Philadelphia Phillies: No Streaking Allowed at Dodger Stadium

The Phil’s streak was halted. I hate it when a fantasy comes to an end. That’s why I miss the 70’s. You can’t fault an era where everyone took it off and let it dangle in the wind.

Now that’s an idea for a promotion at Citizens Bank Park – a different type of giveaway. Trust me, when it comes to hot ballplayers, nothing excites me more than “giving it away,” but what if we didn’t “get” something. What if we gave something up?

What if they had retro night at the park and in honor of a lost era, we all took off our clothes?

I know some young guys in section 145 who’ll be happy they sit in front of me instead of behind me.

Speaking of promotions, there’s a new piece of merchandise already circulating. It’s a pretty plastic bracelet embedded with the initials: WWCD.

That's cryptic for, "What Would Charlie Do?"

The Skipper has his work cut out for him. And he’s the one who has to steer the ship while the rest of us hold on and hurl.

Some of that hurling came in a slow therapeutic form like the pitching of Old Salty, Jamie Moyer.

I don’t think the Pedro Feliz error that gave the Dodgers four outs in the ninth was completely Pedro's fault. Jamie tossed his slow ball by them for seven successful innings with such consistency it was like watching fish. I think Pedro was hypnotized. I know I was. But the phrase that snapped me back to reality was, “Brad Lidge.”

After four great outings, Brad’s blown save was something as unexpected as the second term of George W. Bush.

How were we to tell?

There's an old cliché that applies: "Oh, those bases on balls."

Here's another one: “It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.”

So now we all look to Charlie Manuel. He’s been known to make statements he couldn’t uphold before:

Chan Ho Park will remain in the lineup.
Brad Lidge will continue to close.

The sad part is, the streak ended and the Phillies put their clothes back on.

I got dressed too. I pulled on my fat suit and sang a sad, country song. I wailed until I was out of notes like Lidge was out of options.

But I shed no tears.

‘Cause remember, "There’s no crying in baseball."