I haven't blogged much about the Phillies this year. Perhaps its because as the World Series Champions, I was cutting them some slack.

But through an up-and-down season, I'm finally fed up. Sure they're in first place, 4 games ahead with 6 games to play, but I feel incredibly uncomfortable over their prospects.


Just last week, the Phils were ahead by 8 1/2 games with just 13 to play, and 7 up with 10 to play. Do you see a pattern? They should be wrapping up the division and preparing for the playoffs; instead, the lead keeps dwindling.


There have been few positives for this team down the stretch. Brad Lidge's struggles have been season long. The rest of the bullpen, save for Ryan Madson, has been overcome with injuries. The offense has turned mediocre veterans and rookie starters into Cy Young winners.

The Phils only need to win 3 of the 6 games to clinch the division title. But since they are 0-5 this season against the awful Houston Astros, who the Phils host the next 3 nights, and then a visit from the always tough Florida Marlins ends the season, winning those 3 games will be tough.

The Atlanta Braves, who trail the Phillies by 4 games, have 2 more at home with the Marlins, then host the NL-worst Washington Nationals for 4 games to end the season. So it's unlikely the Braves will lose 3 times.

So if the Phillies end up losing the division title, they will make history by blowing the largest lead (7 games) in the shortest amount of time (10 games). Until now, that mark has been held by the infamous 1964 Phillies, who had a 6 1/2-game lead with 12 games to play, but lost 10 games and lost the National League pennant to the St. Louis Cardinals.

I think the baseball Gods are getting back at Phillies fans for last year. We had the ecstasy of a World Series title; now, will we get the agony of a blown division title?

The sport isn't this easy.

Twice within the past week, two people have hit two holes-in-one in one round on the golf course. And no, they didn't have to knock the yellow ball through the windmill.

The first was done by former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass, who carded two holes-in-one in a span of 11 holes during the team's annual alumni golf outing.

The other was accomplished by 64-year-old Ruth Day of northern England, who shot two holes-in-one in the same round at Whitley Bay Golf Club, where she is a member.

"A hole in one in itself is usually pretty amazing," Day said in Friday's edition of The Journal, a newspaper in northeast England. "But I couldn't believe it when I did the same thing 10 holes further on."

Day, a retiree, said she has been playing golf for about 10 years.

"Some people go through their whole life and never get a hole-in-one," Day said. "I think there's only a very small number of people around the world who have done it twice in one round."

The feat is rare. Golf Digest estimates the odds against a golfer having two holes-in-one in the same round at 67 million to 1.

The Eagles added suspended quarterback Michael Vick to the 53-man roster on Tuesday so he will be able to practice with the team prior to being allowed to play in the season's third game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

To make room for Vick, the Birds released wide receiver Hank Baskett. Baskett was an average receiver, but his biggest claim to fame is that he married "Girl Next Door" and former Playboy Playmate Kendra Wilkinson, shown at right, this summer.

Baskett got a lot of air time this year in Wilkinson's reality show "Kendra" on the E! network.

I find this hard to believe: A baby born in Wisconsin on Wednesday 9/09/09, at 9:09 a.m. weighed, get this, 9 pounds, 9 ounces.

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