Email this postLots of stuff to get to this afternoon.
1) C.C. Sabathia: You can whine and moan all you want, but the fact remains that even if the Phillies' farm system were twice as strong as it is right now, they still likely wouldn't have had what it took to snare Sabathia. Matt LaPorta is one of the top two or three prospects in the game, maybe even the top prospect. The Phillies never thought they were serious contenders for Sabathia, but Pat Gillick remains convinced they can add some kind of help.
2) The Bullpen: This is going to be an interesting week-long stretch for this team. Tom Gordon is on the DL, J.C. Romero has some tightness in his groin that flares up every now and then, Chad Durbin has been leaned on heavily recently, and R.J. Swindle could continue to see some action out of the pen. I get the feeling that this whole team is in dire need of the All-Star break, but I think the bullpen can use the rest more than anyone.
3) A Second Half Team: Jayson Werth said it last night - "We're a second half team," he said - but with the Mets and Marlins both within three games and the Braves capable of making a run, the Phils at the All-Star Break could be where they were at the beginning of the season, and that's dead even with everyone else in the division. I know the first instinct is to bemoan the Phils inability to build a solid lead heading into the break, and I get the feeling the whole team is disappointed they haven't taken advantage of a couple of sweeps over the Braves. But look at it this way: what if I told you at the beginning of the season that at the All-Star Break Tom Gordon would be on the DL, Ryan Howard would be hitting under .230, Jimmy Rollins would have missed a month with a sprained ankle, and Brett Myers would be wearing an IronPigs uniform? Would you think the Phillies would be in first place?
4) Pat Burrell: Team Prez David Montgomery said outright a couple days ago the Phillies wanted Pat Burrell back, and he left open the possibility that the team would try to extend his contract this season. But Burrell said yesterday nothing has changed and that he was not aware of any ongoing negotiations of an extension. Not a big surprise, but I'd gotten a couple of emails about it, so I thought I'd pass it along.
5) Adam Eaton: Not a good outing last night, obviously.
6) JA Happ: He'll start tomorrow. I'm very interested to see what he looks like the second go-around.
7) Brett Myers: He'll pitch for Double-A Reading Saturday, but don't worry, he isn't working his way backwards. He just isn't going to travel with Lehigh Valley. Myers said yesterday he expects to be back with the Phils after the All-Star Break.
PHILLIES SCOREBOARD
