Aug. 31 -- GOLSON, MARSON AMONG CALL-UPS

CHICAGO -- Lots of work to do for tomorrow's News Journal after the Phillies' 5-3 victory and an impressive four-game series split with the majors-leading Cubs at Wrigley. But I want to pass this along first: Center fielder Greg Golson, catcher Lou Marson and pitchers J.A. Happ and Adam Eaton have been called up and will join the team tomorrow in D.C.

Happ and Eaton were expected to join the team on Sept. 1. Golson and Marson weren't assured of being added to the roster, but they will be the most interesting guys to watch. Charlie Manuel said Golson will be used primarily as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. Consider him, for now, the new Michael Bourn. It's unclear how much Marson will play. Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste are still the primary catchers, but Marson will give Manuel the flexibility to use either of them in a pinch-hitting role late in a game without having to worry about burning his backup catcher.

FYI: Tom Gordon and Francisco Rosario have been transferred to the 60-day disabled list to open 40-man roster spots for Golson and Marson.

More later.

Aug. 31 -- A SUNDAY AT WRIGLEY

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Morning, all. Another positively gorgeous day here, and since I have a few minutes before the Phillies' clubhouse begins buzzing, a few words about Wrigley Field:

This is my third trip to the friendly confines, and each time, I like it even more. I'm pretty discerning when it comes to stadiums. When I was a kid, my dad always took me to Yankee Stadium. I went to college in Boston and lived across Kenmore Square from Fenway Park back when you didn't have to sell your first-born to get Red Sox tickets (it was only 10 years ago). And while I'm still partial to those ballparks, Wrigley is cut from the same mold. To come here is to feel baseball history. This is where Babe Ruth called his shot in the 1932 World Series. It's where Ernie Banks belted his 500th career homer in 1970. And it's where a fan named Steve Bartman became famous (infamous?) in 2003.

One of the coolest things in sports happens here in the seventh inning. A celebrity (think Vince Vaughn or Bill Murray) or well-known sports personality leads the crowd, usually a sellout, in a rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." It's a nod to the late, legendary broadcaster Harry Caray, who used to lean out of his booth and serenade the crowd.

Another cool feature is a sign on the Lakeview Baseball Club, which sits across Sheffield Avenue on the right-field side. The sign reads "Eamus Catuli!" ("Let's Go Cubs," in Latin) and is flanked by a counter showing the Cubs' legacy of futility. Currently, the counter reads "AC006299." AC stands for "Anno Catuli," or "In the Year of The Cubs." The first two digits (00) represent the number of years since the Cubs' last division title (2007). The next two digits (62) indicate the number of years since the Cubs' last World Series appearance (1945). And the final two digits (99) represent the number of years since the Cubs' last World Series championship (1908).

On that note, I talked to Phillies pitchers Scott Eyre and Jamie Moyer yesterday about what it's like to play for this franchise. Moyer broke in with the Cubs way back in 1986. Eyre just left the organization three weeks ago when he was traded to the Phillies.

***
J.C. Romero may get scolded by his mother, a Pentecostal preacher from Puerto Rico, for screaming some not-so-nice words in Spanish after he struck out the side to bail Brett Myers and the Phillies out of a jam in the eighth inning of yesterday's 5-2 victory. But, as Romero said, "Everyone in the clubhouse knew how much we needed to win that game." So, Gladys Romero will just have to understand.

***
The Mets' blew a late lead last night in Florida, so the Phils are back to one game out of first place in the NL East. Big game today (so big, in fact, that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has stopped by to catch the game between political conventions).

Breaking news: Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano has been scratched from the start because of a "dead arm." Lefty Sean Marshall will start in his place. Possible break for the Phillies? Marshall has a 13.50 ERA in five career appearances (two starts) against the Phils.

***
Within the Phillies notebook, Matt Stairs talks about partying with Rocky Balboa, and Pat Gillick discusses Kris Benson, other possible trades and September call-ups.

Back later with more. For now, enjoy the game, and enjoy your Sunday.

Aug. 30 -- BENSON RELEASED

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- OK, cross Kris Benson's name off the list of potential September call-ups.

The Phillies just announced that they have released Benson, who has spent the season rehabbing his surgically repaired right shoulder and pitching in the minors. After enduring three setbacks (two bouts of biceps tendinitis and a groin strain), he went 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in two starts for single-A Clearwater before being sent to triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he went 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 11 starts. Overall, Benson, a 33-year-old right-hander, allowed 95 hits, walked 17 and struck out 39 in 67 innings.

We'll get comment after the game from GM Pat Gillick, but clearly, the Phillies didn't think Benson could help them in September. A few weeks ago, Benson told me that he wouldn't be comfortable pitching out of the bullpen because he takes too long to warm up. He wound up costing the Phillies $75,000 per month, or roughly $375,000 for the season.

Aug. 30 -- STAIRS, SEPTEMBER CALL-UPS & MORE

By SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Nothing like a day game on a resplendent afternoon at Wrigley. It's baseball the way it was meant to be played. Here's your pregame rundown:

1. Matt Stairs has arrived, as his agent told us yesterday, and will be available to pinch-hit today. He's a native of St. John, New Brunswick, and a big hockey fan (he even coaches high school hockey in Bangor, Maine, in the winter). Asked to identify his favorite team, he smiled and said, "Philadelphia." Good answer. More on Stairs in Sunday's News Journal.

2. Just heard from Pat Gillick, who said he expects the Phillies to call up "a little more than half a dozen" players from the minors once rosters expand next week. I think pitchers J.A. Happ, Kris Benson and Adam Eaton, catcher Jason Jaramillo and outfielder T.J. Bohn are safe bets. Beyond that, there's a chance we'll see center-field prospect Greg Golson and perhaps infielders Brad Harman and/or Mike Cervenak. Gillick also said the Phillies likely won't send a minor leaguer to Toronto to complete the Stairs trade until after the World Series.

3. Today's lineup against LHP Ted Lilly (13-7, 4.23): SS Jimmy Rollins (.266/9/48), 2B Chase Utley (.290/31/87), LF Pat Burrell (.260/30/76), 1B Ryan Howard (.229/36/112), CF Shane Victorino (.284/11/49), RF Jayson Werth (.273/18/49), 3B Pedro Feliz (.255/13/51), C Chris Coste (.285/9/34), RHP Brett Myers (7-10, 4.49). Surely, the Phillies need to muster more offense than they did yesterday against a very beatable Rich Harden.

Enjoy the game.

Aug. 29 -- AGENT: STAIRS DEAL IS DONE (UPDATE)

By SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Quick update on Matt Stairs:

While the Phillies, specifically GM Pat Gillick, continue to say they cannot comment on the pending trade, I just received an e-mail from Stairs' Chicago-area agent, Bob Garber that says, "He will be in uniform for the Phillies tomorrow." That's pretty much a confirmation that the deal is done.

(Update, 10:30 a.m. Sat.): Just got an e-mail from the Phillies that the Stairs trade is official. For now, it's Stairs for a minor-league player to be named. More in a bit from Wrigley.

Aug. 29 -- PREGAME NOTES

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Still no confirmation of the Matt Stairs trade. Pat Gillick walked by a few of us reporters this morning and said he couldn't comment on the deal. It sounds like an inevitability, though, so I expect the Phillies should have something for us later today.

A few other odds and ends:

--Cole Hamels concurred that he was "spent" after the seventh inning last night. Rich Dubee, I think, wanted to run Hamels out there, but added, "I've got to go off what he said." I'll have more from Hamels and Dubee in Saturday's News Journal. Meanwhile, let me ask you: Do you think Hamels, after 108 pitches, should've volunteered to pitch the eighth, too?

--Here's an interesting name to keep an eye on: Kyle Farnsworth. The hard-throwing reliever reportedly was on waivers earlier in the week and may have cleared. He'll be a free agent after the season and may be able to help the Phillies' bullpen. I haven't heard anything linking the Phillies to Farnsworth. I'm just thinking aloud here.

--New lineup, similar to the old lineup, for the Phillies today. Chase Utley is back in the No. 3 spot, with Shane Victorino batting second and Pat Burrell batting fifth.

--Should be interesting to see a couple of former Athletics pitchers, Joe Blanton and Rich Harden, square off today. Somewhere, I'm sure Billy Beane will be watching.

--A review of last night's game is here. And some of Charlie Manuel's prophetic pregame comments about the bullpen are here.

Aug. 29 -- REPORT: PHILS TRADE FOR STAIRS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- On the heels of a crushing 6-4 loss at Wrigley Field, the Phillies reportedly have added a left-handed hitter to their bench by acquiring veteran Matt Stairs in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The deal, first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com and citing "major-league sources," would involve the Phillies sending a prospect to the Jays. Stairs, 40, was designated for assignment Thursday by Toronto.

A Phillies spokesman was unable to confirm the rumor early this morning.

Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said this week that the club was seeking to add a left-handed hitters to its bench after losing Geoff Jenkins to a right hip flexor strain last weekend. The Phillies attempted to acquire outfielder Mark Kotsay, but the Braves sent him to the Red Sox instead.

If the Phillies are able to acquire Stairs, it would be reminiscent of 2006 when they acquired veteran Jeff Conine in the final days of August. Stairs is batting .250 this season with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs for the Jays. He has played for 10 organizations and is a career .266 hitter with 252 homers in 16 seasons.

Aug. 28 -- NO RELIEF

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Ryan Madson sat at his locker and stared out at nothing. He was dazed. And confused.

Madson inherited a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning here tonight and allowed a leadoff home run by Mike Fontenot. If it had stopped there, well, nobody would've remembered one homer. But Alfonso Soriano crushed a double. Ryan Theriot dunked a single into right field. Madson said later that he was "pulling every ball," noting a mechanical flaw. And after Madson, replaced without recording an out, gave way to Chad Durbin, Derrek Lee walked and Aramis Ramirez slugged a grand slam that was hit so hard and so far that Shane Victorino didn't move in center field.

6-4 Cubs. Game over.

As much exhilaration as they felt after Tuesday night's 13-inning, eight-run comeback in an 8-7 victory over the Mets, that's how despondent the Phillies were after this loss. Durbin was sullen. Charlie Manuel spoke in quiet tones. With 28 games remaining, the bullpen, the Phillies' only consistent source of strength all season, suddenly is faulty and unreliable.

You can read Madson's and Durbin's comments in Friday's News Journal (that's called a promo), but here's what Manuel had to say before the game (that's called being prophetic) about how much the Phillies miss Tom Gordon: "The thing that bothers me is we're asking Durbin and Madson to be consistent in the eighth inning for us at times, and I don't know if that's fair," Manuel said. "People say, 'What's the difference.' But that's like closing the game in a way. It does make a difference, and it's new [for them]. That's the thing about Gordon. He had experience as a closer and a setup guy. I think they can do it, but it definitely shows up. Once they get a little more comfortable in that role, I think they're going to be fine."

Can the Phillies afford to wait for that, though?

***
Before the flood of e-mails invades my inbox, yes, Manuel considered leaving Hamels in the game in the eighth inning. But, after 108 pitches, Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee said Hamels appeared "spent." And, in fairness, Madson entered with a 3.16 ERA in 61 appearances. Durbin had a 1.95 ERA in 56 appearances. Between them, it was reasonable to think they could get three outs to set up a ninth inning for Brad Lidge. It didn't happen.

***
Hamels has made 19 quality starts (at least six innings, no more than three runs) this season. He has won only nine of them. He also has four losses and six no-decisions.

***
This is the song that plays after every Cubs win at Wrigley. Fans sing along. It's really very catchy. Well, unless you're the Phillies and you just blew a three-run lead.

Aug. 28 -- AUDIOFILE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Lots of pregame writing to get to here before the 8:05 Eastern series-opener between the Phils and Cubs. But, with the advent of a new series, Mike Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier-Post and I sat down to tape a new audiofile. We discussed the aftermath of the Mets-Phillies series and previewed the big four-game series here in the Windy City (which, at the moment, is more muggy than windy).

Want to listen in? Sure you do. Click here to access the audiofile: R09_0003.mp3

Aug. 28 -- CASTRO RECALLED, CARPENTER SENT DOWN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- Given their choice, the Phillies would've preferred that Drew Carpenter not pitch last night against the Mets.

He did.

And although Carpenter pitched a scoreless ninth inning, he is a starter by trade and probably wouldn't have been able to pitch again for several days. So, he has been optioned to Class AA Reading. Left-hander Fabio Castro has been recalled from Class AAA Lehigh Valley.

Castro, 21, was 8-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 27 appearances (16 starts) for Reading, 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in three appearances (two starts) for Lehigh Valley. For Castro, the biggest obstacle always has been control. In 110-1/3 innings at Reading, he walked 46 batters. In 10 innings at Lehigh Valley, he walked six.

More later from Wrigley.

Aug. 28 -- SECOND CITY? FIRST-PLACE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CHICAGO -- So, I was watching highlights from the Democratic National Convention yesterday when Mayor Richard M. Daley appeared on screen and described his city, Chicago, as the home of the 2008 World Series matchup between the Cubs and White Sox.

Could happen.

Landed in Chicago about an hour ago, and I must confess, this is one of my favorite cities in the country. Chicago has a little something for everyone. The skyline is striking. The scenery is breathtaking. The food, whether it's deep-dish pizza or steak or even cheeseburgers, is tasty. And, this season, the baseball has been superb. The White Sox are hanging on to first place in the AL Central, and the Cubs, well, they have the best record in the National League.

The Phillies slipped back into second place with last night's 6-3 loss, which isn't a tremendously big deal. They're a half-game behind the Mets, and more than likely, the NL East lead will flip-flop between the Mets and Phillies a few more times before the season is over. Starting tonight, though, the Phillies open a four-game series against the Cubs, who are 49-19 at Wrigley Field. So, regaining their grip on first place won't be easy this weekend.

