.

Lackey has some similarity with former Phillie Brett Myers. They're both big right-handers from the South whose competitiveness sometimes overcomes their composure.

As Brett has switched from Phillies red to Astros brown? yellow? orange? mustard? he pledged to "stick it" to his former team. We've been critical of Myers' attitude, but I kind of like his spunk here. (Maybe because he's not the Phillies problem anymore?)

Say what you want about Brett, but he gets Philadelphia. From the moment it was clear he was leaving, he has made a clear distinction between the team's management (who he has a right to be angry with) and its fans (who largely supported him during his tenure).

The fact that he continues to say he wanted to stay in Philly and openly encouraged fans to boo him proves his affection for the city and its fans.

Of course, not being primarily a Phillies fan might have altered my perception here.

I asked Christine what she thought of young Brett's quote and she said, "I hope he sticks it to the Phillies like he has been over the past few years: by giving up home runs at Citizens Bank Park."

Then, she conceded that fans can give him an ovation - until he crosses the white line.

When one old lefty moves out, another moves up

When Randy Johnson announced his retirement this week, it did have some meaning for the Phillies - well, one of them anyway.

With Johnson out of the picture, Jamie Moyer has moved up in a couple of categories on the ol' active leader lists, according to The Bill James Handbook.

Before the Big Unit retired, J-Moy already led active pitchers in games started (609), losses (195) and home runs allowed (491).

Now, he will open the season also leading in wins (258), innings (3,908.2) and batters faced (16,642).

Moyer also moved up to fifth in complete games (31), third in strikeouts (2,342), second in walks (1,117) and third in hit batsmen (138).

Moyer - whose fastball averaged a league-low 81.4 mph last year - will be the active strikeout leader if Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz don't play in 2010.

Another old Phillie: Brett Myers, who has a been a Phillie for so long that his major league debut occurred during our honeymoon, is officially gone. He's now with Ed Wade and the rest of the Philadelphia Astrox. Christine laments the end of an era. We said our peace to young Brett in November.

Mutual (g)love society: Mike Lowell once told Nick Cafardo that Adrian Beltre was the best third baseman he's seen:

"Tools-wise, Adrian Beltre is the best one," he said. "He can be the best one. He's very, very quick. He comes in on the ball incredibly. I relate it to the way I can catch some ground balls. But I see some balls he gets down the line where I really have to concentrate on setting my feet to make a good, strong throw and he's off-balance throwing from the side and it's a rocket that comes out of his arm.

"So I enjoy watching his tools. I wish I could have that ability to flick the ball across the diamond and it goes like a bullet. In the minors, he was like a man playing against boys."

Beltre, supplanting Lowell at third for the Red Sox, returned the kind words today:

New Boston Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre has played against Mike Lowell since they were in the minor leagues, and said Lowell has the best hands of any third baseman in the game. "I know Mike Lowell," he said after his introductory press conference in Fenway Park on Friday. "I'm a huge fan of Mike Lowell. Mike is a great guy."

Thanks: Big kudos to Cafepress.com. Christine's Chooch T-shirt was a little too small. We asked to exchange it for a larger one. They just sent us a larger one without asking us to send the other one back. It arrived today. Great customer service.

Buh-bye, Brett

On July 24, 2002, Christine and I were honeymooning in Niagara Falls. (We took a real honeymoon in Hawaii the next year.) Also on that date, young Brett Myers tossed eight innings of two-hit ball to earn a win in his first major league start for the Phillies.

It was the first of 240 appearances (183 starts) for Myers as a Phillies. In all likelihood, he won't be making any more for the team as the Phillies say they're not bringing him back. Here's the good cop quote from GM Ruben Amaro:

Brett is one of our own. He was here 11 years. It's difficult to let a guy go, just like it was difficult with Pat [Burrell] last year. At the same time, sometimes you have to think about change, so we made the decision. Brett will have opportunities on another club. He's very versatile. He can be a starter or a reliever.

It's not surprising that Brett won't be a Phillie in 2010, but it's kind of odd that the Phillies would publicly sever ties so quickly, even though Myers has caused his share of trouble: the domestic assault charges, using a slur against a reporter, injuring himself in the bizarre SUV incident this year and, most recently, the Cole Hamels "quit" incident.

As Jim Salisbury wrote:

Though no one in the organization would explicitly say it, there were indications that the team had just had its fill of Myers, the club's top draft pick in 1999. The Phils might have put up with Myers' dramatics had he maintained the effectiveness that helped him win 25 games and post a 3.82 ERA in 65 starts over the 2005 and 2006 seasons, but a number of factors hurt his performance, especially the last two seasons, and exhausted the team's patience.

I ran hot and cold with Brett. He was young and immature, but had one of the most beautiful curve balls, a nice little lollipop that literally took my breath away at times. He was on the mound for the final out of 2007 and mostly selfless on the field.

He was one of the longest-tenured Phillies - only Jimmy Rollins has been on the team longer - and his closing comment shows he at least understand the Philly fans:

Myers said he would miss his teammates and thanked the fans, many of whom supported him through his rough times. After eight seasons in Philadelphia, he said, he knows how tough the fans can be, and he expects to feel some of that old tough love when he returns with another team.

"Hopefully, I'll be playing against the Phillies, and when I do, I want the roughest treatment the fans can give me - when I'm pitching," he said, laughing. "I'm an opposing player. You have to give it to me."

I hope the fans remember this quote and give Brett a loving boo before a standing ovation the first time he wears gray in Philly. But after that, respect his wishes and remember he's the enemy.

Other news: Shocker! Brad Lidge was pitching was loose bodies in his elbow; he's headed for the operating room along with Raul Ibanez and Scott Eyre. And Pedro Feliz may join Brett Myers on the Phillies kicked-to-the-curb list this off season.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]

Game 1 on

***10:30 UPDATE: Apologies to Scott Lauber for stealing his phrasing about the Pedro-Padilla matchup. It wasn't intentional. Also, Phillies clinging to a 5-4 lead. Christine's not so calm anymore.***

As a fan, I can't complain about all these 8:07 p.m. starts for the NLCS games. Nor will I lodge a complaint as a blogger, but I won't attempt to get final scores in my nightly posts.

Here are the pregame doings:

--Pedro Martinez will start Game 2 vs. Vicente Padilla. Who'd have thunk that? I've been meaning to comment on how Big Joe Blanton has gotten the shaft this postseason. He was arguably the Phillies best starter and definitely the most consistent. So how come he gets bumped again for the 37-year-old who hasn't pitched since Sept. 30 and has a bum rib, neck or whatever body part he claims is hurting?

But if Charlie Manuel must pitch Pedro, this is the best possible plan. Pitch him in the warm weather with Blanton or J.A. Happ ready to come in at the slightest hint of trouble. If Pedro can't cut it, whichever starter relieves him should get the Game 6 start *if necessary.

--Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick were booted from the roster for Eric Bruntlett and Chan Ho Park. Brett's response: "I'm (ticked)."

I'm not going to carry the flag for young Brett, but I don't understand how you can take a pitcher who hasn't pitched since Sept. 16. Forget Myers, how could they take Chan Ho over Kendrick and Tyler Walker - two of the Phillies most reliable relievers at the end of the season.

By the way, if you heard Howard Eskin say that the Phillies cannot change their roster if they make it to the World Series, ignore him. He's a dolt. Teams can change their roster before each round. The afternoon ass said they purposely made this move because LCS rosters are frozen for the rest of the playoffs. Dolt.

Red Sox (former ones anyway): One storyline I forgot was the matchup of Pedro and Manny Ramirez. Thankfully, Nick Cafardo is on the beat:

They are competing in the National League Championship Series, on opposite sides, Martinez with the Phillies and Ramirez with the Dodgers. They are a huge part of Red Sox lore, teammates in 2004 when they helped pull off the greatest comeback in baseball history against the Yankees and went on to win the World Series.

Who could forget it, especially with the fifth anniversary coming up?

Manny could.

"I don't remember anything, man," he said yesterday. "I don't remember too much about that or about last year or any of that. I just don't think about the past."

It was one of those Manny conversations. Pretty random. It had an impromptu start and an impromptu ending. It was all about what Manny wanted to talk about, after the media pummeled him with questions in Spanish and English as he sat near his locker. He smiled and laughed and didn't elaborate on a whole lot.

Tonight's game: In the top of the 5th, the Phillies trail 1-0 on a James Loney home run. With 67 pitches through four innings, this feels more like a 2009, than 2008, Cole Hamels start.

Christine is taking the score quite well. She's quietly kept the phaith so far.

Sometimes I forget that my first allegiance is no longer to the story. Christine hit me because I made a disappointed noise when it appeared Jayson Werth hit a home run that would have caused me to rewrite this post.

The ball didn't go out, and I would up having to write more anyway.

I miss being a reporter sometimes.

Chooch Chooch Chooch!!! Is what I just chanted when Carlos Ruiz hit his three-run home run. Mr. Clutch. Phillies 3, Dodgers 1. Chooch!!

Last dance, extended version

They're not saying "booooo," they're saying "Hoooove," in anticipation of Paul Hoover's walk-off hit.

I said that before Paul Hoover ended the game with a single in the 10th inning - a game that, with the Phillies playoff position cemented, felt like a spring training exhibition.

