Elvi

While waiting for the Phillies to begin the NLCS against Pat Burrell and the rest of the Giants, we spent last night watching Game 5 of the ALDS between the Rays and Rangers.

Former Phil Cliff Lee (are people still upset he's gone?) went the distance and induced a pop-up to shortstop Elvis Andrus to end the game.

It's an omen. The Phillies will beat Pat Burrell and his bulldog Elvis Burrell, while former Phil Cliff Lee and Elvis Andrus knock off the Yankees.

Then, the Phillies will have passed through two Elvi to win their second championship in three years.

Giant dilemma

Even though he's been gone for two seasons, Christine still roots for Pat Burrell - mostly because of his bulldog Elvis. A couple days ago, she cheered when she saw Pat the Bat had a big hit to win a game for his new team, the Giants. But then she suddenly realized that the Phillies are battling the Giants for the Wild Card and felt bad for rooting for the enemy.

The Phillies are set for a big showdown against the Giants and Pat and Elvis Burrell this week. Christine hopes that Elvis is a double agent who still works for the Phillies.

Regardless, the Phillies suddenly find themselves leading the Wild Card.

Perhaps Christine didn't consider the Giants competition because she thinks like Charlie Manuel:

"I don't even look at the wild card, believe me," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I don't even think about the wild card. I never look at the wild card because I think if we concentrate on our division and our record is good enough, that's where we'll land. If we win enough games, we should land somewhere in there. Win the division. That's what I key on. That's what I look at. That's what we key on."

So maybe it'll be OK if Elvis takes one of three in Philly this week. Nah, I don't think Christine will go for that.

Perfect day

A week ago, we, well, I was disappointed that Daisuke Matsuzaka didn't pitch a no-hitter against the Phillies. But it was an odd no-hit attempt. He struggled, and it was just kind of boring and uncomfortable.

There was none of that uneasiness tonight. Harry Leroy Halladay III was efficient and dominant as he pitched the 20th perfect game in major league baseball history, joining Jim Bunning as the only Phillies pitchers with perfectos.

Congrats to the Doc. Is there anything he can't do, besides handle the Red Sox?

We were able to watch, or at least listen to, just about every one of Halladay's 115 pitches in the 1-0 win over the Marlins. (Josh Johnson also pitched well, giving up an unearned run in seven innings.)

Before Halladay took the hill, we spent the day running to a bunch of stores and boiling enough macaroni to feed the SoxandPhils (we were preparing for dinner tomorrow at the Ronald McDonald House).

Among good but not perfect highlights of the day:

At a pet store, Christine saw a bulldog checking into their little hotel-esqe kennel. She thinks he smiled at her and that he looked like the currently unemployed Elvis - err, check that. Elvis is now a West Coast doggie because Pat Burrell signed a minor league deal with the Giants.

Later, we couldn't decide whether to take a walk because the Phillies game was coming on. We decided to walk and broke out the portable radio for the first time. It was neat listening to the game, although the houses we passed seemed more focused on the Flyers game than the Phillies. Understandable at the time, I guess.

Other games: Clay Buchholz was not perfect but pitched pretty well and beat Zack Greinke and the Royals by a 1-0 score. (The run was earned.)

The Flyers are losing to the Blackhawks 5-4 in the second period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Kicking a dog when he's down

It's been a ruff week for Pat and Elvis Burrell. They were designated for assignment by the Rays, which might end their baseball career. And the following day Ronnie James Dio - whose Holy Diver served as their intro music during some of their Philly days - died. Just when you thought they couldn't sink any lower, they had to endure this insult:

[Sports collectible expert Ted] Taylor says the plethora of bobbleheads available is exactly the problem. "Every team has just been cranking them out," Taylor says. "In the catalog there are 13 pages of bobbleheads in small type."

Taylor pauses and adds with a chuckle, "I have a Pat Burrell one you can have."

That was in a pretty interesting story the Daily News did on the Phillies' history with bobblehead promotions. They also compiled a complete list of Phillies bobbleheads. Christine has long been a fan of the trinkets that we just learned are also called nodders. She predicted they'd be popular when they started to make a resurgence in the late '90s.

Chase Utley is one of the rare Phillies to have two bobbleheads in his career. I guess he deserves it because, if you consider fielding and base running, he's been called the best player in baseball.

Tonight's games: Tonight's bobblehead honoree, Roy Halladay, pitched a complete game but lost to the Pirates 2-1.

