At least Saturday's rain out took Roy Halladay's must-see innings out of the viewing equation. Monday is that rare event, a Joe Blanton kind of night.
Franzke in top form
Phillies radio voices Scott Franzke and Larry Anderson had no anxiety about not being able to identify Marlins relievers in the bullpen Friday night because all players on both teams, and all other major-league teams, wore No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.
Franzke: "Who's that in the Marlins bullpen?"
Anderson: "That's 42."
Franzke: "Tell me everything you know about him, L.A."
The NCAA's latest futile reform attempt . . .
. . . is to keep coaches from accessing recruiting sites such as Rivals.com and Scout.com. The real reason for the rule: To crack down on a time-honored practice of schools paying for alleged tip sheets that really are payments to street brokers.
Where in the world is . . .
Pepe Sanchez? After playing for years for top professional clubs in Spain, the former Temple star point guard returned to his native Argentina last year and now plays for the professional club in his hometown, Estudiantes de Bahia Blanca. Hopefully, Sanchez, who turns 34 next month, and won Olympic gold as Argentina's starting point guard in 2004, will get into full-time coaching. Sanchez combined with Rasheed Brokenborough at Temple to form the most articulate backcourt I ever covered. They both should be coaches. (Brokenborough, who will be 35 in June, also is still playing, sharing a backcourt with former La Salle guard Jermaine Thomas in Austria.)
Stay in touch, Rick
News item: The state of Kentucky denied Rick Dutrow, trainer of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, a license to train in that state for a year due to pharmaceutical issues.
Two things I know firsthand about Dutrow: He takes criticism personally, and he delivers his counterpunches with a little barnyard panache.
In 2008, I got a Christmas card at home. It had a photo of a dog with his hind end in a Christmas stocking, saying, "I just left you a little stocking stuffer." Inside a handwritten note: "Hi, Mike. This card reminded me of you. Thanks for all your help throughout the year. I'm working with the next Big Brown. Merry Christmas, Rick Dutrow. P.S. See you at the Kentucky Derby!"
(Translation: Thanks for the slam job, writer boy. But I'll keep training winners, and come around the barn sometime!)
Only Christmas card I ever kept.
Contact staff writer Mike Jensen at 215-854-4489 or mjensen@phillynews.com.
