Dancing, not fighting, the night away

If I had my way, you know what I'd do? Form a big circle and see who wants to fight. I've seen that before and nobody fights. -- Charlie Manuel

The silliest occurrence in sports is the baseball fight. Nothing gets accomplished aside from a lot of posturing, some shoving and maybe some bruised egos. The goofiest thing about baseball fights is that they often begin with the pitcher throwing a ball or making some sort of gesture from a sizable difference from his combatant. As a result, the players have to travel a distance to get at each other.

It’s kind of like when the British navy declared war on the Falkland Islands during the '80s, hopped in the boats and harrumphed, “We’ll see you in six days! It’s on!”

As well as behaving like one island country attacking another island located in a different hemisphere by water vessel, baseball fights are like sumo wrestling. One guy does his dance to call out the other dude, who in turn strikes his pose. When the histrionics are complete, they dash at one another, bump bellies and fall to the ground.

The really absurd part comes when players dash from the dugouts and bullpens in order to mill around with the other guys. It’s kind of like watching a mosh pit at a Neil Diamond show.

Be that as it is, the Phillies and Braves – more specifically, Shane Victorino and Braves’ reliever/lunatic, Julian Tavarez -- did the tango during the eighth inning of last night’s debacle of a ballgame. With the Braves leading by six runs, Victorino at third base and left-handed pull-hitter Matt Stairs at the plate, Tavarez suddenly dashed off the mound to chase Victorino back to the bag. The curious thing about that move wasn’t the fact that crazy, gangly Tavarez just started running off the mound toward third base. Certainly that was an odd sight, because when has anyone ever seen a pitcher chase after a base runner just before he was getting set to go into his windup?

Never. It’s never happened. Ever.

Anyway, with the third baseman playing in the shortstop spot with Stairs at the plate, Victorino was given the chance to take a generous lead. But out of the corner of his eye, Tavarez caught Victorino turn to talk to third-base coach Steve Smith and figured it was his chance for a stealth attack.

The problem with that tact was there were 41,000 people sitting in the stands screaming at the sight of the weirdo running off the mound toward the runner leading off third. Not to mention, Smith clearly saw the not-so covert mission and alerted Victorino.

If it had ended it there it would have been enough. Victorino could have gone back to taking a gigantic lead, Tavarez could have threatened to run off the mound again, and the whole cat-and-mouse game could have taken the next step.

If only it were that easy.

Anyone who has ever seen Shane Victorino play baseball or had the chance to chat with him in the clubhouse can quickly determine that taking the easy way out of things just isn’t his style. It’s not uncommon for Victorino to miss a sign, throw to a wrong base or good-naturedly tease a teammate over something rather pedantic. The mouth and mind are always moving with that guy, which, frankly, is quite entertaining.

So when Tavarez did his about face to return to the mound after his little dash, it didn’t take a systems analyst to figure out that Victorino was going to say something. Actually, make that a lot of things.

Meanwhile, Tavarez has a history of on-the-field meltdowns. During his 16-year nig-league career, Tavarez has served a handful of suspensions for sparking brawls and once had to wear a protective glove in order to pitch in the 2004 World Series after he punched a dugout phone during the NLCS.

I guess the damn thing wouldn’t stop ringing.

Anyway, Tavarez has played for 10 different big league teams, including three in 2008 alone. One of the thing one quickly learns after spending a bunch of seasons around a Major League club is that if a guy bounces from team to team there is usually a pretty good reason he doesn’t stick around with just one team. Meanwhile, Tavarez reportedly had two ambitions as a child growing up in poverty in the Dominican Republic. One was to be a Major League Baseball player (mission completed) and the other was to be an adult film star…

Yeah.

Tavarez was in no mood for amore as Victorino continued to chirp. After the speedy Phillie gestured toward the pitcher, seemingly inviting him to take another run at him, Tavarez did just that.

And then it was on!

Well, kind of. Tavarez was quickly pushed away by the home-plate ump while Stairs and Smith blocked Victorino’s path giving him the perfect chance to fall into a “hold me, back! Hold me back!” display. Not to be shown up, Tavarez did the same as players spilled out of the dugout and rolled in from the bullpen.

Order was quickly restored when the slightly rocking mosh pit dissolved under its own silliness.

Afterwards, neither Victorino nor Tavarez made themselves available to deconstruct the events with the local press. However, when asked about it, manager Charlie Manuel seemed rather disgusted by the whole act, or at least the notion of exiting his spot in the Phillies’ dugout where he more than likely finally fashioned a warm and toasty groove into the padding over the rail where he likes to rest his arms. Then he had to get out onto the field to separate a bunch of guys who were out there to do nothing but sashay with one another in the first place.

Sheesh.

“That was nothing,” Manuel spat. “If I had my way, you know what I'd do? Form a big circle and see who wants to fight.

“I've seen that before and nobody fights.”

It looks like the Phillies have a little more than a tango left if they want to fight their way into the playoffs this weekend. With a magic number steady at three with three games to go, all the Phillies have to do is beat the Washington Nationals this weekend. Failing that, they have to hope the Brewers and Mets lose, too.

Last year all the variables worked out.

Game on: Hot dogs blown to bits

Usually when the choppers circle overhead, it’s a pretty good indication that something is up. At least three hovered over the ballpark during batting practice on Wednesday afternoon in attempt to get the perfect view of the potential crisis brewing just outside the first-base gate. Three suspicious packages covered with duct tape and left unattended just outside the stadium near Pattison Avenue piqued enough interest from some diligent citizen to alert the authorities. Upon further review of the situation on the ground, ballpark authorities called in the bomb squad and the ballpark went into lockdown mode.

Early arriving fans in the left-field seats and on Ashburn Alley were ushered out of the stadium, while team employees and media types were forced to evacuate the portion of the ballpark closest to the first-base side.

The field, we were told, was the safest place to be. Fortunately, we were told this while we were standing on the field.

Meanwhile, as chaos raged outside the stadium, the Phillies were oblivious that a potential threat loomed. Instead, the ballplayers calmed took batting practice and prepared for the game against the Atlanta Braves. At one point, slugger Ryan Howard strolled over by a group of scribes and was told about the bomb scare occurring nearby.

“Oh yeah?” Howard said as he walked toward the batting cage to take his hacks.

With the ballpark sealed off and filled with just security, baseball players, team officials and sportswriters, the bomb squad detonated the curious package at approximately 5:08 p.m., emitting a muffled explosion that sounded like a man sitting on top of a pillow placed over top of a helium balloon.

Pffffffffffffffffft!

After assessing the scene and the remains of the mysterious box, the bomb squad gave the all-safe sign to allow folks to go about their normal, pre-game rituals.

So what caused the trouble that forced the bomb squad to show up and blow up stuff?

Why it was a package full of hot dogs, of course.

