Last (home) dance a dud

The Phillies, who have the longest active playoff streak of any team in baseball, clinched their fourth straight division title tonight. But it should have happened yesterday.

For the first time in their four-year run, they were not able to wrap things up for the home crowd on Sunday. Christine and I were hoping to see our third-ever clincher (2007 division and 2008 World Series) as we attended the last regular season game of the year, but the Phillies could not survive poor performances by two pitchers who have been great all year - Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson - in the 7-3 loss to the Mets.

Here's a day-old recap of the highlights of our day at the park as the Phillies celebrate in the clubhouse.

Observations from the stands: Driving to the park, we heard Last Dance, the Phanatic's traditional song for the regular season finale, on the radio. ... The Phillies saluted both fans and staff, recognizing employees, from grounds crew to administrative personnel, and giving away prizes to fans completely randomly. (It's just a coincidence that the spring training trip always goes to someone in field level while someone in the upper deck wins two free passes to the Franklin Institute's Cleopatra exhibit.). ... All fans received a magnetic schedule, a pack of Phillies postcards of memorable events from the season and a rally towel. I think I dropped my terry cloth five minutes after we entered the park while peppering up my pulled pork sandwich.

Every year, a Phillie has to address the fans. Christine's favorite, Carlos Ruiz, gave a most stirring and eloquent speech: "We love our fans. Thank you." It still gives me chills. ... The anthem was sung by the Central Bucks West High School Choir, directed by Joseph Ohrt. Not bad, but we've heard it before. And before that. Now they have a website. ... My favorite sign of the day: "Miss you Jamie" with a crying sad emoticon in the zero of Jamie Moyer's No. 50. ... Miss America Caressa Cameron sang God Bless America. ... Fans were particularly annoying, from the parents behind us who wouldn't stop their daughter from kicking Christine's chair to the drunks in front of us who couldn't understand 1) Why the stadium staff wouldn't let him wear a profane anti-Mets shirt because "I bought it outside the stadium the last time they played the Mets" and 2) Why they were getting ragged on for cheering on Hamels minutes after he was removed from the game in the middle the 5th inning. Also, nearly all fans kept cheering the Nationals scoring updates against the Braves, forgetting that the Phillies actually had to win their game to wrap up the division.

We hit a few drops of rain driving and walking into the park, but the game was played without any delay, and the sun even made an appearance in the late innings. Jimmy Rollins also made an appearance, but he grounded out meekly while swinging at the first pitch. ... Combined line for the good Phillies pitchers (Hamels and Madson): four innings, seven runs on 11 hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Combined line for the scrubby Phillies pitchers (David Herndon, Vance Worley, Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras and Danys Baez): five innings, no runs, one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts. ... The postgame celebration was subdued. The Phanatic and staff shot T-shirts to the crowd, but players stayed off the field, probably respecting the fact they lost and the division title wasn't yet sealed.

So ends the 2010 regular season at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are guaranteed at least two more home playoff games; will we be at any?

Antiquated T-shirts: Pat Burrell, Jim Thome, Chris Coste, John Kruk, Jim Eisenreich and Cliff Lee. ... Walking out of the stadium, Christine noticed the back of a Roy Halladay jersey because although the numbers looked legit, the letters were off. Then, we noticed a 2009 World Series patch, and we all know Doc hasn't yet sniffed the Fall Classic. Finally, it hit us: Remember all those jokes about people ripping off Cliff Lee's name from their jersey and replacing it with Halladay's? This guy actually did it. Pretty tacky because Halladay wouldn't want to wear a World Series patch he didn't earn.

Today's games: Doc went the distance in an 8-0 shutout to ice the division. ... The Red Sox are winning; the Rays and Yankees lost, so the Sox may survive another day. I was starting to believe again until last night's extra inning debacle against the Yankees.

Mother's Day

I spent this afternoon wrestling with a prickly shrub because my mother-in-law wanted it removed from her yard, so we missed much of the Phillies game.

It appears that Cole Hamels struggled with the Braves as much as I struggled with the hedge. We both, however, were victorious in our endeavors. I deposited the shrub in a dumpster, and the Phillies trashed the Braves 5-3. Most notable was Brad Lidge's eight-pitch 1-2-3 9th inning to record his first save of the season. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.

With their moms in the park, Chad Durbin (who I learned today was delivered by the same doctor who delivered J.A. Happ) and Jose Contreras bridged the three innings between Hamels and Lidge. They were perfect with five strikeouts. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.

A great Mother's Day story: The A's Dallas Braden pitched today, and his grandmother, who raised him, was in the park. He pitched a perfect game, the 19th in baseball history, against the Rays. Previously, he was most famous for calling out Alex Rodriguez, who had responded by suggesting that Braden was a nobody. Now, he's in the record books, and his grandmama had some choice words for Slappy (we love this story but question whether it will prove to be urban legend):

After Sunday's game, Braden's grandmother said: "Stick it, A-Rod," according to multiple reporters on the scene.

Amen, never argue with a grandmother.

Tonight: I'm watching Sunday night baseball between the Red Sox and Yankees, but I'm not planning on staying up late to see how it ends. In the 4th, Red Sox 6, Yankees 2.

Dog bites man

As is becoming an unfortunate habit when we go to Citizens Bank Park, Christine and I had to sit through a long, cold, wet and delayed mess of a baseball game. It spanned two calendar days, but at least we didn't have to pay twice for parking.

Only in baseball can the same two teams that played a beautifully crisp 13-inning game in little more than four hours on a pleasant 83-degree night come back the next night and take nearly three hours and forty minutes to play nine innings of slop during a cold and wet night that felt much worse than the listed 71 degrees. Oh, and that game time doesn't include the hour and a half rain delay.

Here's our recap of Game Two of the SoxandPhils showdown in which the 2007 champs beat the 2008 champs, 11-6:

Yesterday, I noted that Antonio Bastardo hadn't had a bad start in either of his first two big-league games. He took care of that early yesterday. Jacoby Ellsbury walked, stole second and went to third when Carlos Ruiz's throw went to center. Ellsbury scored on an errant pickoff attempt at first base after Kevin Youkilis walked. Jason Bay homered him in. As the rain began to drive down, Julio Lugo singled to center, but Shane Victorino let it get by him, allowing two more runs to score. 5-0 before the Phillies even batted.

Daisuke Matsuzka pitched a 1-2-3 first inning. I gave up keeping score because the scorecard was getting too wet, even tucked inside a plastic bag. I joked to Christine that tonight would be the night I would see a no-hitter without a scorecard to record it. I couldn't have been more wrong.

As the Phillies warmed up in the top of the 2nd, Christine was confident her Phillies would make a game of it and predicted a long, ugly back-and-forth affair. They would come back, but not after we spent some quality time in the concourse of the ballpark waiting for the rain to end. Our primary amusement was trying to decide which drunken Red Sox fan would fall down first. There were a couple of close calls, but no winners.

When play resumed, new Phillies pitcher Chad Durbin kept the Red Sox in check for three innings as the Phillies took care of Dice-K. They scored a run in the 3rd on back-to-back doubles by Victorino and Chase Utley. In the 4th, when I made a rare run to the concession stand, Raul Ibanez led off with a home run, followed two batters later by a two-run blast by Pedro Feliz. Dice finished the inning, but that was the end of his night – Red Sox 5, Phillies 4. {Actually, by my count, it was 4-0. Because I was entrusted to keep score when Greg got up, I corrected the early scoring and nullified the 1st inning runs.}

Jack Taschner, who is gaining on Chan Ho Park for the title of least-loved member of the Phillies pitching staff, relieved Durbin in the 5th. The Trashman delivered – he faced nine batters, giving up three runs on four singles, a double and a walk. The inning ending on a flyout to center in which Victorino showed some great range. He made an exaggerated gesture to show the crowd he had the ball. Earlier in the inning, he was miffed that the umpires said he trapped a ball when he thought he caught it on the fly.

The Phillies rallied to get one back off Manny Delcarmen, who's starting to exhibit signs of a slump. The Sox rallied for two more in the 7th off of Sergio Escalona. We had no idea he was called up to replace Friday night's goat, Kyle Kendrick. The teams traded a pair of solo home runs (Jayson Werth in the 7th and Jacoby Ellsbury in the 9th) before Jonathan Papelbon mercifully ended this nightmare of a game at 12:25 a.m.

