We Remember 9/11

Call of the Day: "From the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Do we have closure? No. No, the heinous acts of terrorism last Tuesday will be with us for as long as we all shall live." --Harry Kalas, 2001.

I woke up, looked out the window, and it was a beautiful day -- weather-wise. How quickly a blue sky can turn gray.

I was going into 4th grade, but school did not start yet, due to renovations taking place.

My mother's voice awoken me. "Oh my god! I can't believe this!" I walked into her bedroom and she was watching TV. I saw that a building was on fire, and people were running. I thought it was a movie.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A plane crashed into the World Trade Center. That's what they're saying. I think it was a bomb," my mom said frantically.

People were running for their lives, others jumped from buildings. The reporters were ducking behind cars.

On the TV broadcast, a witness called in during the newscast. "Oh my god! Here comes another plane!" I watched the plane crash into the second building.

Then, I went to my neighbors house. That was where I watched the buildings collapse. It was like a horror movie. Next, we gained knowledge about the terrorist, the pentagon, and the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, that's target was White House.

I always felt bad for the people who died, but to be honest with you, it didn't hit me since until last year. I was watching footage of 9/11, taped by people with video cameras. Not the media, but real life people taking footage, scared to death, living it. It wasn't until then, 7 years later, that it really hit me. Maybe it was because I was old enough to understand and it was almost like reliving it.

September 11th is almost like the Pearl Harbor of my generation. It was a tragic day, something we'll never forget. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one.

Sore Shoulder Keeps Victorino Away from Drills

It was a quiet day in Clearwater, as the team prepares for their first spring training game. However, the news reported was not something that Phillies fans want to hear.

Shane Victorino suffered from soreness in his right shoulder. Victorino took batting practice, but did not participate in outfield drills for precautionary reasons.

Luckily, the injury is not serious. Charlie Manuel is unsure if Victorino will play in Wednesday’s exhibition against Florida State.

In other news, Brad Lidge is ahead of schedule, but will likely not be ready for Opening Day. If that continues to be the case, Ryan Madson, Danys Baez or Jose Contreras would close.

Call of the Day: It's been awhile since we had one of the these, but The Fightins dug up a clip of Chase Utley's first career hit and grand slam.

"Long drive! Could it be? It is outta here! Grand slam home run,
Chase Utley! Welcome to the show Mr. Utley."

Surfin', Beltre, Moyer, and MLB News

Looks like Jimmy Rollins found a new hobby. Rollins, who recently attended Shane Victorino's wedding, was caught surfing in Hawaii.

In Phillies related news:

The Phillies are targeting free agent Adrian Beltre. Money could be an issue; Beltre, 30, could be seeking a four-year deal. Additionally, Beltre is represented by Scott Boras.

Mark DeRosa, a personal favorite of Charlie Manuel, is still an option as well as Placido Polanco, Chone Figgins, and Pedro Feliz. A friend of Feliz says that he would like to sign elsewhere, possibly Seattle.

The Phillies signed DeWayne Wise and Wilson Valdez to minor league contracts. Both had a significant amount of major league playing time in 2009, but they will most likely spend most of 2010 in Triple-A.

Wise, an outfielder, is known for saving Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in July. The 32-year old spent most of the season as a defensive replacement. He batted .225 in 142 at-bats with the White Sox in 2009.

Valdez, a utility infielder, batted .256 in 86 at-bats for the New York Mets in 2009.

Jamie Moyer has been hospitalized at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with recurring symptoms from his September groin surgery. Dr. Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor, said that Moyer is not seriously ill, however the pain in the area where he had surgery has increased since the weekend.

Moyer, 47, is being evaluated. “He’s completely comfortable and fine. We’re just taking appropriate precautions and also wanting to do what we can to make sure he’s on track for spring training,” Ciccotti said.

Around MLB, the Chicago White Sox signed Andruw Jones. Jose Lopez is likely to remain in Seattle. The Minnesota Twins are looking at Rich Harden.

The Red Sox might be making a push for Roy Halladay. They are also interested in Marco Scutaro and Kelvim Escobar.

Call of the Day: Travis Lee hits a walk-off home run in 2001.