You know, delicious, heart-healthy hot dogs that were earmarked for the Phillie Phanatic to launch into the crowd during some between-innings capering on the field. Instead, those hot dogs were sent back to the ether from which they came.

Crisis averted.

Or was it?

Though many people enjoy a tasty hot dog from time-to-time (make mine a tofu pup, please), it is no secret that those plump tube steaks are silent killers. Laden with cholesterol, saturated fats and non-organic hormones, steroids and chemicals, a diet rich with hot dogs is a sure path to heart disease.

Oh sure, they look good now, but you will pay later.

Still, a meat hot dog remains a staple of the picnic scene and also a fun prop for many a comedian. In fact, I can’t resist thinking of Will Ferrell impersonating longtime Cubs’ announcer, Harry Caray, whenever I hear the word, "hot dog."

So comically delicious!

So before you go slathering yourself up in spicy, brown mustard, take a look.

Lance and some quick hits

TO! Lance! Brains! Olbermann! Um... Olbermann?

Anyway, here are a few quick noon-time stories we're following.

Terrell Owens (remember him? He spent a little more than a season with the Eagles a few years ago. Caught a few passes, c'mon, you remember...) has signed on to shill for something called Venom energy drink. Owned by Dr. Pepper, Owens has been named the company's "Chief Mayhem Officer," which, according to Andy Reid, is almost too perfect: "New Endorsement deal for TO" (The Associated Press)

Twelve athletes, including ex-NFL players, will donate their brains to science for a concussion study... no, not right now: "12 Athletes Leaving Brains to Concussion Study" (Schwarz - The New York Times)

MSNBC's ubiquitous talker, Keith Olbermann is writing for Sports Illustrated now. Who would have guessed that his first story would be about a boner? "The Goof That Changed the Game" (Olbermann - Sports Illustrated)

Lance Armstrong will make his official return to cycling in Australia on Jan. 20 in the Tour Down Under. The seven-time Tour de France champion will ride for the Astana team as announced in press conferences today in New York and Las Vegas. The interesting part about this is the 2007 Tour champ, Alberto Contador rides for Astana. Can you say, Quarterback controversy? "Armstrong to return to racing in 2009" (Macur - The New York Times)

Meanwhile, the great Bonnie D. Ford talked to Armstrong's directeur sportif, Johan Bruyneel about the prospects for the '09 season. Guess what? They might be pretty good: "Whatever is on Lance's list, the execution remains the big challenge" (Ford - ESPN.com)

On another note, I haven't been able to pin down any rumors regarding Armstrong's potential purchase of Team Astana or the Amaury Sports Organization's stake in the Tour de France... yeah, imagine the fallout if Armstrong buys the Tour de France.

All the hand wringing would be a cross between awesome and totally awesome.

Finally, check out the CNN interview with Lance.

Check back for more when I get to the ballpark.

Wednesday morning papers

During the next few weeks and months, this little dog-and-pony show we like to call "Finger Food" will have a renewed focus complete with regular features, interviews, fun multimedia stuff as well as the staple of essays that regular readers are already familiar with. As such, expect a little beta testing on these pages as we move forward and bear with us as we settle into a new standard. As always, please e-mail the site or post a comment with suggestions, questions or declarations and I will do my best to supply an answer.

And, of course, thanks for taking the time to dive into all these words. To me, there is nothing more exciting than a well-crafted sentence (well, you know what I mean - there are a lot of things more exciting than good sentences, but for the sake of this argument, let's pretend it's 1776 and there is no CNN to beam us images from Independence Hall...) so I hope I can pass on a little bit of entertainment.

Without much more blathering on, here's the latest talk of the town:

• Phillies lose while Mets and Brewers win. All is not lost, though. The Phillies still control their own fate: "Loss to Braves shrinks Phillies' lead in the NL East" (Hagen - Philadelphia Daily News)

• Playoffs!? We're talking about playoffs?! Nope, not the Phillies: "Phils aren't counting chickens yet" (Salisbury - The Philadelphia Inquirer)

•  Tuesday night's loss to the Braves underscored just how good the Phillies have been during the last two weeks: "Phils maintain calm focus despite loss" (Sheridan - The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Nope, he's not washed up... Veteran Brian Dawkins named defensive player of the week - and he's 34! "Dawkins player of the week" (Frank - Phillyburbs)

• Running back Brian Westbrook still rehabbing his "butt off" in attempt to mend an ankle strain, though he is still doubtful for this Sunday's game in Chicago. Meanwhile, a whole bunch of Eagles spent the days off getting MRIs... fun!: "Good news on injury front" (Frank - Phillyburbs)

• Good news for the Flyers - Simon Gagne is set to return: "Flyers' Gagne targets Saturday for return" (Carchidi - The Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Remember back in the ‘70s and ‘80s when it seemed as if the Phillies and Cubs only traded players to each other? Of course you do. These days, though, the Cubs have as ex-Phillies (just Silent Jon Lieber) as they do Philly guys: Blue-Collar Ivy Leaguer Is Cubs' Secret Weapon (Schwarz - The New York Times)

Morning stat From Baseball Prospectus:

The Phillies have an 87.4 percent chance to win the NL East, an 11.08 percent chance to win the wild card and a 98.51 percent chance to make the playoffs overall.

Morning quote

I wasn't worried at all. I knew we had time. I checked the other clubs. I did some mathematical things, figured out how many games we were going to win.

--  Charlie Manuel on not worrying about the Phillies playoff chances after losing a series to the last-place Nationals earlier this month.

It's when, not if for Phillies

Last season the Colorado Rockies finished the season by winning 14 of their final 15 games. Carrying that hot streak into the playoffs, the Rockies won seven more in a row to land in the World Series. The crazy part about that was the Rockies were in fourth place with 12 games remaining in the season and third place at game No. 161. Had they gone 13 for 15, it would not have worked out. Certainly the Rockies’ hot streak through the last two weeks of the season and into the playoffs was one of the greatest closing runs ever. Six times they won by two runs or less, including a pair of extra-inning affairs.

In the understatement of all time, things just clicked for Colorado.

Meanwhile, things certainly are clicking for the Phillies these days, too. With five games remaining in the season, the Phillies can one-up the Rockies great closing run by winning 15 of their final 16 games. But unlike the Rockies, it doesn’t seem as if the Phillies are going to need the all-or-nothing surge. Instead, the Phillies fans aren’t thinking about “if,” the big question is, “when.”

As in, “When are they going to clinch?”

Yes, going 10 for 11 during the season’s final fortnight has a crazy way of putting things into better focus. After all, it wasn’t even three weeks ago when the Phillies left Washington, D.C. after a crippling 9-7 loss to the hapless Nationals that put their playoff hopes teetering on the balance. The slightest slip up at Shea Stadium against the Mets could have sent things spiraling out of control. A week later, after dropping a three-game series to the Marlins at the Bank, the margin for error got even tighter. Trailing the Mets by 3½ games with 16 to go seemed like too big of a mountain to scale.

Instead, 11 games later we’re sitting here wondering “when,” not “if.”

“Things happen. Sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes you don’t,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “You’d be surprised. When you're going good, somebody will hit a screaming foul ball. It goes foul by about six inches. What happens if he hits it on the line or something?”

Certainly Manuel isn’t losing much sleep over things like balls that land centimeters on one side of the line these days. Everything is working out for his club these days – every move is the right one, like when September call up Greg Golson entered Monday’s game as a pinch runner only to go from first to third before a pitch had been thrown.

In the ninth, with lights out closer Brad Lidge unavailable after a full weekend of closing out games in Miami, Brian McCann’s long fly ball to left field off Ryan Madson just missed being a two-run home run by inches. Rather than cutting deep into the Phillies’ lead, McCann’s hit was a simple double – nothing more than a chance for the Braves to pad their left-on-base totals.

So with five games to go in the regular season, the Phillies can seal things up before the weekend. Another victory over the Braves on Tuesday coupled with a loss by the Brewers ensures a Game 163 playoff game even if the Phillies lose their final four games. Better yet, two more victories ought to be enough to sew up the NL East and most likely send the Dodgers to Philly next week for the NLDS.

But if the Mets fold up again and the Brewers slip past them for the wild card (the Mets lead is one game with six to go), then the Phillies get to host Milwaukee again.

No matter the scenario, the Phillies are sitting pretty. Two more does the trick…

It not a matter of if, but when.

*** Speaking of which, it seems as if the Mets' pitching is in full self-destruct mode as the games become more important. On Monday night, the fans at Shea were masquerading as empty, orange seats after an early battle against the Cubs turned into a laugher when pitcher Jason Marquis slugged a grand slam to break open the game as if it were a 10-pound bass.

So that's the way it is, huh? Are the Mets nothing more than a dead fish waiting to be carved up?

Maybe so.

Either way, the Mets are not getting too far ahead of themselves like they did last year when it appeared it was simply a matter of "when," not "if." Because of that, the team installed extra seats near the dugouts to handle the overflow crowd and high-rollers in need of tickets for the playoffs -- a plan that became foolhardy when the Phillies caught them on the last day of the season.

This year the Mets aren't acting so quickly on the extra seats. With six more games to go and a wild-card berth looking more like the best post-season possibility, the club will wait to install those seats.

In the meantime, manager Jerry Manuel is looking to infuse his with the proverbial shot in the arm(s). Though it seems tenuous at best, starting pitcher John Maine could come off the disabled list in time to work out of the bullpen.

The best bet for the Mets, however, looks to be the notion that the Brewers are an even bigger dead fish with no more fits and flops left in them for one last push.

In the meantime, the Phillies could have the luxury of resting a few arms before learning who their first-round opponent will be.

*** The Philly scribes now have all angles of the J.A. Happ-as-Marty Bystrom bit covered. At least we do after Rich Hofmann chatted up the always loquacious Dallas Green for the latest update on the premise.

Big D's big quote in Rich's story?

"Marty did one hell of a job,'' he said. "We don't win without him - that's for sure. We'd probably still win without Happ but we wouldn't have won without Marty. He was 5-0, he started two games for us in the playoffs and the World Series. He was a hell of a pitcher, he really was, for a kid. He just got himself all messed up afterward. He got a sore arm.

"He never really got, I mean, that was Marty's shining light, that September,'' Green said. "Hopefully J.A. will get a little more than that.''

My favorite part of the other Bystrom story by that other guy was when it retired pitcher revealed that he did not know he was going to pitch in the decisive Game 5 of the NLCS until after the Phillies won Game 4. That meant all Bystrom could do was go home and take a nap before attempting to pitch the Phillies into the World Series.

“I hadn’t pitched in nine or 10 days and Dallas came up to after Game 4 and said, ‘You got the ball tomorrow, kid,’” Bystrom said. “I said, ‘I’m ready.’”

I guess Rich's story is better... at least it's shorter.

The MVP and the shrine

Baring a collapse of Mets-like proportions, the Phillies will be in the playoffs for a second year in a row. It will be the first time the Phillies made the post-season in consecutive years since 1980-81 and if history is about to repeat itself, we are in 1977 of the second golden age of Phillies baseball. Maybe soon the new general manager will find this club its Pete Rose.

Nevertheless, with winning come the personal accolades from the old media groups that give out the awards. Obviously, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins took home the MVP award the last two seasons, and Charlie Manuel should be in the mix for manager of the year this season, while Brad Lidge will likely get a Cy Young Award vote or two.

But as the Phillies surge on to October, it's Howard and his chances for another MVP Award that has the pundits chirping. This month Howard has batted .379 with eight homers and 24 RBIs in 18 games. He also has reached base safely in 26 of the last 27 games and leads the Majors in homers (46) and RBIs (141) by a wide margin.

Based on those numbers Howard has to be a shoo-in, right?

"Those numbers speak for themselves," Manuel said. "You can say whatever you want to say, he's the best run producer in the league. He has the RBIs and he has the homers."

Well... not so fast. Howard also has the strikeouts with 194 - just five shy of the all-time record he set last season. Then there is the matter of that .247 batting average, heightened, of course, by an April in which he hit .168 and the fact that Howard did not crack the Mendoza Line until late May. Plus, Howard's slugging percentage is just .534, which is 10^th best in the National League, an indicator that he just isn't getting enough hits...

Other than home runs, obviously.

Still, Howard is a top candidate for the award with Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Carlos Delgado and Manny Ramirez, all of whom have better all-around stats than the slugging Phillie.

But so what? Howard has clearly been the straw that stirs the Phillies, just as he was in 2006 and Rollins was in 2007. If the MVP trend remains as an award for the player who is the catalyst on a contending team, Howard's September just might have put him over the top regardless of the batting average and the strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the last time two players for the same team won three MVP Awards in a row was when Jeff Kent and Barry Bonds  did it for the Giants from 2000 to 2004. Before that, Joe Morgan and George Foster won it for the Reds from 1975 to 1977.

In the American League, the last time such a feat occurred was when Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard won the MVP from 1960 to 1963 for the Yankees.

*** Speaking of the Yankees, click on any web site out there for any number of laments about the final game of Yankee Stadium set for tonight. As cynical I am about such things, it is significant day not just in the history of baseball, but also for America. After all, more than just being a mere baseball park Yankee Stadium is/was a tourist destination and a true image of Americana.

In fact, the first time I ever went to New York City, the one thing I wanted to see more than anything else was Yankee Stadium.

I actually didn't get inside the place until 1989 when I took a solo, post-high-school graduation road trip through the Northeast. Just for the occasion, I popped in a cassette of Lou Reed's New York, which played as I crossed from Manhattan into the South Bronx.

The Yankees won that day when Randy Velarde led off the ninth with a triple and Wayne Tolleson singled him home. Who would have known that the Yankees had just six wins left in them before George Steinbrenner decided to give his manager Dallas Green the axe?

Nevertheless, I wasn't ready for the hardcore vibe of the Stadium the first time I visited the place mostly because the first few games I ever attended were at The Vet and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. Baseball is a much more serious endeavor when played at Yankee Stadium, just as I imagine any event would be. In fact, watching a baseball game in Yankee Stadium is probably the same significance as watching the Declaration of Independence be signed at Independence Hall.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to get back to The Stadium a few more times as a fan and another time for work where I had a long pre- and post-game chat with Scott Rolen before taking a solo tour of the entire playing field, clubhouses, bullpens, Memorial Park and anywhere else all by myself. To leave, I walked through left field and up a ramp in some dirty and forgotten corner of the building and to the subway platform bound for Grand Central Station.

Oddly, every trip to Yankee Stadium always felt like the first one - that hardcore vibe never waned.

So it all ends for Yankee Stadium tonight. Next year the new $1.3 billion new Yankee Stadium will open just across the street from the old shrine. Frankly, those old buildings struggle to keep up in our new age, though there is a troubling trend that has developed in the new places in that regular folks quickly get priced out.

The best thing about baseball when it was played in places like The Vet and Memorial Stadium was that it was egalitarian. People of modest means and families could afford to attend a bunch of games a year.

But like the glory days of Yankee Stadium, those days are long gone.

---

Doesn't that sound better than drudging up 1964 every time a team chokes away a late-season lead?

Happ conjures memories of Bystrom's September

Manager Charlie Manuel was not enthusiastic when asked if lefty J.A. Happ would get a chance to start during the September playoff race. Instead of coming right out with straightforward answer, Manuel hedged by telling folks that Happ was going to be a good Major League pitcher one day soon. During a handful of stints in which Happ shuttled back and forth on the Northeast Extension between Citizens Bank Park and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Manuel lamented the chances he was not able to give the 25-year-old rookie. Sure, Happ received two starts for the Phillies when Brett Myers went back to the minors in July, but as soon as Manuel had his veterans back in the rotation Happ was back on Route 476 and heading north.

Manuel was even reluctant to use Happ out of the bullpen saying, “I’m not afraid to pitch Happ out of the bullpen, but I look at Happ as a starter.”

Talk about being in limbo – Happ was a pitcher that was ill-suited for the ‘pen and not seasoned enough for the manager to confidentially throw him into a regular starting role even when two-year veteran Kyle Kendrick struggled. In fact, twice in one week Manuel used Myers and Jamie Moyer on short rest and has reconfigured the rotation so that the No. 5 spot will come up just one more time for the rest of the season.

Needless to say, Manuel’s confidence in the end of his rotation has increased considerably after Wednesday night’s 6-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

That’s because Happ took over Kendrick’s spot and kept the Phillies in first place in the NL East by spinning six innings of shutout ball in Atlanta for his first big-league win. In his first start since pitching for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Aug. 26, Happ held the Braves to just three hits and a walk on 86 pitches.

“It was awesome,” Happ said. “I understood the position we’re in. I just wanted to get us back in the dugout, keep the momentum on our side and keep us on the roll we’ve been on.”

Happ’s outing drew rave reviews from a fellow starter who is 20 years his senior.

“He pitched the way you’re supposed to pitch, not like the clown who pitched [Tuesday] night,” said Tuesday night’s pitcher Moyer. “He’s obviously worked hard from last year to this year. He had great poise tonight. He threw the ball down in the zone. He pitched well up. He held his own. The more opportunities he gets, the better off he’ll be.”

If anything, baseball is all about the here and now. Sometimes a player is only as good as his last swing or pitch. Everybody is trying to get their foot in the door and keep it there.

“If you give a guy a chance, you don’t know how he’s going to react,” Manuel said. “Heck, Columbus took the chance.”

Indeed he did. It also appears the Phillies will give Happ another chance on Monday, which brings us to another issue that doesn’t really stick to the here-and-now. Instead, Manuel’s decision and Happ’s strong performance conjure up memories of past Phillies glories when another manager took a chance on an unproven rookie during the heat of a September pennant race.

“At that age you didn’t know what it means,” said former Phillies pitcher Marty Bystrom. “I didn’t know the history of Philadelphia and how much they wanted a championship. I had only been in the city for a month, so it was kind of a good thing. I was able to free up and focus.”

Bystrom, as devotees to Phillies’ lore know, joined the team as a September call up in 1980 World Championship season and was thrust into the starting rotation by manager Dallas Green when Larry Christenson went down with an injury. But instead of pitching like a 21-year-old kid, Bystrom proved to be an important cog on the staff alongside Steve Carlton, Dick Ruthven and Tug McGraw by going 5-0 in five starts with a 1.54 ERA. Factor in one relief appearance and Bystrom’s ERA dipped to 1.50 while holding opponents to a .195 batting average.

Interestingly, Bystrom’s first start was on Sept. 10, 1980 when he helped the Phillies remain a half game behind the Montreal Expos by tossing a complete-game, five-hit shutout at Shea Stadium. Yet the most lasting memory Bystrom has from that first start wasn’t the pressure of the pennant race – though that was evident. Instead, he was a bit jittery about making his first big-league start with Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Larry Bowa and Bob Boone in the field and the taskmaster Green in the dugout.

“[My head] was spinning, that’s for sure. It was really hard to grasp the situation. It was amazing,” Bystrom said.

Bystrom followed up his debut with a seven-innings of shutout ball in an 8-4 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Vet before going 5 1/3 innings for a 7-3 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

In that one, Bystrom gave up his first runs as a big leaguer when Dave Kingman clubbed a two-run homer in the fourth inning. To that point the rookie right-hander had gone 20 straight innings without allowing a run.

“I tried to get a slider over and he hit it over the center field fence,” Bystrom remembered.

Perhaps Bystrom’s biggest start that September came on Sept. 25 at the Vet when he went 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 victory over the Mets. Thanks to that victory the Phillies moved into first place by a half game over the Expos and remained either in first place, tied or mere percentage points behind the rest of the way.

His last start of the regular season was on Sept. 30 when Bystrom went seven innings in a 14-2 win over the Cubs at the Vet.

By that point, the folks in Philadelphia were wondering, “Where did this guy come from?”

“I went to spring training with the Major League club and pulled a hamstring. The talk back then was I would break camp with the Phillies, but it wasn’t until July when I finally pitched for the Triple-A club,” Bystrom said. “When Dallas called me up, he knew me. He was the minor league director before he became manager so he knew my arm was there. It was just a matter of maturity.”

Meanwhile, Happ finds himself in a similar situation as Bystrom did nearly 30 years ago. Though he stands to make just one more start, Happ is not eligible for the post-season roster because he was not on the 25-man squad before Sept. 1. Bystrom was in a similar situation during the ’80 run, too, however, an injury to Nino Espinosa opened up a post-season roster spot.

On the strength of just five Major League starts, Bystrom not only was with the club during one of the most memorable league championship series ever, but also started the fifth and deciding game against Nolan Ryan and Houston in the Astrodome. Strangely enough, Bystrom said he didn’t know he was going to start the deciding game until the Phillies won in Game 4.

“I hadn’t pitched in nine or 10 days and Dallas came up to after Game 4 and said, ‘You got the ball tomorrow, kid,’” Bystrom said. “I said, ‘I’m ready.’”

Bystrom called that NLCS finale “the toughest game I ever pitched.” More than just the pressure of a game with the World Series on the line, Bystrom recalled that the noise from the fans in the Astrodome was deafening.

“I took a suggestion from Steve Carlton and put cotton in my ears,” Bystrom said, adding that pitching with Rose, Schmidt, Bowa and Boone on his side in the field made things a lot easier.

Green later tabbed Bystrom to start the pivotal fifth game of the World Series in Kansas City – a game best remembered for the Phillies’ ninth-inning rally and McGraw’s heart-stopping pitching to win it.

“It was a moment I dreamed about since I was five or six years old,” Bystrom said of pitching in the World Series. “Then, all of sudden, it was today is the day – this is the day I was dreaming about all of those years.”

The 1980 season was kind of the beginning of the end for Bystrom, which is more proof that baseball is all about the here-and now. An arm injury suffered just after the 1981 players’ strike curtailed the tall righty’s career in which he reached a career-high of six wins in two seasons. Following the 1989 season where he pitched in the Indians’ organization (after stints with the Yankees and Giants chains), Bystrom called it quits at age 30.

These days Bystrom lives in Geigertown, Pa. and works as the vice president of broker relations for the Benecon Group in Brownstown, Lancaster County, where he has worked since 1995. He moved back to the area at the end of his playing days when he was still pitching with the Yankees, and noted that every time a young kid comes up during the last month of the season, people always seem to remember him.

“It comes up,” Bystrom laughed. “There was a story in The Wall Street Journal a few days ago about September call ups and my picture was in it. I guess it has to go down as one of the best Septembers for a call up ever.”

It’s hard to argue with the 5-0 record and 1.50 ERA in the middle of a pennant race.

Happ could leave us conjuring up Bystrom’s magical month again if he pitches well on Monday. After that, who knows… maybe a few post-season starts will help history repeat itself.

Bystrom’s advice for Happ: Just stick with what got you there.

“[He just has to] relax as much as possible and stick to the normal routines.”

It’s as simple as that.

Hold on DeSean, hold on

We are big fans of showboating here at Finger Food central. Oh sure, it’s self-indulgent, silly and all of that other stuff that boils up the blood of fans and certain elements of the knee-jerk media. But at least it gets people talking.

And if people talk about it, guys like me can write about it, too.

Sometimes showboating slips past the thin line of creativity and into the realm of the absurd. For instance, Chad Johnson doing the river dance after a touchdown is creative. But Chad Johnson changing his name to Chad Ocho Cinco is ridiculous.

At the same time, Terrell Owens borrowing a cheerleader’s pom-poms to celebrate a TD is funny, but T.O. pulling a Sharpie out of his sock or dashing out to the star at midfield is the ultimate in jack-assery.

I mean really… who keeps a Sharpie in their sock? Even if you lived in a nudist colony in which you wore only long white tube socks and only had a fist full of markers to write with, you still wouldn’t stash them in your sock. Not even if you were playing nude football in the colony league.

Money is OK to store in a sock, not a Sharpie.

In the case of Eagles rookie DeSean Jackson, a little bit of showboating turned into embarrassment. That’s especially the case when the game is televised to the largest cable network audience to ever watch a football game. So when Jackson streaked away for what looked like a 61-yard TD reception only to ruin it by flippantly spiking the ball on the one-yard line, it turned into one of those plays everyone will remember forever.

And Jackson was only playing in his second NFL game.

Fortunately, Jackson’s gaffe did not cost the Eagles much more than some nervous laughter and red faces. Afterwards it seemed as if it was OK to laugh about the fact that the kid intentionally fumbled the ball before reaching the end zone. After all, who doesn’t want to keep the ball from their first ever touchdown? Instead Jackson got rid of it as if it was on fire and then moved to the back of the end zone to do a little humpty dance or something.

Talk about embarrassing.

But then again everyone who has ever played sports has done something really stupid. Sometimes those acts of stupidity are burned into the memory banks forever. Like the time I scored a goal for the other team in the final quarter of the semifinal playoff soccer game in one of my first years of playing the sport.

After the ball slipped past our goalie and nestled into the back of the net, my teammates and I fell into a state of shock. Most kids just stood at their positions on the weather-worn field and cried big crocodile tears, while a couple of others crumbled to their knees as if they had been shot by snipers.

It was a bad, dark day for a bunch of kids who took our little soccer league very seriously.

Anyway, what happened was I lightly kicked the ball to our goalie so that he could pick it up and then boot it as far as possible to the other end of the field. It’s a pretty mundane and everyday soccer tactic that even we used as little kids. Rather than play back on our heels on the defensive end, we could just the pressure a bit by kicking it far.

Simple, right?

Well…

Instead of the goalie scooping up the light little kick, the ball rolled through his legs and into the goal. The whole thing happened as if it was in slow motion and as soon as I kicked it I knew something bad was about to happen. Who would have known that the one seemingly simple play would have resulted in the only goal of the game?

So that year we didn’t get to the championship that season and we didn’t take home a trophy. Instead, all I got was this lousy story.

On another note, during a seventh grade basketball game in our ultra-competitive CYO league, my friend Paul once buried the most magnificent long-range hook shot I have ever seen. It was a shot right out of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar school of the sky hook. Paul must have been at least 20-feet from the basket when he turned without hesitation and just nailed it as cleanly as any shot ever.

The problem was it went into the wrong hoop. It was two points for the other team.

How awesome is that?

*** Finally, our old pal Doug Glanville penned another op-ed piece for The New York Times. This time Doug wrote about an event I remember well and attended with great apprehension and excitement.

Certainly anyone who was there that night will never forget the Phillies’ first game after the Sept. 11 attacks. Check out Doug Glanville’s remembrances here.

Next up: J.A. Happ, Marty Bystrom and Ryan Howard

photo from  Bryan Graham's "For the Record."

Could it Happen? Phillies-Mets in the NLCS?

Let's jump the gun for a minute here. Yes, yes, yes this is definitely the wrong time to entertain such thoughts, especially when there are 12 games remaining in the season. This time of year 12 games is a lifetime - anything can happen. But then again it's kind of what we do when we talk about sports. We love to speculate and allow our minds to wander while simultaneously second-guessing along with the action on the field.

So here it is:

What would happen if the Phillies played the Mets in the NLCS?

Hey, it could happen.

If I had to guess I'd say Shea Stadium and Citizens Bank Park would morph into European soccer stadiums for a Phillies-Mets NLCS. Fans would sing, chant, dance, cry and fight - and that would just be in the parking lot before the game. On the field, the action would resemble the final showdown between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix in the movie, Gladiator.  At the very least it could reach a fever pitch in very much the same manner as the 2003 ALCS when Pedro Martinez tossed 70-year-old coach Don Zimmer to the ground as if he were a bag of leaves.

This time around Pedro is with the Mets, though it's highly unlikely that he would pick a fight with any member of the Phillies' staff. Pedro is better suited to mix it up with 70-year-old coaches.

Nevertheless, just the thought of a matchup between the Phillies and the Mets in the NLCS is enough to put a smirk on my face. Plus, it means one last trip to Shea...

Yay!

If the season were to end today, the Phillies would travel to Chicago to face the Cubs in the NLDS, while the Mets would host the Dodgers. For the Phillies, the end-of-the-season pitching matchups point to Brett Myers in Game 1, Jamie Moyer in Game 2 and Cole Hamels in Game 3. That's certainly the way manager Charlie Manuel wants it to play out.

Again, there is a long way to go. Starting on Tuesday night the Phillies have three games in Atlanta followed by three next weekend in Florida. After sweeping the Brewers in four straight, the Phillies finally have that little extra bounce back in their steps.

"I really believe that we haven't played the way we're capable of playing," said Pat Burrell, who snapped out of a two-month long slump with the go-ahead RBI single in Sunday's opener to the day-night doubleheader, and then smashed a long homer to left in the nightcap. "We've been pretty inconsistent all year, and to be in the situation we're in, we're fortunate. I think there is better baseball still to be played."

According to the numbers crunchers, the Phillies have a lot more baseball left to play. Ken Roberts, of the web site Sports Club Stats, gives the Phillies a 71.6 percent chance to make the playoffs. However, there are still games remaining to win. At 83-67 it seems as if the Phillies have to win at least 90 games to get into the playoffs.

It just might take 92 wins to get a second straight NL East crown.

Sit tight.

---

And yes we are totally discounting the Brewers. Unless they relieve manager Ned Yost now for the final push, the Brewers aren't going anywhere.

Post-game: Phillies in Control

Needless to say, it was quite a bizarre scene in the Phillies’ clubhouse following the 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday night. One would have to imagine the scene was downright surreal at the other end of the corridor deep in the bowels of Citizens Bank Park at the visiting team’s clubhouse. There, sprinkled in amongst the members of the local press were ballplayers eyeing the television sets hung from the ceiling in the middle of the clubhouse all tuned to the final inning of the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter against the Astros. Strangely, while Zambrano was tossing a no-no against the home team Astros, the packed house was jumping and dancing in the aisles all clad in Cubs shirts. In fact, it was a home game in name only for the Astros.

Hurricane Ike forced Major League Baseball to move the game to Milwaukee’s Miller Park – just 90 miles away from Chicago – while Houston gathers itself after the crippling storm.

Meanwhile, the Brewers watched as the Cubs celebrated on their home field. After the game the Cubs probably sprayed champagne and danced the night away in the Brewers’ clubhouse. Odder yet, the Brewers and the Cubs play each other on Tuesday night – in Chicago. When the Brewers go back to Miller Park the clubhouse will probably stink of stale champagne, a scent the home team likely won’t have to worry about come the end of the season.

The Brewers’ Ryan Braun could only shake his head as he wondered about the celebration going on in his home clubhouse. There Braun was in Philadelphia suffering after a fourth straight loss to the Phillies as their season spirals out of control while a party raged in Milwaukee.

"They're probably drinking champagne and having a beer shower right now in our locker room while we sulk about what happened here," Braun said. "It's ironic, where we're at as a team and how we feel at the end of this series and see them celebrating a no-hitter on our field."

He’s certainly right on that point. At least he was on Sunday night after Brett Myers and Joe Blanton combined to pitch 16 innings of seven-hit ball to guide the Phillies to a day-night doubleheader sweep. As a result, the Phillies gained four games in a single weekend to forge a first-place tie in the National League’s wild-card race. With 12 games to go in the season, the Brewers and Phillies have identical 83-67 records. The only difference is that the Phillies have won seven of their last 10 after dropping two of three in Washington.

The Brewers, on the other hand, have lost 11 of their last 14 games and trail the Cubs by 7½ games in the NL Central.

The Phillies have a magic number of 13 in the wild-card race with a two-game advantage on the Astros. However, the Phillies and manager Charlie Manuel don’t have all their eggs resting in one basket. Oh no. That’s because a second straight NL East division title is still within reach.

Don’t look now, but the Mets lead the Phillies by just one game after the New Yorkers lost for two of three against the Braves.

Do the Phillies have the momentum going into the final two weeks? Charlie Manuel thinks so.

“I believe in momentum. I believe in what do you call it, attitude, charisma and when you come to the ballpark everything is OK,” Manuel said. “Everybody is in a good mood and upbeat. Everybody’s happy. People ain’t walking around sulking because they ain’t making enough money or something happened at the house. I don’t know but those things happen.”

Credit the Phillies starting pitching for the surge. Actually, in the case of Brett Myers and his complete game two-hitter pitched on just three-days rest, maybe the Phillies can give the Brewers an assist.

In an effort that will create positive aftershocks for the bullpen heading into the six-game road trip through Atlanta and Florida, Myers needed just 95 pitches to spin his gem. Then again, that’s nothing new. After all, the Brewers were quite generous with 45-year old Jamie Moyer last Friday night when he beat them despite working on three-days rest as well.

According to Myers, the pitcher figured it out early that he didn’t have to be overpowering.

“They were really aggressive,” Myers said. “Then again, I wasn’t looking for the strikeout and I usually go for it.”

Myers threw just eight pitches in the first and second innings and worked up to 30 through the first three. But after a 15-pitch fourth inning, Myers needed just 43 more pitches to complete the eighth inning.

Just to show they were in a hurry to get out of town, the Brewers saw just seven pitches in the ninth. It’s a good thing, too, because Myers said he knew his stuff was less than electric when warming up before the game.

“On three-days rest it’s difficult to give max effort,” Myers said. “I knew that when I was throwing in the bullpen [before the game] that I was going to have to be efficient.”

Who knows if Myers would have been able to come to that conclusion during the first half of the season. After limping out of the gates to a first half that lead to a July demotion to the minors, Myers has returned with a vengeance. A 3-9 first half with an ERA barely south of 6 has morphed into a post-minors stretch in which Myers is 7-2 with a 1.78 ERA.

Even his teammates can’t believe it.

“It was almost like a deadline acquisition,” said Jayson Werth, who had a pair of hits in the twinbill. “The way he’s throwing it’s deadly.”

Manuel says the biggest difference is Myers’ mental approach – a theory that the pitcher wholeheartedly agrees with. After the game the Myers said he needed to go to the minors in order to re-learn how to be a starting pitcher because the season working as the team’s closer in ’07 changed everything.

“I had the closer mentality to get strike one and then strike ‘em out,” he said.

Manuel says it’s a complete 180-degree change.

“I think it’s his focus,” the manager said. “I give him credit for his focus and staying calm. He stays in control a lot more.”

Control is a big thing with the Phillies these days because it appears as if the team has a ton of it. Clearly, the team is well aware of how they sit these days after the four-game sweep.

“We keep going back to last year, but that’s the way it’s lining up,” Werth said.

Said Myers: “It kind of feels how it did last year. Tonight we went out there and got some hits and had some fun.”

Who knows – maybe it will end with a big champagne-filled celebration in the home team clubhouse.

Ninth inning: All tied up

Let’s start with Brett Myers’ line: 9 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K – 95 pitches.

Look at that – 95 pitches in a complete game.

Now here’s what it means:

The Phillies and Brewers are tied for first place in the wild-card race with identical 83-67 records. The streaking Houston Astros rest two games off the pace after they lost to the Cubs at Wrigley Field tonight.

Meanwhile, the Phillies aren’t out of the mix in the NL East race, either. With 12 games to go in the season, the Phillies are just one game behind the Mets. Just like last season it seems as if the Phillies fate and fortunes change by the day.

And just like the past few seasons, this race is going to come down to the last day for the Phillies.

Buckle up.

Check back in a few… I’m heading down to the clubhouse.

Final: Phillies 6, Brewers 1

Eighth inning: Big relief

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Brett Myers is turning in his best outing of the season. Who knows… maybe it’s the best outing of his career. Sure, he might have had some overpowering and dominant performances during his career, but for what the Phillies need right now Myers is delivering big time. Double headers are always taxing on pitching staffs and coaches absolutely loathe them. When the notion that the Phillies and Brewers would prefer to play a double dip on Sunday, one could see a cold shudder go up and down the spines of Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee. The havoc that would become of their pitching staff was just too much to fathom.

But up stepped Myers and down sat the bullpen. Thanks to seven innings from Joe Blanton in the opener, Manuel should have a stable of fresh arms when the Phillies go to Atlanta on Tuesday.

Through eight innings Myers has allowed two hits and has thrown just 88 pitches. Better yet, there is no one warming up in the bullpen. In fact, Myers received a well-deserved standing ovation and hanky wave when he walked up to the plate in the eighth.

How huge would a complete game be?

Meanwhile, Shane Victorino singled in the eighth to cap off a 4-for-4 game, while Jimmy Rollins drew his third walk to reach base safely in five straight plate appearances.

More from Leslie I'm a big fan of Ned Yost, but either he's making some bad calls or the inmates are running the asylum... and poorly. Yost's team is exceptionally undisciplined. They've allowed Brett Myers to go deep in this game by routinely swinging at the first pitch. 88 pitches through 8 innings!!! This is a dream come true for the Phillies. They got 7 innings out of Blanton in game 1, tying his high as a Phillie... and now this out of Myers. With the day off tomorrow the Phils will head into Atlanta (a place they've dominated this year) with a lead in the wild card race and a well rested bullpen, thanks to the Brewers.

Could Yost have actually looked past this series and to their next series with the Cubs? At what's soon to be 3-11 in their last 14 games, the Brewers are falling fast. Yost will likely finish out the season in Milwaukee, but at this rate, he won't be there past that.

Phillies 6, Brewers 1

Sixth & seventh: Chowing down

Sorry about the delay, folks. I had to get up out of my seat and grab a drink to make sure I stay hydrated in this humidity. Hopefully we get a break from this oppressive, sultry weather soon. Truth be told, I’m a cool weather guy. It should be noted that there is/was free food in the media dining room this evening. The Phillies served hot dogs, pizza along with the usual salad bar offerings. Not bad – all for free, too. Usually it costs $10.

Still, the concepts of “free food” and “the media” should send a cold shiver down your spine. Frankly, it’s a scary sight in which it’s quite possible for a guy to be mauled, run over, smacked with a pointy elbow by someone boxing out for position or lose a digit if grabbing for something.

Here in the press box they bite first, think second. Do yourself a favor and stay out of the way.

On the field Myers cruised through the sixth with another clean frame, including his second whiff of the game. But in the seventh, Prince Fielder broke up the shutout with a line-drive home run that reached the first row in right field.

It should be noted that Ken Mandel just walked by and said, “It should be noted that the Phillies ‘Never surrendered’ against a team with Corey Hart.”

Yes, I will apologize for Ken. Sorry.

Anyway, Fielder homered twice this series after not hitting one for a month. The big slugger is up to 30 now and it seems to me that the Brewers chances will ride on his wide back. Who knows – maybe he’ll get it going in Chicago this week.

For the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins walked in the sixth inning to reach base for the fourth straight time in the game. When Jimmy goes, the Phillies go. The team’s record is remarkable in games in which Rollins scores a run.

Meanwhile, Chase Utley has hit in eight straight games though he is really hitting. Who knows, the numbers in the box score to lead to something. After all, I recall during Jimmy Rollins’ long hitting streak that he really was scuffling despite the fact he had a hit in 10 straight games. But once he found a groove it was lights out.

It’s lights out here for the Brewers… stick a fork in ‘em?

Leslie chimes in I'm sitting 20 feet from John and I can tell you it's not nearly as hot out here as he perceives it to be. I'm thinking you need to take the Starbucks drip out of your arm, John... the caffeine has your sweat glands working overtime.

The conversation on this end of the press box has shifted from Brett Myers to Sarah Palin. A 6-0 lead can have that effect on people.

I guess you have to be from Southern California to enjoy this type of weather, huh? I guess your seatmates are helping to fan you off with those flapping gums.

Phillies 6, Brewers 1

Fifth inning: It's really hot

It’s really muggy here at the park tonight. Oppressively so. I’m not doing anything other than typing and thinking and I’m sweating like Dom DeLuise at a clam bake. Yes, that’s graphic. And obscure… graphically obscure.

Nevertheless, if I’m sweating like the irrepressible Captain Chaos (who didn’t love those Cannonball Run movies? Just thinking about them makes me laugh at the spot on Norm McDonald imitation of Burt Reynolds), I’m sure Brett Myers is as lathered up as a Clydesdale hauling a wagon full of hay.

So far the heat and humidity doesn’t seem to be bothering Myers. After Ray Durham’s two-out single in the fourth, Myers retired four in a row – three straight on balls that didn’t leave the infield.

Interestingly, Myers has just one strikeout, though the economy of his outing doesn’t really manifest itself in his pitch count at 57. Still, the big fella isn’t laboring and hasn’t been stressed by anything other than throwing strikes.

Check this out: Brett Myers is pitching a very mature game. He’s in control even though he isn’t exactly overpowering.

Myers doesn’t have to sweat out this one. It’s pretty evident here in the fifth that he is going to pitch the Phillies into a tie for first in the wild-card race. Moreover, the Phillies could be just one game behind the Mets for the NL East after the New Yorkers blew a late lead in a loss to the Braves.

Man do they miss Billy Wagner.

With the bats the Phillies didn’t kick up much of a fuss against reliever Tim Dillard. However, Shane Victorino picked up his third hit of the game with a two-out single. That’s not bad for a guy who came into today’s action with just seven hits in September. Today he has four in both games.

Leslie chimes in OK, I seriously believe that's the first time I have EVER been called a pessimist! More often than not I'm considered too soft when it comes to this team.

So, Pat talked about feeding off his clutch, game-winning hit in game one. He's doing just that. That hit to deep center is another home run if he pulls it like he usually does. Maybe someone reminded him he'll be a free agent in a few weeks. A nice run in these last 13 games would go a long way for both Burrell and the Phillies.

Phillies 6, Brewers 0

Fourth inning: Burrell goes deep

Is this irony or a coincidence? Ray Durham, a player for the Giants in the game that Kevin Millwood threw the last no-hitter for the Phillies busted up Brett Myers’ bid with a two-out single in the fourth inning. I’m going with coincidence.

Meanwhile, just to show the single was not a harbinger of things to come for the Brewers, Myers whiffed Prince Fielder to end the inning as well as to pick up his first K of the game.

Myers threw 15 more pitches in the fourth – he’s up to 45 now.

And the hits just keep on coming …

Pat Burrell just might be out of his two-month long slump. After driving in the go-ahead run in the first game, the streaky slugger smashed a looooooooong homer to left off Jeff Suppan to open the bottom of the inning. Had Burrell’s blast – his 31st – been struck a few feet to the right, the ball would have landed in the upper deck.

So what’s the deal with Burrell? Is he coming back next year or will the Phillies allow him to test free agency? If I were a betting man (which, I guess I am on occasion), I would probably guess that Burrell will be playing for a new team in 2009.

Call it a hunch, but with big power numbers Burrell might be able to command a big salary again next season. However, since his production graph looks like the boom and bust of a bear and bull market, the Phillies might choose to pocket the money and go with the less costly Jayson Werth as the everyday left fielder.

Maybe Werth’s hot streak during the second half forced the Phillies hand?

And maybe that cash they save on allowing Burrell to walk could be spent on a top-of-the-line starting pitcher like… oh, I don’t know… CC Sabathia?

Ol’ CC has a relationship with Charlie Manuel and he just might be ready to get away from the free-falling Brewers now.

Apropos of nothing, has a manger ever been fired mid game?

Anyway, after Burrell’s homer, Werth picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk. That also forced Ned Yost to slink out of the dugout to give Suppan the hook.

Suppan’s line: 3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 HBP…

Ouch!

Phillies 6, Brewers 0

Third inning: Shhhhh! Don't jinx it

I often wonder what went on in big-league press boxes before there was a such a thing as the Internet. From what I’m told the press box was a lot more animated and adversarial. As if that’s not the case now.

Perhaps without the Internet, the public relations staff would be busier looking up stats and trends and that kind of stuff, but these days it’s all a mouse click away. So with a second weekend of day-night action, the scribes are about to visit their Facebook pages while simultaneously keeping an eye on their Fantasy Football matchups.

It should be noted that my team is beating all that is holy out of the team owned by Marcus Hayes. However, Marcus has DeSean Jackson and Wes Parker remaining in order to make up the 40-point deficit. I’m fresh out of players after benefitting from a stellar outing by a guy named E. Graham of Tampa Bay.

Nope, I don’t pretend to be an expert.

Meanwhile, bulldog scribe Mike Radano of the Courier Post just handed out the cards for the no-hitter pool. What happens is whenever a pitcher carries a no-no past the third inning, Mike hands out specific cards to 10 people for $5 apiece. If a card matches with the corresponding spot in the lineup of the player who busts up the no-hitter, the card holder takes home the loot.

If a pitcher goes on to toss the no-hitter, the person holding the King is the big winner.

For the record, Ken Mandel of Phillies.com won when Kevin Millwood threw his no-hitter.

OK… here comes the jinx – Brett Myers has a no-hitter through three innings. In the third he walked Craig Counsell to start the inning, but quickly erased him by coaxing a 6-4-3 double play. Jeff Suppan grounded out to end the inning.

Myers has thrown 30 pitches without a strikeout to get his goose eggs.

Soeaking of goose eggs, the Phillies just posted their first one of the game in the third. However, Ryan Howard kept the grounded-into-double-play streak alive for a third inning in a row.

Phillies 4, Brewers 0

Second inning: Hello, Mr. Baseball!

Saw Bob Uecker – the famous Mr. Baseball – in the media dining room between games. Bob was wearing a sharp button-down shirt and a gaudy Bluetooth device before preparing to entertain the good folks in Milwaukee with some more splendid analysis. The character he played in Major League wasn’t far off, folks.

Which reminds me of a funny story:

A few years back when the Brewers were in town, a member of the Philly media approached Uecker to tell him how much he enjoyed his work as well as his acting in the film, Major League. After thanking the press dude for the compliment and exchanging some more small talk, the pair split up.

Suddenly, though, Uecker stopped, turned around and called back to the media guy, “Hey, have you seen the second movie yet,” referring, of course, to the sequel in the Major League film series.

“No,” the press guy answered.

“Don’t, it sucks,” Uecker said.

That Bob Uecker – always looking out for you.

Meanwhile, Brett Myers sat down three more Brewers in a row in the second inning. That’s six up and six down for the big fella on 16 pitches (11 strikes) and five on balls hit into the air.

The Phillies’ offense continued to put pressure on Jeff Suppan and the Brewers in the bottom of the second when Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino reached to leadoff the frame. But for the second inning in a row, a double play – this one from Pedro Feliz – ruined a potentially huge threat…

That was until Myers singled to right with two outs to drive home another run. The white rally towels handed out to the fans flitted and flew a few pitches later when Jimmy Rollins smashed a single to left-center to drive in Chris Coste from third and a rumblin', stumblin', bumblin' and slidin' Myers from second.

If the sight of Myers circling the bases and sliding into home doesn't make a guy want to twirl a flag, nothing will.

Onto the third.

Phillies 4, Brewers 0

Leslie chimes in: Jimmy should have never tried to stretch that single into a double to start the game... but it worked.

Brett Myers should have never been sent home in the second... but it worked.

The Phillies have had some things fall there way today... they'd better not push their luck!

Always a pessimist, Leslie... sheesh!