June 30 -- BREAKING NEWS: GEARY GONE

Remember last season, when it seemed like Geoff Geary pitched every day. Geary posted a 2.96 ERA, ranked second among NL relievers in innings (91-1/3) and emerged as one of the Phillies' most reliable bullpen options.

Today, he was sent to the minors.

In baseball, like in Vegas, your luck can change that quickly.

Actually, getting sent to triple-A Ottawa has nothing to do with being unlucky. Geary just hasn't been particularly good. In his last 20 appearances since May 11, he has allowed 44 base runners (31 hits, eight walks, two hits batters) in 21 innings and posted an 8.57 ERA. The last three times he entered a game in which the score was within three runs, he has allowed six runs in 2-1/3 innings. Overall, he's 1-2 with a 5.31 ERA.

That's not good enough.

The Phillies needed to create a roster spot for rookie starter J.A. Happ, and Geary had an option left on his contract, meaning he could be sent to the minors without clearing waivers.

"He was a big part of our club last year," general manager Pat Gillick said. "We think he needs to go down [to Ottawa] and get straightened back to where he was. He needs to work out a few mechanical problems, and we felt it would be better to do that in Ottawa than here. We don't think Geoff can work it out here."

* Basically, what happened yesterday was the Phillies' worst nightmare. Not only did J.D. Durbin lose, so did Cole Hamels. Now, all that stands between the Phillies and a sweep at the hands of the Mets are Happ and Kyle Kendrick. Good luck.

* Maybe the Phillies just don't have the pitching to compete, Martin Frank writes. Within this notebook, there's news about Jon Lieber's ankle and details on the Phillies' suspicion of foul play by El Duque.

* Line of the day: Good friend and New York Post columnist Jay Greenberg asked me about the Phillies' three newest pitchers -- J.D. Durbin, J.A. Happ and J.C. Romero. "It's like the Phillies are calling up pitchers who are in the Witness Protection Program," he said. I laughed, then thought, maybe these guys really should be.

June 29 -- NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

So, the Mets already were in town last night (staying out of the rain, hopefully) when Jimmy Rollins beat the Reds with an RBI single in the 10th inning.

Fitting, wasn't it, that Rollins provided the walk-off hit? It was, of course, Rollins who said the Phillies would be the "team to beat" in the NL East this season. And it is Rollins who has become a New York villain on the level of Reggie Miller, John Rocker, King Kong. So, why wouldn't Rollins get the hit that left the Phillies three games behind the first-place Mets, who play four games here in the next three days.

But this wasn't exactly how Rollins figured the Phillies would contend for a division title. His confidence stemmed from a starting rotation that was perceived to be younger and healthier than the Mets' rotation. But here we are, almost at the All-Star break, and Tom Gordon, Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber are on the disabled list. Garcia and Lieber may not pitch again this season. Gordon and Myers have progressed more slowly than the Phillies thought. And, this weekend, they're sending J.D. Durbin, J.A. Happ and Kyle Kendrick -- three rookies with a total of four major-league starts -- to the mound against the Mets, who have Orlando Hernandez, John Maine, Jorge Sosa and Oliver Perez.

What chances do you give the Phils?

* Looks like there may be a rift growing in the Mets' clubhouse.

June 28 -- BULLPEN BLUES

Don't tell Kyle Kendrick, but the Phillies won't score 10 runs every game. I know: that isn't what you, or Kendrick, want to hear.

Last night, the Phillies scored six runs, which should be enough to win most games. But after Jamie Moyer faltered in the seventh inning, five relievers couldn't hold a 3-0 lead or a 6-6 tie, and the Phillies lost to the Reds, 9-6. They'll need to be better this weekend. J.D. Durbin will make his Phillies debut tomorrow against the Mets, and J.A. Happ will make his major-league debut Saturday.

The Phillies have used 15 relievers, and it's not even the All-Star break. And the news isn't good on Brett Myers, who suffered a setback during a bullpen session Tuesday. Myers will play catch tomorrow and throw a bullpen Saturday, but the Phillies aren't expecting him back before the All-Star break. Tom Gordon throws a simulated game today, and fingers are crossed that he fares well. I'll post updates as they become available.

Meanwhile, you tell me, what should be the Phillies' priority: beefing up the bullpen or adding a proven starter to the rotation?

June 27 -- DOING WHAT HE WANTS

Charlie Manuel makes out the Phillies' lineup, and for five of the past eight games, he hasn't included Pat Burrell (update: Burrell isn't playing again tonight, so it's six of the last nine games). That's notable since Burrell makes $13 million, a hefty sum for a bench player. Some media types wondered before yesterday's game if Phillies ownership would take exception to such a high-salaried player playing as infrequently as Burrell. Manuel cleared up any confusion.

"I can do anything I want to," he said. "Seriously, in this job, I can do anything I want to. That can cause a lot of stuff, but I can do what I want to do. I can, and I've got the [guts] to do whatever I want to do."

And why shouldn't he have the [guts]? Manuel is in the final year of his contract. If the Phils don't make the playoffs, he won't get an extension. Someone in his position can't worry about placating his bosses or Burrell. Manuel must field the lineup that gives the Phillies a best chance to win, and right now, Burrell isn't part of that lineup. It's as simple as that.

* Kyle Kendrick loves pitching for the Phillies.

* Jon Lieber hasn't decided yet, but surgery is probably in his future. Also within this notebook, tomorrow is a big day for Tom Gordon. Brett Myers is throwing bullpen sessions, not pitching in minor-league games, meaning a July 1 return is out of the question. Maybe by the All-Star break. Maybe.

* In this week's Sports Illustrated, players were asked to name the softest-tossing pitcher in the majors. Jamie Moyer got the most votes with 72 percent, well ahead of Tim Wakefield (14 percent), Greg Maddux (2 percent), Tom Glavine (2 percent) and Mike Maroth (2 percent). Interestingly, the Phillies inquired about trading for Maroth last week but decided he was too similar to Moyer. Maroth was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals instead.

June 26 -- DOWN PAT

A few days ago, I had a chance to talk to University of Miami baseball coach Jim Morris. In nearly 25 years at Miami and Georgia Tech, Morris has won more than 1,100 games and seen plenty of great players. But Morris didn't hesitate when I asked him to name the greatest college hitter he's ever seen.

