Last (home) dance a dud

The Phillies, who have the longest active playoff streak of any team in baseball, clinched their fourth straight division title tonight. But it should have happened yesterday.

For the first time in their four-year run, they were not able to wrap things up for the home crowd on Sunday. Christine and I were hoping to see our third-ever clincher (2007 division and 2008 World Series) as we attended the last regular season game of the year, but the Phillies could not survive poor performances by two pitchers who have been great all year - Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson - in the 7-3 loss to the Mets.

Here's a day-old recap of the highlights of our day at the park as the Phillies celebrate in the clubhouse.

Observations from the stands: Driving to the park, we heard Last Dance, the Phanatic's traditional song for the regular season finale, on the radio. ... The Phillies saluted both fans and staff, recognizing employees, from grounds crew to administrative personnel, and giving away prizes to fans completely randomly. (It's just a coincidence that the spring training trip always goes to someone in field level while someone in the upper deck wins two free passes to the Franklin Institute's Cleopatra exhibit.). ... All fans received a magnetic schedule, a pack of Phillies postcards of memorable events from the season and a rally towel. I think I dropped my terry cloth five minutes after we entered the park while peppering up my pulled pork sandwich.

Every year, a Phillie has to address the fans. Christine's favorite, Carlos Ruiz, gave a most stirring and eloquent speech: "We love our fans. Thank you." It still gives me chills. ... The anthem was sung by the Central Bucks West High School Choir, directed by Joseph Ohrt. Not bad, but we've heard it before. And before that. Now they have a website. ... My favorite sign of the day: "Miss you Jamie" with a crying sad emoticon in the zero of Jamie Moyer's No. 50. ... Miss America Caressa Cameron sang God Bless America. ... Fans were particularly annoying, from the parents behind us who wouldn't stop their daughter from kicking Christine's chair to the drunks in front of us who couldn't understand 1) Why the stadium staff wouldn't let him wear a profane anti-Mets shirt because "I bought it outside the stadium the last time they played the Mets" and 2) Why they were getting ragged on for cheering on Hamels minutes after he was removed from the game in the middle the 5th inning. Also, nearly all fans kept cheering the Nationals scoring updates against the Braves, forgetting that the Phillies actually had to win their game to wrap up the division.

We hit a few drops of rain driving and walking into the park, but the game was played without any delay, and the sun even made an appearance in the late innings. Jimmy Rollins also made an appearance, but he grounded out meekly while swinging at the first pitch. ... Combined line for the good Phillies pitchers (Hamels and Madson): four innings, seven runs on 11 hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Combined line for the scrubby Phillies pitchers (David Herndon, Vance Worley, Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras and Danys Baez): five innings, no runs, one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts. ... The postgame celebration was subdued. The Phanatic and staff shot T-shirts to the crowd, but players stayed off the field, probably respecting the fact they lost and the division title wasn't yet sealed.

So ends the 2010 regular season at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are guaranteed at least two more home playoff games; will we be at any?

Antiquated T-shirts: Pat Burrell, Jim Thome, Chris Coste, John Kruk, Jim Eisenreich and Cliff Lee. ... Walking out of the stadium, Christine noticed the back of a Roy Halladay jersey because although the numbers looked legit, the letters were off. Then, we noticed a 2009 World Series patch, and we all know Doc hasn't yet sniffed the Fall Classic. Finally, it hit us: Remember all those jokes about people ripping off Cliff Lee's name from their jersey and replacing it with Halladay's? This guy actually did it. Pretty tacky because Halladay wouldn't want to wear a World Series patch he didn't earn.

Today's games: Doc went the distance in an 8-0 shutout to ice the division. ... The Red Sox are winning; the Rays and Yankees lost, so the Sox may survive another day. I was starting to believe again until last night's extra inning debacle against the Yankees.

Phillies clinch

A day after I got to spend the day pursuing my hobby (bike riding), Christine got a day at Citizens Bank Park where everyone wanted to see a clincher.

The fans whooped it up watching the scoreboard as the Nationals beat the Braves but ignoring the fact that the Phillies couldn't beat the lowly Mets in an ugly 7-3 loss that clinched their 33rd straight season without 100 wins. (Betcha thought the headline was referring to the Phillies clinching at least a tie for the division.)

We have had a long weekend and are still trying to get things organized for the last week of Daddy Daycare before we hand off Trent to the professional day carers.