Coming off last night's debacle - Jonathan Papelbon's gave up his first-ever walk-off home run. to Alex Rodriguez, no less - the Red Sox are trailing the Yankees in the 5th inning in a 3-0 rain-delayed game.

Tonight's starting pitchers, Halladay and Josh Beckett, are scheduled to face each other on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Red Sox vs. Phillies history: I hope Papelbon doesn't give up a walk-off homer against the Phillies this weekend; he has pitched well against the Phightins' in the past. In 7.2 innings over six games, he has given up a run on four hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. He has given up a home run. He's 1-0 with three saves and at least one blown save because of that home run hit by the best player in baseball. The Red Sox won it in 12 innings, though. That was June 2006.

Milestones

Earlier this week, Tim Wakefield got his 2,000th strikeout, joining Jamie Moyer and a couple of cruddy Yankees, roider Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez, as active pitchers in the 2K club.

Last night, Jamie Moyer became the second pitcher in history, behind the late Robin Roberts, to give up 500 home runs. When you've pitched as long as those guys, you are going to have good numbers and bad numbers:

"There's a lot of chances out there," Moyer said. "You can't give up 500 in 600 at-bats, can you? I've thrown a few innings in my career. You're going to give up hits, home runs, walks, strikeouts, errors. I don't really keep track of it all."

I hit a milestone myself. Less than a year after I got my new bike, the odometer hit 1,000 miles this morning. I'm proud. I just wish I knew when I actually got it. I bought it on May 30, but I forgot to note when I picked it up - probably the following weekend.

Anybody wanna bulldog? Pat Burrell's career is over - well, the Tampa portion anyway. He was designated for assignment. Charlie Manuel thinks he'll rebound: "I think Burrell can still hit," Charlie Manuel said. "I think he'll get a job. I hope he does."

Either that, or he's subtly trying to convince the Mets to sign him, knowing full well that Burrell's done. I don't think Christie would handle it well if she saw Elvis in blue and orange.

Today's games: Joe Blanton is pitching well - one hit and no runs through four. But unlike last week, he's been efficient with only 43 pitches so far. In the 5th, Phillies 2, Brewers 0. {But just as soon as I was ready to post this, Blanton gave up a home run to Prince Fielder. Phillies 2, Brewers 1.}

The Red Sox play the Tigers tonight.

Elvis is bulldog non grata

The next time Elvis Burrell shows his mug in Fenway, Boss Papelbon better drill his round rump.

I think I'm forgetting my mantra to be patient early in the season after the Red Sox dropped another one. The game suspended by rain last night ended in the 12th inning tonight courtesy of a two-run home run by Pat Burrell. I blame Elvis. Christine's not happy with me right now.

But I'm really not happy with Pat the Bat: As if the first game weren't bad enough, he has three RBI in the first inning of tonight's regularly scheduled game. Clay Buchholz needed 44 pitches to escape the 1st. Rays 4, Red Sox 0.

Phillies: Even when Jamie Moyer was at his best for the Phillies, it would seem like he'd have a bad inning early in which he'd give up three runs. He would then cruise until the 6th or 7th inning without allowing another run while the Phillies would come back for the win.

This year, in an admittedly small sample size (two starts), it seems as if his bad inning has devolved from three to five runs. The Phillies were able to overcome it last time, but not tonight, losing 5-1 to the Marlins. J-Moy gave up five runs on four hits and a walk in the first inning. In his next five innings, he gave up two hits and struck out seven. Unbelievable.

Other games of note: We're following the Mets and Cardinals, scoreless in the 17th inning, and the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez flirtation with a no-no against the Braves.

Actually, he did it. Congrats. But we're kind of annoyed that we had to watch the end of the game via box score on the Internet. We don't know why Fox (showing the Mets-Cardinals), one of our 44 ESPN channels or MLB Network (showing Tigers-Mariners) couldn't show the last inning live. That was a disgrace.

Cheaters

Now that the Johnny Damon era is over, the Yankees may have their eyes set on another bearded SoxandPhil: Jayson Werth.

Only problem: He's not a free agent yet. But that didn't stop him from having a little lunch with the Yankees Reggie Jackson and an on-field conversation before a game.

Werth denied wrongdoing but wouldn't say what they talked about:

"Reggie's an old family friend," Werth said after yesterday's game was canceled. "I've known him since I was 7 years old, I think. I've known him forever. There's nothing to tell, really. Two friends having lunch."

Funny, with all the coverage of the 2009 World Series, I don't remember reading about how tight Reggie and the Werth/Schofield family are.