Pat Burrell.

No joke.

Stop laughing.

I'm serious.

Once upon a time, Burrell batted .442 in three seasons at Miami, the seventh-highest career average in NCAA history. He had such a sparkling collegiate career that the Phillies drafted him No. 1 overall in 1998 and pegged him as a middle-of-the-order threat in their lineup for years to come.

Burrell's fall has been precipitous. He's batting .205 overall, the lowest his average has been this late in the season since he was batting .204 on Sept. 3, 2003. You know what happened that season. Burrell finished at .208. He's batting .146 since April 25 and hasn't started four of the last seven games.

But Burrell's problems are particularly thorny for the Phillies, who can't seem to win with him and can't trade him. Burrell is making $13 million this season and $14 million next season. Even if ownership allowed GM Pat Gillick to swallow some of that prohibitive salary (which probably won't happen), I haven't heard that there's a team out there willing to pay the rest. And, while Charlie Manuel knows the only way for Burrell to snap out of his two-month funk is by playing everyday, he also knows a manager on the last year of his contract can't afford to play a .205 hitter. Manuel, who will keep his job only if the Phillies make the playoffs, stands to get better production out of left field by platooning Greg Dobbs, Michael Bourn and Jayson Werth.

So, if you're Gillick and Manuel, what do you do with Burrell?

* Should know something more definitive by tomorrow, but Jon Lieber most likely will need surgery on the ruptured tendon in his right foot. If that's the case, his season -- and probably his Phillies career -- are over.

June 25 -- SAFE AT HOME?

What do these pictures have in common?



Give up?

Hint: Check out the uniforms. Tom Gordon's rotator cuff gave out in Atlanta. Brett Myers strained his shoulder in Florida. Freddy Garcia's bum shoulder gave way in Kansas City. And Jon Lieber ruptured a tendon in his foot in Cleveland. Not pictured, Ryan Howard re-injured his quad in San Francisco, the same place where Ryan Madson strained his oblique and Garcia ran into a maintenance-crew cart. Myers was moved to the bullpen in Washington. The Phillies held the team meeting that turned the season around in Cincinnati, the same night Cole Hamels struck out 15 batters. They nearly got into a brawl in Florida, one night after Myers got hurt and Rod Barajas didn't block the plate. Mike Zagurski made his debut in Atlanta. Pat Burrell homered off Billy Wagner (yes, it really happened) to cap a three-game sweep in New York, where, earlier in the season, Jimmy Rollins was booed like John Rocker and Howard was a guest of David Letterman.

My point is, it seems every significant moment of the Phillies season has happened on the road. Somehow, though, I think this homestand will be pivotal. It ends with four games in three days against the Mets that could greatly impact the Phillies' chances of winning the division.

Anyone want to venture a guess about where the Phils will stand at this time next week?

June 25 -- DURBIN ON FRIDAY

J.D. Durbin won the lottery.

Although left-handed prospect J.A. Happ pitched well yesterday for triple-A Ottawa and right-hander Matt Maloney got the win today for double-A Reading, the Phillies just announced they will call up Durbin to start one half of Friday's day-night doubleheader against the Mets.

Talked to assistant GM Mike Arbuckle today, and he offered this somewhat sobering assessment of the Phillies' need to dip into the minors for pitching help: "I don't know that anybody we bring [up], I'd really say this guy is absolutely ready to come up here now. Whoever we end up deciding, we're probably rushing these guys a bit."

Yikes.

June 24 -- BOURN'S SUPREMACY

ST. LOUIS -- Cleaning out my notebook after a 3-3 trip with the Phillies ...

* Michael Bourn can do more than just run. Starting today in place of the slumping Pat Burrell, Bourn went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs in a 5-1 win, a performance that Charlie Manuel says may earn him a start Tuesday night at the Bank against the Reds. Regardless, the Phils need to find out if Bourn has what it takes to be an everyday player. Aaron Rowand will be a free agent after the season, and if Bourn can handle playing every day, there won't be as much urgency to re-sign Rowand. Actually, if Bourn is an everyday player, the Phillies may feel more comfortable about trading Rowand for pitching help. "I really try not to think about any of that," Bourn said of getting more playing time. "It's just one day. I try not to get too high or too low."

* I'm not sure the Phillies can trade Rowand. He's their only remotely threatening right-handed hitter. I think he has a good case for making the All-Star Game.

* Several of the Phillies were saddened by the news of Rod Beck's death. Adam Eaton was a teammate of Beck's with the Padres in 2003 and 2004. Jon Lieber and Antonio Alfonseca also knew Beck well. Beck was 38 years old. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

* Shane Victorino has grown accustomed to starting. So, he didn't know what to do with himself today when he got a rare day out of the lineup. Victorino threw water at his teammates. He spit sunflower seeds. And he didn't stop talking. "He's always into something," Manuel said. "Believe me, he's all over the place." Victorino also took a few swings in the batting cage, and it paid off in the eighth inning. He came up as a pinch-hitter and ripped a bases-loaded, three-run double off Cards lefty Randy Flores that turned a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 Phillies lead. "I'm always having fun and keeping myself somewhat amused on the bench," Victorino said. "I'm high-energy. I don't know. That's just the way I am."

* When Cole Hamels found out he wasn't coming out after the 96-minute rain delay, he jokingly asked pitching coach Rich Dubee if he could start Tuesday. That won't happen. The Phils want him ready for one of the games in Friday's doubleheader against the Mets.

* Brett Myers won't be going back to the rotation any time soon. Neither will Ryan Madson.

June 23 -- LIEBER OUT

ST. LOUIS -- Take a good look: there's a good chance this is the last you'll see of Jon Lieber in a Phillies uniform.

The right ankle injury Lieber sustained Wednesday night in Cleveland is more serious than he or the Phillies suspected. After undergoing an MRI exam on his ankle before today's game, Lieber was diagnosed with a ruptured peroneus longus tendon that runs through the bottom of his foot and attaches to his toe. The Phillies placed Lieber on the disabled list and scheduled an appointment for him to see team physician Michael Ciccotti on Monday.

Asked if Lieber would need surgery that could end his season, assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said, "It's possible."

With Lieber sidelined, the Phillies will need pitchers for one game of Friday's doubleheader and for Saturday's game against the New York Mets. Amaro said the Phillies likely will call up pitchers from the minors to make those starts. Amaro said right-hander Brett Myers isn't a candidate to rejoin the rotation, even with Lieber and right-hander Freddy Garcia injured. Myers, the Phillies' opening-day starter, was moved to the bullpen April 18 and took over as the closer May 3 before straining his right shoulder and going to the disabled list. With Garcia ($10 million), Lieber ($7.5 million), reliever Tom Gordon ($7 million) and Myers ($5 million) injured, the Phillies have four pitchers making a combined $29.5 million on the disabled list. That's approximately 31 percent of their total payroll.

More in tomorrow's 50-cent edition.

June 23 -- OLD SCHOOL

For a baseball player, Jamie Moyer is old.

Old school, too.

Moyer jogs to the mound before an inning, jogs back to the dugout after an inning and takes his at-bats seriously. Very seriously. In last night's 6-0 win, Moyer did it all. He threw six scoreless innings. He singled in the third to start a five-run rally. He scored the Phils' first run, skidding across home plate (Charlie Manuel said it was a cross between a hook slide and a rollover). He dropped down a sacrifice bunt in the sixth, helping to manufacture another run. And he fielded a ball off his left ankle and dove as he shoveled it to first base.

That's what I call a complete game.

"That's how you play the game in the National League," Moyer said. "A guy gets a hit, you move him over and you get him in. You work on it every day in batting practice. You work on it in spring training. To me, it's part of the fundamentals of the game. I get enjoyment out of that."

And the old-school approach? It goes back even longer than the 44-year-old Moyer's career, which began in 1984 in A-ball in Geneva, N.Y.

"I was raised that way," Moyer said. "My dad taught me to play hard, to hustle. It's just something I've always enjoyed. When you hustle off the field, it gives you more time to sit and catch your breath on the bench. As you play the game, there's a lot of adrenaline. You just let that carry you. When I don't have that bounce in my step, I feel sluggish. So, I try to maintain that as much as I can."

* A few Saturday morning updates: RHP Brett Myers had what pitching coach Rich Dubee described as his best bullpen session yet. Next one is Tuesday. After that, he may start throwing to hitters. ... LF Pat Burrell is back in the lineup. Anyone think he'll get a hit against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright?

* Saw everyone's favorite TV dad walking around before the game. I'll bet he's rooting for the Phillies.

June 22 -- RELIEF?

ST. LOUIS -- Help may be on the way for the Phillies' battered bullpen.

May be on the way.

The Phils just announced they have signed lefty reliever J.C. Romero to a minor-league contract. Classic low-risk, possible-reward move. Romero, who had been designated for assignment and released by the Red Sox, will begin working out in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, but the Phillies are hoping he'll be ready to join them shortly.

Recently, the Phillies said they weren't interested in Romero. Why the change of heart? Well, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said triple-A left-hander Matt Smith may be more seriously injured than the Phillies thought when they shut him down last week with elbow tendinitis. A few years ago, when he pitched for the Twins, Romero was one of the best lefty relievers in baseball. He had a 3.15 ERA for the Sox but struggled to throw strikes. He put 39 runners on base in 20 innings and threw 195 strikes and 171 balls. But the Phillies are hoping he'll be more consistent than Mike Zagurski, Yoel Hernandez, Geoff Geary, etc.

Injury updates: Jon Lieber (strained right ankle) is slated to start Wednesday against the Reds. ... Tom Gordon (strained rotator cuff) will throw to hitters Monday in Clearwater and may begin pitching in minor-league games by the end of next week. ... Brett Myers (strained right shoulder) will throw a bullpen session today but won't be ready to pitch for the Phillies until after July 1.

June 22 -- MINOR MATTERS

ST. LOUIS -- Greetings, all. Happy Friday.

The Phillies didn't play yesterday, which gave me time to have a great dinner at Mike Shannon's, by far the best reason to come to St. Louis (try the steak). This is my third trip here, and while downtown leaves a bit to be desired, I never cease to find the Gateway Arch breathtaking. One of these days, I'll even work up the courage to go to the top of it.

St. Louis is Ryan Howard's hometown, so on the occasion of his return, I decided to crunch some numbers that illustrate his effect on the rest of the lineup. It's staggering how much better Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have hit since May 25 when Howard returned from his quad injury.

While the big club took the day off, there was much activity on the minor-league front. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco, perhaps the Phillies' top pitching prospect, made his debut for double-A Reading and allowed one run in five innings against Binghamton, the team I used to cover. Carrasco and single-A Lakewood second baseman Adrian Cardenas were picked to play in the Futures Game during All-Star week in San Francisco. Meanwhile, right-hander Zack Segovia, who opened the season with the Phillies, was demoted to Reading after going 1-9 with a 6.05 ERA at triple-A Ottawa.

Finally, before I left Cleveland, I checked out the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame. Cool place. I recommend it if you're ever in the neighborhood.

June 21 -- HONORING VUKE

CLEVELAND -- In a nice touch, the Phillies announced today that the late John Vukovich will be inducted into their Wall of Fame on Aug. 10 at The Bank.

After a field of 15 candidates was narrowed to five in fan balloting, a selection committee picked Vuke over Darren Daulton, Lenny Dykstra, John Kruk and Gene Mauch. I commend them on their choice.

Unfortunately, I knew Vuke for only a year, but as I've seen since his death March 8, he had a tremendous impact on everyone who knew him.

How will you remember Vuke?

June 21 -- CHALLENGING GILLICK?

CLEVELAND -- Charlie Manuel told anyone who asked -- and believe me, everyone asked -- that a three-game series in Cleveland was no different for him than a three-game series anywhere else. Manuel wants the Phillies to win every series, not just the ones played in a city where he was a hitting coach and manager for nearly 10 years.

Of course, that's true.

But last night, after the Phillies' 10-6 loss in the rubber game against the Indians, Manuel was as disgusted as I've seen him in two years of covering the team. The Phils have dropped back-to-back series for the first time since April, losing two of three to the Tigers and Indians, two of the best teams in the American League. "We definitely can play with them," Manuel said. "If we fill our holes, we definitely ... whatever."

A not-so-veiled challenge to Pat Gillick to get the bullpen help the Phillies desperately need? Draw your own conclusions.

* Jon Lieber's right ankle wasn't wrapped last night, and the injury that forced him from the game in the sixth inning wasn't deemed serious enough to derail his plans to go to Alabama today to visit his family. Lieber also doesn't think he'll have to miss a start, especially since off-days today and Monday will allow him to get some extra rest. The Phils won't need him until June 29. Regardless, Kyle Kendrick will make his next start, and he should. The kid has been good.

* Didn't make it into the 50-cent edition: Carlos Carrasco, the Phillies' 2006 minor-league pitcher of the year, was promoted to double-A Reading. Carrasco, 20, was 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA at single-A Clearwater. Zack Segovia, 24, who opened the season with the Phils and made his major-league debut April 8 in Florida, was a train wreck at triple-A Ottawa and got demoted to double-A Reading. Segovia was 1-9 with a 6.09 ERA in 13 starts for Ottawa.

* Lost in the lopsided late-inning margin were two scoreless innings for Geoff Geary. Maybe the lack of goatee really worked. Then again, maybe he just pitched better.

* Four Milwaukee Brewers appeared as themselves on a soap opera yesterday. They probably shouldn't quit their day jobs. Although, you have to like J.J. Hardy's line -- "She can warm up with me any day." Now that's good acting.

Heading to St. Louis later today. More after I get there.

June 20 -- GETTING IT RIGHT VS. LEFTIES

CLEVELAND -- So, what impressed you most about Ryan Howard's mammoth home run last night in the third inning of the Phillies' 9-6 win?

a) It came on an 0-2 pitch.

b) It was measured at 451 feet and landed in the second deck in right field at the Jake, territory Jim Thome, Travis Hafner and few others have reached.

c) It was hit against a left-handed pitcher (Jason Stanford).

While A and B are nice, to me, C is the most significant. After striking out against Tigers reliever Bobby Seay with two runners on base in the seventh inning Sunday, Howard was batting .189 with 35 strikeouts in 74 at-bats against lefties. But, in the first two games against the Indians, he was 4-for-8 with two homers against left-handers Cliff Lee, Jason Stanford and old friend Aaron Fultz. Howard is a little sensitive when asked about hitting lefties. Frankly, he's tired of the questions. He thinks he proved last season, when he batted .279 with 16 homers and 45 RBIs against lefties, that he's capable of handling them. But there's a reason teams routinely bring in their best left-handed reliever to face Howard late in a game. Chase Utley is already killing lefties (.520 since June 5, .336 overall). If Howard starts beating up on them, too, well, it could be scary.

* Geoff Geary is searching for a quick fix to his ongoing problems. Is it mental? Is it mechanical? I'm not sure, but I know he's been bad for about the last six weeks. Meanwhile, Jose Mesa has usurped Geary's role as a late-inning setup man and got a huge out last night.

* Ran out of room in the 50-cent edition, but Charlie Manuel thought Ryan Madson was being squeezed by home-plate umpire C.B. Bucknor in the eighth inning. "I felt like Madson was making some good pitches, but for whatever reason, we weren't getting calls," he said. "I felt like Madson had [Trot] Nixon struck out at least once, maybe twice." Nixon wound up walking.

* Two starts, one win for Kyle Kendrick. That's as many wins as Freddy Garcia has in 11 starts. I'm just sayin'.

* Looks like Johan Santana had some extra motivation to shut out the Mets last night.

June 19 -- MR. IRRELEVANT

CLEVELAND -- Overshadowed by Joe Borowski's comments, Steve Smith's suspension and everything else that happened here yesterday was the fact that Pat Burrell didn't play. Again.

In the previous post, I noted where Aaron Rowand ranks among NL outfielders in various statistical categories and asked you if he's an All-Star (don't forget to vote, by the way!). Here's where Burrell ranks in some of the same categories: average -- 32nd (.211); slugging percentage -- 28th (.387); OPS -- 20th (.769); homers -- 18th, tied (8), RBIs -- 21st (29).

I'm not sure what's more alarming: those numbers or the fact that everyone sort of accepts them from the $13 Million Man.

June 19 -- FOUL PLAY

CLEVELAND -- Joe Borowski wasn't happy with the Phillies. Steve Smith wasn't happy with Major League Baseball. Cole Hamels wasn't happy with himself.

Can't we all just get along?

* In a candid interview before last night's game, Borowski (left) railed against the Phillies, claiming they determined he failed a physical last November, then leaked the information to the news media, in order to low-ball him with a free-agent contract offer. The Phils have a different version of the story. We'll just have to draw our own conclusions. Regardless, Borowski is 22-for-24 in save chances for the Indians and says he couldn't be happier. In one of his more revealing comments, he said some of the former Phillies now with the Indians (David Dellucci, Jason Michaels, Aaron Fultz, Roberto Hernandez and Paul Byrd) told him he's better off that he didn't wind up in Philly.

* Smith was suspended for three games for his confrontation with first-base umpire Laz Diaz on Sunday. He thinks MLB is watching his behavior closely after his previous suspensions.

* Down the street from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hamels got rocked. Did it cost him a chance to start in the All-Star Game? Most likely. Jake Peavy is my bet to start for the NL. But I think Hamels is still a lock to be an All-Star. So is Chase Utley, who is leading in the fan balloting among second basemen. To me, Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Rowand are long shots. Ryan Howard is a longer long shot.

Rowand has the best case for All-Star consideration. Among NL outfielders, he's tied for first in runs (45) and ranks second in batting average (.320), third in hits (82), third in on-base percentage (.396), sixth in OPS (.909), ninth in slugging percentage (.500) and 10th in doubles (16). He's also tied for 11th in RBIs (38) and tied for 13th in home runs (10). Right now, Carlos Beltran, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alfonso Soriano are the top three vote-getters in the fan balloting. Carlos Lee, Barry Bonds and Matt Holliday likely will be picked, and someone like the Pirates' Jason Bay may be selected as the only representative from a weaker team (although I think Ian Snell should also go for Pittsburgh).

