Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 7.57.39 AMAs a lover of Magical Steed, I’ve always enjoyed it when Cliff Lee runs the bases. He’s like a galloping horse turning the final corner at Pimlico– so smooth, so gracefully yet clumsy, so… goddamn dumb.

I bumped into Jayson Stark last week at Play 2 while filming The Great Sports Debate. At the time, I was disappointed that I didn’t have a clever stat to ask him about (instead, I talked to him about Chickie’s fine pizza). But had that encounter happened this week or at some mythical time in the future, I may have said: Hey, Jayson with a Y, has there ever been a pitcher who has twice been caught in a rundown between first and second in less than a month? And if so, should that pitcher ever run the bases again?

I would accept “no” for an answer there.

Thankfully, Lee’s ninth inning baserunning boner [video of him talking about it] was relieved when Kratz went Godshall’s to tie the game and Freddy Galvis, presumably no longer on PEDs, followed it up with a walk-off blast [videos]. 3-2, good guys.

Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.48.13 AM

Somehow, the Phillies are alive. But Roy Halladay is out for at least two months, Carlos Ruiz may be headed to the DL with a hamstring, and Ryan Howard has a sore knee.

Let’s hit it!

 

But first, a word from our sponsors:

Lock it up. No, you lock it up! Godfather Locks has enlisted MLB superstar picker Steve Stone for all your MLB plays. You can (and should) follow Steve Stone (@SteveStoneLocks) and Godfather Locks (@GodfatherLocks) on Twitter. You know, if you want to win money and stuff.

Pump me up! Macho Row, on a t-shirt. See Philly Phaithful’s line of t-shirts honoring Dutch, Mitch, Krukker and others. Lady? Check out the all-new selection on Phils-related gear at Broad Street Broad and use code cb10 to take 10% off all stylish and trendy – and sexy – women’s wear.

Dawk. Meet Brian Dawkins at the Sports Vault in Moorestown Mall on Saturday, June 23 from 1 – 3 p.m. Details and tickets here.

Throw it back! Monkey’s Uncle in Doylestown has a great selection of retro Phillies gear. You can shop online and use code BROAD to take $10 off orders of $50 or more

Quizzo! I’m hosting another one, next Thursday, May 30, at the Chickie’s and Pete’s in Audubon at 8:30 p.m.

Cheap. Phillies-Red Sox tickets starting around $23.

 

The roundup:

They did it to Broxton, again. Sort of:

Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.08.41 AM

That was in the eighth inning and Young scored on the next at-bat. It started the Phils’ small comeback.

Lee did his post-game interview wearing this awesome and ridiculous t-shirt:

Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.43.19 AM

An excellent article in The New Yorker on how Sam Hinkie will use numbers to evaluate players:

Hinkie is quick to point out that this approach isn’t as avant-garde as many make it out to be: all teams, he says, make decisions based on the information that they have. What Hinkie says sets him and his cohorts apart is that they are always looking to collect additional data and clean up misinformation. Analytic thinkers in basketball argue that the old “eye test” has its limitations and rely on statistics to fill that void. Most coaches can tell what kinds of plays allow their players to succeed: some thrive in the pick and roll, some while posting up, others in isolation, and on and on. But statistics measure exactly how much better these players do in those particular situations. It is why, for example, the “points-per-possession” statistic is so valuable for Hinkie, since it provides concrete data on what types of plays generate the most points, and helps coaches maximize a team’s offensive output by capitalizing on that information.

via (@dcschrader)

Meanwhile, executives are confused by what the Sixers are doing— seemingly putting the entire fate of the team in non-basketball people.

How did this stuff happen under Andy Reid… no, really, how did anything happen under Andy Reid…. he’s huge! A great look by Jeff McLane on how Chip Kelly will try to prevent some of the things players got away with, yes, under Reid:

It’s not as if Reid’s players didn’t have enough time to get in trouble during the season. Just recently, a woman sued running back LeSean McCoy for allegedly dousing her with water and forcibly ejecting her from a New York-bound party bus last December.

The incident occurred on the Tuesday night before McCoy fully practiced for the first time since suffering a concussion. That Sunday, McCoy rushed 13 times for 45 yards and caught nine passes for 77 yards in a loss to the Redskins.

While Kelly’s program should weed out some of the less devoted fringe players, he may have a more difficult time recognizing which stars aren’t maximizing their abilities.

One former Eagle often had a buddy in an idling car waiting to drive him from the premises as soon as possible the last two seasons. This player (his last name rhymes with Rodgers-Cromartie) would run out for fast food at least once a week and come back with bags for teammates.

I actually give Alexis Normand a lot of credit for finishing the National Anthem at the Memorial Cup:

via (@Banditmax)

Reader Jeff spotted a loon at the movies in Cherry Hill this weekend:

Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.21.05 AM

Another reader, sans camera, saw Bynum bagging his own groceries.

Yeah, Reds pitcher Tony Cingrani does look like me… and I continue to hate mirrors:

Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.23.42 AM Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 8.23.31 AM

The Flyers could draft Donovan McNabb’s nephew, Darnell Nurse.

Miguel nearly decapitated two women at the Billboard Awards last night.

Yinzers.

Human cannonball at Reading.