blanton, phils roll over nats

Boyz II Men on the belly of "The Sound of Phillie Phanatic" by Brian Condron.

Joe Blanton was super through seven innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits. He also got a heap of support from the guys behind him. The only regulars to start were Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino but it was everyone else who shone. Mike Sweeney had a solo homer and John Mayberry, a three-run shot. Ben Francisco, meanwhile, hit two, one solo and one a two-RBI knock. Innings eight and nine were tune-up sessions for the bullpen in the persons of J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson, and Brad Lidge. The Phillies cruised to a 7-1 win. They finished the season series with the Nationals 12-6.

it's called a hangover

Bidding on the last Phanatic statue closes tomorrow. More than $200,000 has been raised so far.

Last night's game quickly turned into a spring training game, with Roy Oswalt and most of the few regulars in the starting line-up leaving after five innings. Oswalt gave up one unearned run, on a Greg Dobbs error at third. Dobbs does not inspire confidence anywhere these days but Polanco, off to get a fourth cortisone shot for his injured elbow, needs rest. Adam Dunn led off the top of the 9th with a ultra-shot against Jose Contreras to break the 1-1 tie and give the Nats the win. It's time to rest and recharge the battered bodies and to give the bench and bullpen guys a chance to show what they have.

phillies win their fourth straight NL East title

Dan Fione created the "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" Phanatic. The cool use of buttons make it one of my favorites.

In his first season with Philadelphia, Roy Halladay threw a perfect game and won 20 games. Last night in D.C., he made it 21 with a two-hit shutout of the Nationals. And, oh yeah, the Phillies clinched their fourth straight division title. Halladay, who looked locked in, threw just 97 pitches on the way to his ninth complete game of the season and his first ever chance at play-off baseball. October baseball is the reason Halladay looked to be traded to Philadelphia.

Jayson Werth was the offensive engine, driving in four with a homer, double, and single. The Phillies added four more runs in the 9th. Rain started falling in the 2nd and continued throughout the game but it did not stop Halladay or the thousands of Phillies' fans who had made the trip down 95 to watch history. The Phillies are now only the third NL team ever to win four or more consecutive division titles.

What caught my eye were the champagne bottles waiting in tubs in the clubhouse. The labels featured baseball stitching, the Phillies name, and back-to-back-to-back printed on them. Pretty cool.

Congratulations to all on a tremendous season--despite the many injuries and fits and starts along the way. As Halladay said after the game, "It was fun but it's only gonna get funner." Not only did the Phillies clinch first in the NL, but also they clinched home field advantage throughout. In early July, who'd have thought that would happen? In September the Phillies are now 20-5.

phillies lose but clinch a play-off spot

That's the "Liberty Belle" Phanatic in front there, but it's the shadows that caught my eye.

In four games vs. the Mets this season Cole Hamels received zero run support. Behind Hamels, the Phillies lost again to the Mets, this time 7-3. Hamels seemed out of sorts and was not helped by a floating strike zone and the confrontational antics of plate ump Mike Winters. (Just can't keep these umpires down.) The Mets extended their lead to 5-0 when Hamels surrendered a homer to Carlos Beltran to lead off the 5th. That was it for Hamels. The Phillies made it 5-3 in the bottom of the 5th on a three-run homer by Chase Utley, but it was the Mets who later tacked on more runs. The Phillies had their chances but the Mets played defense today. The Phillies and Mets split the season series 9-9.

Down in D.C., meanwhile, the Nats defeated the Braves 4-2, which means, don't ask me the details, that the Phillies are the fist NL team to clinch a play-off berth. The magic number for the division, however, is 1.

The Phillies finished the season with a 52-29 home record. The season attendance was a franchise 3,647,249. We want more.

chase utley is indeed the man

In the midst of all this whining by the Mets about Utley's take-out slide Friday night, it is simply amazing that it has taken that team this long to figure out that the Phillies play hard, aggressive baseball. Instead, the Mets keep whining about retaliation. I guess Mets' fans can be happy their team is showing some kind of spunk, even if it is misplaced and even if the message is being delivered in a soft mumble by David Wright.

When I realized last night that the Mets broadcast was also on TV, I clicked to see what the (usually arrogant) NY reaction was. Good timing: Wilson Valdez was just sliding hard into second to break up a double play. Clean, hard slide was the verdict from Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling. Just like Utley's the night before. They continued talking about how slides like that used to be the norm in baseball. Gary Cohen then queried if the Phillies always played like that or just against the Mets. The question boggled my mind but maybe baseball starts and stops with the Mets for Cohen. Ron Darling, however, immediately answered, Yes, they do, he said, I've seen lots of their games and that's how they play. He then added that, much as the Mets might not like to hear it, it would behoove the Mets to watch how the Phillies play and learn from it. After last night's game, however, many Mets players and NY media members were still whining.

Yesterday, Chase Utley had this to say to Todd Zolecki at zozone.mlblogs.com/: "I have never ever attempted to break up a double play with the intent to injure someone," he told MLB.com. "I understand what it's like to be taken out. I've been kicked, kneed, elbowed, spiked and even flipped upside down. And as much as I might not have liked it at the time, I understand that it's all part of being a Major League second baesman. Second basemen have had to deal with this for over 100 years. And with that said, we as a team play the game hard and play it to win. That is not going to change."

streak ends at 11

The "Music Phanatic" was created by Dan Tilghman.

Not much to sing about in tonight's game. Kyle Kendrick was good for six innings, then ran into trouble in the 7th when the score went from 2-0 in favor of the Phillies to 5-2 in favor of the Mets. And there it stayed in what felt like a desultory loss. The Phillies scored early on a two-run blast by Ryan Howard. Shane Victorino led off hacking against rookie Dillon Gee and promptly struck out on three pitches. That pretty much summed up the night.

With the loss, the Phillies' 11-game win streak comes to an end. They are now 19-4 in the month of September and 45-16 since July 22. The Braves won today, which means the magic number stays at 2.

joe's the guy

Detail from the old-school "Tribute" Phanatic by artist Tom McLaughlin. The statue is an homage to the Negro Baseball Leagues.

Joe Blanton went seven strong innings, giving up just a two-run homer to Angel Pagan and making a terrific belly-flopping defensive play, in a 3-2 win over the Mets. Batting from the right, Shane Victorino led off with a home run against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, then in the 3rd doubled in the second run of the game. Carlos Ruiz brought in the running win in the 4th. Blanton, Madson, and Lidge held the Mets to two despite some 9th-inning shenanigans which looked like an attempt at 'icing' Lidge. It did not work. The Mets meanwhile were steamed over an Utley take-out slide at 2nd. The slide, which looked perfectly fine, only underlined the difference between the two teams: One is playing to win, the other to empty out their lockers.

In Washington, meanwhile, the Nationals battered Tim Hudson and the Braves to the tune of 8-3. The magic number is now 2.

Two things of note: Great to have Joe Blanton back as his old reliable self and good to see Shane Victorino finally taking to the lead-off spot.

give ichiro some love

One of 20 statues from the Phanatic around Town project currently on display through September 30 at the ballpark. All were painted by local artists and placed around Philadelphia for much of the summer. This one, Key to Golden Love, is by Jacqueline Cornette.

Congratulations to Ichiro. He got his 200th hit of the season last night. That makes it 10 years in a row that he has reached 200 hits or more. And some still wonder if he will make it into the Hall of Fame. A cinch, I would say.

anything you can do...

I got off the bus from New York around 11 last night. Driving home, I heard that the Oswalt, Madson, and Lidge had combined on a one-hit shutout in a 1-0 Phillies win. Luckily, the game was being rebroadcast when I got home. I got to see it from the 5th inning on. Brave starter Tommy Hanson finally broke the streak. In the past seven games, no opposing pitcher had made it past the 5th inning against the Phillies.

Hanson, who looked superb, made it through six. But Oswalt was simply better in the seven innings of one-hit ball he threw. He said after the game that watching what Cole and Halladay had done the previous nights made him determined not to be outdone. Oswalt didn't get the win last night but he more than held his own. Consider: He has yet to lose a game in his career at Citizens Bank Park.

Raul Ibanez provided the only run of the game, with an RBI double in the 8th that just grazed the foul line. Jayson Werth, who had walked, came round to score. What a thriller! It was also the only game in which the Braves played decent ball. With the sweep, the magic number is now down to 4.

getting to know the braves' bullpen

Fans were taking advantage of the painted Phanatics, now on display at the third gate entrance. They are being auctioned off, with proceeds going to charity.

It was a busy pregame Tuesday night. A local high school band was performing in the outfield, hundreds of kids from the Phillies Baseball Academy were walking the warning track with their parents, and the grounds crew were doing what they always do to have the field ready for play.


Tuesday night's starter, Mike Minor, did not make it through the third inning. That's when Jayson Werth hit a deep, deep, deep three-run homer to give the Phillies a lead they would never relinquish. Once again it was a steady procession of Braves' relievers. Each one exited the game to a sardonic 'tomahawk chop' from the crowd. It was amusing. The Braves continued to flail with their defense and baserunning. Raul Ibanez (talk about hot) gave the Phillies a cushion in the6th with a two-RBI double, helping to secure the 5-3 win. Roy Halladay got his 20th win of the season--and should have secured himself the NL Cy Young award. It wasn't a pretty effort but as Charlie Manuel had said before the game, quoting Jim Thome and Paul Konerko on Halladay, "Even when he isn't good, he's good."

When Brad Lidge entered to the familiar beat of Drowning Pool's Soldiers, the joint was jumping.

lidge almost steals the show

Don't get me wrong. Cole Hamels was fantastic last night, allowing just one run on six hits in eight innings and working out of trouble with a little help from his friends, namely some spiffy double plays turned behind him. Defense played a big part in the game. For the Braves, another team curiously weak on fundamentals, it was a lack, as they bobbled and bumbled and handed the Phillies the runs they needed. Rookie Brandon Beachey did OK in his debut, especially given the frenzied atmosphere, but Hamels was what he has been for most of this season, an elite pitcher on top of his game. Then Lidge came in for the 9th and blew everyone away. It took him just 11 pitches to dispatch the Braves. He made them, starting with rookie phenom Jason Heyward, look sick. Phillies win 3-1. Now that it is a single digit, time for the magic number: 8.

cry, cry, cry

From Tracy Ringolsby of Fox Sports online: '"When they built that damn ballpark, we didn't have a prayer. They started printing money and hitting shorter home runs,’’ Atlanta president John Schuerholz on the emergence of the Phillies as an NL East power coinciding with the team’s move into Citizens Bank Park.'

Very funny that Ringolsby, who covers covers the Colorado Rockies, would cite ballpark as an advantage. Does it explain why the Phillies have a road winning average over .500 and the Braves do not? Or why Atlanta draws far fewer fans than Philadelphia? Or that last year the Phillies hit more homers on the road than at home? Or that this year they are hitting fewer home runs anywhere? Or that in recent years Citizens Bank Park has played as a neutral park, comparable to AT&T Park in San Francisco? Or that the Braves, whose former park was a homer haven, tailored their new park, built in the heyday of Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz, to pitching. Does it explain why the Phillies are top to bottom a better team than the other teams in the NL East? Not to mention that they have gone to the World Series twice in a row.

Cry, cry, cry over your tired stereotypes. Which is pretty much what Bobby Cox, too, does every time he comes to Philadelphia.

next up: atlanta

Exciting? Hmmph.

The Braves are in town for three. I'll be going to tomorrow night's game, my last--sigh--Phillies game. With six games left between the two teams (and the Phillies up three), I refuse to get caught up in the 'big series' hype. But I do hope to see Hamels, Halladay, and Oswalt do their thing.

If any more signs were needed that Jayson Werth will not be a Phillie next year, here's this. It was announced after yesterday's game that Werth has hired Scott Boras as his new agent.

phillies blow the nats away

The Nats series came down to Game 3 today. Joe Blanton was looking good until he ran into trouble via a three-run homer to Mike Morse to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead. The Nats took advantage. pushing their lead to 6-3, while the Phillies, who had plenty of chances, did nada. Then Polanco led off the 9th with single, Utley doubled him to third, Howard singled them in, and Jayson Werth capped off the rally with a two-run homer to the deepest part of the park. The Phillies won it in comeback fashion 7-6.

Jayson Werth, who homered in all three games of the series, continues to be terrible this year with runners in scoring position but not today. He must also have the most beautiful hair in baseball.

Shane Victorino was ejected after arguing a call on a check swing. Both starters and many batters had issues with the umpires, many of whom continue to be terrible.

The Phillies took Game 1 Friday night behind a brilliant effort from Roy Oswalt. The final score: 9-1. They took Saturday night's game too behind a surprising effort from Kyle Kendrick, who got himself into a mess in the first but got out of it allowing just one run. He then pitched five more innings, giving up just another run in the 5-2 victory. Lidge ended a 1-2-3 ninth with big smile. Ryan Howard hit his 30th homer of the year, making him the first Phillie to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 in five consecutive years.

Meanwhile, the Braves swept the Mets and gained no ground at all. As someone said, "It's a beautiful thing."

hey, what about those 'claws

Said one of the players of the dog pile at the end of the game, "I almost jumped out of my underwear."

Catcher Sebastian Valle heads to third on his way home after belting a three-run homer that put Lakewood up 4-2.

It was slugging first baseman Jonathan Singleton's 19th birthday. No homers but he did have two singles and scored a run.

Up in the air went the ball for the final out of the series. As players tracked it into the left fielder's mitt, their gloves went flying and they all piled onto the middle of the field.

blueclaws win sal championship

Jonathan Pettibone throws the first pitch of the game.
Josh Zeid faces the final batter of the game.

For the second year in a row, the Lakewood BlueClaws won the South Atlantic League Championship, taking game 4 yesterday from the Greenville Drive. The BlueClaws are also the fist team in SAL history to take first place in the division in both the first and second halves, then go on to win the championship. It is their third SAL title in their 10-year history.

And what a game it was, on a breezy overcast afternoon at First Energy Park in Lakewood. Starter Jonathan Pettibone gave up two runs on seven hits and was lifted in the 6th after allowing a single to the lead-off hitter. In came Josh Zeid, who held the Drive scoreless in the last four innings to preserve the 4-2 lead.

The Drive strung some singles together in the 3rd to score two and take the early lead. Center fielder Jiwan James made a spiffy catch to end the 4th and a potential Drive threat. The 'Claws then got going in the 5th. A lead-off walk to Brian Gump was the downfall of Drive starter Drake Britton. Gump was eventually singled home, but birthday boy Jonathan Singleton then singled, putting two men on. Sebastian Valle brought them home with a three-run shot to deep left field.

Valle's homer brought the crowd to its feet, but Zeid's performance was just as electrifying. At one point, he struck out five in a row, including striking out the side in the 8th. When he led off the 9th with another strike-out, the crowd went nuts. Zeid averaged 95 on the radar gun but in the 9th was hitting 97. He got the last two batters on a ground-out to short, then a high pop-up to left field.

Congratulations to the BlueClaws on a thrilling end to an outstanding season. As a woman behind me said at one point during the game, "They've been too good all year to lose this."

If these Lakewood arms stay healthy and progress, the Phillies should be in solid shape in coming years.

just a taste

First off, the BlueClaws took game 3 of the finals last night when, on a two-out 0-2 pitch in the bottom of the 9th, Jeremy Barnes hit a single and scored Jiwan James from second. Typical BlueClaws drama. The Drive took a 1-0 lead in the 4th, but the 'Claws came back immediately to tie it. They went on to win 2-1. Games 4 and 5 (f necessary) are today.

Carlos Carrasco got his first big-league win last night as the Indians beat the Royals 10-4.

Roy Oswalt says he is feeling like a rookie again.

When the Phillies were playing the Mets last week, one of the Met radio announcers said the following of Oswalt: He may be from a small town in Mississippi but he is 1. very clear-headed, 2. very articulate, and 3. an intense competitor. It could have been Wayne Hagen (sic?), who speaks in interminable sentences but the sentiment sounds more like that of New Yorker (and big-time Met homer) Howie Rose. Anyway, it cracked me up---clear-headed and articulate being, I guess, qualities the broadcaster did not expect from small-town Mississippi. Wonder what he thinks of Charlie Manuel.

rained out

The rain finally stopped around 8:30 but by then the outfield was a sodden mess. Each time someone took a step on it, there were big splashes of water. Lakewood and Greenville will play Game 3 tonight instead.

The Phillies, meanwhile, welcome the Nationals for a series at home. From one dysfunctional team to another.

Foggy Classic

Played in thick fog this game between the Giants and Dodgers has a dreamy quality. This time around the teams seem better matched. After Uribe's error allowed a Dodger to score, Sanchez has zoned in and has mown them down. Ted Lilly is holding his own for his team. Good Lord how old is he? He wasn't young when he pitched for the A's eons ago.

That was the first inning. He aged considerably after giving up a boatload of HRs and runs. Troncoso, Weaver and Dotel gave 'em up one after the other, turning this warm evening into a Nightmare on Elm Street for the Dodgers.

Taiwanese player Chin-lun Hu then came to bat for the Dodgers and got his first hit. There he was at first base, reminding us of the famous who's on first base joke.

A laugher, but the electric mood of the Giants fans cut through the murky, warm evening.

h2joe lead phillies to sweep in miami

The Phillies swept the Marlins in the final series between the two teams and took the season series as well. Monday night was pretty much the 'turn and burn' game, with lots of offense powered by home runs by Werth, Utley, Ruiz, and Dobbs. Ryan Howard, who did not homer, reached RBI 100 on the season, for his fifth consecutive year of 100 or more RBI.

Starter Joe Blanton, who very quietly continues to look like his sturdy old self, went six innings, giving up just one run and striking out nine. He was matched against lefty Andrew Miller, who started out sharp but crumbled after the first homer of the game, by Jayson Werth. Miller, by the bye, had shaved off his ridiculous mustache and was looking dishy. Great haircut, but he still took the 11-4 loss.

Game 2 was all Cole Hamels, who was again brilliant. Hamels went 6.2 innings, striking out 13, which matched his career high. The offense provided just enough in the 2-1 win.

Roy Halladay was again not at his sharpest but got lots of back-up in a game that seemed to go on forever. The Phillies were up 6-0 in the third, 8-1 in the fourth, and 9-1 in the fifth. And the game dragged on to a 10-5 conclusion. Halladay went six innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits and striking out nine. He now has 210 K's for the season and also leads the NL with 19 wins. Why Madson and Lidge were in the game late is beyond me. I did not get what Charlie Manuel, Rch Dubee, and company were thinking.

Pulling off a sweep in Florida is not easy and to be sure the Phillies were helped by the Marlins' pitching staff, which this week is decimated by injuries and suspensions. Maybe the biggest challenge the Phillies faced this series was the dismal attendance, supposedly around 19,000 for each game but in truth nowhere near that for the series.

The Marlins are a relentless offensive team with some good young pitching. They seem to be working the same model that the Phillies had when they were building a new stadium. Build the team so that it is ready for the new park. You still have to wonder, though, if Florida will ever really support major league baseball.

sparks fly as 'claws even it up

Pitching again was the story. Don't let the 6-1 final score fool you. Starter Julio Rodriguez had given up one run on three hits through five and struck out seven, when he was ejected with three others in a bench-clearing brawl. It started when the Drive's Derrek Gibson ran into catcher Sebastian Valle. At that point the 'Claws led 2-1. The bullpen made the lead stand up. With two out in the 9th, the 'Claws added four more to put the game away. Is the stage set for more drama when the series resumes in Lakewood on Thursday?

blueclaws fall to drive in opener

I got a chirpy phone call yesterday afternoon from someone named Danielle, working for the Lakewood BlueClaws. She wanted to know if I were thinking of attending Thursday night's playoff game. I've just bought tickets, I told her. She sounded thrilled to hear that, adding that it was Thirsty Thursday and beers would be one dollar. If I took full advantage of that, I'd need a ride home. No problem, said Danielle. We have designated drivers. Even to Pennsylvania? Absolutely not a problem, she assured me.

I was impressed. In truth, more than one beer at a ballgame would put me to sleep, and I was not anticipating needing a driver. But this is the kind of thing the BlueClaws do. I go to maybe two or three games a year, but each season get at least that many phone calls about upcoming games. Such attention to detail is, no doubt, part of the reason the BlueClaws have led the South Atlantic League in attendance for the past ten years of their existence.

In Greenville last night, the BlueClaws fell to the Drive 3-1. Reynaldo Rodriguez did much of the offensive damage, driving in two, including a 9th-inning solo shot. Leandro Castro broke up the shutout in the 7th-inning with a solo homer. Trevor May surrendered one run in five innings. For the first time in their playoff history, the BlueClaws have lost the opening game of a series. Game 2 is tonight, again in Greenville.

gone but not forgotten

I have to laugh when people whine about the Phillies' high payroll, which in itself is such a recent phenomenon as to seem like an illusion to many Philadelphia fans. They bought their team, the complainers whine, which is of course patently false.

Except for the usual bullpen and bench free agents found throughout baseball, most of the regulars are homegrown (Rollins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, Ruiz, etc.), castoffs (Victorino, Werth, Romero, etc.) or acquired through trade (Lidge, Halladay, Oswalt, and Blanton come to immediate mind). They may now all be high-paid but they were not bought. As for free-agent starters, Raul Ibanez and Placido Polanco did not break the bank.

The call-up this week of Kyle Drabek, traded for Roy Halladay, reminds me to check in again with how some of those traded away are doing. Drabek debuts on Wednesday with the Blue Jays, which is pretty exciting.

Carlos Carrasco, recently recalled from Triple-A by the Indians, is this time holding his own. He doesn't have the wins but his ERA is under 3.00. Many fans considered Carrasco a throw-in in the Cliff Lee deal probably because they got some silly Internet notion that Carrasco was soft or a head case. Actually, he was just young. Young hurler Jason Knapp may have been the key to the Lee trade but Carrasco, not Donald or Marson, was the centerpiece.

Gio Gonzalez, another baby when in the farm system, is finally growing up and pitching well for the A's. I hope that Michael Taylor and Adrian Cardenas will soon be making their mark with the A's as well.

And we will never forget J.A. Happ, who is doing just fine, thank you, with the Astros.

phillies take two of three from mets

If the Phillies win their remaining series, they should make the play-offs. That's why I decided last Friday to take it series by series the rest of the way, starting with this weekend in New York.

Friday it was Roy Halladay v. rookie Jenrry Mejia and it wasn't much of a fight. Backed by eight runs, including two he knocked in himself, Halladay was in control. The Phillies won 8-4 and Halladay got his 18th win of the season. He is the first Phillie pitcher to win 18 games since 1983, a somewhat bizarre stat. He is now 4-0 against the Mets and 11-1 against the NL East. He extended his road streak of six or more innings to 53 games, the longest such streak since Walter Johnson did it in 82 consecutive games from 1911 to 1915.

Saturday the up-and-down Mike Pelfrey took over on his turf. Kyle Kendrick started for the Phillies but was again frustratingly inconsistent. The Phillies threatened late but fell 4-3.

Sunday it was all Roy Oswalt, who was dazzling, throwing a complete game shutout and allowing just four hits. He struck out six and walked one. He did not allow a runner past first base. It was his first complete game shutout as a Phillie. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both had RBI and Raul Ibanez hit a monster home run to deep left center, all against lefty starter Jonathan Niese, who took the 3-0 loss. For his career, Oswalt is now a staggering 62-16 in the months of August, September, and October.

The bad news: Jimmy Rollins is scheduled to have an MRI in Philadelphia.

brian bocock to philadelphia

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies have called up shortstop Brian Bocock. Good for Bocock, but does the move indicate more concern about Jimmy Rollins' injury? Or is merely recognition of a need for an additional middle infielder?

lakewood advances to sal final round

Congratulations to the Lakewood BlueClaws! They shrugged off Friday night's tight loss and came back to shut out the Crawdads and win the South Atlantic League's northern division. They will face Greenville in the best-of-five championship round, which starts on Monday in Greenville.

Lakewood asserted itself immediately last night, taking a 3-0 lead in the 1st, which featured a two-run homer by catcher Sebastian Valle. They added one more in the 4th and another two in the 7th in the 6-0 shutout. Five errors did not help the Crawdads' cause.

Pitching, however, was the story of the series and BlueClaw starter Jonathan Pettibone, who had a no-hitter going into the 6th, was sterling. Pettibone went seven innings, struck out nine and walked one, and allowed no runs on just one hit. He also hit two batters. The Crawdads mustered just one other hit in the game.

crawdads beat blueclaws

A crowd of more than 7300 turned out for the first postseason home game in Lakewood last night, between the BlueClaws and the Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers).

Brody Colvin was on the mound for the 'Claws.

Both Colvin and Crawdad starter Erlin went five innings. Each gave up a run in the first and that was it. Erlin struck out the last five batters he faced. At one point, eight 'Claws whiffed in a row. In all 18 struck out. I guess it was payback for game 1, when starter Trevor May struck out 13 Crawdads and the bullpen K'd another three. Last night, too, the 'Dads were coming up empty, to the tune of 12 strikeouts. The BlueClaws threatened in the 7th, when they got their first two men on, but the next three--hey, what do you know--struck out. At this point, one of the kids behind me was whining, "Can't anyone play baseball?" In the 10th, the Crawdads pushed a run across and made it stand up in the 2-1 victory. The rubber game in the best-of-three series is tonight. Go, 'Claws!

Before the game, Geoff Brown, general manager at Lakewood, and Steve Novaryta, of the Phillies, signed an extension that will keep the Phillies in Lakewood at least through 2012. Like so many of the minor league affiliates in the Phillies system, Lakewood is a model franchise. And the park is sweet.

The two-hour drive home was an adventure, with traffic streaming non-stop on 195, then animals everywhere on 29 onward. Deer were posed by the side of the road, a skunk ran onto the road and sprayed, two raccoons loitering on the shoulder suddenly veered into my lane and started running ahead of me, and an opossum froze just feet in front of the car. Give it to the raccoons. They woke me up.

polanco's broken elbow is not

Placido Polanco brushed aside reports of a broken elbow as ridiculous. "I couldn't play baseball with a broken elbow." It's bone spurs, he says, which will require off-season surgery. The tendinitis they have caused, he adds, is getting better. Still, arnica would not hurt.

so long, ironpigs

No doubt about it: Andy Tracy has been the face of the IronPigs in the first three years of the franchise's existence. The genial slugging first baseman is popular for his work on the field and in the community. Tracy, however, turns 37 in December and his return to the 'Pigs is uncertain. In 425 AB’s this year, Tracy hit .275/.373/.492 with 21 HR and 80 RBI. Does he want to continue playing? If so, with the IronPigs? Do the Phillies want him back? Does he want to try managing? Lots of questions abound about Tracy and other IronPigs.

This year was another disappointment for the Lehigh Valley franchise, which finished 58-86. I listened to the final game of the season as I drove to Philadelphia on Monday. Down 3-2, the 'Pigs tied it in the 9th on a Neil Sellers home run but were unable to do anything else. Radio reception faded in the 11th with the score still tied. In the 12th, the Yanks won it 4-3. That was the story of the 'Pigs this year, an absolutely dismal record in one-run games and an inability to overcome deficits, both no doubt contributed to manager Dave Huppert losing his job. To the media, Huppert was laidback and congenila; many fans, however, found him phlegmatic.

In the end most managers are only as good as their players. Given the Phillies' recent record of aggressive trades, few prospects have reached Lehigh Valley. The foursome of Carrasco, Taylor, Donald, and Marson, who highlighted the 2009 season were all gone by the July 31 trade deadline. Domonic Brown's July debut in Triple-A caused a frisson but by mid-August he was called up to Philadelphia. That left an assortment of up-and-coming bullpen pitchers, including Scott Mathieson, something of a miracle man, and the promising Michael Schwimer, Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo.

Mention should be made, though, of minor league stalwarts Rich Thompson, a speed demon who plays the game right, and Melvin Dorta, who came out of limbo in Reading and just hit everyday while playing whatever position he was asked to play. If the two are not back with the 'Pigs, they are sure to find good gigs elsewhere. Special mention goes to Brian Bocock, a former Giant draft pick with a reputation for slick defense and anemic offense. Somehow mid-season, Bocock started hitting, getting his .167 average up to almost .230 Modest results perhaps but the transformation was astounding to watch.

Starter Vance Worley debuted late in the season, appearing in eight games. I've been tracking Worley since last year at Reading but doubt that he made much of an impression on most 'Pigs' fans. That of course changes now that he is with the big team. Otherwise, Brandon Duckworth and Nate Bump, former major leaguers holding on for another shot, were fun to watch. Brian Mazzone and Andrew Carpenter maybe not so much. Mazzone works too slowly for me, while Carpenter is both slow and plodding. Too often I found myself bailing out of games the two were to start.

In their first three years of existence, the IronPigs have drawn over 1.8 million fans but they have yet even to reach .500 as a team. Next year is sure to bring lots of changes to the IronPig roster and staff but fans are sure to greet the 2011 season with lots of laughs, cheers, and oinks.

One last thing: the radio tandem of Matt Provence and Jon Schaeffer do a very good job, not easy to do when the team keeps losing. Their ever-changing supporting cast, however, has been forgettable.

polanco's broken elbow

Placido Polanco has been on and off the DL a couple of times since being hit on the elbow this April by Tim Hudson. The injury led to tendinitis and a loss of power. Each time the third baseman dives to the ground on that elbow, we wince. It now turns out that Polanco has a small break in his elbow. He is waiting till the end of the season for the needed surgery. If he had it now, he would miss September and October baseball. Send the man some arnica, please, with lots of love and kisses!

ryan howard and others

Ryan Howard's home run last night was his 4th in the month of September, his 28th of the season, and the 250th of his career. It took Howard 855 games to hit 250, the fastest ever in baseball history. The next closest is Ralph Kiner (871 games). Kudos to Mr. Howard. It's his time to shine.

Cole Hamels has a 1.83 ERA in his last 12 starts. Would that he had had some run support in those games! His season ERA is 3.09.

Nate Robertson, who blew up last night's shut-out, was DFA'd today. Scott Mathieson, meanwhile, was put on the 15-day DL with a sore back muscle. Jimmy Rollins remains day-to-day and Brad Lidge says he will be ready to go tomorrow.

I have just seen the last two innings of the Reds at Rockies. First, there was Aroldis Chapman blowing gas past Cargo and other Rox, but that still did not keep them from wiping out a 5-0 deficit. They tied it in the 8th on a Tulowitzki solo homer that looked like a pop fly, then went ahead on a heady steal of home by rookie Chris Nelson. It was the first steal of his major league career. Digging September baseball for sure.

hamels and offense outstanding

Between innings Monday night these guys flocked to the rail in hopes of getting a ball from Domonic Brown. When Brown finally tossed one that landed a couple of rows in front of me there was a terrific scrum. The two buddies seated just in front of me lost out to the dude in front of them. One of the two turned and high-fived me, saying, "We touched it! We touched it!" I almost fell out of my seat laughing.

Last night's game too had laugher written all over it. On a night of relentless wind, Cole Hamels obviously did not have his best stuff but still shut the Marlins out for seven innings. Only once did the lead-off batter reach base and that was in the 7th, but Hamels coolly got the next three guys, striking out the last two. He also ran his scoreless streak to 25 innings, a personal high for him.

The Phillies started hitting Fish starter Andrew Miller early and often. (The mustache the kid is now sporting has not helped.) Ryan Howard had a three-run homer and ended the night with six RBI. But it was equal-opportunity hitting, to the tune of 18 in all. When Hamels left the game, the score was 10-0.

Tears were streaming from my eyes because of the wind. But it was a laugher, right? Then ex-Marlin Nate Robertson came in for the 8th and with this and that the score was suddenly 10-6. Ryan Madson had to put it all away.

Except for the wind, it was a great night at the ballpark till the crowd got too exercised over Robertson's performance. It wasn't exactly as if the game were on the line, folks. Geez, you'd think some people were just waiting for a chance to boo. Or else they had wandered in hoping for a football game.

These two negatives: Ryan Madson, used too much recently, had to be used again last night. And Jimmy Rollins was lifted after scoring in the third inning, with what has been termed a mild hamstring strain. When Wilson Valdez was announced as Rollins' replacement, I said, "Uh-oh." The man next to me said, "Uh-oh, indeed."

sweet dreams, reading

Reading ended its year on Monday, with a 69-72 season. The R-Phils got off to a poor start, then picked up some steam but not enough. In recent years, Reading always seems to be playing from behind. After June 10, they were 45-38 but it was too late.

In fairness, it was a changing cast of characters this year in Reading. There never seemed to be an outfield and pitching was often on the fly. Domonic Brown, Vance Worley, Michael Schwimer, and Michael Stutes were among those promoted to Triple-A. Matt Rizzotti, a curious case, suddenly blazed his way to Double-A, kept hitting, and was sent to Lehigh Valley. Of the three prospects in the Cliff Lee trade, Philippe Aumont was sent down to Single-A; Tyson Gillies was mostly injured, then ended up busted; J.C. Ramirez was up and down. Call-up Justin De Fratus, now tabbed for the bullpen, made a late splash in the season. Freddy Galvis dazzled on defense but fizzled at the plate. If only this kid could hit.

All in all, it was a season of fits and starts in Reading, still one of the best ballparks around. I wonder how the mega-renovation scheduled for the off-season will go. And will Reading ever be able to top its best promotion ever--the Ryan Howard Garden Gnome?

i don't care if i ever get back

This little girl appeared with her grandfather (yes?) midway through Sunday's game IronPigs game. She was too cute, rocking her glove and batting helmet. I liked the denim jacket, too. Given where her seat was, the helmet was a good idea and I wonder that more kids do not wear them. She and granddad were totally into the game. Eventually one of the staff members gave her one of the T-shirts that are shot into the crowd and another gave her a foul ball. One happy kid!

phils take first in a wacko win

A statue from the All-Star game in Anaheim greets shoppers at the Majestic Clubhouse shop at Citizens Bank Park.

It was an ugly game to listen to, with sketchy pitching and worse defense but in the end the Phillies prevailed in a crazy back-and-forth affair with the Marlins to win 8-7. With the win and the Braves' loss in Pittsburgh, they also took first place in the NL East for the first time in 100 days. That's first by half a game but it is still first. At 80-60, they suddenly have the best record in the National League. My, how things change.

Joe Blanton gave up four runs but only two were earned. The Fish had seven runs, three of them unearned. The Fish tied the game in the eighth on a wild pitch by Ryan Madson but the Phillies then went ahead on an RBI single by Placido Polanco after Shane Victorino ,with two out, reached base on a bloop. Victorino then stole second, for his 30th steal of the year.

Victorino also homered in the game, as did Ibanez and Howard, all solo shots. But the Phillies played the Fish brand of sloppy ball last night, perhaps understandable for a team that today will play its 24th game in 23 days. In the end, Ryan Madson blew the save in the eighth and got the win in the ninth.

Brad Lidge was unavailable because of a tender elbow. Uh-oh. Domonic Brown was a scratch just before game time with a quad problem, something he had in the Futures Game as well. Brown and Scott Mathieson were announced as this year's Paul Owens award recipients for, respectively, postiion player and pitcher. Shane Victorino was picked to be the Phillies' candidate for this year's Roberto Clemente award.

roy-o is very good

Roy Oswalt sports the sexy, old-time look as he tosses in the outfield before last night's game.

With last night's win, Roy Oswalt is now an improbable 11-13 on the year. When he came over from the Astros, he was 6-12. Since coming to the Phillies, he is 5-1. In games he has started, the team is 7-1. Before last night, he had never won a game in which he had given up three home runs. In his career with the Astros and the Phillies, he is 8-0 at Citizens Bank Park. I, of course, fell in love with him when he said at his presser on being traded that he had come to Philadelphia for a chance to play post-season ball. That, he said, is "the true baseball." I shall never forget "the true baseball". A new god walks among us.

williamsport, we hardly knew you

Best buddies?

With the minor league baseball season coming to an end, it's time to say so long to some of the 'local' teams. First to go was Williamsport, since 2007 the short-season New York-Penn League affiliate of the Phillies. On Sunday, the final day of the season, the Williamsport Crosscutters were eliminated from the Wild Card. They finished the season in third in the Pinckney Division, with a record of 43-33, just behind the Wild Card-winning Jamestown team, which finished 43-32. The purpose of the minors is development not titles but it's always fun for fans when the team wins.

I made it to Williamsport only once this year, for Opening Day. It was a fun day and the team looked surprisingly good for just coming together. Development and flux are the name of the game in the minors and the Crosscutters had their share of them.

I would have loved to go to a couple more games up there but Williamsport is over two hours away and endless roadwork along the way put me off. Two-hour delays are two hours too much. Historic Bowman Field is, however, a wonderful place to visit.

day and night

Fans jam the left field gate before last night's game, the second part of a day/night doubleheader. I thought the Phillies might lose their consecutive sell-out streak this holiday weekend but in fact they drew more than 90,000 for the two games. Game 1 was the fourth-largest crowd ever in the history of the park.

My seat was in right field and the fans there were cool. They always are out in right field.

The first game of the doubleheader literally put me to sleep. In his starter's debut, Vance Worley gave up two runs in the first two innings, then did quite OK for another three. He was lifted in the fifth for a pinch-hitter. By then I was napping, to wake only after the bullpen allowed more runs to score. It didn't really matter as the Phillies mustered just one hit (again!) against the Fish rookie starter, 28-year-old Adalberto Mendez. They scored late in the 7-1 loss.

Game 2, against the talented Anibal Sanchez, was a different story. The Marlins scored first, on a solo homer, and the Phillies answered with five, mainly generated by walks and singles. The Fish again homered two more times to make it 5-4 but the Phillies again answered with more hits and runs for a 7-4 lead. Roy Oswalt was again a bulldog, despite giving up three home runs. If you're counting, that makes three bulldogs at the top of the rotation. (We'll take it.) The bullpen made it hold up. Ryan Madson is looking fab these day. When Brad Lidge came in for the save, the feeling was electric. After two outs, we were all standing.

double dip: worley, then oswalt

After yesterday's lumpy start by Kyle Kendrick, who has been of late more bad than not, and another chance lost to catch the Braves, we turn to today's day-night doubleheader with the Florida Marlins. Vance Worley gets his first major league start in game one this afternoon. Roy Oswalt starts game two this evening. I've got tix for tonight and look forward to seeing Oswalt in person in a Phillie uni, no matter where I am sitting. But I would have been thrilled to see Worley's debut as well.

let's play forever

When yesterday's IronPigs game went into extra innings, my only thought was, let the game go on forever. But Cody Ransom led off the bottom of the 10th with a majestic, high, arcing home run to deep right, breaking the 1-1 tie and giving the 'Pigs the 2-1 victory. Ransom's mates streamed out of the dugout to greet him at home plate. The crowd went wild and pigs were flying everywhere.

It was the last IronPigs game for me and it was a memorable one. Old favorite Brandon Duckworth made a spot start, his first start in a month, and allowed just one run through seven. Some new guy named Loop took over and threw three innings of one-hit ball. I have no idea where Loop came from but he was impressive. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees went toe-to-toe, allowing just two runs, both homers. The game started at 5:35 and ended in darkness. The place was packed; official attendance: a sell-out 10,000. How lucky we are to have this ballpark here in the Lehigh Valley.

Late Sunday night the Phillies announced that the contract of IronPigs' manager Dave Huppert will not be renewed. Huppert, with the third-most wins among active minor league managers, has not fared well in his three years with Lehigh Valley.

Reliever Mike Zagurski was called up to the Phillies after last night's game.

mathieson, worley, and robertson

Reliever Scott Mathieson, RHP Vance Worley, and LHP Nate Roberson have been called up to Philadelphia. Mathieson joins the club today; Worley and Roberston will be activated tomorrow. One of the latter two--the rookie Worley or the veteran Robertson--is likely to start in tomorrow's doubleheader.

phils bail out halladay, win another

When Zach Braddock was announced as the Brewers' reliever in the 7th, these people popped out of their seats and started screaming. Their shirt fronts read: Phillies' fan by choice, Brewers' fan by blood. Braddock turned out to be a local (New Jersey) kid, who was no doubt amped for his debut at CBP.

There was no doubt either about the wind last night. It was blowing out. Fielder and Escobar hit solo homers for the Brewers in the top of the 2nd. Howard and Werth followed with back-to-back shots in the bottom. Corey Hart added a solo home run in the top of the 3rd. (Did I mention that Roy Halladay was facing Dave Bush, who last spring took a no-no into the 8th at CBP?) The Phillies cobbled some hits together in the bottom to even the score at 3-3. The game then quieted down and defense took over. Ibanez made a great catch at the wall and shortstops Escobar and Rollins flashed serious leather.

In the 7th, Halladay allowed another solo home run to Corey Hart, the first time Halladay has allowed more than three home runs in a game. In the bottom of the inning, though, the Phillies loaded the bases. Carlos Ruiz scored on a shallow fly ball by Placido Polanco. When Ryan Braun's throw sailed by Brewer catcher Jonathan Lucroy, pinch-hitter Wilson Valdez blazed his way from third, just eluding Lecroy's tag to put the Phillies up 5-4.

It was then up to the bullpen. Romero, Madson, and Lidge handled things quite nicely. Shane Victorino took care of the final out with a super running catch at the wall in deep left center. Halladay got the win and everyone sang "High Hopes" as they headed for the exits.

Most of the sell-out crowd was there right to the end. It was cool enough to make one think of October. The magic was definitely in the air.

will it be worley?

The fans still turn out for the IronPigs. Some may have come for the postgame fireworks but lots no doubt were quite aware that there are now only two games left in the season.

In the end, the most exciting thing about last night's IronPigs game was that starter Vance Worley was lifted after pitching a scoreless first. Does that mean that he will be starting one of the doubleheader games Monday in Philadelphia?

Actually, there was a lot going on early in last night's game. The 'Pigs had a three-run homer called back in the 1st, much to the discontent of the crowd. But they immediately came back with an RBI, then a two-run homer. Joe Savery took over for Worley and was very good---until a fatally sloppy 6th, which started with an error by the second baseman Ozzie Chavez, who many Bison batters later had another error. It was not pretty. Worst were the walks handed out by Savery that inning. He walked in two, then his replacement Villareal walked in another to make it 4-3. By the time the sloppy inning was over, the Bison were leading 5-4.

I watched the 'Pigs do nothing in the bottom of the inning, then split to catch the end of the Phillies game. It was the 9th, with one out and Madson facing the heart of the Brewer lineup. I reached the car in time for the postgame show. Excellent game! Hamels pitched seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball, striking out seven. Contreras and Madson combined to preserve the shutout. The Phillies are now 17-11 in shutouts this year. Shane Victorino scored the only run, doubling on a ball that dropped between the left and center fielders.

Not the Same

Not the same Angels as before. No pitching, no slugging, poor fielding. A's taking full advantage.

dobbs recalled, gload off dl

Expanded rosters means no maneuvering is needed to liberate Ross Gload from the DL or to recall Gregg Dobbs from Lehigh Valley. Both are now done. Still no word, however, on who pitches the extra game on Monday. I'm off to see Vance Worley tonight. If indeed he pitches, he will not be the one, though a start for the kid would be sweet.

Despite the wacko numbers in yesterday's game, the bullpen was pretty good. Antonio Bastardo looked ready, but was done in by weird plays, a botched call, and some bad luck. The usually-consistent Chad Durbin, too, suffered Coors Field vapors. Had the 9th not started with an error, Lidge very well might have had a 1-2-3.

phillies win a vintage coors field slugfest

Another ticket that went by the wayside. A horrific accident closed I-78 all day and totally snarled local traffic. The day's brutal heat and humidity were just more reasons to pass up a two-hour drive to New Jersey.

Last night's make-up game with the Rockies was classic Coors Field: 23 total runs, 35 hits, and 14 pitchers used. It went almost four hours, which probably did not thrill either team. The Phillies were stopping over in Denver on their way home from the West Coast; the Rockies were flying in from San Francisco, then heading immediately for San Diego. The Rox led 4-0 early, then 6-3 in the 5th, tacking on another run in a 6th inning marked by miscues and a missed call at first. At 7-3, it was feeling sort of futile. Then came the surprise 7th, when the Phillies sent 12 men to the plate and scored nine runs on nine hits. Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer and Jayson Werth followed him with a solo shot. Chase Utley started the scoring that inning with an RBI single and ended it with a grand slam to put the Phillies up 12-7.

But it was still Coors Field. In the 8th, the Rockies got three off of reliever Chad Durbin. Brad Lidge yielded another run in the 9th, which started with a Howard error and devolved from there. In the end, a ground-out to Polanco ended the game at 12-11. Whew!

I never had any doubt that Lidge would get the save. Is it time to start feeling the magic?

Congratulations to the GCL Phillies, who yesterday beat the GCL Rays to win the Gulf Coast League title in a best-of-three series.

oswalt hangs in, phillies take the series

My farewell game at the Reading Phillies was scuttled by 95F temperatures and this awful cold.

It was an odd game in Los Angeles this afternoon. Clayton Kershaw had 12 strikeouts and gave up two walks, five hits and two runs. He left after six innings trailing 2-0. Roy Oswalt had six strikeouts, walked an astonishing six, and gave up his first, and only, hit in the sixth inning. He left after 6.1 innings, leading 2-0. The Phillies tacked on a run in each of the final three frames; the Dodgers got their only run in the eighth, helped along by an error.

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a solo home run; Shane Victorino added another in second. Chase Utley had three doubles, a treat to see; two went for RBI. Polanco looks as if he may be coming around. That eighth-inning run notwithstanding, the bullpen was again really good. The Phillies won 5-1 and are now 5-1 on the road trip. Last stop is in Denver tomorrow for a make-up game with the Rockies, which starts at 7:10 ET. After tomorrow all remaining games will be in the home time zone. Hallelujah!

Back-up catcher Paul Hoover was called up from Lehigh Valley yesterday. More call-ups should follow this weekend in Philadelphia.

catchers come to play in 8-4 win

I drifted off into a feverish sleep before last night's game ended but the Phillies had just gone up 8-4 on a two-run single by pinch-hitter Carlos Ruiz. Brian Schneider, who started at catcher, had given the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the second with a three-run homer. Ryan Howard added another three-run homer in the third. Kyle Kendrick was OK but let things slide in the 6th, when he was lifted. Consistency, thy name is not Kendrick. Howard's homer was his first (and only) in the month of August. The bullpen was again outstanding in relief. My last memory of the game was J.C. Romero finishing off the eighth.

This afternoon it's Roy Oswalt v. Clayton Kershaw.