So it appears J-Dub may be willing to sell his soul to play for the money. As the newly inducted wrestling hall of famer "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase said, "Everyone has a price." Good riddance, I say. We all know that Domonic Brown will soon be a better player, and perhaps John Mayberry Jr. will be a late-blooming superstar like Werth. He was just sent down, but got some good reviews:

"Since I first saw John last year, he's improved a whole lot," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We figure he needs to go out and play and, at the same time, he's got to hit righthanded pitchers better. He hits lefthanders real good. He's got some things to learn about his hitting.

"It's just like I told Jayson Werth. He's got a chance to be real good. John's going to play in the big leagues and he's going to play for a while."

One little problem with Werth playing for the Yankees, though. He wears No. 28, and Yankee manager Joe Girardi just took that number because, as we've been reminded 10,000 times, that's the number of World Championships they're shooting for this year. But that number is not going to change anytime soon, especially in 2010 when the Sox and Phils face off in the World Series.

Oh well, why bother worrying about the offseason when Opening Day is almost here. There's some news about the Phillies opener in Washington: President Obama will throw out the first pitch. Christine wondered if he plans to hang out with Shane Victorino. Probably, but only to get closer to Werth in an attempt to lure the outfielder to the Nationals.

More cheating: MLB Network is showing the Red Sox take on the Rays. Using his unfair advantage (one more leg), Elvis Burrell's Rays lead Boss Papelbon's Red Sox 2-0 in the 4th.

Things that made me say hmm ...

I learned a lot of interesting little nuggets this morning. Actually, the first I learned last night, but not until after deadline.

Other than the occasional political comment or plug for his wife's book, SoxandPhil Curt Schilling has been sort of quiet lately. Judging by how he ended a recent interview with Dan Patrick in this week's Sports Illustrated, the 2004 hero seems to be out of practice when it comes to speaking to the media. {Out of practice? Please. That interview was pure Curt Schilling. He knew exactly what he was doing and how he was saying it.}

He tried to make it clear that he does not think he is bigger than the game and just fortunate to have played for some great teams at some great times, but he failed and came out with this:

"I was part of some of the greatest moments in the sport. I can remember sitting on the bench in 1993 with John Vukovich watching Joe Carter hit that home run. I was obviously devastated, but not initially. My first thought was 'Oh, my God! I just witnessed one of the greatest moments in the history of the game. How cool? Oh, my God, we just lost!' I love the game."

I'm sure 2008 erased a lot of the Joe Carter-induced pain for Phillies fans, but I can't imagine them liking that attitude. Can you picture David Ortiz saying how cool it was to watch Aaron Boone end the 2003 ALCS? I can't.

I cannot believe that quote has not caused an uproar around here yet. Maybe, as the Inquirer points out in today's series, it's because Citizens Bank Park has ushered in a new era for the Phillies.

The last time Christine and I went to Camden Yards, we were disappointed. It has not aged well and does not compare with Citizens Bank. We should be grateful:

The Phillies' timing was fortunate. By waiting eight years before jumping onto the retro bandwagon launched by 1992's opening of Baltimore's Camden Yards, they were better able to tailor the ballpark to a vision that was far more fan-focused than when the Vet debuted in 1971.

Things might have turned out differently. In the late 1980s, the Phillies wanted to remodel the Vet, which would have meant no shiny ballpark today:

Right about then, team president Bill Giles visited Camden Yards.

"Once we saw that," Montgomery said, "we said, 'Uh-uh. We need to change the focus here. We have to look for a new facility.'"

The rest is history and the Phillies have filled their new park with stars like Jim Thome, Ryan Howard and Joe Mauer. Joe Mauer?

The other night, we were playfully discussing the Twins star's new contract, and Christine, out of sheer loyalty for Carlos Ruiz, said she would rather keep Chooch than add Mauer.

Charlie Manuel has my back on this one:

Manuel raved about Mauer after watching the Twins catcher go 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

"We might be able to find a place in our lineup for him," Manuel said. "A couple of years ago, we were at the winter meetings and I was sitting with some [Minnesota] guys, and we got in an argument. I said I'd like to see him pull some balls. Last year, when he started hitting some bombs to right field, I got a message from one of the guys and he said, 'Hey, Charlie, is Mauer pulling the ball enough for you now?' He's special."