The only real drama was whether Jayson Werth - the only regular in the lineup for the Reading, err, Philadelphia Phillies - would get hits 100th RBI, hence the crowd's reaction when Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez played the game like it mattered in the 10th inning, opting to walk Werth with a base empty and a man in scoring position.

It didn't matter for the outcome. Hoover lined a single off the glove of former Phillie Wes Helms to end the Phillies last game of the regular season as reigning 2008 World Champions, 7-6.

As I said, this game was played like an exhibition. Charlie Manuel was auditioning pitchers for the playoff roster. He churned through eight of them - two more than an official Phillies scorecard can hold.

J.A. Happ started and was taken out after two innings. He was relieved by Kyle Kendrick, who pitched OK. He went 2 1/3 innings of hitless ball before walking pitcher Josh Johnson, which led to a two-run inning.

Brett Myers, possibly making his last appearance ever as a Phillie, started the 6th. He struck out the leadoff hitter, but was removed when he walked the next guy.

Sergio Escalona also pitched well in his last-minute push to make the playoff roster with just 14 major league games under his belt.

Phillies offense: They couldn't muster a hit off Josh Johnson until Miguel Cairo (Chase who?) led off the 4th with a home run. I was trying to convince Christine to root for the no-no because I really want to see one, and this one would have an asterisk because the Phillies didn't field a competent lineup.

(We've seen Johnson pitch twice this year - the same amount we've seen Jamie Moyer. We've seen Happ, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton and Antonio Bastardo each start once.)

Cairo later tripled in the 8th and scored on an overthrow to tie the game. ... Stat-minded Werth stole two bases in the 4th, giving him 20 for the season. ... Stat-minded Ben Francisco was caught stealing three times today. Maybe he's not so stat-minded.

Observations from the stands: The anthem was sung by the Central Bucks West High School Choir, directed by Joseph Ohrt. Not bad, but we've heard it before. ... The crowd was so indifferent early on that Helms wasn't booed during introductions. Only one guy yelled "Phillies reject" when he came to bat. Also during introductions, they played "Under the Sea" for the Marlins. ... Like Lou Marson on last year's Fan Appreciation Day, they played Pat Burrell's old Holy Diver, this time for Andy Tracy's intro music.

The Phanatic rehashed his streaking skit when it was announced that his jersey was one of many giveaways on Fan Appreciation Day. ... Kudos to the Phillies: They seemed to give out a larger number of prizes this year and did a much better job of spreading them around to the upper sections (it seemed like every section in the 400 level won something, except ours). ... Comcast SportsNet employee Josh Schrager sang God Bless America.

A guy in front of me at the newsstand, wearing a Pat Burrell jersey, jorts and Phillies socks, bought Chris Wheeler's book. I probably shouldn't comment beyond noting my observations.

Before heading off to see whether the new 2009 flag will hang with the 2008 and 1980 World Champions, 1983 and 1993 League Champions, or relegated to mere division champs such as 2007, 1981 and 1976-1978, a couple of Phillies players (Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins) helped the Phanatic toss T-shirts and balls into the stands after the game, in further appreciation of us. We moved down and came close to some of the throws, but walked away with nothing but our memories ... and this picture someone took for us after asking us to take a picture of her.

I like it, but I'm biased.

Antiquated Phillies jerseys: We sat in the last row of the whole stadium and didn't see too many, but we made up for it in obscurity with David Bell and Robinson Tejeda. We also saw the obligatory Burrell, Jim Thome, Scott Rolen and Aaron Rowand.

Red Sox: In the last game before Jon Lester opens the ALDS in Anaheim, the Red Sox beat the Indians 12-7. Clay Buchholz gave up six runs in three innings, adding to my concern about the state of our pitching entering the playoffs, which don't start for me until Thursday. That's in a friggin' week. And I haven't mentioned that they're starting West Coast time, not Greg time.

Christine's not happy either. Her first two games are at 2:30 p.m. on weekdays, and her third will also be geared toward the West Coast.

We'll save the playoff rants for tomorrow while we watch the Twins and Tigers battle it out for the right to issue the Yankees an embarrassing first-round exit.

Race to the finish

With each team having just 14 games left in the regular season, the SoxandPhils are in a tight race ... with each other to see who clinches first. The Phillies lowered their magic number to six today - almost small enough for Christine to breathe - while the Red Sox took theirs down to seven.

By the way, don't look now, but the Red Sox have trimmed the Yankees lead to five games one week before their showdown in the Bronx. The Empire had a nine-game lead little more than a week ago.

The Red Sox continued their dominance of the poor Orioles behind a decent start by Daisuke Matsuzaka: three runs on eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. In the 9-3 win, birthday boy Jason Bay homered. So did Jacoby Ellsbury.

