This is just piling on

Trent and I still aren't conceding, but it's hard to say there's much reason to believe the Red Sox are going to pull this off.

With that said, do the baseball gods have to keep picking off the bones of the Red Sox carcass? Can we at least end the season quietly without any more injuries?

Apparently not: Felix Doubront (I forgot he was even still on the big-league roster) strained his pec.

He's not headed to the DL and obviously wasn't going to fuel the great comeback of 2010, but it's still deflating.

Today's games: In a game we managed to stay awake for the ending (because it was an afternoon tilt), the Phillies beat the Dodgers 5-1 to stay three games behind the Braves. ... Jon Lester, who will be needed for an amazing comeback, survived a rocky start (five runs in the first two innings) to put himself in line for a win after his mates scored six runs in the 7th inning. The Red Sox beat the Orioles 9-6 to stay eight and seven games behind the Yankees and Rays, respectively.

Manny traded

I was sad and surprised to read that Manny Delcarmen was traded to the Rockies. I always rooted for the guy, a Boston boy who demonstrated tantalizing ability at times but never seemed to truly fulfill his potential despite stellar seasons in 2007 and 2008.

I also wondered why and how the Red Sox became sellers. Yes, they're about done, but they're still alive. Theo Epstein still says no surrender:

Asked if there's an appropriate time to waive the white flag, Epstein said, "That's a tough question. It's kind of like the Supreme Court said about pornography: 'You'll know it when you see it.' Right now, we're not eliminated. We're trying to get really hot."

"It'll be difficult, but not impossible," said Epstein. "I'm not going to sit here and assess how difficult it will be. I'll leave that up to you guys. I think, that, as I just said, we need to play better and get hotter than we've been at any point this season. This is not the position we want to be ion. I'm not going to sit here and blow smoke and say where we want to be. We're not."

I'm going to miss Manny (Trent was crying hysterically over the news, or maybe he was just having a bad day), but we felt better after reading this headline on FanGraphs: Rockies Overpay at Second Deadline.

I think Theo made a good deal. From FanGraphs:

The real story here, however, is the guy coming back to Boston. (Chris) Balcom-Miller has had a fantastic season with Asheville in the Sally League, posting a 3.31 ERA in 108 innings backed up by a fantastic 117:19 K:BB ratio. That's a 6.2 K/BB for a 21 year old in his second professional season. Baseball America said prior to the season that Balcom-Miller's ceiling was as a "solid middle-of-the-rotation starter," and one has to think that this season would only improve his stock.

The Rockies might need warm bodies, but that's about all they will get out of Delcarmen. He no longer projects as a productive reliever. Meanwhile, the Rockies will send a very promising starting pitching prospect out of the system for what might be at best a minuscule increase in their playoff odds. It's hard for me to classify this deal as anything less than an overreaction to the Rafael Betancourt injury by Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, and the end result will be a similarly talented (if not worse) team in Colorado and a weakened farm system.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox aren't getting hotter than they have at any point this season, losing to the Orioles 5-2. ... The Phillies play late again in Los Angeles. I stayed up for a good chunk of the game last night. Christine stayed up until Shane Victorino got the Phillies first hit in the 8th. Then, for some reason in the middle of the night, she turned on the TV. A replay of the game was on. We were confused beyond our normal sleep-deprived state.

The Phillies need a better scheduler

An ad caught my eye in the Phillies program I bought last week. It was for a sports card and memorabilia show. It's odd because the featured athletes are Curt Schilling and Joe Blanton. (Another current Phillie, Ben Francisco, is also listed.) Fine, you can theme Schilling and Blanton as two rotund pitchers with Phillies connections, but the date is the odd part. The show runs Sept. 24 through Sept. 26.

That's the dates of the Phillies last home series of the year. It's against the Mets, who I'm sure would love to play spoiler against the team that has ruined their recent seasons.

I thought maybe someone made sure the show didn't conflict with games, but nope. Friday's show runs from 5 to 9 p.m. when there's a 7 p.m. game. While Saturday's game time hasn't been announced, it's hard to imagine one not conflicting with a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. show. And there's no way a player can participate in a 1:35 p.m. game Sunday and a show that runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I think somebody screwed up. I went to the show's site to investigate further and found out that the appearance times for everyone, even former Phils like Curt, Darren Daulton and Geoff Jenkins, are listed as TBD. And there are additional current Phillies booked for the show: Placido Polanco and Ryan Madson.

Christine won't be happy if the Mets beat the Phillies that weekend with a quarter of the team signing cards with Curt Schilling.

