>>>>>Hail to the Pittsburgh Penguins for knocking off the defending champion Detroit Red Wings. In Detroit to boot, reversing the finale of last year's Stanley Cup.
>>>>
>>>>I find it necessary to point out that in three of the four major sports in the US, the most recent champions are located in the great state of Pennsylvania!
>>>>
>>>
>>>Try not to let it go to your head, Tamar <g>.
>>>
>>>The Philliies better find their bullpen if you want to say that again next year....
>>
>>Actually, the bullpen's been pretty good. Starting pitching started slowly and has gotten better. What's been weirdest this year is that they're virtually unbeatable on the road, and having a really hard time winning at home.
>>
>>We were there Friday night. I predicted Ryan Howard's home run in the 9th, but not Kendrick's melt-down in the 13th. Both starters, Blanton and Lester, deserved to win that game.
>>
>
>Pretty good? Brad who? ;-)

Yeah, Lidge has had trouble, but he's not the whole bullpen. Check out Ryan Madson or Clay Condrey, for example. The Phils' bullpen has been asked to do yeoman duty this year (especially this last week, with 3 extra inning games, followed by a rain delay after the first inning). They've done surprisingly well, with just a few really bad innings. Even Chan Ho Park is contributing (only one bad outing since he went to the bullpen).

>I need to get up to Miller Park one of these days. A day game, of course, as God intended. They are doing surprisingly well after losing their two best pitchers. Ryan Braun is probably my favorite current player. Lots of people's, evidently -- he is again being voted a starting spot on the all star team. The kid was born to hit.

Yeah, he seems to be for real. We're having fun watching Raul Ibanez have a career year. He recently became the fastest Phillie to 20 home runs in a season--56 games, I think.

Tamar