The Phillies do not have much luck in Interleague games.

Despite being one of the NL's most competitive teams over the last 10 years, the Phils are 97-123 all-time in Interleague, including a 1-2 mark against the Red Sox this weekend.

Lately, though, things have been much, much worse:

• Since 2005, when Charlie Manuel took the helm, the Phils are 31-53 in Interleague games.
• Against the Red Sox (since 2005), the Phils are just 4-14.
• Perhaps the worst stat is their won-loss record at home since last year: 2-10 in Interleague home contests since 2009.

The Phillies completed a 3-4 homestand with an 8-3 loss today. With the exception of Monday's 12-2 thumping over Pittsburgh, the offense was not there.

Friday's game was particularly bitter-sweet. Cole Hamels continued his resurgence, but that feel-good feeling was all but gone once we witnessed Jimmy Rollins limp off the field following a leadoff single in the seventh inning.

Dice-K pitched very well on Saturday. Juan Castro's looping single to break up the no-no  was kind of ironic considering the Phils had many hard-hit balls against Dice-K throughout the game.

Tim Wakefield had every hitter guessing today. What are you going to do? When you never see a guy who is as unorthodox as Wakefield, it's sort of a bad day waiting to happening...

Roy Halladay was roughed up, but all in all, poor defense and defensive decision-making cost Doc...

Halladay's ERA is over 2.00 (2.22 to be exact) after giving up six earned runs. Had Greg Dobbs (he has no busy playing third base on days Polanco gets off) doesn't let a routine ground ball get under his legs, perhaps Halladay settles in...

Once, it was a foregone conclusion Halladay would win 20-plus games. Now he's 6-3 and hasn't won a game since May 6.

Interleague play is important to some degree. The Phils have failed miserably in recent years. It would be nice to see them win against the AL's elite teams because at least fans would feel a little more confident come October IF, indeed, we get back to the World Series.

The Phils play in Boston in June and have a home-and-home with the Yankees. Should be fun.

And maybe this the year the Inlerleague slump is busted.

 

 

Phillies vs. Cubs

Thursday, May 20th 1:10 p.m. EST

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: The Phillies try to get back on the right track and split a two-game set with the Cubs.

In the last two games, the Phils have mustered a total of two runs.

Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.49) takes the hill for his third start of the year. Big Joe has been somewhat consistent, pitching at least six innings in all three starts, but he allowed five runs in a win over the Brewers last week. He was hurt by a three-run homer in the seventh inning of a 10-6 win.

Ryan Dempster (2-2, 3.49) has very good overall numbers for the year, but he has struggled mightily in May. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.71 ERA in the month.  He has pedestrian numbers (4-4, 4.99) lifetime against the Phils.

Phun Fact: Jayson Werth turns 31 today. 

NL East Update

With their mini two-game slide, the Phils have lost two games on their lead in the division over the Marlins, who are 3.0 back. The Nationals (4.0) have fallen back to earth, while the Braves (4.5) have won 11 of 17 and are playing well. Sadly, the Mets (6.0) are in a major funk.

First Place: Phillies

The addition of Roy Halladay, who everyone believes will win 20-plus games, makes our beloved Phils the sexy pick to win the NL East for a third straight year. Once and for all, can we get over the fact that Cliff Lee is no longer here? Please?

Personally, I don't think Halladay will win 20 games, if for no other reason than a leaky bullpen, which is far from solidified.  Nevertheless, Halladay should have another amazing year and is probably the early favorite to win the Cy Young Award.

The rest of the rotation is solid, not strong. I am not convinced that Cole Hamels can rediscover his 2007-08 form. Joe Blanton is out at least three weeks, possibly longer, which may or may not be a significant early-season loss. It'll be interesting to see how the husky right-hander will respond from his first major big-league injury.

Kyle Kendrick will fill Blanton's shoes, and it's very likely he'll be back in the rotation at the end of the season considering Jamie Moyer is, well, Jamie Moyer ... and who knows what he'll do.

As for J.A. Happ, he'll regress some this year, but he'll be a steady No. 4 performer.

The bullpen is a huge concern, even with a presumably healthy Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero back in the mix. Lidge's injury is more serious than we are being led to believe.

As for the starting lineup, it's quite possible that Raul Ibanez is on his last legs. His terrible spring could translate into a terrible regular season.

Placido Polanco in the No. 2 hole will do wonders for this lineup. He'll add a small-ball dimension that the Phillies have severely lacked.

Watch out for Ryan Howard. His new approach at the dish (i.e. becoming a complete hitter) could result in MVP honors. Chase Utley is ever-so-slowly regressing, but he'll still bat .270-.280 with 30 homers at 100 RBIs. Jayson Werth could match last year's production in his final year as a Phillie.

2nd place: Braves

Pitching, pitching and Jason Heyward. They'll win the wild card.

3rd place: Mets

Markedly improved from last year ... if Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana can stay healthy

4th place: Marlins

Still too young, but they'll remain a thorn to the Phillies' side.

5th place: Nationals

Nothing to say here. Move along.

NLDS

Phillies over Rockies

Braves over Cardinals

NLCS

Phillies over Braves

World Series

Phillies over Yankees (in 7)

 

Phillies vs. Nationals

Nationals Park, 1:05 PM EST

Well if you're an Eagles fan like I am, the Phillies' season could not have begun any sooner. Less than twenty-four hours after the Eagles dropped the bomb that they traded McNabb within the division, the perfect distraction falls into place (Coincidence? I think not).

Well you know what? F-them. It's baseball season baby and honestly there is no move that the now second favorite Philly sports team could make to distract me. How was your holiday weekend? Trick question, it still hasn't ended. Roy Halladay will take the mound in D.C., as Phillies fans will see for the first time in a while a true and proven "ace" on Opening Day. All we can hope for is an early Spring Training version Doc, as a couple of his starts lately have been far from perfect.

What about the Nationals? They suck. They don't have a chance. Didn't they win like four and a half games last season? Not so fast. All is fair the first couple weeks of baseball. The Nats definitely have some young talent in Ryan Zimmerman, and the first game of the season will be sure to draw a full stadium (I would hope). The Phils will see lefty John Lannan (9-13, 3.88 ERA last season). Interestingly enough, the Spring Training slumper Raul Ibanez feasts off Lannan, with seven hits in ten at bats, two of them homers. Sounds like a great way to open the season.

This team knows what's going on. The expectations have been set and this team knows its potential. All we can hope is that they throw it straight in the trash can and play like a team who doesn't deserve to be handed the division (because they don't).

The likely Opening Day batting order:

1. Jimmy Rollins
2. Placido Polanco
3. Chase Utley
4. Ryan Howard
5. Jayson Werth
6. Raul Ibanez
7. Shane Victorino
8. Carlos Ruiz
9. Roy Halladay

Go get 'em Phils.

Fun Phact - The Met's will have "The Situation" from MTV's Jersey Shore throw out the first pitch tomorrow at Opening Day. Oh my Lord...

 

Prospect Brody Colvin was arrested Saturday on a series of misdemeanor charges in his hometown of Lafayette, La., according to multiple reports.

The former seventh-round draft pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft was charged with "disturbing the peace, simple battery and resisting an officer," according to a report on MLB.com.

The 19-year-old was released without bail Sunday and is scheduled to appear in court April 1.

The 6-foot-3  right-hander pitched two shutout innings in his professional debut for the Phillies' Golf Coast League team last summer.