Today's post is all over the place. This blog is going to the (bull)dogs. No, Elvis Burrell has not returned, but Jonathan Papelbon's pooch, Boss, is accompanying the reliever to work today:

Never have been much of a morning person, which is a function of my [the Globe's Peter Abraham] job. But some things you can't help but notice no matter how
tired you are.

Such as Jonathan Papelbon walking into the clubhouse at 8:44 a.m. wearing wraparound black sunglasses with a three-legged bulldog on a leash. Now that got everybody's attention.

Boss is the dog that supposedly ate the 2007 World Series ball. Papelbon went back to his truck to get the dog's bed, so apparently Boss is here for the day.

Hmm, the Red Sox are playing the Rays on Tuesday. I don't know whether Papelbon is scheduled to pitch then, but if he faces off against Pat Burrell, can we please have temporary replacements? Boss vs. Elvis. Bulldog-a-bulldog. Bring it on.

'Legends' falls short

We're not clearing out just our DVR lately, but also our "to-watch" pile of DVDs.

We recently caught Legends of the Fall, the 2009 Phillies video yearbook.

I guess it's perfunctory. There's only one little bit that got us excited (I'll get to that later), and the World Series loss was glossed over as if it were a spring training game. (Christine can't even remember whether they acknowledged that the Phillies didn't win.)

I also have a problem with the title. "Legends" implies greatness. Yes, it's remarkable that the 2008 World Champions returned to the World Series the next year, but they needed to win it in 2009 to be proclaimed legendary.

We were pleased when Raul Ibanez, the film's narrator, talked about the Phillies series in Tampa. Raul missed the series due to injury, and in the video he laments that he didn't get the opportunity to meet Elvis Burrell as he got his championship ring and woofed that now he's going to Disney World to celebrate.

Switching positions

Yesterday, I was flipping through my Phillies program from the game we went to two weeks ago and read that the Phillies signed Carlos Ruiz out of Panama as a catcher even though he never played the position.

Today, I read that new Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez was similarly signed out of Venezuela by the Indians to be a catcher without ever playing the position.

Granted, Chooch's story was written by the PR arm of the Phillies (Tom McCarthy) while V-Mart's was written by the Boston Globe, but it sounds like Ruiz had the easier transition:

"I put on the catcher's gear for the first time and was a little nervous. Once I slid the (chest protector) on, it felt so good that I knew it was the position for me. As I found out, you have so much in your control and I like that (part of the game)."

Martinez, meanwhile, wanted to quit after the first day, but his mother talked him into giving it a try:

Minnie Mendoza, the Latin America field coordinator for the Indians, told Martinez he would be a catcher. After his initial consternation, Martinez accepted his new job.

"I really took the challenge," Martinez said. "That's why we're here. We're here to work hard."

The transition moved slowly. A pitcher threw a ball in the dirt, and instead of blocking it, Martinez leaped out of the way. The pitch hit the umpire. "That won't be the last one," Mendoza told him.

Martinez had long arms and a large frame, and he struggled to coordinate a catcher's movements. He kept working at it. He became more assertive with pitchers and learned individual tendencies.

Hopefully, he will get to experience being behind the plate for a World Series clincher - as Ruiz already has.

Elvis benched? Former Phil Pat Burrell might also switch positions - from DH to left out. There are reports that Burrell, who has struggled mightily since leaving Philadelphia, may be benched by the Rays. Don McKee, however, notes: "No word on how Elvis is faring."

Kudos for thinking of the bulldog, but knock on some doors, make some calls and find out how he is faring. Our journalism professor used an acronym: GOYA KOD. The last part stands for Knock on Doors; the first part is Get off Your ... I'll let McKee figure out the last word.

But what do I know, I'm just a former reporter.

Barkin': Speaking of bulldogs, I somehow completely forgot to mention the Phillies Saturday loss against the Giants, which was remarkable for two reasons: I stayed up for the entirety of a West Coast night game, and it was Bark at the Park night in San Francisco.

We learned Tim Lincecum has a bulldog. Christine enjoyed watching all the doggies. That's one drawback of rooting for a team that sells out - no dog days at the park.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox lead the Rays 2-0 (no Burrell in lineup) in the 7th in a pitcher's duel between Jon Lester and Matt Garza. The Phillies trail the Rockies 8-3 in the 8th. Rodrigo Lopez didn't look good in his first relief outing.

Elvis gets crowned

I had a marathon day at work Thursday and completely missed Elvis getting his World Series ring. Thanks to The Fightins, I was able to relive the excitement. Now, we will always be able to enjoy watching a true champion get his ring, err, dog tag.


