the first winning april since 2003

even though they lost today... i'm REALLY proud of the phillies right now. before today, they had a three-game winning streak and had won six of their last seven games.

that makes me really happy.

for how many years in a row... they've started off terribly slow and have [with the exception of 2007] missed the playoffs by a game or two. even though they're just floating right around .500... that's an improvement. i'm really proud of them.

and that's WITHOUT jimmy rollins and shane victorino... and WITH ryan howard slumping.

chase and pat have been on fire. werth has proven his worth. hahahahahahhaha. i just got that.

pedro, ruiz, jenkins, and bruntlett are doing okay. bruntlett's time is limited, obviously... as he's back on the bench as soon as j-roll comes back. jenkins will be more limited, too, after the flyin' hawaiian comes back.

i'm pleased with the pedro/dobbs combo at third. dobbs is great off the bench... and is a reliable back-up. i also like the ruiz/coste combo. chris coste is hilarious. he's batting .371 in 35 at bats... and has gotten a few starts for the fact that he's consistent at the plate.

so when it comes together... when rollins and victorino come back... and howard's bat wakes up... i have really high hopes for the phils.

i'm also pleased with the way old uncle charlie is shaking the line-up around to get the most effective 1-2 punch at the start. he's not just keeping things the way they are... he's doing what he needs to do as a manger to keep his team competitive. i even respect him sitting howard for a couple of games. let him find his swing again so he can contribute the way we expect him to.

if chase [aka my baseball boyfriend] stays healthy through the whole year... i'm naming him the nl mvp. it's just amazing watching this guy. which... would be really fun to for 3 phillies in a row to get it. hee.

i'm even leaning toward the phils doing what they can to keep burrell. ::gasps:: i'm not ready to say that i've become a fan again... but hey... if he keeps playing with the same caliber has he has since the all-star break... i'll keep him!

the phillies are making me proud. : )