D-Bag In Philly Costs Hamels a Complete Game, Announces it on Twitter

1 night after a 17-year old got the Taser at Citizen's Bank Park, a moron announces on Twitter that he is about to go on the field.

Thomas Betz, a 32 year old "musician" (let's use that term loosely), made that tweet at 9:17 PM. A few moments later, he interrupted the flow of Cole Hamels, who clearly became rattled at the incident (keep in mind a stiff gust of wind knocks him off his game). He gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning, and the Cards tied the game at one.

According to friend of the CMSB @M_OMalley from Chicks Dig the Long Ball, Betz was the guy (twitpic enclosed).

Here are links to his MySpace and Facebook pages.

From his Facebook Page:

"What's up everyone? So good to see u! if u wanna holla, hit me up @ wild215child@yahoo.com or http://twitter.com/THETHOROBRED and 4 dj bookings call (215) 421-4*9*"

Although we aren't condoning harassment (or flaming bags of poop on his doorstep), I am sure he'll be busy. Luckily, the Phillies won the game in extra innings, which means Mr. Betz won't have to go into a Steve Bartman-like existance.

According to a report on ESPN, Bentz, who is from Warminster, was charged with defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and narcotics possession. (shocker!)

Chicks Dig the Long Ball have more stuff here.

Monday Maledictions

Well, it’s Monday on a holiday week, and I think we all know exactly what means…No, not people taking vacation or people complaining they don’t have any vacation left to take (well ok, that too) but another edition of the Monday Malediction’s. With that snazzy little intro, let’s get to it.

Patriots Hang On in Buffalo

I don’t want to sound like negative Patriots fan here, but what exactly was the offense I saw in the second half? The Patriots used to be able to take charge in the second half, and make adjustments on the fly. It’s what made them so good. Now, a halftime lead means “Let’s run everything we ran in the first half again, and in exactly the same order.” The second half should have been a mix of runs and short, short passes. How about using Julian Edelman in a wildcat formation? How about a direct snap to Kevin Faulk? Screen pass to Moss? Option pass with Welker? I just cannot fathom how bad this offense is, when it’s supposed to be the strong-suit of this team. Mercifully, the Buffalo Bills were starting their 9th different offensive line combo yesterday (Deirdorf said it was the 8th yesterday, but Weekend Warm-up guest Mark Kelso said 9th on Saturday. I’m going with Kelso). I am not saying empty the playbook, but the fact the Patriots can’t close a team out in the second half, especially against a defense like Buffalo’s is very telling to me. This team will probably host a playoff game against the 5th seed, most likely Denver (which is coming off of a stellar effort against Oakland yesterday. By stellar I mean horrendous), which will be no cake-walk, and now they get a trip to San Diego in round 2 if they win. Normally, Belichick and Brady versus Norv Turner and Phil Rivers would be exciting, but instead it makes me queasy. They will beat Jacksonville next week, lose to Houston, beat Denver, and lose in the next round. On the bright side, maybe they can get plenty of second round picks in next year’s draft.

Could Roy Halladay get Cole Hamels back on track?

Jeff and myself spoke with ESPN’s Jayson Stark this weekend, and I asked him if the Phillies acquired Halladay in part because they think his work ethic, which has been praised for making AJ Burnett a better pitcher. Stark agreed that it was a big reason, and for proof, check out this quote from Burnett in the NY Daily News in early December:

"You're going to get a guy you can learn from," Burnett said. "When you're around him, he encourages you to get better. You watch him make himself better and it inspires you.”

Think Cole Hamels could benefit from that? It’s one thing to have Jamie Moyer on your staff as a mentor, it’s another to have Roy Halladay. Although I am sad to see Kyle Drabek go, this trade has brought an energy to the Phillies that may carry them right back to the World Series, and if Halladay and an untracked Hamels are at the top of their game, they might win their second World Series in three years.

How do you solve a problem like the Mike Lowell situation?

Well, this isn’t awkward at all. The Red Sox tried to trade Lowell (who took less money in 2007 to stay in Boston, only to have the love unrequited. It’s like Martha Jones and the Doctor if you are looking for a science fiction corollary) to Texas, and it wasn’t to make the team better, it was to unload him off the roster. The Red Sox have made it clear they don’t want Mike Lowell, who is a classy individual with great communication skills in the clubhouse, yet now they have to wait 6-8 weeks for things to clear up. The logjam of corner infielders is back, the logjam at DH is back, and that mild migraine Terry Francona had throughout last year is slowly returning. I don’t think Lowell will be on this roster on opening day, but the Red Sox will also be paying the full 12 million left on his contract instead of just 9. It’s too bad he couldn’t stay and be the DH but the resident softball player is gumming up that position with his lack of defensive ability.

Jimmie Johnson-AP Male Athlete of the Year, wait WHAT??

This, right here, may be the biggest load of horse crap I have seen in a long time. No disrespect to Jimmie Johnson, who I am sure is a helluva guy and is a great race car driver, but how could he win this award over Kobe Bryant, Usain Bolt, Tim Tebow, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira (seriously, stop me when I name someone less deserving)? This is a failure of epic proportions. Are AP writers still shaking off the after-effects of Tiger Woods? I demand a recount.

ESPN's Jayson Stark fires up the #MLB Hot Stove

Jayson Stark joined us this morning to recap the hot stove so far and preview a little of what's to come.

Some of the highlights included a new reasoning for the Phillies to get Roy Halladay, in which Matty asked Jayson if Halladay's work ethic, which many say made AJ Burnett a much better pitcher, could be a spark for Cole Hamels.

Jayson also feels the Padres are not going to trade Adrian Gonzalez right away, and gives some sound reasoning as to why. You can listen to all of this and more below.

Happy Halladays!

No this has nothing to do with Maine, New England, or the Red Sox. Yes, Matty is a Phillies fan, so he will post this as he sees fit. Happy Halladays!

Yup, It Happened

I don't have much to say.

Do It For The Expos Fans, Pedro

I just wanted to say 'Thank You", regardless of what happens tonight. I have a sneaking suspicion this may be the last time we as media and fans ever get to see you pitch, and I wanted to make sure I got these thoughts out on paper before you go. No, I am not a member of Red Sox Nation, in fact seeing you get traded for Carl Pavano and the equivalant of three bags of baseballs still angers me, and knowing that you were acquired for Delino Deshields makes me smile. I was an Expos fan, and I remember the things you did for that team. You were the shining light in a stadium that had seen many come and go. Many like to forget you won the Cy Young in 1997, but I consider that one of the last great moments in Expos history. The moment I remember most didn't happen in Montreal. It was Saturday, August 30th, 1997, in a little place called Yankee Stadium.

Watching the Yankees/Expos game on WPIX, you completely handcuffed the defending champs in that day. Your pitching line was excellent, not a perfect game or anything, but it was the first time I saw you pitch against the big boys of the AL and knew how special of a pitcher you were. I am sorry the Expos were owned by cheapskate morons and traded you to a city that spent years alternating between moaning and loving you (don't get all revisionist history on me Red Sox Nation, you guys had the exact same love/hate relationship with Pedro that you did with Manny Ramirez, the only difference is Pedro hasn't been busted for PED's. Heck, they have both knocked down old men). You delivered for them, though, and you brought Red Sox baseball to a level many had hoped for for years. So tonight, when you walk into the Bronx, albeit the new stadium, and you take the mound, realize you aren't just pitching for Phillies fans, Red Sox fans, or anti-Yankee fans, you are pitching for Expos fans. With that I say 'Viva Le Expos!". Turn back the clock tonight, and make it feel like August 30th, 1997 again. Give 'em hell Pedro, give'em hell.

In The Crease with Javier Gorriti-Timmay!

This World Series is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory. Both the Phillies and Yankees have great teams, with powerful line ups and comparable pitching staffs. One can give the edge one way, or the other, but in the end this is probably the best match up we have had in a World Series in 20 years. For the record, I took the Phillies in six.