"Well hit! Game over! 3-run homerun Travis Lee! Can you believe it? What a
tremendous comeback from the Fightin' Phils! A 10 to 8 win!"

"Buying" a Championship

Since the New York Yankees won their 27th World Series a few weeks ago, there have been numerous talks about the Yankees "buying" a championship. With a $208 million payroll and a third baseman that makes more money than every Florida Marlins players combined, it may give fans a reason to think that the Yankees "purchased" a championship or to campaign for a salary cap. However, there is no rule against spending money. There's no salary cap at the moment.

There is no rule against how the Yankees run their team. Baseball is a business. The Marlins are business too. They just run their business differently: grow players in their farm system, win a World Series, let those players go, repeat step one.

The Yankees are -- well -- the Yankees. The have a great history. They built a successful team, and earned a lot of money. Players came up through their farm system, and they spent money on players. Then, they won championships. Then, they won a few more. Now, they have a reputation of a winning team. Players want to play for a winning team. The Yankees spend the money to get good players who want to play for them, and want to get paid big bucks. Then, they win some championships. It's a whole repetitive process.

Any MLB team could be the Yankees. As of now, the Yankees have run their business better than the other 29 teams in the league. At the same time, every team has an equal chance at a title. It's what's on paper that makes a team a favorite. Spending that extra cash for a top player in the league will help a team become that favorite. However, being a favorite doesn't do you any good. The "overpaid" players still have to perform on the field.

Some teams do spend money, but are unable to put together a franchise like the Yankees. Look at the Detroit Tigers. Look at the Chicago Cubs. They each had a pay roll in MLB's top five. Also, it is not like the Yankees buy every player out there. They had 12 home grown players on their roster this year.

This topic brings up the debate about a salary cap, which I'm indifferent about. It wouldn't bother me if MLB adopted one, but right now I think it's fine without one. If a person is a millionaire, they can spend all their money if they want. If MLB has a rich team, let them spend all their money too.

In conclusion, you can't walk into a store with a wad of cash in your back pocket and come out with a World Series trophy in your hand. You gotta play the game. But spending some money to get talented players certainly isn't hurting your cause.

Call of the Day: Howard hits a shot to Ashburn Alley in 2007.

"Well hit to deep left center field. Outta here! Tremendous home run,
Ryan Howard and the Phillies jump to a two-nothing lead here in the first
inning. Number 36 for the big man."

Dodgers Tie Ser-- Not So Fast!

Here is screen shot of MLB.com from last night, slightly before the Phillies rallied in the ninth inning. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!

PHOTO COURTESY: The 700 Level

CNN will be featuring a special, Latino in America. Raul Ibanez sits down with Soledad O'Brien for CNN Latino in America. Ibanez talk about his family's passion for baseball and how his dream could only come true in America. Tune in to CNN on October 21 and October 22 at 9pm (EST) to watch his interview and more.

Link:

Call of the Day: The Phillies clinch the 2008 NL Pennant.

"The 3–2 pitch ... Swing, and a pop-up, this game is gonna be over ... Carlos
Ruiz squeezes it, and the Phillies are the National League champions! The Phils
move on to the World Series! Brad Lidge, fittingly gets the final out as the Phillies have won it 5 to 1."

Game 3 Postponed

Game three of the National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies has been postponed due to snow.

The game is rescheduled for Sunday night at 10:07 p.m EST. Game four has been moved to Monday.

The postponement could turn out to be a good thing for the Phillies. Pedro Martinez was originally slated, but J.A Happ will start tomorrow. Also, Cliff Lee will have enough rest to make him a possibility to start on Monday.

Jamie Moyer will be released from the hospital today. Moyer has been in the hospital since Wednesday due to a type of blood infection. Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Moyer is okay.

Blog of Note: We Should be GM's celebrated the end of the decade by putting together the "Team of the 2000's."

Call of the Day: Jimmy Rollins' first major league hit.

"Jimmy Rollins is going to have his first major league hit. Off the fence and
watch him fly! It's going to be a triple! Rollins... heading for third... Head
first slide. He's there with a triple!"

