It was a scorcher last night as Jamie Moyer got out his bug zapper and whacked the Nats, sending them to bug heaven by a score of 8-5 and putting the Phillies back in first place in the NL East.  The rest of us in the stands whacked the actual gnats buzzing about our faces in the 90 degree humid temperatures so we could see the game through the haze of sweat, thick, hot air and nasty little creatures.  How a 45 year old man can pitch in those conditions is beyond me.  I could barely sit through it.  And yet, Moyer managed to go 6 innings with only 3 earned runs, all in the first inning, on 6 hits and 3 walks.  He made a few adjustments after the rough 1st inning...perhaps a different brand of bug spray? ...and then went on to pitch 5 scoreless innings.

The Phillies offense was steaming hot as well!  Chase Utley hit home run #27 last night, going 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and looked great in the field as well.  Here is a nice shot of him and Jimmy Rollins turning a double play last night.  Shane Victorino, obviously pumped up over all the buzz about trade rumors, went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and a solo homer.  Even Carlos Ruiz and Geoff Jenkins, who have been struggling lately, both had 2 hit nights.  But what was really most encouraging was not only to see the Phillies jump on a pitcher in the very first inning and score 2 runs, but that pitcher was Tim Redding whom they had not scored on AT ALL in their last two games against him.  This is a great sign that the offensive funk may be well behind us...

And how about Pat Burrell with his league leading 11th outfield assist, throwing out catcher Jesus Flores at 2nd base trying for a double?  And what happens later in the game?  Charlie Manuel takes him out, yet again, and puts in a "defensive" replacement as part of a double switch, which, yet AGAIN, backfires on him.  Now, I understand the double switch and moving the pitchers spot in the line-up, yadda, yadaa...  And I still LOVE Jayson Werth and feel very bad for the guy, because really, it is like a jinx at this point.  Whoever gets put in for Pat is just going to suck.  Period.  The first big play Jayson gets to make, a long fly ball, and instead of catching it, he slips and falls right on his rear!  Poor thing.  But, just one more reason for Pat (and me) to yell...quit taking him out!  And that is all I will say about that, AGAIN, for today J

And a few quick notes about the new Washington Nationals stadium for anyone who has not been or is thinking of going...  First, the scoreboard:   WOW!  It is by far, the most impressive, clearest, biggest and most amazing one I have EVER seen!  Here is a shot of it for you.  Next, ticket prices:  outrageous!  In fact, I compared them to Philly and they are, on average, 50% more than the price for the regular seating areas; the Diamond Club seats are more than double the price, and are further back from home plate.  Actually, where I usually sit in Philly, if I sat in the same seat in DC (considered the "Presidents" area), I would have to pay $250.00 MORE for one seat to one game (I am usually in row 14 in the DC section).  Can you say hell no?  Are they nuts?  Ok, and then there is the parking...$40, pre-paid only.  Or, you can walk like 10 blocks through some really not nice areas and pay $20.  Or, you can leave your car at the old RFK Stadium for free and be at the mercy of their bus transportation.  Scoreboard envy aside, all this makes me SO happy to be a Phillies fan!

Here are a few more fun photos for you:   This one of the number 10 is in Centerfield near the scoreboard.  Are they trying to count the number of actual Nationals fans in attendance?  Hee!  And then here is a ball I snagged during BP.  They are specially marked for the inaugural season of the ballpark.  Guess that makes up for the $40 I blew on parking... J  Oh, and I caught a tee-shirt tossed out by President Lincoln (the racing mascot).  Also got an autograph from Chris Coste before the game.  I never get this lucky in Philly.  Go figure.

A bit off topic here, there was a woman last night a row behind me who got hit right on the top of the head in the 7th inning with a foul ball while standing in the aisle.  She hit the ground like a ton of bricks and without giving the gory details, I can tell you, it did not look good.  I am just wondering if anyone reading this knows how she is doing, I would like to know if she is ok (sec. 113/114).  Please e-mail me; I'd appreciate it.  I looked all over the internet and could not find anything about it.  I just felt very bad for her and wanted to make sure she was ok.  The paramedics did a great job getting to her quickly but you just hate to see those things happen.  Sorry for the bummer, but just wanted to see if anyone knew anything...thanks! 