I hope to have some time and energy tomorrow to recap our last regular-season game at the park.

I did it

It's 10:30 p.m., and we've been up since before sunrise.

I did my 75-mile ride today - 77.94 miles to be exact - in six hours, eight minutes and 15 seconds (not counting rest stops). Christine and Trent fashioned the cutest sign and attached it to his stroller to welcome me after my ride, and they were waiting with our parents at the finish line.

I was so proud and happy. Now, I'm kinda tired.

The Red Sox continue to play spoiler against the Yankees (7-3 win), and the Phillies blew it against the Mets (5-2 loss), making it tougher to clinch tomorrow in their home regular season finale.

SoxandPhils take on New York

And ... we're really not that interested. The only intrigue is whether the Phillies can manage to clinch at home this weekend against the Mets and whether the Red Sox can help the Rays and Twins knock the Yankees from the top seed in the American League to the Wild Card.

We're more focused on tomorrow's big ride and our first night away from Trent. (He's at Grandmom's so we don't have to worry about him while stumbling out the door at 5:30 in the morning so I can get to the starting line.)

So far, so good for the Phils. They beat the Mets 3-2 while the Nationals lead the Braves 7-3 in the 8th. If that holds up, the Phillies could clinch tomorrow with another win and a Braves loss, but Sunday would make a better clincher, in our opinion.

Things started out well for the Red Sox. They were up 10-1 in the 6th, but it's now 10-7 in the 9th.

I hope that tomorrow I finish my ride stronger than the Red Sox are finishing this game.

Off day

The Red Sox and Phillies are off today, so we're taking the day off, too (but just from blogging). Besides, I don't have anything to add because I have been preoccupied with getting mentally geared for a 75-mile bike ride for which I may not be physically prepared, taking care of Trent and ignoring the suckitude of the Red Sox.

Heck, I'm so out of it, I didn't realize the Red Sox are about to start a series against the Yankees.

{Though I'm well aware that the Phillies may be able to clinch against the Mets this weekend! Preferably on Sunday.}

Free fall

Sometimes the dropoffs are quick in sports.

Look at Jacoby Ellsbury: He has already gone from being a rock star like Nomar Garciappara was early in his career to the whipping boy Nomar Garciappara became at the end. Now, he could be headed for a fall from 2007 World Series hero to the ultimate doghouse ... a New York Met.

Nick Cafardo had two tidbits this week that are a little too close for comfort:

3. David Wright would fit nicely in the Red Sox lineup; 4. A couple of Mets officials have told me they may make a run at Jacoby Ellsbury this winter.

I'd hate to see Ellsbury dumped because of public opinion, and I'd hate to see him become an enemy of the Phillies. But I wouldn't mind David Wright; I think his production can return in the right environment.

Tonight's games: The Phillies won their ninth straight (yawn), lowering their magic number to six to clinch their fourth straight division title (yawn) as Roy Halladay won 20 games for the third time in his career (yawn) in the 5-3 win over the Braves. The Red Sox trail the Orioles 8-1 in the 9th (mega yawn).

Sleepy Sunday

Well, it started out that way. On a chilly, rainy day, I slept in - 6:30 a.m. is now extraordinarily late by my new standards.

Later, Trent and I went to the basement to watch some football (I think I'm going to watch more of it this year now that we have the little guy) while Christine listened to the radio as she got some work done upstairs. She heard Roy Oswalt dominate the Mets (four hits and a walk with six strikeouts) in a 3-0 shutout.

In the basement, we toggled between that game and the Giants' 31-18 win over the Panthers and the Patriots' 34-24 win over the Bengals. After the Eagles dropped their opener in the afternoon, we just need the Braves to lose to the Cardinals tonight for a pretty good sports day in this house. And, oh yeah, forgot about the Red Sox ... they won, too, 5-3 over the A's.

Busy week ahead for the SoxandPhils Phamily. We'll try our best to keep up, but expect quickie posts like this.

Life lesson: winning

We took Trent to a local baby parade today. Because it wasn't a pure cute baby contest and relied more on the ingenuity and creativity of the babies' parents in crafting floats and such, Tackle Box Trent did not come home with a prize.

It's OK. It was his first lesson that winning isn't everything. He didn't seem bothered by it.

Later in the day, when Carlos Ruiz failed to get a big hit in the 9th inning with the Phillies trailing the Mets 4-3 with two outs and a man on third, Trent took it much better than his mother.