Phillies Fans on the Today Show

Yesterday, a video was posted from a moment at a Phillies game. Today, the family appeared on the Today Show.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The three year old is quite the Phillies fan. Her favorite player: Raul Ibanez.

In Phillies news, Greg Dobbs and Clay Condrey were activated. However, Chan Ho Park suffered a hamstring pull in yesterday's 6-0 win over the Nationals. Chase Utley stole home on a double steal and Jayson Werth hit a home run. The Phillies will try to complete the sweep tonight.

Call of the Day: HK called Utley "the man" more than once.

"Chase Utley again! Chase Utley again! Ending the ballgame on a great
catch! Chase Utley you are the man! Wow!"

A Baseball Date

Philadelphia Phillies (78-58) at Washington Nationals (47-91)
Cliff Lee (12-11, 3.06 ERA) vs. Garrett Mock (3-7, 5.63 ERA)

It's a perfect date for baseball: 9/9/09. Nine innings. Nine men on the field. Who knows, maybe Miguel Cairo (#9) will come up clutch off the bench.

Cliff Lee would like to get all 27 outs, something he has done twice in a Phillies uniform. Lee's first five starts raised his expectations through the roof. However, Lee has been roughed up in his last two starts, allowing 12 runs in eight innings. Lee has a chance to rebound against the NL East bottom-feeders.

Lee will be opposed by Garrett Mock. In five innings in relief, Mock has allowed five earned runs against the Phillies this season.

Last night, Brad Lidge almost blew another save. Charlie Manuel said that he was going to stick to his closer, but if the Phillies are in another save situation, we may or may not see Lidge. Manuel said he is uncertain that Lidge will close in team's next save situation. "I'll just go with how I feel," Manuel said, regarding who will close.

Tonight's Lineup: Rollins (SS)/ Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Werth (RF)/ Feliz (3B)/ Bako (C)/ Lee (P).

Call of the Day: 12 years ago today, Richie Ashburn passed away.

Braves/Phillies Open Series

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Atlanta Braves (67-60) at Philadelphia Phillies (73-52)
Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.12 ERA) vs. Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14 ERA)

Coming off a terrible series against the Pirates, the Phillies look to rebound against the Atlanta Braves, who sit seven games behind the Phillies in the National League East. Tonight is 70's night at The Bank and the Phillies would like to get a win, something they did 101 times during the 1977 regular season.

Pedro Martinez will start against the rookie phenom, Tommy Hanson. Martinez is coming off a win in which he allowed four runs in six innings. Martinez started off slowly, but improved as the game went on. Hanson will be one of J.A Happ's competitors for the 2009 Rookie of the Year campaign. He is 9-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Opponents are hitting .239 against him. He has allowed only 8 home runs, but he does average more air outs than ground outs. It will be interesting to see how he fares at Citizens Bank Park.

The offense is struggling for the Phillies, and it won't be easy to turn it around against the tough pitchers they will be facing during the series. Maybe a homecoming is exactly what they need to get the offense back on track.

Call of the Day: Jimmy Rollins extends his hitting streak.

"Ground ball, base hit. Jimmy Rollins has hit safely in 32 consecutive
games. An all time Phillies record."

Phils/Bucs Rubber-Match Preview

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Philadelphia Phillies (73-51) at Pittsburgh Pirates (52-72)
J.A Happ (10-2, 2.59ERA) vs. Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21 ERA)

The Phillies and Pirates will play the rubber-match game of the series tonight. Even though the Pirates are a last place team, they've kept pace with the Phillies during this series. The games have been close and down to the wire.

The Phillies will hand the ball to J.A Happ, who has the lowest ERA of any rookie since Hideo Nomo in 1995. He has been one of the most consistent starters, and isn't phased when runners reach base. Happ allowed one run in seven innings when he faced the Buccos in July. He limited them to four hits, and walked two.

Charlie Morton gave up two runs in 6.1 innings in his last outing, rebounding from a game in which he allowed ten runs in one inning. Morton faced the Phillies last season and gave up five runs in two innings. Shane Victorino homered off him. Victorino, the team's leading hitter, is batting just .222 in the last seven days.

