April 30 -- WHAT WERE THE ODDS?

ATLANTA -- History was with Antonio Alfonseca.

The odds were not.

Before the ninth inning tonight, Alfonseca had faced Andruw Jones 13 times. Eleven times he'd gotten the Braves slugger out. The other two times, Jones walked and laced a two-run single. But Jones is too good a hitter -- and had faced Alfonseca too often -- to not get a big hit against him. And his walk-off homer tonight was certainly a big hit.

But there were plenty of other reasons for this loss, the Phillies' fourth in as many games against the Braves this season. They didn't get a hit after Ryan Howard's go-ahead RBI single in the sixth. Pat Burrell's costly fifth-inning error led to the Braves' first run (ironically, Charlie Manuel was talking before the game about how much better Burrell's defense has gotten). And, after the Phillies grabbed a 2-1 lead, Jon Lieber gave up the game-tying solo homer by Chipper Jones.

Want to assess blame? There are plenty of culprits.

***

Howard went the other way with his RBI single, looking more like his MVP form from last season. A good sign or an aberration? We'll see. Also, I can't tell you how many e-mails I've gotten from folks who think Howard had a bad April because he was upset the Phillies didn't give him a long-term contract. Nothing can be further from the truth. Howard was disappointed, to be sure. But, trust me, sulking about it isn't his style. Besides, another big season will earn him even more money down the road.

***

Aaron Rowand left tonight's game before the seventh inning with a stiff lower back. He said his back "locked up" after making a diving catch against Kelly Johnson in the third.

April 30 -- HOTLANTA!

ATLANTA -- Happy Monday and greetings from Atlanta, home of CNN, Ted Turner (right) and Jimmy Carter. Last year, the former Prez actually made it to a few Phillies-Braves games. Chris Coste even robbed him of catching a foul ball behind home plate. True story.

Anyway, tonight marks the final game of April, and considering how the month began, it's remarkable the Phillies can finish with a 12-13 record. I've heard a lot of people say the Phillies, after starting 4-11, have gotten healthy on the sub-.500 Reds, Astros, Nationals and Marlins. And while that's true, it's hard to criticize them for beating teams they were supposed to beat. They're 8-3 in their last 11 games, a fine stretch regardless of the opponent. Now, facing Atlanta, San Francisco and Arizona on the road over the next 10 days will be a good test. Atlanta, in particular, has played well and will be throwing Tim Hudson tonight and two lefties (Mark Redman and the always-tough Chuck James) in the next two days. (Take note of the 7:35 p.m. start times on Tuesday and Wednesday).

One note on Ryan Howard before the Phillies' clubhouse opens to the media: I noticed a comment on today's game story about how there's little difference in Howard's power numbers from April 2006 to April 2007. But Howard batted .306 last April. He heads into the final game of this April with a .219 average. That's quite a difference.

More later.

April 29 -- JOSH HANCOCK, 1978-2007

I didn't know Josh Hancock well. We met five years ago when Hancock was pitching for the Trenton Thunder, then the double-A affiliate of the Red Sox. After a game one night, at a watering hole in Binghamton, N.Y., I was introduced to Hancock by a fellow writer. Over the next hour or so, I came to know him as a funny, personable guy. Hancock pitched for four teams in the majors, including two appearances for the Phillies in 2003 and four in 2004. The Phils acquired him for Jeremy Giambi in 2002, then traded him to the Reds in the Todd Jones deal in 2004. Last season, Hancock was key member of the World Series-winning Cardinals' bullpen.

Hancock died this morning in a car accident in St. Louis.

April 28 -- FRENCHY REDUX?

Longtime Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier (right) has been designated for assignment by the Reds, meaning Cincinnati has 10 days to trade or release him. Might the Phillies, desperate for a dependable lefty reliever, be interested? From indications I've gotten, I doubt it. Cormier just turned 40 and allowed three runs in three innings for the Reds.

Also, it appears Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is no fan of poetry. La Russa took exception to this poem mocking the Cubs that was printed in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and is refusing to answer questions by Post-Dispatch reporters this weekend. Really, Tony? Don't you have better things to worry about, like the Cardinals' sub-.500 record?

Finally, Dontrelle Willis just completed the sixth inning, making him the all-time leader in innings pitched (854) in the long, storied history of the Marlins. Phillies trailing 10-5, top 7th.

April 28 -- THE WILLIS FLU

BREAKING NEWS: Ryan Howard isn't in the lineup, presumably because Dontrelle Willis is pitching. Although, Howard is 3-for-8 with a homer in his career against Willis. Don't think there's anything wrong with Howard's knee, but he did dive awkwardly back to third base last night. I'll find out more when the clubhouse opens in a few minutes. Here's the lineup. Note the new leadoff hitter.

1. Aaron Rowand-CF
2. Shane Victorino-RF
3. Jimmy Rollins-SS
4. Chase Utley-2B
5. Pat Burrell-LF
6. Wes Helms-1B
7. Abraham Nunez-3B
8. Rod Barajas-C

UPDATE: Manuel said Howard hasn't complained about his leg injury. But he felt like tonight, with lefty-killing Willis on the mound, was as good a time as any to give Howard a rest. With Howard on the bench, the Phillies may have a late-game threat.

Also, check out News Journal photographer Bill Bretzger's shots from last night's game.

April 28 -- ANYONE HAVE A STOPWATCH?

While I was writing my Sunday baseball notes yesterday, colleague Martin Frank put together this interesting Phillies notebook about Freddy Garcia (right). It seems Garcia may be taking longer than the alloted 12 seconds to start his windup, a la Steve Trachsel. From his reaction, it sounds like Charlie Manuel may have noticed, too.

***

Speaking of Martin, he's working on a Sunday column that will have you talking, especially if you're one of those people who thinks Jimmy Rollins shouldn't be batting leadoff. My stance has been pretty clear. Rollins is a leadoff hitter. That's where he's best suited. And, to back that up, check out these stats: Rollins has only nine walks in 106 plate appearances, but he's been seeing 4.06 pitches per plate appearance, tied for 33rd-most in baseball. Neither Shane Victorino (3.96) nor Aaron Rowand (3.57) demonstrate as much patience.

