Phillies-Nats: Brad Lidge Goes Clean While Jayson Werth Soils His Drawers

by Flattish Poe

Praise Pete the Phils won. I couldn’t take anymore of my day.

First, I had to drive my husband eighty miles north so he could catch a bus to ride eighty miles back to Philly to see the game with thirty people who drink so infrequently they would forget their native tongue by the ninth inning.

Why do they do this?

Sometimes there is nothing but a stupid question.

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Antonio Bastardo: The Phillies' Most Coveted Pitcher Not Named Carlos Carrasco

by Chuck Porter Jr

Make no mistake about it, the Phillies are in the market for a pitcher.

Cole Hamels aside, their rotation is a mess; Brett Myers might be heading for the DL, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton have a combined ERA of 6.75, and J.A. Happ is largely unproven. Meanwhile, reports suggest that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has been very busy talking with other clubs about acquiring a starter.

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Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins Gets 1,500th Hit and 300th Stolen Base

by Claire Reclosado

Bay Area native Jimmy Rollins led the Philadelphia Phillies with four hits in the team’s 12-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds. The win was three times sweeter as he also reached two big milestones in his career—his 1,500th hit and 300th stolen base.

Those who watched Rollins during his years in Alameda knew he was destined to make an impact in the Major League. The 1996 graduate of Encinal High School set 10 school career records—including stolen bases (99)—so seeing him reach 300 was expected.

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Editorial: Kalas’ legacy extends far beyond golden voice

It has been six weeks since Philadelphia Phillies fans lost the voice that defined their team for 38 years.

Announcer Harry Kalas collapsed in the press box at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on April 13 at 12:20 p.m. and was pronounced dead an hour later. His heart just finally gave out.

Since then, stories have surfaced about just how much heart the revered broadcaster had. It seems Kalas exhibited kindness to almost anyone he encountered, whether he was recording a radio announcement for a community theater’s show or chatting about former Phillies players with a worker at his local convenience store.

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Now, if only J.C. Romero could start for the Phillies

Patrick Gallen

It’s like cleaning out your closet and finding an unopened gift from Christmas in March.

Or, finding $20 in an old pair of pants you haven’t worn in a while.

Whatever the case may be, the Phillies will be receiving a small present on, or around, June 3. That’s when left hander J.C. Romero will be rejoining the Philadelphia Phillies after his 50-game suspension expires. Romero was suspended during the off-season for taking a substance banned by Major League Baseball.

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Philadelphia Phillies: No Butts About It...No Intensity

by Flattish Poe

A-Rod was back in Texas for the first time since his admission. Alex said he loves Texas; he has a lot of friends and support there.

Those supporters chose to encourage him with boo’s.

And it worked. He went 5-for-5 in a 19-hit slugfest that scored 11 runs and squelched the Rangers to one.

Take that, supporters.

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Coonelly: Phillies, Mets Should Play More in Pittsburgh

by Charlie

From a baseball point of view, realignment is an awful idea for the Bucs. The one nice thing about being a small-payroll team from the middle of the country in the current alignment is that you get to play other small-payroll teams from the middle of the country, like the Reds and Brewers. I've written about this before: generally speaking, it takes more wins to reach the playoffs if you play in the East. Also, the top team payrolls are higher in the East--the Mets, Phillies and Braves have the 3rd, 7th and 11th-highest payrolls, respectively, whereas the Cubs, Astros and Cardinals are 3rd, 8th and 13th.

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MLB Odds - Philadelphia Phillies at New York Yankees Betting Odds

by Mark Fernandez

An intriguing Interleague matchup takes place on Saturday afternoon at 4:10pm EST on FOX as the New York Yankees host the Philadelphia Phillies.

The pitching matchup on Saturday in MLB odds has J.A. Happ going for the Phillies while the Yankees counter with Andy Pettitte.

Happ is 2-0 on the season with a 2.49 ERA while Pettitte is 4-1 with a 4.18 ERA. This is Happ’s first start of the season as he replaces Chan Ho Park in the Phillies rotation.Pettite has picked up four wins this season and usually keeps the Yankees in the game.