In a game delayed by rain, which probably cost Cliff Lee a win, the Phillies beat the Braves 4-2. Lee gave up a run in four innings and looked good before rain ended his day early. Brad Lidge recorded his 31st save, but of course, he gave up a run while doing so.

Memo to Cholly: Lidge ain't getting it done this year. {Memo to Greg: Cholly knows that, but he can't say it. He has no other choice but to keep putting Lidge out there because ...}

More bad news: While the last three starters have had abbreviated starts (Lee by rain and J.A. Happ and Pedro Martinez by injury), you'd think Brett Myers would get some work. Nope, he's injured too. Is Jamie Moyer the only pitcher left without injury concern?

Weekend wrap-up

Yesterday ended really ugly for the Phillies, but if they can polish off the Mets tonight - which would officially eliminate the Mets from playoff contention about three weeks earlier than usual - then it would be a pretty good weekend capped off with a pair of SoxandPhils doubleheader sweeps.

Saturday: We ventured into Yankees and Mets territory to visit the family. We saw the Mets take a 4-0 lead on Jamie Moyer, yet Christine remained calm, even as my 9-year-old niece needled her. We were out to dinner for most of the game, but heard on the car ride back from the restaurant that the Phillies were threatening to score more in the 8th. We got inside to see Ryan Howard strike out with the bases load.

Then, Ryan Madson came in to close it out after Brett Myers had given up three runs in 1/3 of an inning. Mad Dog was no better, doing his best Brad Lidge impression by giving up a two-run home run to David Wright. Game over, after we endured Francisco Rodriguez strutting around after getting the save. Mets 10, Phillies 9.

Christine kept grumbling the whole ride down the Turnpike.

The Red Sox won a five-inning rain-shortened game 9-1 against the Rays. Josh Beckett had a 78-pitch complete game.

Today (Red Sox): In the afternoon game, Clay Buchholz pitched well again - one run in seven innings - but did not get the win because the Red Sox couldn't score the go-ahead run in the 3-1 game until the 8th when Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run home run.

In the nightcap, Jon Lester, who game up three hits in 1/3 of an inning in Friday's start that was washed out, gave up just two hits and three walks in eight innings, pitching on short rest. I love this guy.

Today (Phillies): They won the opener 5-4 behind a pair of pitchers looking to redeem themselves. Kyle Kendrick was quite a surprise: two runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. Even more of a surprise was Brad Lidge getting the ball in the 9th. It was nerve-wracking as he pitched as poorly as he could without blowing another one. He let the Mets chip away and score two runs on three hits before freezing Angel Pagan with his second strikeout of the inning.

Question: Has a reigning World Champion with a decent chance to repeat ever gone to the season's last three weeks looking for its closer?

Tonight: Pedro Martinez is trying for the fourth SoxandPhils win today. He's up 1-0 in the 5th against his former team.

Stupid rain

So, we're just two games up on the Wild Card with little more than three weeks left in the season. It's raining. Our best pitcher is scheduled to start. What do you do? Start the game, or wait and hope it stops raining?

I'd go with Option B; unfortunately, Option A was what happened. And it was even worse than I imagined. The game was delayed in the first inning after the Rays loaded the bases against Jon Lester with one out.

Fortunately, they canceled this game and will try to play a doubleheader on Sunday. But that means that coming down this tight stretch run, we're going to have one fewer start from Lester.

Oh well, we've overcome worse.

Tonight's completed game: The Phillies actually won one, 4-2 over the Mets, behind a strong Cole Hamels outing: one run in 6 1/3 innings. Shane Victorino was 3-3 with with two walks and a run.

But the only thing that matters these days is who's on tap to close. Tonight it was Ryan Madson. We don't understand why they didn't leave Brett Myers out there because he needed just six pitches to set the Mets down in the 8th. Madson gave up a run, but got out of a jam with the help of a double play.

We miss Harry: In the bottom of the 8th, Chris Wheeler blathered about the Phillies doing something to the team behind them so that they'll be a little bit "closer to a happy ending." I wonder if he knows what he said.

Breaking point

All weekend, I've had to talk Christine off the figurative ledge - as if her team was the one in a scrape for the Wild Card, not the one with a six-game lead in a division with marginal competition.

But this morning I learned that her frustration is nothing compared with Charlie Manuel's, who let loose what reporters have depicted as his biggest can of whoop-ass the players have ever seen from him. The Daily News had the best headline, Snarly Manuel (I would have gone with Snarly Charlie). Scott Lauber had the complete transcript, with some censorship:

[Expletive] the last couple years. That don't mean [crap]. We're playing today. Last year is dead and gone. Having to win? No, I don't get that. I think when you have a lead, you're sitting better than you are when you absolutely have to win a game that day. I think having a lead's got to be better than that. I'll take the lead. That's what I'm trying to say. Last year, what happened in the past, that's gone. We played tremendous baseball last year the last five, six weeks. Best baseball we've ever played. I'm not going to give our lead up and say, 'We'll start here.' No, I'm not going to do that because I don't know if we can come through or not. I like our chances better where we're at, but at the same time, we have to win some games. That's what I'm trying to say.