Speaking of members of the 2004 Red Sox: Manny Ramirez is leaving the Dodgers, who start a series with the Phillies today, and joins the White Sox, who play the Red Sox on Friday and seven times until the end of the season. As if the end of this season won't be annoying enough.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox are off. The Phillies play late in Los Angeles. I had a nice day with Trent, but I'm pooped and won't attempt to get the beginning of the game into this post.

Oops

When I handed last night's post to Christine for her superb editing, I had written that the Dodgers were cruising to a victory. She toned it down a bit to say the Phillies were attempting a comeback, but I don't think she seriously expected them to come all the way back from an seven-run deficit in the 8th inning, even though they had scored a couple of runs by the time she posted.

I certainly didn't.

Oops ... Chooch did it again, knocking in the winning run in the best comeback of the year, in what could be the only game to rival Roy Halladay's perfect game as the Phillies game of the year.

Tonight, however, they couldn't come back from a one-run deficit. For the second time in a week, Cole Hamels pitched a gem against the Mets, but had to eat a 1-0 loss. The Phillies have been shut out in all four games they've played at Citi Field this year. Incredible.

The Red Sox and Rangers aren't participating in such a pitching duel. David Ortiz, Adrian Beltre and J.D. Drew went back-to-back-to-back in a seven-run 4th inning, but Josh Beckett couldn't keep his foot on the Rangers' neck. The Red Sox still lead, 9-8 in the 8th, but I'm not comfortable at all.

Do they have to report everything?

Just as the media was starting to report that the Red Sox bullpen is turning things around, Jonathan Papelbon gave up four runs in the 9th inning today, blowing an important game against the Blue Jays. Things were so bad that the closer was yanked before the game ended. Closer-in-waiting Daniel Bard gave up a sacrifice fly to end the game.

The Yankees have a cakewalk against the Royals, and the Rays are off, so this would have been a good one to have in pocket.

Joe Blanton made sure Brad Lidge wouldn't have the opportunity to duplicate Papelbon's poor performance. J.B. gave up three runs in the 1st inning. In the 8th inning, the Phillies are attempting a comeback, but the Dodgers still lead 9-4.

Another injured SoxandPhils catcher

Victor Martinez, Carlos Ruiz, Jason Varitek, Brian Schneider and now Kevin Cash. Five catchers DL'd by the Red Sox and Phillies this year.

It's incredible that both our teams have lost their entire catching corps for portions of the season. Although, the latest addition, Cash, who I believe is the 17th Red Sox to hit the DL this season, might need an asterisk.

That's because there have been several wink-like references from beat writers that suggest this move was a sham just to call up newly acquired Jarrod Saltalamacchia:

Meanwhile Varitek is working on his throwing with Gary Tuck, playing catch with Cash.

Boy, for a guy who needs to go on the DL Cash looks pretty good.

Whatever. All I know is that the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 10-1, which pulls them within 3.5 games of the Rays. And if the Rangers can clean up Cliff Lee's mess and hold on to beat the Yankees, we'll be just four games from the top spot.

The Phillies partied like the 2005 Astros, beating the Dodgers 2-0 behind Roy Oswalt's first Phillies win and a clean save by Brad Lidge.

Everybody loves Chooch

The other day, Todd Zolecki noted what a great year that our beloved Carlos Ruiz is having:

Ruiz is hitting .298 with a .395 OBP and a .443 SLG this season, all of which are career bests. Ruiz has been a regular since 2006. He hit a career-high .259 in 2007. He set career-highs with a .355 OBP and .425 SLG last season.

If Ruiz had enough plate appearances to qualify, he would rank fifth in the National League in OBP and 13th in batting.

As if that weren't heady enough, today the Daily News and Inquirer upped the ante by taking a multifaceted look at whether Carlos Ruiz is the MVP of the 2010 Phillies:

Playing on a team filled with accomplished all-stars, an argument could be made that Ruiz has been the Phillies' most valuable player through the first four months of the season. His five home runs and 27 RBIs cannot compare with the statistics of most of his fellow position players, but Ruiz's manager, teammates and coaches understand the hidden value of what their catcher does.

"He gets the tempo of the game moving the right way," leftfielder Raul Ibanez said. "He stands up back there and you see him punch his fist into his mitt and he's barking and showing his intensity. He's the guy who is facing us. We're all looking at him. A lot of times if a guy is dead back there, it's human nature to imitate what you see. But when you see all that intensity back there, I think it rubs off on the rest of us in a positive way."

There's lots of love for Chooch from Rich Dubee, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick and, especially, Jamie Moyer, the Chooch Whisperer, who was credited for Ruiz's development:

"I don't want to take credit and I don't think I can," the 47-year-old said. "But when he first came here, I would talk to him about some basic things I saw in catchers when I was a younger player. I know the game has changed a little bit from that time to now. But, for me, the catching part hasn't."

Too bad the MVP couldn't help Kendrick tonight. Kendrick was so bad that Chooch was double-switched out of the game in the 4th inning. In the 9th, Dodgers 15, Phillies 7. ... Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez couldn't keep Daisuke Matzusaka's recent magic going. Dice-K was knocked around a bit, but the Sox hung in there and beat the Blue Jays 7-5.

Go back to Minnesota

Christine and I played hooky from watching the Phillies today to go to Popcorn Park Zoo, a favorite home for needy animals.

We missed them not giving Roy Halladay any support and getting shut down 4-1 in a complete game by Carl Pavano. Incredible.

So the Phillies lost a series to the Twins, and many Twinkies fans will be leaving Philly happy. We couldn't believe how many Minnesotans ventured to the East Coast for the series. At first it was cute, then it quickly became nauseating because the fans didn't give them the Philly treatment.

Consider this couple who sat near us on Saturday, decked out in matching Nick Punto (why Nick Punto?) shirts. We got past that tackiness when we learned from their sign, which they waved incessantly, that it was their honeymoon and they were following the Twins from Philadelphia to New York.

The kind usher in our section loved their story, offered some tourist sight-seeing advice and gave them a ball he said he got in batting practise the night before. (We've seen several ultra-nice ushers at the park lately.) They cheered hard for their guy, Punto, but left when he walked in the 9th inning, missing the Twins great comeback.

We can't understand why they didn't catch any of the Phillies fans' vitriol. Late in the game, finally, someone told them to put down their stupid sign and helpfully pointed out that they misspelled "Philly's." And, yes, that was in reference to the team, not the city.

Christine and I appreciate the idea of spending a honeymoon chasing baseball, but we would not feel the need to advertise it, and we would not wear matching outfits.

These weren't the only Twins fans near us on Saturday. Perhaps a foreshadow for the honeymooners were a couple of retired folks. The gentleman wore a Michael Cuddyer T-shirt, and his wife wore a "Gramma Jan" Twins jersey with the No. 41 on it. She also wore big baseball earrings with Twins logos. She didn't really irritate me until we were leaving and she stopped traffic down the stairs to chat with some more Minnesotans who were still in their seats.

Other observations from the stands on Saturday: The kid next to me amused me until late in the game when he spit incessantly. He didn't have anything to drink, so I don't know how one boy could have so much saliva. Before annoying me, I learned that he and a buddy got balls tossed to them from Twins Francisco Liriano and former Red Sox Ron Mahay. The balls had logos for the Twins inaugural season at Target Field; apparently the road team brings its own balls. ... His buddy made us laugh when he started calling Jayson Werth shaggy. "He looks like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo," he said, breaking out his best Scooby impression.

Once again, we caught the Phillies' father-child game before the real game started, so the dads actually lost two games in one day.

Musically speaking: After stints with Journey, Sammy Hagar, Kings of Leon and others, Jayson Werth is using Metallica's Wherever I May Roam for his intro music. It's probably a slump buster, but I wonder if he's talking about his impending free agency. ... I'm addicted to Placido Polanco's into music, I Know You Want Me by Pitbull. I don't know why it never caught my ear when Pedro Feliz used it. ... They played Roller Coaster at one point. I think it should be retired in honor of Chris Coste. ... The Phanatic danced to Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher. We never heard that one at the ballpark before. ... The St. James Alumni Blue and Gray Voices directed by Pete McLaughlin did the anthem because it was St. James Alumni day. I don't remember their rendition, so it probably wasn't bad.

Antiquated shirts: Jimmy Rollins (not being snarky, I saw a Rollins No. 6, ironically walking next to a Howard No. 6), Jim Thome (also saw a current version of his Twins shirt), Bobby Abreu, Cliff Lee and former Twin Carlos Gomez.

I don't consider shirts of Hall of Famers antiquated, so it was nice to see a Kirby Puckett jersey, even though the guy wearing it should go back to Minnesota.

Oh well, almost time to see the Red Sox try to complete a sweep of the Dodgers to remain a game behind the Yankees and pull into a tie with the Rays for the Wild Card. Who was worried about their slow start?

I can't believe we sat through that

We were at the park today as the Phillies played a sloppy first inning and fell behind the Twins 3-0.

"This is going to be an ugly one, huh?" I asked Christine.

"These aren't the Phillies of last week," Christine said confidently.

Turns out, we were both right. Hitting season continued in earnest, and the Phils knocked out Twins starter Kevin Slowey in the 2nd inning with seven runs and two of the five home runs they would hit today. Cole Hamels overcame his rocky start to set down 13 in a row from the 1st to 5th inning.