As much as Christine and I like watching this, you have to wonder what Pat Burrell's new teammates think about it. It's one thing to watch Pat the Bat get his ring for beating you in the World Series; it's another to watch his dog get some bling for it.

Mental health day

Most of us can use a break from the daily drudgery once in a while. I guess that applies to major leaguers, too.

Charlie Manuel announced before tonight's game that J-Roll will be riding the bench for at least the next two games. He's not even taking batting practice. He's currently batting .211 with a .254 OBP and slugging just .328. Last night, his throwing error led to a five-run 8th inning for the Rays as they beat the Phillies 7-1.

I'm curious what Jimmy's reaction will be to this mini furlough. He took it in stride when Cholly benched him twice last year. I hope he gets himself straightened out soon; the Phillies could really use a healthy, happy, hitting Jimmy Rollins right now.

(P.S. I swear I wrote this post before I saw Todd Zolecki's blog. I even looked up J-Roll's numbers myself! I promise I'm not ripping off Zo, even though we both ended on the same sentiment, too.)

Once last ceremony: Also before tonight's game, Elvis - Pat Burrell's bulldog, for those of you not in the know - was presented with a medallion commemorating the 2008 World Series victory. It has a replica of the face of the World Series ring that the team received and it says Elvis on it. As they were showing the highlights of the "presentation," the TV announcers joked that Burrell was worried that the weight of the medallion would weigh down Elvis' head. Instead, Elvis gave a big dog smile as he proudly walked around with his prize around his neck. Needless to say, I'll post a photo if I can find one.

Tonight: Despite a four-run 1st inning, the Phillies are now losing to the Rays 6-4 in the 5th inning. Starter Antonio Bastardo left the game with an injury in the 4th.

First start: John Smoltz's debut with the Red Sox didn't go as planned. He gave up five earned runs in five innings to the Nationals. He had five strikeouts, but also gave up seven hits, a walk and hit a batter. Daniel Bard took over pitching duties, but the Sox now trail the Nats 7-1 in the 6th.

Game 2?

I got drenched mowing the lawn this morning. I hope to stay dry the rest of the evening, but that remains questionable. I'll let you know tomorrow. I hope tonight's game - Daisuke Matsuzaka (who is overdue for a good outing) vs. Antonio Bastardo (who has yet to have a bad one) - proceeds uninterrupted.

Replay: I commend Shane Victorino's honesty. Christine doesn't.

"I thought it was way foul, to be honest," said Victorino, who added that first-base coach Davey Lopes agreed.

He was referring to Greg Dobbs' 11th-inning foul ball that Charlie Manuel argued should have at least been sent to instant replay for further review.

I'll let Scott Lauber have the final word:

And, really, if the Phillies hadn't struck out 20 times and stranded 10 runners, we wouldn't be talking about Joyce's call today.

Sour grapes: So thanks to some weird licensing rule, the Rays have final say over the Phillies' single-A team's promotions that feature major league logos. The Rays nixed a promotion featuring a Pat Burrell bobblehead in a Phillies uniform holding the trophy. I could almost understand it until I read they allowed similar bobbleheads for Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. What, do they think Pat the Bat is such a popular Ray that Floridians will automatically become Phillies fans because of this bobblehead?

All I know is that, thankfully, the Threshers didn't try a similar promotion with Burrell's bulldog Elvis. Christine would insist that we should be on the next plane down to Florida.

You're welcome, Pat

I'm a Red Sox fan. I never really liked Pat Burrell other than the comedy he provided with what Christine and I called the Pat Burrell face - a frozen look after a strikeout where he looked at his bat like he had no idea what that piece of wood was doing in his hands. Oh yeah, and because he often took his bulldog, Elvis, to the park.

For some reason, maybe because our seats last year were near Pat's biggest fan, I became a Pat Burrell fan. I even led the charge to get him voted on the All-Star team. (He deserved it at the time, before sputtering in the second half.)

Sometimes a team makes a move that the fans think is wrong at the time (see: Blanton, Joe) but later works out. Maybe signing an older and inferior hitter for more money will make sense one day, but it doesn't yet.

I plan to just stand by what I wrote in October (until Pat does something to help the Rays beat the Red Sox):

In the bottom of the 7th, Pat Burrell led off. I've stuck up for him a lot this season, but said no more if he didn't come through with a hit. But I was confident and he ended up nearly homering, but he would up with a double. Eric Bruntlett came out to pinch-run, probably ending Pat the Bat's Philly days. Bruntlett advanced on a groundout and scored on a single by Pedro Feliz.

