May 31 -- FRIDAY NIGHT (HIGH)LIGHTS

So, Charlie Manuel has this recurring fantasy.

"I'd like to be Big Brown," the Phillies' manager revealed yesterday. "I'd like to look back and see somebody behind me, chasing. That'd be good."

To clarify: Manuel doesn't actually want to be a horse. But he'd like for the Phillies to seize first place, build a nice lead and hold it throughout the summer.

And, hey, it might just happen.

The Phillies moved into first place last night by pummeling the upstart Marlins, 12-3, at the sold-out Bank, and while there's still a long way to go before the season heads into its home stretch, everything is falling into place.

Start with the offense: Since last Sunday, and including the seven-run second inning that erased Florida's early three-run lead, the Phillies' run totals have been higher than the price of gas. They have reached double digits in runs in three of the past five games, a stretch in which they are batting .337 (61-for-181) with 60 runs. Go back even farther. Over their last nine games, the Phillies are averaging 9.3 runs. With 41 home runs this month, they have set a franchise record for May, breaking the previous mark of 39 in 2006. And for the first time since May 14-19, 2004, they have scored six runs or more in five straight games. Shane Victorino has a career-high 11-game hitting streak. Chase Utley is leading the majors with 18 homers. Ryan Howard has 10 homers in May. The entire Royals team has 11.

Now, consider Brett Myers' encouraging performance last night. Myers, who was 0-4 with an 8.02 ERA in his last four starts, was at his worst in the first inning. Only eight of his 21 pitches were strikes, and even worse, 17 of the first 18 were either a ball or put in play, as the Marlins punished Myers for three runs. But he cruised through the next seven innings, blanking the Marlins and fanning a season-high 11 batters for his 10th career double-digit strikeout game. For only the second time in 12 starts, Myers survived the eighth inning, and for the first time since April 17 against the Astros, he earned a victory.

Hey, when things come together for Phillies, they really come together.

So, what were you most impressed with last night?

***
Manuel also revealed something else yesterday: He thinks Utley may be the best player he's ever seen. Also within the notebook, we caught up with Wes Helms, who has found happiness again in a backup role in Florida.

***
Got an e-mail yesterday from Josh Goldberg, one of Jimmy Rollins' agents, and I thought I'd pass along some information. Rollins will host his third annual charity Basebowl Tournament on Thursday, June 19 at Lucky Strike Bowling Alley on Chestnut Street in Center City Philly. Bowling begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a live auction and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation in Philadelphia. Howard, Utley, Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels and others will join Rollins. For information, call 215-545-2471.

May 30 -- AUDIOFILE & LINEUPS

To whet your appetite for the weekend, I got together with Michael Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier Post after batting practice and taped our weekly audio file. We discussed the Phillies' offensive tear, the Marlins' surprising start, and what the Phillies should do with Brett Myers.

Got a few minutes to kill? Listen to the audio file by clicking here: R09_0018.mp3

Speaking of Myers, he gets things started here tonight for the Phillies. Here's the lineup against Florida LHP (and former Sixer) Mark Hendrickson (7-2, 4.14 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.312/3/17), CF Shane Victorino (.291/2/12), 2B Chase Utley (.310/17/46), 1B Ryan Howard (.206/14/38), LF Pat Burrell (.277/13/35), 3B Pedro Feliz (.265/7/28), C Chris Coste (.341/4/13), RF So Taguchi (.196/0/3), RHP Brett Myers (2-6, 5.79).

May 30 -- FIRST-PLACE FISH?

Before Tuesday night's game, I ran into a scout from a National League team. He's a guy I've known for years, someone whose opinion I trust. Anyway, he mentioned that he'd just come from Florida, where he watched the Marlins play last weekend. I asked him, point blank, if he thought the surprising Marlins are for real.

"No way," he said.

Why?

Foremost, he mentioned their pitching. Presently, the Marlins rotation consists of top prospect Andrew Miller (4-4, 5.53), Scott Olsen (4-2, 3.65), Ricky Nolasco (4-3, 4.70), somebody named Burke Badenhop (1-3, 6.75) and tonight's starter, 6-foot-9 lefty Mark Hendrickson (7-2, 4.14), who is known more around here for his jumpshot with the Sixers than his lifetime 4.95 ERA. Add them together, and the ERA of the Marlins' starting rotation is 5.00, third-worst in the NL behind Colorado (5.46) and Pittsburgh (5.69).

But my scout friend also mentioned the Fish's offense, which is greatly dependent on home runs (sound familiar?). But, unlike the Phillies, the Marlins have yet to show they can manufacture runs. Dan Uggla (.307, 16 homers, 38 RBIs) is beyond hot right now; Hanley Ramirez (.291, nine homers, 23 RBIs, 13 steals) is among the game's most exciting players, and Mike Jacobs (.257, 11 homers, 29 RBIs) is a legit power threat. But can Jorge Cantu continue to produce? What about 40-year-old Luis Gonzalez? Will Josh Willingham's back problems nag him throughout the season? How much will Jacque Jones help?

These are all questions that will be answered over the next few months. For now, though, it should be interesting to get our first look at the surprising Marlins. Here's the series preview that ran in The Paper today:

MARLINS (30-22) at PHILLIES (31-24)
Fri., 7:05: LHP Mark Hendrickson (7-2, 4.14) vs. RHP Brett Myers (2-6, 5.79)
Sat., 7:05: RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-3, 4.70) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 3.18)
Sun., 1:35: LHP Andrew Miller (4-4, 5.53) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (5-3, 4.45)
Hot: Marlins 2B Dan Uggla is batting .397 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs in his last 17 games; Marlins LF Luis Gonzalez is batting .346 with 12 RBIs over his last 22 games; Phillies CF Shane Victorino is batting .442 (19-for-43) and has scored 13 runs during his 10-game hitting streak; Phillies 2B Chase Utley tops the majors with 17 home runs and is on pace to hit 50, which would break the single-season record for a second baseman (Rogers Hornsby and Davey Johnson hit 42).
Not: Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez has one hit in his last 13 at-bats; Marlins OF Josh Willingham has been on the disabled list since May 2 with back problems; Phillies RHP Brett Myers is 0-4 with an 8.02 ERA in his last four starts; Phillies LF Pat Burrell is batting .194 with five RBIs since May 4.

***

Jason Weitzel, who runs the excellent Beerleaguer blog, asked me yesterday about the leadership dynamic in the Phillies' clubhouse. I shared my thoughts with him here.

May 30 -- FLASH: THE NEXT GENERATION

So, a little over a year ago, I approached Tom "Flash" Gordon before a Phillies-Mets game at Shea Stadium to discuss a story I was writing about the dwindling number of African-American players in baseball. It's a subject that's of great concern to Flash, who has witnessed the precipitous decline throughout his 20-year major-league career.

That's when he told me about his son, Devaris.

When Devaris was 6 years old, his mother (and Gordon's high-school sweetheart), Devona Strange, was murdered by an ex-boyfriend in their hometown of Avon Park, Fla. Gordon hired a lawyer, gained legal custody of Devaris, and with help from his mother, raised him. But even though Devaris spent part of his summers in major-league clubhouses and got know people like Roberto Alomar and Derek Jeter, he never wanted to play baseball. He thought the game was too slow, too boring, and opted instead for basketball. Many of Devaris' friends felt the same way.

