Morning Extras: I thought Joe Blanton was an INNINGS Eater

The Phils offense clubbed the pesky, yet floundering Fish last night, taking the first of a three game set 8-6. (See what I did there? Their nickname is the Fish, and I called them floundering. You know, because they stink...and they're fish.) Jimmy Rollins led the way for the Phils, going 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored. Jayson Werth hit what turned out to be the game-winning home run in the seventh inning, a three run shot that gave the home team an 8-4 lead before JC Romero let the Marlins back in the game, surrendering a two-run homer run to pinch-hitter Cody Ross in the eighth.

Joe Blanton got the win, to move his record to 7-12 or 2-0, depending on which page of Phillies.com you look at. Either way, Blanton went five innings and gave up four runs. I thought this guy was supposed to be an innings eater? Maybe he saw all the wonderful selections on Ashburn Alley and figured, "why am I wasting all my team eating INNINGS. They've got CrabFries here." From the CPO game story:

"I tried to do too much," said Blanton, who indicated he felt strong coming into the game. "I tried to overthrow everything and lost it a little bit."

Blanton was supposed to be a mediocre pitcher who gave the bullpen a rest. In his career he averaged 6.1 innings per outing. His numbers in Oakland this season were slightly higher than that. With the Phillies, he's averaging a full inning less, going just 5.1 per start.

But, a win is a win. The Phils are 1.5 back with Krazy K on the bump tonight. Let's hope the bats stay warm. Tons of links after the jump.

BASEBALL LINKS:
• This might be worthy of its own post, but Jamie Moyer is up for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, given annually by the MLBPA to 'a player elected by his peers as the one who best combines on-field performance with community service. It takes more than RBIs or strikeouts to earn this award. It requires devotion to philanthropic and charitable causes, going above and beyond the call of duty to come to the aid of those struggling with hardships.'

We vote for a representative from each division, who is then chosen by the players. Other NL Easters are Tom Glavine, Hanley Ramirez, Joel Hanrahan and Carlos Delgado. Please don't let Delgado beat the Phils again. Vote here now.

• The Mets are giving tours of Citi Field to media this afternoon. Will one of the Level readers from New York please get a credential to this and bring a Chase Utley jersey to hide in the concrete. I'll even pay for it.

• Speaking of the Mets, Billy the Kid is done for the year. And maybe next. He's pretty old, and has broken down a lot in recent years, so I wonder if this might be it for the hard-throwing lefty. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

• In other baseball news, the feel-good story of the season has been the Rays first-place run. It might be coming to an end today, as the Red Sox have cut the lead to just half a game. Seriously, Boston ruins everything. Well, except Tom Brady's knee. Kansas City did that.

FOOTBALL LINKS:
• Speaking of Brady, he still likes their chances. What's he going to say? "Man, we're screwed. Cassel really sucks. Haven't you guys noticed that yet?"

• Two games last night. One was close, the other a blowout. Turns out, Aaron Rogers might be good. Oh, and DeSean Jackson, Eddie Royal will eat your lunch.

• Speaking of Jackson, Deadspin boss AJ Daulerio is writing a column for Philly.com (!?!?) and he talks about his man love for number 10. Honestly, what's the over-under on Jackson jerseys at the next home game? I say 800. Daulerio also talks about Brett Myers karma and the return of the Guch.

RANDOM LINKS:
• Meech has the lowdown on the guy who got pinched for impersonating Joba Chamberlain. The story says he bagged between 60-100 women, with no remorse. You think you'd remember enough to know the difference between 60 and 100! Chamberlain is only in his second year, so it's not like the guy looks like Derek Jeter and he's lost count after all these years. And not one of these girls was suspicious that Joba was hanging in a shitbox house 'downashore' while the Yankees were in Cleveland and Kansas City?

Turns out, the douchebag is a Phils fan. Meech has a photo of the guy, and audio from his visit to the Howard Stern show.

• Lance Armstrong wants to come back. Lance, nobody cares. Your sport is a joke. You went from a cancer survivor to a total fraud by saying you beat cancer on your own. Your doctors and the thousands of people who created the DRUGS you pumped into your body may feel differently. Then you dumped your wife and kids who stood by you to hang out with celebrities. Did Nike threaten to pull its sponsorship, or the mountain biking circuit isn't as glamourous as you expected?

• Totally random, but a guy named Larry Blumberg is offering Jewish people $50,000 to move to Dothan, Alabama. You have to join their congregation and stay for five years, but if you do, it's your money to keep. So for all you Jews out there willing to uproot your life to move to the Bible Belt for $10k/year....have at it.

• Jim Zorn has been a head coach for one professional game. He has two t-shirts in his honor. What does Andy Reid have? I think I need to make a Big Red shirt, with a pack of gum sporting a mustache.

• For those who think I lean a little too left, we talked politics on the show last night. Our guest was Phillip Stutts, who is a Republican political consultant and think-tanker. Very spirited discussion and he gives a lot of information on what it's like to run a campaign. Link now has clips and a full write up.

• Last, Don Haskins passed away. Frank Fitzpatrick writes a nice farewell in today's Inqurier. If you don't know who Don Haskins was, you definitely know what he did for basketball.

Comments

[ill]

Dan Levy : www.the700level.com :: So Taguchi : Philadelphia Phillies

see what I did there?

[Not a fan of five]

dan levy's japanese?

[ill]

that came off a little harsher than I was hoping for the joke.

I like the post dumps in the morning though, just giving you a hard time. I mean no harm, just a typical Philadelphia fan.

[j13]

No offense intended to Dan, Matt, Kulp, Chamomiles or any of the other 400 fine commenters-turned-columnists here (a gig I'd take as well, were it offered, so good for all of you), you're all great, I like the morning links, etc. etc. etc., but didn't there used to be this guy called Enrico here? Did he drop dead or something??

[GreggyD]

I can't wait for tonight. I am heading down to the ballpark for the first and only time this season (money has been very tight). Dollar dog night should prove to be a blast because it's my first of those as well. Let's just hope the rain goes away and Kendrick remembers how to pitch. Hopefully my heart won't explode from Hatfield overload.

[enrico]

hey j13,

I'm still here. I was in China for 3 weeks and with jet leg and getting back to school it seemed like 6.

I'm settling back in and hope to make my presence felt around here a bit more in the not too distant future. I missed you too.

[Chamomiles Davis]

Don't get me wrong: I've got nothing whatsoever against Kendrick, and I know his record is much better at home this year, but... well, how many gods are there in the world, and is it possible to pray to them all at once?

[DLo34]

1.5 games with 19 left is much easier than 7 with 17 left. Also, if you are actually interested in what the real (actually simulated 1,000,000 times) check out this link to Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds. I love this thing. And btw, I remember at one point last year, the Mets were 98% to win the NL East. Hater or not, def check it out.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/ps_odds.php

[DLo34]

Here is an article about the Odds Report. It shows where we were on September 11 last year, with the Mets 98.2% odds to win the Division.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/09/11/playoff.odds/index.html

[DLo34]

Here is an article about the Odds Report. It shows where we were on September 11 last year, with the Mets 98.2% odds to win the Division.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/09/11/playoff.odds/index.html

[MSM]

@GreggyD

I'll be there tonight too, Sec 109, assuming the weather holds out. I'll bring the Tums and Pepcid if Kendrick brings his A game.

[dScan]

no more fishy puns please.