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With the Phillies not participating in the MLB post-season for the first time in six years, regional baseball fans are confused about what to do with their time, how much playoff action they can enjoy and who they might root for. Rest assured, fans, it is perfectly okay to cheer for and have been happy when former Phillie Raul Ibanez single-handedly downed the Orioles in game three of the American League Division Series, giving the hated New York Yankees a 2-1 series lead. On Wednesday night, the 40-year-old outfielder/designated hitter pinch hit for superstar Alex Rodriguez in the 9th inning and launched a solo homerun that tied the game at two runs apiece and sent the contest into extra frames. In the bottom of the 12th inning, Ibanez smacked another blast that gave his team a 3-2 victory. Philadelphia fan reaction on Twitter was mixed. Some Philly faithful were happy that the veteran, who has never won a World Series, could help his team in such a tremendous fashion. O...

Beginning on Tuesday night, the Phillies (31-37) and the Rockies (25-40) will begin a three-game series that will enable the remainder of Major League Baseball to continue inter-league play. The odd teams out will be the only teams not facing an opponent from the opposite league. Last season the Phillies won 4 of 5 meetings with the Rockies. Overall, the Phils have also taken 20 of the past 24 meetings with Colorado. For a review of the pitching match ups and other details on this series, read ahead. Tuesday, 7:05 PM. Josh Outman (0-2, 8.44 ERA) Cole Hamels (9-3, 3.34 ERA). Outman, a former Phillies farm hand, has faced the Phils just once, taking a loss when he allowed 3 earned runs in 6 innings. Outman, a lefty, will be starting his 4th game of the season. Hamels has a 6.07 ERA over his last 4 starts. In 3 career regular season starts against Colorado, Hamels has a 1-1 record with a 5.09 ERA. In 7 home starts this season, Hamels has a 4-3 record with a 3.26 ERA. Wednesday, 7:0...

We're back with another brand new edition of the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast. This week, Tug and I talked about the progress of RHP Colby Shreve , Trevor May 's DJ gig the R-Phils game last Saturday, Brian Gump 's progress as a pitcher, the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A White Sox), the short-season Crosscutters' season beginning, R-Phils closer Justin Friend and BlueClaws OF Kyrell Hudson . We also provide updates on the Clearwater Threshers, including exclusive info on LHP Mario Hollands , first baseman Jim Murphy , along with notes on rehabbing Phillies, plus the progress of RHP Justin De Fratus ' elbow. Click HERE to download this episode. You can also listen to the show with the media player below. In addtion, find a backlog of episodes HERE . You can also subscribe on iTunes by clicking HERE .

Interleague play returns as two teams with similar recent success and completely opposite spots in the standings meet for a three-game series this weekend.  The Orioles (32-25), who have lost 8 of their last 11 games, sit atop the American League East division (tied with Tampa Bay).  Beginning Friday, they will host the Phillies (28-31), who have dropped 6 straight games and are in last place in the National League East division. While the Phillies have struggled considerably all season, the club has a winning record of 16-12 on the road. In the opener of the series, the clubs will send two struggling hurlers to the mound as Joe Blanton , who has surrendered 10 home runs in 19 2/3 innings over his last 4 starts, takes on right-hander Jake Arrieta , who has lost three consecutive starts. Read ahead for more details on the pitching match ups and plenty more details for this series.  Friday, 7:05 PM.  Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.27 ERA) vs. Jake Arrieta (2-7, 5.5...

The Phillies will kick off their home schedule on Monday when they host a familiar division rival, the newly named Miami Marlins, in the opener of a three-game set. Led by lefty Cole Hamels , who will start on Monday afternoon, the Phillies will try to get back to the winning ways that brought their organization five straight division championships, after losing their last two contests in disappointing, walk-off fashion to Pittsburgh over the weekend. Hamels, who posted a 2.93 ERA in 7 spring training outings, begins a crucial season, with not only the Phillies' run of division dominance on the line, but perhaps his entire future on it too, as the 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player will have the opportunity to sign a hefty contract sometime in the next 10 months, or so. With a sluggish offense thus far in 2012, averaging 2 runs per contest, the Phillies have depended on their starting pitching to keep them in games. In the first three games the season, Philadelphia starters ...

This off-season the Phillies improved their offense quite a bit by adding multiple free agent reserve types. One of those acquisitions, Jim Thome , is a familiar face that made the man who is in charge of the team each game day extremely pleased. Phils' manager Charlie Manuel knows what Jim Thome can do and looks forward to the type of contributions Thome will make on and off the field. Manuel coached and managed Thome during the 1990's and early-2000's in Cleveland, and then managed Thome again in Philadelphia in 2005. Thome, who ranks 8th among MLB sluggers all-time in homeruns with 604, solidifies a Phillies bench that lacked power last year, especially from the left side. Manuel, the most winning manager in team history, knew from Thome's days as an emerging power hitter, that the now 41-year-old would become an elite slugger in the sport. "I've been around Jimmy about the first fifteen years of his career. I'll tell you something, when I look at hi...