But something changed in 2005. Devaris, realizing that few 5-foot-11 kids make it to the NBA, decided to try playing baseball during his senior year of high school. And, wouldn't you know it, he was a natural, even getting a chance to play last season at Southeastern University, a Christian college in Lakeland, Fla. Flash beamed as he told me about how well Devaris ran, hit and made the long throw from shortstop. He couldn't have been more proud.

Over the past year, Flash has volunteered periodic updates on Devaris, and during one of the first days of spring training, he told me about phone calls he'd been getting from major-league scouting directors. Devaris is eligible for the June draft, and Flash was sure he'd be an early-round pick. There was only one problem: He had transferred to Seminole Community College and was academically ineligible to play this season.

But, thanks to his dad's connections, Devaris has been getting private tryouts for several teams. He worked out for the Phillies in February, and several team officials said they were impressed with his ability, especially considering he only started playing baseball a few years ago. Just this week, one talent evaluator for a National League team told me Devaris most likely will be selected within the first 10 rounds of next week's draft.

So, before Wednesday night's game, I talked to Flash at length about Devaris, who, it should be noted, looks exactly like his father circa-1989. And yesterday, Devaris was willing to talk about his mother's death and his circuitous route to baseball, all of which you can read about by clicking here.

A few outtakes from the story that ran today in The Paper:

Devaris: "I had nothing against baseball. I just didn't see it as basketball. I just had a love for basketball. I just didn't see myself playing baseball. But after I started playing baseball, I was like, 'Hey, I'm pretty good at this.' It wasn't like I was going to quit basketball. I was like, 'OK, that's a fair trade.' My dad didn't push it on me or anything. There were scouts that came to the games for me when I was a freshman. That never happens at a four-year school. I really want this to happen. I can't just let it slip by. "

Gordon: "It's a challenge to him to see how far he can go in this game, how good he can really be. It's not so much, 'I've got to be like my daddy.' He doesn't want to pitch. He can pitch. But he wants to try to play a position. From what I've seen, if he continues to work like I see him working now, the sky is the limit. Derek Jeter has told me he's got some really good hands. Jimmy Rollins has been on the field with him and said to me, 'Flash, your boy's got an arm. This boy's going to be able to do some wonderful things in the game.'

"I talk to him about his mom all the time. We were friends. I loved her. She loved me. Our families were from the same country hometown. It doesn't just devastate you. It takes the air out of everything that moves in a small town like that. My son was so young. He knew what was taking place, but still, he didn't understand. I think he still has a tough time understanding. At times, he still looks for a place of refuge, where he can think and talk. I'm certain he knows his mother's looking down. He's trying a find a way to be respectful and have a lot of her thoughts inside of him. I think he dealt with that everyday, and he still is. Until he starts to open up and understand that he's a representative of his mom, then his mom's spirit can live on."

Southeastern coach Jason Beck: "I'd love to see it happen next week. I think the kid needs a chance. He's got a great story, and he's one of the most beloved kids I've ever coached. Some kids, they don't respect the game, they don't respect authority. He truly loves the game. I know he'll get drafted. He's such a good kid. I'd love to tell these teams, this is a kid you want to draft. Unless you knew his dad was Tom Gordon, you'd never guess. He doesn't play on that. Devaris works so hard. I see other kids who take advantage. He might be an 8-player compared to a 9-player, but I'd take him because the kid is a 10-person. My wife was in love with him. He was a charismatic, bright kid. This kid is the all-around package.

May 29 -- EATON WINS

So, did anyone think to check if the moon was blue last night?

Adam Eaton, winless in 10 starts and with one victory in 20 starts dating to last year, actually earned a win over the depleted Rockies. He pitched well, too, allowing one run on four hits in six innings and lowering his ERA to 4.99. That's back-to-back quality starts for Eaton, who gave up three runs in seven innings last Friday night in Houston in a performance that Charlie Manuel said was "the best I've seen him pitch."

Until last night, that is.

OK, let's be honest: the Rockies aren't exactly formidable right now. Not with Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe on the disabled list. But Eaton still held Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins and the rag-tag Rox to four singles, only the fifth time in 41 starts for the Phillies that he didn't yield an extra-base hit.

"I was nervous, to be honest with you," Eaton said after the game. "It was a weird feeling. I've got quite a few wins under my belt, pitched with leads before, but it was definitely nice to get that one [win] out of the way. I mean, it's the last week in May."

So, what do we make of this? Eaton has had a see-saw 2008. He opened the season with three straight quality starts (but no victories) against the Reds, Mets and Astros. In his next six starts, he allowed four or more runs three times, didn't get out of the sixth inning and posted a 6.59 ERA. But in his last two starts, against the Astros and Rockies, he has allowed four runs in 13 innings for a 2.77 ERA, arguably his best back-to-back outings since he signed that infamous three-year, $24.5 million contract before last season.

I may be wrong, but I don't think Eaton is too concerned with the specter of rehabbing Kris Benson, who is slated to make his first minor-league start Sunday for Class A Clearwater. In the two seasons I have known Eaton, I've rarely thought he lacks for self-confidence. But if he keeps pitching like this (still a ginormous "if"), there won't be any doubting his job security.

***

We'll get into this more in a bit, but in The Paper, Martin Frank offers a good primer on the Florida Marlins, whose on-field formula for winning resembles the Phillies'. That $22 million payroll? That's a different story.

***

Pat Burrell had an amusing explanation for the stiff neck that kept him out of the lineup Tuesday night: "I blame the dog," he said. "He had the pillow." Burrell has a 115-pound English bulldog named Elvis.

***

Finally, I was asked this question on a radio show this morning, and I'd like to pose it to you: If you had to start a team tomorrow, which player (non-pitcher) would you pick first?

Just something to ponder on the Phillies' off-day.

May 28 -- EARLY ALL-STAR RETURNS

Based on the first set of returns from fan balloting provided today by MLB, we here at The Blog are ready to project that Chase Utley will be voted in as the starting second baseman for the National League at the All-Star Game on July 15 at Yankee Stadium.

How can we be so sure?

Well, check out these numbers. Utley leads all NL players with 537,788 votes, and it isn't even close. Utley is more than 100,000 votes ahead of the next most popular player, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones (420,664). But Utley is the only Phillies player leading at his position, which tells me that he's getting votes from all NL precincts, not just Philadelphia.

At first base, Ryan Howard ranks fifth with 140,683 votes. Jimmy Rollins ranks fifth at shortstop with 156,620 votes. In the outfield, Pat Burrell is sixth with 220,596 votes. The leaders at each position are Astros first baseman Lance Berkman (329,723), Utley, Jones, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez (268,386), Cubs catcher Geovany Soto (343,427), Cubs outfielders Alfonso Soriano (352,267) and Kosuke Fukudome (325,456) and Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. (300,230).

Click here to see the full release: NLALLSTAR.pdf

***

The consensus among most of my female friends is that Utley is a good-looking dude. Apparently, the editors at Men's Fitness magazine agree. In their June/July issue, they named Utley one of the 25 most fit guys in America.

May 28 -- OH NO, UBALDO

OK, the Phillies' offense must be hot.

Not even my man, Ubaldo Jimenez, and his 99-mph heater, could slow down the juggernaut last night. For two innings, the Phillies teed off on a hapless Ubaldo, swatting nine hits and piling up seven runs, and for a while, it appeared they were well on their way to another double-digit offensive outburst.

Then, suddenly, the scoring stopped.

Mercy for Ubaldo?

"I guess we put it on hold or something," Charlie Manuel said with a smile.

Or, maybe, the Phillies simply decided to save some runs for Adam Eaton, who takes the mound tonight still looking for his first win of the season. Eaton pitched better last Friday night in Houston. Manuel even said it was the best he has seen Eaton pitch in his 40 starts over two seasons with the Phillies. Still, it wouldn't hurt if the offense gave him the cushy 7-run lead that it provided for Kyle Kendrick last night. That would make Win No. 1 far easier for Eaton to grasp.

***

A little history lesson: The Phillies have scored 42 runs in their last three games. That matches a 42-run, three-game explosion from June 1-3, 1999. But it still was two runs shy of the "modern" franchise record. In 1900, the Phils scored 44 runs from April 28 through May 1. They beat the then-New York Giants 19-1 and 14-13 in back-to-back games at Baker Bowl before trouncing them again, 11-8, at the Polo Grounds. Something tells me good ol' Elmer Flick had some big games during that stretch. Or maybe it was big Ed Delahanty? My memory is a little fuzzy.

(Oh, in case you're wondering, stat gurus commonly define the "modern era" as 1900 or later, even though the first World Series wasn't played until 1903.)

***

With all that offense, it was easy to ignore Kendrick last night. But let's give the sophomore right-hander some props. He pitched a career-high 7-1/3 innings, allowing only two runs. His 4.84 ERA is nothing to behold, but he's 4-2 in 11 starts. More impressive, the Phillies are 7-1 in Kendrick's last eight starts, which means he's pitching well enough to keep the team in games and allow the offense to do its thing. There's something to be said for that.

***

It's no coincidence that the Phils' offensive surge coincides with Pedro Feliz's hot streak. When Feliz (teammates call him "Pete Happy") is hitting the ball well -- he's batting .457 (16-for-35) with one homer and 10 RBIs in his last eight games -- the bottom of the lineup is that much more dangerous. And Manuel keeps repeating that Feliz can be a better hitter than he was with the Giants, for whom he hit at least 20 home runs in each of the past four seasons.

Also, within the notebook, there's more on Kris Benson's encouraging start yesterday in an extended spring training game. I've gotten some e-mails from people who wonder exactly what "extended spring training" means. Well, it's basically guys who were unable to start the season on time because of injuries and recently drafted players whose seasons will begin in June at either Class A Williamsport or in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Anyway, Benson's first real minor-league start is scheduled for Sunday at Class A Clearwater.

May 27 -- BURRELL SCRATCHED (UPDATED)

Just got word that Pat Burrell, originally batting fifth and playing left field, has been scratched from the lineup. Greg Dobbs will take his place. I'm sure there's a good explanation, although the clubhouse is closed to the media and we're still awaiting word here in the press box. For now, we'll just reason that he doesn't want to face my man Ubaldo Jimenez. And, really, who would?

Here's your complete lineup tonight against Ubaldo (1-4, 4.61 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.319/3/17), CF Shane Victorino (.273/2/12), 2B Chase Utley (.309/16/42), 1B Ryan Howard (.207/14/37), LF Greg Dobbs (.358/2/15), RF Geoff Jenkins (.283/3/10), 3B Pedro Feliz (.271/7/26), C Carlos Ruiz (.246/1/15), RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 5.19 ERA).

***

Good news about Kris Benson. He started an extended spring-training game today in Clearwater, Fla., and threw four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked one, struck out four and touched 90 mph on the radar gun. Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. called it "encouraging" and Benson likely will make his first start for Class A Clearwater on Sunday.

(Updated, 6:57 p.m.): We're being told that Burrell has been scratched because of left neck stiffness. The real news there is that Burrell, apparently, has two necks. Although, I think the Phillies mean that the left side of his neck is stiff. We'll find out more after the game.

May 27 -- HITTIN' SEASON

OK, we get it. The Phillies' offense is hot.

But, as Martin Frank writes, Charlie Manuel thought this may happen. With the Phillies returning home last night to summer-like weather, they lit up the Rockies for 20 runs, the most they've scored in a game since July 3, 1999 against the Cubs. Combined with the 15 runs they tallied Sunday in Houston, it matches their highest two-game output since they scored 35 runs July 2-3, 1999 against those same Cubbies.

But, really, the offensive onslaught began last Wednesday night when the Phillies hung 12 runs on Washington at Nationals Park. That was six games ago, and during this stretch, the Phillies have scored 60 runs and are batting .349 (82-for-235) with a .418 on-base percentage and .613 slugging percentage.

That's crazy.

Here's a breakdown of how each player has done during the six-game stretch. What you'll find is offensive balance throughout the lineup, something the Phillies have been looking for since the season began.

Pedro Feliz: 13-for-27 (.481), 1 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R
Chris Coste: 7-for-17 (.412), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
Shane Victorino: 11-for-27 (.407), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 10 R
Ryan Howard: 9-for-24 (.375), 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R
Greg Dobbs: 3-for-8 (.375), 2 RBI, 2 R
So Taguchi: 3-for-8 (.375), 3 RBI, 3 R
Jimmy Rollins: 10-for-30 (.333), 4 RBI, 3 R
Carlos Ruiz: 4-for-13 (.308), 2 RBI, 2 R
Chase Utley: 7-for-23 (.304), 2 HR, 11 RBI, 6 R
Geoff Jenkins: 4-for-14 (.286), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R
Pat Burrell: 5-for-19 (.263), 3 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R
Eric Bruntlett: 1-for-4 (.250), 3 R
Jayson Werth: 0-for-5 (.000), 1 R
T.J. Bohn: 1-for-2 (.500), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R

Looks like my man Ubaldo will have his hands full tonight.

***

Within Martin's notebook, Manuel says Ryan Howard is no Barry Bonds and explains why So Taguchi started in right field. Honestly, if Geoff Jenkins didn't start last night, I can't see any scenario in which he ever gets a start against a left-handed pitcher.

***

Apropos of nothing: The Royals have lost eight straight games and will go for their ninth loss tonight, although I think Brian Bannister (another of my all-time favorite pitchers for reasons I'll explain another time) will lead them to a victory. Anyway, according to the great Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star, only three teams since 2002 have NOT lost eight in a row -- the Yankees, the Red Sox, and you guessed it (or maybe you didn't), the Phillies. Joe wonders if the demanding fans in New York, Boston and Philly have anything to do with keeping their teams from prolonged slumps.

Well, what do you think?

May 26 -- NLDS REMATCH? NOT QUITE

Just returned from Houston, and not a moment too soon. It's not that I don't like the Lone Star State. It's just that, after four days down there, I can recite every lyric from "Deep in the Heart of Texas," the ditty that fans like to sing in unison during the seventh-inning stretch of every Astros game. But don't take my word for it -- see for yourself.

Anyway, after a week on the road, the Phillies open a season-long 10-game, 11-day homestand tonight at the Bank. Up first are the Rockies in what could be billed as a three-game rematch of Colorado's three-game NL Division Series sweep of the Phillies last October. But the Rockies are 20-30, and several of their top players -- including Brad Hawpe, Troy Tulowitzki and 2007 NL MVP runner-up Matt Holliday -- are on the disabled list. Third baseman Garrett Atkins, the best man at Chase Utley's wedding, may be destined to join them. Atkins has missed the past two games with a neck injury.

So, what we have here is something far less than a playoff rematch.

But at least we still have Ubaldo.

Allow me to explain: I became enamored with Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez during Game 3 of the NLDS when he struck out Aaron Rowand on three straight pitches -- a 74-mph curveball, a 97-mph fastball and an 81-mph slider. It was one of the sickest displays of changing speeds that I've seen in a while. Rowand agreed. "He's filthy," Rowand said. "It's not just that he throws 100 miles-per-hour with a nasty slider and breaking pitch. He's hard to pick up. As long as he doesn't get injured, he's going to be around a long time."

Sadly, for Ubaldo admirers like me, he has struggled this season. He'll lug a 1-4 record, a 4.61 ERA and 31 walks in 54-2/3 innings to the mound tomorrow night, and it'll be interesting to see how he does. His last start -- seven shutout innings, three hits against the Giants -- was his best.

But enough about Ubaldo. Here's your primer for the three-game series:

ROCKIES (20-30) at PHILLIES (28-24)
Mon., 7:05: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 7.78) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (4-3, 4.37)
Tue., 7:05: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (1-4, 4.61) vs. RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 5.19)
Wed., 7:05: RHP Greg Reynolds (0-1, 4.08) vs. RHP Adam Eaton (0-2, 5.59)
Hot: Rockies RHP Taylor Buchholz, a former Phillies prospect and Delaware County native, has a 1.27 ERA, fourth-lowest among relievers with at least 20 innings; Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins was on a 25-for-65 (.385) roll before missing the past two games with a neck injury; Phillies RF Geoff Jenkins has 11 hits in his last 28 at-bats (.393); Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is batting .329 (24-for-73) since coming off the disabled list May 9.
Not: Rockies LF Matt Holliday (hamstring), RF Brad Hawpe (hamstring), SS Troy Tulowitzki (quadriceps) and INF Clint Barmes (knee) are on the disabled list; Rockies Cs Yorvit Torrealba and Chris Iannetta are a combined 4-for-30 in the last nine games; Phillies 2B Chase Utley is batting .191 (13-for-68) with two home runs in his last 19 games; Phillies RHP Adam Eaton doesn't have a win in 10 starts this season (the Phillies' record for most consecutive starts to open a season without a victory is 16 by Ken Reynolds in 1972).

May 26 -- GETTING OFFENSIVE

HOUSTON -- Think back, for just a moment, to last Monday night. The Phillies opened a seven-game road trip in Washington by getting shut out by Nationals journeyman Tim Redding. One night later, they didn't score for eight innings, raising their scoreless drought to 17 innings, until Greg Dobbs' game-winning, pinch-hit single.

Now consider what happened here yesterday.

Cole Hamels finally had a lousy start. He lasted only four innings, his his shortest outing since Sept. 18 when his still-healing elbow left him on a restrictive pitch count. He hadn't lasted less than six innings in a start this season, and for only the second time in 62 career starts, he didn't strike out a batter. And, by the sixth inning, the Phillies were trailing 6-4 and in danger of finishing the road trip with a losing record.

That's when the offense went crazy.

The Phillies scored five runs in the sixth inning. Then, they scored six more in the seventh. Shane Victorino and Chase Utley each had three RBIs. Geoff Jenkins (above) had three hits. Dobbs picked up another clutch pinch-hit. And, thanks to the same hitters that looked so feeble in DC, they flew home last night with a 4-3 mark on the trip.

That's how it goes sometimes for teams like the Phillies that are built on power. Offense comes and offense goes. Most of the time, the Phillies' offense is present and accounted for. They led the league in runs in each of the past two seasons, and when Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell are all swinging the bat well at the same time, there are few teams more firepower. So far, the Phillies' mighty offense has been mighty inconsistent. But if the past five games are any indication, the bats may be heating up like the Houston weather -- and it was sizzling here this weekend. Since last Tuesday, the Phils have scored 40 runs and batted .325 (63-for-194).

***

Over the past 10 years, Jenkins has averaged 27 home runs and 90 RBIs per 162 games. But, this season, he has only three homers and 10 RBIs in 138 at-bats for the Phillies. He went deep yesterday, an encouraging sign for Charlie Manuel. I asked Manuel after the game if Jenkins will play tonight against Rockies lefty Jorge De La Rosa. Manuel said he'd consider it. Jenkins has only 15 at-bats against lefties this season, but if he doesn't play tonight, when he's on a 11-for-28 roll and Jayson Werth is on the DL, he'll never start when a lefty is on the mound.

***

Within the Phillies notebook, there's news of some sweet redemption for Victorino, pitching coach Rich Dubee's psychoanalysis of Brett Myers and a massive headache for umpire Jerry Crawford, who hails from Delaware County.

***

Minute Maid Park was sold out for the final three games of the Phillies-Astros series. I'm sure that had something to do with the players on the field, especially the Astros, who are exceeding everyone's expectations. But three promotional giveaways, including bobbleheads of Roy Oswalt and Jeff Bagwell, probably was a big draw. (No word on whether Larry Andersen took home one of those Bagwell dolls).

Anyway, I thought it was ironic that fans received Bagwell bobbleheads on the same day a New York Daily News report linked the former Astros slugger with Kelly Blair, the owner of a Texas gym who allegedly supplied performance-enhancing drugs to Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and other professional athletes.

May 25 -- COLE HAMELS FACTS & YOUR LINEUP

HOUSTON -- Not as amusing as these, but nevertheless, a few facts about Cole Hamels to get you set up for today's game:

-Hamels hasn't allowed a run since the fourth inning May 9 against San Francisco, a span of 19 straight innings. During the streak, Hamels has allowed nine hits, walked five and struck out 19 batters. He has the fourth-lowest ERA in the NL at 2.61. Only Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez (1.34), San Francisco's Tim Lincecum (2.17) and Chicago's Carlos Zambrano (2.47) have been better.

-It's the longest scoreless streak by a Phillies pitcher since 2004 when Cory Lidle put up zeroes in 22 straight innings (Aug. 23 through Sept. 9).

-Among Phillies left-handers, it's the longest scoreless streak since Randy Wolf posted goose eggs for 21 straight innings from April 18 to May 6, 2004.

***

Phillies lineup today against Astros RHP Chris Sampson (3-3, 5.91): SS Jimmy Rollins (.330/3/15), CF Shane Victorino (.266/2/9), 2B Chase Utley (.304/14/33), 1B Ryan Howard (.209/14/34), LF Pat Burrell (.276/12/34), RF Geoff Jenkins (.271/2/8), 3B Pedro Feliz (.253/7/21), C Carlos Ruiz (.239/1/14), LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.61)

***

I asked pitching coach Rich Dubee this morning if he agrees with Brett Myers' assessment that hitters aren't offering at good pitches, forcing him to throw the ball over the heart of the plate. Dubee had a different view. "He's not making enough good pitches close enough for them to offer at," he said. Dubee and Myers hope to rectify the problem before Friday night's game against Florida.

May 25 -- MYERS' STRUGGLES CONTINUE

HOUSTON -- OK, we've seen Brett Myers make 11 starts this season, and more often than not, his postgame comments have been slight variations on the same themes.

1. He feels healthy. There's nothing wrong with his arm.

2. He's making good pitches just off the plate, but hitters are swinging. Thus, he's left with no choice but to throw the ball over the plate and get them to make contact, and when they do, the ball is landing over the fence (he has allowed 15 homers) or falling into the outfield for hits.

3. He isn't sure what more he can do to correct whatever problem he's been having.

So, I suppose you could say Myers has been unlucky, but it's more than that. If his once-dominating stuff is no longer enough to retire hitters, and he's unable to fool them, then how can he possibly get enough outs to make it through a quality start? Just a question for you to chew on until Myers pitches Friday night at the Bank. We'll come back to this before then.

***
I know it's tempting, but resist the urge to rage against third-base coach Steve Smith for sending Pedro Feliz to the plate on Shane Victorino's fly ball to left field in the ninth inning last night. It was the right move for several reasons. First, Darin Erstad doesn't have a great arm, even in the short left field here in Houston. But, mostly, the Astros had to make a perfect play to get Feliz. They did. But, as Victorino said, "Nine out of 10 times, you're going to be safe there."

***
Jamie Moyer says that being the oldest member of the Phillies has kept him young. I asked him yesterday if he has made a decision about pitching next season. He has not. But he certainly sounds like a guy who isn't ready to retire.

***
Ran out of space in The Paper for this, but Charlie Manuel told a hilarious story yesterday that may or may not translate to print. He was playing in Japan when he hit a ball back to the mound and hit the pitcher. A few years later, that same pitcher hit Manuel, so he got up and charged the mound. Now, as you know, Manuel is a fairly big guy, and this particular Japanese pitcher was not. So, the frightened pitcher ran into the dugout to take shelter.

One problem: He ran into the wrong dugout.

The pitcher hid behind Manuel's manager, who told the team interpreter to tell Manuel that the pitcher was scared. Big Chuck didn't care. "I told him, 'If you don't get the hell out of the way, I'm going to knock you down, too,'" said Manuel, who calmed down, eventually, without killing anyone.

Funny stuff.

***
Finally, in our Sunday MLB notes, we examine the possibility of instant replay in baseball, a scenario that now appears extremely likely. Also, there are a few words on Brad Lidge's tribute to our troops (apropos for Memorial Day) and Mike Piazza's quiet retirement.

***
Have a great Sunday, y'all. And enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.

May 24 -- LINEUP NOTES & EATON

HOUSTON -- After walking into the clubhouse here this afternoon, T.J. Bohn was greeted by cries of "Thor!" Bohn is from Minnesota, and some folks think he bears some resemblance to the god of thunder. Anyway, don't expect Thor -- I mean, Bohn -- to play much while Jayson Werth is out. He spent two weeks with the Phillies last month and was used primarily as a pinch-hitter and late-game defensive replacement.

Before batting practice, Charlie Manuel said he would consider using So Taguchi and/or Eric Bruntlett in right field against left-handed pitching. There's some chance Geoff Jenkins also could start playing everyday, although he's only 2-for-15 with four strikeouts against lefties this season. For his career, Jenkins is a .242 hitter against lefties. But Manuel won't have to make that decision until Monday night, when LHP Jorge De La Rosa is slated to start for the Rockies at the Bank. The Phils are scheduled to face right-handers Ubaldo Jimenez (can't wait to see him pitch again) and Greg Reynolds on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Here's your lineup for tonight's game against Astros RHP Brian Moehler (1-1, 4.76 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.333/3/15), CF Shane Victorino (.268/2/9), 2B Chase Utley (.307/14/33), 1B Ryan Howard (.202/13/31), LF Pat Burrell (.281/12/34), RF Geoff Jenkins (.277/2/8), 3B Pedro Feliz (.253/7/21), C Chris Coste (.333/3/9), RHP Brett Myers (2-5, 5.76).

Obviously, how Myers pitches tonight is the No. 1 storyline. He was OK in his last start, Monday night against the Nationals, and Manuel thought he pitched better than his final line.

***

Manuel thought Eaton pitched better last night than in any of his previous 39 starts for the Phillies. Still, he didn't win. In case you're wondering, the Elias Sports Bureau via the Phils PR department says that Ken Reynolds holds the Phillies' record for most starts to begin a season without a victory. He went 16 straight from May 29 through Aug. 25, 1972.

What did y'all (when in Texas ...) think of Eaton last night?

May 23 -- WERTH TO THE DL

HOUSTON -- One week after his three-homer, eight-RBI outburst at the Bank, Jayson Werth is headed to the disabled list.

The Phillies waited until after tonight's game to make that announcement, although there were indications earlier in the day that this would happen. Outfielder T.J. Bohn has been recalled from Class AAA Lehigh Valley, where he was batting .162 with two homers and four RBIs. Werth strained his right oblique muscle on a swing in the eighth inning of last night's game, and although he said it was feeling "better than expected" today, Manuel said Werth was unable to swing a bat or throw a ball.

May 23 -- WERTH UPDATE & LINEUP

HOUSTON -- So, Charlie Manuel, the entire coaching staff and GM Pat Gillick met for quite a while this afternoon in Manuel's office. One of the things they discussed is putting Jayson Werth on the disabled list, but for now, no decision has been reached.

Werth, if you missed it, strained the oblique muscle in his right torso on a 2-1 swing in the eighth inning last night. And although Werth said it feels "better than expected," Manuel said Werth is having trouble swinging a bat and throwing. If anything, he can only be used as a pinch-runner tonight. It's possible a move could be made after the game. The most likely scenario would be a return engagement for T.J. Bohn, but if the Phillies feel comfortable with Eric Bruntlett's ability to play the outfield (they do), they also could opt to bring back Brad Harman.

Regardless, you'll know when I know.

For now, I know the lineup against Astros RHP Brandon Backe (3-5, 4.58 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.320/3/14), CF Shane Victorino (.263/2/9), 2B Chase Utley (.312/14/33), 1B Ryan Howard (.207/13/31), LF Pat Burrell (.276/11/33), RF Geoff Jenkins (.286/2/8), 3B Pedro Feliz (.252/7/20), C Carlos Ruiz (.239/1/14), RHP Adam Eaton (0-2, 5.59).

May 23 -- ABOUT LAST NIGHT

HOUSTON -- OK, so I've already posed a question about Ryan Howard's apparent emergence from his two-month offensive slumber in the previous post, but there's so much to discuss from last night's game. So, without further ado, let's get to it.

1. Pat Burrell: Here's what Charlie Manuel said about Pat The Bat before last night's game: "He's chasing breaking balls out of the strike zone. Give him a day or two off, and then, see what happens. He definitely needs a blow." Turns out, Burrell got seven innings off, and then, delivered the blow that beat the Astros with a pinch-hit leadoff homer in the eighth. So, Pat, did the rest work? "Sometimes," Burrell said, "it's good to get a day to give your mind a break." Mission accomplished. Manuel said he hadn't decided if Burrell would start tonight against Astros RHP Brandon Backe. My guess: He'll be in the lineup.

2. Brad Lidge: Before last night's game, the former Astros closer held court with Houston media and said he has never pitched better than he's pitching right now. That surprised a lot of the folks down here, who saw Lidge (above) dominate NL hitters in 2004 and 2005. "I really do feel like I'm pitching better," Lidge said. "My arm strength is still there. The stuff is still there. But my control is better." Someone asked Lidge what he'd do in the ninth inning if he had to face the sizzling Lance Berkman, his close friend and former Astros teammate. Lidge smiled and said he didn't want to give away his secrets. Well, it happened in the ninth inning. One out, two out, Phillies leading by two, Berkman coming to the plate. Lidge threw a first-pitch fastball to the outer half of the plate, and Berkman popped it up. "That was a good matchup," Manuel said. "It looked like Lidge came right at him. That's power baseball right there. That's kind of what the game is all about."

3. Chris Coste: The Phillies' backup catcher had an interesting day Wednesday in Washington. He went to Capitol Hill to meet Sen. Kent Conrad, a Democrat from Coste's native North Dakota. Coste said he thought it would be a 15-minute meet-and-greet. He planned to give Conrad a copy of his book, chat for a few minutes, then be on his merry way. But Conrad invited Coste to lunch in the Senate dining room, where they sat near Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) and talked baseball. Incidentally, Conrad's wife is a lobbyist for Major League Baseball. You can read more about Coste's day within this notebook.

4. Adam Eaton: He returns to the mound tonight, carrying a 7.71 ERA in his last three starts. He also doesn't have a victory yet in nine starts, and that's something that must change if the Phillies are going to win the NL East.

5. Chase Utley: Good news. He has his mangled batting-practice bat back. Utley, who has been using the same black bat in BP for more than a year, broke the bat May 9 in San Francisco. But assistant equipment manager Dan O'Rourke was able to revive the bat by nailing the barrel back together. "A little CPR?" Shane Victorino said when he saw Utley carrying the bat again.

And, finally, did you see Bartolo Colon's line Wednesday night for the Red Sox? 5 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and 1 win. That's one more victory than Eaton, and one more than Kris Benson, who is still pitching extended spring-training games. The Phils, you'll recall, took a pass on Colon when he was available in the offseason and spring training because they believed his shoulder wasn't healthy. One team official even said Benson was a safer bet because he underwent surgery to fix his shoulder, while Colon opted against surgery.

How's that working out right now?

May 23 -- IS THE BIG MAN BACK?

HOUSTON -- For five innings last night, the game story was all Ryan Howard, all the time.

Howard, whose offensive malaise has lasted for nearly two months and been dissected in this and other spaces devoted to the Phillies, singled in the second inning, ripped an RBI double in the third and swatted a leadoff homer in the fifth. He needed only a triple for the cycle, no easy task for The Big Man, who struck out in his final two at-bats. But at the very least, he was guaranteed to finish the night with his second straight three-hit game. More amazing, though, is this little nugget: Until the past two games, Howard hadn't had back-to-back multi-hit games since Aug. 25-28, 2007.

But, then, the Astros tied the game with three runs in the sixth inning, slumping Pat Burrell hit a pinch-hit homer to open the eighth, and Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth, even retiring sizzling Lance Berkman, to record a save in his first appearance against his former team.

Suddenly, there wasn't much space in The Paper for much about Howard.

So, I suppose, it's a good thing we have The Blog to explore the Howard angle. For weeks, every positive thing Howard has done has prompted one question: Is he out of his slump? And, for weeks, Howard has provided the same answer: Not until he does positive things for several days in a row. Howard recently had an eight-game hitting streak, but there was a sense that he still wasn't hitting the ball particularly well. The past two games have been different. Howard is 6-for-10 with three homers and six RBIs, and generally, he's looking more like the feared power hitter that he's expected to be.

"Yeah, it's a little bit better," Howard said after the game. "I'm trying to go for a whole week [of positives]. I just want to have a good week."

So, what do you think? Is Howard finally over his early-season problems?

***

Sure, Kyle Kendrick gave the Phillies a chance to win last night, allowing two runs through the first five innings. But he also gave up three runs in the sixth, leaving his ERA at 5.19. And here's a sobering fact for the Phillies: Three of their starters -- Kendrick, Adam Eaton (5.59) and Brett Myers (5.76) -- have ERAs over 5.00. It's awful hard to win a division that way. So, perhaps it was good news that Kris Benson threw 58 pitches and hit 87 mph in an extended spring-training game yesterday in Clearwater, although nobody that I've spoken to seems to think Benson is close to being ready for the majors yet.

May 22 -- DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

HOUSTON -- Howdy, y'all.

So, we've arrived in Houston, about 90 minutes later than scheduled thanks to US Airways. But, nevertheless, we're here, at Minute Maid Park, getting ready for the opener of a four-game series between the Phils and Astros. No shortage of storylines here. Brad Lidge already has addressed the Houston media about his return to town. There are other Phillies personnel with Astros ties, including utility man Eric Bruntlett and bench coach Jimy Williams, who managed the 'stros in 2002 and '03. On the Astros side, you've got Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and of course, ex-Phillies GM Ed Wade.

Houston is an interesting city. Very spread out, and there are many "cities" within the city. If you like barbecue, go here. If you're a Mexican food fan, this is the place for you. I've been to both, and hopefully, I'll get back at some point over the weekend. The roof is shut today at Minute Maid Park, mainly because it's pretty sticky outside. It's in the 90s and very humid. Lidge joked a little while ago that he misses many things about Houston, but the weather isn't one of them.

A few lineup notes: With Astros RHP Roy Oswalt starting tonight, Charlie Manuel has opted to give slumping Pat Burrell the night off. There's a chance Burrell won't play tomorrow either. The Astros are starting four straight right-handers, so it gives Manuel a chance to get Burrell some time off the recover his swing. Manuel just got through saying that Burrell is chasing pitches out of the strike zone. He's hoping that a day or two off may help cure that problem. Greg Dobbs gets the start tonight in left field, and Dobbs already is bracing for that assignment by studying the quirky left-field dimensions during batting practice. There's a good chance, considering how close the left-field fence is to home plate here, that Dobbs will see some balls hit his way tonight.

The complete lineup: SS Jimmy Rollins (.315/3/14), CF Shane Victorino (.258/2/9), 2B Chase Utley (.314/14/32), 1B Ryan Howard (.195/12/29), 3B Pedro Feliz (.245/7/19), RF Geoff Jenkins (.282/2/7), LF Greg Dobbs (.356/2/13), C Carlos Ruiz (.238/1/13), RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.76 ERA).

Finally, Utley has his lucky batting-practice bat back, and Chris Coste spent a few hours rubbing elbows with a U.S. Senator yesterday. But you can read more about that in The Paper tomorrow (how's that for a tease?).

May 22 -- HEADING TO HOUSTON

Sorry for the infrequent postings over the past 24 hours. I tried, but Blogger.com is having some, well, issues. Anyway, we're back in good, old Philadelphia International Airport, awaiting a US Airways flight to Houston, so I figured I'd give it another shot.

While I got myself together last night for the four-gamer that begins tonight deep in the heart of Texas, Martin Frank pinch-hit in Washington, where the Phillies broke out of their offensive funk. Big time. Two homers, three hits four RBIs for Ryan Howard; three hits and one homer apiece for Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz; 15 hits for the Phils, and an eight-run sixth inning that was positively overdue since the Phillies had scored one run in their previous two games. As Martin writes, they unleashed their frustrations on the Nats and spot-starting Matt Chico.

***
Getting ready to board, but I'll have much more later today from Houston. Meantime, chew on this series preview, and a story from Martin about Brad Lidge's return to his old stomping grounds.

PHILLIES (26-22) at ASTROS (26-21)
Tonight, 8:05: RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.76) vs. RHP Roy Oswalt (4-4, 5.43)
Friday, 8:05: RHP Adam Eaton (0-2, 5.59) vs. RHP Brandon Backe (3-5, 4.58)
Saturday, 7:05: RHP Brett Myers (2-5, 5.76) vs. RHP Brian Moehler (1-1, 4.76)
Sunday, 2:05: LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.61) vs. RHP Chris Sampson (3-3, 5.91)
Hot: Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has five hits in his last nine at-bats; Phillies CF Shane Victorino went 6-for-13 (.462) in the three-game series against Washington; Astros 1B Lance Berkman is batting .507 (37-for-73) with eight homers and 21 RBIs in his last 19 games; Astros SS Miguel Tejada is batting .364 (44-for-121) with 23 RBIs in his last 29 games.
Not: Phillies LF Pat Burrell has seven hits in his last 49 at-bats (.143) and two RBIs in his last 15 games; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has two hits in his last 13 at-bats; Astros CF Michael Bourn has 20 stolen bases but is batting only .208; Astros C J.R. Towles has only four hits in his last 45 at-bats.

May 20 -- COMING THROUGH IN A PINCH

WASHINGTON -- So, if the pitcher's spot in the lineup comes around in the late innings, and your team needs a run, who do you want to come off the bench and pinch-hit?

I'll take Greg Dobbs.

Over the past two seasons, Dobbs has emerged as baseball's premier pinch-hitter, and as followers of the Phillies, it has happened right before our eyes. Last season, Dobbs batted .292 (14-for-48) with two home runs and led the majors with 18 RBIs as a pinch-hitter. He's been even better in 2008. After gritting his teeth through an aching lower back and delivering a game-winning RBI single in the ninth inning tonight, Dobbs is an astounding 10-for-22 (.455) with a majors-leading nine RBIs in pinch-hit situations.

If hitting a baseball is among the most difficult skills to master in sports, getting a hit after sitting in the dugout for almost an entire game is even tougher. Charlie Manuel did it for most of his major-league career, and he often says it's a thankless job. Dobbs seems to have the right mentality for it, though.

"I try to treat it as if it's my first at-bat of the game," he said. "You could get one pitch, five pitches or seven pitches. You just want to look for a good pitch to hit, be aggressive and jump on it if you get it."

Nobody does it any better.

***
I always enjoy reading the thoughts of out-of-town writers about the Phillies, and Dave Sheinin, the Washington Post's excellent national baseball writer, wrote a good piece in today's paper about Ryan Howard's rising strikeout totals. Howard struck out three more times tonight, bringing his season total to 68 in 169 at-bats. At his current pace, if he gets 550 at-bats, Howard will strike out 221 times. Last season, he set the major-league record with 199 strikeouts in 526 at-bats, and he missed two weeks in May with a quad injury.

***
Finally, I'm happy to report that the President's Race (and I don't mean the contest between Barack Obama and John McCain) has made the transition to Nationals Park from RFK Stadium. If you haven't seen it, it's sort of like the sausage race in Milwaukee, except the participants wear the cartoon heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt instead of greasy meats. The ongoing gag is that poor Teddy never wins, but I once saw a dude dressed like Jefferson take a header before reaching the infield. Now that was comedy.

May 20 -- GETTING OFFENSIVE (PLUS LINEUP)

WASHINGTON -- Back at Nationals Park after a tasty lunch with several fellow scribes at Billy Martin's Tavern in Georgetown. I highly recommend it, for both the food (excellent New England Clam Chowder) and the setting. We sat at a table adjacent to the booth where JFK proposed to Jacqueline Kennedy. Richard Nixon and Harry Truman also liked to dine there. But enough history. Let's talk Phillies.

So, before last night's game, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. offered his take on the Phillies' 24-22 start: "This is a team that's kind of built on offense," he said. "Frankly, our bullpen's been extraordinary so far. We should be scoring more runs to take some pressure off our starting pitching. If we swing the bats the way we can, it takes a lot of heat off our starters." Then, as if to confirm Amaro's concern, the Phillies went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine base runners and were shut out 4-0 by Tim Redding and the Nats. In their last three games (all losses), the Phillies are 4-for-32 with runners on second and third.

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell were red-hot in April, carrying the offense while Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino were injured and Ryan Howard was mired in the worst slump of his career. Howard still hasn't quite found his groove, and although Rollins is swinging the bat well, Utley and, in particular, Burrell, have tailed off. Charlie Manuel said the definition of a balanced lineup is that hot hitters pick up slumping ones during the course of the season. Right now, though, none of the Phillies are delivering in the clutch.

So, what's your level of concern about an offense that led the NL in runs in each of the past two seasons? Is this a momentary slump or a larger problem?

***
Within the notebook, there's more on Kris Benson's status. Also, Manuel says he isn't bothered by not being picked to coach in the All-Star Game by Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.

***
Tonight's lineup against Nationals RHP (and fellow graduate of Manalapan High in N.J.) Jason Bergmann (1-1, 7.45): SS Jimmy Rollins (.329/3/13), CF Shane Victorino (.244/1/7), 2B Chase Utley (.311/14/31), 1B Ryan Howard (.178/10/25), LF Pat Burrell (.284/10/32), RF Geoff Jenkins (.275/2/7), 3B Pedro Feliz (.227/6/18), C Carlos Ruiz (.235/1/13), LHP Cole Hamels (.320 average, 5-3, 2.89 ERA).

May 19 -- ROTATING

WASHINGTON -- Couple of quick notes before tonight's first pitch:

From pitching coach Rich Dubee: Right-hander Kyle Kendrick will move up one day and start Thursday night in Houston. Kendrick threw only 12 pitches yesterday before a 2-hour, 24-minute rain delay caused him to be removed from the game. Dubee said Kendrick will throw his normal between-starts side session tomorrow, unless an emergency situation (translation: an early exit by Brett Myers) requires that he pitch in relief tonight. Adam Eaton will start Friday night in Houston.

From assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr.: Kris Benson came through his 40-pitch simulated game Saturday without any problems. Benson, whose comeback from rotator cuff surgery was slowed by a strained right groin, will throw about 50 pitches in another simulated game Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla. After that, he will start in an extended spring training game next Monday. There's no timetable, though, on when Benson may be ready to pitch in the majors. The Phillies remain hopeful that it may be sometime between June 15 and July 15.

Finally, one clear sign that we're in Washington: Several TVs in the clubhouse are tuned to "Hardball" on MSNBC, which reminds me that Chris Matthews is a Phillies fan.

All for now.

May 19 -- NATIONAL TREASURE

WASHINGTON -- So, we've arrived at Nationals Park, and thus far, I'm impressed. The ballpark is easy to get to (right off I-295), and from our seat in the press box, we can see the positively striking Capitol dome beyond the left-field wall. It appears to be a rather equitable ballpark, with the center-field fence 402 feet from home plate. The wall slants inward in right-center field. It's 335 down the right-field line, 336 down the line in left, and it's 377 to one of the bullpens in left-center. Looking forward to asking some of the Phillies throughout the week for their impressions on how this ballpark plays.

Over the next few days, as I get a chance to walk around more, I'll try to give you some flavor of the place. At some point, though, I'd definitely recommend taking a drive down here and checking it out for yourself. For now, though, here's tonight's lineup against Nats RHP Tim Redding (5-3, 3.55), who, you may recall, tossed seven one-hit innings against the Phils on April 2 at the Bank: SS Jimmy Rollins (.342/3/13), CF Shane Victorino (.235/1/7), 2B Chase Utley (.306/14/31), 1B Ryan Howard (.191/10/25), LF Pat Burrell (.292/10/32), RF Geoff Jenkins (.265/2/7), 3B Pedro Feliz (.233/6/18), C Carlos Ruiz (.235/1/13) and, tonight's biggest curiosity, RHP Brett Myers (2-4, 5.91).

More in a bit.

May 19 -- HURRICANE HALLADAY

Getting ready to make the short road trip down I-95 to Washington, but first, let's tie a neat, little bow on the six-game homestand that wrapped in the rain and wind on a long, long, long Sunday at the Bank. A few observation from the Phils' oft-interrupted 6-5 loss to the Jays:

1. Jays reliever Jason Frasor was credited with the win, and closer B.J. Ryan picked up a save. But the Jays don't win yesterday without Roy Halladay, the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner who walked in from the bullpen after the second rain delay to quell the two-out, two-on mess in the sixth before pitching a spotless seventh and eighth. Halladay's imprint on the outcome was so large that I focused the game story on his appearance, which Phillies reliever Rudy Seanez called "unfair" (and he didn't even have to face him!). Watching Halladay warm up in the bullpen was every bit as ominous for the Phillies as the dark clouds, gusting wind and thunder that rolled in during the sixth inning and caused a second, 39-minute interruption in play.

2. Given that Chad Durbin hadn't thrown more than 46 pitches in a game this season, it would be convenient to look at his pitch count -- 66 total, 64 when he threw the high (though not high enough)-and-inside fastball that pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay punished for a game-tying three-run homer -- and scream that Charlie Manuel stuck with him for too long. I'll admit it: Sitting in the press box during the fifth inning, I jumped to that conclusion. And while Manuel may have have been wise to consider replacing Durbin once he hit the 50-pitch mark, consider this: There were no indications that Durbin was tiring. He retired 11 straight batters before Rod Barajas doubled, and he had a 1-2 count on Marco Scutaro before walking him. In other words, Durbin was one strike from getting out of the fifth inning unscathed. I doubt he would've pitched the sixth, but leaving him in the game to finish the fifth appeared to be a safe bet.

3. Noticed that Jimmy Rollins was limping around pretty good on his left ankle during his at-bat in the sixth inning, and the TV cameras showed him roll the ankle while making a play up the middle in the fourth. Fear not, though. Later in the sixth, Rollins scored from first base on Chase Utley's double and said after the game that the ankle is fine. He did tweak it, but whatever discomfort he was feeling subsided well before the game ended.

4. The Phillies left the bases loaded in back-to-back innings and went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and that's never good. Looking for reasons they lost yesterday? Start there.

***
OK, really need to hit the road. Can't wait to check out the Nationals' new ballpark, but I'm even more eager to see what Brett Myers does tonight against a weak-hitting Washington team. For now, here's a preview of the series, and I'll be back later from DC to bring you lineups, news/notes from the clubhouse and some flavor from sparkling, new (and for the moment, corporate-name-free) Nationals Park.

PHILLIES (24-21) at NATIONALS (19-26)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Brett Myers (2-4, 5.91) vs. RHP Tim Redding (5-3, 3.55)
Tuesday, 7:10: LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.89) vs. RHP Jason Bergmann (1-1, 7.45)
Wednesday, 7:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (3-3, 4.89) vs. TBA
Hot: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins went 12-for-26 (.462) with four RBIs on the six-game homestand; Phillies C Chris Coste went 7-for-16 (.438) on the homestand; Nationals SS Christian Guzman is 20-for-61 (.328) with 11 RBIs over his last 14 games; Nationals C Jesus Flores has seven hits in his last 17 at-bats (.412).
Not: Phillies 2B Chase Utley has five hits in his last 39 at-bats (.128); Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has four hits in his last 21 at-bats (.190); Nationals LF Elijah Dukes has one hit in his last 22 at-bats (.045); Nationals RF Austin Kearns has two hits in his last 33 at-bats (.061).

May 18 -- ROD REMEMBERS YOU, TOO

So, in one night, Rod Barajas put up half the offensive production that he generated in 122 at-bats for the Phillies last season. Barajas, a significant disappointment with four homers and 10 RBIs in 2007, belted two homers (including a grand slam) and had a career-high five RBIs last night.

And, afterward, he took a good little jab at you.

You know who you are.

Asked if he could hear the negative reaction from the crowd each time he came to the plate, Barajas said, "People in Jersey could hear the boos. You hear them. It's a little different when you're a visiting player than when you're a home player. As a home player, you like to see your [fans] behind you. Sometimes, here, that isn't the case. It's disappointing when you've got 38,000 or 40,000 people rooting against you. It doesn't help your self-esteem. That's not what you want as a player."

Safe to say the Phillies didn’t get what they wanted from Barajas last season either.

***
Had a nice chat yesterday with Dennis Werth, stepfather of Jayson Werth. Dennis was signing autographs at a card show in Secaucus, N.J., on Friday night when Jayson swatted three homers and tied a franchise record with eight RBIs. Turns out, Jayson may not even be the best athlete in his family. Dennis said he gives the nod to his youngest daughter, Hannah, who has been recruited to play volleyball at the University of Nebraska.

***
The eight-year, $45 million contract given to Milwaukee's Ryan Braun last week won't have any impact on any future negotiations between the Phillies and Ryan Howard and/or Cole Hamels. But you can bet that Howard's $10 million arbitration award had plenty to do with the contract Braun just signed. For that matter, the contract extensions given to Hanley Ramirez, Chris Young, Scott Kazmir and others since the season started were impacted by Howard's situation. Small-market teams no longer can afford to get to arbitration with their young players, so they're doling out long-term deals much sooner.

Also within your MLB Sunday notes, we look at the problems that have befallen both the Mets and Pirates ace Ian Snell, a Caesar Rodney product.

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Looks like the rain has subsided, at least for a moment, here at the Bank. Your lineup for today's series finale against the Jays and RHP Shaun Marcum (4-2, 2.22 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.329/3/13), CF Jayson Werth (.283/9/26), 2B Chase Utley (.310/14/30), 1B Ryan Howard (.184/9/23), LF Pat Burrell (.286/9/31), RF Geoff Jenkins (.257/2/7), 3B Pedro Feliz (.232/6/18), C Carlos Ruiz (.234/1/12), RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.87 ERA).

Enjoy your Sunday.

May 17 -- REMEMBERING ROD

Sorry to bring up bad memories, but as Rod Barajas' grand slam was landing in the right-field bleachers in the second inning, I couldn't help but think about this infamous play from last May 23 in Miami.


You remember it, don't you?

It was the ninth inning, and although Jayson Werth's accurate throw landed in Barajas' mitt while Hanley Ramirez was 10 feet up the third-base line, Barajas failed to block the plate. The tying run scored, capping the Marlins' four-run ninth-inning rally, and two pitches later, Brett Myers unleashed a wild pitch, clutched his right arm and trudged off the mound. It was the last pitch he would throw for nine weeks, as he suffered a strained shoulder muscle.

After the game, with Myers sitting nearby, Barajas was casual about the play. "The fact that we won, we can look back and laugh at some of these plays," he said.

That, as much as Barajas' .230 batting average, sealed his fate. He fumbled the starting catcher job to Carlos Ruiz, lost the backup job to Chris Coste and didn't have his $5 million option picked up for 2008.

Shocker.

Somehow, though, even guys like Barajas come back to haunt the Phillies. Thanks to his homer, Toronto is leading 4-1 in the fifth inning.