***

Finally, I'll throw this out there again: Tom Gordon or Brett Myers? Who would you rather see pitching the ninth inning? Fire away.

More later from the Bank.

April 27 -- FORGOTTEN MAN?

Got a lot of great comments -- from Matt in Philadelphia, Paul W., Jamie and others -- about Chris Coste, so I thought we could devote an entire entry to his situation.

Back in December, one day after the Phillies signed Rod Barajas, I phoned Coste at his home in Fargo, N.D. He returned my call one day later, apologized for the delay and said he wanted to get his thoughts together so that he didn't say anything he'd regret. But, even then, he understood his predicament. Despite batting .328 last season (.356 with runners in scoring position), Coste knew he needed to win a job in spring training. Turns out, he injured his hamstring, got only 18 Grapefruit League at-bats and began the season on the DL.

But, really, his fate was sealed long before that.

During the offseason, Charlie Manuel said several times that Carlos Ruiz and Coste could handling the catching position. Almost everyone in the front office, particularly GM Pat Gillick, believed the Phillies needed a veteran catcher with better defensive skills than Coste. So, they signed Barajas, leaving Coste as a right-handed pinch-hitter. But the Phillies already had signed Jayson Werth to fill that role, and Gillick wanted to bring in a lefty to round out the bench. He got Greg Dobbs, whom he'd drafted for the Mariners, off waivers. It didn't take a mathematician to see Coste was the odd-man out, unless Dobbs or Michael Bourn had terrible springs. Both had excellent springs. (Barajas, Werth, Dobbs and Bourn are batting a combined .195 entering tonight's game).

Is Coste bitter? You bet he is, and you would be, too. He batted .328 last season. If he had 100 more at-bats, he would've been a Rookie of the Year candidate. And, here he is, riding buses in the minors again. Even worse, Gillick talked recently about last year's team and how well it played down the stretch. He never even mentioned Coste as one of the reasons for that success.

Now that he's out of Gillick's sight, Coste seems to be out of Gillick's mind, too.

Look, baseball can be a cold business, and Coste is hardly the first player to be cast aside. Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I like Coste. Most of the beat writers do. As a 33-year-old rookie last season, he was a great story. And he's a good guy. I'm not saying he should've been guaranteed anything after a successful second half of one season in the majors. But the job should've been his to lose, and as I see it, he never got a chance to lose it.

OK, your turn.

April 27 -- MISUNDERSTANDING

So, it appears Gary Thorne got it wrong.

Thorne, the Orioles' broadcaster for MASN, told reporters yesterday that he "misunderstood" catcher Doug Mirabelli during a casual clubhouse conversation about Curt Schilling's infamous bloody sock from the 2004 ALCS. Thorne, who I've always considered a terrific play-by-play guy (especially for hockey), said he wasn't sure when the conversation took place. He said he mentioned the sock to Mirabelli, who replied, "Yeah, we got a lot of publicity from that." Thorne took that to mean the blood was fake.

Oops.

But, here's the even more amazing thing to me: the Boston Globe broke the story Wednesday night because a Sox fan in Ontario was watching the game, heard Thorne's comment and e-mailed Gordon Edes, the Globe's outstanding baseball beat writer. Edes went to Thorne, asked him to confirm the comment and reported it in Thursday's paper.

I'm sure all you Phillies fans and News Journal readers would've done the same for me. Right? Right?

Oh, and as expected, Schilling has posted a response -- a 1,589-word response! -- on his blog. For someone who says he's "disgusted" by the incident, Schill certainly doesn't mind calling more attention to it, does he?

April 26 -- VERY DEJA VU-ISH

Watching right-hander Shawn Hill (left) mow down Phillies batters for the first five innings, I'm reminded of a June 11 game last season at RFK Stadium.

Then: Day game. Phils-Nats. Hill-Cole Hamels. Hill, with a dominating sinker, shut out the Phillies for seven innings, allowing only two hits and striking out four in a 6-0 Nationals win.

Now: Day game. Phils-Nats. Hill-Hamels. Phillies down 4-0 in the sixth. Charlie Manuel just took Hamels out of the game after he allowed three runs in the sixth. Phillies have three hits off Hill, who has gotten 10 ground-ball outs and two double plays with that dominating sinker.

Cue the Twlight Zone music.

April 26 -- HISTORY IN PHILLY?

A few minutes after the Phillies' clubhouse opened to the media after last night's game, Randy Wolf served up Barry Bonds' 741st home run. So, I did some quick math and figured out that Bonds has seven homers in the Giants' first 19 games. If he continues at his current pace and doesn't miss another game (both unlikely), he'll at least tie Hank Aaron's mark during the Giants' visit to the Bank on June 1-4.

Then again, it's hard to imagine Barry tying or breaking the record in Philly, given the reputation of the fans here. Actually, it's hard to see him breaking it anywhere but San Francisco, the one place where he seems to be beloved. I'll be there next weekend, and I'm curious to get a firsthand look at the reaction he gets from the locals.

Phillies-Nationals are about to get underway. No surprises in the Phillies' lineup. Rod Barajas, who caught Cole Hamels' 15-strikeout game last Saturday, is back behind the plate again today.

More later.

April 26 -- SCHILLING STUNNER

So, evidently, Orioles stellar play-by-play man Gary Thorne mentioned during last night's O's-Red Sox broadcast on MASN that Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli told him Curt Schilling's famous "bloody sock" during the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees was actually filled with paint, not blood.

Naturally, this is causing quite the flap in Boston. Mirabelli is vehemently denying that he ever said that. Schilling is angry. And the entire game story in today's Boston Globe is focused on the issue. In a stunning upset, Schill hasn't weighed in on it yet on his blog 38pitches.com, although I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Your thoughts?

April 26 -- CASTRO IN, SMITH OUT

Looks like it was more than a hunch.

Just got word that the Phillies have optioned Matt Smith (right) to triple-A Ottawa and recalled left-hander Fabio Castro (left). Castro was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA, seven strikeouts and five walks in 8-1/3 innings.

Phillies clubhouse will open to the media in a few minutes, so I'll try to get some reaction to the move before the game.

April 25 -- LEFTY OUT?

Call it a hunch. Or, maybe, it's merely speculation. But I suspect the Phillies are at least mulling sending struggling LHP Matt Smith (left) to triple-A Ottawa to work out his control problems.

