Mohawks

Sometimes you learn the darnedest things while watching baseball games.

Tonight, for instance, we learned that mohawks are back in style. I'm not talking about the stupid hairdos sported by the Rays during last year's playoffs, nor the travesty that is the remaking of The A-Team into a movie.

Nope, just honest to goodness mohawks.

During a screen shot tonight, they showed a fan with a spiky mohawk. Gary Matthews said they're back in style. Tom McCarthy didn't believe him. I didn't know who to believe, but was probably more aligned with T-Mack than Sarge in this one particular instance.

"Which one's on crack?" I asked Christine.

"Probably McCarthy," she said. "Sarge is up on style."

Ah, so Mohawks are indeed back in style.

Tonight's games: John Smoltz, who was pitching when Mr. T still rocked the mohawk on the original A-Team, should have gotten his first win as a Red Sox tonight, but the game was delayed by rain as he warmed up for the 5th inning with the Sox up 9-1 over the Orioles. That's a shame because it looked like he pitched well: one run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in four innings. He threw just 52 pitches, too. The game resumed without the old-timer, and the Sox lead has been cut to 10-5 in the 7th.

The Phillies, meanwhile, took a one-run lead in the 8th on solo home runs by John Mayberry Jr. and Pedro Feliz, but Ryan Madson coughed it right up. They ended up losing to the Braves 5-4 in the 10th inning.

Lights out on Lidge

The other day I compared Brad Lidge with Keith Foulke. I don't remember when exactly in 2005 the fans turned on the 2004 playoff hero, but I have the feeling that today will go down as the date for Brad Lide.

As he was blowing a 4-2 lead to the Yankees (ruining J.A. Happ's first start of the year and John Mayberry Jr.'s first big league home run), Christine said, "Methinks Ryan Madson should be closing."

She is a pretty patient die-hard, so I can assume we will soon hear boos when Lidge's siren sounds at Citizens Bank Park.

Today was going perfectly. Christine and I lingered over a nice plate of grilled ribs while taking in the game. Happ pitched well, two runs in six innings. Mayberry, a surprise call-up, homered and stretched what should have been just a single into a double.

The day's only problem was when Fox racistly picked a random black guy in the fans and dubbed him Mayberry's father. They soon found the real John Mayberry Sr. Is it that hard to spot the correct former major leaguer?

Raul Ibanez even hit his major league-leading 17th home run. (Is he due for a test?)

But then the Phillies summoned Bard Lidge in the 9th. Christine noted that he lowered his ERA to below 8. It is now 9.15.

Here are the ugly details: Johnny Damon walked, then stole second. Mark Teixeira struck out. Alex Rodriguez (test him now) tied it up with a home run. Robinson Cano singled and stole second, scoring on a Melky Cabrera hit. Steroids 5, Champions 4.

I don't know how much longer they will keep running Brad Lidge out there. I guess they could always try Madson, but would they do that to the guy who was perfect last year? I don't think they'll seek help from outside the organization, but if they do, Adam Eaton is available.

Red Sox: The Red Sox attempt to even up the SoxandPhils vs. New York series with Josh Beckett against Mike Pelfrey. We'll be watching on MLB Network. Unfortunately, the Sox are losing 1-0 in the 1st. {Speak for yourself. Like I want to watch any more baseball today and the "highlights" of the Phillies debacle all night.}

Uh-oh, Utley's injured

One aspect of the World Champion Phillies that didn't get much attention is how healthy they were in 2008. Only 11 players were placed on the disabled list - including nobodies, such as Chris Snelling, someone who missed literally a couple games, such as Brad Lidge, and someone who wasn't missed anyway, such as Tom Gordon.

The title defense isn't going as smoothly in this regard. Chase Utley, who denied having a hip injury during the season, has a hip injury. He's having surgery and could be gone until June, or maybe he could be back at the beginning of the season.

We understand playing through it during the season - his numbers may have suffered, but the team won a championship. But why did he wait until more than three weeks after the parade to have this taken care of? You'd think the sooner the surgery, the sooner he's back on the field.

The parade was Oct. 31. Knowing what a gamer and team player he is, why wouldn't he have demanded to be on the surgery table Nov. 1?

Since the Phillies need a serviceable second baseman for a while and the Red Sox need a fourth outfielder to replace Coco Crisp, we should talk about trading Julio Lugo for Greg Golson. Too late. John Mayberry used to be a prospect, but he's 24 and hasn't yet had a full season in AAA. His power numbers are good, but he struggles getting on base.

The Red Sox also acquired an amply sized minor league outfielder today. I've never heard of Paul McAnulty, but you've got to like that he's described as a Matt Stairs type. Baseball Prospectus describes him as "bad-bodied."

Rumor mongering: The pesky rumors persist that the Red Sox may be in on Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. I'd pass. Raul Ibanez has popped up on the Phillies radar. {Unless he has a bull dog we don't know about, bring back Pat Burrell, please.}