I wonder if being on the receiving end of a Cholly riff is like when your grandmother expresses disappointment in you. It's just got to feel bad.

How'd it work? So far, so good (except for Brad Lidge - who was pulled and could be done as the Phillies closer this year). The Phillies had five solo home runs - two by Raul Ibanez and one each by Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz - to beat the Nationals 5-3.

With their blasts, Ibanez and Utley joined Ryan Howard and Werth with 30 home runs this season. Three home runs came in the 7th. For the formerly ancient Mariner, that's three home runs in his last two games after he had gone nearly 80 plate appearances without one. Is RAAAUUULLL!!!! BAAACCCKKK????

Definitely not back is Lidge. He was removed mid-inning after loading the bases. Closer-in-waiting Brett Myers had already pitched 1 1/3 innings, so it was Ryan Madson who got the call and pitched out of Lidge's jam without allowing a run.

This is the night that Cholly officially acknowledged what the fans have known: Brad Lidge is broken.

Fortunately, he did not spoil another strong start by Pedro Martinez. When he signed with the Phillies, he had 99 career losses. Christine anticipated that the round number would come in his first appearance. He's managed to avoid it through six starts. He pitched well again: three earned runs in six innings. Despite throwing 105 pitches through six, they sent him out for the 7th. I thought it was a mistake. He got two outs before giving up a solo home run.

Why can't the Red Sox play the Orioles every week? They're now 12-2 against the AL East cellar dwellers with tonight's 10-0 win. Clay Buchholz went seven innings, giving up three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Big night for Dustin Pedroia: 2-3 with two runs, three RBIs, two home runs and a walk.

Houston, we have a problem

The Phillies actually scored some runs tonight, breaking a 17-inning drought, and took a 4-3 lead in the 8th inning. Charlie Manuel said he would have Brett Myers make his 2008 bullpen debut in a stress-free situation. Instead, Myers was brought in in the bottom of the 8th.

We thought he would be overly excited and implode, especially after walking the leadoff man. But he got lucky when Lance Berkman tried to steal and was nailed by Carlos Ruiz. Myers finished the inning without incident.

Unfortunately, he didn't come out for the 9th. That's Brad Lidge's inning, no matter how many times he blows it.

He struck out the leadoff man and walked the next guy before Chris Coste, as predicted, singled. Jason Michaels walked. Michael Bourn (how many friggin' former Phils are on this team?) grounded out, allowing Kaz Matsui to be the hero with a two-run single. Game over: Astros 5, Phillies 4.

Red Sox: Not any better. Gavin Floyd retired the first 17, outpitching Tim Wakefield, who I guess did OK for a 42-year-old with no back. White Sox 5, Red Sox 1.

Blame it on Curt

Brett Myers has had a good career for the Phillies, although it hasn't quite met the expectations for a guy drafted 12th overall in a pretty decent first-round 1999 draft class that included Josh Beckett, Josh Hamilton, Ben Sheets and Barry Zito.

Phil Sheridan took a long look Sunday at the Phillies tenure of Brett Myers, which is most likely over at season's end. He looks at the good, bad and puzzling times of young Brett, who is an enigmatic cross between the ultimate team player and a lightning rod for off-field problems.

"Dramas have followed me my whole life. I'm the guy who messes around and throws a peanut at someone and it hits them in the eye. When I was a kid, I broke my wrist riding my bike over a little wooden ramp. A hundred other kids rode over it, but I'm the guy that flips and breaks his wrist. I'm the guy that falls out of the Escalade."

And that's nowhere near the most interesting quote in this epic feature. We loved his first quote after being drafted and can't believe we haven't heard it before. Can we get a Desi Relaford shout-out?

"I want to meet Pat Burrell, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling and Desi Relaford," the 18-year-old pitcher said that day. "I want to play with them now. Just put me in the big show!"

We also didn't remember this quote that inserts an intriguing SoxandPhils what-if:

As a low-level minor-leaguer in 2000, he angered upper management something fierce when he spat, "Who's going to teach me how to pitch now, Omar Daal?" in reaction to Schilling's being traded to Arizona.

So, if Curt weren't traded, would he have made Myers realize his potential as a top-flight starter? Would the Phillies have won one or more World Series before 2008? And, following that path, would that mean Curt wouldn't wind up on the Red Sox, and I would be a lot more cranky about another year looking up at the Yankees?