Here's a preview of the series:

PHILLIES (73-60) at CUBS (83-50)
Tonight, 8:05: LHP Cole Hamels (11-8, 3.20) vs. RHP Ryan Dempster (15-5, 2.85)
Tomorrow, 2:20: RHP Joe Blanton (1-0, 4.03) vs. RHP Rich Harden (4-1, 1.47)
Saturday, 3:55: RHP Brett Myers (7-10, 4.49) vs. LHP Ted Lilly (13-7, 4.23)
Sunday, 2:20: LHP Jamie Moyer (11-7, 3.81) vs. RHP Carlos Zambrano (13-5, 3.53)
Hot: Phillies RF Jayson Werth went 10-for-30 (.333) with two homers and five RBIs on the nine-game homestand; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has nine hits in his last 12 at-bats; Cubs LF Alfonso Soriano has eight hits in his last 15 at-bats; Cubs 2B Mark DeRosa is 15-for-34 during his nine-game hitting streak.
Not: Phillies LF Pat Burrell has one hit in his last 16 at-bats; Phillies 1B Ryan Howard is in a 6-for-44 slump (.136); Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez is hitless in his last eight at-bats; Cubs SS Ryan Theriot has three hits in his last 14 at-bats.

Aug. 27 -- CARPENTER CALLED UP

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as you no doubt have heard, the Phillies have recalled Drew Carpenter from double-A Reading to give them another arm in the bullpen tonight.

It makes sense that they would need some help. In last night's riveting (there's an adjective I haven't used yet) 13-inning comeback victory, they used every reliever, including Ryan Madson for two innings and Clay Condrey for 2-1/3. Condrey threw 46 pitches. Scott Eyre threw 23, Chad Durbin 19, Brad Lidge 14, Madson 27, J.C. Romero 22 and Rudy Seanez 13.

But it's somewhat surprising that they chose Carpenter. The Phillies had high hopes that Carpenter, who won 17 games last season at single-A Clearwater. But Carpenter came to spring training overweight (one of the reasons he wasn't invited to big-league camp), and after early-season struggles at Reading, he got sent back to Clearwater. He was 3-3 with a 2.92 ERA at Clearwater, 6-8 with a 5.67 ERA in 16 starts at Reading.

Aug. 27 -- ROLLINS: PHILS GET 'INSPIRATION' FROM METS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Until last season, the Phillies and Mets were bitter rivals by virtue only of geography. But they have played several memorable games over the past two years, many involving unexpected Phillies rallies.

To what can we attribute the Phillies' fortitude?

"The other team gives you some inspiration, let's put it that way," Jimmy Rollins said. "You're able to take that and keep yourself motivated."

OK, that's cryptic.

Care to elaborate, Jimmy?

"No, just watch 'em," Rollins said. "If you were a player and you're looking over in that other dugout, you'll feel a certain type of way."

Was it something they said? Something they did?

Last month in New York, several Phillies said they took offense to what they considered to be over-the-top celebrations by Mets players, specifically Jose Reyes. Did the Mets get overexcited after taking a 7-0 lead?

"Rewind the game," Rollins said. "Just watch the game."

Aug. 27 -- IMPROBABLE COMEBACK

BY SCOTT LAUBER

As I sit here, in the press box at 2 a.m., it's absolutely impossible for me to figure out where to begin to review the Phillies' improbable 8-7 victory. So, we'll just start at the end:

--Kyle Kendrick was, in fact, warming in the bullpen during the 13th inning. He threw about 40 pitches, and if the game had moved into a 14th inning (heaven help us), he would've entered the game. Obviously, that would've raised some questions since Kendrick is supposed to start tonight. Talked to him for a few minutes while he iced his arm after the game, and he said he should be ready to go tonight. "It was like a bullpen before a game," said Kendrick, who celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday. "If anything, maybe I'll have a little more sink." (Kendrick, a sinkerballer, tends to pitch better when he's tired. We'll see.)

--Chris Coste went 4-for-4 and drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded single despite not entering the game until the eighth inning. He was the perfectly unexpected hero in a game that featured the unexpected. "I don't ever recall getting not only four opportunities but four hits when you come in in the eighth inning," Coste said. "I told [first-base coach] Davey Lopes, I never had a walk-off hit in my career, not even in the minor leagues."

--In a light moment, Brett Myers came to the plate in the 13th inning with the bases loaded, no pinch-hitters remaining on the bench and strict instructions from Charlie Manuel: Don't swing. Myers, a clubhouse cutup, complied. But he put on a show, wagging his bat and stepping out of the box after each pitch. "I told Brett, 'You do know how to follow orders,'" Manuel joked. Asked if he thought about asking Myers to fake a squeeze play with Shane Victorino on third base, Manuel said it was discussed. "But I said no because Victorino might break for the plate," he said, laughing. Added Jimmy Rollins, "That's what I was thinking, too. Victorino might be like, 'Oh no' and think he missed a sign."

--Other oddities: Pat Burrell went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts and left 10 runners on base; Clay Condrey notched his first career extra-base hit with a fifth-inning double; Carlos Ruiz, a former infielder, played third base in the top of the ninth inning when Manuel elected to save Eric Bruntlett as his last pinch-hitter. It worked out. Bruntlett tied the game with a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth.

Depending on where you live, your newspaper might not have a game story. And, if it does, it may not have quotes. Yeah, I hate press deadlines, too. Luckily, we have the Internet now. So, please check out the updated game story and notebook.

Time for me to go home and get some shut-eye. Meanwhile, what was your favorite moment from tonight?

Aug. 26 -- KOTSAY, AUDIOFILE & LINEUPS (UPDATED)

By SCOTT LAUBER

So, because Mark Kotsay is a member of the Atlanta Braves, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he couldn't comment specifically about him. But Amaro did say that the Phillies are looking to add to their roster before the Sept. 1 deadline for players to be eligible for the postseason. He admitted that the outfield is one area where they're looking to upgrade, but don't forget, the Mets could try to block the Phillies from acquiring a player like Kotsay.

"We'd like to bring another bat in," Amaro said. "But the help that we might get will likely be from our own [farm system]. There's not a whole lot out there. It's not like you can pick and choose players because a lot of them have been claimed, a lot of them have been pulled back. So, the opportunity for what you would call 'quality' is not necessarily out there. There's been a lot of blocking and a lot of claiming. We've claimed a lot of players, frankly. It's just the kind of nature of the business. It's competitive out there because there's a lot of players in contention."

So, there's that.

(Updated, 11 p.m.): The Red Sox reportedly are nearing a deal for Kotsay.

***
During batting practice, Mike Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier Post and I taped another audiofile to discuss the big two-game series against the Mets. Check it out by clicking here: R09_0002.mp3

***
Tonight's lineup against Mets RHP Pedro Martinez (4-3, 4.97 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Chase Utley, LF Pat Burrell, 1B Ryan Howard, CF Shane Victorino, RF Jayson Werth, 3B Pedro Feliz, C Carlos Ruiz, LHP Jamie Moyer.