Brett Myers had a very solid outing tonight in the 2-1 win over the Nats, going 7 full innings without giving up an earned run.  He walked only one batter, struck out 2 and surrendered 4 hits.  The one run that scored was unearned due to a rare Chase Utley error on what should have been a double play ball in the 8th inning, but Utley dropped the ball and was unable to record an out.  So, a great ego boost for Myers who sorely needed one.  Granted, he was facing a depleted offense in the Washington Nationals, but it is still one more step in the right direction.  The fact that he threw mostly strikes is also very encouraging.

And error aside, I think we can also put aside the injury rumors about Utley.  He went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI (the only 2 runs of the night for the Phils), including his 26th home run of the year.  His swing looked like it was back to normal.  Pat Burrell also had a 2 hit night; the rest of the offense was fairly quiet...a hit here and there, but nothing exciting really.  But as usual, Brad Lidge came on in the 9th and bailed them out, notching save number 25.

These guys are going to need to produce many more runs over the next few days if they expect to win this series.  Regardless of the Nats being in last place, this is a team that the Phillies traditionally struggle with every year.  Perhaps it is the air in DC?  The stench of politicians scheming makes them ill?  Well, whatever it is, let's hope they are over it and swinging those bats!  I'll be traveling to DC to see the new stadium and cheer on the Phils for the 2nd game of the series tomorrow.  If anyone else is going, let me know so I can say hello J  'Till then, Go Phillies!   

It was a beautiful, sunny day yesterday for the Phillies Phestival, the annual charity event held at the ballpark with all funds raised going to towards fighting ALS or "Lou Gehrig's disease."  This year, the event raised a record-setting $758, 540 in its 19th year running.  I have posted some PHOTOS here on my photobucket site from the event and have a few to share with you here as well.  I apologize for the grainy ones...combo of a very bad back lit situation and the wrong setting on my camera...oops!  Oh well...it was hot and my brain was fried.  Anyway, first I have a collage I threw together with Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Chad Durbin, Chase Utley and right in the middle, Jimmy Rollins with your favorite web site voodoo mascot and mine, J-Roll Smurf!  And figuring we've all seen enough photos of me, I was kind enough to cover that part up J  I have a fun story about that photo though...

So I walk over to Jimmy for the picture and he is already cracking up over the Smurf and starts telling me, "You know, I like smurfs too..." And I start telling him I knew that, and that is why I dressed him up like that...  Then he proceeds to tell me with a huge grin on his face, "You know what they used to call me, back in the day?  Papa Smurf."  Now I am cracking up!  I showed him the back of the uniform where I had ironed on his name and number and he was very impressed.  He said he liked it and that it was "very original."  So, I think J-Roll Smurf will be attending a few more games for luck J  I don't mind making a fool of myself; it's all in good fun.  J

Here's another fun photo for the ladies!  Should we play the "Guess Who's Better Side This Is?" game or should I just tell you?  Hee!  Well, I shouldn't say "better side," the man doesn't really have a bad side.  It's all good.  Ok, ok, I won't keep you in suspense...it's Chad Durbin.  And probably 50 or 60 people cracked up laughing while I took this picture as I turned to the line of people waiting for his autograph and said, "Ok, you know I have to do this, right?"  Sorry, couldn't help myself...he bent over right in front of me...it was like a bulls eye!

Wound up getting 14 autographs by the end of the day and an odd assortment of pictures.  I would have done better, but the Chase Utley line alone took me an hour and a half!  And what an ordeal that was too.  The guy in front of me kept making trouble by trying to let someone cut in; he got caught so then he tried to take that guys stuff for him to get it signed and the ushers wouldn't let him do that either so he got in trouble again and this time, they pulled him out of the line!  And all this happened right as it was my turn at the front of the line so I was already a frazzled mess and then to make it worse, the usher standing next to Chase yells at ME!  He points at my camera and says, "Make sure YOU don't hold up the line by stopping to take a picture.  Take it while you are moving!"  WHAT???  Mind you, I have been standing by quietly, smiling and behaving the entire 90 minutes and now this guy has the nerve to YELL at me for no reason?  I was SO upset I nearly cried and forgot to take the picture at all.  Poor Chase saw the look on my face and asked how I was and I was like, "Ok I think" and he signed my photo and gave me one of those "oh you poor thing" smiles.  He was already annoyed with how things were going...I had seen him "correct" the ushers a few times before that while I was waiting in line.  Earlier, the ushers were telling people they couldn't take photos at all and Chase looked right at them and said "Yes they can."  By the time I slid over to Jimy Williams (sitting with Chase), I was shaking like a leaf and couldn't pull his photo out of the sleeve and he was trying to calm me down!  He said, "It's ok, take your time, there's no hurry."  He's such a nice man.  J  Finally, I was out of that line and every other line was fine...no problems at all.

