Some quiet off day

[Correction added July 18]

With neither the Red Sox nor the Phillies among the eight teams playing as baseball kicks back into action after the All-Star break, we were expecting a slow news day. WRONG!

The big news is the Phillies landed their starter. After hinting that they would be willing to spend money on pitching, they landed Joe Blanton. Oh boy, I'm ecstatic. A guy with an ERA near 5 and a WHIP close to 1.5. I hope Cole Hamels doesn't mind moving down a slot for this guy. When I heard the news, I thought maybe they got a bargain because he's having an off-year. Nope. They gave up two of their top four prospects. There are reasons why they write books about Billy Beane.

On the bright side, Blanton is only 27 and has been able to put up league average numbers for 3.5 seasons during his formative years. The deal also means fewer innings for Adam Eaton. And going back to last year's mid-season acquisitions, I yawned when the Phillies got Kyle Lohse and wondered if the Red Sox would ever give up another run after the 6th inning with Eric Gagne joining Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon in the bullpen.

Serious note: They've finally concluded the grim report on John Marzano's demise. I'm no doctor, but it sounds like it was painful for Johnny Marz.

No way to transition: Manny thinks the Sox stabbed him in the back somehow. I'm tired of Manny's nonsense, so you can go elsewhere for interpretation, spin or psychoanalysis. I just wonder whether the fact that John Henry responded means the top brass is getting tired of it and is seriously considering not picking up his option for next season.

A SoxandPhils legend retires: Hideo Nomo - a Red Sox in 2001 and a Phillie from Oct. 28-29, 1999 - couldn't hack it with the Royals this year and apparently couldn't latch on with another team. He'll be missed. OK, he won't - just seems like the right thing to say.

Phillies share first: The Mets won tonight, meaning for the first time since June 1, the Phillies no longer have sole possession of first place. They're tied, and each team controls their destiny. When the Mets were rallying in the 9th, Christine said "No big deal, look who's got to close it." Interestingly, they didn't turn to the guy who blew the All-Star game on Tuesday. They went to Duaner Sanchez, who got the save. I can't wait to hear what Billy Wagner has to say about that.

{P.S., the Mets were in control of their own destiny last year. Look how that turned out. Their collapse is starting already, courtesy of Pedro Martinez's latest injury.}

***CORRECTION*** Christine won't like reading this, but I owe an apology to Mets token All-Star Billy Wagner. He did record the save last night. I guess the stat tracker I relied on froze with Duaner Sanchez on the mound.

Hall of Fame II

So thinking back to Tuesday's sham of a vote. OK, not as bad as not inducting Buck O'Neill before he died, but it would have been nice to induct Jim Rice and Goose Gossage at the same time. Nice symmetry -- two feared stars of the '70s and '80s who were key parts of the rivalry, especially in 1978.

I like when there's a connection among inductees. Nolan, Yount and Brett in '99. Ripken and Gwynn last year. And Reggie Jackson by himself in '93.

Hopefully, next year we'll see two Red Sox OFers at the podium: Rice and Rickey Henderson.

Other SoxPhils slated to appear on the ballot in coming years (and there's some real immortals here):

2009: Steve Avery, John Burkett, David Cone, Ron Gant, Dan Plesac, Mo Vaughn, Mike Williams.

Mo's been gone that long already? Plesac too? And, Avery, what can I say?

2010: Andy Ashby, Ellis Burks, Mike Jackson, Todd Zeile

Immortals. Real immortals. No disrespect to Burks.

2011: Hideo Nomo, John Olerud, Benito Santiago, Ugueth Urbina

Nomo's comeback might push this class back. And, wouldn't it be great to induct a guy doing time in Venezuela?

2012: Bill Mueller, Tim Worrell

Will there be an '04 bump giving him a few votes?

In other sports: Another big playoff weekend. I went 3-1 last week, and probably will do the same. Go with the Packers over the Seahawks; Patriots to tie the whiny '72 Dolphins; Colts to close the RCA dome with a win; and Cowboys over the Giants. Yes, I know, weak that like most I'm taking all favorites. I think there may be an upset, but when my gut tells me the best chance for an underdog is the Giants, it's time to play it safe.

Nomo-mania II

I forgot yesterday to mention the small-print news of the week, Hideo Nomo, the last Red Sox since Derek Lowe, err Clay Buchholz, to pitch a no-hitter, is going to try a comeback with the Kansas City Royals.

In honor of this, and the champs opening the title defense in Asia, here's my ranking of the Sox/Phils Japanese players:

1) Hideki Okajima. According to public opinion, he was signed to ease Dice-K's transition, but he turned into a shut-down reliever, an All-Star, and the #2 guy in the pen for the World Champions.

2) Dice-K. I was thinking about giving Nomo the nod here, but Nomo was just about league average during his year in Boston. Though, maybe he should get bonus points for also being a Phillie for a day in 1999. Nonetheless, Dice did pitch well, though a little disappointing, especially in the playoffs when he averaged less than 5 innings per start. We expect more this year.

3) Nomo. Like I said, about league average, but threw a no-hitter in his first start for Boston.

4) Tadahito Iguchi. Solid contributor for his 45 games with the Phils last year. Filled in admirably after Chase Utley broke his hand.

5) Tomokazu Ohka/So Taguchi. This list has a couple of stars, but then it's slim pickings. I can't decide between these two. One had 6 wins for the Sox before being traded to the Expos for a pre-felonious Ugueth Urbina. The other is a scrubby backup outfielder who's coming to the Phils this season after six years in St. Louis.

Honorable mention: If I knew this, I had forgotten that Dave Roberts -- he of the most important stolen base in history -- was born in Japan. I won't count him, but if I did he would rank 2 or 3 and I would entertain arguments for #1.

In other sports: Got three of four of the football games. Darn Redskins.

Baseball Mogul update: Didn't do that trade with Seattle. But made a couple swaps [Gordon, Burrell, Lieber, and four scrubs for Manny Corpas, Ubaldo Jimenez and Garrett Atkins] and then [Eaton, Coste and Geary] for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Christine wasn't thrilled with the first one, but she's couldn't get me to hit "accept" fast enough with the prospect of getting rid of Adam Eaton, even in a computer game. She didn't even consider her usual objections to trading with a division rival.

So far, the verdict's out... Phils have gotten off to their real-life slow start... at .500 on May 3, but only 2 games behind the Braves. I'm a little concerned that Cole Hamels would prefer a higher rotation slot on the Royals. I don't get it either.