Otra vez

Primetime

"I don't want to say goodbye, to you...so I'll just say goodnight..."

Mos Def - Goodnight

The Fightin' Phils defeated the Dodgers in LA, 8-6. The score and hits will fool you, however Thursday night was a pitchers duel, that Philadelphia was able to take advantage of.

Very Familiar

The NLCS got off to a cardiac start, as this series is not for the fair weather fan, or faint of heart. James Loney, Andre Ethier, Manny Ramirez, and Juan Pierre, battled the Phillies starter Cole Hamels, but the Dodgers pitching fell apart beginning in the 5th, as Ryan Howard came up big with runners in scoring position, just as he did in Colorado. Raul Ibanez smacked a 3-run homer in the 8th to give Philadelphia the lead for good, giving Brad Lidge an opportunity for save number 3 in the post season.

While the home runs and final 3 outs will get all the praise from tonight, it was the pitching of former Dodger Chan Ho Park...now pitching for the Phillies, that provided a steady balance in the 7th that kept the 5-4 Philadelphia lead. In baseball it's all about pitching, and the guy that makes the most from the mound will give his team the best opportunity to win.

Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

The Catalyst

Return

Lights, camera, action

"It's the same old song, but with a different meaning since you've been gone..."

The Four Tops - It's the Same Old Song

This Friday Manny Ramirez will return to the Los Angeles Dodgers after serving his 50-game suspension.

Batman Returns

The Dodgers have been playing well this season, and while many of the experts thought they would fall off the map when Ramirez got suspended, they actually kept their composure and remained as one of the top teams in the National League. Juan Pierre did a great job of filling in, and now that Manny is back, I believe he will take the team to the next level.

I know this sounds vaguely familiar as it was only just a year ago when Man Ram arrived in the City of Angels and things changed for the better almost immediately.

Manager Joe Torre has done a great job with this ball club, and it won't be too long before the Dodgers are right back in the pennant race.

Photos: Webster Riddick

Speed Limit

Speed

Power

"I used to run base like Juan Pierre...now I run the bass, high hat and the snare..."

Jay-Z - Deja Vu

Growing up where I did in Philadelphia...the only sports that mattered were basketball, football, and track. It wasn't until I moved to NYC that I was introduced to baseball. My cousin Donald lived in Queens, so naturally he was a Mets fan, so I decided to cheer for the Yankees.

History

The city that never sleeps is known for basketball, and its legendary point guards like Tiny Archibald, Kenny Anderson, Stephon Marbury, and Rafer Alson...however for those of you that don't know...it's more of a baseball town than anything else. It was once the home of three major teams and now it has two with the Yankees and Mets...nevertheless I learned everything I know about the game in the Empire State

In today's news Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford stole 6 bases against American League foe, the Boston Red Sox...tying an AL record, while breaking his previous club record of 4. He currently leads the major leagues with 17 stolen bases. The amazing feat helped to lead the Rays over the Sox 5-3, giving Tampa the weekend series 2-1.

I'm not only happy for him, but I understand that he accomplished something extremely rare, and in my eyes I'm proud that he is an African American baseball player, as the black ball players have been on the decline in recent years. 

At one point in this country the sport was a way for black Americans to earn a living, entertain one another, and share one another's pride and history...nowadays a lot of that is lost. And as we approach the dog days of June, July, and August...tune into to our national pastime...you just might enjoy it.