Page turners

A month ago, I was starting to get concerned that the Red Sox were going to spend the season battling the birds in the cellar of the AL East and Christine enjoyed watching the Phillies as they dispatched the Mets to reclaim their rightful place atop the NL East.

My, how things change.

As David Ortiz - who was pretty much written out of the league - kept saying during the Red Sox awful 11-12 April, they would turn the page. The Red Sox did, improving to 18-11 in May, and so did Big Papi, as FanGraphs noted:

We should just stop writing off David Ortiz until he retires.

Ortiz in April: .143/.238/.286, routinely booed, talk of being released
Ortiz in May: .363/.424/.788, best hitter (non-Morneau division) in baseball

The Phillies also surged in May, building a five-game lead by May 17, but everyone knows the bottom has fallen out over the past two weeks:

The Phillies had a season-high five-game lead in the NL East following a 12-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 17. They had the second-best offense in baseball at the time, averaging 5.73 runs per game. Only the New York Yankees (5.76) had averaged more.

But entering tonight's game against the Braves, the Phillies rank 12th in baseball, averaging 4.69 runs per game.

Quite a fall.

Todd Zolecki didn't have to note that the Phillies are now back in second place (unless they beat the Braves tonight).

Point is, the Red Sox may not be as good as they played in May, but they're definitely not as bad as they played in April. The same is true for the Phillies. It's a long season, and eventually the Phillies will turn the page and begin to play like champions again. If they can ever hit another home run - 63 innings and counting entering tonight's game.

Today's games: Rain. Both teams had rain delays, but the Phillies' delay came in the middle of the 1st inning, forcing an early exit for Cole Hamels, although the Braves sent Tim Hudson back out there. Perhaps hindered by the rain (Game 5 of the 2008 World Series not withstanding), Cole gave up a three-run homer in his two-thirds of an inning. In the 3rd, Braves 5, Phillies 0.

The Red Sox had to wait only a half hour before starting their game, so John Lackey has no excuse for the two-run homer he gave up. Or the 11 hits and a walk. In the 6th, A's 4, Red Sox 3.

Congrats: Roy Halladay was named player of the week. Ryan Howard (4-25), Jayson Werth (1-20) and Chase Utley (3-27) demand recounts.