Aug. 26 -- PHILS INTERESTED IN KOTSAY?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

When Braves outfielder Mark Kotsay cleared waivers last week, I thought he was a player who could help the Phillies' offense.

Evidently, the Phillies agree.

According to sources who have talked to the esteemed Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Phillies are interested in trading for Kotsay, although it isn't known if he'd waive his limited no-trade clause to come here. Kotsay, 33, is a free agent after the season, and he's owed approximately $1.5 million for the remainder of this year. A deal would almost have to be made before Sunday's deadline to set postseason rosters, but certainly, Kotsay could add depth to the outfield, especially with Geoff Jenkins sidelined.

I'll try to get more information throughout the day.

Aug. 26 -- MEETING THE METS

By SCOTT LAUBER

So, how critical is the two-game series against the Mets that opens tonight at the Bank?

It's big.

But it isn't decisive.

As Charlie Manuel said yesterday, sweeping five games from the Mets would be nice. But the Phillies have 26 games remaining against other teams. And if they beat the Mets and struggle against everyone else, they won't win the NL East. Thus, like so many of the politicians who have gathered in Denver this week and will be in St. Paul next week, Manuel has tried to "lower expectations" for these games by saying he believes the Phillies can go 3-2, or even 2-3, against the Mets and still be OK.

"Where we're sitting, we can split with the Mets and still win our division," he said. "Our guys feel like we can beat them. But we also know we've got to play like hell. If we can stay with them, we can beat other people, too. But if they dominate us, they can put some distance there."

OK, what are your expectations for this week and next weekend in NY?

***
Brett Myers allowed 10 hits and 13 runners last night, but he didn't allow a run. He bent, but didn't break. I asked him after the game if he thinks he could've dealt with that adversity earlier in the season, or if he would've allowed the Dodgers' rallies to blow up.

"I'm pitching now," he said after stretching his scoreless streak to 16 innings. "I'm not just throwing. I'm not saying 'OK, this guy can't hit my curveball' and throwing six curveballs until he gets a hit. You have to have that feeling of how to pitch and I didn't have it earlier in the year. I'm starting to feel comfortable out there whether guys are on base or not."

So, what did Manny Ramirez say to Myers in the seventh inning last night?

"It was just a tip-of-the-cap kind of thing," Myers said. "We've talked before. He's a good dude. He's very honest with how he feels about certain pitchers and stuff like that. It's a good compliment from him that I'm tough to get a hit off of, I guess."

***
Not sure how Jimmy Rollins felt about his three-hit night -- or the cheers that he received. Rollins left the Bank without talking to reporters. But I know this: The Phillies need more three-hit nights from Rollins to assure they'll make the playoffs.

***
Within the notebook, Ryan Madson is excited about being in the playoff race, Lou Marson and Jason Donald are headed to the Arizona Fall League, and with a game on the line, Cole Hamels would rather be pitching than swinging a bat.

Aug. 25 -- ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE & LINEUPS

Eight Phillies prospects -- including catcher Lou Marson and shortstop Jason Donald -- will play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. Typically, players headed to the AFL report to Arizona in late September, so, as we wrote in this space over the weekend, it's doubtful that either Marson or Donald will get a September call-up to the Phillies. They'll be joined in Arizona by right-handers Joe Bisenius, Drew Carpenter and Pat Overholt, lefty Sergio Escalona and outfielders Quintin Berry and Jeremy Slayden.

***
Tonight's lineup against tough Dodgers RHP Chad Billingsley (12-9, 3.10): SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Chase Utley, LF Pat Burrell, 1B Ryan Howard, CF Shane Victorino, RF Jayson Werth, 3B Pedro Feliz, C Chris Coste, RHP Brett Myers.

***
News from New York: RHP John Maine has been placed on the disabled list and may eventually require shoulder surgery, while the conservative estimates have placed Billy Wagner out for at least three weeks.

More on all of that in tomorrow's News Journal.

Aug. 25 -- SIGH OF RELIEF?

By SCOTT LAUBER

So, about a half-hour after last night's exhilarating 11-inning win, Chad Durbin walked toward me in the Phillies' clubhouse. He took a deep breath, smiled wryly and said, "Smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors."

I laughed.

Durbin tossed scoreless 10th and 11th innings to earn the win, his fifth in 55 relief appearances. But it wasn't easy. It definitely wasn't easy. He loaded the bases without getting an out in the 10th before Pedro Feliz turned a nifty, and rarely seen, third-to-home double play. In the 11th, Durbin allowed a leadoff single by Angel Berroa, then retired Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Pablo Ozuna.

Before last night's game, Charlie Manuel was asked a seemingly reasonable question. With Billy Wagner sidelined indefinitely by elbow discomfort, don't the Phillies have a huge edge over the Mets?

"We ain't got no advantage over the Mets," Manuel said. "We've got to make an advantage over the Mets. Their bullpen's banged up a little bit, but you know what? At the same time, our bullpen's a little banged up a little bit, too. We don't have [Tom] Gordon, and we've got to get to [Brad] Lidge."

Last night, the Phillies' bullpen proved that can be a problem. The Dodgers scored the go-ahead run in the seventh against J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson before Durbin's tightrope walk. Romero, Madson and Durbin have all been excellent throughout the season. But they'll be used heavily in September.

What's your level of confidence in those three guys in the seventh and eighth innings?

***
Feliz and Shane Victorino were the offensive tag-team that contributed to the tying and winning rallies last night. But shouldn't Joe Blanton get some credit, too? After a shaky first inning that could've been much shakier (he got out of a bases-loaded jam by allowing only one run), Blanton shut out the Dodgers for the next five innings, giving the Phillies' offense a chance to eventually come around.

"Everybody keeps forgetting about Joe," Victorino said. "Joe battled. He was in a tight spot, especially in the first inning. To do what he did, that was big."

***
Will Jimmy Rollins, mired in a 4-for-48 slump (2-for-25 on the homestand) be leading off again tonight? I think so, but check back in a bit for lineups, as the Phillies go for the four-game sweep.

Aug. 24 -- SHOULD THE PHILS BRING BACK BURRELL?

By SCOTT LAUBER

Can I let you in on a little secret? Sometimes, the best thing a beat writer can do is hang out in the media cafeteria. That's because, in the hour or so before a game, any number of people will pass through, including front-office types and scouts. And, on a slow news day (or even a busy one), striking up a conversation with some of those folks could trigger a dormant story idea.

Anyway, I was in the cafeteria a few nights ago when I ran into a scout who I've known for many years. I won't give away his identity, but I'll say that he works for an NL team. We chatted for a few minutes, and just before we parted company, he asked the following question.

Are the Phillies going to re-sign Pat Burrell?

