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Incites | Lofton's good luck meets its match

The outfielder has been to the playoffs often recently - except when he was a Phillie.

Batter up!

Here's a collection of summertime anecdotes to make you forget Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi.

Names from the past. Well-traveled Kenny Lofton has been with nine teams in the last seven seasons and has gone to the playoffs in 10 of the last 16 seasons. In recent years, Lofton has been in the playoffs with the Giants in 2002, the Cubs in 2003, the Yankees in 2004, and the Dodgers in 2006.

I'm sure you've already guessed whom he was with when he missed the playoffs in 2005.

PhilaTrivia. Slugger Sammy Sosa hit his first home run on June 21, 1989, against Roger Clemens, and No. 600 last week against Jason Marquis.

What Phillie served up Sosa's 300th homer?

More names. Vicente Padilla won 15 games for Texas last season after being traded from the Phillies for what amounted to an old sweat sock. He was given a three-year, $33.75 million contract and had rewarded the Rangers' generosity by going 3-8 with a 6.69 ERA entering this weekend's play.

The Rangers, who seem to specialize in former Phillies pitchers, also had watched Kevin Millwood struggle to a 3-6 record with a whopping 7.62 ERA. Oh, here's a bonus: The righthander had already spent two stints on the disabled list this season.

Ready for some more? Lefthander Eric Milton won 16 games in 21/2 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. He had reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow earlier this month and is gone for the season.

Breaking news. This just in from New York. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, having succeeded in forcing Jason Giambi to meet with steroid investigator George Mitchell, has demanded a meeting with Pacman Jones.

There is no truth to the rumor that Selig also wants to meet with Jimmy Hoffa.

Fun times. Another former Phillie, second baseman Wally Backman, is the manager of the Albany Peanuts in the independent South Coast League.

Backman hopes to use his days in Georgia to get back to the majors.

He spent four days (yes, four days) as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000, before a variety of legal and financial troubles caused the team to let him go.

Albany, about 150 miles south of Atlanta, already has had four minor-league teams, one named the Polecats.

Fore. And on a serious note, the annual Gene Hart Golf Outing will take place July 23, and the Internet auction that accompanies it will start tomorrow.

The golf outing will be held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown. Proceeds benefit the Gene Hart Oncology Fund at the Temple University Health System. Organizers are seeking golf, hole and auction sponsors.

The auction starts at noon. Interested viewers can go to www.genehartgolf.com and click on the Internet Auction link.

Celebrities that have committed include Bernie Parent, Brian Propp, Keith Jones, Paul Holmgren, Merrill Reese, Glenn Foley, Mitch Williams, Dave Schultz and Al Morganti.

Those interested can call Ray DeStephanis at 215-204- 6919.

Trivia answer. Sammy Sosa clubbed his 300th homer on June 26, 1999, against the Phillies' Robert Person.