It was a beautiful day at the park, and everything was perfect until Jim Thome came up with one man on in the 9th inning against Jose Contreras, who was trying to protect the 9-4 lead. Stupid Phillies fans cheered Thome before and even after he hit a two-run homer, giving the Twinkies life. That was bad karma that caused the Phils to cough up a five-run lead in the 9th inning for the first time since July 16, 2000. Brad Lidge also participated in the fun. Both teams volleyed until the 11th when Danys Baez, officially Christine's least favorite Phillie, gave up three runs. Twins 13, Phillies 10. {I am really not happy about this game. It seems just as bad as, if not worse than, last week's debacles against the Red Sox.}

At least the Red Sox, who blew a lead in the 7th inning, came back to win in the bottom of the 9th against the Dodgers.

We'll do a full recap of today's game in SoxandPhils style tomorrow. Warning: There will be a lot of discussion about Twins fans. I never knew there were so many. {And that they could be so annoying.}

Unwelcome return

I logged on thinking that Davey Lopes' comments about Chase Utley and his knee, and the Phillies' offensive explosion, would give me an excuse to downplay the return of Manny Ramirez to Fenway.

Nope.

An even bigger former Red Sox/roider/horse's ass stole my attention. Roger Clemens decided tonight would be a good night to catch a game in the Monster seats. What an ass. Doesn't he have a lawsuit to worry about?

The Globe reports that Manny was largely booed, but that there were some cheers and a video tribute to the former Red Sox slugger. He rewarded the appreciation by showing no acknowledgment. I probably would have neither cheered nor booed.

Manny aside, Felix Doubront won his big league debut despite giving up five runs (three earned) in five innings. The Red Sox beat the Dodgers 10-6 behind home runs by Manny's bud David Ortiz and former Dodgers Adrian Beltre and J.D. Drew. Former Phillies prospect Carlos Monasterios got shelled.

If you care (I don't) Manny was 1-5 with a run. Daniel Bard struck him out looking to end the game. {Greg cared so little that he stood up and cheered when Manny struck out.}

Phillies: Davey Lopes told Baseball Prospectus that Chase Utley has a knee injury, confirming much speculation. Utley denied it, but said he wouldn't ever say if he's injured:

Chase Utley said today he is a private person, so he probably would not admit if an injury affected his play.

Utley then said he is fine.

The Phillies said he is fine, too.

He looks fine tonight. Utley, who dismissed before the game that he has an injured right knee, singled and scored from first on a triple in the first inning, hit a three-run home run to right field in the second inning and made a fantastic diving catch in the third inning.

He also specifically refuted Lopes' comments:

"I think there's a little confusion and maybe a little bit of a difference of opinion with what Davey said," Utley said before the game. "In my opinion, an injury is something that keeps you off the field. When you play 162-games-plus over the course of the year you're going to have aches and pains. That's part of this game. That's part of being a baseball player. In my opinion there's no injury whatsoever."

In case you don't believe him - because he said he wouldn't admit if an injury affected his play - Chase was 2-5 tonight with two runs, four RBI and a home run. He was a big cog in what we hope is the official start of hittin' season as the Phillies beat the Twins 9-5. Ryan Howard was a bigger cog, going 4-4 with three runs, three RBI and two home runs, a triple and a double.

Bring on the Yankees, or preferably the Angels

{Wooooooooooooo! I'll let Greg take over now.}

Cole Hamels didn't earn a cupcake tonight, but his mates deserve a tray of them for beating the Dodgers 10-4 to clinch their second consecutive World Series appearance.

It's late. I'm catching a cold. We'll celebrate tomorrow.

Christine is in disbelief. She says I can't stop writing this blog because of the team's success during the past two years.

Bring on the Yankees. But I wouldn't object to seeing the Angels wipe out the Yankees in epic fashion.

Other news: Before the game, Pedro Martinez wouldn't be baited into talking about the possibility of pitching against his old nemesis:

I (Globe reporter Peter Abraham) tried to engage Pedro in some "what about facing the Yankees" talk yesterday after he threw a bullpen at Citizens Bank Park. But he would have none of it. "I know what you're trying to do," he said with a smile. "Not yet."

And Tim Wakefield's surgery was successful.

Look back at 2008: Christine summed up her feelings on the eve of the World Series. She dropped a hint for a Christmas gift. Usually, I'm good with things like that, but I dropped the ball. We bought one later, but we can't remember exactly when. Christine thinks it was at our first game of the year on May 2, but there's no record of it on the blog.

[Photo credit: Treetshop.com]

A cookie for J-Roll

Entering the 9th inning last night, the Phillies trailed the Dodgers 4-3 and Christine was getting cranky at the prospect that the Phillies might actually be tested in a playoff series.

She kept flashing her fingers, trying to illustrate to me the difference between being up 3-1 and tied at 2 in a seven-game set. As if I didn't live through the Red Sox coming back from 0-3 against the Yankees in 2004.

After Raul Ibanez grounded out, the announcers said pinch-hitter Matt Stairs had one thing on his mind.

"Cheese," I said. "A big wheel of cheddar."

After he walked, and Carlos Ruiz got hit by a pitch, Christine and I started "bribing" Phillies with treats if they'd come through.

We tempted pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs with a cheesecake - we once read a gossip item about him being spotted at our local Cheesecake Factory. But he lined out.

When Jimmy Rollins stepped up, Christine offered a chocolate chip cookie. With nuts. For no particular reason.

"I just think J-Roll would like chocolate chip cookies," she said.

We all know he earned his treat with a game-winning double, putting the Phillies in position to clinch their second straight National League Championship tomorrow night. (If Cole Hamels comes through, there is a cupcake in it for him.)

Phil Sheridan also invoked snack treats when describing the improbable comeback:

The Phillies were down to their last out, their last two strikes, last night. Broxton, who looks like Paul Bunyan's great-grandson, only meaner, was throwing 100-mile-an-hour heat. Rollins, who is about the size of a midnight snack for Broxton, wagged his bat as if daring the big guy to bring it on.

Well, we bought a chocolate chip cookie tonight for J-Roll, but Christine decided it would probably cause awkwardness, if not involve police, if we showed up at the shortstop's house bearing a solitary cookie, so she ate it in his honor. Tasty.

I had a slice of cheesecake - symbolizing the piece Dobbs didn't get because he didn't deliver.

Look back at 2008: Nothing much happened on this date, so we'll look back to 2004 because today is the fifth anniversary of us toppling the Empire:

Red Sox fans will forever remember it as their day of redemption, the victory that made the deep, personal investment of time and emotion through so many
seasons worthwhile at last.

Pedro Martinez doesn't know whether the 2009 Phillies or 2004 Red Sox are the better team:

This team maybe has a little bit of an edge on that team because there's more talent, probably, overall. When you combine everything that we have — the pitching, the relieving, all that — it seems to be more of a package. But I don't know. This team is a little bit quieter than in '04. In '04, we were a whole bunch of characters that were really loud. There was a lot of noise in that clubhouse.

[Photo credits: cookie - upontop.org, cheesecake - davidscookies.com]

SoxandPhils stories

I did a double take this morning when I saw this picture. It is a fairly unremarkable picture from a dominant 11-0 win that gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead over the Dodgers in the NLCS.

What made me pause is that it was not from a Philadelphia Web site. It was from the Boston Globe's lead baseball story. I like the Phillies, but kind of depressing that they're getting top billing in Boston.

It wasn't the only story in the news with SoxandPhils connections.

The Jayson Werth castoff to All-Star story is well-known. The Los Angeles Times has a story that illustrates how far he had to come, or just how stupid former Red Sox and Dodger manager Grady Little was:

Grady Little understood the question.

He just didn't recognize the name.

"Who?" asked Little, then the Dodgers manager, in August 2006 after a reporter inquired about the status of Jayson Werth.

It was a clear indication of how the outfielder -- sidelined for the entire season by a nagging wrist injury -- figured into the Dodgers' long-term plans.

That is to say, he didn't.

Ah, it's been fun this week remembering the Grady Little era. No, it hasn't.

Speaking of Grady Gump, his moment of infamy (yes, I'm still bitter) was replayed on MLB Network this week. Joe Torre kept it on in the Dodgers clubhouse, but ball-stealing Doug Mientkiewicz represented the next day when the network aired the 2004 ALCS:

"Turnabout is fair play," Torre said with a laugh. Torre was asked if he watched replays of games he managed in previous years. "I do when I know the result is good," he said. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

I won't answer that.

Uh-oh: Forget the Steve Sax stuff - Mitch Williams says Chase Utley is injured.

Today's games: And never mind the Empire rising stuff. Angels aren't done yet, winning 5-4 in 11 innings.

Ryan Howard belted a two-run homer in the 1st right after TBS noted that Randy Wolf gave up only one home run to a lefty all year. Joe Blanton started out well, but the Dodgers rallied. The Phillies are trying to mount a comeback, but still trail 4-3 in the 7th.

I could have sworn in the 6th inning I saw someone in the crowd wearing a "Henderson 31" jersey. Ramon Henderson, really?

Look back at 2008: We're skipping this feature tonight on account that I posted what should have been today's recap yesterday. Oops. And, as Christine noted, I missed out on posting the Red Sox win to force Game 7. Oh well.

[Photo Credit: Associated Press]

LCS, past and present

The Yankees are breezing through the playoffs - but they haven't yet faced the Phillies - and have reminded me of the awful times before 2001 when the Evil Empire would win store-bought title after store-bought title.