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2 Phillies to visit fair in Glassboro

Two stars with the Philadelphia Phillies are scheduled to visit a fun fair in Glassboro today.

First baseman Ryan Howard and center fielder Shane Victorino are slated to join with high school student leaders from the Philadelphia Action Team youth volunteer initiative to encourage local families to live longer by having fun together, organizers said. The event will begin at 11 a.m. at the Volunteers of America/Delaware Valley's Eleanor Corbett House, 948 Whig Lane Road, Glassboro.

Baseball fan hit by ball sues Phillies, Yankees, Clearwater, Pinellas

By David DeCamp

Smacked by a foul ball while seeking autographs at Bright House Field, Paul Grand wants more than a souvenir for his trouble.

Grand is suing the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Yankees, the city of Clearwater and Pinellas County.

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Jimmy Rollins gets 1,500th hit and 300th stolen base

Claire Reclosado

Bay Area native Jimmy Rollins led the Philadelphia Phillies with four hits in the team’s 12-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds. The win was three times sweeter as he also reached two big milestones in his career—his 1,500th hit and 300th stolen base.

Those who watched Rollins during his years in Alameda knew he was destined to make an impact in the Major League. The 1996 graduate of Encinal High School set 10 school career records—including stolen bases (99)—so seeing him reach 300 was expected.

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Utley's 4 RBIs lead Phillies over Reds 12-5

Utley's 4 RBIs lead Phillies over Reds 12-5

Phils have three Phils have three of the best 15 players in MLB of the best 15 players in MLB

The Phillies have three of the top 15 players in baseball according to The Sporting News' panel of 100 Hall of Famers and major award winners. Here's TSN's top 50...

1. Albert Pujols
1B, Cardinals

2. Alex Rodriguez
3B, Yankees

3. Johan Santana
SP, Mets

4. Manny Ramirez
LF, Dodgers

5. Hanley Ramirez
SS, Marlins

6. Chase Utley
2B, Phillies

7. Roy Halladay
SP, Blue Jays

8. Derek Jeter
SS, Yankees

9. Mariano Rivera
RP, Yankees

10. Chipper Jones
3B, Braves

11. Ryan Howard
1B, Phillies

12. Grady Sizemore
CF, Indians

13. David Wright
3B, Mets

14. Justin Morneau
1B, Twins

15. Jimmy Rollins
SS, Phillies

16. Josh Beckett
SP, Red Sox

17. Mark Teixeira
1B, Yankees

18. Dustin Pedroia
2B, Red Sox

19. Tim Lincecum
SP, Giants

20. Evan Longoria
3B, Rays

21. Lance Berkman
1B, Astros

22. Jose Reyes
SS, Mets

23. Carlos Beltran
CF, Mets

24. Ian Kinsler
2B, Rangers

25. Zack Greinke
SP, Royals

26. Josh Hamilton
CF, Rangers

27. Alfonso Soriano
LF, Cubs

28. Miguel Cabrera
1B, Tigers

29. CC Sabathia
SP, Yankees

30. Ichiro Suzuki
RF, Mariners

31. Brandon Webb
SP, Diamondbacks

32. Ryan Braun
LF, Brewers

33. Dan Haren
SP, Diamondbacks

34. Francisco Rodriguez
RP, Mets

35. Matt Holliday
LF, A's

36. Kevin Youkilis
1B, Red Sox

37. Vladimir Guerrero
RF, Angels

38. Jake Peavy
SP, Padres

39. Joe Mauer
C, Twins

40. Carlos Quentin
LF, White Sox

41. Jason Bay
LF, Red Sox

42. Chad Billingsley
SP, Dodgers

43. Cliff Lee
SP, Indians

44. Torii Hunter
CF, Angels

45. Victor Martinez
C/1B, Indians

46. Roy Oswalt
SP, Astros

47. Carlos Delgado
1B, Mets

48. Carlos Zambrano
SP, Cubs

49. Cole Hamels
SP, Phillies

50. Brian McCann
C, Braves

Phillies letting one fan take their World Series trophy to work

by John George

The Philadelphia Phillies and Comcast SportsNet have created a promotion that will give one person the opportunity to take the Phillies’ 2008 World Series Trophy to work.