{I'm more intrigued by the idea of who would drive the other one crazy first: Curt and his preaching, or Brett and his recklessness.}

I dunno, but for a pitcher who sometimes seems one or two shy of a six-pack, Myers has given us plenty to consider. But, as Ruben Amaro said, should the next few weeks be the end of Brett Myers' Phillies career, neither side can complain.

"Brett's had his ups and downs, obviously, but at the same time he's done a lot to help the organization. He adjusted and went to the bullpen when we asked him to. He went back to the rotation when we asked him to. He went to the minors when he struggled. He's made some sacrifices. At the same time, we've treated him well with a multiyear deal. But there's no doubt he's shown a lot of flexibility."

For me, I'll just miss his curveball - one of the prettiest I've ever seen.

Today's news: It looks like Brad Penny is going to the Giants. Good riddance. ... There was a report that the Phillies would be adding to their collection of former Red Sox (Pedro Martinez, Matt Stairs, Jamie Moyer and J.C. Romero) by trading for Nomar Garciappara, who they tried to sign in the offseason. David Murphy, and no other local beat writer has even mentioned it.

The plot thickens

On a night when Clay Buchholz and Cliff Lee won marquee matchups against Roy Halladay and Dan Haren, respectively, we have to focus on a bar fight.

As suspected, Brett Myers' eye was injured in a bar fight, Randy Miller of the Bucks County Courier Times reported today. Somehow the story didn't get much traction from the rest of the Philly beat writers. First, young Brett said he was hurt playing with his son Kolt. Then he said he was injured falling in his car. There were reports of a fight, but police and sources said Myers was not involved.

Here's the latest story - which Charlie Manuel could have shot down but did not:

The real story, according to team sources, is that Myers was punched in the face Friday night during an altercation in or outside of Shannon's Irish Pub in Jacksonville, Fla., his hometown.

Myers, who has been rehabbing from hip surgery in Clearwater, Fla., drove four hours Friday to Jacksonville to see his family and ended up watching a band at Shannon's. There was a fight there that night and Myers was in the restaurant/bar with his wife, but the couple was only involved in a verbal dispute, according to a police report.

Manuel suspects there is more to Myers' latest story.

"He's a grown man; I'd like to see him be a professional," the manager said. "At the same time, there's not a whole lot I can do when he's down in rehabbing and getting ready to pitch. When he's (in Philadelphia), my concern becomes greater. I don't want him to get in trouble."

C'mon Brett: Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

In less police blotter pitching news: Pedro dubbed himself and Jaime Moyer "two old goats" after they defeated the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. J-Moy still isn't happy about being in the bullpen. {Maybe he's just disappointed that he didn't get to be on The Pen.} ... Buchholz is in the midst of three tough matchups - Justin Verlander, CC Sabathia and Roy Halladay. Combined, the trio is 50-18 with a 3.17 ERA. Clay has held his own - four earned runs in 19 innings.

He was 0-2 in these matchups, but picked up a win tonight. He outpitched Doc, and the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 6-1.

I found out last minute that the Red Sox were on ESPN tonight. I was looking forward to watching Lee pitch, but Christine and I wound up watching our teams in different rooms. I missed another Cliff Lee beaut. He tossed his second complete game for the Phillies, giving up an unearned run on two hits with 11 strikeouts in the 8-1 win over the Diamondbacks. Halladay gave up five runs, four of them earned, in five innings tonight. Ruben Amaro Jr. should be fired for not getting him at the deadline.

Tacos: I made tacos for dinner tonight. I mention only because there's a new fan club in Philly: Bako's Tacos.

Four pitching narratives

With both squads off yesterday, the beat writers wrote about pitching.

Phil Sheridan did a good job boiling down the enigma of Brett Myers: Whether or not the latest version of eye-gate is true, you can't question his desire to help his team, even though he always seems to find trouble like this.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Josh Beckett is dominating without trouble this year. Since he was shelled for all of April, Beckett has gone 12-2 with a 2.17 ERA. His opponents are hitting .208 and slugging .314 off him. This may be the year he wins a Cy Young.

Maybe we shouldn't have reminded him about April. He ended up pitching like it's the fourth month of the year again, giving up seven runs in 5 1/3 innings on nine hits and a walk. The Red Sox now lead the Blue Jays 9-7 in the 8th.

If Beckett does win a Cy Young, he'd be the first Red Sox to do so since Pedro Martinez in 2000. That's who Scott Lauber wrote about today in a touching tale of his lesser known brother Jesus, who never made it to the show. Because of that, Pedro has a soft spot for young players and sacrificed a start in 2002 for Josh Hancock.

