Root, root, root for the home team

Last night the Phillies fans cheered for Pat Burrell before he homered in the first inning. Some booed before his next at bat. The Phillies recovered, so it wasn't as bad as the time the fans cheered Jim Thome before and after he hit a big home run that set up one of the Phillies' worst losses of the season.

After they wrap up this Giants series, the Phillies welcome the Nationals with no former Phillies on the roster. Then, the Astros come into town. Nobody better cheer Jason Michaels, Pedro Feliz or Michael Bourn.

Today's games: The Red Sox beat the Angels 7-5, the Phillies beat the Giants 8-2. Things are looking up, but sometimes the higher you go, the lower you feel when things go awry, especially when you're to blame.

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.}

Werth needs only 482 home runs to reach Thome, Mantle

Bright side: The Phillies managed to split their four-game series against the Cubs. They won today, 5-3.

Not-as-bright side: They could have easily swept this series. But no more dwelling on that. Let's get to the good stuff.

Jayson Werth bashed the Cubbies again, driving in three runs and hitting another home run. Jamie Moyer continues to pitch unbelievable for a 45-year-old. And, oh yeah, maybe the Phillies were helped out just a little bit by the fact that Carlos Zambrano was scratched to save his "tired" arm for a few more days.

Now it's on to Washington, where the Nationals have won six in a row. I bet the Phils can cool them off.

The Phillies did pick up a game on the Mets last night, as Aaron Heilman walked in the winning run against the Marlins. But today, the Fish failed again, leaving Philadelphia one game behind New York in the standings.

Derrek Lee: Every time I hear his name, I wonder how his daughter is doing. After a quick search, I found out that she was misdiagnosed and will maintain her vision. I'm glad to hear it.

September call-ups: J.A. Happ, Greg Golson and Lou Marson will be joining the big-league club. Oh yeah, and Adam Eaton, too. Boo.

ANTM: Tom McCarthy was doing promos for the upcoming TV season, as the game was on the CW this afternoon. Gossip Girl, 90210, Tyra. Gary Matthews then chimed in.

Sarge: I like that show.

T-Mac: What, America's Next Top Model?

Sarge: Oh yeah.

And yes, he said it exactly how you're imagining it.

Red Sox: Former Phils Gavin Floyd and Jim Thome played a big part in the White Sox beating the Red Sox 4-2 today. And in honor of Thome hitting his 536th career homer, tying him with Mickey Mantle for 14th place on the all-time home run list, I thought it was only appropriate to revisit the 1995 cover of the Indians magazine. I have nothing to say about this picture - I think the snazzy white ensemble and footwear say it all.

The Red Sox open a series against the Orioles on Monday. The O's did the Sox no favors this weekend, as they were swept by the Rays, leaving Boston 5.5 games out of first. The Sox continue to lead the Wild Card by 2.5 games.

No word, that I can find anyway, on their call-ups. Sounds like they could use the reinforcements, though. In addition to half the team being on the DL, the other half had food poisoning this weekend. Blech.

Brett Myers: Even when he's good, he's bad

Christine and I didn't watch baseball together tonight. She stayed upstairs to watch the Phillies, and I was downstairs watching the Red Sox on WGN. (I forgot how bad the homer White Sox announcers are; they're probably worse than tonight's birthday boy Chris Wheeler.)

She came downstairs to report that Brett Myers was pitching well. That's nice, I thought, I can compliment on him on his third consecutive good start, which I will do. He pitched 7 2/3, giving up one earned, five hits and one walk with six strikeouts as the Phils beat the Pirates 4-2.

The only problem is that when Charlie Manuel lifted him in the 8th with only 93 pitches, Myers threw another hissy fit. Cholly obviously wanted J.C. Romero in with a lefty coming up and a man on second in a 3-1 game. But young Brett, who sometimes confuses himself with Pedro Martinez circa 2000, was yelling and screaming all the way to the dugout.

Cholly, who seems tired of being shown up by a pitcher who had to be demoted this year, went right after him in the dugout, poking a finger in his chest. The manager needed to be restrained. I think it's obvious whose side this blog is on.

In his post-game comments, Cholly took the high road, calling it a disagreement between two strong-willed people and a sign that Myers' confidence is back.

We wondered whether they gave player of the game to Jimmy Rollins because of Myers' outburst, although J-Roll did have a good game, 4-4 with two runs, two triples and a stolen base.

Competitors: Mets beat the Marlins and trail the Phils by one. Florida dropped to 2.5 games out.

Red Sox: As I said, I actually got to watch them tonight. I thought they would automatically be the lead story since it was a rare chance to write about them from observation, rather than box score. Thanks, Brett.

Anyhoo, Daisuke Matsuzaka was the story tonight, improving to 13-2 with a 6-2 win over the White Sox. It wasn't a typically ugly Dice-K win. Other than allowing four lead-off hitters to reach base, Matsuzaka was actually efficient. With only 106 pitches through eight, I was surprised Terry Francona didn't let him go out for the 9th. I hope Matsuzaka didn't go Brett Myers on Francona.

In his eight innings, Dice gave up one earned on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts. David Ortiz went 3-5 with a run and three RBIs, which came on a bases-loaded double. Jim Thome hit a meaningless home run in the 9th - I mention because I picked him up this week for my fantasy team.

Competitors: The Twins won, the Yankees lost and the Rays are losing early in the game.

Former Phils in the agate this week

Pitching prospect Gio Gonzalez, who seemed destined to have a career shuffling between Chicago and Philly, is headed to the rebuilding A's in the Nick Swisher trade. And Matt Smith, the most productive piece of the Abreu/Lidle fleece, has been put on waivers.

Gonzalez, originally a White Sox prospect, was traded to the Phils in '05 with Aaron Rowand and Daniel Haigwood for Jim Thome. With Rowand gone to the Giants, the only piece left from this is Fabio Castro, who I still think should have been used more in the past two years. Castro was picked up from the Rangers for Haigwood who last year was released by Texas and picked up and released by the Red Sox. Gonzalez was traded back to the White Sox in the great Freddy Garcia deal last off season.

Getting nothing in trades of superstars is nothing new for the Phils... in 2000 they gave up not-yet World Series hero {gag} Curt Schilling to the D-Backs for Travis Lee, Vincente Padilla, Omar Daal and Nelson Figueroa. (Padilla was the first scrubby Phillie who always seemed to be pitching when we go to a game. That designation then went to Cory Lidle. Last year thankfully we got a good mix).

Then, of course there was the 2002 Scott Rolen deal that also netted a future World Series hero {gag, again}, Mike Timlin, who stayed for half a season. They did get a productive Placido Polanco, but flipped him three years later for Ugueth Urbina, who pitched well for half a season before that little attempted murder thing.

And that brings up the Abreu deal. I'm guess I'm glad it happened. Though the Yankees got a good player, he's overpaid and doesn't help the team regain the mental toughness that's been lacking. But I still think the Phils should have been able to get something for him.

This week, they released Matt Smith, ending his 23 game Phillies career. Also in the deal was minor league SS C.J. Henry, released by the Phils, taken back by the Empire, and P Carlos Monastrios* and C Jesus Sanchez who were both still in A ball last year. Monastrios could still pan out, but you'd like something to be able to point to for Abreu -- even if he was first obtained for Kevin Stocker.

*Correction 9/4/08: Oops. Guess we've had Carlos Monasterios' name spelled wrong for the past eight months. He was still in Clearwater this year.