Fan can enter the contest by logging onto CSNPhilly.com or Phillies.com and registering.

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Hamels, Phillies beat Reds 4-3 for 5th in row

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cole Hamels' run from promising rookie to World Series MVP started in Cincinnati. Three years later, he's still rough on the Reds.

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Cole Hamels wins second straight as Philadelphia Phillies edge Cincinnati 4-3

Cole Hamels scattered five hits over six innings and Ryan Howard homered as Philadelphia defeated Cincinnati 4-3 for their fifth straight win.

Clay Condrey, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge each added a scoreless inning behind Hamels. Lidge earned his eighth save of the season.

The Phillies broke open a 1-1 game with a trio of runs in the fifth inning. Pedro Feliz, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley strung together hits off of Reds starter Johnny Cueto and Raul Ibanez tacked on a sacrifice fly for a 4-1 lead.

Philadelphia improved their road record to a major-league best 13-4 in 2009.

Source: lehighvalleylive.com

Chan Ho Park Heartbroken: What's Really Wrong with the Phillies Pitcher

by Flattish Poe

On Saturday the Phillies won a double-header in route to a series sweep, and a filly ran the Preakness in route to a sweep of the field.

What’s the difference?

Nothing really, until you look at the failure of Chan Ho Park.

Something has to be true about Chan Ho: he has to have something that comes close to resembling an intangible phenomenon called “talent.” The MLB didn’t go all the way to South Korea to get a pitching prospect because we lack talent right here in the US.

Something had to catch someone’s eye and I’m sure it wasn’t because they had money burning a hole in their pocket. Even Charlie Manuel doesn’t look at a prospect and say, “Does he wanna make a load of dough?”

No. He says, “Does he have talent?”

Because Charlie says, “If you don’t, it’ll be an uphill battle,” (only he won’t say it clearly and he’ll stutter a bit, but you get my point).

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Park Suffers Worst Outing of Season

By Kim Jae-won

Philadelphia Phillies starter Park Chan-ho had his worst outing of the season and was replaced in the second inning, but the Phillies still managed to beat the Washington Nationals 8-6, Monday (Seoul Time).

The South Korean allowed five runs on five hits and four walks, facing 13 batters through 1 1/3 innings before he was lifted. It was Park's shortest outing of the season after two consecutive quality starts in games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. With the poor start, Park saw his ERA climb to 7.08 from 6.00.

The Phillies gave Park a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run double by Shane Victorino and an RBI single from Jayson Werth off Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.

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President Obama and the Phillies

The President hosts the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies at the White House.

Phillies at the White House

President Barack Obama holds up a team jersey presented to him by Philadelphia Phillies baseball shortstop Jimmy Rollins, second left, as manager Charlie Manuel, left, looks on as Obama honored the 2008 World Series champions Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, May 15, 2009, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. First base coach Davey Lopes is at right. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Phillies win 8-6, full sweep of Nationals

A four-game series of perilous pitching and dodgy fielding mercifully came to an end Sunday, with the Philadelphia Phillies completing a sweep of the worst-in-NL staff of the Washington Nationals.

A two-base error on an eighth-inning bunt provided the go-ahead run as the Phillies won 8-6, capping a series that included 55 runs, 42 walks and enough long innings to make any fan restless.

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Phillies option Carpenter, recall Escalona

The Philadelphia Phillies optioned pitcher Andrew Carpenter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after he made a spot start in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader with Washington.

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Ibanez hits 3 homers as Phillies take 2 from Nats

Brett Myers cranked out seven innings in the afternoon, emergency callup Andrew Carpenter pitched into the fifth in his first major league start in a nightcap that was called in the sixth inning due to rain, and the Philadelphia Phillies swept a doubleheader from Washington on Saturday night.