I thought those days were long gone after Curt Schilling and Luis Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Curt again dealt them stunning defeats - not to mention the little blows by the Angels in 2002 and 2005, Tigers in 2006, Indians (with a pre-sellout CC Sabathia) in 2007, and Rays and Red Sox in 2008.

I thought the Yankees were dead and buried, but they seem to be rising up like Michael Myers - the vengeful sociopath, not the lefty pitcher.

After seeing the Yankees sweep the Twins and then take the first two games against the Angels, I fear the Yankees have rediscovered their championship-buying ability. Hopefully, Alex Rodriguez remembers he's a choker; Derek Jeter remembers he's overrated; and Mark Teixeira remembers that he was too wussy to play in Boston.

Hopefully, the Angels come back and the Phillies take care of business so I don't have to root for Joe Torre. I feel dirty just thinking about it.

All of this reminds me that today is the fifth anniversary of Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS. They showed it on MLB Network today, and it was fun watching David Ortiz end the game in the 14th to send the series back to New York and set up the bloody sock game.

I don't think I have to tell you know how that ended up, but Ellis Burks will in his as-told to Nick Cafardo account of the thrilling 2004 ALCS, appropriately titled "Not this time." I know I'm a Red Sox mark, but this had some great insight, including how the grizzled veteran motivated several players when hope was all but gone and how he jawed back at the stupid New York fans who thought it was their birthright to win the series.

Look back at 2008: The Red Sox were three runs away from a SoxandPhils World Series, but Big Papi and his mates couldn't reprise their 2004 mojo. I also made my first incorrect prediction of a 2009 SoxandPhils series.

Live for the moment: All right, Christine is reminding me that I'm wasting way too much time in cyberspace remembering the past when there is a game going on. So far, so good. The Phillies lead 8-0 in the 7th. Cliff Lee has given up three hits with six strikeouts. Ryan Howard helped his case for LCS MVP with three more RBIs. But no matter what he does, Christine prefers Carlos Ruiz, who is hitting .625 in the LCS.

Fresh coat of paint

Too often we focus on what could be instead of realizing the good things around us.

I'm guilty of this all the time, and I think many Phillies fans are doing so after yesterday's 2-1 loss.

Yes, it was a bitter pill to swallow, but it's not the end of the world. Cue the big man:

While disappointed, (Ryan) Howard kept an even temperament. That's a reason for his success - he doesn't allow his emotions to get the better of him.

"I am not going say it was a heartbreaking loss because a loss is a loss," he said. "We're still very confident, and we're now going back home."

I know the instinct is to say that Pedro Martinez's masterpiece should have yielded a win, sending the Phillies home with a 2-0 lead and in excellent position to secure a spot in a second consecutive World Series. But consider this: Don't you think Dodgers fans are saying, "Hey, we scored four runs off Cole Hamels in Game 1, we could be up 2-0?"

Fact is, the Phillies split the first two road games, effectively taking home field advantage away from the Dodgers. They are the defending World Champions, although, it's hard to tell that from the criticism Charlie Manuel is getting for pulling Pedro after seven innings yesterday. (Someone on my Red Sox e-mail list noted, "Somewhere, Grady Little is smiling.")

That reminded me of another conversation I had recently with a Red Sox fan who was upset with the first round sweep. He demanded they fire Terry Francona, cut David Ortiz and trade Jonathan Papelbon. Why? Because after winning 95 games this year and two World Championships in the last five, they couldn't win three more games?

I've noticed I've been a lot more mellow lately as a sports fan. I can't decide whether I'm losing interest or gaining perspective. Probably a bit of both. I love the game. I love the strategy. I love the mental mind games trying to decide whether it makes sense to trade Jonathan Papelbon - not out of scorn because of one blown save, but because it may improve the team for next year.

Sorry, I don't know how I got so diverted.

Point is, Phillies fans, relax. You had a great ride in 2008, and the sequel is by no means over. Big picture, your team has to go 7-5 to win its second straight championship. Charlie Manuel may be frustrating, mind-boggling and seemingly overmatched at times, but he has provided us great entertainment and that elusive title. And in a couple weeks he may hoist another trophy.

(Christine's of a similar mindset, but is worried about falling into the more pessimistic outlook because we have a whole rainy day to stew about it before Cliff Lee takes the mound tomorrow night.)

Oh yeah, the reason for that picture up top: Remember a few months ago, we noticed that the Phillies sign beyond centerfield needed a new coat of paint? Well, just as Pedro refreshed the ending of his brilliant career and a fresh outlook is needed after yesterday, the Phillies took care of that sign. I don't know exactly when, but we're pretty sure it was still cruddy for the last regular season game and repainted before the playoffs (we took the picture at our game last week).

Look back at 2008: On this day last year, the Phillies were waiting for the World Series while the Red Sox were heading to Tampa for Game 6. Our fish were in a bucket.

Game 2 nostalgia

Today reminded me of Octobers from my youth. I'd scramble off the bus, pop open my notebook and do my homework while watching playoff baseball.

(The Giants Jeffrey Leonard, No. 00, with the hands-down home run trot, winning the 1987 NLCS MVP despite losing to the Cardinals particularly sticks out for some reason.)

Anyway, it was odd but definitely interesting to have an afternoon playoff game. I watched the first couple innings at work, listened to a couple on the ride home and then watched the last few with Christine at home.

The good feelings evaporated over our dinner (leftover Chinese food). After Pedro Martinez was vintage Pedro - two hits, no walks and three strikeouts in seven shutout innings - things fell apart with the Phillies holding a 1-0 lead over the Dodgers.

Chan Ho Park, who surprised me with a shutdown inning in Thursday night's win, came in and gave up a leadoff single (should have been an error on Pedro Feliz). They got nobody out on the following sacrifice bunt. Then, on a surefire double play, Chase Utley threw the ball about 10 feet from Ryan Howard, allowing the tying run to score.

With Jim Thome pinch-hitting, Scott Eyre came in. After the announcers lamented that Thome was 0-7 in his career against Eyre, he singled.

Ryan Madson came in - walked a batter, struck out a batter.

J.A. Happ came in and walked in a run.

Chad Durbin got a pop out to end the inning.

Is this any way to run a pitching staff?

So after two games, the Phillies won a shaky Cole Hamels start, 8-6, on Thursday but wasted a dominant Pedro start, 2-1, on Friday. I have a feeling this series is going to be longer and wilder than I originally thought.

I can't imagine how Christine is going to hold up; she seems to think they're done. But I know if they win Sunday, she'll say the Phillies won't go back to Dodger Stadium this year.

AL notes: The stupid Yankees lead the stupid Angels 4-1 in the 8th inning of Game 1. ... Tim Wakefield's surgery is scheduled for Wednesday. ... The Red Sox want Takashi Saito back, but not at $6 million. ... No more extended God Bless America at Yankee Stadium as Ronan Tynan proved to be not the embodiment of America.

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!!

On playoff eve, who's it gonna be?

With the Phillies and Dodgers ready to renew their LCS rivalry, it's time for Christine and me to renew our playoff predictions from the first round.

I went with my heart in the AL and was wrong on both counts. In the NL, I missed on the Dodgers and got only the Phillies right, predicting them to win in four.

Christine did a little better, only missing by picking the Cardinals over the Dodgers, but she did so thinking they would pose less of a fight for the Phillies in the LCS.

According to Rob Neyer, she may be right in that the Dodgers will be formidable. The stats guru picks the Dodgers in five, and he's backed up by Diamond Mind Baseball, which has the Dodgers winning 765 out of 1,000 simulations, most commonly in five games.

I haven't discussed this yet with Christine, but I'm pretty sure the SoxandPhils prognosticators will respectfully disagree with the numbers guy and computer.

I'll agree with Jimmy Rollins:

"You have to understand this team," shortstop and oracle Jimmy Rollins said as the champagne dried on his uniform Monday night in Denver. "We don't play this game to walk away at the beginning of October and say, 'Great season, see you in spring training.'"

I'll go with the Little Red Machine besting Dodger Blue in six. In the AL, the Yankees look different from their teams of recent years, but I think the Angels will pull it out in six.

Christine's picks:

Phillies vs. Dodgers: Phillies, no doubt.

Angels vs. Yankees: Angels. Because we all know by now that I picked the Angels and Phillies to meet up in the World Series.

Red Sox: How depressing. The Boston Globe's Extra Bases blog went 24 hours without an update - and that was just to run the postseason calendar.

Purely personal: We've had a tough time keeping catfish alive and happy lately, so we tried buying a pair of them instead of having just one in the tank. Christine and I couldn't decide whether they like each other - sometimes they swim together, but sometimes they stay on opposite ends of the tank.

"Maybe they're best friends/worst enemies, like teenage girls," she said.

"Oh-uh," I said. "I just named them."

(Usually when we name our fish it's a kiss of death.)

"Pedro and Jamie Moyer."

I just hope we don't have a repeat of last year's mess.

The day after

I may be the more rational fan (except for my hatred of the Yankees), but Christine is the better baseball fan.

Case in point: Finishing dinner tonight, less than 24 hours after her team finished an exhilarating comeback win to finish off a playoff series, she looked sad and said, "I know they can't start the series tonight, but couldn't they play an exhibition or something?"