Before yesterday's game, Smith told me and a few other beat writers that he was as unhappy as anybody about his performance last week. In three outings, Smith faced eight batters and retired only one. He gave up two hits and walked five. Particularly alarming were Smith's failures against left-handed hitters. As the lone lefty in the Phillies' bullpen, his biggest responsibility is getting out lefties. But Smith walked the Mets' Shawn Green on April 17, the Nationals' Chris Snelling on April 18 and the Reds' Josh Hamilton on April 20. It appeared Smith was turning a corner last Sunday in Cincinnati when he struck out Hamilton. But, then, he walked Adam Dunn. And, in the seventh inning tonight, Smith walked the Nationals' Austin Kearns, lefty-swinging Ryan Church and D'Angelo Jimenez and needed to be bailed out by Geoff Geary.

For the season, Smith has walked 11 batters in four innings. He has an 11.25 ERA in nine appearances and has retired only five of the last 16 batters he has faced. Of the 11 lefties he has faed, Smith has walked six and allowed two hits. Meanwhile, lefty Fabio Castro had allowed one run in his first 7-1/3 innings for Ottawa before giving up two runs in an inning Tuesday night at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"His command is not good," manager Charlie Manuel said tonight of Smith. "He's had a good chance to come in and face some lefties. With his command, he's having a hard time right now."

Speaking of Ottawa, good story on Chris Coste in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader.

Quick turnaround for tomorrow's 3:05 game. I'll check in before batting practice.

April 24 -- TUESDAY NIGHT LEFTOVERS

Lots to say about tonight's game, and not much space in the $0.50 edition of The News Journal to say it. So, without further ado, leftovers from another night at the Bank ...

* Big two-out RBI double by Pat Burrell in the sixth to bring the Phillies within 3-2. Even bigger that it came after Ryan Howard drew a walk. Burrell is 5-for-10 with four walks after Howard walks. Wes Helms is 1-for-2, Chase Utley is 1-for-3 and Michael Bourn is 0-for-1. Still don't think Burrell is the Phillies' best option to bat behind Howard?

* Big seventh inning for Ryan Madson. After giving up a leadoff single to Felipe Lopez, he got Ronnie Belliard to ground to second and Ryan Zimmerman to line into a double play. Very quietly, Madson hasn't allowed a run in his last 5-2/3 innings and lowered his ERA to 4.26.

* Big two-strike hit by Helms to break the 3-3 tie in the eighth. Very quietly, he's batting .308 with nine RBIs. He doesn't have a home run, although that isn't bothering him. "I try to take home runs out of my mind," Helms said. "I'd rather drive in the runs and hit .330 than try to hit a homer." Don't know about you, but I like that attitude.

* Helms will never be confused with Brooks Robinson at third base. He made an error in the ninth inning, and I'm sure Abraham Nunez would've been in the game had he not been used as a pinch-hitter in the seventh (Nunez dropped a nice sacrifice bunt). "Third base is still a transition for me," said Helms, who hasn't played third regularly since 2004. "I'm going to get better at it everyday. I'll make my share of mistakes, but I want to do my share over there to help us win. I feel that I can only get better."

* Could Antonio Alfonseca be pitching any better? After his scoreless eighth ining, his ERA is a miniscule 0.77.

* Tom Gordon (right) looked a bit better in the ninth inning. Lots of great comments on the previous post about Gordon vs. Myers, so keep 'em coming. Let's try to break a record and get 15-20 comments in there. I know you have an opinion, so let's hear it.

* Finally, like me, Nationals starter Jason Bergmann is a graduate of Manalapan (N.J.) High School. Bergmann pitched well tonight (three hits, one earned run in six innings) and has a respectable 3.27 ERA in four starts for the Nats. Nice to see a fellow Brave (Manalapan, not Atlanta) make good.

April 24 -- CASE CLOSED

On Friday night, in the immediate aftermath of Tom Gordon's meltdown in Cincinnati, Charlie Manuel was emphatic in his support for the struggling closer.

Now, not as much.

Manuel said yesterday that, while Gordon (left) is still the Phillies' closer, he may only remain in that position until Brett Myers (right) gets acclimated to pitching in relief. If Myers shows an ability to excel in his new role and Gordon continues to falter, Myers could be installed as the new closer. Before batting practice yesterday, Manuel said, "We're committed to [Gordon] until Brett becomes better or whatever, and we'll see from there." And, while he wouldn't say that Gordon and Myers were competing for the job, he added, "Myers will get some save opportunities. Gordon will, too."

I weighed in on this subject in this blog over the weekend. Gordon admits that a week off in spring training set back his preparation for the season. He's still working on some things, specifically refining his signature curveball, and it's awful hard to come into a major-league game in the ninth inning and have success when you aren't confident in all of your pitches. Considering that's the case here, I think Myers should get more opportunities to close ... immediately. And, if he has success, the Phillies have, at the very least, two closers.

But I want to hear from you. If the Phillies are leading the Nationals by a run or two in the ninth inning tonight, who do you want to see on the mound? Gordon or Myers?

April 23 -- SWANN'S SONG

A few quick notes today:

* Pedro Swann (left), a product of St. Mark's High and Delaware State, has been demoted to double-A Reading. Swann, 36, hadn't gotten much playing time at triple-A Ottawa. As a reserve outfielder behind Chris Roberson, Ron Calloway and Lou Collier, he was 3-for-9 with three RBIs in only three games. At Reading, Swann figures to get more regular at-bats, especially since Braden Florence is on the disabled list with a left biceps injury. Reading's other outfielders are Greg Jacobs and Javon Moran, both of whom have started the season strong. I had a pleasant conversation with Swann during spring training, and it's clear how much he loves baseball. I suppose you have to really love the game to play in the minors for as long as he has. Most people wouldn't subject themselves to so many long bus rides and two-star hotels. Here's hoping we see Swann at Citizens Bank Park someday, just like we saw long-time minor-leaguer Chris Coste last season.

* Teaser: Pinch-hitting Martin Frank reports that Charlie Manuel hinted before tonight's game that Brett Myers may become the Phillies' closer in the not-too-distant future. You can read more about that in Tuesday's News Journal. What do you think? Would that be a good move for the Phillies?