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Phillies Memories: The Greatest Moments in Philadelphia Phillies' History

By Christopher Long

On July 15, 2007, the Phillies celebrated 120+ years of failure and frustration by becoming the first sports franchise to lose 10,000 games. Ever perverse, they followed this achievement by making their first playoffs in 14 years. In 2008, they took 10,000 behind the shed and shot in the back of the head by winning their second World Series, the culmination of a dominant post-season performance.

But was 10,000 ever that big of a deal? It made the Phillies the butt of many jokes (though they delivered the final punchline) but the road to 10,000 was built mostly by all the hard working men in uniform from the late teens into the late-40s when the franchise embarked on an amazing stretch, racking up losing records in all but one season from 1918-1948, and they only went 78-76 in the good year. There are certainly plenty of people still alive with bad memories of that humiliating stretch but for the majority of fans, they´re just lines in the encyclopedia that you skim over on your way to the better stuff.

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Phillies hitting coach visits Holy Name School

By Peter Sánchez

Philadelphia Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson stands with students of Holy Name School, Camden. A star contributor for the 1993 National League Champion Phillies, Thompson offered inspirational words, talked about his own life and goals, and read to the younger children.

“Make it happen. You gotta want it.”

These were just a few of the inspiring words Philadelphia Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson imparted to students of Holy Name School in Camden last Tuesday, driving home (no pun intended) the importance of always bettering one’s self.

“I’m not going to talk about baseball,” Thompson began. “I’m going to talk about yourselves. School is an opportunity to better yourself. You have one job right now: to be the best possible students you can be.”

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Impact Analysis: Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies

By Gregory Sadikoff

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins has never been one to start the season off with guns blazing. Throughout his 10-year career, Rollins has had fewer hits (216), doubles (42), triples (seven), RBIs (71) and stolen bases (30) in the month of April than in any other month. His .265 average and .400 slugging percentage in April are also his lowest marks compared to the other five months of the season.

Rollins' stat line for April 2009 was as follows: one jack, six RBIs, one steal, a .207 average and .293 slugging percentage. Through Thursday, May 14, his numbers aren't any better (his May average and slugging percentage are .173 and .284, respectively). When it comes to starts, forget slow; this is downright dead.
Oh J-Roll of 2007, where art thou?

Rollins' 2007 campaign, in which he was named the NL MVP, was nothing short of spectacular. He hit 30 jacks (most of any shortstop in MLB), recorded 94 RBIs, swiped 41 bags, scored 139 runs (most of any player) and posted a .296 average and .875 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. With the exception of stolen bases, all of these marks are career bests.

Last season Rollins appeared to be victim of the notorious MVP hangover. A month-long absence, in essence, because of an ankle injury and a regression in power led to a decrease in almost every major offensive category compared to 2007.
Slow start to 2009

As a leadoff man, Rollins sure hasn't been doing his part this season. His 4.2 percent walk rate is his lowest since his rookie season in 2000 and well below his lifetime mark of 7.4 percent. Rollins has a 0.35 walk-to-strikeout ratio, which is 26 points lower than his 0.61 career rate.

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Revisiting the Jamie Moyer & Brian Dawkins decisions

by JasonB

A number of local writers, fans, and message board commentors noted the paralells between the situations the Eagles and Phillies faced this offseason with Brian Dawkins and Jamie Moyer.

Two very popular older players who had shown signs of slowing down and were both free agents. Both teams allowed the players to reach free agency, but the Phillies decided to give Moyer a guaranteed two year contract while the Eagles decided not to do the same for Dawkins. Neither team wanted to give the older player the contract. The Phillies wanted to do a one year deal with Moyer. The Eagles had made a multi year offer to Dawkins, but the guaranteed money and years were not as high as the offer Denver made.

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Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels and Chad Billingsley were going through different emotions the last time they met. Hamels had just pitched his team into the World Series, while Billingsley ended up capping a horrible postseason series.

The two young hurlers meet this afternoon in a rematch as the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies conclude a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies and Dodgers met in last year's NLCS, with Philadelphia advancing to the World Series after knocking off Los Angeles in five games. Hamels got the win in Game 5, allowing two runs over seven innings and winning MVP honors.