The offense needs to provide Happ with run support, something they've lacked in the past two games. With the ninth inning troubles, it would be nice for the Phillies to get a comfortable lead, big enough so that it is a non-save situation.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins (SS)/ Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Werth (RF)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Feliz (3B)/ Bako (C) Happ (P).

Call of the Day: An exciting finish in an extra inning game in 1989 on Bob Dernier's inside the parker.

"Line drive. It is a fair ball down the left field line, going all the way to to
the corner! Here comes Thon into score. Lake being waved around. Mitchell can't
pick it up! Lake scores, here comes Dernier! The throw to the plate... safe! I
can't believe it! The Phillies have won 3-2 in the bottom half of the 12th
inning! Incredible! Mitchell could not pick the ball up down in the corner, it
kicked away from him. Dernier has circled the bases! Bedlam here at Veterans
Stadium, when all looked lost! The Phightin' came back and won, 3 to 2!"

Players of the Week: 8/16-22

Jayson Werth earned National League honors by being named the NL Player of the Week.

From the week of August 16-22, Werth led the majors in home runs (5) and total bases (29). He batted .440 (11-for-25), scored seven runs and drove in nine. He slugged 1.160 and his on-base percentage was .481.

Werth is batting .269 with 29 home runs and 79 RBI this season. His OPS is .897.

In the American League, Michael Young was granted with Player of the Week honors.

Young batted an even .500 (15-for-30) with one home run and stolen base for the Texas Rangers. He slugged .733 and has an 11 game hitting streak.

Call of the Day: The right fielder makes a nice catch.

"Swing and a drive to right field. Johnson
got a long ways to run. Makes the running catch nicely. Rifels to
first base! Double Play! Great play by Johnson."

Lee on the Mound for Series Finale

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Philadelphia Phillies (71-50) at New York Mets (57-67)
Cliff Lee (11-9, 2.72 ERA) vs. Bobby Parnell (3-5, 4.74 ERA)

In the final game of a four game stint, the Phillies will look to take three out of four from the New York Mets. Thus far, the games have been close and exciting between these two rivals.

Cliff Lee has been outstanding since joining the Phillies. He is 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA and opponents are batting .161 against him. With Lee on the mound, the Phillies expect him to go deep into the game and get a win.

Lee will be opposed by Bobby Parnell, who is making his fourth start since moving from the bullpen. Parnell is coming off a poor start in which he allowed nine runs in three innings versus the Braves. Against the Phillies, Parnell is 0-2 and gave up a game-winning home run to Chase Utley.

The Mets will likely be without Jeff Francouer, who was taken to the hospital for an MRI on his thumb. After going 3-for-5 and completing an unbelievable, game-ending unassisted triple play, Eric Bruntlett will get another start. Today, he will give Jimmy Rollins a rest at shortstop.

Today's lineup: Victorino (CF)/ Werth (RF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Feliz (3B)/ Bruntlett (SS)/ Bako (C)/ Lee (P).

Call of the Day: Del Unser wins the game.

"Swing and a well hit ball to deep center field! Richards back!
It is outta here! Home run! Del Unser, has won the ballgame! Veterans
Stadium is going wild! His third consecutive pinch hit home run!
Unbelievable!"

Hated To Hero

Baseball is a crazy game. The totally unexpected happened from an unlikely source during the Phillies 9-7 win over the New York Mets. Eric Bruntlett had quite the eventful day, including a game ending unassisted triple play.

Before Pedro Martinez could take the mound, the Phillies threw up a six spot. Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz each hit three run home runs in the first inning against Oliver Perez.

Bad Ollie showed up. After allowing six earned runs on four hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning, Jerry Manuel had enough. He pulled Perez in the middle of an at-bat, after falling behind 3-0 to Martinez.

Pedro wasn't completely dominant either-- at least to start. Angel Pagan led off with an inside the park home run. Unsure about Citi Field's ground rules, Shane Victorino raised his hand after the ball wedged under the padding. The umpires did not make a call, and Pagan rounded the bases. Raul Ibanez picked up the ball and threw it in, but it was too late. Even though it was beneath the padding, the ball was in play, according to the official rules. The Mets added another run on Jeff Francouer's RBI triple.