After flying home from Cincinnati earlier today, I'll be back at The Bank tomorrow.

April 22 -- LIKE OLD TIMES

CINCINNATI -- This picture was taken Aug. 10, 2005, at Yankee Stadium. Aaron Rowand, then the White Sox center fielder, made the latest in a line of web gems during the three-game series against the Yankees. And Freddy Garcia, the Sox starting pitcher that day, waited by the third-base dugout to thank Rowand for his glovework.

The same scene played out here today.

Rowand made a diving catch to rob Ryan Freel of a hit and end the fifth inning, and as he ran off the field, Garcia lagged back to offer his gratitude. Actually, it was a big day for both players. Rowand singled twice to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, during which he's batting .421 (16-for-38). His career-high hitting streak is 13 games, also set during the 2005 season. Garcia, meanwhile, allowed two runs in five innings and got his first victory for the Phillies.

And, after beating the Reds 9-3, the Phillies were positively giddy. They won back-to-back games and a series for the first time this season. Now, they head home for seven games at The Bank against the Astros, Nationals and Marlins. They're 6-11, and this should be a good chance for them to make up ground in the NL East. How do you think they'll do on the homestand?

That's all for tonight. Oh, one last thing before I leave Cincinnati tomorrow -- if you ever find yourself here, make sure to eat at Montgomery Inn. Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been to in my travels around the National League.

April 22 -- SOBERING STATS

CINCINNATI -- Good morning. Another beautiful day here. Hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

Not to make you choke on your Cheerios, but as you undoubtedly read in your Sunday News Journal (shame on you, if you didn't), only six teams have started a season 5-11 or worse and still made the playoffs: 2001 Oakland A's (5-11), 2000 San Francisco Giants (5-11), 1974 Pittsburgh Pirates (5-11), 1951 New York Giants (4-12), 1914 Boston Braves (3-13) and 1908 Detroit Tigers (5-11). Also, the Phillies have started 5-11 or worse 23 times in their history and finished with a better-than-.500 record only twice, in 1982 and 1952.

Certainly, that doesn't bode well for the 2007 crew. Then again, as the slogan on the New York lotto sign at Shea Stadium says, "Hey, you never know."

Those stats, by the way, come courtesy of Newark resident David Smith (right), a baseball historian who has founded the Web site retrosheet.org that is used by almost every baseball writer that I know. Keep up the great work, David!

Regardless, the mood in the clubhouse was decidedly more upbeat this morning. As expected, Ryan Howard is back in the lineup. And, with Freddy Garcia starting, the Phillies think they have a good chance to win a series for the first time this season. One other lineup note: With the Reds sending RHP Matt Belisle to the mound, Pat Burrell isn't in the starting lineup. Lefty-swinging Greg Dobbs is starting in left field. It's Dobbs' third start of the season and first in the outfield. He started at third base April 6 at Florida and first base Thursday at Washington.

April 21 -- HELP FROM HAMELS

CINCINNATI -- Shortly after Cole Hamels (left) finished off his complete-game, 15-strikeout gem here tonight, I asked if he feels more responsibility to be the ace of the staff now that opening-day starter Brett Myers has been moved to the bullpen.

"I think all five [starters] feel that," Hamels said. "He was the ace of the staff. But we're able to understand what's going to occur. We know that Brett's going to be coming in after us, and that's going to be a big help."

Hamels certainly has been ace-like lately. After tossing seven scoreless inning April 4 against the Braves, he gave up two earned runs in six innings April 9 against the Mets. But tonight was his tour de force. He was in complete control, consistently getting ahead of hitters and using his fastball, devastating changeup and ever-improving curveball to overwhelm the Reds. Hamels struck out each Reds starter, except pitcher Eric Milton, at least once. He got Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips three times apiece and Jeff Conine and Alex Gonzalez twice. In the eighth inning, with runners on the corners and two out, he fanned Dunn, always a big strikeout threat, to keep the score at 4-1.

Most impressive, though, is that Hamels threw a career-high 115 pitches and put away the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. After being plagued by injuries in the minors and coddled last year in his first major-league season, the Phillies have taken off the training wheels. Charlie Manuel said he would've let Hamels throw as many as 120 pitches tonight. And, clearly, Hamels is embracing his newfound freedom to pitch deep into games.

In Sunday's paper, you'll read comments from several Phillies, including Wes Helms and Chase Utley, about today's 80-minute team meeting. Here's Hamels' take: "Just with having a sit-down and being able to have guys discuss things, it's all out there now. All those bad thoughts are gone. Now, we can start from one and be a team."

That's all for tonight. More tomorrow, when Freddy Garcia goes to the mound, Ryan Howard most likely returns to the lineup and the Phillies try to win back-to-back games for the first time all season.

April 21 -- TEAM MEETING; HOWARD NOT STARTING

CINCINNATI -- Who said Charlie Manuel doesn't hold team meetings?

The Phillies blew off batting practice today and held an 80-minute closed-door meeting, in which Manuel, each member of his coaching staff and several players talked calmly about how the team can improve its 4-11 record, baseball's worst. The meeting began at about 4:20 p.m. and ran until about 5:40 p.m., 10 minutes after batting practice was scheduled to begin. After the meeting adjourned, the Phillies took batting practice in the indoor cage adjacent to the clubhouse.

Manuel decided to call the meeting after last night's demoralizing, 10-inning loss in which closer Tom Gordon had a ninth- and 10th-inning meltdown.

"There was enough people that talked that probably everybody got something good out of it," Manuel said. "I sense they want to play better and they expect to play better. They think they are better than what they have shown."

The Phillies are off to their worst start since 1982, when they opened 4-12. They also haven't won back-to-back games, the longest they've gone in a season without successive victories since 1982, when they went 22 games.

"Also, Ryan Howard is not in the lineup, although Manuel said he may use him as a pinch-hitter. Manuel expects Howard will be ready to play tomorrow. In Howard's absence, Manuel has juggled the lineup, though the changes aren't expected to be permanent.

RF Shane Victorino
CF Aaron Rowand
SS Jimmy Rollins (right)
2B Chase Utley
LF Pat Burrell
1B Wes Helms
3B Abraham Nunez
C Rod Barajas
P Cole Hamels

I'll have more in tomorrow's paper. Speaking of which, it's time for me to start writing. More later.