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Wolf dominates Phillies in Dodgers' 9-2 win

HILADELPHIA (AP) — Randy Wolf dominated his former team, James Loney homered and drove in four runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 Wednesday night.

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Philadelphia Phillies Need Pitching To Step Up Against LA Dodgers

by Steve Prudente

In October of last year, the Phillies defeated the Dodgers to win their first National League title in 15 years. You know the rest of the story.

Tonight, the Dodgers will begin a three-game visit to Citizens Bank Park, their first trip to Philadelphia since last year's NLCS.

Obviously, it's not the playoffs, but for the Phillies, it might as well be. Los Angeles comes to Philadelphia sporting a 22-11 record, good enough for the best in baseball. Meanwhile, the Phillies are mired at a game over .500 with a 15-14 record.

It's no secret that the Phillies have been inconsistent in all facets of their game so far this season, but this is a chance for them to show that they can compete against a strong team. A playoff mentality sometimes brings out the best in players, and it's that kind of attitude that they will need to be successful against the Dodgers.

Not to be overlooked is the absence of the Dodgers' superstar slugger Manny Ramirez, which is no doubt an advantage the Phillies will look to exploit. That topic will be explored ad-nauseum by everyone else, so let's look at the other side of things.

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Stealing Home: Phillies' Werth, Red Sox' Ellsbury Fuel Fans' Excitement

Two weeks after Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury’s straight steal of home against Andy Pettitte and the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth pulled off an unbelievable delayed steal against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Seeing the exuberance in the crowd, the high-fives, the big smiles, the curtain calls, got me thinking—is the theft of home plate the most exciting play in baseball?

It’s become an incredibly rare feat in the modern game. Werth pulled off the delayed steal in the same inning in which he beat a throw to take second, and took third uncontested. Werth said he decided to take home after noticing Dodgers' catcher Russell Martin wasn’t looking him back to third. He became the first Philly to steal home since Carlos Ruiz did it against the Reds in 2007.

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Phillies sweep away Rays

BY AARON KESTNER

Last fall the Philadelphia Phillies powered to a World Series championship by downing the Tampa Bay Rays.

Not to be outdone by their major league counterparts, the South Beaches Phillies swept a two-game series from the Beachside Rays last week, taking the first game 14-3 and posting 12-2 win in the rematch.

In the first game, Tyler Phillips of the South Beaches Phillies pitched four innings and struck out seven to record the win. Phillips also helped his own cause by hitting his second home run of the year and driving in six runs.

P.J. Robinson of the Phillies hit his third home run and drove in three runs. Tom Bell had three hits and three RBIs and Trip McGinty scored three runs for the Phillies.

In the rematch Bobby Bils and McGinty combined to pitch a one-hitter for the Phillies.

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LA Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies

5/12/09

Los Angeles Dodgers (22-11, 1st in NL West) @ Philadelphia Phillies (15-14, 3rd in NL East)

LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-2, 4.91 ERA) @ RHP Chan Ho Park (0-1, 6.67 ERA)

Clayton Kershaw:
Last Start (5/6, vs WAS): 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Ks, WIN
Against Philadelphia: 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 1.70 WHIP

Chan Ho Park:
Last Start (5/6 @ NYM): 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Ks, ND
Against LA: 2-1, 4.74 ERA, 1.62 WHIP


Projected Dodger Lineup vs. Park:
1. SS Rafael Furcal: 8-22 (.364), .440 OBP, 2 2B
2. 2B Orlando Hudson: 3-11 (.273), .385 OBP
3. RF Andre Ethier: 0-3, 1 K
4. 1B James Loney: Never faced
5. C Russell Martin: 1-2
6. CF Matt Kemp: 0-1, 1 BB
7. 3B Casey Blake: 0-2, 2 Ks
9. LF Juan Pierre: 12-25 (.480), .536 OBP, 2 2B, 1 3B

