News Around MLB

Raul Ibanez was named the National League Player of the Week. Ibanez batted .481 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. He also slugged .963. It was the fifth time in his career he was named to this honor.

Roy Hallday earned honors in the American League. Halladay was 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA with the first place Toronto Blue Jays.

According to a poll of Major League executives and managers, Jayson Werth and Adrian Gonzalez are the two most underrated players in the National League.

Currently, Gonzalez leads the majors with 15 HR and Werth has 7 homers. Gonzalez is batting .294, the same average as Werth. Gonzalez has 29 RBI, Werth 24. Gonzalez has a 1.017 OPS and Werth's is .936.

The Phillies signed catcher Paul Bako to a minor league deal. In his 11 year career, Bako has hit .231 with 21 HR and 186 RBI.

Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado will need surgery to remove a bone spur and repair torn labrum in his right hip. The injury is similar to Alex Rodgriguez and Alex Gordon's. He will need about two months to recover.

Ricky Weeks is sidelined for the remainder of the season because he will need surgery on his wrist. Weeks suffered the injury when he struck out swinging. Weeks was batting .272 with 9 HR and 24 RBI.

Remember when the Phillies were in the World Series? Good times, right? Remember how you stayed up past midnight to watch the Phillies fight their way to a championship? Remember how you got up 6 AM or earlier the next day for work (or school). Remember how exhausted you were, even if it was well worth it?

Now, you won't have that problem. Introducing new World Series times! Games will start approximiely 40 minutes earlier! That is 40 minutes earlier!

Perhaps Phillies fans came through again? Remember 1980 when the Phillies broadcasters could not call the game. Fans complained and 3 years later the rule was changed. Or, as FOX claims, they did it for the young fans.

Call of the day: Bonus! Since yesterday was an off day, I'll give you two calls of the day in one shot. Pat Burrell hits two home runs during the NLDS against the Brewers.

"Swing and a long drive! Fair or foul? It is a... fair ball! Outta here! 3 run
home run Pat Burrell, and the Phillies take a 4-0 lead here in the third
inning!"

"Swing and a line drip to deep left field. And this ball is..
over the fence and OUTTA HERE! Line drive home run Pat Burrell, his second home
run of the game, and the Phillies now lead it by a score of 6 to 1 here in the
8th inning. What a day by Burrell who came into this game of the division series
0-for-8. But he made up for that this afternoon, 3-4 with 4 RBI, two home runs."