Rubbing it in Giantly

Christine was more annoyed by the Giants' successful playoff run than I was. She says it's their personalities and the fact that they're not that good, but I think there's still some bitterness over the NLCS.

Of course, as the Giants were clinching the World Series against the Rangers last night, former Phillie Pat Burrell could be seen in every dugout shot. And his dash from the dugout to the celebratory pileup on the pitcher's mound was reminiscent of what he did in 2008 (just swap red pinstripes for black and orange).

What's worse is that the MVP went to Edgar Renteria, best known for grounding out to Keith Foulke to end the great 2004 World Series. The Red Sox thought so much of him that they signed him for 2005, but he flamed out so badly that they traded him to the Braves after one year.

Picture perfect

Recently, I wrote about how Christine likes when the Phillies get zoo-i-fied on the scoreboard.

She particularly liked Jayson Werth's zoo shot Saturday because it looks like he's blowing away the frog.

I know, we're weird.

Looking at that picture reminds me how awful Saturday night's game was and how we forgot to mention whom we hold responsible. Not Cliff Lee. Not the anemic offense. Not even the crappy weather.

No, we blamed the music operator. He was off his game. The biggest offenses were playing a club remix of Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer early on and not playing Bob Marley for Shane Victorino's at-bats.

I thought things were going to get better later in the game when he played Van Halen's Unchained during a Braves pitching change in the 6th, but Peter Moylan stranded the two Phillies who were in scoring position. I foolishly thought things would improve the next inning when he finally broke out Sammy Hagar for Jayson Werth, but Werth just struck out with the bases loaded - just like Ryan Howard before him. Raul Ibanez followed with a flyout to end the inning in the Phillies last at-bats before the rain fell.

The music operator better get his fingers pushing the right buttons before the playoffs start.

We miss Harry: In the first inning tonight, they showed Edgar Renteria's stats at Citizens Bank Park. Tom McCarthy noted that those numbers came when he was a Cardinal and a Brave. Stupid Chris Wheeler chimed in pompously, "And a Marlin."

Yeah, Wheels. Renteria has played in Citizens Bank Park as a Cardinal, Brave, Red Sox and now the Giants, but he hasn't played for Florida since 1998. Citizens Bank opened in 2004.

Tonight's games: Three words: Colbert Richard Hamels. He's back and showing Clifton Phifer Lee who's the real ace of the Phillies. He retired 21 straight batters at one point tonight and has now gone 17 innings without a run. It was a magnificent 1-0 win over the Giants, a complete game shutout for Cole. Kudos to Charlie Manuel for sticking with his ace instead of playing by the book and going to the "closer."

Hamels gave up just two hits and a walk with nine strikeouts when his mates could manufacture just one run off his opponent Jonathan Sanchez.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, lead the Rays 6-2 in the 8th in the start of a series that is hopefully the Rays' last stand. The Sox young lefty ace, Jon Lester, was not as dominant as Hamels: two runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings. But he did have nine strikeouts.

I want Renteria back

I left work later than usual because of some extracurricular activity. When I got in the car, I was disappointed to hear that the Red Sox long stretch of good quality pitching (Daisuke Matsuzaka's wildness excluded) was ended by young Clay Buchholz, and the Sox were trailing the Tigers 5-2.

As I drove home, I heard them pull within one, and I got that unbeatable feeling again. But then, Julian Taverez, making his first appearance since April 24, got tagged for three runs. After getting home, I didn't check the score again until I went online and was surprised to see the Sox were up 9-8 in the ninth. I figured I'd wait out the inning before posting another toast to their resiliency.

But Jonathan Papelbon - fueled largely by Julio Lugo's 10th error of the year - blew the save. Funny, in the car I heard former Sox Edgar Renteria - known affectionately to Boston fans as Rent-A-Wreck for his awful 2005 season - make a great diving play to rob a near-certain hit.

Oh well, time to start a new five-game winning streak.

Late Phillies: They trail the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 in the sixth. Good night. Not really.