Projected Phils Lineup vs. Kershaw:
1. SS Jimmy Rollins: 2-5, 1 2B
2. CF Shane Victorino: 0-5, 2 Ks
3. 2B Chase Utley: 2-4, 2 BBs, 1 HR
4. 1B Ryan Howard: 1-5, 1 BB, 1 2B, 2 Ks
5. RF Jayson Werth: 1-5, 2 Ks
6. LF Raul Ibanez: Never faced
7. 3B Pedro Feliz: 1-2
8. C Chris Coste: 1-4, 1 BB, 2 Ks


HOT
Russell Martin: 8 for his last 13, 1 2B, 6 BBs
Juan Pierre: 9 for his last 16, 3 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 BBs
COLD
James Loney: 7 for his last 41, 1 XBH in last 10 games, 0 BBs
Andre Ethier: 2 for his last 22, 0 XBH, 1 RBI

HOT
Jayson Werth: 6 for his last 10, 2 HRs
Ryan Howard: 5 for his last 16, 4 2B, 1 HR
COLD
Chase Utley: 3 for his last 19, 6 Ks (though 2 HRs)
Shane Victorino: 0 for his last 13, 1 BB

The Dodger offensive numbers have been good since Manny's incident, with the only cold guys (Ethier and Loney) really struggling in the middle of the order, which has made it look like runs are a bigger need. Like the Dodgers (who have lost 3 of 4), the Phils are in a little slump as well (losing 4 of 5), but come home.

LA needs to take advantage of Chan Ho Park on the mound... and it would be very nice to see Ethier and Loney break out of their slumps in a perfect setting. Given Pierre and Furcal's success, I wouldn't be surprised if Torre goes with a similar lineup today as he did Sunday. It is noteworthy that Park came off a very good performance in New York, but he has struggled at Citizens Bank.

On the flip side, Kershaw has gotten pounded by the Phils in limited appearances. But, you figure, a lineup full of lefty power guys (mean high number of Ks) is the type of lineup that Kershaw can really do well against if he's on his game. He can't pitch like his last outing, but he can still do damage. Just be weary of those guys 3-6... especially the righty Werth, who has taken advantage of being sandwiched between an MVP and a guy who has hit 9 HRs.

Philadelphia Union kicks off new MLS franchise

By KERITH GABRIEL

WITH A new Major League Soccer team in town, the next step for the Philadelphia Union is to get a coach and actual players.

The Union will begin play next spring and team president Tom Veit said a coach would be selected in July or August.

He also said the building of the team is "in the works," and that the team will look for players who are "as hungry as our fans."

An expansion draft will be held for the Union after the MLS Cup, which will be played in November.

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Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies

by Glen McNeil

LA Dodgers (22-11) have lost 4 of there last 5 games. They send Clayton Kershaw to the mound. In his last two starts the Dodgers have won. The past 5 times these two teams met the total went over the total. The two teams met last year in the NL Championship Series with the Phillies taken the series and becoming world series chaptiouns. Dodgers are 7-1 in their last 8 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game. The MLB Major League Baseball Odds list Los Angeles Dodgers (+100) underdogs to Philadelphia Phillies (-110) favorites heading into this MLB Major League Baseball matchup.

"We battled," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official Web site. "This game is all about personality and this ballclub wants to win badly.

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Raul Ibañez is fitting in just fine in a solid Phillies outfieldAnytime Phillies manager Charlie Manuel walks to the mound to summon a reliever, the o

by Joe Lemire

Anytime Phillies manager Charlie Manuel walks to the mound to summon a reliever, the outfielders converge in center. Jayson Werth walks over from right field and Raul Ibañez from left to join Shane Victorino. While passing the time for the pitcher to deliver his eight warmup tosses, the outfielders deliver about as many one-liners.

"We have really great, funny conversations during pitching changes," Ibañez said. "A lot of random things get brought up -- it's almost like an episode of Seinfeld."

On one condition: "As long as Victorino isn't miked" for television, noted Werth, "it's usually a pretty fun time."

