June 13 -- FAIR OR FOUL?; SURGERY FOR DONALD

BY SCOTT LAUBER

From his spot in the corner of the Phillies' dugout, Charlie Manuel had no idea if the ball was fair or foul.

He just wanted to be sure.

So, after Greg Dobbs' blast to right field in the 11th inning last night soared over the foul pole, Manuel asked first-base umpire Jim Joyce to go to the videotape. After all, Major League Baseball institued instant replay late last season to make judgments on hard-to-call home runs, and this was the textbook definition of a hard-to-call home run.

"He said they were not going to review it," Manuel said. "He said they didn't want to review it, basically. I asked him why. I wanted it reviewed. He said, 'It's my call.' He said he saw it. He said, 'I stayed on it, Charlie. I know it was foul.' I said, 'It's not where it lands. It's where it goes out.' He said, 'I stayed on it. I've been doing this a little while, too.'"

According to the replay rules, a manager has the right to ask for a review, but the umpires don't have to grant that request if they believe they got the call right. And while Manuel remained uncertain, Shane Victorino, who was standing on first base, thought Joyce got it right.

"I thought it was way foul, to be honest," said Victorino, who added that first-base coach Davey Lopes agreed.

And, really, if the Phillies hadn't struck out 20 times and stranded 10 runners, we wouldn't be talking about Joyce's call today.

***
So, remember those Brad Penny-for-Jason Donald trade rumors?

Yeah, doesn't look like that's going to happen.

Donald, who has drawn Boston's interest, will undergo surgery Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Also, Penny is pitching very well for the Sox (he tossed six scoreless innings Thursday night against the Yankees), and we're hearing that John Smoltz may be willing to pitch out of the bullpen when he returns, lessening Boston's need to make a move.