Now, for anyone who has not been to the Phestival, don't let what you just read discourage you from going.  This is NOT typical.  I've been going every year for 8 years and have NEVER seen this happen or been treated this way.  Usually, everyone is very nice and friendly and the event is lots of fun.  I have no idea what happened in that one line, but whoever was in charge over there simply blew it.  They obviously panicked because they knew there was a high demand for Chase's autograph and tried to change how things are usually done to try to get the line to move faster.  But you can't tell people not to take pictures or HOW to take them and you certainly shouldn't be yelling at them.

So, I have certainly not had a lot of luck in the Utley department this week!  First the picture that didn't come out on Photo Day and now this!  Geez, when will MY streak end?  In other news, the team has officially announced adding JA Happ back to the roster to take Adam Eaton's spot now that he has accepted a minor league assignment.  Do I smell a trade in the air though?  Guess we will just have to wait and see...  On to DC tonight!  Go Phillies!

After a nearly 2 hour rain delay today, the Phillies finally beat Atlanta by a score of 12-10 in a battle that included 7 home runs; 5 from the Phillies and 2 from the Braves.  Joe Blanton only pitched 2 innings before the skies opened up.  He allowed 2 earned runs on 3 hits and a walk and saw his ERA jump to 5.13.  After the rain delay, both the Phils and Braves began to pour on the runs.

Adam Eaton gave up 3 runs on 5 hits in his 2 innings of work during his second appearance as a reliever.  Lucky for him, the offense came right back with a huge 5 run inning in the bottom of the forth led by home runs from Chris Coste and Shane Victorino.  As the battle of the bullpens continued, the Phillies continued to dominate.  Pat Burrell sent his 26th of the year out of the park in the 5th and Jayson Werth followed suit in the 6th.  The hit parade continued into the 7th when Jimmy Rollins joined the party with a solo blast.

This game looked like a laugher by the 8th inning, but Rudy Seanez struggled, giving up a run and committing a fielding error; he was replaced by Ryan Madson who did not fare much better.  By the time Madson was through, 4 more runs would score and the Phillies now only led by 2 runs instead of 7.  But as usual, Brad Lidge came in and knocked them down for his 24th consecutive save.  Actually, I had forgotten to mention it, but Lidge had passed the old Phillies record yesterday for number of consecutive saves; it was 22, held by Billy Wagner.  Well, now it is 24 by Lidge.  Somewhere, Wagner is complaining and no one is listening...  Well, that is a daily event for him anyway J

Off day tomorrow for the Phillies Phestival to benefit ALS.  See you there if you are going!  Next up...The Nats in DC; 7/29 7:10pm; Brett Myers scheduled to start.  Let's see if we can dig them a bigger hole into last place...Go Phillies!

Yesterday, the Phillies held their annual Photo Day at the park where they allow fans on the field to take pictures of the players.  Occasionally, the players will also stop and take photos with you.  It is by far, one of my favorite events every year and one that I was really looking forward to.  I actually got 10 players to stop this year and pose with me, and probably could have gotten a few more but was busy snapping the camera.  9 of the 10 photos actually came out...the one that didn't was the one with Chase Utley! UGH!  And he was SO nice and had a HUGE smile on his face for me too...I am SOOOO depressed, I cannot even tell you.  I just can't even talk about it...too sad L

Well, let's talk about the happy ones...I'll post a couple of them here.  I am usually opposed to photo's of myself, but the players look awfully cute, so I am going to go ahead and grin and bear it...no pun intended.  Please excuse my bad hair day and goofy smiles...I had been standing in the hot sun for hours and was melting!  First of all, this one of Brad Lidge is hysterical!  Does the man have no concept of exactly how tall he is?  Most guys bend down so they are on you level, but it was his first Photo Day so he is excused.  Now mind you, I am not short...I am 5'7" which is average for a woman, and he is slouching in the picture.  Scary tall.