Red Sox: Not that they matter ... actually, they do matter. We shouldn't stop caring about them just because they're not going to win this year. Well, tonight they're actually winning, 1-0 over the A's in the 6th.

Mike Lowell, a winner of a person, announced his retirement. It was an awkward year, but I am glad he got to play regularly at the end and wish him well.

Time warp

Christine doesn't like it when I sing a Christmas carol too early (before Thanksgiving), so last night when she was watching a Christmas rerun episode of one of her favorite syndicated TV shows, I teased her, "Oh, it's OK for Buffy the Vampire Slayer to play Christmas music in July?"

Then I quickly remembered that we're not only out of July, but also August and just about halfway through September.

Where did the time go?

A baby has really messed with my internal clock. While running errands, the three hours between feedings can seem like five minutes, or the last 15 minutes before a feeding can feel like three hours if Trent's crying.

So I was a little surprised to see football on last night, even though I spent the last few days reading football previews in Sports Weekly, Sports Illustrated and ESPN magazines. I didn't mind it, but it was depressing today to see the Red Sox coverage focused on year-end individual success stories such as Darnell McDonald being a major leaguer for pretty much the whole year and Adrian Beltre's attempt to reach the 30 home run/100 RBI mark for the second time in his career.

Similarly, but on a better note, Phillies coverage focused on the health status of Brad Lidge and Jimmy Rollins as the Phillies head down the stretch run and probably the playoffs.

It seems like just yesterday Christine and I were deciding whether to plan a little getaway for a week off we had scheduled in July. Now, we're planning a run to the grocery store in between bottles while hoping we don't miss the start of the playoffs.

Today's games: The Phillies beat the Mets 8-4. The Red Sox are playing the A's late on the West Coast. They trail 5-0 in the 2nd - not that it matters anymore.

The Phillies need a better scheduler

An ad caught my eye in the Phillies program I bought last week. It was for a sports card and memorabilia show. It's odd because the featured athletes are Curt Schilling and Joe Blanton. (Another current Phillie, Ben Francisco, is also listed.) Fine, you can theme Schilling and Blanton as two rotund pitchers with Phillies connections, but the date is the odd part. The show runs Sept. 24 through Sept. 26.

That's the dates of the Phillies last home series of the year. It's against the Mets, who I'm sure would love to play spoiler against the team that has ruined their recent seasons.

I thought maybe someone made sure the show didn't conflict with games, but nope. Friday's show runs from 5 to 9 p.m. when there's a 7 p.m. game. While Saturday's game time hasn't been announced, it's hard to imagine one not conflicting with a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. show. And there's no way a player can participate in a 1:35 p.m. game Sunday and a show that runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I think somebody screwed up. I went to the show's site to investigate further and found out that the appearance times for everyone, even former Phils like Curt, Darren Daulton and Geoff Jenkins, are listed as TBD. And there are additional current Phillies booked for the show: Placido Polanco and Ryan Madson.

Christine won't be happy if the Mets beat the Phillies that weekend with a quarter of the team signing cards with Curt Schilling.

Speaking of members of the 2004 Red Sox: Manny Ramirez is leaving the Dodgers, who start a series with the Phillies today, and joins the White Sox, who play the Red Sox on Friday and seven times until the end of the season. As if the end of this season won't be annoying enough.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox are off. The Phillies play late in Los Angeles. I had a nice day with Trent, but I'm pooped and won't attempt to get the beginning of the game into this post.

Tuesday two-fer

Dustin Pedroia and Chase Utley are two MVP-caliber dirt-dog type players who can't stand being off the field. So, of course, it makes sense that they will both return from lengthy spells on the DL on Tuesday after using some unorthodox rehab methods.

Hopefully, Pedey can be the kick in the pants the Red Sox need to mount the run we've been waiting for:

"I haven't really been 100 percent all year," said Pedroia. "We're in a pennant race. There are a lot of games left. We're going to make a run at it.

And, maybe, Utley can return to be a stabilizer for the Phillies offense.

Today, the Red Sox dropped another one to the Rangers to fall 4.5 games behind the Wild Card race, while the Phillies battle the Mets on Sunday Night Baseball. No score yet in the top of the 3rd.

Not much to say

The day started off on a Red Sox note: I took Trent to Wawa (our first trip anywhere without Christine), and we were greeted by the cashier who always compliments my choice in baseball team.

