Rockies at Phillies: July 23rd through July 26th

Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:10, Sunday 1:35, Monday 1:05

Records: Rockies 51-44, 3rd Place in NL West (4½ games behind the Padres); Phillies 49-46, 2nd Place in NL East (7 games behind the Braves)

Murphy's Law: This is a big weekend for our family as my sister is getting married and she'll be taking the last name of her husband - Murphy. I've done a little research (very little) and I could not turn up any genealogical connection between my sister's new husband's family and the family of long-time Brave and short-time Phillie, Dale Murphy. (Murphy was even a Rockie for a very short time - 26 games in 1993.) However, that will not stop me from declaring that I think we are now somehow related, if and when it ever comes up in conversation.

1991 Studio #220 Dale Murphy

Goodbye Milt: The Phillies fired their hitting coach, Milt Thompson, last night in the hopes of providing a "new voice" for the Phillies' hitters. Thompson was gracious in his exit, realizing this was more of a last-ditch effort to jump start an anemic offense than it was a reflection on his hard work. Former Phillie Greg Gross, who had been serving as the AAA IronPigs' hitting coach, and who held the same position with the Phillies under manager Larry Bowa, assumes the duties of swinging and miss-, I mean hitting coach.

Rockies Probables: Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeff Francis, Jason Hammel

Phillies Probables: Roy Halladay, Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton