Feliz Out, Myers Lost

I send him.

I send Pedro Feliz home on the fly ball that Shane Victorino hit to left field in last night's 4-3 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park. I send him because Darin Erstad would need to make an absolutely perfect throw to get Feliz at the plate. Of course, Erstad made an absolutely perfect throw. He made a perfect throw and got Feliz just in time to end the game.

Of course, the Phillies could have held Feliz at third and had Chase Utley face Doug Brocail with two outs. But the chances of Feliz scoring are at least equal to (probably better) than Utley's chances of getting a hit. Utley is hitting .188 in his last 18 games, although he is 2 for 3 with a walk, homer and four RBIs in his career against Brocail. But the point is this: it wasn't a bad decision to send Feliz. And if the Phillies hadn't sent Feliz home and Utley had struck out, popped out or grounded out to end the game, everybody today would be saying, "Why in the world didn't the Phillies send Feliz from third? Erstad would have need to make a perfect throw to get him."

Exactly.

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Brett Myers was 2-1 with a 3.96 ERA (11 earned runs in 25 innings) after his first four starts this season. He is 0-5 with a 6.92 ERA (31 earned runs in 401/3 innings) in his seven starts since.

"There's no quit in me," he said. "My pride's not going to let me quit."

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In The Inquirer's Sunday baseball column, Jim Salisbury ranks baseball's 30 ballparks. Salisbury grouped the ballparks in three categories: Premium Seating, Mezzanine Level and Cheap Seats.

I agreed with most his choices.

In fact, I thought the only park that shouldn't be in Premium Seating is Yankee Stadium. (Progressive Field might have been another I would have bumped.) I understand the history with Yankee Stadium, but it's a very ordinary ballpark otherwise. The first time I walked into Yankee Stadium, I never felt the WOW! that I felt when I walked into Wrigley Field or Fenway Park for the first time. It was more like, "This is it? Huh." I also like Minute Maid Park and Coors Field probably a little more than most, but then again I'm not sure they're Premium Seating quality.

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In the Phillies Notebook, Houston closer Jose Valverde survived a scare Friday when a ball hit off his head. Other Phillies share their stories.

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The Astros have some cool promotional giveaways this year. Four bobbleheads - Hunter Pence, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman and Brad Ausmus -- join together to form a backdrop of Minute Maid Park. They also have a Jeff Bagwell interlocking bobblehead that joins the interlocking Craig Biggio bobblehead. Once joined, it shows them high-fiving each other.

Somebody must be a Voltron fan in the Astros marketing department.

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Not sure if you read this story in yesterday's Inquirer, but Cheez Whiz ruins a cheesesteak. At least that's what I think. Go provolone or go home.

Geno's Joey Vento doesn't even put whiz on his steak. For those out-of-towners looking to hit a cheesesteak spot in Philly, Geno's and Pat's are highly overrated. I'd try John's Roast Pork or Tony Luke's, although I usually get a roast pork with sharp at Tony Luke's.