The Zo Zone

The Phillies placed outfielder Shane Victorino (strained right calf) and outfielder Michael Bourn (sprained left ankle) on the 15-day disabled list. The Phillies said a MRI showed a tear in Victorino's calf, but said his injury is less severe than Bourn's. The Phillies think Victorino could return to the lineup in 15 days. Bourn could take longer to recover.

The Phillies recalled outfielder Chris Roberson from triple-A Ottawa and will activate outfielder Jayson Werth from the disabled list in time for tomorrow night's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

No way about it, this is a blow the lineup. They not only lose most of their speeds on the bases, but they lose tremendous defense in the outfield.

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The Phillies also placed righthander Clay Condrey on outright waivers to make room for righthander Kyle Lohse on the 25-man roster.

The 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline has passed.

And?

The Phillies acquired relief pitcher Julio Mateo from the Seattle Mariners for double-A Reading infielder Jesus Merchan.

Mateo will join double-A Reading in a move that the Phillies said adds inventory.

Mateo is 18-12 with a 3.68 ERA in parts of six seasons with the Mariners. He opened this season with the Mariners and went 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in nine appearances before Seattle suspended him earlier this season for 10 games without pay after being arrested after a dispute with his wife in a Manahattan hotel. According to a story by The Associated Press in May, "The 6-foot, 220-pound pitcher was arrested the day before on a charge of third-degree assault. He posted bond and was released. Police said his wife needed five stitches to her mouth."

The Mariners optioned him to triple-A Tacoma, where he is 3-1 with a 0.79 ERA and 12 saves. Opponents have hit just .200 against him.

Merchan hit .330 with seven home runs and 44 RBIs in 81 games for Reading.

The Cubs have the Billy Goat. The Red Sox have Babe Ruth.

The Pirates ... well, I'm not sure what their deal is.

So what's the Curse of the Phillies?

"Uncle," Brett Myers pleaded after last night's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Uncle is right. The Phillies lost Shane Victorino to a strained right calf and Michael Bourn to a sprained left ankle. That's a huge loss should both of them miss an extended period of time. (It sounds like Victorino's injury is more serious than Bourn's injury.) The Phillies closed last night with Pat Burrell in left field, Aaron Rowand in center field and Greg Dobbs in right field ... not exactly Bourn-Rowand-Victorino defensively. The Phillies will learn more about Victorino and Bourn's status this afternoon, when they get MRI results from Victorino and x-ray results from Bourn.

This is just the latest in a litany of injuries that have included Myers, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Tom Gordon, Freddy Garcia, Jon Lieber, Jayson Werth and Francisco Rosario (remember him?).

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Lost in the shuffle last night is that Cole Hamels pitched a gem.

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Read more about the Kyle Lohse trade here. He is expected to be in Chicago sometime today. He also is expected to start Thursday in the series finale against the Cubs.

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The non-waiver trade deadline is 4 p.m. today. The Phillies could make a trade for a relief pitcher before it passes. But they also might need to make a move for an outfielder at some point, especially if Victorino or Bourn miss an extended period of time. They're already an outfielder short, which means they might have to bring back Werth sooner than they anticipated. And outfielder Chris Roberson is hitting just .263 with three homers and 39 RBIs in triple-A Ottawa, although he has hit better than .280 in each of the last two months.

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Madson could pitch again this season, which is good news. The bad news? He probably will miss at least a month.

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I used the Phillies Report today to discuss something I brought up in a previous post: Which injury has hurt the Phillies the most this season? I voted for Garcia's injured right shoulder. But I also talk about Chris Coste's and Tadahito Iguchi's status with the team, etc.

The trade for Kyle Lohse isn't going to excite anybody.

He went 6-12 with a 4.58 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds this season. He's not a name like Dontrelle Willis. He's not going to cure this team's pitching problems. But he is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in his last five starts and his 4.58 ERA makes him the third-best starter in this rotation behind Cole Hamels (3.63 ERA) and Kyle Kendrick (4.04 ERA).

Jamie Moyer has a 4.75 ERA.

Adam Eaton has a 5.83 ERA, which is the worst in the National League.

The Phillies think the price tag for Lohse -- double-A lefthander Matt Maloney -- was a fair one, although Pat Gillick said he hated to part with him. I already have received feedback from fans who think the Phillies got robbed or badly blundered in trading Maloney. I guess I can't agree with that. Maloney was the organization's No. 9 prospect entering the season, but that's not exactly a high compliment coming from an organization with a depleted farm system. I recall the Phillies shipped Elizardo Ramirez to the Reds a few years ago for Cory Lidle, and Ramirez was considered a better prospect at the time. That trade didn't turn out to haunt the Phillies. Could Maloney be a stud? It's possible. It's possible Maloney could come back to haunt the Phillies for the next 15 years. But then again, the Phillies held onto Gavin Floyd because he was a lock. It turns out the Phillies would have been better off trading him earlier in his career when his stock was higher. But again, nobody knew what they know now.

Nobody knows what will happen with this trade. Lohse could help, or he could be worse than J.D. Durbin, the pitcher he will replace in the rotation. Maloney could be a stud in the majors, or he could never get there. Like I said, Lohse isn't going to solve this team's problems, but he could provide a little more consistency to one of the worst rotations in baseball.

It seems worth the chance.

I guess most people disagree?

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Gillick said the Phillies could make another move before tomorrow's 4 p.m. trade deadline. It would be for a reliever.

“I don’t know that there is a bundle of good relievers sitting out there,” Gillick said. “I don’t know that they’re available quite frankly.”

“We’ve added depth to (the rotation),” Gillick said about Lohse. “Hopefully we can find a combination that can get us there. (Lohse) has postseason experience and consequently we thought he would be a good addition to our pitching staff."

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Shane Victorino left tonight's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in the fourth inning with a strained right calf. He is day-to-day. The Phillies will do more tests tomorrow morning.

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Gillick, on the fact that the Braves and Mets also could be active before the trade deadline: "They have to do what they have to do. We have to do what we can do. It doesn’t matter. We can’t worry about what Atlanta and somebody else is going to do. They have to take care of their needs and we have to take care of our needs the best we can. We think this is an upgrade for us.”

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Ryan Madson's season isn't over.

Madson has a teres major strain in his right shoulder, which is the same injury that sidelined Brett Myers for two months. But Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Madson, who injured the shoulder yesterday against Pittsburgh at Citizens Bank Park, could pitch again this season.

"If he's down three weeks from throwing then there's another couple weeks," Amaro said. "It's at least a month from being able to participate at the major-league level. But we can't break out the crystal ball until he's actually up and throwing and progressing."

Madson is 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA this season.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Relax, everybody. The Philles are not going to trade Michael Bourn for Anthony Reyes.

The Phillies just completed a 5-1 homestand against the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates, two of the worst teams in the National League.

But that's exactly what the Phillies were supposed to do:

Pummel bad teams like the Nats and Bucs.

Of course, can they beat the good teams?

We should know by Sunday. The Chicago Cubs were 22-31 on June 2 for the third-worst record in the National League. But they have the best record in the NL since at 32-17 (the Phillies have the second-best record in that stretch at 27-21). The Phillies, who enjoyed a 5-1 victory yesterday over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, open a four-game series tonight against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

After that the Phillies play a three-game series in Milwaukee, which has been a house of horrors at times for the Phillies. In 2003, the Brewers swept the Phillies at Miller Park to begin a 1-9 road trip. That trip eventually culminated in Larry Bowa blowing up at his team in Montreal. After the Phillies swept the Brewers in Milwaukee in 2004, they lost two out of three in 2005 and got swept there again in 2006. The Phillies had won 13 of 14 games before they entered Miller Park last season. That sweep kick started a 2-9 stretch for the Phillies.

It's a big week for the Phillies.

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The non-waiver trade deadline is 4 p.m. tomorrow.

Tick, tick, tick ...

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The Phillies suffered another blow yesterday when Ryan Madson injured his shoulder. He might be lost for the season. The Phillies recalled Geoff Geary to take his place.

