Jan. 27 -- LIEBERTHAL RETIRES

Wanted to pass along this bit of news from Los Angeles: After a 14-year career with the Phillies and Dodgers, Mike Lieberthal has decided to retire. He said he reached the decision after last season, but he made it public yesterday at a celebrity soccer match he attended with Nomar Garciaparra and Mia Hamm.

I covered Lieberthal for only one season -- 2006, his last with the Phillies -- but I think I got to know him fairly well. He was soft-spoken, and at times, ridiculously laid-back. I'll never forget a Sunday game in Houston in September. The Phils were in the midst of another late-season revival, and Lieby, a veteran of playoff near-misses in 2005 and 2004, sat on a couch with his legs propped up and ice bags taped to both knees (his typical postgame pose) and non-chalantly guaranteed 2006 would end with a playoff berth. It didn't, of course. The Phillies would fall short again before winning the NL East last season, once Lieberthal already had moved on to his hometown Dodgers to back up Russell Martin. As Brett Myers struck out Wily Mo Pena to clinch the division, I remember thinking that Lieberthal should've been the one to catch that pitch.

Lieberthal caught more games than anyone in Phillies history, but sadly, never reached the postseason. While with the Phillies, he had a cameo in the movie "Summer Catch" (some of Jessica Biel's best work), and fans of "The Office" know that Dwight has Lieberthal's bobblehead doll on his desk. Soon, Lieby will undertake a new challenge -- being a dad. His wife, Kelly, is three months pregnant with their first child.

Got any good Lieberthal memories?

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The Phils wrapped their winter promotional tour yesterday, and with several players passing through the region over the past two weeks, I figured there was no point in waiting until spring training to start talking baseball. In the 50-center, we ran stories on Kyle Kendrick's attempt to elude the sophomore jinx, Chris Coste's soon-to-be-released autobiography, the new/old roles for Brett Myers and Shane Victorino, Pat Gillick's thoughts on the Great Ryan Howard Arbitration Debate, Geoff Jenkins' heartfelt departure from Milwaukee, and Brad Lidge's still-healing right knee.

And, in our Sunday baseball notes, I picked up on an idea that Brian floated in the comments section of a previous post: Good relief pitching can be fickle. Just look at J.C. Romero's performance last season. But Romero thinks he can be the best lefty reliever in baseball, and the Phillies are counting on nothing less.

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Quick reminder: Jimmy Rollins (Pro Athlete of the Year) and the Phillies (Team of the Year) will be honored tomorrow night at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, and tickets are still available

Enjoy your (Super Bowl bye week) Sunday.