How about you? Who do you have on your NL All-Star team, and is Rowand included?

June 18 -- ROLLIN' INTO CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND -- Back in the day, before Jacobs Field was a hole in the ground, before the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame existed, almost before LeBron James was born, Cleveland was known for this: Jake Taylor, the wily veteran catcher, walking to the mound and telling bespectacled rookie Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn that he was about to get the out he'd been waiting his whole life for.

It was 1989, and it was pure fiction. But, even now, "Major League" is one of my favorite all-time movies. Charlie Sheen's Vaughn was, and always will be, the power pitcher everyone on my high school baseball team wished they were. "Forget about the curveball, Ricky. Give 'em the heater!" we'd yell from the bench. And, of course, Willie Mays Hayes stole bases when stealing bases was still cool -- and hung his batting gloves on his wall.

Much of the film was shot in Milwaukee, and Brewers radio guy Bob Uecker stole the show. But it was about the Cleveland Indians, lovable losers for most of their 106-year existence. Since 1995, the Indians have been to the playoffs six times, even reaching the World Series (and losing) in 1995 and 1997. But before that, they'd qualified for the postseason only three times since 1901, winning the Series in 1920 and 1948 and the AL pennant in 1954. Other than that, it was pretty bleak.

Sound familiar?

As you may know, the 124-year-old Phillies franchise, which opens a three-game series against the Indians here tonight, are closing in on 10,000 losses, most by a pro sports team ... ever. They're 11 away, and you're going to be reading plenty, here, in the 50-cent edition and elsewhere, about it. Thus far, Phillies folks haven't shown much of a sense of humor about it, unlike the Indians, who tolerated Hollywood's attempt to poke fun at them and even recently gave out "Wild Thing" glasses to fans at Jacobs Field.

Of course, the Indians have only lost 8,058 games in their history.

* It's a second-guess, but Charlie Manuel probably should've let Adam Eaton face Gary Sheffield in yesterday's 7-4 loss. ... Carlos Ruiz's English is getting better. ... Looks like the Phillies' old spring-training stadium is about to meet the wrecking ball.

June 17 -- NO NO-NO

Well, that didn't take long.

Justin Verlander, the Tigers' ace who threw a no-hitter in his last start against the Brewers, won't join Johnny Vander Meer as the only pitchers to throw back-to-back no-nos. Abraham Nunez took care of that -- and Verlander's bid for another shutout, too -- with an RBI single in the second inning today. Verlander is good, though. I saw him pitch a few years ago when he was in double-A, and you just knew this guy was special. I covered the Eastern League for five years, and Verlander was probably one of the top five pitchers I saw -- with Josh Beckett (Portland), Scott Kazmir (Binghamton), Cole Hamels (Reading) and Jonathan Papelbon (Portland). Not a bad rotation, right? But the single best season I saw from a pitcher came in 2005 when Gustavo Chacin went 16-2 with a 2.86 ERA for New Hampshire and was all but unbeatable in the playoffs.

* All of those pitchers were toddlers (or embryos) when Jamie Moyer started pitching. Moyer was at his best in last night's 6-3 win over the Tigers, the 222nd victory of his career. Imagine if he'd won more than 12 games in a season before his 33rd birthday!

* Brett Myers says don't believe everything you see on TV.

* To be clear on the Freddy Garcia situation: not giving him a physical before completing the trade wasn't out of the ordinary. Ask any GM, and he'll tell you teams generally don't give physicals before trades. But the Phils didn't give him an MRI before spring training, either. Given his drop in velocity last September, that seems to be their bigger mistake.

* His politics aside, Bill O'Reilly gets no love in the Mets' clubhouse.

June 16 -- KENDRICK TO START TUESDAY

No surprise here. As expected, Kyle Kendrick will start Tuesday night in Cleveland, Charlie Manuel said today. And why not? The Phillies couldn't have skipped Kendrick in the rotation (at least not this time around), and the kid pitched well enough in his major-league debut Wednesday to get another shot. One word of caution: the Cleveland Indians are not the Chicago White Sox.

* Rest assured: Brett Myers is NOT injured. Myers made that clear when a few reporters spoke to him today. Without offering an explanation, Comcast SportsNet showed pictures yesterday of Myers grabbing the back of his right arm after throwing a bullpen session. Myers explained he was merely pointing out to trainer Scott Sheridan where he still feels some soreness. But there's no cause for alarm.

* Great stat, courtesy of Newark resident Dave Smith, a baseball historian and founder of retrosheet.org. Last night's 12-8 loss marked only the second time in a decade the Phillies have hit five homers in a game and lost. The last was June 13, 2006, against the Mets.

* Freddy Garcia's agent tells The News Journal that Garcia had a cortisone injection three days before his last start in Kansas City.

June 15 -- MOTOWN MEN

It's been two years since the Phillies traded Placido Polanco to the Tigers for Ugueth Urbina and utility infielder Ramon Martinez. It's been more than three since they picked Charlie Manuel over Jim Leyland for their vacant managerial job. And with the Tigers in town this weekend, people want to talk about how both of those moves were mistakes.

My take: Stop living in the past!

But, if you insist, the Phillies were desperate for a setup man in 2005 (sound familiar?), and they got one for Polanco. Because Urbina is sitting in a Venezuelan jail, it's easy to forget how valuable he was to the '05 Phillies. Without him, I doubt they finish one game out in the wild-card race. Could the Phillies have gotten Urbina for David Bell? Don't be so sure. I wasn't covering the team yet, but from what I've heard, there wasn't much of a market for Bell, just like there's no market today for Pat Burrell. So, moving Polanco to third base to make room for Chase Utley wasn't an option unless Bell was benched or traded.

Leyland is a superb manager. There's no question he has made the Tigers better since taking over before last season. But, when I look at this lineup (Sean Casey bats 7th!) and starting rotation, it's hard to think any manager wouldn't succeed. I know it's en vogue to rip Manuel, but he should get plenty of credit for where the Phillies are. Admit it: if I told you in spring training that Ryan Howard, Freddy Garcia, Tom Gordon, Brett Myers and Ryan Madson would be on the DL for any length of time, you would never guess the Phils would be two games out of first place.

