Screen Shot 2012-06-25 at 9.48.07 AMPhillies minor leaguer Justin DeFratus tweeted this pic of Bright House Field after tropical storm Debby proved to be a real downer for baseball

Things… are not going well. For a moment this weekend, it looked like the Phillies may have been slowly turning a corner. They had played well over the last five games, there was a growing legend about Jonathan Papelbon paying Jim Thome $5,000, and Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee were scheduled to take the mound for a Sunday doubleheader.

It didn’t go well. 

The Phillies lost both those games– the bullpen choked one up for Hamels and Lee once again put himself in a hole early. 

I guess you can say the Phils are drowning right now.

Consider that last line an awful transition to talk about fish, because Ms. CB and I bought one this weekend– his name is Clarke and he wears number 16.

We walked into the pet store just to look (look!) at dogs, but we wound up eyeing rabbit food for the bunny that’s always in our backyard, were nearly sidetracked into buying a kitten… and came home with a fish. Now I have a co-worker, someone to bounce ideas off of. And he recommended this lovely, loosely contstructed water motif for the Monday Morning Roundup.

Let’s hit it.

 

But first, a word from our sponsors

WILL FERRELL MOVIE QUIZZO. Thursday night. 8 p.m. Drinker’s Tavern in Old City (2nd and Market). Locations here.

– The MLB All-Star batting practice jerseys are out now, and BC Sports is the place to get them. Click here to get your customized, authentic 2012 MLB All-Star game batting practice jersey. 

Buy 2, Get 1 FREE on Philly Phaithful t-shirts. May we recommend the K Lot All-Stars and Kimmo Timo, The Beer With The Best Finnish jams. Shop here.  

 

The roundup

– The Flyers traded James van Riemsdyk.

– Charlie Manuel was not happy with reporters questioning his decision to put Antonio Bastardo in the first game yesterday: [CSN Philly] 

“You guys ought to sit in the dugout with me during the game and give me all the scenarios because I don’t think we know them,” Manuel said sarcastically. “We don’t know how to manage a game. Really, you guys ought to sit down there with us or tweet or something and float the information down there to me because I’m not smart enough to get it.”

 

– CB was heavily featured in a lengthy SportsWeek article by Zach Berman this weekend. It focuses on how local blogs have quickly become part of the mainstream in Philly. We’ll have a link to the story when it goes online on Wednesday. For now, though, you can admire my wrinkled green hipster v-neck:

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– On Friday night, Paul Holmgren told reporters not to expect a trade before July 1. Less than 24 hours later, JVR was sent to Toronto.

– Jonathan Papelbon offered $5,000 to anyone who could walk it off on Saturday. Jim Thome took him up on it, asked for check (though he says he never got it). Larry Andersen nearly called the shot.

Chase Utley may be back on Wednesday.

– Yinzers booed the Flyers and the next Mike Richards on Friday night.

Joe Amendola likes to have fun here.

– Jeff Carter spent the weekend in Sea Isle.

Flyers beat writer Sam Carchidi says he’s hearing that Carter won’t bring Cup to Sea Isle, but instead will take it home to Canada. That’s a sad.

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– Jordan Staal was traded by the Penguins during his wedding on Friday night.

– When locked up in December, inmates serenaded Jerry Sandusky with Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone.

– Italy beat England in Euro 2012 and one fan showed his penis.

Pedobear liked the Jerry Sandusky verdict.