Kicking a dog when he's down

It's been a ruff week for Pat and Elvis Burrell. They were designated for assignment by the Rays, which might end their baseball career. And the following day Ronnie James Dio - whose Holy Diver served as their intro music during some of their Philly days - died. Just when you thought they couldn't sink any lower, they had to endure this insult:

[Sports collectible expert Ted] Taylor says the plethora of bobbleheads available is exactly the problem. "Every team has just been cranking them out," Taylor says. "In the catalog there are 13 pages of bobbleheads in small type."

Taylor pauses and adds with a chuckle, "I have a Pat Burrell one you can have."

That was in a pretty interesting story the Daily News did on the Phillies' history with bobblehead promotions. They also compiled a complete list of Phillies bobbleheads. Christine has long been a fan of the trinkets that we just learned are also called nodders. She predicted they'd be popular when they started to make a resurgence in the late '90s.

Chase Utley is one of the rare Phillies to have two bobbleheads in his career. I guess he deserves it because, if you consider fielding and base running, he's been called the best player in baseball.

Tonight's games: Tonight's bobblehead honoree, Roy Halladay, pitched a complete game but lost to the Pirates 2-1.

Coming off last night's debacle - Jonathan Papelbon's gave up his first-ever walk-off home run. to Alex Rodriguez, no less - the Red Sox are trailing the Yankees in the 5th inning in a 3-0 rain-delayed game.

Tonight's starting pitchers, Halladay and Josh Beckett, are scheduled to face each other on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Red Sox vs. Phillies history: I hope Papelbon doesn't give up a walk-off homer against the Phillies this weekend; he has pitched well against the Phightins' in the past. In 7.2 innings over six games, he has given up a run on four hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. He has given up a home run. He's 1-0 with three saves and at least one blown save because of that home run hit by the best player in baseball. The Red Sox won it in 12 innings, though. That was June 2006.