A half-dozen quick stats that caught our attention recently ...
♦ On Sunday, 1B Ryan Howard, 2B Chase Utley and SS Jimmy Rollins started their 886th game together at those positions for the Phillies, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That ties the major league for most games started by players at those postions (Dodgers: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell). By the way, since the first game Howard/Utley/Rollins started together (Game 2 of Sept. 8, 2004 doubleheader), the Phils have a .561 winning percentage in those games, and a .521 winning percentage when one of them sits or starts somewhere else (DH, for instance).
♦ And since you asked, the Phillies have had 33 different starting third basemen (covering all games) since 9/8/04. Placido Polanco tops that list with 319. Cody Asche has already risen to sixth (114 games). See the complete list HERE.
♦ The two touchdowns the Phillies scored on Opening Day in Arlington against the Rangers, remains their season high. Never in their history — and we checked all the way back to 1883 — has their opening day run output been their best of the season. Considering they haven't scored since Friday (more on that below), there is a pretty chance of history being made.
♦ The Phillies' offense is coming off back-to-back shutouts, something it had also done in May. The Phils hadn't suffered two back-to-back shutouts in the same season since 1982 ... The club record for consecutive games without scoring is three, done 14 times, the last in 2010 ... The major league record is four straight zeros, done at least nine times, the last by the 1992 Cubs.
♦ Throw in the last couple innings of Friday's win, and the Phils are at 21 consecutive scoreless innings and counting. (The went 23 scoreless innings during that May stretch.) The major league record for consecutive scoreless innings is 48, done by the 1968 Cubs and the 1906 Philadelphia Athletics.
♦ Michael Vick started 40 games at quarterback in his Eagles' career. The Birds were 20-20 in those games.