The Phillies tacked on runs with Martinez's RBI single, Jimmy Rollins' sacrifice fly, and a run scored by Matt Stairs on a couple wild pitches. But, the Mets kept adding on runs as well. Pagan homered again (this time over the fence), Daniel Murphy hit a RBI single and Anderson Hernandez's double kept it a close game, 9-6.

Pedro allowed four earned runs in six innings. He allowed seven hits, walked one, and struck out five of his former teammates. Pedro settled down after a rough first few innings; he retired the last six batters he faced.

With Chase Utley getting a regular day off, Eric Bruntlett got the start at second base. Not much is expected from Bruntlett, who entered today with a .128 average. He started off by going 3-for-3 and made some solid defensive plays.

In the bottom of the ninth, Bruntlett was robbed of his fourth hit. Jeff Francouer made a diving catch, but the umpire originally called it a trap. Heads up, Bruntlett hustled his way to third for a triple, but the play was overruled by third base umpire. It would have been a new career high for Bruntlett for most hits in a game.

Coming off a 1-2-3 save last night, Brad Lidge looked to make it back-to-back. Pagan grounded a single through the legs of Ryan Howard. On the error, Pagan advanced to third. Then, Bruntlett committed an error which scored Pagan. Next, Murphy grounded a single up the middle, booted by Bruntlett. Both of Bruntlett's miscues were plays that Utley would've made easily. The Mets were down two with two men on base and nobody out. With Lidge's struggles, the Mets were on their way to winning this thing.

On the 2-2 pitch, Castillo and Murphy were off. Covering second, Francouer lined a drive right at Bruntlett. Bruntlett stepped on second base for out number two. With Murphy on his way to second, Bruntlett applied the tag for the third out. An unbelievable, game-ending, unassisted triple play!

The last Phillie to turn an unassisted triple play was Mickey Morandini in 1992. Bruntlett's was the first in National League history that ended the game. The last game ending unassisted triple play was turned by Johnny Neun in 1927.

The Mets keep finding new ways to lose and today was no different. Eric Bruntlett went from hated, to hero, back to hated and hero again. Who knows, maybe he can do something shocking again tomorrow. After all, Charlie Manuel has already stated he'll play tomorrow giving Jimmy Rollins a break.

Originally posted on Phillies Nation.

Call of the Day: The Phillies turned a different type of Triple Play in 2007.

"Smashed. Ooh, that's a double play ball. That's a triple play! That's a triple
play, DiNero called him out. DiNero called him out at third base. He didn't have
to re-tag him. And that is a triple play! What a way to start a game! Here it is
again, take a look. Now DiNero immediately raises his arm saying that he
caught it, so it's an out there. Now, he-- Dobbs didn't have to re-tag him
here. But at any rate, nothing caused for Colorado."

Happ on Hill for Game 2

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Philadelphia Phillies (69-50) at New York Mets (57-65)
J.A Happ (9-2, 2.66 ERA) vs. Tim Redding (1-4, 6.53 ERA)

As shown in game one of the four game series, the Mets aren't a team to take lightly, even though they are 13.5 games out and depleted with injuries. It's a true rivalry, and both teams want to beat each other.

Happ's last start started two hours late because of rain. In that outing against the Braves, Happ pitched 7.2 innings. He allowed three hits, but walked six. No Phillies starter has walked a batter since Happ on Sunday.

Happ will be opposed by Phillie-killer, Tim Redding. In the last two seasons, Redding is 3-1 with a 3.50 earned run average against the Phils. That ERA is high-- he only had one bad outing against them. He has shut them out twice, including a one-hitter against them.

Call of the Day: Before Nolan Ryan went onto strike out 5,714, Steve Carlton moved ahead of him.

"Struck 'em out! Number 3,522, Steve Carlton! He has surpassed Nolan
Ryan for the all time Major League strike out king!"

Home Runs (or Lack of) Will Effect Series at Citi

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Philadelphia Phillies (69-49) at New York Mets (56-65).
Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.69 ERA) starts vs. Mike Pelfrey (8-8, 4.75 ERA).