Seriously, is this team snake bit or what?

The Phillies wasted no time finding help at second base.

They just announced they have acquired second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox for single-A Lakewood righthander Michael Dubee. Iguchi, 32, hit .251 with 17 doubles, four triples, six home runs and 31 RBIs in 90 games this season, and hit .281 with 18 home runs and 67 RBI in 138 games last season. From what I could find about Iguchi's contract, Iguchi, who makes $3.25 million this season, has a clause that states the Sox (now the Phillies) must sign him to an extension during the season, or he becomes a free agent, despite just three seasons of big-league service time. I would expect the Phillies to let him walk, but it's too soon to say.

Dubee, 22, is the son of Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee. He was 4-4 with one save and a 3.88 ERA in 30 relief appearances for Lakewood.

This is an interesting move for a few reasons: 1) It seems like the Phillies got Iguchi for a bargain, which I think makes this a good trade. Maybe this is Sox general manager Ken Williams' way of saying sorry about Freddy Garcia. 2) It indicates the Phillies aren't throwing in the towel, despite losing Chase Utley for a month. 3) It helps this team defensively because Abraham Nunez can continue to be used as a defensive replacement at third base, rather than having Wes Helms or Greg Dobbs play at third in the late innings.

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Aaron Rowand said he "tweaked" his left shoulder last night playing tag with his children. He will not play tonight as is day-to-day.

Looks like it's time for the Phillies to play in bubbles.

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Listen to the latest Philliescast here.

This could be good news.

The Phillies just announced that Chase Utley, who broke his right hand yesterday, had successful surgery on the fourth metacarpal in his right hand. He had a pin inserted into the hand during a 20-minute surgery performed this morning by hand specialist Randall Culp. The Phillies said Utley's recovery time is UP TO FOUR WEEKS, which means Utley could be back on the field playing for the Phillies for the team's final 36 games, or maybe even earlier.

Utley officially was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Phillies purchased the contract of triple-A infielder/outfielder Joe Thurston to take his place on the roster. Thurston, 27, hit a combined .278 with three home runs and 44 RBI in 105 games for double-A Reading and Ottawa.

The Phillies designated infielder Danny Sandoval for assignment to make room for Thurston on the 40-man roster.

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The Phillies activated Brett Myers from the 15-day disabled list today and optioned lefthander Mike Zagurski to triple-A Ottawa.

Chase Utley promised to be back.

But when?

And when he returns, will it matter?

Those are today's questions, a day after Nationals pitcher John Lannan broke Utley's right hand with a pitch in the fifth inning of yesterday's 7-6 loss at Citizens Bank Park. Utley said he thinks he could be back in less than a month, but nobody will be certain until he visits hand specialist Randall Culp today. But let's say Utley is right and he returns Aug. 21 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will have missed 22 games. That's not earth shattering in relation to a 162-game season, but it leaves only 39 games to play.

So what seems like a very best case scenario -- Utley misses a little less than four weeks -- he still misses 36 percent of his team's remaining games. When you look at it that way, in terms of how much season is left, it's potentially devastating. Especially because it looks like Pat Gillick will not be able to make a move to substantially improve his starting rotation, which means this team will need to be at its best offensively. And it can't be at its best offensively without Utley, who was making a run at the National League MVP.

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I've received quite a few e-mails about how Lannan absolutely threw at Utley and Ryan Howard intentionally. But nobody on either side, including Utley himself, thought that. Seriously, think about it. The Nationals just exhausted their bullpen in a 14-inning game Wednesday. They needed Lannan to pitch as long as possible. So any beanball call would not have come from the Nationals dugout. And there's no way in hell a 22-year-old rookie pitcher making his big-league debut would go out there and purposely hit Utley and Howard -- a division rival's two top hitters -- with a pitch. Nationals manager Manny Acta might have killed him had that happened.

Like many in the Phillies clubhouse, I think Lannan simply lost his composure and was scared to death.

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In fact, Jim Salisbury got Lannan on his cell phone to talk about it. Lannan felt terribly and swore he never tried to hit Utley with a pitch. But Salisbury also wonders how the Phillies are going to patch the gaping hole in the Phillies lineup? Abraham Nunez is the immediate replacement at second base. Do the Phillies try to find a second baseman? I think the results from today's exam will help determine that. But if I'm the Phillies and I learn today that Utley's best case scenario is accurate, I use whatever chips I have and still try to focus on pitching.

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Which injury this season has hurt the Phillies more?

- Freddy Garcia's right shoulder.
- Utley's right hand.
- Brett Myers' right shoulder.
- Tom Gordon's right rotator cuff/labrum.
- Howard's left quadriceps.

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The rest of the world reflects on Utley, including Balls, Sticks & Stuff, A Citizen's Blog and We Should Be GMs.

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Oh, the Phillies also lost to the Nationals, 7-6, after some poor defense from Wes Helms and one bad pitch from Mike Zagurski.

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Utley is gone, but Myers will be activated before tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates (here are the pitching match ups). What does that mean for Clay Condrey, who has had four stints with the team this season?

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Barry Bonds Home-Run Scandal Somehow Becomes Feel-Good Sports Story Of Summer

Chase Utley broke his right hand today after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning of today's 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals.

This is a major blow to the Phillies.

Utley insists he will be back this season, but nobody can be certain at this point. He said from everything he has heard, he thinks he could be back in less than a month. But he also acknowledged he could require surgery. Utley has a fracture of the fourth metacarpal, but both the Phillies and Utley insist the injury is not season ending. Utley will meet with hand specialist Randall Culp today, and see what kind of procedure he needs to take to return him to the field as quickly as possible.

“There is a best case and there is a worst case,” Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

The best case?

“We absolutely believe that he will back this year, yes,” Amaro said. “We actually feel pretty good after the diagnosis from Dr. (Michael) Ciccotti. As dismal as this situation may sound, we actually feel pretty confident that he’s going to be back in a pretty timely fashion. On a scale of a 0 to 10, it was probably a 2 to 3 type of a fracture. Zero being the most mild.”

Mercifully, Ryan Howard sent everybody home after a long night last night at Citizens Bank Park.

Good thing.

I needed the sleep.

His two-run home run helped the Phillies to a 7-5 victory in 14 innings over the Nationals, but everybody who watched knew the Phillies should have won this game in nine innings. Antonio Alfonseca blew a two-run lead in the ninth and put the Phillies down a run entering their final at-bat, but Jimmy Rollins' incredible game-tying triple/error in the bottom of the ninth sent it to extra innings.

As much fun as it can be to watch Howard's power, for my money players like Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley are more exciting to watch because of their speed. I think the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. Rollins has 12 of them so far.

"I hit third and Smitty [third-base coach Steve Smith] started yelling," Rollins said. "I think it kind of surprised him, too. I looked up and I saw [Felipe] Lopez, and I saw some distance between him and the ball and I said, 'Well, I've got to go.' It was a great play by Smitty to alert me. Then I just let my legs do the rest."

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Last night was July in Christmas Night at the ballpark. The Phillies handed out Cole Hamels bobble heads to everybody. On the side of the box it read: "Cole in Your Stocking." I found that fitting when Alfonseca wasted a great night for Hamels. But then Rollins and Howard saved the day.

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I was surprised that Aaron Rowand tried to bunt with runners on first and second and no outs in the 10th inning because Rowand is one of the top hitters in the league with runners in scoring position and I like his chances hitting better than bunting, something he's not asked to do a lot. I actually thought Rowand might have bunted on his own there. He did not, but Charlie Manuel said that after the first bunt attempt they tried to take the bunt sign off.

The message was never received.

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The Phillies promoted outfielder Greg Golson and lefthander Josh Outman to double-A Reading.

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Brett Myers could be back in time for this weekend's three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He threw a scoreless inning in his third rehab appearance last night for single-A Clearwater.