April 21 -- HOWARD RUNNING

CINCINNATI -- Positively beautiful day here. Mid-70s. Bright sunshine. Absolutely gorgeous.

If only the Phillies and Reds were playing a day game.

Alas, tonight is a 7:10 start. A few notes before the Phillies' clubhouse opens to the media, in about 15 minutes.

* Ryan Howard (left) is on the field right now, running the bases under the supervision of trainer Scott Sheridan. Howard doesn't look like he's favoring his left leg too much. The Phillies haven't posted a lineup yet. Clearly, they're waiting to find out if Howard can go. Once I know, you'll know, so keep checking back.

* Rookie OF Michael Bourn was also on the field early, working with first-base coach Davey Lopes on taking a lead off second base. Bourn is among Lopes' pet projects this season. The Phillies believe Bourn can be an effective outfielder in the majors, although he hasn't shown much with the bat yet in his bench role.

* Cincy holds a special place in Cole Hamels' heart. It was here last May 12 that Hamels made his major-league debut, allowing one hit and walking five in five innings. Hamels will start here tonight against former Phillies LHP Eric Milton.

April 21 -- BEATEN BY FLOYD

CINCINNATI -- Even Gavin Floyd is beating the Phillies.

Well, sort of.

Floyd (left) got his first victory of the season last night for the White Sox's triple-A affiliate by beating the Phillies' triple-A club, Ottawa. Floyd, the former first-round pick who received a $4.2 million signing bonus in 2001 before flaming out in each of the past two seasons and getting traded to Chicago in the Freddy Garcia deal, allowed five hits and three walks and struck out six over six innings.

Also, LHP Eude Brito won't be helping the Phillies' bullpen any time soon. Ottawa placed Brito on the disabled list with a groin strain.

More from the ballpark later.

April 20 -- TAKE A CHANCE

CINCINNATI -- As Tom Gordon (left) walked off the field here tonight after his meltdown in the ninth and 10th innings led to another amazingly demoralizing loss for the Phillies, I thought about something Charlie Manuel said before the game. Discussing his decision this week to move No. 1 starter Brett Myers to the bullpen and return Jon Lieber to the rotation, Manuel asked and answered this question:

"What made Columbus famous?"

"He took a chance."

The idea was that Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee are taking a chance that Myers can help stabilize the Phillies' bullpen, a powderkeg through the first 15 games. But installing Myers as the setup man may not be enough. Gordon has been alarmingly bad so far, blowing two saves in five chances and not yet pitching a clean, 1-2-3 inning in six appearances. I talked to him at length yesterday in Washington and again here tonight about his early-season problems. He said having a week off during spring training to have his fragile right shoulder examined by team physician Michael Ciccotti left him with little time to refine his breaking pitches. As a result, his curveball doesn't have its usual bite. He's throwing more fastballs than usual and doesn't trust his offspeed stuff.

In other words, he's behind schedule for being ready for the season.

Gordon is 39 years old, and there are a lot of miles riding on his right arm. Given his issues, Manuel may want to make like Christopher Columbus and "take a chance" by putting Myers in the closer's role. Who knows? He may even be good at it.

Your thoughts?

April 20 -- WELCOME TO CINCY

CINCINNATI -- Hello from the banks of the Ohio River. Great American Ballpark (left) is, for my money, the least impressive of the newer ballparks in the National League. There just isn't anything particularly distinctive or special about it. Although, since last season, the Reds have added a mock riverboat beyond center-field. Looks like it may be a pretty cool spot to watch a game.

A few Phillies updates before the game starts:

1. Ryan Howard remains sidelined with a sprained ligament in his left leg. But Howard spent most of the afternoon taking swings in the cage and just finished taking batting practice on the field. He also took grounders at first base. Charlie Manuel said Howard may be available to pinch-hit tonight. Asked if he'd be able to return to the lineup, Howard said, "Hopefully. That's the goal."

2. Wes Helms is playing first base tonight. Abraham Nunez is at third. Greg Dobbs, 0-for-4 yesterday at Washington, is back on the bench. The Phillies' lineup: SS- Jimmy Rollins, RF-Shane Victorino, 2B- Chase Utley, LF- Pat Burrell, Helms, CF- Aaron Rowand, Nunez, C- Carlos Ruiz, P- Jon Lieber.

3. All eyes will be on Lieber tonight, as he makes his first start since being reinserted into the rotation Wednesday. I asked Manuel if the Phillies would've made the move to put Lieber back in the rotation and Brett Myers in the bullpen if they were 10-4 today rather than 4-10. His response: "We probably wouldn't have made it." That tells you all you need to know about whether it was a desperate move by a desperate team.

More later.

April 19 -- TEAM PLAYER

Back from a couple of crazy days in D.C. Spending a few hours at home tonight before a quick turnaround for a morning flight to Cincinnati.

Before I forget, I wanted to pass along this anecdote: As Wednesday night's game plodded along, on its way toward a 13th inning, Charlie Manuel turned to Jamie Moyer and posed a reasonable question.

"Are you gonna leave?" Manuel said, wondering if Moyer would head back to the hotel and get a full night's rest before starting today's matinee at RFK Stadium. It's customary -- and perfectly acceptable -- for starting pitchers to do something like that.

"What do you mean?" Moyer asked. "Do I ever leave?"

It's been written in this blog and elsewhere that Moyer's biggest asset to the Phillies this season will be his veteran experience and professionalism. Once again, Moyer showed why he's been able to stay in the game for more than 20 years. Not only did he stay for all 13 innings Wednesday night, but after the game, as the clock approached midnight, he was still sitting in the clubhouse, talking with catcher Carlos Ruiz. Then, Moyer went out and tossed eight scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the ninth. Tom Gordon white-knuckled his way to a save, and the Phillies won 4-2.

"He means a lot to our ballclub," Manuel said of Moyer. "He's a leader. He's a professional in every way. He's all baseball, too. He's a great team guy."

I'll try to respond to some of your comments once I get to Cincy. Meanwhile, keep those responses coming, and thanks, as always, for helping to keep this blog fresh and interesting. Talk to you from Cincinnati.