The answer, of course, is that they aren't sure. They've certainly discussed it, and they'll talk more once the season ends. Days like yesterday -- when Burrell went 3-for-5 with a tone-setting three-run homer in the first inning, matched a personal-best with his 10th career five-RBI game, and did almost everything except speak to reporters afterward -- make it a tough call. Burrell has reached the 30-homer plateau for a second straight season and the fourth time in his nine-season career. He has 75 RBIs, and he'd have many more if he hadn't spent so much time hitting behind Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. And, as usual, he leads the Phils with a .390 on-base percentage that also ranks seventh-best in the NL.

Burrell is making $14 million this season, the final year of a six-year, $50 million contract, and if he hits the open market, he'll have suitors. After Manny Ramirez, Milton Bradley, Bobby Abreu, Adam Dunn and possibly Vlad Guerrero (the Angels could exercise their $15 million option), the free-agent outfield class is weak. Burrell will be only 32 in October, and he has averaged 28 home runs and 94 RBIs over the past seven seasons. Not many players have done that.

So, my scout friend and I agreed. If you're a GM, particularly of an AL team, Burrell is an attractive corner-outfield and/or DH option. Off the top of my head, I think he'd be a nice fit in Atlanta, Oakland and Baltimore, and I'm sure he'll draw interest elsewhere, too. He loves living in Philly, but I doubt he'll grant a hometown discount, especially if he has lucrative offers.

Now, I know that Jamie (The Blog's resident Burrell defender) and certainly this guy want the Phillies to open their wallet to keep Pat The Bat. How about the rest of y'all? If you're the Phils next GM (they'll be hiring soon, ya know), how would you answer the Burrell question?

***
After his two-run home run helped lead Team USA to the bronze in Beijing, Phils shortstop prospect Jason Donald said he'll be sorry to see baseball excluded from the 2012 Summer Games in London.

"When you think of summer, you think of baseball," Donald told reporters. "It's the biggest summer sport there is, and I don't care what country you're in -- Japan, Korea, the United States, Latin America. I think people who came out here, they were able to watch the games and saw how exciting each game was. It usually came down to the last couple of innings. It's unfortunate the decision has been made because this was a great tournament."

***
Within the Phillies notebook, assistant GM Mike Arbuckle discusses the odds of Donald or U.S. Olympic catcher Lou Marson getting called up in September (don't bet on it), and Geoff Jenkins gets emotional about his right hip flexor strain.

And, within the Sunday MLB notes, Joe Torre refuses the urge to gloat over the Yankees' problems, Matt Treanor gets weepy over his wife's gold medal, and Barack Obama's campaign manager is a Wilmington native and a big-time Phillies fan.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.

Aug. 23 -- DONALD, MARSON WIN BRONZE

By SCOTT LAUBER

So, Lou Marson (center) and Jason Donald (far right) are coming home from Beijing with bronze medals. But will the Phillies' prospects continue their breakthrough seasons by making their major-league debuts in September?

Don't count on it.

"I think it will come down to need," assistant GM Mike Arbuckle said before today's 9-2 rout of the Dodgers. "We don't want a guy to come here and then sit on the bench for a month when playing time is more beneficial. But both guys are making significant progress and have put themselves in position for consideration to be here at some point next year."

Donald, a 23-year-old shortstop, led Team USA with a .381 batting average (8-for-21) during the Olympics and helped clinch the bronze with a two-run homer in the third-place game against Japan. Marson, a 22-year-old catcher, batted .308 (4-for-13). Both are expected to return to Class AA Reading this week.

More in Sunday's News Journal.

***
Cole Hamels picked up his 11th victory today. In this interview with Yahoo! Sports, Hamels talks about imitating Rocky and marrying a former Survivor contestant. Most interesting to me, though, is that he admits he reacted immaturely to having his contract renewed for $500,000 before this season.

Aug. 23 -- JENKINS TO DL

BY SCOTT LAUBER

This just in from the clubhouse: Geoff Jenkins has been placed on the disabled list with a right hip flexor strain. The Phillies have purchased the contract of infielder Andy Tracy from triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Jenkins was injured trying to leg out an infield single last night. This type of injury can linger, so it's doubtful that he'll be able to play until at least mid-September. He was pretty disappointed when we talked to him a few minutes ago.

"It's frustrating because the reason I came here was to be part of a winner," Jenkins said. "We're in a position to be able to do that, and like anybody else, you want to be a part of that. I'll just try to do my best to rest it a little bit before we start being aggressive as far as rehabbing it."

Jenkins has played in 1,342 major-league games without making the playoffs. The only active players who have gone longer without being in the postseason are Damion Easley (1,687), Randy Winn (1,419) and Jose Vidro (1,418). Jenkins is batting .246 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 108 games (284 at-bats). In his absence, Jayson Werth will play nearly everyday in right field. So Taguchi, Eric Bruntlett and even Greg Dobbs can provide depth in the outfield.

Tracy, 34, is batting .288 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs for Lehigh Valley. Tracy has played in 136 major-league games for Montreal and Colorado.

***
Today's lineup against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-3, 3.59 ERA): SS Jimmy Rollins (.258/8/42), 2B Chase Utley (.285/31/85), LF Pat Burrell (.264/29/70), 1B Ryan Howard (.229/34/106), CF Shane Victorino (.289/11/46), RF Jayson Werth (.267/17/47), 3B Pedro Feliz (.254/12/46), C Chris Coste (.281/9/32), LHP Cole Hamels (10-8, 3.22).

Aug. 23 -- HOWARD, KENDRICK & MORE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

For one night, at least, Charlie Manuel found a cure for Ryan Howard's slump.

Watch video.

"I told him, I want him to go back and look at his 2006 [NL MVP] tape and study it, his swing and his approach, and I want him to get back to that cut," Manuel said before last night's game. "That's what I want because he hit breaking balls and he hit changeups and he hit fastballs."

Now, Howard, unlike studious Chase Utley, isn't big on watching tape, unless it's a pregame movie. But he complied. And, in the fourth inning, he rekindled memories of 2006 by swatting an opposite-field, two-run homer against Greg Maddux to start the Phillies' offense en route to an 8-1 laugher over the Dodgers.

"I've watched [tapes from 2006] a couple different times throughout the year," Howard said after his 34th homer tied him with Adam Dunn for the NL-lead. "It helps to a certain extent."

Said Manuel, "He followed the ball better, and he had good, smooth swings. I told him, 'All you've got to do is look at some film.'"

Simple, right?

***
Yeah, the Phillies broke out a double-digit hit total for the first time since Aug. 11. But they still relied on three home runs for seven of their eight runs.

***

Spent a few extra minutes talking to Kyle Kendrick last night, and he told a pretty cool story. Last Sunday, one day after getting rocked by the Padres, Kendrick talked to Greg Maddux for 40 minutes in the outfield during batting practice at Petco Park. Jamie Moyer introduced the impressionable Kendrick to the legendary Maddux, figuring that Maddux could impart some advice.

Well, clearly, it worked. Kendrick outpitched Maddux last night, overcoming a 26-pitch first inning and holding the Dodgers to one run on three hits in 5-2/3 innings to earn his career-high 11th win.