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I guess we know the starting point for pitching in the current trade market. The Brewers sent one of their top prospects -- and two others -- to the San Diego Padres for setup man Scott Linebrink. I think that's a lot for somebody who seems to have benefited from pitching in cavernous Petco Park. Linebrink is 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 25 appearances at Petco this season, but is 0-3 with a 6.05 ERA in 19 appearances on the road. He also had a 3.19 ERA at home last season and a 3.92 ERA on the road. He had a tremendous season in 2005, and actually had a 0.66 ERA on the road compared to a 3.31 ERA on the road.

But the point is: Pat Gillick seemed to be right when he said teams are asking a ton for pitching.

For those fans who worry the Phillies might trade Aaron Rowand before Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline:

Relax.

Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said after last night's 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park that chances are "slim" they will trade Rowand, which means to me the possibility is remote. There are three reasons for that:

1) The Phillies think they can make the playoffs, so it makes little sense to trade their most productive righthanded bat, who also happens to anchor the spot in the lineup behind Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
2) Rowand is having a tremendous season, but some have overestimated his trade value. He's not going to land a stud pitcher to help the rotation. Think about it. If a team is in contention, they're not going to trade a rare commodity (ie. super stud starter) for a free-agent-to-be centerfielder. And those teams out of contention with a super stud starter (yes, I have coined that phrase) certainly are going to want something more than a free-agent-to-be-centerfielder. They're going to want somebody like Michael Bourn, whom they can control for the next several seasons, and probably at least another top prospect.
3) If Rowand qualifies as a Type A free agent after the season and the Phillies offer him salary arbitration, they would receive two draft picks in return if he signs with another team. So everybody's concern that the Phillies would get nothing in return if Rowand walks is a little misguided.

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Jim Salisbury talked with Pat Gillick about the next six days leading up to the trade deadline and what the Phillies might be able to do. Gillick said if they made a move it probably would not be something terribly exciting.

So cross Roger Clemens off your list.

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I should have posted it yesterday, but the latest Philliescast is up.

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Davey Lopes talks about the dangers coaching first and third base in light of the death of double-A Tulsa coach Mike Coolbaugh. We also talked about how dangerous it can be for fans. I personally do not understand parents who bring infants and sit in the lower deck up and down the first and third base lines -- prime territory for hard-hit line drives that nobody can catch.

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Brett Myers makes his third rehab appearance tonight for single-A Clearwater. He could be activated before Friday's game against Pittsburgh. Outfielder Jayson Werth also will play tonight in a rehab appearance for Clearwater.

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Photos from last night's game.

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Awwww ...

Mike Bacsik blew a kiss to Larry Bowa's nephew, Nick Johnson, last night on the Kiss Cam. Bacsik was in the Phillies organization two years ago, and will start against the Phillies tomorrow afternoon in the series finale.

Chase Utley is a hard man to find before a game.

If he's not in the batting cage working on his swing, he's probably on the field taking extra hitting. And if he's not on the field taking extra hitting, he's probably parked in front of the video machine pouring over film. Like one person recently said, "He doesn't waste any of his time." This afternoon Utley will be studying the last three starts for Washington Nationals righthander Jason Bergmann, who faces the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park, and the slew of Nationals relief pitchers he could face.

That process takes about two hours.

Utley is one of the most talented players in baseball, so I thought it would be interesting to let people know how much preparation and care he actually puts into his craft. And he puts in a lot. Just from my observations, it seems Utley watches more video than any other player in the Phillies clubhouse. He thinks it provides him an edge, and why wouldn't it? Charlie Manuel remarked that Utley has a tremendous memory, which helps Utley each and every time he steps to the plate.

Manuel said Utley "studies and prepares for the game as much or more than any other hitter I've been around. He's off the charts with preparation. He has a tremendous memory. He's totally ready when the game starts. You'll never catch him not prepared. He knows all about the pitchers. He knows what they want to do."

And it has helped turn him into a legitimate National League MVP candidate.

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In this week's Phillies Report, I write that this could be the most potent Phillies offense since the team scored a modern day franchise record 944 runs in 1930. Interestingly, that team also had the league's worst pitching staff.

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Brett Myers allowed one hit and struck out three in 1 1/3 innings last night in a rehab appearance for single-A Clearwater. He is tentatively scheduled to make another rehab appearance tomorrow night for Clearwater.

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Are they going to change the name of Citizens Bank Park? Not yet.

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Ryan Howard is featured in the latest duPont Registry Celebrity Car. Howard drives a white 2007 Escalade with "26-inch Asanti rims wrapped with Pirelli tires." Howard also has a "a center console that sits between the two back captain’s seats and matches the one up front. Inside the box, they installed two large subwoofers that sit five inches above the Escalade’s floor and shoot sound downward. Howard fired up a rap tune, and the 2,500-watt system put out some serious boom."

My car is kind of similar.

Except it's not an Escalade, it's missing a side mirror and it has an 8-track player.

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Cole Hamels is featured with a Q&A on pages 18 and 19 in the July 23 issue of Sports Illustrated. (Hank Aaron is on the cover.)

There's a great photo of Hamels wearing a miner's hat and covered in dirt. He talks about everything from learning his changeup to meeting his wife to colehamelsfacts.com.

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Home for the first time since I left for Denver on July 5, so I just got a look at the latest Baseball America. It ranks righthander Carlos Carrasco as the 22nd best prospect in baseball, and names catcher Carlos Ruiz to its Major League rookie team.

J.D. Durbin and Kyle Kendrick have made Charlie Manuel feel a little more comfortable as the July 31 trade deadline approaches.

That's a good thing because there are no indications the Phillies will be able to land a stud to bolster their rotation before then.

Durbin shutout the San Diego Padres yesterday in a 9-0 victory at Petco Park. He is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his three starts for the Phillies. He won two of the Phillies' four victories on their just completed seven-game road trip through Los Angeles and San Diego. He allowed one run in 15 innings in those two starts.

Kendrick is 4-1 with a 4.40 ERA in seven starts for the Phillies.

Imagine where they'd be if they struggled?

But can they keep it up? I'm still curious to see how Kendrick fares the second time teams get to see him. And is this the real Durbin? Or is the real Durbin the pitcher who three teams gave up on earlier this season?

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Durbin talks about the shutout, and Jimmy Rollins talks about the team's three-game winning streak.

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Aaron Rowand and Michael Bourn almost collided on the final play of the game in left-center field. But they didn't, and Rowand made the catch to preserve Durbin's shutout.

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Jim Salisbury just wants the Barry Bonds circus to end. I do, too. I'm tired of the talking head about it on TV. Let him break the record and let's move on to something else.

Like how much is that baseball going to be worth?

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Came across this yesterday thanks to With Leather. Update: The Phillies won Mellon Bank jacket day on Aug. 17, 1986. Take a look at the box score here.

We've heard a lot about how the Phillies have struggled against lefthanded starting pitching this season.

But here's the thing:

They're 7-4 in their last 11 games against lefthanded starters, which included last night's 12-4 victory over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Is it a coincidence that improvement comes with Ryan Howard's healthy return from the disabled list?

For my sanity, I hope I have heard the last question this season about Howard's struggles against lefthanded pitchers. He is hitting .289 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs against lefthanders since he returned from the disabled list May 25. He also leads the majors in RBIs against lefthanders with 32. (Chase Utley ranks second in baseball with 31 RBIs against lefthanders).

I always thought it strange that the media asked Howard about his struggles against lefthanders, despite the fact he hit .279 against them last season. It's not like the guy suddenly forgot how to hit against them. He was struggling against everybody before he went on the DL, so he naturally was going to be struggling against lefthanders.

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Howard is hitting .311 with 21 homers and 56 RBIs in 50 games since he returned from the DL.

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Read more about Kyle Drabek's season-ending Tommy John surgery here.

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I read in Buster Olney's blog that Justin Morneau had 170 RBIs in his last 196 games. That's impressive, but Ryan Howard has 194 RBIs in his last 196 games.

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The City of Clearwater needed almost four hours to demolish Jack Russell Memorial Stadium yesterday. The field, dugouts, the Phillies' old clubhouse, offices, half field and batting cages remained intact. Smaller stands will be installed.

The Rolling Stones played their first American concert at Jack Russell on May 6, 1965, but the Stones played only four songs because fans got rowdy and threw rolls of toilet paper at the band. Police stopped the concert. (Damn kids!) Supposedly, Clearwater is where Keith Richards came up with the guitar riff for (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.

Richards celebrated with a grouper sandwich.

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Jim Salisbury's Sunday baseball column tackles Lou Piniella's June 2 tantrum at Wrigley Field that helped catapult the Cubs into contention in the National League Central. And don't forget to check out Extra Bases, Stats N Stuff and On Deck.

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Marlins lefthander Scott Olsen has said he hates the Phillies. But did you also know he hates the police?

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Balls, Sticks & Stuff provides a link to the Bruce Murray Collection. Murray was a photographer in Philly, who took some pretty cool sports photos. My favorite? Ty Cobb, Connie Mack and Thomas Edison.

Kyle Drabek, the team's first-round draft pick in 2006 and the organization's No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, is going to have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow next week.

He will miss about one year.

This is a big blow for the Phillies, but they hope not a fatal one. Phillies assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle told me today that they are optimistic because Drabek is just 19 and because there is such a high recovery rate after Tommy John surgery. Drabek hadn't pitched since June 15. He tried throwing off the mound last week and said he still felt a pinching sensation in the elbow. So he had a second MRI and the MRI, taken from a different angle, revealed the tear.

Drabek was 5-1 with a 4.33 ERA in 11 starts for single-A Lakewood.

It's tough working on the West Coast.

Sure, there is the beautiful weather, great cities, great ballparks, great food, great scenery and In-N-Outs every five miles, but there also are terrible deadlines. The only story to make today's paper was my story about how Charlie Manuel is getting more and more comfortable with his bullpen. The bullpen has pitched better recently and once Brett Myers returns, Manuel figures they can be pretty effective.

So, naturally, the bullpen struggled last night in a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. No, they didn't blow the game. In fact, they gave up just one run in 3 1/3 innings. But they allowed four hits and five walks to make things interesting the final few innings ... and drag out the game long enough that my game story made no editions of the paper.

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Now that the Philliles have signed No. 1 pick Joe Savery, Jim Salisbury writes that the Phillies need to step up and sign unsigned picks Brandon Workman and Julian Sampson. It makes sense. A small investment today -- at least compared to the $17.5 million the Phillies are paying Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber this season -- could pay off big in the future. And if you have watched the Phillies play at least one game this season, you know how badly they could use some pitching help.

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I'm sure this won't stop some people from saying, "The Phillies just don't want to spend money on a pitcher," but Jayson Stark writes about the lack of quality starting pitching available as the July 31 trade deadline looms.

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Jose Contreras? Forget about it.

Justin Germano would have looked pretty good in a Phillies uniform.

If only.

The Phillies put him on waivers in March and the San Diego Padres claimed him March 19. Germano is 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 12 starts this season for the Padres. He faces the Phillies tonight at Petco Park, and said it would be nice to pitch well against a team that gave up on him.

Why in the world would the Phillies let Germano walk?

Here's what happened:

The Phillies had six starting pitchers in spring training: Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Adam Eaton and Jon Lieber. Nobody other those those six would make the rotation. So Germano's shot to make the team rested in the bullpen. In the seven-man bullpen there were six locks: Tom Gordon, Geoff Geary, Ryan Madson, Antonio Alfonseca, Matt Smith and the sixth starter (Lieber) or the relief pitcher the Phillies hoped they could acquire for Lieber. That left Germano competing for one job with Clay Condrey, Joe Bisenius and others.

At some point the Phillies decided Germano was comparable to pitchers like Condrey and Brian Sanches and would not make the bullpen. But because he had no options, it meant he would need to clear waivers before the Phillies could send him to triple-A Ottawa.

He did not.

The Padres claimed him, the only team in the majors to make a claim. But because the Padres also had no plans for him on the 25-man roster, they put him on waivers at the end of spring training. He cleared and the Padres sent him to triple-A Portland.

But the puzzling thing for the Phillies is this: Why did they put Germano on waivers in the middle of March? Typically, teams try to clear a player through waivers at the end of spring training because most teams have their rosters set and are less likely to make a claim. That seems to be the biggest mistake the Phillies made.

"He certainly has exceeded our expectations," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "When we got him, we were just hoping to get him into the system and hopefully be able to outright him off our roster and send him to triple-A for depth in case there was an injury. To say that we knew he was going to go out and have this type of success at the big-league level, he's certainly exceeded what we thought he could do. We hope he's able to keep it up."

*

It's hard to believe, but the Phillies aren't the only team to make a mistake on talent. Shane Victorino is playing against two of his former teams this week: the Los Angeles Dodgers and Padres. Both teams let Victorino go in the Rule 5 Draft. The Phillies actually offered Victorino back to the Dodgers in 2005, but the Dodgers declined.

"It's being at the right place at the right time," Charlie Manuel said. "Baseball is funny. If I'm in the minor leagues and I miss on a player, I take that very personally. I do. I always have. There are guys that have probably been released and sent home that might have made it."

*

I asked Manuel about any players that he fought for that one of his organizations might not have liked. He offered two names: Jim Thome and Brian Giles.

"I was in a meeting one day and they were talking about releasing Jim Thome," Manuel said. "I was the triple-A manager. I said I'm the triple-A manager and I'll keep him. He can play for me. And I stood up in a meeting one day and said Brian Giles is capable of hitting .300 and 40 home runs. Seriously."

Former Cleveland scout Jay Robertson, who now works for the Texas Rangers, thought Manuel was nuts when he made his claim about Giles. So nuts that he wrote Manuel's prediction for Giles on a piece of paper and put it in his wallet for safe keeping.

Giles hit 39 homers for Pittsburgh in 1999.

"Jay called me," Manuel said. "He said, 'I just had to call you. I have this note here in my wallet. He didn't hit 40, but that's close enough. I just couldn't believe when you said that that day.'"

*

Hamels allowed two hits and one run in seven innings last night against the Padres ... and lost. The Padres won, 1-0, thanks to a strong performance from Chris Young.

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Hamels could become the franchise's first homegrown talent to win 20 games since Chris Short in 1966.

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Got a chance to talk last night with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (aka The 700 Level Sports Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Listen to the podcast here. Or I will kill you.

"Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diago ... I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago." -- Ron Burgundy.

Life certainly does not become easier for the Phillies this week, who open a four-game series tonight against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

Here's why:

Chris Young (8-3, 1.97 ERA) tonight.

Justin Germano (6-3, 3.55 ERA) tomorrow night.

David Wells (5-5, 4.15 ERA) on Saturday.

Jake Peavy (9-4, 2.30 ERA) on Sunday.

The Padres have the best pitching staff in baseball. It helps that the Padres play in one of the best pitchers' parks in baseball, but there is no question the Phillies have their hands full, as Ryan Howard suggested, after yesterday's 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Howard could be heating up, which would only help the Phillies the final two months of the season. He is hitting .297 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs in 47 games since he returned from the disabled list May 23 in Atlanta. Howard is hitting .211 against lefthanders this season, but leads the majors with 10 home runs against lefthanders. He also is tied for second in the majors with 27 RBIs against lefthanders.

*

It's official. The Phillies have signed No. 1 pick Joe Savery to a $1.3725 million contract, plus a college scholarship. He will join single-A Williamsport tomorrow.

*

ESPN's Buster Olney writes about a cool trade market. In regards to the market, Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin tells him, "Nothing this quiet, in all my years."

Like I've written ad nauseam, I just don't think the Phillies have the pieces to make a significant improvement before the July 31 trade deadline. But we will see.

*

ESPN's Jayson Stark comes up with a barrage of Phillies uselessness. (Apologies to those reads who do not have ESPN Insider.)

*

John Dewan's Stat of the Week lists the best defensive players at the all-star break, based on his Plus/Minus System.

A player with a +25 means he made 25 more plays than the average player at his position. Dewan determines that number by looking at each play hit in his direction and comparing what the player does with that play compared to all other players at his position. Every time a player catches a ball he receives a fraction between 0 and 1. A difficult play gets a larger fraction. An easy play gets a smaller fraction. If a player fails to make a play, he receives a negative fraction between 0 and 1. There's even more to it, but that's the jist.

Anyway, this is a very long-winded way of saying the only Phillies player to rank in the top five at any position is Chase Utley, who has a +16. That ranks him as the best defensive second baseman at the break. Interestingly, Utley ranks 12th amongst second basemen in baseball with a .985 fielding percentage. Placido Polanco, who has had no errors this season, isn't ranked in the top five according to Dewan's Plus/Minus System, so I'm not sure what to make of these numbers.

I guess if you're Utley you're happy.

If you're Polanco, you probably just roll your eyes.

*

Celebrity Sighting at Dodger Stadium: Chuck Liddell, who had a seat about five rows behind home plate. I pulled a Johnny Drama and ticked him off, but whatever. I'm not scared.

Tom Gordon revealed yesterday that he has a slight tear in the labrum in his right shoulder.

He and the Phillies hope he can pitch through it.

"We’re confident we can manage this year and hopefully the next year," Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

It's an interesting piece of information. Gordon certainly would not be the first pitcher to pitch through a tear in the labrum. Coincidentally, when I talked with Randy Wolf on Friday in San Francisco, he told me about the MRI he recently had on his shoulder. His shoulder looked almost pristine, which astounded his doctors. He said they were shocked because most pitchers who have pitched as long as Wolf typically have some sort of abnormality, whether that be a tear, slight tear or other wear. Wolf has pitched nine seasons in the big leagues. Gordon has pitched 19, so this revelation did not completely surprise me.

So what does this mean? Not much, other than we finally know what Gordon is up against and why he can't get "100 percent" healthy. He just has to hope he can manage it, like Amaro said. But I also think this gives us a better understanding why the Phillies moved Brett Myers into the bullpen earlier this season, and why they have no plans to return him to the rotation. They just cannot be certain Gordon will remain healthy and effective.

*

Yeah, the Phillies can hit.

They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers last night at Dodger Stadium, 15-3. They had a season-high 26 hits. Ryan Howard had two, two-run home runs. Shane Victorino tied a career high with five hits. Aaron Rowand set a career high with five hits. Chase Utley had two doubles, which gives him a league leading 39 this season. (He needs 21 more doubles to break the franchise record, which Chuck Klein set in 1930.) Even J.D. Durbin had three hits.

In their last three victories, the Phillies have scored 38 runs.

If they could only keep that up, they wouldn't have to worry about their pitching staff.

*

The Phillies needed just one more hit to tie a franchise record 27 hits, which they set in a 26-7 victory over the New York Mets on June 11, 1985. They also needed one more hit for the Dodgers to tie a franchise record with 27 hits allowed, which last happened June 8, 1940, at Cincinnati.

Update/Correction: Mike's Baseball Rants let us know that 27 hits isn't the franchise record. The franchise record is 36. The Phillies confirmed. Some of the records in the Phillies media guide go back only to 1900. But they will correct that and recognize 36 as the Phillies' record for hits in a game in the future.

*

The hitting is nice, but it should not be lost that Dubin pitched well. He allowed six hits and one run in six innings to earn his first big-league win.

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It's beginning to feel a little more like baseball in the Lehigh Valley. The triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs begin to play in April.

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Here's something you don't see every day. A petition asking Phillies fans to think positively.

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Celebrity Sighting at Dodger Stadium: Not nearly as strong as Monday's sighting of Eliza Dushku. In fact, it's not even in the same hemisphere, solar system or galaxy as far as I'm concerned. But Bucks County's Justin Guarini sang the National Anthem. And, I have to admit, he did a nice job.

Jamie Moyer tried to keep things in perspective last night at Dodger Stadium.

He has made 537 career starts.

He has won 223 of them.

He has lost 174 of them.

There will be good ones. There will be bad ones. But last night's 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium proved to be one of his worst. He allowed 10 runs in 5 1/3 innings, just the third time in his career he has allowed 10 or more runs in a start. Moyer dropped to 7-8 with a 4.99 ERA, and is 0-3 with a 10.06 ERA in his last three starts.

His last three starts are a concern.

J.D. Durbin (0-2, 13.50 ERA) pitches tonight. Kyle Kendrick (4-0, 3.82 ERA) pitches tomorrow. Cole Hamels (11-4, 3.83 ERA) opens the series in San Diego on Thursday and Adam Eaton (8-6, 5.98 ERA) pitches Friday.

Right now there's not a whole lot of consistency in that rotation. Really, it's Hamels and Kendrick. And although it has not happened, every rookie struggles at some point. Moyer obviously is struggling. Eaton has the second-worst ERA in baseball. Durbin is a stop gap. How are the Phillies going to put together a winning streak? How are they going to keep pace with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, even if Pat Gillick makes a trade at some point?

*

Charlie Manuel had a chance to pinch-hit for Moyer with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fourth inning and the Phillies trailing 6-1.

He did not.

Anybody who has watched this team this season knew the reason why Manuel stuck with Moyer, but we asked anyway.

"I thought about hitting for him there," Manuel said. "But then I looked up and thought, 'Where do we go with our bullpen?' He had about 60 pitches at that point. I definitely was thinking about it, but we talked it out. I didn't see where I could pinch-hit for him there."

Manuel thought Moyer had a better chance to keep his team in the game than pinch-hitting for Moyer and going with the bullpen. That says a lot.

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In today's Phillies Report, I look back at the past four July 31 trade deadlines and look at what could happen for the Phillies the next two weeks.

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Mike's Baseball Rants breaks down the Phillies' 10,000 losses.

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Celebrity Sighting at Dodger Stadium: Eliza Dushku. She totally wanted me to hang after the game, but I said, you know, "I got deadline. Sorry."

So what's the protocol here?

Celebrate it?

Ignore it?

Or thank the Lord it's finally over?

I choose Answer C. In case you have been living under a rock, the Phillies became the first team in history to lose 10,000 games. Personally, I am glad the hoopla is over. I'm sure the Phillies are, too. Really, what were they supposed to say after their 10-2 loss to St. Louis?

"I don't know much about 10,000 losses. I try to concentrate on wins," Charlie Manuel said. "We really didn't talk about the 10,000 losses."

"We were so stressed out about it," Adam Eaton said, tongue firmly in cheek. "If you're around for 125 years, you should be the first to get to a great milestone like that."

"We weren't worried about it; it was inevitable," Aaron Rowand said. "With 30 more losses, we're in the playoffs."

With 30 more losses, the Phillies are 87-75. Is that enough to get them into the playoffs? Probably not. That's why Bob Ford looks past the dubious milestone and focuses on what really matters: the pitching.

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Here are the pitching match ups for this week's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, which is one of my favorite ballparks. Dodger Stadium isn't the most beautiful ballpark out there. It has a certain cookie-cutter feel to it. But it also has one of the best views in baseball at Chavez Ravine, and there's just something inherently cool about watching a baseball game in Southern California.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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As The Inquirer reported Sunday, No. 1 pick Joe Savery has agreed to terms with the Phillies. He has NOT yet signed, but was in Philadelphia today for a physical.

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I missed yesterday's "historic" loss because I've been in California since the all-star break. I spoke Friday with Randy Wolf and Mike Lieberthal in San Francisco, where they talked about Life After the Phillies.

"It might actually be better than I expected," said Wolf, who signed a one-year contract to play for his hometown team. "You always hear those stories about guys who come back home and it becomes almost a burden with ticket requests and things like that. I haven't felt that at all. It's hard to really replace sleeping in your bed, playing at home. Plus it's exciting the way the National League West race is. We have like three rivalries. You have the Diamondack rivalry. The Padre rivalry. The Giant rivalry. It's been a lot of fun."

Wolf and Lieberthal played a combined 21 seasons with the Phillies, but they might have their best chance to make the postseason this season with the Dodgers.

*

I asked Wolf about the Phillies' 10,000th loss.

"It's one of the oldest franchises around, so of course they're going to have a bunch of losses," Wolf said. "They've had some rough times, but I think it's a benchmark that's made a bigger issue of than it should be. I think especially because the past five, six years, the Phillies have gone in the right direction and are winning more than they're losing. They haven't won any championships or any titles, but they're getting closer and closer. I think any past is going to creep up on the present."

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Tom Gordon has been activated for tonight's game against the Dodgers. Manuel said he will break in Gordon slowly. Gordon talks about it here.

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Photos from yesterday's loss.

Two games.

Twenty-thee runs.

Thirty-two hits.

Charlie Manuel put it best after yesterday's 10-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park: "There's an old saying, 'You've got to win the best way you can' If you score runs, that's how you've got to learn to win, I guess. When I was in Cleveland, we used to outhit people. There's nothing wrong with that. During the season, you can win some games that way. The postseason is where the pitching really shows up. It seems like the team with the best pitching usually comes out on top."

First thing first: the Phillies need to get there.

But to get there, they're going to need to outhit everybody.

*

Lefthander Joe Savery, the team's first-round pick, has agreed to a $1.37 million contract with the Phillies. He is expected to report to single-A Williamsport later this week.

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Bill Lyon salutes Phillies fans as their team needs just one more loss for its 10,000th in franchise history.

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Keep an eye on righthander Tom Gordon, who will throw a bullpen session today at Citizens Bank Park. If everything goes well, he could be activated tomorrow for the team's seven-game road trip through Los Angeles and San Diego. The Phillies can't afford another setback with Gordon, who hasn't pitched since May 1 because of a strained right rotator cuff. They need him back, assuming he is healthy.

Frankly, I think Gordon's uncertain health status is one reason why the Phillies never had plans to return closer Brett Myers to the rotation. The last time Gordon spoke with reporters, he said he hadn't been healthy since last June or July. So I'm not sure how much the Phillies feel they can count on him to stay healthy.

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Myers, who hasn't pitched since May 23 because of a strained right shoulder, is targeting July 24 for his return.

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The Inquirer's Sunday baseball question asks 10 questions about the second half of the season. Also check out Extra Bases, Message Sent and On Deck.

It looks like some people came to watch the Phillies make history last night at Citizens Bank Park.

But then Kip Wells showed up and started to throw baseballs.

The Phillies avoided their 10,000th loss in franchise history last night with a 13-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. I was not aware, but Bob Ford writes about all the ceremonies that had to be delayed as a result. Maybe the black balloons will fly tonight.

*

There was a banner hanging over the second deck that read: "7 Stadiums, 52 managers, 2,150 players, 10,000 loses."

To whom it may concern, it's losses.

Not loses.

What a looser.

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Charlie Manuel reiterated yesterday that he needs pitching help.

Read some previous blog posts here and here to understand why the Phillies cannot expect to make the postseason unless they bolster their pitching staff.

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Photos from last night's game.

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Tom Gordon will throw a bullpen session tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park and if he feels well he could join the team next week in Los Angeles.

He could help, if he is healthy.

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history." -- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

The Phillies have been in playoff contention three of the previous four seasons. In 2003, they started the second half of the season with the wild card lead. In 2005 and 2006, they had to play catch up. I guess it's no surprise the two years they had to play catch up, their pitching improved in the second half. I also guess it's no surprise the year they held the wild card lead they pitched worse in the second half to lose it.

2006
First Half: 40-47, 4.82 ERA.
Second Half: 45-30, 4.36 ERA.
The Phillies were in second place, 12 games behind the New York Mets at the all-star break. They held a July 31 fire sale, but resurrected their season and make an unexpected run to the NL wild card. They held the wild card lead with just a week to play, but went 3-4 the rest of the way to go home empty.

2005
First Half: 45-44, 4.51 ERA.
Second Half: 43-30, 3.86 ERA.
The Phillies were in fourth place, 7 1/2 games behind the Washington Nationals at the break. Thanks to stellar pitching, they held the wild card lead as late as Sept. 4. They finished the season just one game behind the Houston Astros for the NL wild card.

2003
First Half: 52-40, 3.55 ERA.
Second Half: 34-36, 4.70 ERA.
The Phillies were in second place, 8 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves. But they held the wild card lead at the break. But, go figure, their pitching struggled in the second half and they came up short, despite holding the wild card lead with eight games to play.

Recent history shows us the Phillies must get better pitching to have a chance in 2007. So for a moment, clear your head of the frustrations of Pat Burrell, Rod Barajas, Wes Helms, etc. Think pitching. Think Brett Myers, Tom Gordon, Geoff Geary, Adam Eaton, Kyle Kendrick, etc.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Gordon allowed five runs in just 1/3 inning Wednesday for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. That's troubling. He will pitch again tonight, but when I talked with Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. he said the Phillies won't bring back Gordon unless they feel he is ready.

How ready can he be?

(Amaro said Gordon came out of the appearance healthy, for whatever that's worth. He just pitched ineffectively.)

*

Geary is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in three appearances for triple-A Ottawa. In 5 2/3 innings, he has allowed eight hits and three runs. He has walked none and struck out five. Opponents have hit .308 against him.

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In case you have not heard, the Phillies are one loss from the 10,000th loss in franchise history. I expect there could be a sign or two at the balllpark this weekend, but what about foam fingers? Steal My Ideas has this version of the foam fingers to recognize the milestone.

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Marlon Byrd is tearing it up with the Texas Rangers.

It struck me once I compared the names.

The Phillies are at the halfway point, 44-44 and 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the National League East. But it's a miracle they're that close. Consider for a second the Phillies have used 25 pitchers this season, two short of the team record 27 pitchers used in 2000.

If you have to use 25 pitchers in 88 games, it's not a good sign.

In fact, it means two things: injuries and ineffectiveness.

The current Phillies have a 4.91 ERA, which ranks last in the National League and third-worst in baseball. The 2000 pitching staff had a 4.77 ERA, which ranked 11th in the league and 17th in baseball. That's right: the 2000 Phillies, which finished 65-97 to get Terry Francona fired, had better pitching than the 2007 Phillies. But that really does not hit home until you take a look at the names the Phillies have used this season and in 2000.

Here are the 25 pitchers used this season: Antonio Alfonseca, Joe Bisenius, Fabio Castro, Clay Condrey, J.D. Durbin, Adam Eaton, Anderson Garcia, Freddy Garcia, Geoff Geary, Tom Gordon, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Yoel Hernandez, Kyle Kendrick, Jon Lieber, Ryan Madson, Jose Mesa, Jamie Moyer, Brett Myers, J.C. Romero, Francisco Rosario, Brian Sanches, Zack Segovia, Matt Smith and Mike Zagurski.

Here were the 27 pitchers used in 2000: Scott Aldred, Andy Ashby, Kent Bottenfield, Jeff Brantley, Mark Brownson, Jason Boyd, Chris Brock, Kirk Bullinger, Paul Byrd, Bruce Chen, David Coggin, Omar Daal, Wayne Gomes, Mark Holzemer, Tom Jacquez, Trevor Miller, Doug Nickle, Vicente Padilla, Robert Person, Cliff Politte, Carlos Reyes, Curt Schilling, Steve Schrenk, Amaury Telemaco, Ed Vosberg, Bryan Ward and Randy Wolf.

The Phillies simply cannot make the playoffs this year unless they see significant improvements to their pitching staff. They will need Myers and Gordon to return to the bullpen, stay healthy and pitch effectively. And soon. And they will need Pat Gillick to acquire an effective pitcher for the rotation. Gillick is not optimistic at the moment that can happen, but there's no way he can expect Charlie Manuel to make the postseason with Durbin or Happ or Segovia in the rotation.

Buckle up, kids. The second half starts tomorrow night against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park.

*

Bob Ford writes how the next two weeks could be make or break for the Phillies.

*

Here's the transcript from the Internet chat I had earlier today.

I think that's like 50-straight victories for the American League in the All-Star Game.

Or is it 10?

Actually, it's a 10-year unbeaten streak because there's that silly tie from 2002 in Milwaukee. The NL has not won an All-Star Game since 1996 at Veterans Stadium. But Aaron Rowand almost snapped the streak in the bottom of the ninth inning in last night's 5-4 loss to the AL at AT&T Park. Rowand flied out to right field with the bases loaded and two outs to end the game. He said he hit the 0-1 fastball from Francisco Rodriguez on the sweet spot, but got a hair underneath it.

Rowand said he felt no jitters as he walked to the plate. He has been in big situations before, although this seemed a little bigger than a late-inning at-bat against the Reds or Pirates in a game in May or June.

But he said he did not think about the perfect script in his head beforehand.

"Afterward I would have thought about it," he said.

*

The tribute to Willie Mays before the game was one of the cooler things I've seen lately.

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Ken Griffey Jr. saved Cole Hamels a run in the fourth inning when he threw out Alex Rodriguez at home plate.

Hamels, who struck out Griffey in the first inning of his big-league debut last season, came away impressed.

"I know Shane (Victorino) could have done the same thing, too," said Hamels, who allowed two hits in a scoreless inning. "But (Griffey) was one of my heroes growing up so I'm glad he saved me in the All-Star Game."

*

Chase Utley went 0 for 2, but stayed in uniform until the end. Some starters shower and change before the end of the game, so they can either catch a flight or just leave.

Why stay, Chase?

"Support your teammates," Utley said. "We made a good run. Bases loaded. Two outs. I wanted to stick around, and especially support Aaron."

*

Alfonso Soriano hung next to Hamels on the railing in the NL dugout after he hit a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies pursued Soriano in the off-season, but the Chicago Cubs blew their offer out of the water.

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The All-Star Game won't be in Philadelphia in the near future. It's at Yankee Stadium in 2008 and Busch Stadium in 2009. There is a report the Los Angeles Angels are a candidate for 2010, with the New York Mets a candidate for 2011.

The Phillies last hosted an All-Star Game in 1996 at Veterans Stadium. I know everybody will say, "But the Pirates hosted last year and hosted at Three Rivers in 1994." I know this, but baseball basically did a favor for the Pirates. The Phillies don't need any favors because they have good attendance and are making money.

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Phillies fans must have enjoyed seeing Victor Martinez hit a two-run home run to left field in the top of the eighth inning off Billy Wagner. Or has everybody moved past that?

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Bud Selig has made no decision on seeing Barry Bonds break Hank Aaron's record.

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Musical acts I had the chance to see this week: Counting Crows, who performed before the Home Run Derby; Macy Gray, who performed during the All-Star Gala at Pier 30/32; Chris Isaak, who sang the National Anthem; and Paula Cole, who sang God Bless America.

It's tough, but I'm going to rank them from best to worst in terms of their performances: 1) Counting Crows did a fine job singing hits "Mr. Jones" and "Accidentally in Love." 2) Gray, but only by default. 3) Cole, who would have been first or second had her keyboard player not taken 15 minutes to set up, resulting in boos from a crowd that cheers Bonds with fervor. 4) Isaak, whose version of the anthem wouldn't have placed in the top five at the barbershop quarter convention last weekend in Denver.

Not in attendance during the all-star week festivities: Gin Blossoms, Hootie & The Blowfish, Blues Traveler, Live and Lisa Loeb, which really would have made me feel like I had taken a time machine back to the 1990s.

Somebody break out the flannel.

Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Henderson's dreams of a Home Run Derby three-peat ended quickly last night at AT&T Park.

Ryan Howard hit just three home runs in the first round to take an early elimination.

"I knew sooner or later this was going to end," Henderson said with a smile. "Unfortunately, he only hit three home runs. I was hoping we'd put up a better show. He was having a tough time seeing the ball early. ... Ryan couldn't tell how fast I was throwing. It's been a good run being here three years in a row. Hopefully, I'll be able to come next year in New York and we'll have a better result."

Both Howard and Henderson said the 5 o'clock shadows from the ballpark played a factor in his struggles. AT&T is a tough enough place to hit a home run for a lefthander, but it's even tougher when you can't see the ball. No hitter in the first round hit more than five home runs. Howard actually needed just one more homer to force a tiebreaker with Justin Morneau and Albert Pujols for a chance to advance to the second round.

The home runs became more plentiful in the later rounds when the shadows vanished.

So for Henderson, it just wasn't meant to be. He threw to Bobby Abreu, who won the derby for the Phillies in 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit. He also threw to Howard last year, when he won the derby at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. But maybe Henderson can take three of four with a victory next year at Yankee Stadium. He would like that.

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Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Aaron Rowand are enjoying their time in San Francisco.

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Phillies chairman Bill Giles tried to make a quick getaway yesterday at The Westin St. Francis hotel. But don't worry, we got him.

*

I have received numerous e-mails from baseball fans -- baseball fans, not Phillies fans -- around the country since Sunday about how impressed they were that the Phillies helped the struggling Colorado Rockies grounds crew. I'm talking about Rockies fans who say they are going to be pulling for the Phillies the rest of the season. I'm talking about casual fans, who have no true rooting interest with any team, who hope the Phillies make the playoffs. And, of course, Phillies fans chimed in, too.

Phil Sheridan writes a good column in today's paper about their efforts.

One of the questions I get the most from people is: How are the players? Good guys? Jerks?

I typically say the Phillies clubhouse is like any office, classroom or club. The majority of the people in there are good people. There are a couple bad eggs, but that could be said anywhere. Some of these guys put up a front because they do not like the media or media attention, but that does not mean they are terrible people. (Of course, my opinion changes if they are constantly making derogatory comments about the media under their breath.) But there are plenty of guys in that clubhouse you could sit down and have a beer with. Like I wrote in an earlier post, it definitely was one of the coolest things I've seen on the field. But I also wasn't surprised, either.

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Shane Victorino talks about the helping the Rockies grounds crew.

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Barry Bonds will be the center of attention tonight at the All-Star Game.

*

I think people -- people, not hardcore baseball fans -- associate the Phanatic with the Phillies more than Ryan Howard or Chase Utley or even Mike Schmidt. That became apparent a couple minutes ago when the mascots from the American League and National League were announced before tonight's Home Run Derby at AT&T Park.

Every mascot received polite applause.

But the loudest applause -- other than the Giants' mascot -- was for the Phillie Phanatic. And it wasn't even close. I'm no mascot expert, but the Phanatic is the best mascot in baseball. The Phanatic is actually, you know, funny. The Phanatic was the only mascot to give two thumbs down to the AL mascots. He shook his head when the Pirate Parrot was introduced. He's got the best moves. And his best bit is when he streaks across the field at Citizens Bank Park.

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The Counting Crows are playing live before the derby. They opened with Mr. Jones. They followed with Accidentally in Love. They're going to be running out of hits soon, so this better be a short set. I mean, do we really want to hear deep cuts from the Crows?

I kid, I kid.

I've seen some crazy stuff since I started covering the Phillies, but I have never seen anything close to what I watched yesterday at Coors Field.

Almost the entire Phillies team stormed the field like a MASH unit before the seventh inning in the 8-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Rain forced the grounds crew to put the tarp on the field, but because of incredibly strong winds they could not. Not only could they not, but a few crew members were swallowed by the tarp as it turned into a tidal wave. One Denver-based reporter afterward asked every player if they thought about the consequences of their actions (i.e. you could have hurt yourself out there!). That seemed like a very silly question to me, but each player answered it the same way:

"Uh, because it looked like people were in trouble."

The same reporter also asked every player why the Colorado Rockies weren't out there helping.

Surprisingly, none of them said, "Dude, why don't you ask them?"

But seriously, I thought it was pretty cool they ran out there and did that. They got a nice ovation from Rockies fans, too.

"We saved two or three guys there, didn't we?" Charlie Manuel said.

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The Phillies enter the break 44-44 and 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the National League East. They should feel fortunate to be where they are with the injuries they've suffered, but it's clear the Phillies need to add a fifth starter.

Does Manuel think it will be resolved soon?

"Probably a couple years from now maybe," he said with a smile. "If we can get somebody, we'll get it right."

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Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Henderson is fired up for tonight's Home Run Derby at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Ryan Howard said he is looking forward to it, too.

He said he could not care less if he wins, but I have to think he does. Otherwise, why go? Howard is a prideful person and I'm sure he would not be happy to go up there and go homerless.

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Chicago White Sox righthander Mark Buehrle just signed a four-year, $56 million contract extension. So, yeah, cross him off your wish list. Not that the Phillies had a real shot at him anyway.

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The Phillies last night at Coors Field lost for the 9,999th time in franchise history.

One more loss and they reach the magical 10,000.

"There's room for improvement," catching instructor Mick Billmeyer joked today.

People have been asking me if the players are talking about it. No, they're not. And why would they? Most of these guys have had almost nothing to do with this franchise's ineptness over 125 years. But last night's 6-3 loss proved to be more of the same. If this team can't score six or more runs, they just don't have a chance to win. Charlie Manuel expressed his frustrations afterward when he talked about players not knowing where they stand with the team. It's his way of saying, "Help! I need better pitching!"

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Tom Gordon could be back by the weekend. Brett Myers could be back by July 24.

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Phil Sheridan writes about how it's not too late for the Phillies to turn things around, and avoid being talked about in Philadelphia like fans talk about those great Reggie White-led Eagles teams.

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The Inquirer's Sunday baseball column: The first-half MVPs, Cy Youngs, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year. Plus Extra Bases and On Deck,

Results from a global poll revealed the new Seven Wonders of the World.

It made me think, what are the seven most impressive big-league ballparks?

I came up with a list. My criteria? I didn't really have a specific criteria, other than I chose ballparks that I consider the most enjoyable places to watch baseball. Because that's the point, isn't it? To have fun? That could be something as simple as a great view, the atmosphere inside and outside the ballpark or the history of the ballpark.

Spoiler Alert: RFK and Shea did not make the list.

Here are my Seven Ballparks of the World:

1. Wrigley Field - For my money, Wrigley has the best atmosphere inside and outside a ballpark. Hit Wrigleyville beforehand for some food and beverages, move inside for some food and beverages, and, well, hit Wrigleyville again after the game.
2. Fenway Park - A close second to Wrigley. Fenway is just an impressive place the first time you walk in. I compare it to walking into Lambeau Field, although maybe I'm biased because I grew up in Wisconsin. But get some chowda at one of the Legal Seafoods stands or a sausage outside the park beforehand.
3. PNC Park - The best view at any ballpark. And can you believe it's in Pittsburgh? The Pirates definitely did this place right. Now about the team ...
4. Oriole Park at Camden Yards - The first retro ballpark and still a classic. Now about the team ...
5. Dodger Stadium - Another great view. There are better looking ballparks, but this is just a cool place to watch a game. Maybe it's because I sense Vin Scully's presence, and Scully is ultimately cool.
6. AT&T Park - A great ballpark for food and it's in a great location on the water. It gets bonus points for being in San Francisco, which is one of my favorite stops on the road.
7.

I'm torn with No. 7. I personally think Yankee Stadium is overrated. Yes, yes, yes, I understand the history there. But drop Yankee Stadium in Cincinnati and it's Riverfront Stadium. I can't decide between Citizens Bank Park or Coors Field for my No. 7 spot. The Bank has great food and a decent view of the city skyline, although it loses points for the gaudy "theme tower" that blocks the view and because it's located in a parking lot in South Philadelphia. Coors Field also is a good-looking ballpark with a fun atmosphere outside in the LoDo section of town.

Suggestions are welcome.

I have been away from the team for a week, so last night kind of struck me.

The Phillies bullpen blew a three-run lead in last night's 7-6 loss in 11 innings to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The pitchers Charlie Manuel had to count on? Lefthander Mike Zagurski, who opened the season in single-A Clearwater. Righthander Jose Mesa, who the Detroit Tigers released earlier this month. Lefthander J.C. Romero, who the Boston Red Sox released earlier this month. Righthander Antonio Alfonseca, who only had one other team offer him a big-league contract in the off-season. And righthander J.D. Durbin, who was with four organizations in a span of 17 days earlier this season.

Manuel, who is in the final season of his contract, has no chance.

The Phillies have to try to stay close until Brett Myers and Tom Gordon come back. I hear both are expected back before the end of the month. Gordon is close, unless he suffers a setback. Myers throws a bullpen session today at Coors Field. If it goes well, he could head out for a rehab assignment.

Again, for what it's worth, I hear both are expected back before the end of the month.

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Manuel said righthander Ryan Madson was unavailable last night.

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Chris Coste made his second straight start last night, and he seems to understand his performance has no bearing on his standing with the team. It sounds like Manuel would love to keep him. But if recent history is any indicator, the front office will continue with Rod Barajas and Carlos Ruiz.

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In case anybody missed it, former Phillies pitcher Ryan Franklin signed a two-year extension with the St. Louis Cardinals.

This just shows how desperate teams are for good pitching. Franklin is having a great season, but the Cardinals certainly wasted no time extending him.

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There's a barbershop harmony convention in Denver this weekend, and no fewer than a billion of them are staying at my hotel. I've heard plenty of singing like this so far.

Last year I was in San Diego for Comic-Con, where you run into people like this.

What's next?

There have been 74 contracts in baseball history that have been $50 million or more. Pat Burrell has one of them and he is one of just four $50 million position players to never have made an all-star team.

J.D. Drew, Adrian Beltre and Eric Chavez are the others.

Burrell, who makes $13 million this season, is on pace to finish 2007 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs. That's $684,210 for every home run hits. That's $203,215 for every run he knocks in. He also makes $80,246 for every game, whether he plays or not. That's some pretty serious coin for some pretty poor numbers.

So, what to do?

Stick with him and hope he plays out of it?

Trade him?

Release him?

Send him to the minors to work on his swing?

First, Burrell can't be sent to the minors because of the service time he has accrued. So that's out. Burrell also is next to impossible to trade. (The Phillies have been trying since Pat Gillick arrived.) I know a lot of people say, "Well, just eat his contract and trade him." But what team is going to take Burrell, even if they're only responsible for $3 million of his $14 million contract next season? It might be a short list, and Burrell has complete veto power of any trade. Release him? That seems unlikely because I'm sure the Phillies would trade him before they release him.

I think the Phillies are stuck with Burrell and have to hope he plays out of it. I'm sure they hope Burrell, who has put up very productive seasons in 2002 and 2005, will be productive next season in his free agent year.

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Here is a comprehensive list of the 74 players with $50 million or more contracts.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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According to Baseball Reference, Burrell's career numbers are most similar to Glenn Davis, Cliff Johnson and Glenallen Hill, if Burrell stopped playing baseball today. But his career will continue on, so here's something even more interesting (and perhaps puzzling): Baseball Reference says Burrell's numbers through age 29 are most similar to Gil Hodges.

Hey, that's what it says.

But from what I see, Burrell looks much more comparable at his age to Willie Horton or Pete Incaviglia than Hodges. Or maybe I'm just reading the chart wrong.

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The pitching matchups for this weekend's series against the Rockies. I guess the Phillies have to hope the Rockies hitters are tired from beating the tar out of the Mets this week, right?

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The Phillies' record while I was away: 2-5.

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The ability to post Comments has been temporarily disabled. It seems spam is making life hell for our servers or something ... and all this time I thought it was Phillies fans sending me e-mails and comments about real estate opportunities, royalty that will send me millions for a $10,000 fee and male enhancement drugs. (Update: It looks like Comments are back.)