Not much baseball since that 7 a.m. encounter. I just looked at the Globe for the first time today about five minutes ago, and I just heard Tom McCarthy say the Phillies won for the first time at Citi Field this year.

Jon Lester is pitching well, I see, but he's getting very little support. In the 7th, Red Sox 1, Rangers 0.

Oops

When I handed last night's post to Christine for her superb editing, I had written that the Dodgers were cruising to a victory. She toned it down a bit to say the Phillies were attempting a comeback, but I don't think she seriously expected them to come all the way back from an seven-run deficit in the 8th inning, even though they had scored a couple of runs by the time she posted.

I certainly didn't.

Oops ... Chooch did it again, knocking in the winning run in the best comeback of the year, in what could be the only game to rival Roy Halladay's perfect game as the Phillies game of the year.

Tonight, however, they couldn't come back from a one-run deficit. For the second time in a week, Cole Hamels pitched a gem against the Mets, but had to eat a 1-0 loss. The Phillies have been shut out in all four games they've played at Citi Field this year. Incredible.

The Red Sox and Rangers aren't participating in such a pitching duel. David Ortiz, Adrian Beltre and J.D. Drew went back-to-back-to-back in a seven-run 4th inning, but Josh Beckett couldn't keep his foot on the Rangers' neck. The Red Sox still lead, 9-8 in the 8th, but I'm not comfortable at all.

Mobile madness

Christine thought Trent could use a mobile for his room.

I disagreed.

A SoxandPhils baby should have two mobiles: a Phillies mobile with the Phillie Phanatic and a Red Sox one, even if it has Wally the Green Monster.

Christine didn't go for my idea of dueling mobiles, so we set out (on Trent's first day as a vaccinated baby) to the local baby supply store to find a more traditional mobile - something in a jungle animal theme to complement his room. We also stopped by a bookstore to beef up the Dr. Seuss selections in his library.

We found the prefect mobile - it had the required jungle animals, and they were playing different sports. (The baseball player is an elephant.) But it was out of stock, so we headed to another store a couple towns away while we listened on the radio to Roy Halladay lead the Phillies past the Mets 6-5.

Trent was doing well on his first day out and mobile and we were getting hungry, so we decided to push our luck and stop at a chain restaurant to attempt our first dinner out as a family of three.

Dinner was flawless, and when we got home, we set up the athletic critters to spin around his crib. I read Trent some Dr. Seuss as the Red Sox started their game against the Yankees. The only bad part of the day is that Josh Beckett got knocked out in the 5th and the Red Sox trail the Yankees 7-2 in the 7th.

I've been telling Trent that you can't quit on your team, but reality is starting to sink in.

Long day

It started with Trent's first batch of shots. It was a big batch - lots of pricking for such a little pin cushion. But he took them like a champ.

Then, I left Christine and Grandmom to deal with some of the vaccines' side effects while I learned that a 50-mile bike ride isn't as easy as it was a month ago. Go figure.

When I returned, the Red Sox seemed ready to cruise to a victory against the Yankees, but John Lackey lost it in the 5th and CC Sabathia shut down the Sox after they got an early two-run lead in the 2nd inning. Yankees 5, Red Sox 2. Funny - when this series started, everyone thought the Red Sox had the edge in pitching matchups in every game except this one. I thought that meant we would wind up losing three of four with today's mismatch the exception.

This evening, Johan Santana and Cole Hamels. Cole was a tad better - six hits and 11 strikeouts in seven innings compared with Johan's five hits, three walks and six strikeouts. The difference? One of the hits Hamels gave up was a home run, and Johan didn't give up any runs. It seemed like a game destined for Trent's comeback magic, especially when the Phillies knocked out Santana in the 8th and loaded the bases against Francisco Rodriguez. But the little guy's still not completely over the shots. Mets 1, Phillies 0.

The Red Sox signed Carlos Delgado. Thrilling.

Babies on the brain

I've been preoccupied with my little guy for the past month or so, and even now when the Red Sox are playing the Yankees in a series that many consider their last chance to hang in the playoff hunt, I can't get babies off the brain.

That's because Trent isn't the only SoxandPhil babe experiencing his first Red Sox-Yankees series:

Meanwhile, it's baby time in the rivalry. Jon Lester welcomed a son last weekend. Clay Buchholz and his wife had a baby girl a few days ago and yesterday CC Sabathia and his wife had their fourth child.

Hopefully, Papa CC gets tired like Lester and Buchholz have been:

Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have had trouble resting this week, as both became fathers for the first time. "We got a run going on — on babies," Francona said. Lester told Francona after Wednesday night's loss that his left hamstring was fine. Francona said Lester was just dehydrated.

Tonight's games: Papa Clay pitched well - three runs in 7 1/3 innings as the Red Sox won 6-3. This is also Trent's first Phillies-Mets series, and the good guys won that series opener 7-5. So, Trent's first SoxandPhils vs. New York series has started off well.

Two knocks and a shave

So Charlie Manuel finally corralled the offensively challenged Phillies in for a team meeting. Nobody's saying much, except that Cholly didn't read them the riot act. It hasn't helped because the Phillies still have not scored a run in their series against the Mets. But they have an excuse tonight - the game has been delayed by rain.

The only thing that seems to have changed is Jayson Werth's beard. He shaved it again, but we want to see a picture to prove it.

It is implied that J-Dub broke out the razor to snap him and his Phils mates out of their phunk, but I have two other theories. 1) He's practicing for when he's a Yankee next year. 2) He wants to be more aerodynamic because he's on pace to make a run at a storied record - most doubles in a season, currently held by Earl Webb, who had 67 in 1931. Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski thinks he has a real good chance.

I knew Webb held the record, but I didn't know he was a Red Sox.

Tonight's games: The Red Sox were leading the Royals 1-0 when I started this post, but Daisuke Matsuzaka just suffered an ugly-looking three-run 5th inning. He was yanked mid-frame at 112 pitches. Recently activated Joe Nelson, whose a fan of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," came in from the pen. It's now 3-2 in the 6th.

Two hours late, the Phillies and Mets are just beginning.

DFA

I forgot to mention the other day that the Red Sox early-season cult hero Darnell McDonald was designated for assignment. That's probably a good thing because it turns out that he wasn't designated after all. The Red Sox were planning on it, but then Jacoby Ellsbury had some discomfort in his ribs, so the Red Sox sent down Scott Atchison in case they needed an extra outfielder.

Funny story - McDonald was asleep in his hotel room when he was awoken by his cell phone vibrating:

"I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming," McDonald said. "[Monday] was a tough day for me. I knew what the circumstances were. Now I'm here."

While McDonald spent his time on waivers napping and watching movies in his hotel room, Wilson Valdez said he spent his time in exile listening to his iPod in his hotel room.

For the SoxandPhils, it's been a very insightful week about the waiver process. Paul Hoover cleared waivers today; I wonder if he also spent the week in his hotel room.

Today's games: John Lackey joined the pitching party that the Red Sox starters have been on. They're leading the Rays 6-2 in the 8th thanks to a two-run homer by scorching David Ortiz, who was bettered by Adrian Beltre who had a pair of two-run homers.

The Phillies? I don't think Christine wants to talk about them. She's convinced they will never score another run. In the 8th, Mets 5, Phillies ... see the last sentence.

Whining

There's been a lot of whining lately:

*The Red Sox, mostly Dustin Pedroia, whined about the umpires yesterday, even though they had a point about Dale Scott's strike zone.

*The Mets Jeff Francoeur whined about the Phillies getting three extra home games. They're not home games. They will bat first and use a DH. Sounds like an American League game to us. Seriously, we know it's not the best situation, but what else could be done? It's a safety issue. If the Mets have a problem with it, they can simply win more games than the Phillies.

*Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was reprimanded by baseball for using binoculars in the bullpen after the Rockies whined that the Phillies are cheating. The Mets and Dodgers have similarly whined in the past. And Charlie Manuel whined that the Dodgers are poor losers and that the Mets must be cheating or else their home and road records wouldn't be so different.

*Rays manager Joe Maddon didn't whine, but he had the best defense of Billmeyer, his former colleague:

"Are you sure he was looking at the other catcher's signs?" Maddon asked the St. Petersburg Times. "I hate to throw [Billmeyer] under the bus, but I would check something else first and then I would accuse him of stealing signs maybe third or fourth or fifth. Knowing him, I don't believe it was anything to do with stealing signs. I would actually bet on that. And I can say that because he's still a single guy."

OK, I get that he's a horn dog. But what else could be on the list before sign stealing?

Today's games: Both teams are off. Tomorrow they start series against the Central: Phillies at Brewers, Red Sox at Tigers. I hope there's less whining and more winning.

O nO

The Red Sox were swept away by the Orioles this weekend, and I'm all O'd out because Christine and I spent the weekend in Baltimore to witness Saturday's debacle for ourselves.

Beside the Red Sox - our reason for the trip - it was a nice little getaway.

It was weird seeing so many Red Sox shirts throughout the city. Christine, wearing her Phillies shirt, got to experience what it's like to wear an unrelated team's garb to a ball game.

Besides the game, we walked around the Inner Harbor and took a water taxi over to tour Fort McHenry, and I ate a crab cake sandwich.

During one of our travels, a Red Sox fan (wearing a Cubs shirt?) excitedly stopped us to tell us the Red Sox were staying at his hotel, the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. The team did a number on the breakfast buffet - especially Hideki Okajima with the fruit - and Daisuke Matsuzaka was a bit surly, the fan reported. We doubt that the team would eat at the same buffet as the rest of the guests, but we wanted to pass along the man's story anyway.

Walking to the game, a church had a sign out front that said something along the lines of, "Lord bless the O's, maybe the Sox, but the Yankees? Forgive our thoughts." Amen.

At the park: When we went to Camden Yards in 2007, we couldn't believe how poorly it has aged compared with Citizens Bank. It didn't seem as bad this time, probably because we entered with lower expectations, but it was still bush league.

Prime example: CoverGirl was giving makeovers inside the park. "Philly chicks come for the game," I said to Christine, who pointed out that the booth was full of Red Sox fans.

The makeup company also sponsored Kiss Cam. It found a Red Sox fan whose mate was conked out. She seemed angry and embarrassed by the sleeping and started deeply kissing another nearby fan.

Christine and I recently discussed whether a poor year by the Red Sox would "thin out the herd" of some of the bandwagon jumpers. I was starting to warm to this idea until we saw a group of drunken girls merrily singing Sweet Caroline on the way out of the park. If fans are so oblivious to the games, I don't think they'll give up their Neil Diamond fixes because of some losing seasons.

Other culture shocks: Culture Club was playing before the game, the Orioles sold Red Sox memorabilia throughout the park, vendors were so bored they invited you to buy from their food stands, still no cup holders in the seats!, a random fan threw out the first pitch, and fans (mostly Red Sox) started a wave. And they did it backward - counterclockwise.

Other annoyances: Fans were obnoxious, and ushers did not enforce the rule that says you don't move to or from your seat during a pitch. ... A family near us asked an Orioles fan to take a picture of her "large family from out-of-state." The Orioles fan wasn't happy but obliged even as she was introduced to every one of the 20 members of the Red Sox woman's family. ... A guy had the gall to wear a Yankees hat with a Dustin Pedroia jersey - unforgivable. ... The fans. ... The game.

Game notes: The highlight was watching Super Saver win the Kentucky Derby on the scoreboard. This was the second time Christine and I watched a Triple Crown race at a ballpark (first time was 2007). ... Maxx Factor sang the anthem; it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. ... Dice-K, making his 2010 debut, was actually efficient and effective until giving up six runs in the 5th. ... It was sad watching Tim Wakefield take a beating in his first relief appearance. ... David Ortiz hit two home runs. The game was played in beautiful 84 degree weather and moved at a great clip considering it was a 12-9 game - two hours 48 minutes.

Antiquated SoxandO's jerseys: Jeff Conine, Rick Dempsey, Rafael Palmeiro, Nomar Garciaparra, Gregg Zaun, Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay, Curt Schilling, Melvin Mora, Trot Nixon and Brady Anderson.

Huh? We spotted a Schilling Red Sox shirt with white writing, a Chase Utley UCLA-themed shirt and a couple of Babe Ruth Red Sox shirts. Phillies fans were also representing throughout the city - we saw shirts for Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Utley, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Citizens Bank Park.

I rocked a new Red Sox T-shirt Christine got me for my birthday.

Oh yeah: The Orioles new scoreboard is an improvement, but it still seems dated. One improvement is the out-of-town scoreboard that is much more detailed than the ones at Citizens Bank. A random example is pictured above: You can see that the Phillies beat the Mets 10-0. Roy Halladay beat Mike Pelfrey. Utley went 3-5 with a double and three runs. Shane Victorino hit a home run.

Curiously, the picture we took of the final score between the Red Sox and Orioles didn't turn out too well.

Oh well, time to finish unpacking so we can watch the rubber game between the Mets and Phillies on ESPN. Mets are leading 3-2 early in the game.