The hated Evil Empire vs. the defending champs. CC vs. Lee, Pedro, Jeter, Howard, Gay-Roid.....the list goes on and on. Nothing can ruin this series. Oh, I forgot....Tim McCarver is doing the color commentating. Can Fox find anyone more annoying to do this...oh ya, his partner is Joe Buck. Oh God it just got worse.

I wonder which focus group Fox uses to determine that these two dubs are the guys for the job. Most of my friends are sports junkies. Most watch an inordinate amount of sports. Not one of them can tolerate this TV crew...not one!

Last night with two outs in the top of the 9th in game 2, Phillies down 3-1, Ibanez gets a 2 out single bringing up Bangor resident and Bangor High assistant hockey coach, Matt Stairs. Heeeeeere comes Timm-ayyyy! McCarver explains to all of us morons watching the game that this gives the Phillies life. Really Tim? You mean that getting a 2-out single with one more out left to give before the game ends keeps the Phillies alive?! Awesome, thank you, I had no idea!

It's not all Timm-ay's fault. Fox broadcasts the game as if MOST of the audience has never seen the game before. That in and of its self is extremely annoying, but when you add McCarver's ability to over analyze a blade of grass for 20 minutes, it becomes excruciating. My personal favorite was Tim-ahh comparing running with a guy ahead of you on the bases to be like pulling out from a stop sign. You know, the player at 1st needs to gauge the player on second's speed, much like you do when pulling away from a stop sign with a car in front of you. WHAT!!!!!!!!???????

Living in Red Sox territory, where we get to listen to Rem-dawg (get well soon) and Don, we are probably spoiled. They are the best duo for my money doing baseball games right now. The drop from that to Tim-ah and Joe is dramatic, no it's catastrophic. This is a great series so far and I expect that it will be one we all talk about for many years to come. I will watch every second and I probably won't remember much about Tim-ah and Joe driving me absolutely insane with inane comment after inane comment, but can't Fox fix this travesty? This is an assault on sports fans everywhere.

Javier Gorriti, UMaine Black Bear from 1994-1998, is a frequent contributor to the CMSB and the co-host of the PM JAB with Chris Sedenka. He is the president of Mermaid Seafoods in Portland ME. and has been working and living in Maine over the past 5 years. He can be reached at javier_gorriti at hotmail.com. He once performed successful open-heart surgery with a paper clip, duct tape, and a beer bong.

Cliff Lee=Awesome

Cliff Lee has reached a post-season level reached by such greats (from my era anyways) as Mike Scott in 1986, Orel Hershiser in 1988, and Jack Morris in 1991. Good lord.

The Phillies Have a Nation behind Them

Phillies fever has overtaken New England. Take the Yankees down!

Jimmy Rollins Is Ready For the World Series

Jimmy Rollins, the Nostradamus of Major League Baseball, is ready for the World Series. So are we.

Phillies Fever Spreading through New England

Well Philadelphia, a nation turns it hopes and prayers to you. Red Sox Nation, that is....

Don't forget Maine resident and current Phillie Matt Stairs joined us to talk baseball Saturday. Right here is the link.

PHILLIES SLUGGER MATT STAIRS

LISTEN TO MATTY AND JEFF ON THE BIG JAB WEEKEND WARM UP TALKING TO WORLD CHAMPION MATT STAIRS AS HE PREPARES FOR THE 2009 WORLD SERIES

SEA DOGS VS READING PHILLIES

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Cliff Lee to Phillies

Please send me to a pennant race.

UPDATE: Guess my source was right. Deal now done pending medical records. Final deal is Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco for the three player I mentioned and Jason Knapp.

Original Post- Reports from sources in the Phils minor league system tell Matty that Cliff Lee will be traded from the Indians to the Phillies for minor leaguers Carlos Carrasco (who was scratched form his start this morning for Lehigh Valley), and group of players ranging from Lou Marson, Jason Donald and two more lower level A pitchers. The Marson pick-up may have weight, as it would allow the Tribe to deal V-Mart before the deadline. Lee is currently in Anaheim with his team, and would meet his new team in San Francisco this weekend, probably starting Friday in his regularly scheduled slot, which is probably precipitating the urgency on this move. Jayson Stark from ESPN is hearing something similar. Stay tuned.