Observations from the stands: Great national anthem by the United States Air Force Heritage Brass quartet. One of the best renditions I've heard at the park in a long time. ... Rob McElhenney of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" threw out the first pitch. ... Among the many rain ponchos we saw, I spotted one with Buffalo Bills logos on it and another with the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... We spotted a dutiful helper dog during the delay wearing a rain slicker and a Phillies bandanna. ... The subject of the night's scoreboard marriage proposal had an infant in her arms. Christine wondered how the guy convinced her to wait out the cold, wet delay with the baby. ... A grown man behind us wore bright white sneakers with Phillies logos on them.

Christine wanted the Phanatic's late-game dance segment to play off how late it was getting. It didn't, but the PA did play "After Midnight" during the first inning break occurring after midnight. ... Speaking of music, we didn't hear Journey's Separate Ways last night, but Werth is now rotating his at-bat songs, including his original Heavy Metal by Sammy Hagar and newly added Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon. I know you all love J-Dub and his intro music selections, but we can't keep up anymore.

On-field stars: Dice-K (1st), Durbin (2nd), Hideki Okajima (6th) and Ramon Ramirez (8th) for the few 1-2-3 innings in the game that saw the teams combine for 386 pitches (176 by the Red Sox, 210 by the Phillies). ... Ryan Howard surprised everyone by attempting to steal in the 2nd inning. He slid with an awful thud, but it was for naught because Ibanez fouled off the pitch. Christine wondered if he swung out of panic thinking he missed a hit-and-run sign when the big guy took off. ... Ellsbury showed his range in center field all night. ... Mike Lowell made a tremendous spear of a low liner smoked by Howard in the 3rd. It's one of those plays that looks like nothing in the box score, but could have prevented the Phillies from catching up. ... In a game that featured 17 runs on 26 hits and 11 walks, there were too many offensive stars to name. You can look up individual performances here. Although I didn't realize until just now that the Red Sox gave up only one of those walks.

Etc.: Here's some background info on the love affair between Philadelphia fans and J.D. Drew for the Red Sox fan who asked Christine with two outs in the bottom of the 9th whether Drew gets booed in Philly because he used to play here.

Today: No rest for the weary. Todd Zolecki says the Phillies deserve a short game featuring a long outing by J.A. Happ today. The Red Sox could use one too, but two SoxandPhils fans over here could really use one. We'll catch the finale this afternoon (Josh Beckett vs. Happ), then make a call to The Pen at 8 p.m. on MLB and then we'll try to catch up on some of the sleep lost last night.

And then there was one ...

The Phillies locked up Jayson Werth to a two-year $10 million contract and Chad Durbin at $1.635 million for 2009. That leaves just one little arbitration-eligible player for the champs. OK, Ryan Howard is not so little; neither is his arbitration request, nor the schism between that $18 million request and the Phillies $14 million offer.

But we knew things wouldn't be easy with him, so we should probably just be happy that everyone else signed fairly quickly and painlessly, leaving just the big man to deal with.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, may still be negotiating a long-term pact with Jonathan Papelbon. That would alleviate some stress in future offseasons. And he still might be throwing to Jason Varitek, who won't be going to the Dodgers.

Got 'em right where we want 'em

I was about to go with the "I'm never going on a road trip again during the playoffs because the Red Sox are losing the American League Championship Series" theme for tonight's entry, but then I remembered something. Two things, actually.

This team was down 0-3 in the 2004 ALCS and 1-3 in last year's league championship round.

Never mind today's 9-1 trouncing by the Rays, who won the last two games and lead the series 2-1. These Red Sox, of the champion era, play best when they're down and given their last rites.

Or, perhaps, the Rays are just a better team this year. If so, I'll tip my hat and wish them luck and a loss against the Phillies, or luck and a win against the Dodgers. But until then, this series isn't over.

Although it was a bit frustrating to see Jon Lester get knocked around, David Ortiz continue to struggle and the entire offense make Matt Garza look the pre-2008 playoff version of Josh Beckett.

Tim Wakefield, who hasn't pitched in three weeks, will try to even the series up tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Phillies have the late game tonight. They had tied it 3-3 in the 6th when Ryan Howard scored on a wild pitch, but Chad Durbin, who has been in Christine's doghouse lately, allowed a leadoff home run to Casey Blake in the bottom of the inning. Scott Eyre relieved him, but Howard threw the ball away on a Rafael Furcal bunt, allowing another run to score. The Dodgers are up 5-3, and they're still threatening to add more. The Phillies still pain my wife, who wants me to finish this entry before L.A. scores again.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]

It's a series now

The Dodgers woke up tonight to try to avert the sweep and keep alive the odds that we will be attending a Game 7 on Saturday. If it comes to that, Jamie Moyer has to snap out of this playoff slump he's been in.

