Bumped, but not beaten

I wish continued luck in the playoffs to the Flyers and Sixers, who beat the Pistons again tonight, 95-75. But I won't be too upset when their seasons end. Once again, the Phillies were bumped to CN8, so I was stuck with just the radio broadcast.

The game started out great, and the Phils were ahead 5-0 when I went outside to help Greg finish off the shed. So I definitely was not expecting a 6-5 game when I checked on the score a while later. Then again, it wasn't completely shocking, considering that Adam Eaton was pitching. Todd Zolecki's description reminds us of Eaton's start on Sunday, when he also pitched well early in the game and then gave up multiple extra-base hits in one inning.

Luckily, the best bullpen in the National League pitched excellent for the rest of the game, and the Phils won the first game of the weekend series.

Not as much luck with the Red Sox bullpen tonight. Mike Timlin blew it for the Red Sox in the 11th, losing to the Rays, 5-4.

Phillies lose quietly; Red Sox losing ugly

With the Phillies banished to CN8 again and the Red Sox on pace for a five-hour game against the Yankees, I have some tidbits but not much substance tonight.

Phillies:

1) I know the Phillies were facing Roy Oswalt, but when Kyle Kendrick, your worst pitcher thus far, scatters two runs over seven innings against the Astros, a loss is inexcusable.

2) Wouldn't you know that Michael Bourn homered and scored both runs?

Red Sox:

1) David Ortiz had a good swing on his RBI single in the fifth.

2) This team doesn't quit.

3) I think this is the first time I could watch young Clay Buchholz start. He should have known better than to get shelled against the Empire for my debut.

4) If the score holds, it will be 18-16 Yankees. If the pace holds, the game, which started at 7 p.m., will end just before midnight.

5) Yay, LaTroy Hawkins enters the game. Oops, spoke too soon. I didn't know he has been perfect in three innings against the Sox so far this year. Interesting: Through age 34, Hawkins is most similar to Jose Mesa.

Yes, we have complaints after three dramatic wins in two days

Preface: I have a gut feeling, beyond just a fan's hope, that this post will soon be outdated.

Last night was vintage modern-era Red Sox baseball: four and two-thirds gutsy innings by the bullpen to keep the team in it; a hit or walk by all nine starters; and a crushing blow by Manny Ramirez. They followed with another comeback win, 5-3, tonight.

But it was hard witnessing David Ortiz's struggles on Monday. He's off to the worst start of his career, and it's disconcerting. Last night he went 2-5, nearly matching his hit total in the first 13 games and pushing his average above .100 for the first time in a week. But those hits were weak. And in the 7th inning, in a situation made for Papi - two on trailing by two runs with one out - Papi struck out.

Yes, two innings later he set up Manny's game winner with a bloop that fell between the left fielder, center fielder and shortstop, but it wasn't the authoritative Big Papi blast.

It's just sad. He's one of the few athletes who deserves a free pass because of his past feats. I often think of an interview he gave after 2004, talking about all the pained faces in the stands after the Game 3 drubbing and how he was determined not to let the fans feel that way again. And he didn't. So now, I turn that sentiment around. I don't care what his struggles mean to the offense, it just hurts to see Papi struggle with his own failings, and for the first time since early 2003, not look superhuman.

He had another single tonight, so hopefully he's in the phone booth putting on his cape.

We'll see tomorrow night when the Red Sox make their first journey to Yankee Stadium this season. It's on ESPN. This week we're seeing more games of the Red Sox than the Phillies. I'll let Christine complain, I mean explain:

I found out late this afternoon that the Flyers game was preempting the Phillies on Comcast, and the Phillies were relegated to CN8 again. As I've explained before about Verizon FIOS, that means we don't get to watch the game. So what happens? A four-run dramatic 9th inning and a Phillies comeback win against the Astros.

The Flyers won their game, 6-3. I used to be a big hockey fan, and I'll always root for the Flyers. But the game was already scheduled to be on Versus, so why was it moved to Comcast?

From what I gathered from the radio broadcast, Adam Eaton pitched OK again. Three runs in six innings. Not the best line, but with the offense the Phillies should have, he could very easily be 3-0 right now instead of 0-0.

Now I'm off in search of highlights of Pat Burrell's clutch game-tying home run and Geoff Jenkins scoring the winning run. Tom McCarthy made it sound like the Phillies might have gotten a blown call in their favor tonight. About time.

And Wednesday night? Last scheduled CN8 game. We'll see what happens if the Flyers keep winning.

Just like last year

A day after the Red Sox and Phillies appeared to be more chump than champ, they each invoked happy memories of 2007.

Bearing gaudy new rings, the Red Sox, behind 2008 ace Daisuke Matsuzaka, handled the Tigers with ease after what seemed to be a typical Red Sox championship celebration: Banners draped the Green Monster; a parade of champions displayed trophies won in New England from all four major professional sports; and Bill Buckner returned to Fenway for the first time since 1990.

(I always blamed John McNamara for Game 6, but in retrospect, with Roger Clemens' aversion to the truth, maybe the pitcher did ask out.)

Dan Shaughnessy captioned the carnival atmosphere, while the Globe posted a couple pictures.

In Shea, the Phillies kept streaking against the Mets. Although Chase Utley kept getting bopped like a whack-a-mole and Jimmy Rollins limped off the field, it was the Mets who were once again left punch drunk.

That's nine straight for the Phillies over the Mets, but don't tell David Wright - he must not remember the first eight:

It’s one straight loss in 2008. Done, over with. We can’t change anything. It’s a new year, a different team, and I think we’re a better team.

I never believed in curses or jinxes, but if I did: The Phillies are now 4-0 when Christine can't watch them, 0-4 when she can. Tomorrow's game is on CN8, which means Phillies win.

Get ready

It hasn't been the best opening week for the Red Sox or Phillies. Both Eastern Division champs stand 3-4; the world champs opened today in last place for the first time in three years.

That all changes tomorrow. Both teams will be reminded of their 2007 greatness. The Red Sox, after their three-country opening week marathon, finally come home to play the Tigers and get their rings - a token reminder of how they felt last October.

The Phillies will go to their home-away-from-home, New York, to see their favorite whipping boys and rekindle last year's magic against the Mets.

It sounds like they're ready:

Pat Burrell:

I enjoy going to New York and playing. There's always a little extra excitement there. Especially with what happened last year, I'm sure they're gunning for us. And that's the way it should be.

Charlie Manuel:

When we play them, it's always kind of like a rivalry to us. Them, too. They make a big deal out of it. As long as we put the whip on them, we'll let them make a big deal out of it. They'll talk, we'll hit. That's how I see it.

Game on, season on.

This wouldn't be a problem if we lived in Boston: With several early-season games in the afternoon or on CN8, Christine notes the Phillies are 3-0 when she's unable to watch them and 0-4 when she can.

Baseball Mogul update: In my fourth season, I finally have built the Phillies into a 104-win powerhouse heading into the playoffs. My lineup has four guys with 30+ homers, two others with more than 25. Brad Lidge has 40 saves anchoring a shut-down bullpen. The big story is atop the rotation where Brett Myers and Cole Hamels went 29-8. I think my computer is broken - young Cole (who is now pining to be a Rockie) only has six of those wins and all eight losses.

Happy birthday: Bobby Doerr.

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.