Tiny Angel Joe Maddon Watches Over Us All

Like this poor, unfortunate sap who was ejected from Tropicana on Thursday for "misconduct," the Phillies never could quite get it together in a 4-2 loss to the Rays. What they're saying out in the ether about Game 2 of the World Series ...

• Speed Read: Phillies Not Fanatical About Hitting. Deciding to listen to Tim McCarver blather his way through World Series commentary on TV or turning the sound down and listening to the dulcet, confused tones of Joe Morgan on the radio is like choosing between swallowing broken glass or sliding down a razor blade hill. [Sports By Brooks]

• World Series Game Two Recap: Lost On Base. Despite it all, the Phils might have won, or at least might still be playing, were it not for one of the worst umpiring performances I've ever seen in the World Series turned in by home plate ump Kerwin Danley. With one out and a man on first in the second inning, Myers seemed to have Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli struck out on a full-count check-swing; Danley raised his hand to punch him out. But without his even asking for an appeal, first-base ump Fieldin Culbreth indicated no swing—and Baldelli took his base despite protests from Myers and Charlie Manuel. Jason Bartlett followed with a slow dribbler up the third base line that Pedro Feliz couldn't handle, and suddenly the bases were loaded. Iwamura skied out to shallow center, but Upton followed with a run-scoring single that made it 3-0. Tampa added another run in the fourth inning on a well-executed Bartlett squeeze bunt. [The Good Phight]

• Offense Shames, Frustration Reigns As Phils Fall. Talk all you want about the horrendous umpiring — and it was horrendous — but you cannot … can not leave that many men on base. It’s bad. And it won’t win you any world championships. [Phillies Nation]

• A Suggestion For Kerwin Danley. [Balls, Sticks And Stuff]

• If Game 2 Was A Dream And I Was Sigmund Freud. Imagine this. Two cars drag racing at 1 AM. One of the drivers is drunk and ahead. All of a sudden the drunk driver hits some mailboxes and is side by side by the sober driver, who is surprisingly tall. Some awesome office boss spikes the drunk guy's tires and they're even more side by side than before. Drunk driver pulls ahead a tiny bit in the later parts of the race, but the sober driver uses Nitrous Oxide to even it back up at the end. [DRays Bay]

• Free Pizza In Lakewood ... If Rays Win Series. For a guy who might have to give away a few thousand one-topping pizzas soon, John Keiley keeps a devilish smile on his face. Bold words painted on the window of his Lakewood restaurant, Johnny's New York Pizza and Pasta, explain why. "Get rid of the devil & good things happen . . . Free pizza if Tampa Bay wins the World Series." ... Next year, on April1, Keiley plans to paint a new sign in the window featuring a new offer for free pizzas. "Guys who come in want me to put the Cubs up there next year," Keiley said. "They've been waiting a while to win the World Series." [Sam Adams' Open Mic]

• All Tied Up. Because we didn't get the job done with runners in scoring position, maybe it seems like you're pressing. I know I'm not. I'm sure a lot of guys in here aren't. Heck, I popped out with two guys on and no one out, and swung at the first pitch. I was trying to get a hit. I'm aggressive. I'm always going to be aggressive. It's not about making excuses. We're just not doing it. They scored early by executing. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria grounded out and two runs scored. We didn't do that. [Shane Victorino's Postseason Blog]

• Police: 41 Ejections, 8 Arrests From Game 1. Michael D. Long, 52, of Wesley Chapel, was arrested on a charge of DUI. Police say he was found passed out behind the wheel of a 2008 Infiniti in the Trop parking lot around 11:08 p.m. — before Game 1 ended. [The Heater]

• World Series Tidbits. You might be wondering, since there was a stolen base in tonight's game, do we now get 2 free crunchy, spicy beef tacos from Taco Bell? The unfortunate answer to that puzzling question is NO. [Rays Renegade]

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