May 2 -- SAN FRANCISCO TREAT

ATLANTA -- Good morning, all.

This is my second season covering the Phillies for The News Journal, and I don't think I've looked forward to a road trip more than this one coming up. I've never been to San Francisco, so I'm excited about getting on a plane tomorrow morning and heading out there. If you live there or are familiar with the city, let me know. I need a few tour guides. Maybe I'll run into this guy. He's been in SF all week.

But before I get there, the Phillies have one more game here tonight. Once again, they'll be facing a left-hander, Chuck James, who typically gives them fits. In four games (three starts) against the Phillies, James is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA, 18 strikeouts and only three walks in 20-1/3 innings. Needless to say, the Phillies will need Freddy Garcia, their prized offseason addition, to begin pitching like it. And, here's the thing about Freddy: He knows he needs to pitch better. Within this notebook, you'll read about his frustrations. My hunch is that Shane Victorino will be back in the lineup, although against a lefty, I'm not sure that's the wisest decision.

Also, I agree with some of the comments on the previous post. Perhaps the best sign to come out of last night's comeback victory was the 1-2-3 ninth inning pitched by Tom Gordon. More on that, and everything else Phillies-related, later from the Ted.