"I was telling him, 'I don't know what it is. It's like I'm afraid of contact or something,'" Kendrick said, recalling his talk with Maddux. "He's like, 'I'm afraid of contact, too. Nobody wants to get hit.' He just kind of talked to me. He's been there. We talked about the changeup, what he sees in hitters. I was real fortunate to be able to talk to him so long."

***
Talked last night to a scout from an NL team. The scout said Utley has been moving awkwardly in the field and wondered if he's injured. Utley still hasn't acknowledged any problems, even though GM Pat Gillick said last month that he has been nursing a sore hip.

***
Check back here today for an update on Geoff Jenkins. He suffered a hip flexor or a strained right quad last night, and he'll undergo an MRI exam. Based on how it sounded last night, there's a decent chance he could go on the disabled list.

***
Jimmy Rollins went 0-for-4 last night, stretching his slump to 3-for-39. Not good. If you haven't heard enough from Rollins lately, check out this Q & A.

Aug. 22 -- AUDIOFILE

A new series means a new audiofile.

So, Mike Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier Post and I sat down before batting practice and taped this 10-minute segment. Mostly, we focused on the problems of the Phillies' offense. We also talked about the difficult stretch of games upcoming.

Got 10 minutes? Sure you do. Please click here to listen: R09_0094.mp3

Aug. 22 -- LINEUP CHANGES

Charlie Manuel changed up the lineup slightly for tonight's series-opener against the Dodgers. Here's what we've got: SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Chase Utley, LF Pat Burrell, 1B Ryan Howard, CF Shane Victorino, 3B Greg Dobbs, RF Geoff Jenkins, C Chris Coste, RHP Kyle Kendrick.

More on that later.

Aug. 22 -- SCHMIDT RIPS MANNY

So, evidently, Mike Schmidt stopped by McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I., last night to promote awareness of BPH, or enlarged prostate. He also threw out the first pitch and signed a few autographs.

Oh, and before he left town, he ripped Manny Ramirez.

According to the Providence Journal, Schmidt said Ramirez's behavior last month with the Red Sox was "from a player's standpoint, one of the worst things I've ever witnessed in the history of the game." He continued: "I hit for 20 years. I don't think I ever looked in the dugout or the stands and smiled at someone. That's all he does." In Ramirez's final days in Boston, he shoved the club's traveling secretary, publicly criticized the front office and missed games with a mysterious knee injury. "My Manny Ramirez stock has gone way down," Schmidt said. "And it's unfortunate."

Aug. 21 -- CRICKETS IN THE CLUBHOUSE

So, I wish I could share with you what the principle players -- Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell -- had to say about the eighth inning tonight. If you missed it, after the Nationals scored twice in the top of the eighth to take a 4-3 lead, Jayson Werth walked and Chase Utley singled. Then, Howard, 3-for-35 with 18 strikeouts in his last 36 plate appearances, whiffed Burrell grounded into a double play.

Inning over.

Rally over.

But neither Howard nor Burrell were at their lockers for 30 minutes after tonight's game. Jimmy Rollins briefly stopped at his before moseying to the shower. So, poor Jamie Moyer was forced to field questions about the offense, something he has nothing to do with.

"It's probably out of my jurisdiction," he said, fairly. "I'm not a hitter, so you're probably asking the wrong guy."

If only we could've asked the right ones.

***
Manuel on Howard's slump: "He's got home runs and he's got RBIs, but it seems like he's really had to fight to be consistent. He has to really fight hard to find his swing and keep his swing."

***
OK, what bothered you most about tonight?

a) That the Phillies couldn't finish a sweep of the pitiful Nationals, who had lost 12 straight games, the longest streak in Washington/Montreal franchise history since the Expos dropped 12 in a row in August of 1976.

b) That Ryan Madson, this week's setup man who hadn't allowed a run in seven innings, gave up two in the eighth on an infield single by Ryan Zimmerman, a bloop single by Lastings Milledge, a sacrifice bunt by Ronnie Belliard, an infield RBI single by Jesus Flores and a clean single to right field by Austin Kearns.

c) That the Phillies' offense couldn't score after getting the tying run to second base with no outs in both the eighth and ninth innings.

d) That the Mets, who swept the Nats last week, beat the Braves in the ninth inning at Shea Stadium.

Aug. 20 -- MYERS CLOSES ANOTHER GAME

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Brett Myers finally found a way to replicate being a closer.

He pitched a complete game.

Making his sixth start since returning from the minors, Myers fired a shutout tonight, his first since May 20, 2004, and his first complete game since Sept. 20, 2006. He held the sad-sack Nationals to nine hits, fanned nine and threw 119 pitches. He's 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA since his confidence-restoring mission to the minor leagues.

And, if you closed your eyes in the ninth inning, you almost could see Myers striking out Wily Mo Pena to clinch the Phillies' NL East championship last Sept. 30. This time, though, it was Aaron Boone swinging through a third strike, and Myers settled for pumping his fist instead of throwing his mitt to the sky and celebrating.

"Are you kidding?" Myers said when asked if he gave any thought to last Sept. 30. "I don't even know who I am out there. I don't even know my name. People are always like, were you thinking about this or that? You get so caught up in the game. You've got to concentrate on getting a guy out."

Clearly, though, Myers' resurgence gives the Phillies an enormous boost. Saw an interesting stat the other day. Through last Saturday's games, the best rotation threesomes in baseball posted these numbers:

Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Randy Johnson (D-backs): 41-18, 3.26 ERA, 475.1 IP
John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Jon Garland (Angels): 38-17, 3.60 ERA, 467.1 IP
Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano (Cubs): 37-16, 3.54 ERA, 468.1 IP
Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox): 36-14, 3.33 ERA, 429.1 IP
Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Jesse Litsch (Blue Jays): 36-25, 3.79 ERA, 467.1 IP

Well, since the All-Star break, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Myers have posted these numbers: 7-4, 2.67 ERA, 124.2 IP. So, obviously, you can see the potential of the Phillies' top starters. But, then, I think we'd all agree that pitching hasn't been the Phillies' problem lately.

***
Forget about David Ross signing with the Phillies. The backup catcher appears to be headed to an AL team, according to Pat Gillick's comments on Comcast before tonight's game.

Aug. 20 -- FELIZ ACTIVATED & ROTATION NEWS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just a quick pregame note to let you know that Pedro Feliz has been activated. He isn't starting tonight against the Nationals (Greg Dobbs is back at third base). Lefty reliever Les Walrond is headed back to triple-A Lehigh Valley.

***
Some of you have asked, via e-mail and comments on The Blog, about the rotation. For now, the rotation won't change. Rich Dubee said today that the Phillies want to maximize Cole Hamels' rest. Hamels leads the NL with 181-2/3 innings. So, unless there's a change of heart, he will remain on his usual turn. He'll pitch Saturday against the Dodgers, and he'll miss next week's series against the Mets.