The rivalry is renewed. Even though the Phillies have a comfortable 14.5 game lead over the Metropolitans, this is a big series.

The Mets have been depleated with injuries, missing Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. The newest addition to the disabled list is David Wright, who was beaned in the head, suffering a scary concussion.

Cole Hamels' roller coaster season continues. He last faced the Mets in June, and was roughed up for four runs in five innings. The home run ball hurts Hamels, who has allowed 21 bombs this season. Luckily, the Mets are not a home run hitting club, especially at pitcher friendly Citi Field. In fact, the Phillies (171) have exactly 100 more home runs than the Mets (71). And if Hamels does give up deep flies, they are usually solo shots. Hamels needs control of his fastball to help return his 2008 form.

Mike Pelfrey is 2-0 against the Phillies this season, but Chase Utley has him in his book. Unlike Hamels, Pelfrey keeps the ball in the park, but Utley has taken him deep three times in 18 at-bats. Chase will try to hit one into "Utley's Corner," dubbed by the Mets broadcasters.

When the Phillies and Mets meet, the games are usually intense and down to the wire. The Phillies can not take this series lightly even with a marginal lead.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins (SS)/ Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Werth (RF)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Dobbs (3B)/ Ruiz (C)/ Hamels (P).

Call of the Day: Sarge hits a HR in the 1983 NLCS.

"Well hit to deep left. Goodbye! Way, way, outta here! Gary Mathews! What a
League Championship Series he's having."

Phillies Look To Sweep Dbacks

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Arizona Diamondbacks (54-67) at Philadelphia Phillies (68-49)
Doug Davis (7-10, 3.59 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (7-6, 3.88 ERA)

The Phillies are 19 games over .500, a season high. After salvaging the first two games of the series, the Phillies seek to sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Phillies were in a similar situation when they were in Arizona, but dropped the series finale.

Joe Blanton gets the start against Doug Davis. Blanton gets better as the season moves on, but hasn't been lucky in the win column. When Blanton was traded to Philadelphia, he was dubbed as a work horse. He has certainly been an inning eater; he hasn't pitched less than six innings since June 30.

Davis has had a great season with the Diamondbacks. He's able to keep the ball on the ground. However, he gets into jams when he walks batters. His WHIP is 1.45, and allows 4.6 BB/9. The Phillies haven't had any trouble getting runners on base. Bringing them around to score causes problems. Davis has been a specialist at stranding men on base.

Call of the Day: Milt Thompson makes a spectacular catch against the Braves.

"Swing and a well hit ball to left field. Thompson back, leaps up and
makes a great catch! Reaches into the fence and it might have saved
the game! What a catch by Milt Thomposon!"

Game 2 Has the Making of a Pitchers' Duel

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Arizona Diamondbacks (54-66) at Philadelphia Phillies (67-49).
Dan Haren (12-7, 2.50 ERA) starts vs. Cliff Lee (10-9, 2.86 ERA).

In game two of the series, two of the top pitchers in the game will go head to head: Daniel John Haren and Clifton PhiferLee. Even though the humidity carries the ball at Citizen's Bank Park, expect a pitchers' duel.

Since joining the Phillies, Lee is a perfect 3-0 with a 1.13 earned run average and 0.92 WHIP. Against the Phillies this season, Haren pitched five innings and gave up three runs (two earned). The Diamonbacks' defense was unable to back Haren. If the defense continues to be sloppy, the Phillies have a great shot to win their third consecutive game.

Lee will pitch in front of a sold out crowd on Brad Lidge Bobble Head Night. After being a perfect 48-for-48 in save opportunities in 2008 (including the postseason), Lidge has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball this season. He has blown eight saves and his ERA is 7.21. As long as he doesn't blow a save tonight, everybody will go home happy. With the way Lee has been pitching, the Phillies may not even need to use the bullpen.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins (SS)/ Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Werth (RF)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Feliz (3B)/ Bako (C)/Lee (P).

Call of the Day: Mike Lieberthal's homer wins it for the Phils at the Vet.

"Long drive! Could it be? It is a game winning pinch hit home run,
Mike Lieberthal! Can you believe it? The Phillies have come back to
win, 8 to 7! What a stunning defeat for Pittsburgh! What an
accelerating win for the Phightin' Phils, who have come back to score seven runs
in the ninth inning and win 8-7 on a pinch hit home run by Mike
Lieberthal! I can not believe it!"

Ryan Howard Sighting

I just saw saw Ryan Howard at Diary Queen! Why he was in my neighborhood, I don't know. But, he was there.

I didn't notice him at first. I was about to go in the line he was in, then I looked up, saw him, and thought to myself "Oh my God! Is that Ryan Howard?" I went to the other line, looked over a couple times, and indeed it was Howard (I could tell by the nose, no offense Ryan).

I didn't say anything to him. I didn't want to bother him, because I'm sure that is annoying for him. Plus, he was with his friend. Nobody said anything to him, in fact. Everybody looked at each other and thought "is that really him?"

He was parked at the gas station right next to the DQ. After he got what looked to be a blizzard, I stalked him by going to the gas station and got gas. He probably thought I was crazy because I drove around the gas station in a circle. And since I just got my license, it was the first time I pumped my own gas, so I'm sure I looked like a genius.

I wish I took a picture on my phone. I was going to, but I was a chicken, and didn't want him to notice. So yeah, in a way, I stalked Ryan Howard.

Call of the Day: In 2007, Jimmy Rollins finished a double shy of the cycle. on Jackie Robinson Day.

"Slams this ball to deep center field. Well read, by Adam Eaton, and he is going
to score. And JRoll's gonna end up at third base with a triple and this game is
tied at three."

"Line drive. That's gonna be a single. *Laughs* No cycle
for JRoll, but it was his fourth hit of the night. 4-for-5 is Jimmy Rollins."

Marlins/Phils Open Alumni Weekend

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Florida Marlins (55-53) play at Philadelphia Phillies (61-45).

Ricky Nolasco (7-7, 5.00 ERA) starts vs. Joe Blanton (7-5, 4.02 ERA).

The Phillies open Alumni Weekend by inducting the legendary Harry Kalas into the Wall of Fame prior to tonight's game. Many Phillies legends from the past will be in town to celebrate the legacy of the late great, Harry Kalas.

Joe Blanton has been an inning eater. Since May 21, Big Joe is 5-2 with a 2.33 ERA. He has been a lot better since the beginning of the season when his ERA was over seven. The way he has been pitching lately, it is shocking that his ERA was once that high.

Speaking of high earned run averages, Ricky Nolasco gets the start for the Fish. Like, Blanton, Nolasco struggled at the beginning of the season. Nolasco was sent down to the minors, but since his re-call he has been dominant. He faced the Phillies earlier in the season and gave up four runs in six innings.

The Phillies have a seven game lead over the second place Marlins, so this is the perfect opportunity for the Phillies to add to their lead. The Phillies can't let the Marlins gain any ground. Like every game since the middle of April, listening to this game won't be the same. Kalas is missed. Let's get a win for him tonight.

Call of the Day: Shane Victorino's disputed home run in 2008.

"Shane lines it deep to left. Fair or foul? It is a fair ball! Outta
Here! Victorino with a two-run home run and the Phillies are on the board.
It is now a four to two game!"

*Looks at replay* "Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow." *laughs* "It is a foul
ball. Cantu had a good look at it at third base. He immediately went
to Dale Scott. It was the third base umpire who called the ball
fair."

(Chris Wheeler says that Phils catch a break) "Yes sir, and the Phillies
get two runs."

Happ Staying in Rotation

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

Despite speculation that he may be moved to the bullpen, Ruben Amaro Jr. stated that J.A Happ is not leaving the starting rotation.

“Happ’s not going anywhere,” Amaro said. “He’s not going out of the rotation. He deserves to stay in the rotation. He has pitched very well. He’s one of our most effective starters.”

The future rotation is up in air, but Amaro hasn’t ruled out the idea of a six man rotation.

Call of the Day: Returning from a broken hand, Chase Utley immediately gets into the action.

"Ground ball, sharply hit. Oh man. Chase is back. Chase IS
back. How 'bout that play. The first play he gets in a month."