We left early. We left early. Will we ever forgive ourselves.
Raul Ibanez blasted a come-from-behind, walk-off home run to cap a 4-run rally.
But we didn't see it. We left early from the Phillies 5-4 win over the Padres. And for what? Pizza and a Cheesesteak at the other end of town.
Well, we had a good time anyway. We did see Jimmy Rollins' pinch hit home run. And we also saw Ryan Howard play some spectacular defense.
With the rest of the first pitch, we revamp our daily updates.
Leading off
We'll lead off today, and will from now on, with our top item of the day.
While the Nationals might stink on the field, Washington's front office has been doing a fantastic job since Jim Bowden's ouster. This weekend, they locked up Ryan Zimmerman to a 5-year deal.
It's a smart move for both sides. More than likely, the Nationals will save money by avoiding arbitration. For Zimmerman, he will still be in his prime when he's eligible to become a free agent.
The third baseman might not have a dominant resume - no Gold Gloves or All Star selections, a career-worst season in 2008 - but he has plenty of potential and has shown a good work ethic.
Regional Roundup
We've already read about the Phillies and Nationals, now we've got some interesting notes on the Orioles and Pirates.
- Koji Uehara continues to impress, even if he doesn't get the win. Adam Jones has a sore hamstring. He says it's not major, but he's hitting .375 with 12 runs driven in, so the Orioles would definitely miss his bat if he's not in the lineup.
- Nyjer Morgan has had a strong start. Or should we say "quick." The Buccos' got hammered Sunday.
Best of the Rest
Here, we take a quick look at stories from around the leagues.
- The Marlins are on fire. And no, it's not a fire sale.
- Eric Wedge got his 500th win this weekend.
- The ball is flying out of the House that George Built. That makes us wonder how many homers Ruth would have hit in this bandbox. Don't worry we won't ask Colin Cowherd.
- The Giants' Randy Johnson is pitching like it's 1999.
- Tony La Russa had a chat with Rick Ankiel
Batter's Eye
A quick story or column that looks across Major League Baseball.
- Jayson Stark has his first Useless Info for the season. It's always a must read.
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