Here we have Chris Coste...just a cutie.  We make a nice couple I think J  Hee!  And then below that one, there is Jimmy Rollins with his huge grin...he said something silly and I was trying not to laugh.  I also got pictures with Geoff Jenkins, JC Romero, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Eric Bruntlett and Adam Eaton...there was not a huge demand for poor Adam so I figured I'd bug him J  I almost got Pat Burrell but he just put his arm around me, pat me on the back, asked how I was doing and kept going.  I was happy with that though J  I have also posted a bunch of other photos HERE on my photobucket site for you to see just of the players, coaches and broadcasters as they were walking past me or saying hello.  There are a few pretty funny ones in there...some of these guys give you some really cheesy smiles at this event.  Check out the shot of Clay Condrey...he gets the prize for the most Cheese ever in a pose.

That's a wrap on Photo Day!  The Phillies are currently in a Rain Delay with the Braves, down 2-0 in the bottom of the 2nd inning.  It was Joe Blanton's home debut which I assume now, will be cut short.  Hoping they will get the rest of this game in soon and of course, come away with the win!  More later...Go Phillies!

Greg Dobbs tied a record today that has stood since 1913 when he knocked a fastball over the right-field fence in the 5th inning.  It was his 20th pinch hit of the year.  The last Phillie to have 20 pinch hits in a season was Doc Miller and yes, it was as far back as 1913.  This 3-run homer put the Phillies in the lead 10-9 over the Braves, which turned out to be the final score.  Here is a shot of Dobbs hitting that homer and then the follow through as he watches it leave the yard:

It was a rollercoaster of a game which started with three very solid innings from Cole Hamels.  Even the offense had shown signs of life at this point, scoring three runs by the bottom of the third.  Then just as we were all feeling comfortable in our seats, Hamels began to unravel in the 4th.  Or maybe a better word would be, implode.  9 runs would score in that inning, 3 of which came off a Mark Teixeira home run, and another off a Hamels throwing error.  Not a happy day for Cole.

However, the offense finally found their bats today and managed to score 7 runs in the 5th to take the lead, with the Dobbs homer putting them over the top.  After that, the bullpen came in and held the Braves down; 6 relievers in all combined for zero runs scored from the 5th inning on.  Here is a nice shot I took of JC Romero closing out the 8th inning.  He was especially excited about his outing today.

Nice win...these guys looked like they had a bit more life in them today.  I think maybe Photo Day did them some good.  Hanging out and taking pictures with the fans; ya know...being forced to smile, whether you like it or not J  No seriously, there was a lot of positive energy out on that field before the game and hey, maybe that helped.  Maybe they should do that like once a week, just for the energy boost J  I'll post some photos from that event later when I am not so sleepy...until then, Go Phillies!

I hate to sound like a broken record here but, tonight we saw another great pitching performance and another non-existent offensive output.  So much for Christmas in July...I think Santa forgot all about the Phillies, as they fell to the Braves 8-2.  All that was left in their stocking was a giant lump of coal.

Kyle Kendrick pitched his way out of a lot bad situations tonight and wound up only giving up one run, even though he loaded the bases multiple times.  JC Romero and Chad Durbin each pitched one scoreless inning each and Durbin even drew a standing ovation from the crowd, who were extra appreciative of the effort, especially in light of the lack of production on the offensive end.  The Phillies may have had a shot at the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Brad Lidge, brought on in a non-save situation, wound up giving up 5 runs, including a grand slam to Brian McCann, in the top of the ninth to blow the game wide open.  Clay Condrey came in next to give the Braves a few more July Christmas presents; before his turn was over, 2 more runs had scored.

Charlie Manuel held a team meeting before the game tonight to attempt to light a fire under his players.  I don't know what he said or did, but apparently, he needs to try a new approach.  How about tossing a bucket of ice down their pants?  Maybe tie them down to their chairs and force them to watch "The Sound of Music" over and over again until they are on the verge of a mental breakdown?  Then put a bat in their hands and watch the pent up aggression fly! 

Seriously, a total of five hits in this game?  And one of those was from Greg Dobbs who almost never gets to play.  Where is the leadership on this team?  Where is the magic and inspiration of last season?  Oh, that's right, check over on the West Coast....a-hem!  Sorry, couldn't resist.  Well, someone on this, the 2008 team, needs to stand up and set this team right.  Who is it going to be?

I'll be at the game tomorrow which is Photo Day.  It will be interesting to see how many smiles I get considering how today's game went.  Wish me luck!  If you're going, I'll see you on the field!

According to results posted on MLBlogosphere yesterday, Phillies Phollowers was the number one Phillies Fan blog in the prior 7 days and the #7 Fan blog overall in the MLBlogs community.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has stopped by to read and to say hello!  I appreciate everyone's support and value each comment I receive.  You guys and gals make this so much fun for me!  Please continue to visit and leave your feedback and also feel free to E-mail me with any comments, questions or suggestions.  Thanks again and as always, have a super peachy day!! J

Once again, this team could not have asked for a better job out of their starting pitcher, and still they could not manage to win the game.  Losing to the Mets 3-1 and dropping out of first place in the NL East for the first time since May 31st, the Phillies managed to fall apart behind an amazing performance by 45 year-old Jamie Moyer.  Moyer went 7 full innings and gave up only 1 run on 2 hits, 3 walks and struck out 6.  You could not have asked the man to do more, unless of course you were expecting him to pull a rabbit out of a hat or an elephant out of his butt!  And for all that effort, what does he get?  One home run by Jayson Werth.  That's it.  Geez.  I hope they brought some lubricant for the elephant trick...

The other 2 runs were surrendered by JC Romero in the 8th inning, but really, what can you say about that?  The offense should have put some runs on the board...period.  With a bullpen that has been stellar all year, I cannot in good conscious bash them here.  Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both struck out 3 times; Chris Coste twice.  The ONLY guy who produced today was Eric Bruntlett, who replaced Jimmy Rollins at the last minute for reasons yet unknown; he had 3 hits on the day, 2 doubles and a single.  With 7 hits for the offense, those 3 were 43% of the total on the day.  Sad.  (...UPDATE, 7/24 PM: Rollins was late to the game and thus, was benched for breaking the team rule.  Read about it HERE in the Phillies official release.)

So now you have just created a situation that you really did not need...in the Mets, you have now created a monster.  The Phillies have just lit a fire under them.  Look out now...this is not good.  This is going to play out one of two ways; A - The Phils will cower under the pressure and continue on this downslide, in which case, kiss this season goodbye! OR B - Falling out of first place will turn out to be the kick in the butt they needed to get back on track and start winning again.  Let us all hope for Plan B...

The Phillies entered the ninth inning down by 3 runs for the second game in a row against the NY Mets last night.  However, they were unable to pull off an amazing 9th inning comeback rally like they did the night before.  Closer Billy Wagner sat the line-up down in order to end the ballgame and tie the Phillies for first place in the NL East going into today's 12:10pm afternoon game.

In Brett Myers return from AAA, he went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and 5 walks.  After a very shaky first inning where he walked 4 batters in a row and gave up 2 runs, he began to settle in.  His curveball had some great movement on it, his fastball location was much better and he did not get hit too hard.  Overall, it was an improvement.  Not great, but better.  Actually, I think Charlie Manuel pulled him out of the game too soon.  He had just begun to look comfortable when suddenly, there's Ryan Madson pitching the 6th inning.  Obviously, that was a mistake as Madson gave up the 3-run homer that eventually cost them the game.  Not to say that Myers could not have done the same, but I think he should have at least been sent out in the 6th and given a shot at it.

Offensively, this team has obviously had something slipped into their Kool-Aid.   Everyone else hits John Maine, why can't we?  Maine is like the punching bag of the NL East, but put him in front of the Phillies and he looks like he's tossing magic invisible balls up there.  Six hits is all the Phillies could muster.  Even Superman Chase Utley is 0 for 8 in this series.  If they can't pick it up this afternoon, they are in real trouble.  Maybe they should switch from spiked Kool-Aid to Snapple - it's all-natural J  Good luck team - Go Phillies!

So Taguchi finally came through with a HUGE 2-run double tonight in the ninth inning to tie the game and propel the Phillies to an 8-6 win over the NY Mets.  Please pass the Valium...my heart won't be still!  That was followed immediately by a J-Roll 2-run double and the Mets simply shook their heads and did a double-take as they could not believe what was happening.  What looked like a game that was locked up since the 6th inning, had just been blown wide open.

It began with Joe Blanton's Phillies debut, which frankly, was a bust.  Blanton did not produce a quality start, going 6 innings and giving up 5 earned runs on 8 hits and 3 walks with one of those hits and one walk each being to the opposing pitcher.  I liked his variety of off-speed pitches, but he was too easily rattled and unable to come up with a strike when he needed it.  In the 6th inning, he walked Marlon Anderson on 4 pitches even though Marlon literally sat the bat on his shoulder for the last 2 pitches of the at bat and was clearly not going to swing; and still, Blanton could not find the strike zone.  Next batter, 2-run home run - NOT good.

Defensively though, we saw some really amazing plays in the field tonight.  Endy Chavez of the Mets was thrown out at home plate twice tonight - first by Pat Burrell via Jimmy Rollins to Carlos Ruiz in the 3rd and then, he was actually dumb enough to try it again later in the 7th inning when Jayson Werth nailed him on a one-hopper to Ruiz.  Also in the 7th, Chase Utley made a jumping / diving "Superman" mid-air grab of a line-drive off the bat Fernando Tatis for the 3rd out of the inning.  As he ran off the field, Utley tore open his jersey to reveal the Superman logo hiding under his uniform to taunt the NY fans...J  But we already knew that Utley was Superman...really, the secret has been out for some time now.  Get with the program people! J

Back to planet Earth...the offense continued its struggles throughout most of the game, albeit against a red-hot Johan Santana.  However, they were able to get at him right away in the first inning with back to back to back singles from Howard, Burrell and Werth, scoring a run; and all this with 2 outs.  So, what happened after the first inning?  Well, to sum it up for you, a whole lot of nothing.  Shane Victorino did hit a solo homer, but sadly, that was not going to make up for the 5 runs the Mets put on the board.  Then suddenly, no more Santana and a ninth inning explosion!  So Taguchi comes to life, finally!  This is a guy who hit over .400 as a pinch hitter last year for the Cardinals but had yet to nail one down for the Phillies, so it really was about time.  Let's hope the real SO has just stood up!  This game should have lit a fire under the Phils...we could not have asked for a better vibe to go into Brett Myers' start tomorrow.  Go Phillies!

Someone grab the life preserver!  This ship's a-sinkin'!  Yesterday, the Phillies were sunk by the Fish after a terrible performance by Kyle Kendrick who only managed to go 4.1 innings and gave up 7 runs on 10 hits and a walk.  Today, with the series tied one a piece, everyone expected Cole Hamels to keep the ship afloat and give his team a shot to win.  As usual, he did not disappoint.  Unfortunately, as has been the case many times of late, the offense did, and the Phils fell to the Fish, 3-2.

Another great outing by Hamels wasted again.  How many of these are we going to see this year?  I know I am sick of it...I can only begin to imagine how poor Cole must feel.  He went 8 full innings and gave up only 2 runs while striking out 7 and never looked rattled.  In short, he was awesome!  As for the offense, just pathetic.  Ryan Howard had the only 2 RBI's in the game, but also left the bases loaded with 2 outs and the game tied.  But really, what can you say about that when he is one of the only guys producing?  You can't expect him to get a hit every time up.  Chase Utley and Pat Burrell each had a hit and a walk.  Jimmy Rollins, with one hit on the day, is just not getting on base enough and the bottom of the line-up is not producing at all.  Geoff Jenkins, Pedro Feliz, Carlos Ruiz, Jayson Werth and all pinch hitters today all combined for 1 hit TOTAL today and 2 base runners (both Ruiz).  This is NOT going to win games and not going to keep this team in first place.

The Phillies have an off day tomorrow to prepare for a big 3 game series against the New York Mets in a battle for first place in the NL East.  Joe Blanton, the Phillies new acquisition is expected to make his team debut, followed by Brett Myers who will return to the team on Wednesday after his stint in AAA.  Should be a VERY interesting week.  Bust out the Tums people!  It's going to be a tummy-turner of a week!  Go Phillies!

PHOTOS from my All-Star Week excursion have been posted, but I thought I would highlight a few fun ones for you here as well.  Let's begin with my favorite of the week!  As you may know, Dan Uggla committed like 3 errors in the All-Star game on Tuesday.  Well, I am calling this one "UGGLA ALL-STAR ERROR #4" and you will see why.  Yes, this is Dan Uggla grabbing Chase Utley's butt as he walks back to the dugout after getting his award at the Home Run Derby for earning the most All-Star votes in the NL.  He totally gooses him!  And then, check out the on-lookers, who are horrified by what they are witnessing!  Thank goodness it looks like Uggla's son is sleeping through the ordeal J

Next up....Brad Lidge thinks about whacking David Wright with Chase Utley's  bat...but really, haven't we all had that thought at one time or another?  Who can blame him?

Red Sox Blooper...Manny Ramirez's son was running wild on the sideline...  He decides to tackle Kevin Youkilis and, whoops!  The kid knees   him right in the groin!  OUCH.

   More Utley...I'm calling this one, "Diggin' For Gold."  Did he not realize that I was RIGHT THERE!  I mean, if he needed help with this, all he needed to do was ask me.  Geez.  Another opportunity passed me by...  J  But seriously, what the heck??  He couldn't go in the dugout which was like 1 foot away to handle this??  OMG.

Parade Blooper - Barrel man:  What is this about anyway?  A man runs out in the middle of the parade wearing a barrel.  Then he gets arrested.  Well, he was a Mets fan...I guess that explains it.

And finally, we have all heard about the Chase Utley expletive before the Home Run Derby at the introduction (the "Boo, @#@# You!" remark)...well, here is a photo I took right as he said it.  You can see Dan Uggla's reaction...he was quite amused J  And frankly, when I saw it, so was I J  We should all have a sense of humor.  Enough said.

Hope you enjoyed...have a happy day! J

The Phillies beat the Florida Marlins tonight by a score of 4-2, putting them in sole possession of first place in the NL East.  Jamie Moyer put forth another quality start for the team, going 6 full innings with only 2 runs allowed on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3.  Moyer, despite his advanced years, continues to amaze and show that age is just a number.  This is a man who loves him some Fried Fish - record lifetime against the Marlins now is 10-0.  Pass the tartar sauce, please.  Yum J

Chase Utley looked like he was on a mission tonight, going 2 for 3 and driving in a run.  Ryan Howard and Geoff Jenkins each hit home runs with Jenkins also going 2 for 3 and looking as if he may snap out of the slumber he has been in.  There was not much else to talk about offensively, but what did happen got the job done.  The big story of the night was Adam Eaton being sent to the bullpen as a result of the trade for starter, Joe Blanton.  You have to wonder how Eaton will react the first time they throw him out there in a relief situation.  I for one, am not anxious to find out.

Ok, as promised, more PHOTOS are now available from my All-Star Week excursion, complete with captions.  Feel free to browse. Just click on the word PHOTOS or follow the link which I have set up along the right side of the home page under "Photo Albums."  Have a great night!

Calling him a "workhorse" in their trade headline, the Phillies added right hander Joe Blanton from the A's to the line-up in exchange for minor league prospects Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman and Matthew Spencer yesterday.  I suppose "workhorse" is fitting for a guy who comes in at 6'3" and 255 lbs.  I hope they have stocked the fridge in the clubhouse.

Kidding aside, let's get to the numbers.  Blanton arrives in Philly with a 4.96 ERA and a 5-12 record...so far, I am not doing cartwheels over here.  Also, he has only had 4 quality starts in his last 10.  Even Adam Eaton has had 6 in his last 10.  Is this supposed to be an upgrade?  Ok, well the good news is that last year he posted a record of 14-10 with an ERA of 3.95...let's hope his second half is closer to the 2007 results.  Maybe the change of scenery will do him good.  Perhaps they were just not feeding him enough in Oakland and he was grouchy?  He did beat the pants off the Phillies on 6/24...let's see if that guy can show up for every start.

Many unanswered questions left here though...will Eaton be released or sent to the pen?  Will JA Happ be back?  What happens when Tom Gordon comes back?  Is Myers still coming back to start on the 23rd?  Ok, my brain hurts...we shall see!  Big game tonight as the Mets won yesterday...Phillies need this one to stay in first place.  Go Phillies!