Morning Extras: Happ Pops His Cherry

JA Happ got the nod in a big game last night and the young southpaw delivered. Happ went six strong innings, giving up just three hits while walking just one.

And most importantly, the rookie popped his professional cherry, recording his first career win in the big leagues. What a time to do it. With the Mets and Brewers both winning (albeit after the Phils game ended) the Phillies needed a strong performance from someone other than Myers, Hamels and Moyer. Let's hope this kid keeps it going and can give one or two more solid starts down the stretch.

(Photo stolen from the AP)

One thing I don't understand is the use of Chad Durbin for 34 pitches in a 4-0, then 5-0 game. Maybe Charlie Manuel was trying to give him some light work in a non-stress situation, but I just don't understand that move when last I checked, there are about a dozen warm bodies out in the bullpen who could mop up six outs. Romero came in for two pitches in the eighth to get Durbin out of a small jam and Clay Condrey blew the shutout in the ninth.

But who cares...the Phils win and remain in first place! And Carlos Ruiz is productive at the plate!

BASEBALL LINKS:
• Zolecki looks at the difference between the Phils' four and five hitters. As good as Ryan Howard has been of late, that's how bad Pat Burrell is.

Question: What's your favorite lineup? I know lefty-righty pitching matters, but give me your rundown. Here is mine, used recently:

Rollins, Utley, Werth, Howard, Burrell, Victorino, Feliz, Ruiz, Pitcher.

This puts more power at the top of the lineup with Utley and Werth, gives Victorino more fastballs to look at, and puts a little more speed near the bottom of the lineup. And it alternates sides of the plate from 1-6 so it's hard to bring in specialty relievers to face more than one guy.

• The guys over at Major League Jerk have some analytical advice for the Mets.

FOOTBALL LINKS:
• Maybe you knew this, but I didn't. Ray Didinger writes a weekly mailbag for Comcast SportsNet? He talks about last week, this week and answers some Eagles questions. Good read for Birds fans.

• BDawk was in the news yesterday. I know Enrico had the quotes, but here's link to video.

"I'm gonna play ball at 34. I'm gonna play ball at 35. And whatever else comes after that, I'm gonna play ball."

Answer: 36. Shhhh, don't give it away.

• Steinz has the weekly Vegas rankings. Figures that Dallas is first, but the Eagles are sixth...percentage points behind this week's opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. This should be a doozy.

• PFT says that Adrian Peterson was shocked that Tavaris Jackson was benched. Really?

• The hardest thing in the world for a football coach to do is admit he was wrong. It's just not in their DNA. Which is probably why former Eagles assistant Brad Childress is having such a hard time with this Jackson situation. He'll have an easier time if he realizes it could lead to his firing if he doesn't do something. And Gus Frerotte isn't the answer. Maybe a call about Jeff Garcia is in the wings?

RANDOM LINKS:
• Sixers resident big-white-guy-off-the-bench Jason Smith had successful knee surgery. Someone find me an unsuccessful surgery and I'll send you a t-shirt. Honestly, unless the guy dies, or a leg is amputated the surgery is a success.

"Ma'am, your husband may never walk again. I'm sorry. But the surgery....well, that went swimmingly."

• SBB has a story about the Denver Airport acting like China. You can't get SI.com? What, did they write something bad about John Elways new blog (which I can't find anywhere on this site)?

• MJD asks if ESPN is pro-Obama because they threw Stu Scott at him when Bob Ley got McCain. Also, several ESPN pundits are Obama contributors. Not until the end does he state that ESPN President George Bodenheimer is a McCain supporter. I think that trumps all the low-level talent backing Obama, no?

• Skeets has a funny story about Knicks reporter Jill Martin turning her lack of knowledge about the team she works for into a Snapple sponsorship. Ah, to be pretty and dumb. And pretty dumb.

• Rick Reilly was on Colbert the other day. For a good cause, and worth watching.

• Last...Dan, that's just Gross.

Comments

[kkreider13]

McCain/Palin!

[Sid]

would have liked to see him go 1 or 2 more innings, there was no reason to take him out. bullpen could use a little rest

[Bryan]

suck!!

[Loqiel]

Durbin needed a low-pressure game to get his mojo back. I fully support Cholly's decision to use him there, especially with how Mad Dog's been pitching.

[Chamomiles Davis]

ESPN may be pro-Obama, but ESPN Classic is pro-McCain.

Screw 'em both, says I (the candidates, not the channels).

[bax]

Dan, how was General Hospital last night?

[Dan Levy]

@bax

I haven't watched it yet...the wife was working late and I was supposed to be doing an interview (guest got a flat tire, so it's today).

What happened? Wait, don't tell me, I want to be surprised.

[DLo34]

Haha, phenomenal Phillies photo credit.

Magic Number is 11

[TheMajor]

I have to agree with lineup of the phils you have dan. I like victorino after pat to put some speed on the bases. I think his speed on the base paths gives the seven hitter whether its dobbs, bruntlett or feliz a little play with the pitches they get. even though ruiz will hit into the double play anyway(though there has been a slight improvement there.)
I think its pretty obvious that espn sports guys would be pro obama. Obama is definately more likely to sit down and have a beer talking balls and strikes or playing ball like he did with scott than mccain. I could imagine them wanting to talk sports and he wants to talk about something completely irrelevant. love or hate him or hate him in most instances even bush knows that when hes in the booth at the ball game you talk baseball. I think that is the only palatible thing about bush

[Chamomiles Davis]

TheMajor,

That reminded of a line used by Paul F. Tompkins (a Philly-born comic, by the way):

"[People from red states] vote for a president they'd most like to have a beer with. If you're one of those people, the next time you're in a bar, take a look around you; see any 'presidents' there?"

[jd]

@chamille
you had it right the first time. espn blows.

maybe im not seeing it, by why wouldn't you put victorino behind howard? burrell is batting horribly-putting burrell up next would only lead to howard getting intentionally walked.

yeah, i love the phillies, but(relatively) don't know that much about baseball. please, just bear with me.....

[Scott B]

@Dan.

I can not tell you how giddy i get when i see Ruiz delivering at the plate. CARLOS RUIZ, i mean, nooooooooobody expects him to deliver, ever.

[jms]

Ahhh! Nooo to magic numbers!

[TheMajor]

@chamomiles I have heard that before... and look where it got us.

[Steve]

Non-successful knee surgeries:
How about Jeff Ruland? How about Ben Smith?