Jim Thome is coming back to Philadelphia. Phillies.com's Todd Zolecki broke the news Friday evening that the Phillies and the 41-year-old first baseman/designated hitter had reached an agreement on a one-year contract. Thome, who ranks 8th all-time with 604 career regular season homeruns, is a lock to someday be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, however the veteran of 21 big league seasons has never won a World Series. Joining the steady National League favorite Phillies gives him a great opportunity to acquire that elusive world championship ring. Thome posted a .256 batting average with 15 HR and 50 RBI in 93 combined games for Minnesota and Cleveland in 2011. Details of the contract were not available. _____________________________ You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE . Also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE

On Monday night, the Minnesota Twins' designated hitter Jim Thome mashed a homerun at the Major League level for the 600th time, becoming only the eighth man ever to do so. Over what has been beyond an impressive 20-year big league career, Thome has become one of the game's most renowned sluggers, while playing for five different teams. Somehow, though, what would previously have screamed the biggest story in sports, when heavy hitters of the past reached landmarks or chased records, has now had its volume turned way down as one of the game's most liked individuals, Thome, approached the 600 HR plateau. That lack of great buzz could make some wonder why Thome's approach toward the beastly breakthrough wasn't afforded as much attention as previous baseball milestone's. To discuss those concerns and to address Thome's legend specifically, I asked some friends of this site to offer their thoughts. -Where does Jim Thome rank among the game's a...

The AL Central leading Twins (38-28) visit the NL East's third place Phillies (34-30) for a three game series starting Friday night. Hoping to win three games in a row for the first time in a month, the Phillies will send Joe Blanton to the mound, hoping he can right his own ship and turn around what has been a weak showing thus far in 2010. The Twins will counter with Nick Blackburn for game 1. The Twins visit Philadelphia for the first time since 2002 and the teams last met in 2004, when the Phillies traveled to Minnesota. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins and Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson could both be activated from the disabled list during this series. Read ahead for information on the pitching match ups and plenty more stat details from this series. Friday, 7:05pm. Nick Blackburn (6-3, 4.96) vs. Joe Blanton (1-5, 7.28 ERA). In 6 road start this season, Blackburn has a 2-3 record with a 7.31 ERA. In 3 June starts, the right-handed Blackburn has an 8.10 ERA. Ben Francisco...

Some folks around baseball have felt throughout the offseason that Jim Thome would inevitably return to the Chicago White Sox and resume his duties as the team's designated hitter. Thome was traded by the ChiSox prior to last year's trading deadline to the Dodgers for minor league infielder Justin Fuller and cash. Thome appeared only as a pinch hitter for the Dodgers, down the stretch last year, and he managed to get just 5 singles in 20 at bats, including the post season. Thome stated to Chicago reporters, at a White Sox charity function on Wednesday, that he'd come back to the White Sox if they called and wanted him. But, keeping things real, Thome added, "I want to play baseball. Right now, we're talking to a few teams, so we'll see what happens. It's been a slow winter in the market, so we're waiting to see what's going to happen and move forward." So, what teams might Thome be negotiating with? Not the White Sox! Chicago manager Ozzie Guil...

Grab a hot dog and enjoy your day!!

Hey, Audrina Patridge...even though I am not sure why you are famous, you are considerably attractive and you are wearing a baseball jersey, so PhoulBallz.com readers will likely listen to what you have to say. As such, let me ask you something. Why do the Dodgers think they can achieve success with guys the Phillies let go years ago? Yeah, I don't know either. Surely, it is not ideal that the Phillies are still paying a portion of Jim Thome's contract this season, while he attempts to help last year's NLCS runners up get over that hump this season. And naturally we all miss the Wolf Pack, especially since many of us watched Randy Wolf come all the way up through the Philadelphia system, as well as Padilla's Flotilla. And who doesn't still have a place in his/her heart for Larry Bowa? Bowa will always be part Phillie. However, as dear as Phillies phans might hold certain times with those guys in their hearts, phans also know that their team is better off with those ...

Jim Thome smashed a homerun on Monday night off Jesse Carlson of the Blue Jays to tie Mike Schmidt for 13th most all time in MLB. Both sluggers have 548 homeruns. A tip of the hat to big Jim, from PhoulBallz.com, on this milestone.

The latest issue, dated February 2nd, of the Sporting News features a cover story on Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. In the issue, Ken Bradley asked Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt who would hit more homers, Howard or Schmidt, in Schmidt's choice of an era. Old #20 had this to say about choosing himself... This era and the stadiums they play in today- and it's not a chip-on-the-shoulder thing or sour grapes by me- it's probably about a 10-a-year difference. Slicing the ball to the opposite field and having it go out of the ballpark didn't happen very often when I played. I flew out to the opposite-field warning track maybe 50 times a year, and 10 of those would go out of the park now. (But) we'd be very similar. In terms of being able to go 50-plus, 60-plus, he might have a little bit more of that kind of ability, but our numbers would probably average somewhere in the 40's on a regular basis. Please chime in with your thoughts on this matter in the commen...