by Mike Cunningham

Editors Note: Each Sunday Night (Or maybe Monday) Inside the Dugout will give you the wrap-up on this week's baseball season.

Song Remains The Same (1-6)

How is it possible, that a season that started out with so much expectation and promise, that the Phillies were completely unprepared to win more than one game in the opening week. For the second year in a row!

What's Next?

The Phils have to finish off the road series with the second place New York Mets and then take on the Houston Astros who opened the season 1 and 5.

Manuel Watch

When the season begain, I decided I would give Uncle Charlie a break. I wouldn't stop the Charlie Manuel Quote of the Day, because really, you can't be without those. But the Phils did turn it around last year, and that had to have something to do with the manager. But I'm really concerned with his confidence in the bullpen. He has none. Now, some of you may argue, that he shouldn't have any confidence in the bullpen. And you are probably right. But the lack of confidence has caused Manuel to juggle the bullpen like Marcia Brady juggling two dates on the same night. It may work out in the end, but "something suddenly came up" shouldn't be a reason to put a pitcher on the mound.

Black Cherry Wishniak -- Best Players

• LF - Pat Burrell -- Burrell has fought off boos and is off to another fast start. He's currently batting .667 with runners in scoring position, striking out just once.
• C - Carlos Ruiz -- Ruiz opens the season for the Phillies with Homer and is batting .318, while Rod Barajas has yet to get a hit.
• P - Cole Hamels -- 2 Quality Starts by Cole Hamels. His WHIP is 1.08, struck out 15 batters and has a 1.38 ERA. Yet the Phillies have lost both games he pitched. Huh???

Soft Pretzels -- Weak Players

• 1B - Ryan Howard -- All eyes were on the 2006 NL MVP. But was it pressure or just a typical slow start? He didn't get his first home run until Monday. He came up small, leaving men on base all week. He was just one of many players who did so. This will turn around, sports fans.
• RP - Ryan Madson -- Perhaps no other Phillie played a direct result in losses, more so than Ryan Madson. He gave up 2 extra inning homeruns to lose the first two ball games for the Phils. He was supposed to be the 8th innning set-up man. And now Charlie Manuel doesn't know who to go to!
• SP - Adam Eaton -- Starting Pitching wasn't the Phillies problem this week. Although Myers was shaky this week, Eaton gave up 8 runs and left the Phillies with the ONLY loss that they had NO chance to win. Calls for Lieber to return to the Starting Rotation were heard.

Scrapple -- Key Stats and Plays

• 5 games -- Once again the Phillies are 5 games back, in the NL East. That's a tough road to climb, this early.

HammLinks: Around the Web

• Phillies Official Site
• Phillies: Sportsline.com
• Phillies Schedule and Results
• Buy a new t-shirt featuring a vintage Tom Underwood screen print.

HammLinks: Phillies Blogs

Philadelphia is home to the finest blogging in the nation, you can see that over at PhillyFuture.org But the Phillies have a loyal blogging fan base. Get to know these guys. If you see a blog that should be here, e-mail me at PhillySportsHQ at hammradio.com. If you are an owner of this blog, feel free to link to HammRadio.com or coming soon, PhillySportsHQ.com

Send us an e-mail if these links are out of date. We will try and update the order, based on posting frequency and quality.

• Shallow Center
• BeerLeaguer
• Balls, Sticks and Stuff
• Who won today's Steve Jeltz Award?
• Nj.com presents Philling Station
• Philly Fever
• Swing and a Miss
• PhilliesBlog.net
• Chuck Darrow
• There it Is
• Yuda.org
• Phillies Weekly
• Midway Phillies
• PhillyBlogs.net
• The700Level.com
• Phreakin Phils
• A Citizen's Blog
• I'm Not an Athelete
• Broad And Pattison
• Phillies Fan
• Phog Lights
• Sniveling Aardvark
• Fire Bowa

Other Baseball Links and Blogs

• Mike's Baseball Rants