Bill Giles

LOS ANGELES - Bill Giles is honorary president of the National League. It's strictly an honorary position. His sole duty is to present the Warren Giles trophy to the National League champion. Last night, Giles presented the trophy named for his father to the team he co-owns. "I thought I would end up crying like I used to do," Giles said later, standing on the field at Dodger Stadium. "But I tried to hold my emotions. " It was a surreal scene out there. A man held up a Ya Gotta Believe banner.

On the first day of summer, in the middle of a baseball season, Bill Giles remained unheard from yesterday, alone with his feelings and the family he loves so much. Life went on at Veterans Stadium with David Montgomery, Giles' replacement as president and chief executive officer, presiding over the Phillies. For the first time since Oct. 28, 1981, someone other than Giles was in command of Philadelphia's National League team. In some respects, Giles' sudden departure remains mysterious.

Phillies president Bill Giles had a few things on his mind yesterday. It was the Phillies' annual luncheon that kicks off the team's promotional caravan and unofficially starts the countdown to spring training. It is normally a time of hope and good cheer. There is nothing normal about these times, of course. Baseball management's negotiating committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow in Washington with mediator W.J. Usery, but nobody believes it will do much to end a strike that is already at five months and counting.

Is the departure of Bill Giles and the ascension of David Montgomery to club president just the first of many changes the Phillies' organization will undergo? Curt Schilling predicts it will be. "When you think about it, it's obvious why Bill stepped down," Schilling said yesterday. "The direction right now is one that cannot continue. "Bill Giles is a very loyal man. David Montgomery is a bottom-line man, a results man. Maybe they feel things need to be done personnel-wise that Bill couldn't do to people he's loyal to, people he's stuck with.

Lee Thomas and Jim Fregosi, back in town from their Road Trip to Togetherness (or Else), apparently will have to continue to work on their frayed relationship as Phillies president Bill Giles keeps evaluating who stays and who goes. Giles, who talked to both men yesterday, said last night that no decision would be made on the future of either Thomas or Fregosi until the season was over. He did suggest, however, that at least one of the two would be here next season as the worst team in the National League works to rebuild.

In a field of glad-handers, among a team of rough-edged scrappers, he was the grace. And, maybe, the salvation. Bill Giles. Co-owner of the Phillies. Honcho to a bunch of ballplayers who have the city groaning and the local press taking potshots at the Phillie Phanatic. A 62-year-old guy who takes his workouts on the links. