The Zo Zone

Your thoughts?

There's not much left to say.

Win today and the Phillies, who lost 4-2 yesterday to the Nationals to drop them into a first-place tie with the Mets in the NL East, are guaranteed at least a one-game playoff tomorrow against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Lose and they could be eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the season for the second time in three years.

The Phillies have made countless preparations for the postseason. They had to. They have ordered the champagne. They have printed the tickets. They have figured out how to handle the extra media. I asked Aaron Rowand yesterday if he thought the rolled up plastic sheets suspended over their lockers -- they will unfurl them during a champagne celebration -- could be a distraction or add to their burden.

He said not at all.

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Tiebreaker tickets sold here.

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One thing is certain: the Phillies need a good start from Jamie Moyer. Jim Salisbury writes about how much Moyer can relate to the fans in the stands as he takes the mound today.

Salisbury also takes a look at baseball's postseason awards.

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Like some readers mentioned yesterday, one more Chico tries to spoil another Phillies pennant run:

Chico Ruiz.

Matt Chico.

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Charlie Manuel showed just how much faith he has in Adam Eaton when he pulled him with runners on first and second with one out in the third inning:

None.

And why should he? Like David Aldridge writes today, Eaton has shown the Phillies nothing this season. Certainly not a knack for pitching well in a big game. He finishes the year 10-9 with a 6.29 ERA. His ERA would be the worst in baseball, if he had enough innings to qualify. He has not had a quality start since July 3, a stretch of 13-consecutive starts. There's no question the Phillies coaching staff is very, very frustrated with Eaton, who Pat Gillick signed to a three-year, $24.5 million contract in the off-season (a contract that almost everybody in baseball considered a bad signing at the time). That's the sickest part for Phillies fans. Eaton makes $7.635 million next season and $8.5 million in 2008. Of course, the Phillies and Eaton also have a $10 million mutual option for 2009 with a $500,000 buyout. He will not be easy to trade, but can the Phillies look their fans in the eye and tell them they expect to compete next season with Eaton in the rotation?

Because of the money he is guaranteed, they might have no choice.

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Phil Sheridan was up in New York watching the Amazin's.

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If the Phillies have a playoff tomorrow, Rich Dubee hinted that they might have Kyle Kendrick pitch on short rest.

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The Nationals are trying to be spoilers, even though they don't like to be called spoilers.

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Kyle Lohse said he would like to pitch today if he can.

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Magglio Ordonez, Placido Polanco Stay Up All Night Talking About Favorite Hitting Situations

Jimmy Rollins' January proclamation could become one of the most memorable sentences in Philadelphia sports history today -- actually, it probably already is -- with a Phillies victory over the Nationals, and a Mets loss to the Marlins.

If that happens, the Mets will have blown a seven-game lead in the NL East with 17 games to play -- something that has never happened in baseball history.

If that happens, Philadelphia will have October baseball for the first time since 1993.

Unbelievable.

The Phillies beat the Nationals last night at Citizens Bank Park, 6-0. The Mets lost to the Marlins, 7-4. Most of the Phillies watched the Mets' final out on TV from the food room behind closed doors. But a few players watched from the clubhouse with a gaggle of reporters around them. Antonio Alfonseca yelled, "Pop up! Pop up!" for the final out. A couple others clapped briefly. There were smiles, but no celebration. No jumping and hollering.

They're not in yet. They're one up with two to play.

They seem very aware of that.

But with a victory today and a little help from the Marlins, they will be.

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Bob Ford takes a look at everything that is going on around here.

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David Aldridge takes a look at everything that is going on up there.

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Cole Hamels pitched brilliantly last night, and he did something that not a lot of people probably expected him to do: he stayed away from his killer changeup early and instead relied on his fastball and curveball. It worked. Hamels mixed in his changeup in the later innings and had the Nationals completely baffled.

Eight innings. Six hits. One walk. No runs. Thirteen strikeouts.

He is set up to pitch Game 1 of the NLDS on Wednesday. As it stands, the Phillies would play the Padres in the first round. The Cubs would play the Diamondbacks in the other series.

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Rollins keeps on going and going and going. He set baseball's all-time single-season record for at-bats last night, passing Willie Wilson's 705 at-bats in 1980. This record says a few things: 1) Rollins is an excellent leadoff hitter, which is why he remains at the top of the lineup. 2) He is remarkably durable. 3) He plays on one of the best offenses in baseball.

MVP? I think his chances shoot up 100 percent if the Phillies make the playoffs. I think Matt Holliday and Prince Fielder have chances to get top three votes, but I can't see them edging Rollins at this point.

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The Phillies turn their eyes to Adam Eaton, who needs to pitch well today to keep the Phillies in sole possession of first.

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Remember 1964? It seems the Phillies blew a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 games to play to lose the NL pennant. Or something like that. Yeah, well, members of that '64 team are mostly sympathetic to the Mets. Because better than anybody they know that helpless sinking feeling.

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Fans lined up early yesterday for standing-room only tickets. They were not disappointed.

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Not to be Debbie Downer, but if something bad happens in the NL East, the Phillies remain a game behind the Padres, who lead the NL wild-card race.

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The Phillies e-mailed this news release just a few minutes ago:

PHILLIES ANNOUNCE TICKET PLANS FOR POTENTIAL TIE-BREAKER GAME(S)

With so many teams bunched in the wild National League races, the potential exists that the Phillies could host a tie-breaker game or two at Citizens Bank Park next week.

Seven NL teams are within two games of postseason status, either as a division champion or a wild card berth.

Several scenarios exist for potential tie-breakers. Among the possibilities are a game at Citizens Bank Park on Monday and another one on Tuesday.

In order to prepare and plan, the Phillies are announcing that tickets will go on public sale once the tie-breaking game has been deemed necessary.

Full season ticket holders (81 games) have been mailed their locations. Season ticket holders and E-Mail Club members will be offered the opportunity to purchase tie-breaker tickets in advance of the public sale.

Tickets may be purchased on Sunday (once a game has been deemed necessary) via the following outlets:

ONLINE: www.phillies.com.
When ordering via the internet, the Phillies suggest choosing the convenient “print at home” option. Access to the internet is available 24 hours a day.

PHONE CENTER: (215) 463-1000. Again, once the game has been deemed necessary, the Phone Center will be open Sunday until 10:00 p.m. . . . Phone lines will open again at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. The Phillies suggest fans choose the “print at home” option or pick up their will call tickets well in advance of the game, either Sunday night or early Monday morning.

IN PERSON: Two Citizens Bank Park locations: (1) First Base Gate ticket windows (on Pattison Avenue) and (2) West ticket windows (on Citizens Bank Way, adjacent to the Majestic Clubhouse Store). Hours: Sunday until 10:00 p.m. The ticket windows will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday.

“With the unique circumstances surrounding the potential tie-breaker game(s), we strongly suggest our fans use the convenient ‘print at home’ option on the internet or pick up their tickets well in advance of the game,” said John Weber, Vice President, Sales and Ticket Operations.

One weekend decides everything.

It's hard to believe, huh? The Phillies opened spring training in February. They have played 159 games. They overcame a 4-11 start. They overcame injuries to Freddy Garcia, Jon Lieber, Chase Utley, Brett Myers, Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and others. They overcame one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball. But after seven months of playing, traveling and practically living together, they find themselves tied with the Mets in the NL East with just three games to go.

Best weekend takes all.

The Phillies beat the Braves last night at Citizens Bank Park, 6-4, to move into that first-place tie with the Mets. The ballpark had an incredible atmosphere. Fans waved their white rally towels. They roared whenever the score from the Mets game changed on the out-of-town scoreboard in right field. Those same rally towels later rained upon the field after Myers struck out Kelly Johnson to win the game.

The Phillies control their fate.

It's exactly what they wanted.

Now they just have to take advantage.

Update: I just heard this weekend's series against the Nationals is SOLD OUT.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Jim Salisbury talks about the Phillies waking up this morning in first place in the NL East.

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Willie Randolph got vocal with his players after last night's 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium.

According to the New York Daily News, The players, clearly shaken but trying to stay optimistic, were whispering about "fighting" and "not giving up" when Randolph cruised through and spoke loud enough to make sure everyone heard him.

"We're gonna win this thing!"

Gotta try something, right? The Mets could be the first team in baseball history to blow a seven-game lead with 17 games to play and not make the postseason.

The Mets look like beaten men. But they still have a lot of talent, and one weekend to turn things around. They host the Marlins this weekend. It's not over yet.

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Pat Burrell hit a two-run home run in the third inning that ultimately proved to be the game-winner. It has been a remarkable roller coaster season for Burrell, who was hitting .201 on July 1.

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Cole Hamels starts tonight against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. He said he is not worried about his pitch count. Charlie Manuel would not say how long he would let Hamels pitch -- that makes sense because if he removes Hamels before his pitch count he is ripped for a quick hook, if he pulls him after his pitch count he is ripped for potentially blowing out his elbow -- but I would guess somehwere around 100 pitches.

The pitching match ups for this weekend's do-or-die series against the Nationals.

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Here's what the NL contenders faces this weekend. And here's what would happen if there is a five-way tie.

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Phil Sheridan and Bob Ford talk about the Phillies' bullpen.

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Betty Santagada and Rose Rivello have been at every game at the Bank this season, but have not seen one pitch. Talk about torture.

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Photos from last night's game.

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The Phillies just sent out a news release about ticket availability this weekend. Click the link below to read that release.

Did you see the New York Mets last night?

They look totally lost.

"Seems to me we're all waiting to lose," Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca confirmed last night after a 9-6 loss to the Nationals.

That's good news for the Phillies, who find themselves one game behind the Mets in the National League East with just four games to play. The Phillies beat the Braves last night at Citizens Bank Park, 5-2. Can the Mets really keep losing? They play the Cardinals tonight at Shea before playing three this weekend against the Marlins. Can the Phillies really keep winning? They have to beat John Smoltz tonight, and then play three this weekend against the Nationals ... the same team that just spanked the Mets.

Kyle Kendrick, it's up to you.

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The Phillies remain a game behind the Padres in the NL wild card race. I think the Phillies might need to win their remaining four games to get into the postseason because with so many teams bunched together in the NL West, 3-1 might not be enough to get the job done.

Unless the Mets continue their free fall.

If the Phillies and Mets finish in a tie, there's a one-game playoff Monday in Philly.

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Jim Salisbury talks about how Kendrick passed on an opportunity to play college football at Washington State to sign with the Phillies, and how the Phillies are reaping the rewards.

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The Phillies badly needed a quality start from Kyle Lohse last night. They got one. And David Aldridge explains why they badly needed Lohse to step up: It helps the bullpen. It helps the offense. It helps everybody.

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Chipper Jones had a big, big, big, big error in the third inning last night.

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The Phillies are miffed that Braves righthander Rafael Soriano has not been suspended after having his hearing for a four-game suspension Tuesday in Philadelphia. I talked with a team source yesterday who said a ruling after a hearing is immediate almost 100 percent of the time. That could be big if Soriano is available and pitches tonight in the series finale. He has been unhittable for more than a month.

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Optimistic and cheerful Philly fans? Huh? Actually, I will say the crowd has been very good the last couple nights, despite the fact that they have not had 40,000 show up.

Brett Myers? Your thoughts?

"I just want to see that upper deck full [tonight]," Myers said. "I want so many people here that I can't even get home because of the traffic. I think that's what we all want to see. I know it's a school night, but come on. Let's go. Let's get it done."

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Photos from last night's game.

It's not a fatal blow, but each loss moves them closer and closer to that moment.

The Phillies had an opportunity to keep their lead in the National League wild card race last night at Citizens Bank Park. They also had a chance to move within one game of the first-place Mets in the NL East. But the Phillies could not hold a one-run lead in a 10-6 loss to the Braves.

The Phillies hope they aren't repeating history.

They led the NL wild-card race with eight games to play in 2003 but finished 1-7 to wind up far behind the Florida Marlins. They shared the wild-card lead with 16 games to play in 2005 but ended up one game behind the Houston Astros despite a 10-6 finish. They shared the wild-card lead with six games to play last season but went 3-3 to finish three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

They have missed the playoffs by a combined four games in the last two seasons.

Now they're tied with the Rockies, a game behind the Padres in the wild card. And they remain two behind the Mets.

They have just five to play.

The Phillies might need to win their remaining five to make the playoffs.

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Jim Salisbury wonders if the Phillies are going to rebound like they have so many times this year or are back-to-back losses in the final week of the season an indication the Phillies will come up short?

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They have to beat Tim Hudson tonight and John Smoltz tomorrow night to keep in the hunt.

Sure, no problem.

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In the Phillies notebook: why the Phillies shuffled the rotation and David Montgomery talking about Pat Gillick's plans to retire after 2008. I also talked with Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., who many think is the heir apparent to Gillick. Amaro, whose quotes didn't make the paper, said he didn't consider that a surprise. It had been assumed by many -- there had been talk since the summer that Gillick planned to return to Seattle, although he dismissed speculation he would join the Mariners in a front office or ownership capacity -- that Gillick would not work past his contract.

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The fans put on a good show last night, until Geoff Geary allowed the tying run and two more runs to score in the sixth inning.

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Photos from last night's game.

As expected, the Phillies bumped Adam Eaton in the rotation.

He had been scheduled to start Thursday against Atlanta, but instead he will start Saturday against Washington. Cole Hamels will start Friday. So in essence the rotation looks like this the rest of the way: Jamie Moyer tonight, Kyle Lohse tomorrow night, Kendrick on Thursday, Hamels on Friday, Eaton on Saturday and Moyer on Sunday.

It should be noted that Game 1 of the NLDS is next Wednesday.

That means the Phillies have lined up Hamels to pitch a potential Game 1, and pitch twice in that series if needed.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

Fans have been watching the Phillies in record numbers this season.

They should be tuned in tonight.

It's knotted up with six games to go, folks. The reeling Padres lost last night to the Giants to push the Phillies into a first-place tie in the National League wild-card race. (Keep an eye on those Rockies, everybody. They could be big trouble.) So here we are again: It's late in the season and the Phillies control their destiny. They had the wild card lead with eight games to play in 2003, but finished 1-7. They had the wild card lead with 16 games to play in 2005, but finished one game behind the Astros. And last season they had the wild-card lead with six games to play, but finished three behind the Dodgers.

Can they finally make it happen?

They wanted the opportunity. They have it. Now they have to play three against a tough Braves team that is not dead yet, and certainly would love nothing more than to spoil the Phillies' postseason plans. But according to Baseball Prospectus' postseason odds report, the Phillies are the favorites to win the wild card. It gives the Phillies a 47.7 percent chance to win the wild card. The Padres (27.1 percent) and Rockies (12.2 percent) follow behind them.

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Here's what happens if there is a tie for the wild card in the NL East, where the Mets' lead has shrunk to two. Baseball Prospectus gives the Phillies a 9 percent chance to win the division.

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Charlie Manuel might need to make the playoffs to keep his job.

Pat Gillick remains non-committal about his manager's future, despite the fact Manuel has his team in this spot after countless injuries and one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball. He offered slight praise of Manuel yesterday, but also would not say if Manuel had done enough to keep his job. Why? Maybe Gillick honestly does not want to talk about it. But while there has been speculation elsewhere that Manuel is very likely to return, there are indications inside the organization that Manuel's return is not a slam dunk.

Sometimes you have to read between the lines. Ed Wade strongly defended Larry Bowa for years every time his job status came up. But once Wade had doubts, he said he no longer would give daily updates about his manager. Read between the lines. David Montgomery did not return phone calls about Wade's job status from the final week of the 2005 season until the first week after the season. Read between the lines. If Gillick knew he wanted Manuel back, don't you think he would lean over to Manuel one day and say, "Relax, Charlie. We'll take care of you." He hasn't, at least as far as what Manuel has told us. Read between the lines, and remember Gillick evaluated Manuel after last season.

Do I think Manuel will be back? If I had to guess I'd say it's more likely than unlikely. But if this team fails to make the playoffs, I would not be surprised if he is not. Gillick's contract expires after 2008. He might want to bring in his own guy for one last run before he walks away from Philly.

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In this week's Phillies Report, we look at Tom Gordon's resurgence, how the Phillies could be the best base stealers in baseball history and, yes, the bat-sniffing habits of Chris Coste. Speaking of bat sniffing -- did I just write that? -- Coste is not alone. Ted Williams, Don Mattingly and Wade Boggs also sniffed their bats.

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Phil Sheridan writes about the two small guys in Philly who have had a major impact on two offenses in Philly: Jimmy Rollins and Brian Westbrook. Rollins continues his run to NL MVP tonight. Westbrook hopefully continues to score touchdowns for my fantasy football team.

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I learned with a little help from a friend (code name: The A-Train) that the Phillies will have alternate home uniforms next season.

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Pitching match ups for this week's series against the Braves.

If you pay real close attention, you might have noticed that every Tuesday in The Inquirer's Phillies Report, I mention the Phillies' postseason odds.

Those numbers come courtesy of Baseball Prospectus.

The Phillies today have a 48.27 percent chance to make the playoffs with six games to play. According to Baseball Prospectus, "the post-season odds report was compiled by running a Monte Carlo simulation of the rest of the season one million times. Current wins, losses and expected winning percentages are taken from the Adjusted
Standings Report."

But here's the interesting thing about the latest report. The Phillies, who trail the San Diego Padres by a 1/2 game in the NL wild-card race and the Mets by 2 1/2 games in the NL East, have better odds than the Padres (43.82 percent chance). Interesting. Maybe that's because the Padres finish their season with seven on the road in San Francisco and Milwaukee, while the Phillies finish with six at home against Atlanta and Washington.

Do I like the Phillies' chances?

Yes, I do. But there's trouble on the horizon: Tim Hudson on Wednesday and John Smoltz on Thursday.

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Time is running out, and if the Phillies miss the playoffs by a game they might remember Sunday's 5-3 loss to Washington as another lost opportunity.

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Should the Phillies have allowed Cole Hamels to exceed his pitch count? He threw 76 pitches, with Charlie Manuel saying Saturday that Hamels would throw around 75.

It's an interesting debate. You often hear pitchers, pitching coaches and managers talk about how hard innings are. Were they a struggle? Were they relatively easy? I think Hamels probably could have pitched another inning without taxing his left elbow, which forced him to miss more than a month. He had retired the final eight batters he faced, and he said he thought he had another 10 to 15 pitches in him.

But, naturally, the catch is Hamels overextending himself and reinjuring himself -- and the potential short-term and long-term damage that goes along with that.

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Personally, even before Hamels was removed, I said in the press box that the offense was costing them big. They had stranded eight runners in the first six innings. A big hit here or there and perhaps Manuel uses his bullpen differently.

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Jim Salisbury writes about how this late in the season, even an 8-2 road trip might not be good enough.

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Ryan Howard could set the single-season strikeout record with a strikeout tomorrow night against Atlanta. He has 195 strikeouts, which ties Adam Dunn's mark set in 2004.

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A little tease for tomorrow's Phillies Report: I ask a player about his bat-sniffing habits.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Think there's a chance a Phillies chant breaks out today at the Linc?

Just wondering.

The Phillies beat the Nationals last night at RFK Stadium, 4-1, in 10 innings to move within a 1/2 game of the San Diego Padres in the NL wild-card race with just seven games to play. They remain 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East.

The Padres try to avoid a sweep later today against the Rockies. Then they hit the road for their final seven games, three against San Francisco and four against the Brewers. The Phillies have off tomorrow -- the bullpen should love that -- before playing their final six games at home, three against the Braves and three against the Nationals.

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Bob Ford writes about the hap, hap, happiest place on earth.

Wally World?

No, kids. Not Wally World.

RFK Stadium.

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The Phillies are so frustrated with Adam Eaton they aren't sure when he will pitch next.

It's hard to blame them.

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Jim Salisbury talks to former Phillies general manager Ed Wade in The Inquirer's Sunday baseball column. Wade, who became the Houston Astros GM last week, answers questions about trading Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen, firing Terry Francona and -- most important -- parachuting into a tree this summer while skydiving.

Also check out Extra Bases.

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People magazine and MLB have teamed up to find baseball's sexiest fan. They had talked about finding baseball's sexiest beat writer, but they decided they couldn't take the circulation hit.

The Phillies announced righthander Scott Mathieson will have surgery on his right arm Monday. Phillies doctor Michael Ciccotti will perform an "ulnar nerve transposition" on Mathieson.

Mathieson is expected to be ready by spring training in February.

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Righthander Zack Segovia had surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday. He also is expected to be ready by spring training.

It's a two-race race again.

The Phillies and New York Mets both won last night, but the the San Diego Padres lost to Colorado to move the Phillies within 1 1/2 games of first place in the NL wild-card race. The Phillies remain 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East.

So the Phillies trail by two in the loss column in both races with eight games to play.

Could a 6-2 finish get them into the playoffs? It would mean the Mets or Padres would have to finish no better than 5-4 to force a one-game playoff.

The Mets finish the weekend against the Marlins, then head home for seven against the Nationals, Cardinals and Marlins. As bad as the Mets are playing, I'm not sure I can find four losses there. The Padres finish the weekend against the Rockies, then play seven on the road next week against San Francisco and Milwaukee. I can find four losses there, especially with the Brewers playing so well at home this season.

But the Phillies simply need to keep winning. They got a decent effort from Adam Eaton in last night's 6-3 victory over the Nationals at RFK Stadim, so it makes you think anything is possible.

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Bob Ford tells us how important the bullpen -- yes, that bullpen -- has been in this late season surge.

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Jimmy Rollins' third-inning single made baseball history.

It gave him 200 hits. And according to Elias Sports Bureau, it meant Rollins became the first player in baseball history to have 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season. Ten players have had 200 hits, 15 triples and 25 home runs in a season, but none of those players had more than 20 stolen bases.

Like I wrote in Tuesday's Phillies Report, that 200-15-25 list includes:

Dale Alexander in 1929.
Earl Averill in 1936.
Joe DiMaggio in 1936 and 1937.
Lou Gehrig in 1927, 1930 and 1931.
Hank Greenberg in 1935.
Chuck Klein in 1932.
Stan Musial in 1948.
Jim Rice in 1977 and 1978.
Jimmy Rollins in 2007.
Babe Ruth in 1921.
Al Simmons in 1930.

But like I said, none of those players had more than 20 stolen bases (Klein had 20 in 1932). All except Alexander and Rice are in the Hall of Fame. Five of those players also won MVP honors: Gehrig in 1927, Klein in 1932, Greenberg in 1935, Musial in 1948, and Rice in 1978. (There were no MVP awards in 1921 or 1930.)

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Phil Sheridan and Ford discuss Rollins' chance to be National League MVP.

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You might have noticed philly.com's new design. I felt a little like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer when I turned on my computer this morning. But I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Could the Mets really blow this thing?

The Phillies have nine games to play, which means there is a looooooooong way to go. But they wake up today 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the National League East, following last night's 7-6 comeback victory over the Nationals at RFK Stadium.

But I have one concern: the bullpen.

They have pitched very well the last three games. But Brett Myers and Tom Gordon each have pitched six times in the last seven games, and J.C. Romero has pitched seven times in the last eight games. The Phillies will need the Big Three pitching effectively these final nine games to have a shot at the postseason.

How much more can they be pushed?

Will they be available tonight with Adam Eaton on the mound?

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It might be NL East or bust. The Padres maintained their 2 1/2 game lead in the NL wild-card race.

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Jim Salisbury tells us how valuable Jayson Werth and Romero have been in this late season push.

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Billy Wagner has been battling back spasms, which is why he could not pitch in Florida. Wagner said he is day to day, which could mean more late-inning meltdowns for the Mets.

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It's official.

Ed Wade is the new GM of the Houston Astros.

He parachuted into Houston for a news conference yesterday.

Ba-dum-bump.

Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. finished second to Wade. Amaro remains a rumored candidate for the GM vacancy in Pittsburgh, although the Pirates have not contacted him for an interview. But if the Pirates look elsewhere, look for Amaro to be a favorite once Pat Gillick leaves Philadelphia. Gillick's contract expires after 2008, and many expect him to leave afterward. He denied rumors this summer that he could be headed back to Seattle, where he bought a home in the off-season. But those rumors persist. And quite often where there is smoke there is fire.

I will be very interested to see Wade's work in Houston. Like Amaro said yesterday, Wade's fingerprints are all over these Phillies: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick, Brett Myers and Ryan Madson are just some of the key contributors that joined the organization on Wade's watch. Jimmy Rollins joined when Wade was the assistant GM.

Gillick's list includes Aaron Rowand, Rod Barajas, Tadahito Iguchi, J.C. Romero, Wes Helms, Greg Dobbs, Adam Eaton, Jayson Werth, Kyle Lohse, Tom Gordon, Jose Mesa, Jamie Moyer and Freddy Garcia.

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Got to love how Ken Griffey Jr. described his recent groin injury. Now that's imagery.

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I talked yesterday afternoon with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (aka The 700 Level Sports Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Listen to the podcast here.

Baseball sources this afternoon have told The Inquirer that Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has been informed he has come up short in his bid to become the next Houston Astros general manager.

Former Phillies general manager Ed Wade is expected to be named the Astros GM later today at a news conference.

Wade is in Houston today.

It is believed the choice came between Wade, Amaro and possibly former Montreal and Baltimore GM Jim Beattie. Wade was the Phillies' general manager from 1998 to 2005 before the Phillies fired him and replaced him with Pat Gillick. Wade's contract with the Phillies expires in December, but he has worked the past two seasons as a scout with the San Diego Padres.

Amaro has been rumored to be a candidate for the GM vacancy with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Pirates have not contacted Amaro.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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The Nationals hope Phillies fans turn out this weekend at RFK.

The Phillies left Busch Stadium last night with countless scenarios running through their heads.

None of them worked in their favor.

They know they have just 10 games to play. They also know they trail the New York Mets by 2 1/2 games in the National League East, and the San Diego Padres by 2 1/2 games in the NL wild-card race.

Charlie Manuel figures 89 to 90 victories could put them in decent position to make the postseason. But because they lost last night to the St. Louis Cardinals in 10 innings, 2-1, they have to play no worse than 7-3 the rest of the way to make that happen.

Even that might not be enough.

Because even if they finish 7-3, the Mets and Padres would need to play no better than 5-6 to finish in a first-place tie with the Phillies. So not only do the Phillies need to play their tails off the rest of the way, they need a lot of help from the Mets and Padres.

That's asking a lot.

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The Phillies open a four-game series tonight against the Nationals at RFK Stadium. Jim Salisbury takes a look back at last year's fatal late-season trip to RFK, and how the Phillies must avoid a similar fate this time.

So what would be fatal? A split. A split would be fatal. Because if they split, they might need to sweep the Braves and Nats at home next week at Citizens Bank Park to have a sniff of a chance.

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Can't blame the pitching last night. The offense simply came up small, going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 runners. Adam Wainwright pitched well for the Cardinals, but the Phillies still had numerous chances.

"We talk about big games," Manuel said. "This one here might have been the biggest one we've played."

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Cole Hamels felt fine, a day after he returned to the mound. Also in today's Phillies notebook, Ruben Amaro Jr. could be headed to Houston in the very near future (and possibly with former boss Ed Wade) and Antonio Alfonseca won't be available until Sunday because he dropped the appeal on his four-game suspension.

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Pitching match ups for this weekend's series in DC.

The Mets open a four-game series tonight in Florida. The Padres play the Pirates tonight and host the Rockies this weekend.

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The Mets put an end to a Nationals crisis, as the New York Daily News put it. Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune says the Padres pull some piracy last night in San Diego.

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Rod Barajas' season with the Phillies has been a disappointment, but he made a big contribution Tuesday. I think it's safe to say that if the Phillies make the postseason, Barajas would not be on the postseason roster. I'm sure that surprises GM Pat Gillick, who signed him to a one-year, $2.5 million contract in the off-season. Barajas has a $5 million club option for 2008 with a $500,000 buyout.

Expect the Phillies to take the buyout.

Inconceivable?

It would seem to be because no team in baseball history has blown a seven-game lead with 17 games to play, which is the lead the New York Mets held last Wednesday. But the Phillies wake up today 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the National League East with 11 games to go. Inconceivable? It's impossible to use that word at this point. Think of everything that has happened to the Phillies this season. Their 4-11 start. Injuries to Freddy Garcia, Jon Lieber, Chase Utley, Brett Myers, Tom Gordon, Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, Michael Bourn and others. Three series sweeps of the New York Mets. Terrible losses, like their 9-8 loss in Atlanta earlier this month. Almost losses, like their 13-11 victory over St. Louis on Monday. And then last night's 5-4 victory in 14 innings over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

Rod Barajas came up big last night.

So did a bullpen that had just three out of 12 pitchers with sub-5.00 ERAs.

The Phillies can sweep the Cardinals with a victory tonight. I'm not sure tonight's game can top the games we've seen Sunday in New York and Monday and Tuesday here, but we'll find out.

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I held a Phillies chat at noon today. Check it out here.

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The Phillies also remained 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres in the NL wild-card race.

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Jim Salisbury tells us two races are better than one.

"The game was humming along nicely," Salisbury said after last night's game. "Then Brett Myers blew a save, forcing me to blow three different deadlines."

On behalf of everybody, we asked Myers why he couldn't pitch his 10th, when he blew a save, like his 11th, which was perfect. He agreed.

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The Mets are in a free fall. In fact, they even held a players-only meeting before last night's 9-8 loss to the Nationals to try to correct course.

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Oh, yeah. Cole Hamels returned to the mound last night. He was rusty in three innings, but he came out of it OK.

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A Citizen's Blog writes about something I also thought of last night: 1964. The Good Phight tries to figure out why the Phillies are so impossible to figure out. Mike's Baseball Rants finds the Phillies would have one of the worst pitching staffs ever to make the postseason.

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No joke, vote on the fate of Barry Bonds' 756th home run ball.

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Philebrity takes a look at Phillies uniforms. Pretty good stuff.

Fortunate.

Terribly, ridiculously fortunate.

The Phillies blew an 11-0 lead in the sixth inning last night in an eventual 13-11 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Now, I have covered the Phillies for just five seasons, but I certainly have seen some terrible losses. But there's no question this would have been one of the most wretched in franchise history. Not just because the Phillies had such a commanding lead, but because it would have come with just 12 games to play in the middle of a playoff race.

No team has blown an 11-run lead since Aug. 5, 2001, when Seattle blew a 12-run lead and lost in 14 innings to the Cleveland Indians, 15-14.

Charlie Manuel managed that Indians team.

"I don't know what to say," he said. "That was unreal."

Unreal, but not unbelievable.

But, hey, the Mets played even worse. The Phillies are 2 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East with 12 games to play, and 1 1/2 games behind the Padres in the NL wild card.

"I will have some VO tonight when I get back to my room," Manuel said.

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Manuel got some second guessing after pulling Kyle Kendrick after 89 pitches in six innings. He sat in the visitor's dugout before the game, lamenting the fact that J.C. Romero, Tom Gordon and Brett Myers were unavailable last night. Because of that he said he figured Kendrick might throw 100 to 110 pitches, regardless of the situation.

But then he pulled him.

Manuel said Kendrick started to tire in the sixth, getting balls up in the strike zone and allowing three runs to make it 11-3. Kendrick even admitted he had lost his focus. But Kendrick ended the sixth by getting two ground ball outs. Why not have Kendrick start the seventh with an eight-run lead? Even if he struggled, the Phillies still would have had a large enough lead when the bullpen took over. Then again, any bullpen in the world should be able to protect an eight-run lead in the seventh inning.

They almost didn't.

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Aaron Rowand made a fantastic catch to end the eighth inning, and hit a solo homer to left field in the ninth to provide Fabio Castro and Francisco Rosario -- yes, Manuel had to rely on them to pitch the ninth inning -- a little breathing room.

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Can't forget Ryan Howard hit two homers, including a grand slam.

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Jim Salisbury writes about Cole Hamels returning to the mound tonight. Hamels should start three of the Phillies' remaining 12 games this season.

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In this week's Phillies Report we take a look at the schedule's for the Phillies' top competition in the NL East and NL wild card races, and we also look at some historical numbers for Jimmy Rollins.

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A Citizen's Blog talks about the Phillies winning and the Eagles losing. Look on the bright side, maybe there will be fewer Eagles chants next week at Citizens Bank Park. But seriously, relax. It took the Phillies four games to win their first game this season. And now they've won 81. ... Great headline at Balls, Sticks, & Stuff, regarding the Phillies' sweep of the Mets.

You've heard this story before, right?

Phillies appear to be on life support. Sweep the Mets. Everybody gets excited.

Then ...

Thump.

They lose five of their next seven, and seven of their next 13. The Phillies are right back where they started.

But this time the Phillies expect things to be different. They picked up a 10-6 victory over the Mets yesterday at Shea Stadium to complete a three-game sweep, their second sweep of the Mets in as many series. Now they need to finish the season strong. If they can play well in their remaining 13 games, they have a chance to make the postseason for the first time since 1993.

"I don't think there's going to be a lapse this time," Jimmy Rollins said. "Everything is coming down to an end, and we don't have time to take a break."

"That was a different situation," Aaron Rowand said. "We were trying to get back in it. There were a lot of games left. We're getting down to the wire now. I don't think it's an issue right now because of the importance of every game."

Like I've mentioned previously, I'm not convinced the Phillies struggle in times like these because they just can't play well when the pressure is on. I think it simply comes back to their poor pitching. The Phillies generally got good pitching this weekend, especially from the bullpen. The Phillies had a 6.03 ERA in the seven games following their four-game sweep of the Mets at Citizens Bank Park last month.

No wonder they lost.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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The Phillies are 3 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East, but the division remains a long shot. The NL wild card remains the best bet, and the Phillies are two games behind the Padres in the loss column. They have little room for error.

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Jim Salisbury writes about Jimmy Rollins' preseason boast -- not sure if you heard, but he said something about the Phillies being the team to beat -- and how that boast seemed to spark the Phillies and Rollins himself.

Series like this one is making him more and more like the National League MVP.

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The Phillies reshuffled their entire rotation, just so Adam Eaton could face the Mets yesterday. He did not pitch well, but he will finish the season in the rotation. He starts Friday against the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium.

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Tom Gordon tweaked his lower back in the eighth inning yesterday, which could mean trouble. He will see the Cardinals doctor today after visiting the Mets doctor yesterday. Charlie Manuel didn't seem overly concerned, but that means little at this point.

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Pitching match ups for this week's series in St. Louis.

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The Cardinals are playing out the string, so it should be interesting to see how they come out tonight against the Phillies.

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Congratulations to Jim Thome, who hit his 500th career homer yesterday at U.S. Cellular Field.

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Lovable Prankster Pedro Martinez Admits He Was Never Really Hurt

The mastery continues.

The Phillies beat the Mets yesterday at Shea Stadium, 5-3. It's their seventh-straight victory over the Mets. It moved them 4 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East, and allowed them to remain 1 1/2 games behind the Padres in the NL wild-card race.

I still think the NL East is out of reach, even if the Phillies sweep the Mets with a victory this afternoon.

(And can Adam Eaton really continue to dominate the Mets?)

Concentrate on the wild card. Worry about the Padres and Dodgers. The Phillies will have to outplay them the final two weeks of the season to make the playoffs.

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Phil Sheridan said yesterday made two things clear: The Phillies could beat the Mets or anyone else in the NL in a postseason series, and they will have no one to blame but themselves if they don't get the chance.

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Jim Salisbury's Sunday baseball column looks at a couple old guys and a bunch of young guys. Also check out Extra Bases, Stats 'N' Stuff, Former Phillie File and Top Twins' Changeup.

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Carlos Beltran took a bad step, and that step cost the Mets.

So, what happened? How did Beltran, one of the better centerfielders in baseball, misjudge that ball? The Phillies immediately said Beltran must have lost the ball in the sun and shadows.

"It was terrible," Aaron Rowand said. "The sun was low. It wasn't high up. It just right over the stadium. Along with the shadows and the ball coming out of the shadows, it's tough to judge depth. Especially when somebody hits a line drive right at you. I was praying nobody hit one like that at me. If it's a night game, I guarantee you he catches that ball."

But Beltran said afterward he simply made a bad read.

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Ryan Howard struck out in the seventh inning, his 182nd strikeout this season. He shares the franchise record for strikeouts in a season with Jim Thome, who struck out 182 times in 2003.

Howard needs just 13 more strikeouts to tie the major-league record of 195, which Adam Dunn set in 2004.

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Jimmy Rollins set a career-high yesterday when he picked up his 84th RBI. He needs seven more hits and two more triples to become the first player in baseball history to have 200 hits, 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

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Bugs & Cranks shows us Shane Victorino's new do.

That's six straight victories against the New York Mets.

The Phillies keep coming up big against the team they need a miracle to catch in the NL East, and they keep coming up big when it looks like they're about to fall out of postseason contention. That's what happened in last night's 3-2 victory over the Mets at Shea Stadium. They beat the Mets. Again. And they kept pace with the Padres after they looked cooked after losing two straight games to Colorado earlier this week.

Explain it?

"I can't," Charlie Manuel said.

If you can, feel free. But like I said yesterday on the Philliescast, I'm not sure if it's because the Phillies play better when there's no pressure on them -- a popular theory, but I'm not convinced -- or if it's simply because this is what flawed teams do. They get hot. They get cold. They excite. They frustrate. They pitch well. They pitch terribly.

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The Phillies remained 1 1/2 games behind the Padres in the NL wild-card race, after the Giants blew a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning last night at Petco Park. The Dodgers also came back to beat the Diamondbacks.

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Cole Hamels threw a simulated game this morning at Shea and said he is ready to pitch Tuesday in St. Louis.

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Jim Salisbury writes about Jamie Moyer's stellar performance last night, and how very badly the Phillies needed it.

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Baseball suspended Antonio Alfonseca for four games for intentionally throwing at Todd Helton on Thursday. He has appealed.

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Scott Boras showed up at Shea Stadium yesterday, and we talked with him about Kyle Lohse's free agent status. Boras expects Lohse to fetch a pretty penny, and can you blame him? First, the starting pitching expected to be available this winter isn't strong. Second, did you see some of the contracts starting pitchers got last season? Lohse is going to be well paid next season and beyond.

"It seems that Kyle Lohse is going to be very good," Boras said. "He's one of the few guys who are in that magic 27, 28 year old range. Clearly, there aren't that many guys that fall into that class. And the other thing about Kyle is that he's been durable throughout his career. And he's pitched in the playoffs. He's got a resume a lot of teams will look at because he's been successful in that environment."

Do the Phillies have a shot?

Do they have to overpay to keep him in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park?

"Whenever you're talking about ballparks like Cincinnati or Philadelphia or Texas, the key thing for players it their resiliency," Boras said. "You have to be durable. Clubs have to recognize that. ... But the core of this team is going to be here for a while and that's something the player can look at. Certainly when he comes here and he's successful ... and Kyle his whole career has pitched in offensive ballparks: Minnesota, Cincinnati and here. He has never had the benefit of the 390-foot out."

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John Dewan's Stat of the Week asks: Do hitters foul off more pitches with two strikes?

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I talked yesterday afternoon with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (aka The 700 Level Sports Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Listen to the podcast here.

No room for this in tomorrow's paper, so I thought I'd post this Phillies news release here:

Fans can register online at phillies.com for potential postseason tickets. Deadline for the Division Series is Wednesday, September 19, at 12:00 p.m. Registration will continue for the League Championship and World Series.

By registering, fans will be eligible to win an opportunity to purchase potential postseason tickets for the National League Division Series, National League Championship Series, and World Series for games at Citizens Bank Park.

“As part of our continuing effort to make postseason tickets available to as many fans as possible, we believe this is the fairest method since we only have a limited number of seats for sale for the postseason,” explained John Weber, Phillies Vice President, Sales and Ticket Operations.

This will be the only method of public distribution for DS, LCS, and World Series tickets.

Registration Information

To register, click here: www.phillies.com/pstickets

Fans only need to register once to be eligible for all three rounds of the postseason.

There will be separate drawings for all three series.

Names will be randomly selected from the registration list. Winners will have the opportunity to purchase up to four (4) tickets to one (1) pre-determined postseason game. Division Series winners will be notified via email by Tuesday, September 25. Subsequent winners for the League Championship and World Series will be notified at a later date.

I'm pretty sure the New York Mets will be a little ornery this weekend at Shea Stadium.

Not just because they have to spend a weekend at Shea, which is one of the worst ballparks in baseball. (RFK Stadium and Dolphin Stadium are up there, too, which makes me wonder why the NL East gets the terrible parks?) No, the Mets will be ornery because they will be looking for revenge on the Phillies after they swept them in dramatic fashion late last month at Citizens Bank Park.

Everybody remembers The Sweep.

It put the Phillies within two games of first place in the National League East. It got everybody in Philadelphia excited. But since The Sweep, the Phillies are 6-7 to put them 6 1/2 games behind the Mets in the East.

Even if the Phillies would sweep the Mets at Shea this weekend, they would be 3 1/2 games back with 13 games to play. And even if the Mets went 6-8 the rest of the way -- highly unlikely considering they play 13 of their 14 remaining games against the Marlins and Nationals -- the Phillies would need to play 9-4 the rest of the way just to tie them.

It's still wild card or bust.

Regardless, Charlie Manuel thinks the Phillies need to play the Mets this weekend.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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The Phillies split their series against the Rockies with last night's 12-4 victory. It looks like J.D. Durbin will be bumped from the rotation to make room for Cole Hamels Tuesday in St. Louis, which means three more starts for Adam Eaton. It's pick your poison, isn't it? Eaton has a 6.31 ERA, the worst in baseball. Durbin has been terrible with a 20.25 ERA in his last three starts.

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Bob Ford writes about that funny feeling you get with the Phillies: they're down and out and expectations are low, so they just might stumble into something good this weekend at Shea. That's their pattern, isn' it? Get everybody excited and crash to Earth? Then again, maybe the Mets just bury them and end the postseason talk.

It's up to Jamie Moyer to make sure that doesn't happen.

Moyer has a 6.72 ERA since June.

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Pitching match ups for this weekend's series at Shea.

"There's no sense in me sugarcoating it. It's kind of a 'show me' time. It's kind of like, 'Let's go. If we have it, let's see it.' That's kind of how I look at it. We've got 17 games left. That's what it's come down to. It's no time to talk. Let's do it." -- Charlie Manuel, after last night's 12-0 loss to Colorado at Citizens Bank Park.

Charlie Manuel said it's Show Me time.

Show Me, like, Show Me the Phillies can rip off a six, seven or eight game winning streak. Like now. Because while it's understandable everybody is concerned Kyle Kendrick could miss his next start after he suffered a right lateral knee contusion (bruise) in the fourth inning last night, one missed start from Kendrick isn't going to cost this team a trip to the playoffs. And three starts from Cole Hamels -- he said he hopes to start next Tuesday in St. Louis -- isn't going to get them there, either.

The Phillies have lost seven of their last 11 games. They have a 6.42 ERA in that stretch.

They have lost 13 of their last 24. They have a 6.05 ERA in that stretch.

If the Phillies are going to make the playoffs -- they're in a three-way tie, 2 1/2 games behind the Padres in the National League wild-card race -- they're simply going to have to pitch their best baseball of the season in their final 17 games. I'm thinking they need to play at leat 12-5 (.706) to even have a sniff. Because not only are the Phillies chasing the Padres, they now have to outplay the Rockies and the Dodgers. You would think one of those four teams are going to get hot. And like I wrote in today's paper, if the Padres finish 9-9, the Phillies would have to play 11-6 (.647) just to tie them.

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The Phillies trailed by 1 1/2 games in the wild card with 17 games to play last season. They finished 11-6 (.647), which tied them for the second-best record in the league. Unfortunately for them, the Padres went 13-5 (.722) and the Dodgers went 11-5 (.688) to knock them out.

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The Phillies trailed by 1 game in the wild card with 17 games to play in 2005. They again finished 11-6. But the Astros finished 13-5 to win the wild card by one game.

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Jim Salisbury writes that last night's loss sure sounded like a death knell on 2007.

Salisbury wrote:

The Phils have been beaten by a combined score of 20-2 the last two nights, getting only nine hits in 18 innings. They have heard boos, and have deserved them - especially last night, after loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and getting nothing from the meat of their order.

"I think they've got to step up," Manuel said about the team's pitchers. "If we have it, let's see it."

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Here's more on Hamels' potential return Tuesday, and how Shane Victorino can't seem to stay healthy.

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Photos from last night's debacle.

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Some sobering numbers from Mike's Baseball Rants. A Citizen's Blog looks at Jimmy Rollins' MVP candidacy. Balls, Sticks, & Stuff has written the Phillies' 2007 obituary. Phillies Nation returns with a new and improved look. The 700 Level writes about Jim Thome hitting his 499th home run.

Just a quick update from the ballpark ...

Cole Hamels threw well today in a bullpen session at Citizens Bank Park and is tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday against the Cardinals in St. Louis. That's if he suffers no setbacks. He will long toss tomorrow and Friday, and throw a simulated game Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium.

Who gets bumped from the rotation? Well, Tuesday would be J.D. Durbin's spot in the rotation, but I wouldn't rule anything out at this point (i.e. Adam Eaton).

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Kyle Kendrick left the game in the top of the fourth inning with a right lateral knee contusion, which is a bruise. Garrett Atkins smoked a line drive off Kendrick's knee to leadoff the inning. X-rays were negative. He is listed as day-to-day, but the Phillies certainly can't afford for him to miss a start.

Adam Eaton will make three more starts this season, if the Phillies decide to keep him in the rotation:

- Sunday against the Mets at Shea Stadium.
- Sept. 21 against the Nationals at RFK Stadium.
- Sept. 27 against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

Sunday's start is a lock because Eaton historically has pitched well against the Mets. In fact, the Phillies had John Ennis pitch Saturday against the Marlins just so Eaton could face them. But the other two dates could change, depending on Cole Hamels' possible return to the rotation next week in St. Louis and how the Phillies line up their rotation with no game Sept. 24. (Charlie Manuel said last Friday he has the rotation set up through Sept. 23.)

But the point is: Eaton potentially could start three of the Phillies' remaining 18 games. Like I wrote following last night's 8-2 loss to the Rockies, three games can make a big difference in October baseball or an October fishing/hunting/golfing trip. The Phillies lost the wild card by one game in 2005. They lost the wild card by three games in 2006.

The Phillies are 2 1/2 games behind the Padres in the NL wild-card race, three games behind in the loss column.

Three starts, three games.

They're big.

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How bad has Eaton been? He could be historically bad. Check out these numbers in Mike's Baseball Rants.

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Bob Ford writes about how this team's pitching ultimately will cost the Phillies a trip to the postseason.

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Today seems to be a pretty important day in improving the Phillies' postseason chances. Hamels throws a bullpen session before tonight's game, his first true test toward returning to the mound.

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Relive last night's loss in pictures.

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The single-A Clearwater Threshers won the Florida State League championship last night.

Party at the Tiki Bar anybody?

Everybody knows the Phillies have the best offense in the National League, but not everybody knows just how good Pat Burrell and Ryan Howard have been since the all-star break.

Even with the strikeouts.

Since the break, Burrell and Howard rank second in the league with 17 home runs. Since the break, Burrell leads the league with 53 RBIs. Howard is second with 48. They came up with big hits in last night's 6-5 victory over Colorado at Citizens Bank Park. Burrell hit a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning, while Howard hit a solo homer in the sixth and the game-winning homer in the 10th.

For the season, Howard ranks second in the National League with 38 home runs. He leads the league with 115 RBIs. Interestingly, as bad as Burrell was before July 1, he ranks 11th in the league with 28 home runs and 14th in the league with 90 RBIs. Since Burrell's average hit a season-low .201 on July 1, he is hitting .337 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs in his last 59 games. That's pretty incredible.

The Phillies just need them to keep it up.

“Really, I knew if I just stayed with it and kept going things would turn around,” Burrell said. “Now it’s just trying to maintain what I’m doing.”

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The Phillies are 1 1/2 games behind the Padres in the NL wild-card race.

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If only the Phillies had pitching. They rank first in the National League in runs (788), OBP (.356), SLG (.467) and OPS (.820.) The Mets rank third in OBP (.341), sixth in runs (697) and SLG (.431) and seventh in OPS (.772).

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Jim Salisbury writes about all the heroes from last night's game, including Fort Washington's Ryan White. White, 24, is the fan who dropped Yorbit Torrealba's grand slam into the first row in right field onto the field in the fourth inning. First base umpire Mike DiMuro ruled fan interference even though the ball cleared the fence. He ordered Torrealba back to second for a ground-rule double.

It saved the Phillies two runs.

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In this week's Phillies Report, we look at the upcoming week for the top four wild-card contenders: Padres, Dodgers, Phillies and Rockies. We also look at how bad Jose Mesa, Antonio Alfonseca and Tom Gordon have been since Aug. 10.

(Mesa allowed a two-run homer to Matt Holliday last night, but you probably remember that.)

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Michael Bourn has been activated from the DL. He figures to add a little speed and a little better defense the final 19 games of the season.

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Cole Hamels could throw a bullpen session tomorrow. The Phillies are hopeful he can be back in time to make three more starts.

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We Should Be GMs is happy Burrell has bounced back. A Citizen's Blog returns from an eight-day hiatus. Swing and a Miss talks more about Burrell. The Good Phight looks at the experienced bullpen arms vs. the inexperienced bullpen arms, and why experience isn't helping the Phillies much right now.

The Phillies hope they have turned a corner with 20 games to play.

They beat the Marlins yesterday at Citizens Bank Park, 8-5, to move within two games of the San Diego Padres in the National League wild-card race. It's just the second time the Phillies have won a series since they took 2 of 3 from the Nationals at RFK Stadium last month. That's 2 out of 7 series won. No question they must play better than that with just six series remaining.

They open a four-game series tonight against the Rockies, who are just one game behind the Phillies in the wild-card race.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Jim Salisbury writes about an intriguing possibility: the Phillies making a run at Dontrelle Willis in the off-season.

Could Willis be traded? Perhaps. But he will not become a free agent until after the 2009 season, so the Marlins have time to make that decision. And it's unclear if the Phillies would have interest in Willis, whose velocity is down. They would hate to live through another Freddy Garcia Experience, although Willis maintains he is healthy. But I'm sure the Phillies would have to think long and hard about any potential deal. Jimmy Rollins thinks Willis simply needs a change of scenery. Hey, sometimes that works. Maybe it works for Willis. Or maybe he's just not the pitcher he once was.

If the Phillies had a match with the Marlins, would the risk be worth it?

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Cole Hamels said he thinks he can be back to make two or three more starts for the Phillies. We shall see. The real test is when he throws off the mound for the first time, which could happen some time this week.

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PItching match ups for this week's series against Colorado.

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Photos from yesterday's game.

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The Packers beat the Eagles yesterday, 16-13. I point this out only because I'm from Wisconsin.

Everybody's reaction Friday when the Phillies announced John Ennis would make his first start in the majors since 2002: Huh?

Everybody's reaction after yesterday's 9-1 victory over Florida: Whew.

Nobody knew much about Ennis, who had made one relief appearance for the Phillies. But he pitched well enough in four-plus innings, whlie the bullpen threw five shutout innings to give the Phillies a much-needed victory. But before anybody gets excited, the Phillies must win today to avoid losing six of their last seven series. Think about that: the Phillies have not won a series, other than the Mets sweep, since they took 2 of 3 from Washington at RFK Stadium on Aug. 14-16. In a sense it's remarkable the Phillies have remained in contention playing like they having, losing 11 of their last 20.

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In case you had not heard: Cole Hamels (strained left elbow) played catch and felt good after making 45 throws from 60 feet.

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow, and if he comes back, we'll play again," pitching coach Rich Dubee said.

If Hamels continues to make progress, Manuel and Dubee said Hamels could be available within 12 or 13 days, which would be around Sept. 20. Hamels would need to return by Sept. 20 to make three more starts. If he returns any later and it's no more than two.

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Jim Leyland basically conceded the AL Central to the Indians. Charlie Manuel has not conceded the NL East to the Mets. That's his choice, but the Mets hold a six-game lead over the Phillies with 21 games to play. If the Mets finished 10-11 (.476), the Phillies would need to play 16-5 (.762) the rest of the way just to finish in a first-place tie.

The Phillies remain three games behind the Padres in the NL wild card race.

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Jim Salisbury writes about the pennant races in the NL Central and AL Central in his Sunday baseball column. The Indians have pulled away in the AL Central, while the Brewers and Cubs continue to turn in circles, allowing the Cardinals in the race. Truly a terrible division.

Check out Extra Bases, Stats 'N' Stuff and On Deck.

The Florida Marlins are 5-17 in their last 22 games.

They are 3-1 against the Phillies in that span.

They are 2-16 against everybody else.

The Phillies lost last night to the Marlins, 6-3.

The Phillies quite simply are playing bad baseball at the worst possible time. It started last Saturday when J.D. Durbin allowed seven runs without retiring a batter in a 12-6 loss to Florida at Dolphin Stadium. It continued Sunday when Adam Eaton could not hold a five-run lead in a 7-6 loss to Florida. They lost 5-1 to Atlanta on Monday, with Charlie Manuel acknowledging Sunday's loss might have carried over into Mondays' game. They won Tuesday, but then on Wednesday suffered the worst loss in baseball this season when they blew a six-run lead in the eighth inning.

Then last night happened.

They're now six back in the NL East with 22 games to play, making the division title a remarkable long shot at this point. They remain three games back in the NL wild card, but other teams have caught the Phillies (like Colorado) or are catching up (like Atlanta). The more teams you need to leap frog, the harder it is.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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The Phillies shuffled their rotation through Sept. 23, and made those plans without Cole Hamels in mind. Hamels has been cleared to play catch today, which he will. But I think it's safe to say Hamels will not be back on the mound until Sept. 17 at the earliest, if at all.

John Ennis starts tonight.

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Some minor-league fall schedule updates:

Florida Instructional League
- Lefthander Joe Savery will participate in the FIL from September 17-29 prior to his AFL assignment.
- First baseman Michael Durant replaces first baseman Karl Bolt.
- Outfielder Quintin Berry has been added to the roster.
- Second baseman Brad Harmon has been moved from the HWL to the FIL.

Arizona Fall League
- Righthander Scott Mathieson’s spot on the roster has been taken by righthander Patrick Overholt, who was originally slated for the HWL.

Hawaiian Winter League
- Righthander Andrew Cruse will replace Overholt.

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Kenny Lofton Thinks He's Putting Finishing Touches On Hall Of Fame Career

Cures for a hangover:

1. OJ mixed with an egg.
2. More eggs. Aspirin. Coffee.

If you're the Phillies, beating the Florida Marlins tonight at Citizens Bank Park would help cure the hangover from Wednesday's brutal 9-8 loss to the Braves at Turner Field. Anybody remember that one? The Phillies followed their six-game winning streak last week by losing four of their next five games, with Wednesday's loss being the most painful of all. This past week's play has made the NL East a long shot, meaning the NL wild card is the Phillies' best chance at the postseason.

In today's Inquirer, we take a look at the wild card contenders.

The best hope for the Phillies is that the NL West contenders beat up on each other in the remaining weeks.

But can the Phillies get enough pitching to make it matter if it happens?

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Bob Ford thinks the Phillies are dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. Or not.

Or maybe they're just mostly dead.

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Jim Salisbury tells us how Dan Stephenson, the Phillies' videographer, came across a bunch of Richie Ashburn's home movies. Stephenson is putting them together -- along with other video -- on a DVD about Ashburn's life.

Ashburn died 10 years ago Sunday.

The DVD will be available this winter.

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Ruben Amaro Jr. interviewed yesterday for Houston's GM vacancy. It's an interesting development that hasn't garnered much attention. Interesting because many people consider Amaro the heir apparent to Pat Gillick, whose contract expires after the 2008 season.

Amaro talks with the Houston Chronicle.

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Ed Wade interviewed for the same job Wednesday. Listen to him talk about it here.

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Each week Sports Illustrated features The Pop Culture Grid, which asks four athletes a handful of trivial questions. The Sept. 3 issue with Peyton Manning on the cover featured Jimmy Rollins.

Rollins' answers:
High School Musical is ... Making a lot of money.
Favorite smell ... Vanilla.
Best nickname I ever had ... J-Rocketfoot.
Age I had my first kiss ... First peck, 5th grade; first kiss, 7th grade.
Pairs of shoes you own .. 75.
When I'm sad I usually ... Lay in bed all day, watch videos.

The Sept. 10 issue with Appalachian State on the cover features Shane Victorino.

Victorino's answers:
I'm Superbad when I ... Get around women.
In your pockets right now ... Cellphone, wallet, Trojans.
Favorite comfort food ... Ice cream.
Least favorite exercise ... Running.
Boxers or briefs ... None. I go commando.
Person I'm dying to have dinner with ... Jessica Biel.

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Pitching match ups for this weekend's series against Florida. Adam Eaton has been pushed back to Tuesday.

Totally, totally stunned.

A long time after the Phillies opened their clubhouse doors to the media yesterday, they still could not believe they had blown a six-run lead in the final two innings of a 9-8 loss to the Braves at Turner Field. It had to be one of the most crushing losses in Phillies history because of what it meant -- it prevented them from gaining ground in the NL East and NL wild card races with 23 games to play -- and because it happened over the course of two innings.

Terrible.

Inexcusable.

The death knell on 2007?

We'll find out this week. The Phillies play Florida this weekend and Colorado next week before they hit the road for a 10-game road trip through New York, St. Louis and Washington. If they struggle at home, they're cooked.

But I tried to caution people last week after the Phillies swept the Mets because I had serious concerns about their pitching. (Their poor pitching stepped forward on their 2-4 road trip through Florida and Atlanta.) But fortunately for the Phillies, they play in the mediocre National League. I think the NL East is out of the question, but the wild card remains a possibility -- although I continue to think this team's pitching problems will continue to cost them.

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Jim Salisbury tells us that this loss wasn't about bad luck or bad breaks, like the Phillies suggested.

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You have to wonder what would have happened had Shane Victorino or Michael Bourn been healthy. If one of them were healthy, one of them would have been in right field instead of Chris Roberson. Three balls were hit to right field in the eighth and ninth innings, and Roberson could not get to any of them.

He said he got poor reads on the two balls hit to him in the eighth inning.

Was that because he left his sunglasses in the dugout? Perhaps, although he said that was not a factor. But he did make a point to run to the dugout during a pitching change to fetch his sunglasses, which makes you think otherwise. Roberson said he could have caught the final ball -- Matt Diaz's bases-clearing double -- if he had laid out.

Or maybe if he had played a little deeper.

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Brett Myers said he made good pitches. He might have on the balls the Braves hit. But he also walked three batters and threw one wild pitch. That is something a closer simply cannot do.

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The Phillies bullpen is in such bad shape that Kane Davis, who has been with the team for just a few days, has surpassed Antonio Alfonseca and Jose Mesa in the bullpen.

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Frankly, I don't understand people who are upset that Charlie Manuel had Tom Gordon start the eighth. That is not the reason why they lost the game. Gordon had one ball hit hard against him: Chipper Jones' leadoff double. Like I wrote above, I think Roberson's play in right field and Myers wildness ultimately cost them.

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Got on the phone last night and talked with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (aka The 700 Level Sports Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Listen to the podcast here.

Fans didn't jump for joy when the Phillies acquired Kyle Lohse on July 30.

He wasn't Dontrelle Willis.

He wasn't even Matt Morris.

But the Phillies are 5-2 in Lohse's seven starts for the Phillies, giving the rotation stability they sorely need. He pitched well in last night's 5-2 victory over Atlanta at Turner Field.

They will need him to continue to pitch like that, too. There's a chance Cole Hamels might not pitch again this season.

"I think there's a chance we might not see him," Charlie Manuel said. "It depends how he feels."

"I think we just keep bumping it back until I feel good," Hamels said. "The goal is to get healthy before the end of the season. Whether it's three starts, two starts or one start. That all depends on our chances for the playoffs."

From what I understand, Hamels is taking some heat back in Philly for saying he might not pitch again if the team is out of playoff contention. Why? First of all, that's not going to be Hamels' decision. If the Phillies fall out of contention, the Phillies likely are going to pull the plug on Hamels -- not Hamels himself. And there's no reason to rush him back if the Phillies are out of contention.

People would rather see him rush back, pitch before he's ready, blow out his elbow and be finished in 2008 ... just to prove he's a gamer?

Keep in mind that Hamels said he absolutely believes he will be back this season. And that he absolutely wants to be back this season. But as it stands, the best-case scenario is that he returns around Sept. 17, leaving him for three more starts.

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Could a chiropractor have helped Hamels avoid the disabled list?

Hamels thinks so. In fact, he lobbied for one yesterday. Jim Salisbury discusses Hamels' request, what it means and whether or not Hamels will be back this season. There's a very real chance he might not, which would be a major blow to a team three games back in the National League wild-card race.

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I talked yesterday with Mitch Harding, a chiropractor who has two Center City practices. He said, "Chiropractors have had good success treating similar overhand, repetitive-use, soft-tissue injuries with the shoulder and elbow."

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To make matters worse, the Phillies placed Ryan Madson on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Pete LaForest, a catcher they claimed off waivers from San Diego. That means Madson will not be back before the end of the season, although the Phillies said Madson could be back for the postseason ... if the Phillies make it.

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Scott Mathieson also won't be back this season. He has inflammation in his right elbow, and the Phillies are shutting him down from throwing until next month. That's a blow because the Phillies were hoping he could help in the bullpen.

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Jimmy Rollins is featured in this week's Sports Illustrated. The story is called "This is How They Roll."

The momentum the Phillies reached last week has been halted.

And then put in reverse.

It's like The Sweep never happened.

The Phillies lost yesterday to the Braves at Turner Field, 5-1, to fall five behind the Mets in the NL East. If the Mets play just 13-12 (.520) the rest of the way, the Phillies would need to finish 18-7 (.720) just to tie them.

"It's not going to be easy," Chase Utley said. "But nobody said it was going to be easy."

In reality, the wild card is the Phillies' best bet. After the Mets host the Phillies at Shea Stadium from Sept. 14-16, the Mets play 13 of their remaining 14 games against the Marlins and Nationals. (They play a make up game against the Cardinals on Sept. 27.) It's hard to imagine the Mets struggling for two weeks against two teams they are 15-8 against this season.

Either way, the Phillies better start winning some games because they're three behind the wild card-leading Diamondbacks and tied with the Dodgers, with the Rockies one game behind them. They could fall out of wild card contention quickly if they don't pull themselves together.

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The latest Philliescast is up.

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Jim Salisbury writes about how every pitch, every at-bat and every play is magnified in September. And how yesterday some defensive lapses stood out.

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We look at Jimmy Rollins' historical season in this week's Phillies Report.

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As actually reported in The Inquirer, Ruben Amaro Jr. is interviewing for Houston's GM vacancy Thursday.

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Ryan Howard quickly is approaching the single-season strikeout record. He has 168 strikeouts. Adam Dunn had 195 in 2004. Charlie Manuel said Howard could do better, but he also thinks the strikeouts are overblown.

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There are a lot of terrible managers out there:

Terry Francona.
Willie Randolph.
Ned Yost.
Grady Little.
Joe Torre.

Fans had reason to be excited last week when the Phillies swept the Mets at Citizens Bank Park.

I tried to tell people to relax, which shouldn't be a problem after yesterday's 7-6 loss to the Marlins.

The Phillies pitching staff remained a concern for me. Before their six-game winning streak in which they had a 3.27 ERA, the Phillies had a 7.97 ERA in their previous seven games in which they went 1-6. The Phillies wake up today with a 4.85 ERA, the second-worst ERA in the National League.

That's a problem.

Consider the 48 teams that have made the playoffs in the National League since 1994:

Thirty-four teams (70.8 percent) finished in the top four in the league in ERA.

Only one team (2.1 percent) finished in the bottom four in the league in ERA, which is where the Phillies currently sit. The Colorado Rockies had a league-worst 4.97 ERA in 1995, but they also averaged a league-leading 5.45 runs per game.

Just six teams (12.5 percent) finished in the bottom half of the league in ERA.

In 11 of those 12 seasons, the team with the best ERA has made the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a league-best 3.16 ERA in 2003, but also had the worst offense in the league to miss the postseason. Only three teams (6.3 percent) finished the season with a 4.50 ERA or higher: the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 (4.54), the Chicago Cubs in 1998 (4.50) and the Rockies in 1995.

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Charlie Manuel is desperately looking for somebody to pitch the sixth and seventh innings with Antonio Alfonseca and Jose Mesa almost out of gas.

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Jimmy Rollins had every right to complain about the umpiring in the ninth inning yesterday.

The 2-0 pitch that home umpire Rob Drake called for a strike clearly was high. At best, it might have been letter high. But no umpire calls that pitch a strike. None. So to have Drake call that pitch a strike in the ninth inning with the game on the line was terrible.

"It was called on me once, like the first pitch of a game, but the umpire came back and was like, ‘I won’t call that on you ever again,’" Rollins said of the letter-high strike. "My gosh. Like I said, all he had to do was hit the glove. He decided he was going to call it a strike. It was obvious."

Remember that momentum the Phillies picked up last week against the New York Mets?

It could be gone with a loss today to the Florida Marlins.

J.D. Durbin allowed seven runs in the first inning in a 12-6 loss to the Marlins last night at Dolphin Stadium. The Phillies need Adam Eaton to pitch well today, or the Phillies will lose a three-game series to a team that has lost 14 of its last 17 games. That's not the way to assert yourself after climbing back into contention in the National League East last week. They need to beat the Marlins today, or risk falling four games behind the Mets in the division with 26 games to play.

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The Phillies also fell three games out of first place in the NL wild-card race.

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The Mets suspect the Phillies of stealing signs at Citizens Bank Park.

They even complained to Major League Baseball about it. So Bob Watson, baseball's disciplinarian, made an unannounced visit to the Bank on Thursday to check things out. He found nothing wrong. The theory is that the Phillies get the signs from the centerfield camera, which are fed into the clubhouse, and then they relay that information to the batter at home plate. Of course, that exchange of information has to happen almost instantaneously, which makes it terribly difficult to do.

Still, it's an interesting story. Teams have accused other teams of stealing signs for years and years and years. Jimy Williams and Joe Kerrigan accused the Cleveland Indians of stealing signs in 1999, when they were the Boston Red Sox's manager and pitching coach, respectively. Charlie Manuel was Cleveland's hitting coach at the time. Manuel still denies it, although Manuel and Williams still argue about it.

It's also interesting that the Mets reported to MLB that former Phillies players tipped off the Mets that the Phillies steal signs. Former Phillies on the Mets include Jeff Conine and Marlon Anderson. The Mets also reported that former Phillies on the Los Angeles Dodgers mentioned that. Those players would include Randy Wolf, Mike Lieberthal and Ramon Martinez. Those fears intensified when Brett Myers joked with Tom Glavine on Wednesday that Glavine pitched so well Tuesday -- Glavine threw seven shutout innings -- because they couldn't get his signs.

Manuel indicated that Myers was just breaking Glavine's stones when he said that.

But Manuel got a kick out of the fact that they got into the Mets' heads like that. He hopes they stay there.

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Cole Hamels suffered a setback Thursday during a bullpen session and will miss at least two more starts. He just can't seem to stay healthy for an entire season.

Glavine can. Jim Salisbury discusses Glavine's DL-free career in The Inquirer's Sunday baseball column. Make sure to check out Phillie Phodder, Extra Bases, Stats 'N' Stuff and On Deck.

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This is interesting. The New York Post reports Mets front office officials and players aren't happy with the job Willie Randolph is doing. That's the thing ... everybody thinks their manager is the worst, which is why I think criticism of the manager is blown out of proportion. They're ripping Randolph in New York, Charlie Manuel in Philly, Ned Yost in Milwaukee, Grady Little in LA ... some even thought Tony La Russa should leave after the season in St. Louis. And the guy just won a World Series.

It's funny how every manager in every city makes terrible decisions, huh?

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Bugs & Cranks interviews Hamels.

How good has Kyle Kendrick been?

First, he is 8-3 with a 3.79 ERA.

Second, the Phillies are 10-5 in his starts.

Kendrick, who allowed six hits and two runs in last night's 9-2 victory over Florida at Dolphin Stadium, has pitched six innings or more in 12 starts. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 11 starts. He has walked one batter or fewer in 10 starts. He leads National League rookies with eight wins. He's second in ERA among NL rookies.

He has been a model of consistency.

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Teammates kidded Kendrick about his reaction to being hit by a pitch in the second inning. Kendrick explained that it was the first time he had been hit with a pitch in his shoulder. He compared the pain to a Charlie horse.

He's fine.

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Here's what we know about Cole Hamels' latest setback: it's going to cost him at least two more starts.

Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday that they hoped Hamels could be pitching competitively in seven to 10 days. But Hamels later said he will not be throwing until Thursday, which is six days from yesterday. So a week seems like a long shot, especially because Hamels thinks he will need at least one bullpen session and one simulated game before he can return to the mound.

That seems to make Hamels' return at least 10 days away.

How serious is this injury? Hard to say. Amaro said the discomfort Hamels felt in his bullpen session Thursday was "much milder" than what he felt before. That's interesting because Hamels said previously that as long as he knew he could pitch through it without damaging the elbow -- there is no ligament damage -- he would. Hamels sounded yesterday, however, that he just isn't confident if the elbow isn't 100 percent healthy.

Stay tuned.

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The Phillies remain two games behind the Mets and Padres/Diamondbacks in the NL East and NL wild card races, respectively.

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The Phillies were thinking about activating Scott Mathieson from the DL today and having him help in the bullpen, but then he felt elbow discomfort after six pitches last night in double-A Reading. Mathieson had Tommy John surgery last September, and had made tremendous progress.

The Phillies expect to know more today.

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The Phillies have used a franchise-record 28 pitchers this season. Kane Davis made his first big-league appearance since Sept. 30, 2005, with Milwaukee. That's because the Phillies optioned Geoff Geary to triple-A Ottawa, with less than 24 hours before they could expand rosters.

Geary is 1-2 with a 5.01 ERA this season.

He went 7-1 with a 2.96 ERA last season.

The difference? Charlie Manuel thinks it's his aggressiveness. He's also not throwing as hard.

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If you need a good laugh, take a listen to this.