J-Moy was in the showers by the 2nd inning after giving up six runs in one and a third innings. He's now the only Phillies pitcher with a loss in these playoffs. Coming into postseason, I had more confidence in him than any other Phillies pitcher, including ace Cole Hamels. Now it's a toss-up between him and Josh Beckett who I'm most concerned with for the next six to 16 games.

Moyer was outpitched tonight by Hiroki Kuroda, who made the Phillies bats look like they did before Friday's little explosion. He gave up two runs in seven-plus, and the Phillies managed only one hit before the 7th.

There was also some extracurricular activity tonight. Russell Martin was hit in the knee in the 1st inning and then objected to being thrown inside in a subsequent at-bat. When Shane Victorino saw a pitch over his head, he jawed back at Kuroda and told him to throw at his midsection, not his head. After Victorino grounded out in the 3rd, the benches emptied and a Manny Ramirez-led skirmish ensued. In the 7th, Russell Martin was hit again, this time by Chad Durbin. But the umpires evidently didn't think it was intentional, and Durbs was allowed to stay in the game.

Dodgers lead 7-2 in the 8th. I'm not giving up, but the Phillies don't look like they have it tonight. Tomorrow's going to be another early morning for the drive back to Jersey so we can get home in time for the doubleheader - Red Sox in the afternoon, Phils at night.

That's more like it

These last two games against the Marlins have had a playoff feel to them. I don't mind the extra juice - although it can unnerve Christine - especially when the game works out like today.

Behind Jamie Moyer's one run in six innings, the Phillies beat the Fish, 5-2. Christine was actually worried about the Marlins making a miraculous run, but now the best they can do is tie the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins had three hits today, which is funny, because I was working around the house when the game was on. Early on, long before J-Roll, had three at-bats, I thought I heard Harry Kalas say he had three hits. I misheard; maybe it was a premonition.

The big blow was Chase Utley's two run homer in the 3rd, his first blast since Aug. 22. Pedro Feliz added a two-run homer in the 8th.

Chad Durbin continues to struggle a bit, but his bullpen mates bailed him out. Brad Lidge put a couple of batters on, but earned save No. 40.

The Mets bullpen remembered that it is the Mets bullpen and blew one against the Braves. The Brewers (I think Christine is fully back on board rooting for them) won to climb 1.5 games behind the Mets. The Phils are 1.5 games up on the Mets for the division.

Red Sox: Nice game by 18-2 Daisuke Matsuzaka - seven shutout innings with two walks, two hits and six strikeouts to beat the Blue Jays 3-0. Let's hope he has a couple of those left for the playoffs, which the Sox can clinch tonight. Jacoby Ellsbury scored two of the Sox's three runs, on a sacrifice fly by Dustin Pedroia and on a two-run homer by David Ortiz. Jonathan Papelbon matched Lidge's 40 saves.

The Red Sox can clinch tonight if the Orioles can ruin the big farewell to Yankee stadium. That would be fitting. Unfortunately, the Yankees are up 5-3 in the 7th.

Favorite in-person Yankee Stadium memories (obviously 2004 would top all-time moments):

1. Meeting Mickey Mantle before a random game in the mid 1980s.
2. Catching a ball in batting practice in the 1990s.
3. My first road game for the Red Sox, sitting behind home plate, someone jumped on the protective netting. Highly touted Yankees prospect Hensley Meulens debuted, and I met Rick Cerone afterward.

One more day

Tomorrow we'll learn who is an All-Star and who got snubbed. For the Phillies, we know Chase Utley will be starting, and Pat Burrell, Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels have a good chance of joining him. If it were up to SoxandPhils, and we could select only one of the three, we'd give Pat the Bat his first selection. Who knows if he'll ever get another shot like this one.

For the Red Sox, looks like David Ortiz will be elected but won't play because of injury. Manny Ramirez will also be elected, but he hasn't said yet he won't play. Kevin Youkilis should hold on to win the ballot; Dustin Pedroia's lead is tenuous. Jonathan Papelbon is the only pitcher who warrants consideration. J.D. Drew deserves it more than Manny, but he'll get crowded out, especially with so many Red Sox in contention. Same holds true for Jon Lester. So I predict at least Manny, Papi, Papelon and Youk will be named to the squad, maybe more if the numbers shake out.

{There is only one guaranteed Red Sox to be at the game - Terry Francona. Don't count your all-star ballots before they're hatched.}

But no matter what happens, don't take it all too seriously. An All-Star for one team can become something else for another team a decade later ...

Still some games before the All-Star break: Good wins yesterday against two irrelevant New York teams: The Red Sox beat the Yankees 6-4, and the Phillies won in their last-at bat, 3-2 over the Mets.

Chad Durbin is getting all of the attention for his shutdown relief of J.A. Happ and keeping the Phillies in the game until Johan Santana exited. Speaking of the savior, he's now 0-4 in his last six starts despite a 2.48 ERA. Since Johan's last win (June 1), the Twins, the team he left for dead, is 19-11. Lester, the guy the Red Sox wouldn't give up to get Johan, is 4-0 since then. I wonder who's happy with how things worked out?

We'll be back tomorrow with our normal Sunday game-day Phillies post.

Rain, wind but no win

"It's one thing sitting through a rain delay when they win," Christine said after Lyle Overbay hit a pinch hit homer to tie today's game at three in the 5th.

"It's more fun watching the clouds," an angry fellow season ticket holder yelled at the team after the Blue Jays scored three more in the 6th to take a commanding lead.

"We don't leave baseball games early," I implied on this blog in March.

Unfortunately, today we left a game early for the third time in our baseball-watching career. The first one was because of extreme heat, the second extreme cold. Today was extreme rain, even though they resumed play by the time we got home.


We sat through the first two-hour delay, but the skies were so dark and the rain was so hard that we didn't attempt the second. We still can't believe how much rain came down. We got soaked as we ran through the downpour and inches of water on the ground.


While the rain sent us packing, it didn't stop the Phanatic's birthday celebration, although portions were moved indoors because of pre-game rain. All the local mascots showed up - except for the Eagles' Swoop. I wonder what that was all about - maybe he was busy scouting another cornerback (or just jealous of the attention the Phanatic receives). All the mascots, and then Dan Dunn, a "jam artist," painted tributes to the green furball. All kiddies received a paint-your-own Phanatic statue. Christine was jealous.


Despite the rain, the game started nearly on time. The young-gun match-up of Shawn Marcum and Kyle Kendrick never really materialized. Kendrick threw a perfect inning and Marcum struck out three in an inning, but he also gave up two runs, two hits and a walk. Both pitchers were yanked after the first rain delay.

We spent the rain delay watching an inning of Royals-Marlins, then the Richie Ashburn DVD, before the Flyers' last game of the year started. I filled out nine All-Star ballots, and of course, we monitored the Red Sox score - an ugly 11-7 win over the Brewers by Josh "2006" Beckett, who gave up four home runs. The Sox are now in first again after a loss by the Rays.


When play resumed, Chad Durbin continued where Kendrick left off. He yielded his first walk in the 3rd and no-hit murmurs started before Rod Barajas doubled with two outs in the 5th, which started a three-run rally. The former Phil drove in a run the next inning.

In the 6th, trailing 6-3, the Phillies attempted a rally. They had one run in, runners on first and second with Pat Burrell coming up. That's when the rains came. We fled. We could see the sun in the distance as we left the stadium. Listening on the radio, we heard Roy Halladay coming in to pitch to Burrell as we pulled into our neighborhood. We couldn't believe the bad weather cleared that quickly.

Observations from the stands: After Pedro Feliz got a hit in the fourth, the PA system played Feliz Navidad, ending abruptly with "Feliz." That was the highlight of the sound system on a day when it was awful - lots of crapping out. ... A few people were nodding off in the stands - not just the head bob, but full-blown conked out. ... Christine gave me a poke in the ribs when she correctly read my mind that I was thinking of my fantasy team when the Blue Jays eliminated the possibility of Marcum getting a loss. But she was wrong: I was thinking about a save for B.J. Ryan. He nearly blew it but managed to save the game, giving the Blue Jays a 6-5 victory.

Hat update: Christine finally found a new one she likes. It's tan with a brown P and says Phillies on the back.

Baseball Mogul update: I'm still in the NLCS against the Diamondbacks. I was up 4-2 in game six and called Christine in the room to see the Phillies go to a World Series. You'd think a Red Sox fan would know better. Hopefully game seven goes better.