In No Particular Order

If anyone has Raul Ibanez' email address, please send it to me. Somehow, a public apology on this site seems insufficient. The guy just continues to fool me. A month ago I was demanding his figurative head. His bat was slow. His feet were slow. His glove was slow. Now, he's among the most dependable batters on the club. So, Raul, here's my public apology; a private one awaits you.

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Cliff Lee hasn't looked real sharp on several occasions this season. Last night in Washington he wasn't missing by much, not only the corners but the Nationals' bats. Lee is walking batters at a pace well in excess of last year and is surrendering a lot of long balls, too. Meanwhile, Roy Halladay looks mortal nearly every time out these days but even a feet-of-clay Halladay is always tough.

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Kyle Kendrick gets an emergency start for the Phils and inquiring fans want to know, what about Wilson Valdez?

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Jimmy Rollins has looked terrible in the Washington series, at bat and in the field. Rollins has had a lot of lazy AB's in the series. He looks very uncomfortable. More troubling has been his defense. He seems to have lost a step or two and hasn't looked focused.

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Domonic Brown has certainly taken advantage of the playing time Shane Victorino's injury and Ben Francisco's disappearance have provided. He isn't coming out of the lineup when Shane returns. Who knew Francisco had an option remaining? Still, he isn't the likely player to get sent down. With Ibanez resurrected for the umpteenth time, the starting outfield when Victorino returns will have the Flyin' Hawaiian in center flanked by Ibanez and Brown. Mayberry, who has been described (accurately) as looking very tentative lately may be the odd man out if Charlie wants to keep the lefty bat of Ross Gload on the roster.

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Let's pause a moment for my first of what promise to be many bleats against the All Star voting. Chase Utley is in third place? Ridiculous.

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It's too bad about Buster Posey's season-ending injury but any talk about changing the rules regarding runners, catchers and home plate will go nowhere, and rightfully so. It wasn't as if Scott Cousins was trying to injure him a la Pete Rose and Ray Fosse.

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Placido Polanco's batting average has dropped, but, then, how could it not have given the lofty heights to which it had ascended by the end of April? Still, if there is one guy I'd hate to see out of the lineup for more than a game it is the veteran third baseman who is simply one professional player.

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It seems as though talk of Ivan Rodriguez' decline has been in the air for several seasons now. It is painful to watch him swinging late, hitting everything to the opposite side. Still, it is remarkable to hear he has over 2800 hits to go along with his first team defensive talents. Will he be a first-ballot Hall of Famer? Who knows? He should be. Toughest position in the game and one of the toughest in all of professional sports and he has excelled at every facet.