Pedro made his first home start as a Phillie tonight. After giving up a leadoff home run in a 22-pitch first inning, Christine predicted Jamie Moyer's first relief appearance. Pedro needed just 16 pitches for the next two innings, but Christine was prophetic because the game was delayed by a thunderstorm.

Moyer took over after the delay and needed just six pitches in the 4th inning and then had a single in the bottom of the inning. The Phillies lead the Diamondbacks 4-1 in the 6th.

Hopefully, old Jamie can get the ball to shut-down reliever Chan Ho Park, whose relationship with Korean fans - and his upcoming documentary - were also featured today. Apparently, he's a god to his fellow Koreans.

Steamed

At our last game, we sat behind a family with three young children. At one point, the dad came back with ice cream - it was so hot that day, the ice cream was steaming in the hot, muggy air.

The little guy in front of us, wearing a Pat Burrell giveaway promotional hat, had a big waffle cone filled with chocolate ice cream.

He tried his best to eat it carefully, but the thing was so tall the kid couldn't lick it without dipping the bill of his hat into his treat. You can see the stain on the bottom left of the bill.

Funny, we have now twice seen chocolate ice cream stain a Pat Burrell garment. That's two more times than all other players' gear combined.

OUTRAGE!: Toward the end of that game, I was trying to figure out which pitcher was coming in for the Marlins. (They weren't doing a very good job that day of announcing pitching changes.) I noticed a woman checking a sheet of paper in front of me.

I took a picture, and upon closer examination, my suspicions were confirmed. There are Newsy Notes somewhere at the stadium, contrary to what I had been told earlier in the season.

I was ready to march right into Ruben Amaro Jr.'s office before Christine calmed me down by pointing out that the opposite page was blank and that these notes contained no news, just the roster.

Get rid of Chris Wheeler and bring back Newsy Notes for everyone. Now.

Eye-gate: David Murphy has a convoluted account of the latest twist in the Brett Myers' eye injury-bar fight saga. It appears the Myers were involved in some sort of incident at the bar. Police say the eye was not injured at the bar, but I don't think we're ever going to get the truth on this one.

Today's games: The Phillies, after another good win behind J.A. Happ last night, have a deserved day off. The reeling Red Sox, mercifully, are also off.

Beatdown

The Rangers have knocked the Red Sox out of the Wild Card slot, and witnesses are denying that Brett Myers really injured his eye in a bar fight.

And we still have plenty of time for more bad on-field news, as the Phillies are playing the Braves on Sunday night baseball. (Or will play, if it stops raining in Atlanta.) I can't think of any good examples, but it seems like the Phillies have more than their share of lousy outings on the featured game of the week. So far, all I can come up with is the franchise's 10,000th loss.

Thankfully, the Red Sox weren't on national TV today when they dropped their second straight to the Rangers, who are now the American League Wild Card leaders. That's in large part because they have gone 7-2 against Boston this year.

We suck right now.

Junichi Tazawa is no J.A. Happ, who is scheduled to pitch tonight. Our rookie pitcher got beat around a bit today - four earned on 10 hits and three walks without a strikeout in five innings. Where's John Smoltz?

Speaking of beatdowns, more is unraveling from the Brett Myers saga. He says, and witnesses back him up, that his bruised eye had nothing to do with a fight that happened in the bar he was in. Maybe that's the truth, but he lied about the initial story, and his current version seems awfully suspect.

Jamie Moyer for closer

We had a great summer Saturday with the usual bike riding (I exceeded 50 miles for the first time), lawn mowing, shopping and grilling. We sat down to watch just as Brad Lidge was coming in to try to save a 3-2 game.

It was uglier than usual for Mr. Used-to-be Perfect.

He started off giving up a single that Chase Utley should have fielded. Then, on a sacrifice bunt, Lidge wasn't satisfied with just bobbling the ball; he had to throw to first even though he had no chance at a play. Runner scored.

"Do you want to go for a walk now or wait until he gives up the final run?" I asked Christine after the Braves tied it.

She just groaned.

Lidge walked the next two batters, the first intentionally, then recorded a strikeout before giving up the game-ending hit. Braves 4, Phillies 3. Too bad because it wasted a solid outing by Cole Hamels.

During the carnage, Fox showed Jamie Moyer warming up in the bullpen. Obviously that was in case it went extra innings, but why not supplant Lidge with the old guy? He can't do worse, and even if he blows saves, somehow it won't be as gut-wrenching.

Oh, and for those clamoring for Brett Myers to close - there may be problems with that, too.

Young Brett had to miss a rehab start because of an eye injury he first claimed was from playing catch with his son Kolt, but then said was from getting out of his car after having two or three drinks with dinner.