"I think the rest is more needed," Dubee said. "It's something that we've been cautious about all year, and something we've exploited every chance we've had to give these guys an extra day of rest. [Jamie] Moyer is 45 years old. He's a wizard and great at what he does, but any day we can give him a rest we're going to give him a rest."

Agree? Disagree?

More in tomorrow's News Journal.

Aug. 20 -- CATCHING ON?

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Lost amid the Jimmy Rollins nonsense last night -- and, thus, buried in the notebook in today's News Journal -- is a developing situation involving the Phillies catchers. Allow me to explain.

Charlie Manuel reiterated yesterday that Carlos Ruiz has done a nice job behind the plate -- calling games, throwing out runners, blocking pitches, etc. But with the rest of the lineup struggling, Manuel said it's becoming more difficult to overlook Ruiz's offensive deficiencies. That's why the Phillies have expressed interest in signing veteran catcher David Ross, who was released Monday by the Reds.

"His swing gets long at times, and it's slow," Manuel said of Ruiz. "Last year, it seemed like he had a quicker bat and he hit more balls hard. But if everyone was hitting, we wouldn't be talking about Ruiz."

Ross, 31, can clear waivers this afternoon. Folks in Cincy never confused him with Johnny Bench, but he did hit 21 home runs in 2006. Asked if it's reasonable to expect a catcher to join the team in late August and handle a pitching staff he hasn't worked with before, Manuel said, "I think it would be asking a lot of a young catcher. And it might be a lot to ask of a veteran catcher. Some guys have that knack, but those guys might be hard to find."

Indeed, if the Phillies sign Ross, it's difficult to imagine that he'd replace Ruiz. A team source said yesterday that it's more likely Ross would be sent to triple-A Lehigh Valley and recalled when rosters expand on Sept. 1. He would give Manuel another catching option and would allow him to use Chris Coste as a pinch-hitter down the stretch.

***
Manuel likes Jayson Werth in the No. 2 spot because of his strong on-base percentage. And Werth is having his best season since 2004, when he batted second in the Dodgers lineup and hit 16 home runs. Back then, it seemed he was destined to be a decent starting outfielder. But he broke his left wrist in spring training in 2005, an injury that required two surgeries and imperiled his career.

Is Werth finally feeling like his old self?

"I hit eight home runs last year, and I didn't play the year before that," he said after hitting the game-winning homer, his career-high 17th, last night. "I'm just trying to get good at-bats and do what it takes to help the team."

Aug. 19 -- A MESSAGE FROM J-ROLL (UPDATED)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Jimmy Rollins has taped a message to the fans that will be played during tonight's television broadcast. When I see it, I'll let you know what he said. Also, when we see what the fans' reaction is to him, I'll let you know.

Otherwise, J-Roll met with the media after batting practice and didn't back down from his comments last week on the Fox's "Best Damn Sports Show Period." He said he was speaking for several of his teammates, from Ryan Howard to Pat Burrell to Carlos Ruiz. He also said he isn't overly concerned about the reaction tonight because, "at the end of the day, if we win, they'll all be cheering."

Couldn't agree more.

More from J-Roll in a bit, so please check back.

(Update, 7:18 p.m.): Rollins' message was played only for the television audience, not here in the ballpark. But the reaction each time he was announced was mixed between boos and cheers. Here's some more of what he told the media before the game.

"You never know. Some are gonna boo, some are gonna cheer. But I don't care about it. That's the way it is, that's the way it was.

"I guess it's good thing -- it got people talking. It's just one of those things. We're people and athletes and when you make a response about how they feel about certain things it's like 'How dare you.' But the thing is, we're human beings and we all have the right to say things and they have the right to say something, too, and they have.

"The question was asked and that's what it was. It's not like I have an agenda or had an agenda. It was what it was and now I guess it is what it is. People here can take it like they want to take it, but it wasn't a false statement. But it's not like I was trying to take a cheap shot at somebody, either. It wasn't intended that way.

"I was speaking for a lot of guys, I wasn't just speaking for Ryan [Howard]. Ryan's had his share [of boos], I've had my share, Pat [Burrell's] had his share. I think Chase [Utley] hasn't been touched yet and hopefully it remains that way and he keeps coming out here and putting up numbers and they don't need do. But there are definitely guys who come back to the clubhouse or you see them from the dugout going to the plate and you see the expression on their face. It's like 'Man, I've got to try to do something, I've got to figure something out.' And they're halfway defeated before they get up there. But basically it's something nobody pays attention to, it's like 'Go get out of here, you can't play in this city.'

"This isn't even nothing to worry about. It's not like I'm getting beat up on. But people are going to like you for one reason and they're going to dislike you for another reason. And if you just want to play the politically correct game you can do that and get away with how you really feel behind closed doors. Sometimes you speak up and make a stance, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong, you just made a point.

"For every action there's a reaction. Some people are gonna cheer, some people are gonna boo. But at the end of the day, we win and they're all be cheering. And that's what we want. We want to win, they want us to win and they'll all be cheering. But in-game action, we're winning 5-3 and a guy makes an out, that's not something to boo. We're still winning. Let's go out there and score some more runs."

As I wrote in Sunday's paper, this whole thing is a nonsense issue. There are far more important matters involving the Phillies, like, I don't know, winning games. Personally, I think the reason people like Rollins is that he isn't afraid to speak his mind. Last year, he thought the Phillies were the "team to beat" in the NL East. He said it. People loved it. Last week, he expressed how he feels sometimes about Phillies fans. Don't like it? Too bad.

Aug. 19 -- RETURN OF THE AUDIOFILE

So, I reunited with Mike Radano of the Camden (N.J.) Courier Post a few minutes ago, and we recorded a new audiofile. In today's edition, we discussed the Phillies' slumbering offense, the chances of adding another player before September, and the stretch run. Speaking of which, with only 38 games left, we're going to try to do this on the first game of every series.

To listen to the audiofile, click here: R09_0086.mp3

Aug. 19 -- ON THE OFFENSIVE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, for nine weeks, the Phillies' supposedly vaunted offense has been a colossal disappointment, outperforming only the Reds, Padres, Nationals and Giants. That's nothing to brag about. Those offenses are putrid. And, for nine weeks, the most common response from Pat Gillick, Charlie Manuel, Milt Thompson and the Phillies' hitters has gone something like this: "We'll come around. This offense is too good not to start hitting."

Guess what? It hasn't.

By now, Manuel is losing hair. Thompson is losing sleep. But, while the Phillies keeping losing games, no one has any more answers than they did before. So, we decided yesterday to solicit an outside opinion. I had a conversation with Nate Silver, a writer and statistical analyst for Baseball Prospectus. Some background on Silver: He lives in Chicago, has an economics degree from the University of Chicago, and he makes his living by dissecting statistics to determine the outcome of things as trivial as baseball games and as meaningful as the presidential election (at the moment, he likes Barack Obama by a 285-253 electoral margin).