FRIDAY MORNING SWEEP-I-LICIOUS QUICK HITTERS

• The Portland Sea Dogs salvaged a win as they beat the Erie Sea Wolves 5 - 3 Thursday.
• CC Sabathia could not stop the Boston Red Sox from sweeping the Yankees out of Fenway, as the Sox come back for a 4 - 3 win Thursday. John Harper wonders if the Yankees will beat the Red Sox again.
• A quick recap of the Mainers in the MLB Draft is right here.
• High school scores from yesterday right here and right here.
  
• Red Sox/Phillies. Tonight. Please watch video above to get pumped up for the series.
• Remember, Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk.com will be joining us tomorrow on the Weekend Warm-Up. You might even be able to listen online...
  

Harry Kalas Passes

The voice of NFL Films and the Philadelphia Phillies, Harry Kalas, passed away today after collapsing in the booth of Nationals Park. Harry was 73 years old. A sad day for his friends, his family, and for everyone Phillies fan out there today.

When I was a kid, stuck without cable, I used to tune in to 1210 AM once the sun went down, and Harry's voice was the one I always remembered. Guys like Harry, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, these are and were the voices of baseball. The world has lost another golden voice today.

Condolences to everyone in Harry's family (and that includes the Phillies family) and his friends.

Jimmy Rollins as Ricky Henderson

Phillies World Champion shortstop Jimmy Rollins was on the MLB Network today for the Hall of Fame announcement, and gave a rousing impersonation of Rickey Henderson. An instant classic...

Yankees Sign Burnett, May Be Out on Lowe

In an e-mail from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, I asked him if he thought the Yankees would still be in on Derek Lowe now that they have signed AJ Burnett. His response...

I don't think the Yankees want to make another long-term commitment for a pitcher. They'd like to bring in Andy Pettitte or (if that doesn't work out) Ben Sheets on a short contract. But after investing $243 million in two guys, I don't think they want to spend $60 million more on Lowe.

I'm not sure how Lowe's market is going to shake out. The Red Sox would only be interested if he comes cheap, the Phillies just spent $30 million on Raul Ibanez today, and the Dodgers don't expect to bring him back.

Everybody thought the Braves were the likeliest fit, but they're not interested.

To me, that leaves the Mets as the best fit for Lowe. But I don't think he's going to sign for anything close to what Burnett received.

Chase F**king Utley!

Fresh off his Home Run Derby F Bomb, Chase Utley drops another one today. Good times!

Friday Morning Quick Hitters

#23 South Florida's Big East record takes another hit. South Florida loses to unranked Cincinnati 24 - 10.

Let's see who gets the 15 yard unsportsmanlike flag this year as the Florida - Georgia game heats up.


911 tapes identify Isiah Thomas as the person not breathing in a trip to the Thomas household, not his daughter.

The LA Lakers and Andrew Bynum agree to a 4 year extension.

The Houston Rockets move to 2 - 0 on the season as they spoil Rick Carlisle's debut for the Dallas Mavericks. Rockets beat the Mavs 112-102.


Philadelphia...Friday...World Series Parade..Halloween....OH BOY!!!! Noon time today for the World Series parade on Broad Street today.

The Florida Marlins trade 1st baseman Mike Jacobs to the Kansas City Royals for Relief Pitcher Leo Nunez.

The Detroit Tigers buyout Edgar Reneria's contract and decline his 2009 option.

Ken Macha is hired to be manager of the Milwaukee Brewers...In other news..NESN Fans everywhere REJOICE!


The Indianapolis Colts lose another big piece as CB Marlin Jackson is out for the rest of the season. There is no truth to the rumor that brother Tito to replace him.

Vince Wilfork fined $35,000 not suspended but severely warned by the NFL.



Pittsburgh is holding its collective breaths as Sidney Crosby leaves the game injured in a Penguins 4 - 1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes

The Calgary Flames beat the Boston Bruins for their 5th straight win, 3 - 2.