April 19 -- HOWARD UPDATE

WASHINGTON -- Ryan Howard sat in the dugout before the game here today with his left leg wrapped in ice. He won't play today and maybe not over the weekend in Cincinnati either.

Howard sprained the ligament that connects the tibia and fibula bones, below his knee. He took a few swings in the batting cage and said he's having trouble putting weight on his leg. Charlie Manuel said he hopes Howard will be able to play at some point over the weekend at Cincinnati.

"I'd say it'll be at least two days [before Howard can play]," Manuel said. "I'm looking on the bright side."

Meanwhile, Greg Dobbs will start at first base. Howard said he may be able to pinch-hit.

"Maybe I can have a Kirk Gibson moment," he joked, referring to Gibson's legendary pinch-hit homer in the 1988 World Series. "Or maybe a Tom Berenger moment, like in 'Major League.' Maybe I'll lay one down third base and go head-first into first."

April 18 -- HOWARD HURT

WASHINGTON -- Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Phillies, there was Ryan Howard, sitting in the trainer's room after tonight's game, with a left quad injury that may prevent him from playing Thursday. Howard is expected to undergo an MRI exam before Thursday's game, according to manager Charlie Manuel.

Howard didn't make himself available to reporters who wanted to inquire about the degree to which he was injured. He stayed in the game after getting hurt in the 10th inning while legging out a fielder's choice. Then again, he didn't have much of a choice. The Phillies were out of position players, and the game lasted 13 innings.

Hopefully, I'll have more information tomorrow.

April 18 -- SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

Greetings from Washington.

Eventful afternoon here at RFK Stadium. Charlie Manuel was sitting in the dugout, talking with reporters, expressing no regret over his flare-up last night with a local radio talk-show host, when he casually dropped this bombshell: The Phillies are moving opening-day starter Brett Myers (left) to the bullpen to be a setup man and putting Jon Lieber (right) back into the starting rotation.

On the surface, it sounds like a desperate move by a desperate team. And, ultimately, that's what it may be. But Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee said they've been considering putting Myers in the bullpen since spring training. Myers has the electric stuff and the hard-nosed mentality to excel as a late-inning reliever. Lieber, meanwhile, didn't embrace the idea of pitching in relief. As a pitcher who relies on his rhythm and tempo on the mound and a rigid between-starts schedule, he's ill-suited to a relief role.

I'll have more on this move, and plenty of other odds and ends, after the game. In the meantime, let me know what you think about the Myers-Lieber flip-flop.

April 17 -- MANUEL LOSES IT

During the baseball season, I see and speak to Charlie Manuel (left) almost every day. In fact, I spend more time around him than I do some members of my family. And, as anyone who covers the Phillies on a daily basis can attest, the public perception of Manuel as a bumpkin is both unfair and inaccurate. He's much smarter and more savvy than he gets credit for. Also, the notion that he doesn't have a temper is completely misguided. When he played in Japan, he was known as "Red Devil" because of his fiery temper.

Tonight, after the Phillies' 8-1 loss to the Mets at The Bank, a local AM radio talk-show host badgered the manager about his motivational tactics, wondering why he doesn't pull a Lou Piniella and throw a tantrum to fire up his 3-9 team. Manuel, unhappy with the line of questioning, challenged the talk-show host to come into his office and see firsthand how angry he can get. The radio personality (I refuse to mention his name, but I'm sure you can guess who it is) accepted Manuel's offer, and a screaming match ensued. A few minutes later, it carried over into the clubhouse, where Manuel needed to be held back by team officials.

Naturally, you're going to hear plenty about this incident over the next few days. And, if the Phillies don't start playing better, Manuel, in the final year of his contract, probably will lose his job.

That would be a shame.

I'm not here to be a Manuel apologist. But if you're looking to assess blame for the Phillies' disappointing start, allow me to suggest a few more appropriate targets.

1. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley: The Phillies' supposedly dynamic duo is batting an anemic .156 (5-for-32) with runners in scoring position. Utley, in particular, is a miserable 1-for-13. As a team, the Phillies are batting .200 with runners on second and third base.

2. Brett Myers: Allegedly the ace of a starting rotation that was supposed to be one of baseball's best, he's gotten bombed for 14 runs in his last two starts, leaving his ERA at 9.39. In fact, the rotation's collective ERA after Freddy Garcia's underwhelming debut tonight is 5.93, third-worst in the majors.

3. Bullpen: Ryan Madson's ERA is 6.23. Jon Lieber's is 11.57. Lone lefty Matt Smith's is 13.50. And, for all the talk of how the Phillies lack an experienced setup man, closer Tom Gordon hasn't had a clean inning in four outings.

4. Pat Gillick: Everywhere Manuel went in the offseason, he said the same thing. The Phillies' top priority had to be finding bullpen help. Instead, Gillick (right) acquired two starters (Garcia and Adam Eaton), a part-time player to be the everyday third baseman (Wes Helms) and a catcher (Rod Barajas) who already has lost his starting job to rookie Carlos Ruiz. The only bullpen help the GM found was retread Antonio Alfonseca and erratic Francisco Rosario. Gillick still owes Manuel the reliable eighth-inning reliever he asked for.

Unfortunately, if the Phillies don't start playing better quickly, Manuel will be the scapegoat. Somehow, though, that doesn't seem just, regardless of what certain radio hosts want you to believe.

April 16 -- J-ROLL SPEAKS

Last month, Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia referred to the decreasing number of black players in the majors as a "crisis." A few days later, an annual report released by the University of Central Florida revealed that only 8.4 percent of major leaguers are African-American, the lowest total in two decades. By comparison, African-Americans comprised 27.5 percent of major leaguers in 1975. In 1995, the number was at 19 percent. In Sunday's News Journal, on the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line, we examined this alarming trend.

It's still raining, so in the absence of a Phillies-Mets game, we present some of Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins' thoughts on the matter from ESPN The Magazine. J-Roll, Sabathia and Devil Rays LF Carl Crawford are quoted in this week's issue and were featured in a round-table discussion last Thursday on "SportsCenter."

I'm anxious to get your thoughts on some of these remarks.