Thoughts?

June 15 -- HELPING HAND

The most important pitch Brett Myers will make all season comes tomorrow at the Bank. And it doesn't involve a baseball.

Mentioned this in today's paper, but I thought it merited more attention on The Blog. Myers will sign autographs from 2 to 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Majestic Clubhouse store to help raise money for Juliana Wetmore, a 4-year-old who was born without 40 percent of her facial bones.

Juliana, who lives in Myers' hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., has Treacher Collins Syndrome. She already has had more than 20 surgeries, and the medical bills are piling up. Myers has donated money in the past -- including $20,000 this season -- to help Juliana and her family, and you can help, too. For $15, you get get Myers' autograph. For $20, you can get it twice. And it's all for as good a cause as you can imagine.

(Update: There is, in fact, a number to call to pre-register for the autograph session and/or make a donation. It's 215-463-1000.)

June 14 -- NO SURGERY

In a minor upset, renowned ortopedic surgeon James Andrews concurred with the Phillies' medical staff that Freddy Garcia's damaged right shoulder may heal without surgery.

Who knew?

That said, don't expect to see Garcia on the mound any time soon. In a statement, Phillies assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said Garcia will be shut down for "several weeks." After that, he'll begin a throwing program. There's no timetable on his return. Can't imagine it will be before the All-Star break.

(Update, 8:29 p.m.): Talked with Amaro a few hours ago, and he said the Phillies still can't be sure Garcia will pitch again this season. If, whenever he resumes throwing, Garcia continues to feel discomfort, surgery will become necessary. "There have been situations like this where pitchers have come back and pitched effectively," Amaro said. "There are also situations where they can’t and have to have operations. A lot of it will depend on how well he heals."

June 14 -- CHICAGO HOPE

Aaron Rowand has been with the Phillies for only a season and a half, but already, he has achieved a certain immortality here. All he had to do was break his face on the center-field wall at The Bank (and hold on to the ball) last May, bringing new meaning to the expression "hard-nosed." Then, when asked why on earth he'd risk his face just to snare a fly ball, Rowand memorably said, "For who? My teammates. For what? To win."

Instant legend.

But there's another city that adores Rowand. His last game for the White Sox was the clinching victory of the 2005 World Series. Since they dealt him to the Phillies on Nov. 25, 2005 in the Jim Thome trade, they haven't been back to the playoffs, and many people in the Windy City think Rowand, drafted and developed by the White Sox, may just be the guy to lead them back there.

"People say, 'Well, we lost him and didn't make the playoffs the next year,'" Rowand said yesterday after beating the Sox, 8-4, with a grand slam and five RBIs. "It's very, very flattering. At the same time, it wasn't just me. There were 25 guys on that team, and we all played as a unit and everybody was equal. It was everybody who made the team go. It wasn't just me."

Regardless, Rowand will be a free agent after the season, and you can bet the White Sox will make a run at signing him back, if they can't get him sooner via a trade. The whole idea makes Rowand more than a little uncomfortable. After all, he's a key member of the Phillies, and his job is to help lead them to the playoffs for the first time since 1993. But, with the White Sox in town this week, he got multiple questions about his future. Clearly, Rowand left big piece of himself in Chicago. He's a die-hard Bears fan, and many of his closest friends in baseball (A.J. Pierzynski, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede) still play for the White Sox.

"Any time you get drafted by an organization, come up through the organization, win the World Series with the organization, yeah, you're going to have a soft spot for that team," Rowand said. "If you asked anybody anywhere if they were put in the same situation, they'd say the same thing."

Rowand is having his best offensive season, so his price tag may be rising. Then again, he'll be part of a bumper crop of free-agent center fielders that includes Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Cameron. "I might be the leftover," Rowand said. "Hey, we can't get him. Let's go get him." But it's hard to believe he won't be atop the White Sox's wish list.

So, what do you think? After this season, should the Phillies show Rowand the money or the door?

* Don't look now, but the Phillies are two games behind the first-place Mets. Who'd have thunk it after a 4-11 start and trips to the DL for Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Ryan Howard, Brett Myers and Freddy Garcia?

* From the 50-cent edition: Kyle Kendrick didn't get the win, but his major-league debut was a success; Garcia thinks the Philly-area media is too critical; cut from the notebook: news that lefty Matt Smith has been placed on the DL at triple-A Ottawa.

* Nice night for Ian Snell. He may have a shot to pitch in the All-Star Game.

June 13 -- THE KID DID ALL RIGHT

Kyle Kendrick's line today against the White Sox: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K. The Phillies will take that any day from their fifth starter.

Kendrick, clearly a ground-ball pitcher who gets contact more than strikeouts, showed some poise after allowing runs in each of the first three innings. He retired 10 of the final 14 batters he faced and got big double play grounders in the third and fourth. He also got a nice diving catch from right fielder Jayson Werth in the fifth with runners on first and second and two outs.

June 13 -- ALABAMA-BOUND

Spoke yesterday with Peter Greenberg, Freddy Garcia's agent, and he seems to think Garcia will need at least some kind of surgery to repair the damage in his right shoulder. That's why Garcia is heading to Birmingham, Ala., today to see renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.

The Phillies aren't admitting it, but I've spoken with people who said the team has prescribed rest and rehabilitation for Garcia, a course of action that would allow him to pitch again this season. But Garcia is pitching for a contract this winter, and if his shoulder isn't going to allow him to be as effective as he's been in the past, he doesn't see the sense in pitching at all until he gets the problem fixed. Greenberg is hoping Andrews can correct it arthroscopically with a less invasive type of surgery that would allow Garcia to rehab and pitch again this season. Greenberg seemed to think that would be the best-case scenario. Still, I wouldn't count on seeing Garcia any time soon.

Stay tuned. This is only going to get more interesting.

* Despite all of their problems -- Garcia's ineffectiveness/injury, losing closers Tom Gordon and Brett Myers in a three-week span, Ryan Howard being on the disabled list for two weeks, Pat Burrell batting .222 and Wes Helms hitting no homers -- the Phillies are somehow only three games behind the first-place Mets in the NL East. Ten days ago, they were 8-1/2 games back. They're 30-20 since they started the season 4-11 and held that team meeting in Cincinnati. I think Charlie Manuel deserves a little credit, doesn't he?