"I know exactly what people are going to think," Myers said in a telephone interview Saturday evening with MLB.com.

In other words, they will think Myers was intoxicated.

Nah, who would think that?

"I wasn't drunk by any means. That's why I feel so stupid right now."

And that's why he said he initially told Brian Cammarota, who is the team's Minor League athletics trainers and rehabilitation coordinator, that he got hit in the eye with a baseball. But Myers said soon after the first call to Cammarota, Kim urged
him to call Cammarota back with the true story.

"I'm an idiot," Myers said. "I've never felt so frickin' embarrassed in my life. I feel like a total geek."

Really? Falling on your face is more embarrassing than being a national spectacle after domestic abuse allegations?

Red Sox: Saw most of the dramatic 9th inning comeback last night thanks to MLB Network. We may need a repeat tonight, as they trail the Rangers 4-2 in the 6th.

Personal: Months ago, I got rid of my blue Pedro Martinez T-shirt. Today, I happily put on my red Pedro T-shirt, Red Sox edition, thinking that it's kind of back in style. But it's way too big on me now. It's going in the Goodwill pile tomorrow. Christine says I should buy a Phillies version.

How to make six or four equal five

Both of our teams have pitching decisions in front of them.

The Phillies, seemingly keeping trade options on the back burner, are deciding among their own minor leaguers to get the first shot at replacing Brett Myers. The two favorites seem to be Kyle Kendrick and Antonio Bastardo.

Why is no one mentioning Adam Eaton? He won't cost anything beyond what the Phillies already pay him.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, have to fend off questions about a six-man rotation, which leads me to wonder: Why is a team with such a stacked rotation looking up at the Yankees, who were written off weeks ago?

Red Sox: They blew a second straight game against the Blue Jays, 5-3. Wasn't it last week we started them on a nine-game skid that crushed their early-season hopes? Possible Phillie Brad Penny scattered 10 hits over six innings giving up three runs (two earned). The news of the game wasn't another 0-fer for David Ortiz, but that the loss went to Ramon Ramirez, who gave up two runs in one inning - doubling his total for the year.

After the game, Terry Francona said:

It's one of the first tough innings we've seen. He just looked like he was having a hard time. Just looking at his body language, he looked like he was out of sync.

Papi, meanwhile, is now on a 2-31 stretch (.064).

Phillies: A big game for the big man, Ryan Howard hit two home runs, including a monstrous grand slam. Not such a big game for the Phillies big man on the mound. Except for hitting an RBI double, Cole Hamels had a rough night - six earned in six innings on eight hits and a walk. But the Phillies won in the end, beating the Nationals 9-6. Brad Lidge had his second straight save.

Etc.: I bought a new bike today. One of the store employees who saw my hat said "Yeah, Bosox," and had me bump his fist. He wasn't the guy handling my sale, so he wasn't buttering me up for a bigger commission.

Update 10:41: As soon as we posted this, Comcast SportsNet reported that Bastardo will be called up and will start on Tuesday.

SoxandPhils swap?

With young Clay Buchholz dominating AAA and another farmhand named John Smoltz beginning to make a case for a promotion, there's been a lot of talk about the Red Sox trading Brad Penny.

With Brett Myers' injury - which will require surgery, likely ending his season and perhaps his Phillies career - and the poor Phillies starting pitching for most of the season, there's been a lot of talk about the Phillies trading for a starting pitcher.

Is there a match?

Buster Olney muses about a Penny for Jason Donald deal. While part of me pines for the first SoxandPhils transaction since 2004, I don't want this deal to happen.

1. Christine would blame me every time Penny gave the fans in right field a souvenir or Donald appeared in highlights on MLB Network.


2. I'd love to dump Penny, who despite a pretty 5-1 record has an ERA of nearly 6 and a WHIP of nearly 1.6, so this would be a steal for the Sox unless Donald's injury is more than a sore hamstring.


3. See No. 1.

I think the Phillies will make a deal, but I don't think it will be this one.

Irony: In a week dominated by the news of Myers' injury, the Phillies had a curious "injury update" in Sports Weekly that I've never seen before: "The Phillies had no injuries to report." C'mon, every team has some strain or muscle pull to talk about. This jinxed Brett.

Tonight's games: Brad Lidge may be back. Before he entered, Christine said she thought he would have a good night. She even went so far as to say it would be pain-free, but she wasn't too confident about that after he nearly hit the leadoff hitter. J.A. Happ got the win in the 5-4 defeat of the Nationals. Shane Victorino had four hits. For some reason, Jayson Werth started using Sammy Hagar's Heavy Metal for his intro music again. It's about time. ... Red Sox lost to the Jays 6-3. Tim Wakefield had his worst outing of the year. David Ortiz was the only Red Sox without a hit.