[Photo credit: The Fightins]

Pat Burrell reunion, Part 1

For the first time in his 12-year professional career, Pat Burrell faced off against the Philadelphia Phillies - the second team that drafted him and the only one he has been with until this season.

Burrell finally won over the fans last year as he became the quiet, venerable leader of the World Champions. He could have used that stock to bash ownership for not bringing him back, but he was all class yesterday:

"From the beginning, I have nothing but good things to say about the organization, the way I was treated," Burrell said. "I've known Ruben a long time, and he was very upfront with me. It wasn't a situation where I felt mistreated. He did mention that he wanted to change things up, and hey, sometimes you need that."

He even brought along Elvis, Christine's favorite World Series-winning bulldog, for a visit. And, although we knew Pat would be reunited with his former mates during spring training, the on-deck series in Philadelphia and a regular-season series in Tampa, we learned yesterday that Burrell plans to attend the ring ceremony on April 8 when the Phillies play a day game and the Rays play in Boston at night.

In true SoxandPhils spirit, we can hope that Pat eats a bad cheese steak before hopping on his plane to Boston. {I have no idea what he's talking about. I hope Pat the Bat hits a game-winning home run off Jonathan Papelbon.}

And in non-SoxandPhils fashion, the Phillies seem to have finally given up waiting for Nomar Garciaparra.

[Photo credit: TampaBay.com]

Philadelphia, Massachusetts

Long before I tried to make an artificial, online connection between the Red Sox and Phillies, I thought there were strong similarities between the Philadelphia and Boston fan bases. Each is deep-rooted and extremely passionate despite a long (at the time) championship drought.

But in recent years, Boston has become title town: the Red Sox and Patriots have won multiple titles, and the Celtics have a chance to repeat this year.

But if you think the Eagles have a fighting chance to win the Super Bowl as a No. 6 seed, then Philadelphia, a city famous for its losing sports teams until the 2008 Phillies, could supplant Boston as home of the hardware.

And these thoughts aren't coming from a blogger trying to drum up business - they're from the Philadelphia Inquirer's Phil Sheridan, who turned a curtain-opening column on the Eagles' first playoff game against the Vikings into a SoxandPhils tome:

That team was uniquely qualified to win the city's first major championship in a quarter-century. Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels have exactly the right qualities to succeed in this very tough sports town. Their chemistry is similar to that of the Patriots and Red Sox teams that overcame the pressure of playing in Boston to win multiple championships in the 2000s.

He even says that if by some miracle the Eagles get past the Giants (fat chance) and go all the way, the Phillies should get some credit:

The Eagles, for all their success in the middle of the decade, never quite had that air about them. Indeed, their four brushes with a championship from 2001 through 2004 (culminating with the Super Bowl appearance in early 2005) became sand in the mouths of drought-stricken Philadelphia sports fans. The closer the Eagles got without breaking through, the more desperate the city felt.

That pressure is off now. The city is relaxing and smoking a metaphorical cigarette after the World Series win. These Eagles are fortunate to be in the playoffs and, at the same time, capable of beating everyone they might face in the NFC. It's a perfect setup.

Then, as Sheridan writes, we will be left pondering the question: "Philadelphia as Boston?"

Bonus points: Sheridan gets extra credit for weaving in an Elvis reference in his second graf.

Football: Since I've already broken Christine's plea for no-football, might as well start doing the picks. I'm having a hard time feeling games this year and got both of yesterday's games wrong. I'll go with the Eagles and Ravens today.

I got Ken Ryan!!!

With the Phillies' first World Championship in 28 years, it was easy to shop for Christine this year. There was plenty of Phillies swag under the tree.

But it was Christine who pulled off the big surprise with what might be the ultimate SoxandPhils Christmas gift - Ken Ryan. We're now proud sponsors of his baseball-reference.com page. Christine put up a Merry Christmas placeholder message, but we'll SoxandPhils it up soon.

I've always wanted a baseball reference page, and I'm so psyched that it's Ken Ryan, who a certain blogger once suggested could be the ultimate SoxandPhil.

Welcome to the family, Mr. Ryan.

{Note to Greg: You don't own Ken Ryan. You just sponsor his page.}

Christine also got me a nifty new Red Sox cap. My old one seemed too big, and Christine never objects when I ask for a new one because she thinks my hats get too grimy.

Phillies swag: When the weather gets warmer, Christine can show off her championship T-shirt, which she can accessorize with the official "I was there October 27 & 29, 2008" World Series Game 5 pin.

Before then, when she starts complaining that opening day is so far off, she can pop in either the World Series or Phillies yearbook DVD to relive 2008. The latter arrived Tuesday, just in the nick of time. It has a picture of Elvis on the back, which was a great surprise.

Also pictured is the refrigerator magnet of the Phillie Phanatic holding the trophy and Gary Matthews' book Phillies Confidential. I had ordered it before Christine even knew it existed. She saw it a couple days later, and I blew her off.

"I'm sure it's lame - don't bother," I said.

It is going to be lame, but we'll have a few laughs over it and probably review it on the blog.

At Mom's: One of the first gifts I opened was an ornament of Santa Claus riding a Red Sox sleigh. I thanked my Mom, noting how in the last two years the Phillies ornaments were catching up in number to the Red Sox ones on the tree. Christine then opened one containing Santa riding on a Phillies rocking horse.

Oops: When we were looking around the Phillies store this month, I didn't understand why Christine was so taken by the championship shot glasses. We're not drinkers and don't have a collection or anything. I obviously didn't remember her October post when she flat-out asked for one. I'll have to make up for it on her birthday, which is less than two months away.

Elvis has left the building

The Phillies have found their man to play left field as they try to repeat as World Champions in 2009. No word yet whether he's got a bull dog to completely replace Pat Burrell and Elvis in Philadelphia.

I'm sure Raul Ibanez is a capable replacement and that he's as underrated as everyone says he is. But is it really better to sign a 36-year-old, who is really just a glorified Jeff Conine or Kevin Millar, to a three-year $30 million contract as opposed to whatever Pat Burrell is going to wind up with?

I completely agree with jettisoning aging stars to avoid stagnating a championship team (see: Martinez, Pedro; Damon, Johnny). But what's the point if you're just going to get older and probably just as expensive?

I know I should give the benefit of the doubt to the brain trust that's coming off a World Championship, and that Pat Burrell has his flaws, but I don't like this. And I'm not going to like watching the Phillies clinch their third straight division title without Elvis on the field.

In her online chat today, Amalie Benjamin put the kibosh on the once-rumored Julio Lugo for Eric Byrnes deal. So it looks like neither of our teams will have a bull dog.

This just in: It looks like the Yankees bought another one - A.J. Burnett. Won't they ever learn?

[Photo credit: Jose F. Moreno, Courier-Post - it's an old photo so I can't say for sure he still works there]

It really happened, the outakes

The city celebrated its long-awaited World Champions today - the World fucking Champions, according to Chase Utley, reprieving his All-Star potty mouth.

We didn't go because both of our jobs have already been flexible with us throughout the playoffs, but I kept the game on mute in the office. It seemed that every time I looked up, Pat Burrell and his bulldog Elvis were on screen. (Pat's wife Michelle Fonseca was there, too.)

When I sent Christine an e-mail saying the Phanatic was starting the parade, she asked me not to give her updates so she could be surprised when she watched our recording of the parade. It was killing me, but I refrained, even when I saw Elvis riding in a horse-drawn beer truck.

It seemed like fun, but these massive gatherings aren't my cup of tea - especially getting to and from the event. But it gives us the opportunity to take one more look back at Wednesday. Here are some of the photos that didn't quite make the cut for our Game 5 recap.

Fans hung the unofficial motto "Why Can't Us?" behind home plate like a war flag. I liked it because it reminded me of Curt Schilling's "Why Not Us?" in 2004. I love that T-shirt - thanks Joe Wolf's Vertical Jump.


In case the field didn't get enough water on Monday and Tuesday, the grounds crew on Wednesday hosed it down again. Actually, they watered before Monday's game, too, in the light rain.


Pat Burrell was practicing his celebratory pose before the game started. Or maybe he was just warming up on a cold night.


I don't think I stressed how cold it was at the park this week. Our feet were feeling dangerously numb by the end of Wednesday. The relievers took coffee out to the bullpen. A bat boy followed later with a caterer's giant coffee urn.


Remember the Rays reliever who taunted us before the game resumed? Well, those relievers had a long, lonely, cold walk back to the clubhouse after the game.


The Phanatic was the first to wave the 2008 banner signifying the championship.


Cole Hamels got his MVP trophy. He's just the fifth player to win the LCS and World Series MVP.


After the game, the players' kids ran all over the field, and there were tons of family photos. I like this shot of Jamie Moyer and the fam.


J.C. Romero is interviewed wearing the red Phillies hat. I'm not certain of this story because I only caught half the radio interview, but some fan claims this was his hat that the players began passing around. We don't have a picture, but Charlie Manuel wore it as well.


Mitch Williams was long ago forgiven by the fans, but he got his official pardon on Wednesday. It read: "Mitch you're off the hook."


Other than Pat Burrell, no Phillies' family piques more curiosity than Jayson Werth's, at least on our blog.


Walking out, Christine wanted to see if they updated the All-Star markers for the 2008 season. They haven't. But we looked at the managers' section and realized for the first time that Charlie Manuel gets to manage the team next year. I wonder if he'll pick Pat Burrell if he leaves Philadelphia but stays in the National League.


Outside the ballpark, we saw the sax guy in the straw hat for the last time. He makes Christine happy. See you next year, sax guy.


[Elvis photo credit: Yong Kim, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Let the copycatting begin

Sports writers and executives aren't the most original people out there, and when a team wins, others try to copy its success. Last week, before the Phillies clinched the pennant, there was already one columnist advocating for the Yankees to sign retiring Phillies General Manager Pat Gillick as an adviser. Why? I thought everything was just peachy in the Bronx.

That made me wonder, though. What if the Phillies win four more games in 2008? What else will other teams rip off in attempt to be the 2009 World Champions? Here's what copycatting GMs might do in the off-season:

-Scour the minor leagues for an old journeyman catcher who can write.

-Spend $10 million on a human strikeout machine.

-Urge their star player to rescue puppies and endorse Vaseline and Tastykakes. There's a joke in there somewhere.

-Beg their team leader to loaf on the base paths and show up late.

-Assemble a bench with the league's best pinch-hitter and a bunch of scrubs so nondescript you don't even remember they're on the team. Make your only utility infielder a late-innings outfield defense replacement, hire the most irrelevant Japanese player you can find and somebody who looks like a famous quarterback.

-Tell your enigmatic left fielder to get a bulldog. I'm thinking Manny Ramirez on this one. (By the way, why didn't we notice this tidbit last week, that Pat Burrell brought a picture of Elvis to Milwaukee and Los Angeles?)

-Scout Hawaii for a scrappy player.

-Scout senior citizen softball leagues for a lefty who can eat innings.

-Find an ace who seems to be soft and whiny.

-Demote your No. 2 starter for a few weeks and hope he comes back pitching like a No. 1 or hitting well enough to try a Rick Ankiel position switch.

-Trade for an irrelevant fat guy to round out the rotation.

-Acquire Adam Eaton. All right, that won't help you, but I'm tired of having him around.

-Find a closer who is deemed scarred by a noteworthy home run even though his numbers really haven't declined. (Actually, not a bad idea.)

-Round out the bullpen with a bunch of cast-offs who somehow get the job done. (Again, not a bad idea.)

-Finally, to guarantee success, find an idiot to blog about your team, linking it with an unrelated team just because his wife also likes baseball but roots for a different team.

Red Sox post-mortem: It was a good year. If they lost Game 5, I would have been disappointed, but I was pleased that they sucked it up and went out nobly to a good, young, exciting team that I hope loses to the Phillies.

This year, we said good riddance to Manny and hello to Jason Bay. We saw the emergence of Jon Lester and probably the end of Curt Schilling, Mike Timlin and Jason Varitek.

We were depleted by injuries down the stretch. We came close, but didn't get the job done. Once I figure out how the Phillies will beat the Rays, I'll get to work on bringing the trophy back to the Red Sox in 2009.

PhilsandRays: While I like the fact this World Series features a team that hasn't won in 28 years against one that's only been around for a decade, the Rays and Phillies don't have a lot of tradition to go on. Look at the all-time roster of 21 players who played for both teams.

C-Pete LaForest
1B-Russell Branyan
2B-Marlon Anderson
3B-Tomas Perez
SS-Kevin Stocker
LF-Julio Franco
CF-Midre Cummings
RF-Travis Lee
DH-Randall Simon

Bench-Alex Gonzalez

SP-Cory Lidle
SP-Dennis Springer
SP-Paul Abbott
SP-Julio Santana
SP-Carlos Reyes

CL-Roberto Hernandez
Lefty setup-Norm Charlton
Righty setup-Rick White
RP-Scott Aldred
RP-Trever Miller

I guess I should have cheated and counted Bobby Abreu.

[Photo credit: Boston Globe]