Anyway, back to the Phillies. When it comes to baseball, I'm not a real big numbers guy. I think there's a human element to the game that can't be quantified. That said, there's certainly a place for statistical analysis, and when he looks at the numbers, Silver isn't particularly surprised that the Phillies' offense is struggling. Despite the additions of Geoff Jenkins and Pedro Feliz, he doesn't believe the Phillies made any real improvements to their offense this season. And if they were counting on Jimmy Rollins to have a repeat of his MVP-winning 2007, well, that just wasn't going to happen. Silver also is down on Ryan Howard, believing the Big Man has gone from an MVP in 2006 to an average first baseman. It's hard to call 33 home runs and 104 RBIs in mid-August "average," but I get his point. Howard's on-base and even slugging percentages are lower than ever, and he's poised to break his own all-time single-season strikeout record.

Silver said there's no "magic bullet" to explain the Phils' offensive doldrums, but he presented a number of theories. The most sensical, at least to me, is that none of the Phillies are having career years. Both Rollins and Aaron Rowand had career years last year. You can check out Silver's thoughts by clicking here and reading the story that also appears in today's News Journal.

Meanwhile, here are a few more numbers to digest:

Overall ranks
Runs: 595 (4th)
Average: .252 (12th)
Homers: 166 (1st)
RISP: .258 (8th)

Through June 13: .265, 373 runs (5.41 runs per game), 99 HR, 357 RBI, .343 OBP
Since June 13: .235, 222 runs (4.04), 67 HR, 214 RBI, .313 OBP
In August (16 games): .202, 49 runs (3.06), 14 HR, 47 RBI, .303 OBP
Last 6 games: .175, 16 runs (2.67), 6 HR, 16 RBI, .257 OBP

Runs/game since June 13: 4.04 (better only than San Francisco's 3.49, Washington's 3.70, San Diego's 3.93, Cincinnati's 3.98)

Ryan Howard
Through June 13: .212, 17 HR, 54 RBI, .313 OBP, .463 SLG, 93 K
Since June 13: .256, 16 HR, 50 RBI, .329 OBP, .507 SLG, 69 K
In August: .179, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .299 OBP, .375 SLG, 20 K
Last 7 games: .083, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .207 OBP, .250 SLG, 13 K

Chase Utley
Through June 13: .317, 22 HR, 61 RBI, .404 OBP, .653 SLG, 40 K
Since June 13: .242, 8 HR, 22 RBI, .321 OBP, .440 SLG, 39 K
In August: .220, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .333 OBP, .475 SLG, 11 K
Last 7 games: .231, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 OBP, .462 SLG, 6 K

Jimmy Rollins
Through June 13: .278, 28 R, 5 HR, 22 RBI, .340 OBP, .444 SLG, 15 K
Since June 13: .257, 28 R, 3 HR, 20 RBI, .327 OBP, .420 SLG, 26 K
In August: .234, 6 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .324 OBP, .359 SLG, 6 K
Last 7 games: .167, 3 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .194 OBP, .267 SLG, 5 K

Pat Burrell
Through June 13: .284, 39 R, 17 HR, 43 RBI, .428 OBP, .601 SLG, 51 K
Since June 13: .245, 22 R, 12 HR, 27 RBI, .350 OBP, .511 SLG, 50 K
In August: .167, 5 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .328 OBP, .417 SLG, 13 K
Last 7 games: .238, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .370 OBP, .619 SLG, 6 K

Shane Victorino
Through June 13: .281, 45 R, 2 HR, 18 RBI, .350 OBP, .396 SLG, 23 K
Since June 13: .284, 32 R, 9 HR, 28 RBI, .349 OBP, .481 SLG, 27 K
In August: .236, 7 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .311 OBP, .418 SLG, 11 K
Last 7 games: .190, 2 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .227 OBP, .190 SLG, 7 K

Jayson Werth
Through June 13: .262, 22 R, 9 HR, 27 RBI, .337 OBP, .497 SLG, 38 K
Since June 13: .267, 22 R, 7 HR, 17 RBI, .375 OBP, .459 SLG, 36 K
In August: .225, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .347 OBP, .400 SLG, 13 K
Last 7 games: .238, 4 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .346 OBP, .476 SLG, 7 K

Geoff Jenkins
Through June 13: .275, 22 R, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .323 OBP, .438 SLG, 37 K
Since June 13: .183, 5 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .261 OBP, .298 SLG, 28 K
In August: .233, 2 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .324 OBP, .300 SLG, 6 K
Last 7 games: .250, 1 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .308 OBP, .250 SLG, 4 K

Aug. 18 -- SPRINT TO THE FINISH

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, what did you do today?

Ryan Howard spent the day at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., and hosting a chat on ESPN.com. Closer to home, Chad Durbin chucked the ceremonial first pitch and signed a bunch of autographs at Frawley Stadium before the Blue Rocks game. Oh, and the Dodgers traded for Greg Maddux, just in time for him to face the Phillies this weekend at the Bank.

With the Phillies taking the night off, let's examine the NL East race. According to Baseball Prospectus, the Phillies have a 26.5 percent chance of making the playoffs. The Mets? 72.5 percent. The Marlins? 4.5 percent. Personally, I think it's going to be much closer than that. Here's a look at the remaining schedules of each team, in order of the standings:

Games remaining: 38
Home: 22
Road: 15
vs. Phillies: 5 (Aug. 26-27 at Phil.; Sept. 5-7 at NY)
vs. Marlins: 6 (Aug. 29-31 at Fla., Sept. 26-28 at NY)
vs. winning teams: 22

Games remaining: 38
Home: 22
Road: 15
vs. Mets: 5 (Aug. 26-27 at Phil.; Sept. 5-7 at NY)
vs. Marlins: 6 (Sept. 8-10 at Phil., Sept. 19-21 at Fla.)
vs. winning teams: 23

Games remaining: 38
Home: 15
Road: 22
vs. Mets: 6 (Aug. 29-31 at Fla., Sept. 26-28 at NY)
vs. Phillies: 6 (Sept. 8-10 at Phil., Sept. 19-21 at Fla.)
vs. winning teams: 21

To me, the schedules are fairly even. With the return of Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez, the Marlins probably have the best starting pitching. The Phillies likely have the best bullpen, especially because Billy Wagner's status is uncertain. So, it comes down to offense, and if you check Tuesday's News Journal (and here on The Blog), we'll take a detailed look at why the Phils' offense has struggled so much.

OK, being as objective as you can be, who do y'all think will win the division? Why?

***
The esteemable Ken Rosenthal is reporting tonight on FoxSports.com that the Phillies and Red Sox are interested in signing catcher David Ross, who was released today by the Reds. Ross most likely would be a September call-up for the Phillies. It's hard to imagine they would send Carlos Ruiz to triple-A Lehigh Valley, especially since they've been happy with Ruiz's defense and game-calling. But Ross would give the Phillies a third catcher after Sept. 1, which would allow Charlie Manuel to utilize Chris Coste primarily as an extra bat off the bench.

Anyway, here's a look at Ross' career stats.