I told her to pop in a DVD of the 2008 NLCS to get her psyched up for Dodgers-Phillies II. The grudge match. Hell in a cell. This time it's personal. I'll let you pick your own tagline for the series.

Meanwhile, here's a list of some of the annoying story lines that will be shoved down our throats:

1) Joe Torre is hoping to return to the World Series against his former team.

2) Possible showdown between teams inspired by the memories of Harry Kalas and Nick Adenhart.

3) Possible all Los Angeles series, or all I-95 series should the Phillies face the Empire.

4) Jim Thome, once the man in Philly, is now a pinch hitter for the Dodgers. Other former Phils in the series include Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla.

5) Dodgers castoffs Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Pedro Martinez phlourish for the Phils.

6) Former Charlie Manuel pupil Manny Ramirez will try again to beat him in the NLCS.

*One story line Christine won't get tired of is: Mets fans' heads explode as World Series could feature their two favorite teams.

More agita for Mets fans: There's been some talk about a Phillies dynasty. This tidbit from Jayson Stark suggests they may already be one:

Of all the National League teams that have won a World Series over the past century-plus, these Phillies are only the fifth, believe it or not, to come back and win a postseason series the following year.

They're the first since the 1995-96 Braves. Before them came the 1975-76 Reds. And before those two, you have to travel back to the baseball stone age -- to the 1921-22 Giants and the 1907-08 Cubs.

And that's all, friends. So when people talk about how hard it is to repeat, you can stop them right there. Repeat? It's hard enough to win one stinking series the next time around.

Red Sox: They won the World Series today as Josh Beckett dominated the Diamondbacks in Game 5. Yep, for me, all I've got left is Baseball Mogul. I did a better job today than Theo Epstein, who is faced with another challenging off-season. It may include saying goodbye to some of the soldiers of 2004. There are only four of them left, and there's speculation that any or all of Tim Wakefield, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek could be gone next year, leaving only Kevin Youkilis.

Reading this, I had a strange feeling that Youk may be gone too. Theo loves him, but I could see some bold trade centered around the Greek God of Walks. I dunno, just have a strange feeling.

Stop believing

Things are going so well for the SoxandPhils that the local scribes seem to think the year is over. Tony Massarotti tips his hat to Theo Epstein and the Sox, while Todd Zolecki notes the Phils have a lead so big that the Mets couldn't blow it. (Christine is still trying to stay in denial that the Phillies have it wrapped up.)

Things have been going swell, but I have spotted trouble ahead. No, I'm not talking about the fact that J.A. Happ was yanked tonight after three innings in his comeback start or that Jason Bay caught the swine flu from Shane Victorino. (Christine wants me to say that Shane-O is still having tummy issues, but I don't know that to be fact.) Carlos Ruiz also left with a wrist injury.

But the real trouble ahead is if the Phillies match up against the Dodgers - they will have no chance because Los Angeles has hijacked the power of Journey from Jayson Werth.

Steve Perry, a Giants fan, isn't happy:

"It tweaks me to know they're using the song as a rally song," he told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I really wish [the Giants] had hijacked it first. I think the song is about hope and power, and it's working for [the Dodgers], damn it."

I'm worried. Werth likes Journey (although we haven't heard him use Separate Ways in a while). Christine and I don't like Journey, but I have had Don't Stop stuck in my head since Monday.

This can't bode well if there's a rematch of last year's NLCS.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox continue to try to put themselves in a position in which next weekend's series in the Bronx means something. Clay Buchholz won again - the Sox haven't lost in his last seven starts (five wins and two no-decisions). He gave up one run in six innings before the bullpen shut the door in the 3-1 win over the Orioles.

The Phillies, behind two Ryan Howard homers and insurance blasts from Jimmy Rollins and Ben Francisco, beat the Braves 9-4. Before Howard's first, they showed he was hitting .231 with one home run in September. I gave him the choking sign. Christine got mad. Howard homered. Mission accomplished.

Tyler Walker, who Christine earlier in the week proclaimed the unsung Phillie of 2009, gave up two runs in the 8th inning, but she's blaming that on the Daily News for writing about him, not her proclamation.

Before he left - whether because of precaution or reinjury - Happ looked a bit shaky. Kyle Kendrick tossed four shutout innings. Hmm ... so maybe the playoff rotation will be Pedro Martinez, Kyle Kendrick, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee.

Extended Journey: Christine remembered that the 2005 Chicago White Sox had used the ballad. While looking for a link, I found Timoney's YouTube video of Perry jamming with the White Sox during their victory parade. It's odd. The crowd is dead. Give me the world effin' champions or a bunch of duck boats any day. Judge for yourself: