Exit stage left

The news today pertains to the fates of two of the SoxandPhils' leading men who probably have played their last games for the good guys.

Contract negotiations between the Red Sox and All-Star Jason Bay have become strained. Meanwhile, the Phillies didn't offer a contract to Clay Condrey, star of The Pen, who was a valuable piece of the 2008 bullpen.

Obviously, Bay is the more important news. He did an admirable job replacing Manny Ramirez's steroid-boosted bat in left field and exhibited nothing but class during his year and a half with the Red Sox. I would love for his tenure to continue for a few more years, but he doesn't strike me as the uber-elite player we should overpay for.

Hopefully, he goes to the Mets and becomes another sunken cost for them. Christine is rooting for a completely random team, such as the Mariners, to sign him. My only hope is that the Yankees don't sign him. Ultimately, I don't think he'll make a major difference for them, but I just don't want to hear all the crap about yet another reason why the Empire is the class of baseball because they have money to burn.

Speaking of players who have switched teams, last night Christine and I saw what happens in real life when a player moves on. While knocking off some last-minute items for Christmas at a local wine store, I glanced over to the discount rack and saw a bottle with someone's face on it labeled Schneider.

"Who's Schneider?" I said loud enough that the clerk asked if we needed help.

Upon closer inspection, it was the Phillies new backup catcher, Brian Schneider, and his Schneider Schardonnay, which benefits kids' sports programs. But because the bottle was from his Mets days, it was reduced from $13.99 to $9.99. {Um, I think it's more likely that it was discounted because who wants to buy a bottle of Schneider Schardonnay, regardless of team?}

We should have bought it to see how it compares to Manny Being Merlot. {In retrospect, Manny Being Merlot tasted a little steroid-y.}

Even more whining

It looks like my wine review has inspired other ballplayers to get into the act of slapping their names on a bottle to benefit charity. Mike Schmidt has Mike Schmidt 548 Zinfandel, and I've heard of others for Ernie Banks, Brooks Robinson and Eddie Murray.

Now, the sad news: Manny Being Merlot is being made no more. Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield have been replaced by David Ortiz, Jason Varitek and Kevin Youkilis on the "championship edition" wine bottles.

They're all for charity.

Beckett's back: Josh Beckett says he's getting closer, whatever that means.

Cholly: My favorite manager who hasn't won a World Series, Charlie Manual, is losing his cool already:

"Some of them like their position. They like how it's going to go. They take for granted that just because they're a regular player that they're always going to be. That's not the right attitude to take. It might be time for us to have a little chat. Really."

The Phillies are hitting .256 this spring, but their regulars have struggled: Jimmy Rollins (.156), Chase Utley (.200), Pat Burrell (.194), Geoff Jenkins (.162) and Jayson Werth (.174). But you know this team is going to score runs. The real issue is pitching. The Phillies have a 6.88 ERA this spring. Now, pitchers like Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and others have pitched in minor-league games, which skews the numbers a bit. But not that much.

Christine's not happy; I say it's only spring training, wake me when we're down 3-1 in the ALCS.

More whining

Amid all of the week's whining from Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon, I forgot about the wine.

I finally got around to trying Manny Being Merlot, one of three Red Sox wine labels launched in the name of charity last year. Thanks to Brian and Liza for buying us a bottle when they went to Maine.

I'm no wine connoisseur, but I liked it. It was different. It was billed as a combination of fruit and pepper. At first there's the fruity Merlot taste, but on the aftertaste comes the pepper, more like table pepper, but definitely interesting. I'd have it again, or try Schilling Schardonnay or CarberKnuckle.

Back to baseball whining: John Smoltz tells Cole to stop worrying about money and focus on pitching. Smoltz, who'll probably go to the Hall of Fame, says he was angry when the Braves renewed his contract in 1991. He went 2-11 before he stopped worrying about it and finished that season on a 12-2 tear. Oh, and the Inky reminds us that Smoltz's career earnings will be more than $130 million after this year - a mark I figure Hamels will eclipse in his first contract after free agency.