* Chase Utley and Cole Hamels have to be mortal locks for the All-Star Game, don't they? Hamels said he expects nothing less from himself than an All-Star appearance each year: "It's anybody's goal. What's the point of trying to be the best if you're not trying to go to the All-Star Game where the best play?" Good point. Ozzie Guillen thinks Hamels is an All-Star. "The kid is legit," the White Sox manager said after last night's 7-3 Phillies win. "He's the best pitcher we've faced in the National League so far."

* Here's a scouting report on Kyle Kendrick from someone who'd know.

* Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander no-hit the Brewers tonight. Verlander faces the Phillies on Sunday at The Bank.

* Traffic tip: I live 20 minutes from the ballpark, and it took me nearly an hour to get home last night. 95 South, at least at night, is a parking lot because of construction, so do yourself a favor and find an alternate route. You can thank me later.

June 12 -- SURGERY FOR FREDDY?

It's sure starting to sound like it.

There were two outs in the ninth inning last night, Jim Thome was on-deck, and nobody was thinking much about Freddy Garcia when the Phillies dropped this bombshell: an MRI exam administered by team physician Michael Ciccotti revealed "pathology in the labrum" of Garcia's right shoulder and some fraying of his rotator cuff. Apparently, Garcia is seeking a second opinion. Neither GM Pat Gillick nor assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr., who typically address injury issues, were available for comment last night.

I'll follow up today to find out a) exactly what "pathology in the labrum" means and b) if Garcia is going to need surgery. Right now, I'd bet on it. I mean, he wouldn't seek a second opinion if Ciccotti didn't recommend surgery, right?

Thought you'd find this interesting. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on whether Garcia is on the decline: "When you play seven years in the big leagues, obviously you're not going to go up. But I think Freddy would have helped us because he knows how to pitch, and we know him. [The Phillies] saw him pitch this season, and they're like, 'What the [heck] is this?' But they don't know Freddy. We know Freddy. There's a lot of frustration on his part. He never expected that to happen to him. I told him to shut it down until he's better because he won't help himself and he won't help the ballclub. The one thing about Freddy is that he doesn't want anyone to take the ball away from him. He wants to pitch."

Sometimes, even when he can't.

June 11 -- KENDRICK TO START

Word from The Bank is right-hander Kyle Kendrick will make Freddy Garcia's start Wednesday against the White Sox. So, for the second time in a month, the Phils have called up a pitcher from double-A (Mike Zagurski was the other). But after covering double-A for five years, trust me when I say some of the best hitters in the minors are at that level, not triple-A. Kendrick is 4-7 with a 3.21 ERA in 12 starts for Reading, but most impressive are his (only) 18 walks in 81-1/3 innings. The Phillies will have to make a roster move before Wednesday. My guess: Clay Condrey back to the minors.

Also, don't forget to weigh in on the question from one of the posts below: where does Garcia rank among the biggest Phillies flops of all-time?

June 11 -- BIG JIM RETURNS

Back home from KC, via NY (had to pick up my car at LaGuardia Airport), so it's been a LONG day of travel. If you've never flown Midwest Airlines, allow me to offer a big endorsement. Got to love an airline that has leather, first-class-style seats in coach. Very nice for when you have a 7:10 a.m. flight and want to catch a few Zs.

Anyway, kind of a big night at The Bank with Jim Thome returning to play in Philly for the first time since the Nov. 25, 2005, trade that sent him and $22 million to the White Sox for Aaron Rowand, Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood. The Phillies traded Haigwood last season for Fabio Castro, and Gonzalez, of course, went back to the Sox with Gavin Floyd in the now-infamous Freddy Garcia trade last December.

Thome only played for the Phillies for 2-1/2 seasons (2003-05), but I would argue that he's been their most important player in the past 10 years. When they signed Thome before the 2003 season, the Phillies had a losing record in eight of the previous nine years. Attendance at The Vet was sagging, and The Bank was set to open in 2004. Thome gave the Phillies the starpower that Bobby Abreu never had and that Jimmy Rollins wasn't ready to provide. It's easy now, after the back and elbow problems that paved the way for Ryan Howard's ascendance, to look at Thome's tenure in Philly as a disappointment. But don't forget that Thome hit 47 homers in '03 and 42 in '04.

There's no DH in this series and White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko is red-hot, so it's unclear how much Thome will play. He has a better chance of starting against right-hander Adam Eaton than lefty Cole Hamels, who starts tomorrow night. Regardless, I'm sure he'll get a few at-bats, and it would be a shame if he doesn't get a standing ovation, too. Don't you think?

* Maybe it was just me, but I couldn't believe some of the comments made by several Phillies, including Rollins, after yesterday's 17-5 humiliation by the Royals. True, a 4-2 road trip ordinarily would be considered a rousing success. But, after sweeping the Mets, and with three games coming up against the lowly Royals, doesn't the goal have to be adjusted?

* Some former Blue Rocks made good against the Phillies, and there was some good news (sort of) on Brett Myers.

* Was having dinner last night in KC when the waitress, a middle-aged woman from the Midwest, wondered if Tony Soprano was going to "get whacked" in the series finale. To think, I once doubted if a TV show about mafia guys named Uncle Junior and Paulie Walnuts could achieve much popularity in America's heartland. Silly me.

June 10 -- FREDDY'S FILL-IN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ran out of real estate in the 50-cent edition (too much going on yesterday) to sufficiently handicap the candidates to make Freddy Garcia's scheduled start Wednesday night against the White Sox. So, we'll do it on The Blog instead.

With top pitching prospect J.A. Happ on the disabled list, there appear to be three front-runners: right-handers Zack Segovia, J.D. Durbin and Kyle Kendrick (left to right). Before last night's game, assistant GM Mike Arbuckle offered these scouting reports on them:

On Segovia (1-7, 4.92 ERA at triple-A Ottawa): "He's scuffled, but I think we've still got to talk about him. He's leaving too many pitches over the heart of the plate. He's not going to overpower people, and his stuff is good enough if he locates. But he's not located like he needs to."

