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).