For starters, Ibañez and Werth are avid watchers of infomercials. Though they declined to reveal what absurdities they've recently purchased for fear of giving an undue endorsement, it's not hard to imagine their homes are strewn with Snuggies, ShamWows and Swiffer SweeperVacs.

"We both agree that it's tough to watch an infomercial and not want to at least try it," Werth said with a laugh. "Maybe we're both suckers."

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Blog Offers Gear and Accessories to Enhance Your Experience When Watching MLB Games

MLB fans all over the country love their MLB teams so much that they virtually fund a whole sub-industry over and above supporting the game of MLB – that is of course the retail of MLB Shop, related merchandise. MLB memorabilia, gear, and accessories is a billion dollar a year industry – that’s a lot of money for a game to generate.

When fans watch MLB games, it’s obvious that people enjoy the experience quite a lot. What’s there not to like? There are hotdogs, soda, peanuts, candy, beer, pretzels, and a whole lot more treats to be had. Then of course there’s the MLB game itself, the players, the action, the adrenaline rush of watching your favourite team and cheering yourself hoarse to try and will them to victory. All those things are enough reason to love going to MLB games, but of course, there’s more out there that can enhance the experience for you as a fan. That is where MLB merchandise comes in.

MLB merchandise’s sole purpose is to enhance the fan’s feeling of connection with the game, most especially their favourite team. Good thing there’s a place online, like diehardfans.com that can provide you with accessories, gift items, and even jewelry, that is dedicated to MLB.

MLB Accessories

What makes MLB accessories fun for people? For one, it makes fans feel like part of a group, a community. It gives them a sense of camaraderie when they are together with fellow fans. And nothing makes a fan happier than displaying their team allegiances for everyone to see. Fortunately, you can get a whole range of MLB accessories from the site.

Here are a few samples:

You can add a dash of team spirit when you come to the office wearing a tie that features your favourite club. Why not drive down to the office wearing officially licensed team sunglasses with matching soft carry case? If you’re more on the techie side, there are even team color-coordinated iPod and mobile phone protectors available. And for the ladies, there are nice little velvet pouches with team logos where you can organize and carry all your girly stuff, and then safely tuck it into your bag.

To complete your ensemble, there are all sorts of cool MLB accessories such as belt buckles, key chains, lighters, and even stationery such as pads and penholders. Not only will you be getting quality accessories, you’ll be showing everyone just how much you love the game and your team.

MLB gifts

MLB related items are great as gifts too. For a Die Hard Fan, nothing beats getting MLB gifts, no matter what the occasion is. Imagine this, a team themed holiday tree, with MLB game related presents!

For the kids, there is back-to-school gifts such as lunch boxes with their favourite ball club or favourite player displayed up front. For the MLB fan with a flair for interior decorating, there are some nice decorative items available such as 3D tabletop ornaments of team logos, bobble-head dolls of your favourite players, and even some nice and sparkling fiber-optic laser ornaments. And of course, for the MLB fan who loves collecting memorabilia and collectibles, there are a host of choices that will make you salivate with glee. You can have everything you can possibly think of, from mini replica helmets to trinket boxes with logos. For more serious collectors who would like to invest in high value memorabilia, there’s a fine collection of minted items such as commemorative coins, championship coins, and photo mints of your favourite players. These last items come in limited editions that will surely be more valuable after a few years.

MLB jewelry

If all that is not enough, then maybe you’d like to take a gander at the available jewelry – yes there is a jewelry section on the site and it offers a rich assortment of items that can be used to accent most anything you can find in your wardrobe. You’ll be surprised to find our MLB jewelry encompasses toe rings, bracelets, necklaces, and even classy leather and silver watches for both men and women.

If you want to impress your girl, who you know is also an avid MLB fan, a pair of earrings that bears her favorite team’s logo is sure to impress. You can even tell her that in fact, the pair you gave is made from authentic jewelry grade silver (in some cases at least). Or better yet, get a complete set - everything from toe ring, bracelet, necklace, and watch to complete her team look when you go to that next game you have planned for the weekend. There’s also a great selection of watches for the guys, in almost all styles imaginable.