On Kendrick (4-7, 3.21 at double-A Reading): "Kendrick has pitched very well in double-A. I think we've got to talk about him. He's pitched deep into games, and he's thrown strikes. We've got to make a determination where he's at mentally [and] whether he could be ready."

Not much on Durbin (2-4, 5.13 at Ottawa), except that he once was a Twins' prospect and he has major-league experience, going 0-1 with a 14.63 ERA in five games (one start) for Minnesota and Arizona. One sleeper is right-hander Matt Childers (4-1, 3.41 at Ottawa). Charlie Manuel said the Phillies likely will name Wednesday's starter before tomorrow night's game.

* Promised to give y'all some flavor of KC, so here goes. The local specialties are BBQ and steak. Tried the BBQ for lunch Friday and found some excellent ribs here. The last-place Royals, who haven't made the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1985, aren't exactly holding everyone's attention. Last night, I met up with a friend who covers the University of Missouri basketball team for the Columbia Daily Tribune. While we were here, an announcement was made that tickets are still available for today's Royals-Phillies game. Didn't see anyone lining up to buy any. Last night's promotional giveaway: a Dennis Leonard bobblehead. Leonard retired in 1986. Ah, the glory days.

* From Sunday's 50-cent edition: Jon Lieber stymied the Royals; the Phillies don't suspect any foul play in the Freddy Garcia trade, and even if they did, they couldn't do anything about it; Jose Mesa is back and Paul Lo Duca returned fire at Cole Hamels; old friend Jim Thome is about to return to Philly.

* Light rain right now. Supposed to be like this all afternoon, but they're expecting to get the game in. They better. The Phillies play here once every 27 years. ... (Update, 12 p.m. Central): Chase Utley is getting a rare day off today).

June 9 -- UPDATE: FREDDY OUT, MESA IN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This just in: Freddy Garcia has been placed on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, and they've signed reliever Jose Mesa to a major-league contract. Garcia is still slated to see team doctor Michael Ciccotti on Monday.

Mesa said the Phillies asked him to drive to Clearwater yesterday from his home in Miami for another workout before signing him. Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle said Dallas Green oversaw the workout and reported back that the 41-year-old Mesa can help the Phillies' bullpen. Mesa, booed vehemently in 2003 before leaving the Phillies via free agency, said he never ruled out pitching for the team again. "In this game, you never know," he said. Mesa attributed his 12.46 ERA in 16 games for the Tigers to lack of use. He said he wanted to return to the National League, where relievers tend to pitch more often than in the AL. He also said he has changed his entry music from "Summer of '69" to a merengue.

Arbuckle said the Phillies were confident in Garcia's health. Then again, they really have no recourse. When trades are made, Arbuckle said teams assume the risk of a previous injury. "It's buyer beware," Arbuckle said. Possibilities to take Garcia's spot in the rotation: triple-A right-handers J.D. Durbin (2-4, 5.13) and Zack Segovia (1-7, 4.92) and double-A right-hander Kyle Kendrick (4-7, 3.21).

More tomorrow in the 50-cent edition.

June 9 -- BIGGEST PHILLIES BUSTS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Take a good look at this picture. It may be the last time you see Freddy Garcia on the mound for a while.

Garcia, the Phillies' biggest offseason acquisition and their greatest disappointment, left last night's game after 1-2/3 innings, seemingly because he allowed six runs in the second inning. But Garcia didn't look right on the mound. His fastball didn't top 85 mph, low even for him. When Charlie Manuel pressed him (indications were they got into a heated conversation in the runway between the dugout and the clubhouse), Garcia admitted his right shoulder is sore and has been for quite a while. As a result, Garcia will see team doctor Michael Ciccotti on Monday in Philly, and the news may not be good. In fact, talking to Garcia after last night's 8-4 loss, it's clear he's bracing for the worst: a possible surgery.

While we wait for the diagnosis, let's review the trade that brought Garcia to Philly last December. The Phillies sent Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez to the White Sox for Garcia, 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts. Floyd, 24, is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA for triple-A Charlotte, while Gonzalez, 21, is 4-3 with a 3.05 ERA for double-A Birmingham. He also leads the Southern League with 83 strikeouts. Wouldn't mind having Gonzalez in the minors, would you?

Finally, here's my question for you, Phillies Nation: where does Garcia rank on the list of biggest Phillies busts? Worse than Andy Ashby? How about Lance Parrish? Vote early and often.

June 9 -- JOE TABLE

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Phillies officials wouldn't confirm it last night (heck, some wouldn't even address it). But there's strong reason to believe the Phils will finalize a minor-league contract for Jose Mesa before the weekend is over.

Mesa, 41, was released by the Tigers last Sunday after posting a 12.34 ERA in 16 games. But, as we all know, the Phillies are desperate for bullpen help, especially since Tom Gordon and Brett Myers are making slow progress from shoulder injuries. The Phillies watched Mesa work out this week, but my multiple calls to his agent, Mitch Frankel, weren't returned. Usually, that's a sign that something is up.

Charlie Manuel said last night that he hadn't received any word from management about the Phillies signing Mesa, so he wouldn't address how he may use the veteran right-hander, who ranks 13th on the all-time saves list with 320. Mesa is also the Phillies' all-time saves leader with 111 from 2001 through 2003, but his tenure with the team ended in 2003 when he became so detested among fans that then-manager Larry Bowa wouldn't pitch him in home games. When Mesa was allowed to walk via free agency after that season, the idea of him returning to the Phillies seemed as preposterous as Paris Hilton going back to jail.

Oh well. Clearly, anything can happen.

Also, within this notebook, Cole Hamels tells me he's not Paul Lo Duca's biggest fan.

June 8 -- FREDDY HURT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Adding injury to the considerable insult of getting torched in the second inning tonight, reports from the Phillies' clubhouse are that Freddy Garcia has soreness in his right shoulder and will see team doctor Michael Ciccotti on Monday.

Doesn't sound good.

I'll have more in the 50-cent edition Saturday, so be sure to check that out.

Also, here's something that won't make your paper: triple-A reliever Joe Bisenius went on the disabled list today with right shoulder inflammation. In case you're counting, that means three of the Phils' top pitching prospects (Bisenius, Kyle Drabek and J.A. Happ) are on the DL in the minors.