Q: Is the declining number of African-Americans, as Sabathia says, a crisis?
A: We see different teams come in, and the first thing we look for is how many brothers they got. Sometimes, it's one dude by himself. And we're like, 'Man, you know that's a long year for him.' He has no one around to relate to unless he has a coach. When you don't have your people around, it makes it tough. Whether it's racism in your face or being swept under the rug, you feel it. You have nobody to talk to, and that can cause a lot of anger.

Q: Did big-league scouts sometimes avoid your neighborhood?
A: That championship ring wasn't on when they came to the house like it was when they came to the school. We had a nice field, so at home games, you could line up 10, 15 scouts. But when we went on the road, to the Oakland Athletic League schools, scouts were not gonna walk up 98th Avenue and go to a game. So some guys weren't getting seen.

Q: How much of it is baseball's image, not appealing to African-Americans?
A: You know, black people like to spend money. Shoot, let 'em spend some money on baseball. If you can make baseball look good to us, maybe that will spark an interest.

Q: It seems like baseball has often relied on the game to market itself.
A: Well, times have changed. If we want to bring African-Americans back to baseball, what can we do besides the RBI programs? People want to buy our products. I wear a skully -- maybe make a skully. Make some of C.C.'s spikes and people will feel like they can get out there and throw left-handed, even if they're right-handed.

Q: Baseball teams seem to realize the importance of putting Latino players together in a clubhouse. Do you think they just haven't seen a need to do the same with African-Americans?
A: If we speak English, we should be able to adapt, right? That's probably the thought process. In the clubhouse, we call it the border. They're all over there, pulling their chairs together, huddling up, whether they're from Venezuela, the Dominican, Cuba, Puerto Rico. They speak the same language, they have the same experience coming from a poor country to a place where they can make a dream. We have to get on cell phones and highlight our boys three or four cities away.

Q: It might help if guys like you stayed in the game after you're finished playing, right?
A: Truthfully, myself? When it's done, I'm done. I want kids and a family. But, you know, thinking about the social responsibility, it might be important. I've never thought of it like that.

April 15 -- RUIZ CATCHING ON

Random thought while waiting for the rain to stop ...

Jimmy Rollins' season-opening power surge has sparked a new round of silly questions about whether his RBI potential is being wasted in the leadoff spot of the Phillies' lineup. Rollins is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game, and the Phillies would be wise to keep him there, regardless of how many homers he hits.

But here's a lineup idea that may merit some consideration: Carlos Ruiz (left) in the No. 2 hole.

Ruiz has seemingly emerged as the Phillies' starting catcher because he handles the bat better than Rod Barajas. Ruiz doesn't strike out much, has decent power and runs well for a catcher. I like Shane Victorino in the No. 2 spot, but with Victorino's blazing speed, he could give a boost to the bottom of the lineup. In the 8-hole, Victorino could act almost like a second leadoff hitter, and if he gets on base, the Phillies can do a lot of the bunting and hitting-and-running that they've talked about with their pitchers.

In 1996, catcher Joe Girardi often batted second and had success for a Yankees team that won the World Series. I think Ruiz can be equally effective.

Thoughts?

April 15 -- RAINED OUT

As expected, it's raining A LOT today. And, as expected, the Phillies and Astros have had their scheduled 1:30 game postponed. Details will be provided later today about a makeup date for the game (most likely April 23) and the Jackie Robinson Day festivities that had been planned for before and during today's game. I'll update this post when that information becomes available.

Also, RHP Freddy Garcia, scheduled to make his long-awaited Phillies debut today after battling right biceps tendinitis for nearly three weeks, will start tomorrow night against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Should be fun.

April 14 -- A JAMESIAN NIGHTMARE

So, I was driving to The Bank this morning when it dawned on me: The Phillies must be an absolute nightmare for Bill James.

James (left), the noted sabermetrician, has long preached that a high on-base percentage is key to an effective offense. Yet, through Friday night's game, the Phillies were leading the majors in walks (62) and second in on-base percentage (.365) but were tied for eighth in runs (45), primarily because they're batting just .214 with runners in scoring position. Of course, it's only been nine games. I can't imagine that trend will hold up over the course of an entire season.

Not many changes to the lineup today. LF Pat Burrell is back in there against Astros RHP Woody Williams. Also, switch-hitting Abraham Nunez is starting at third base over Wes Helms.

Two other notes: 1) Lyndie Moe, 9, of Newark, did a lovely job singing the National Anthem; 2) before the fifth inning, a woman proposed to a man, and it was shown on the JumboTron in left field. Now there's something you don't see every day.

April 13 -- WHOOF, WHOOF

Under normal circumstances, Brett Myers is fun to talk to. The Phillies' right-hander is usually cracking a joke or engaging in some type of clubhouse hijinx. To put it mildly, Myers keeps the atmosphere light.

But, after he loses a game, he's a quote machine.

Tonight was no different. Here's what Myers had to say to reporters after allowing seven runs on three hits (two homers by Carlos Lee, including a two-out grand slam in the third inning) and five walks: ''I got no excuses. I flat-out stunk. It's frustrating. I feel I'm not myself. I feel I lost that Rottweiler aggression. I'm pitching like a scared dog. I'm sorry the fans had to watch that. It was terrible.''

As much as the homers hurt Myers, the pair of two-out walks to Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman that preceded the grand slam were even more damaging.

Also, just a thought: After Lee's third homer of the game, a ninth-inning shot off reliever Ryan Madson, do you think GM Pat Gillick began to regret that he didn't sign Lee in the offseason when he had a chance?

More tomorrow.

April 12 -- 2-7!

NEW YORK -- Of all the comments I got from Phillies players following tonight's 5-3 loss at damp and cold Shea, the one that struck me most was this from LHP Jamie Moyer: "It's unfortunate we're 2-7 at this stage, against our own division."

Against our own division.

For all the fuss over the Phillies' horrific start -- their worst in 20 years -- what makes the losses worse is that they're coming against NL East rivals. The Phillies were swept in a three-game series by the Braves, then lost two of three against both the Marlins and Mets. They're already five games behind Atlanta and four behind New York.

And it's only April 12.

It doesn't get any easier, either. When the Phillies return home tomorrow night (Friday The 13th), they'll have to face Astros ace Roy Oswalt. The Mets, meanwhile, will be hosting the lowly Nationals over the weekend. Jimmy Rollins remains confident that the Phillies have what it takes to win the NL East. "Nothing has changed," he said tonight. "It's nine games into the season. Shoot, if we catch fire, we'll be right where we need to be."

But, with each loss, they have a longer way to go before they get there.

April 12 -- SHEA, HEY

NEW YORK -- Hello from Shea Stadium. Frigid here today, but the rain has stopped. The forecast calls for a break in the wet stuff, so it looks like the Phillies and Mets will be playing tonight.

One quick note, courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau: Tonight's scheduled starters, Mets LHP Tom Glavine (41 years, 18 days old today) and Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer (44, 145) have the oldest combined age (85 years, 163 days) of any opposing left-handed starting pitchers in major league history. The previous oldest was in a game started by the Yankees' Tommy John (44, 346) and the White Sox' Jerry Reuss (38, 318) on May 2, 1988; they were a combined 83 years, 299 days old.

April 11 -- EATON LOVES NY

NEW YORK -- OK, now I get it.

After watching Adam Eaton struggle in spring training and get rocked in his first start of the season last Thursday at The Bank, I was beginning to wonder exactly why the Phillies gave him a three-year, $24.5 million contract in November. What is it about an injury-riddled right-hander with a 55-46 career record that was so appealing?

Tonight, I figured it out. Eaton pitched seven solid innings in a 5-2 victory at Shea, and in four career starts against the Mets, he's 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA. At Shea, he's 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA. Eaton said he hadn't really thought about his success against the Mets until tonight when he was warming up in the left-field bullpen and it was mentioned during a pregame video that profiled the starting pitchers.

“For whatever reason, I’ve pitched well here,” Eaton said. “I don't know what it is. New York’s the biggest stage. Maybe that has something to do with it."

April 11 -- O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU

Hello again, from Shea Stadium.

The Phillies have signed INF Michael Garciaparra, younger brother of Nomar Garciaparra, to a minor-league contract and sent him to Double-A Reading. Michael is the latest in a line of less-accomplished brothers who have played for the Phillies, joining Vince DiMaggio, Frank Torre, Ken Brett, Mike Maddux, Jeremy Giambi and Jake Blalock. Michael, 23, is a .267 career hitter in five seasons in the Seattle Mariners' organization, reaching Triple-A for 42 games last season and batting .316.

April 10 -- SNEAK PEEK: HOWARD ON LETTERMAN

Here's a photo of Ryan Howard on set during this evening's taping of "The Late Show With David Letterman." And, here are some of the highlights.

* Asked how much of hitting is skill and how much is guesswork, Howard cracked, "I probably guess 90 percent of the time. Most of the time, I'm swinging with my eyes closed anyway."

* Asked if he likes playing first base, Howard smiled and joked, "Yeah, definitely. We are the most athletic people on the field."

* Letterman asked Howard about rumors that his mother manages his money. "The whole allowance thing, I've got to check in with her." Letterman, incredulous that Howard's mom would give him an allowance, asked, "Is it like lunch money?" Howard laughed. "It would be a lot of lunch money. She just handles my money situation. You know, makes sure everything's in place."

* Finally, on the Phillies' 1-6 start, Howard said, "Right now, we're not where we want to be. But we'll get there."

April 10 -- BRAD LIDGE, ANYONE?

NEW YORK -- Word from Houston is that RHP Brad Lidge has been removed from the Astros' closer role after posting a 16.20 ERA in his first two appearances.

Hmm.

Lidge, 30, emerged as an elite closer in 2004, posting a 1.90 ERA and 29 saves. The following season, he had a 2.29 ERA and 42 saves. But, in the 2005 NLCS, he allowed a home run to Albert Pujols (pictured) that hasn't landed yet, and he hasn't been the same pitcher since.

Still, you have to wonder if Pat Gillick ought to try to trade for him. After dealing speedy Willy Taveras to the Rockies, the Astros' center fielder is Chris Burke. Perhaps the Phils could sell them on Aaron Rowand, or even prospect Michael Bourn, a Houston native. Regardless, at this point, you have to think Lidge is a risk worth taking to improve the Phillies' battered bullpen. Maybe a change of scenery is exactly what Lidge needs, and we all know the Phillies need all the relief help they can get.

Just a thought.

Also, a programming reminder: Ryan Howard will be on "The Late Show With David Letterman" tonight. I wonder if Dave will ask him about this quote from Mets manager Willie Randolph about why he didn't walk Howard in the sixth inning yesterday: "It's not like he's Barry Bonds."

Either way, it should be entertaining.

April 9 -- WHERE'S FLASH?

With the Phillies leading 5-4 and the pitcher due to lead off the eighth inning here today, Charlie Manuel faced this decision: Should he send RHP Geoff Geary (left) to the plate or call upon a pinch-hitter? Ordinarily, it wouldn't be much of a choice. As a reliever, Geary rarely hits. And with only a two-run lead, Greg Dobbs, Jayson Werth or speedy leadoff-type Michael Bourn would be headed for the bat rack. Problem was, Manuel didn't have many bullpen options.

Antonio Alfonseca? Unavailable after pitching in three of the last four games.

Ryan Madson? Unreliable after giving up extra-inning homers in the season's first two games and two more runs Saturday at Florida.

Clay Condrey? Unproven.

Francisco Rosario? Unknown. Manuel has never seen the newly acquired right-hander pitch.

Jon Lieber? Inexperienced. He hadn't pitched in relief since 1998.

So, Manuel stuck with Geary. Well, by now, you know what happened. Geary allowed five runs, with the aid of Jimmy Rollins' costly error (more on that later), and was lifted for Lieber, who gave up two more. A 5-4 lead turned into an 11-5 loss, and the Phillies dropped to 1-6.

But there was one other reliever Manuel considered. Closer Tom Gordon hadn't pitched since blowing a save against the Braves last Wednesday, five days ago. Yet, even when Geary got into trouble in the eighth, Manuel refused to use the 39-year-old Gordon for more than one inning. And, as much as the Phillies' lack of a dependable setup man, the continuous babying of Gordon must be a concern. Faced with a similar situation, the Mets would've turned to Billy Wagner for a five-out save. The Yankees would've done the same with Mariano Rivera. If Gordon is unable to get more than three outs every five days, the Phillies are in even more trouble than I thought.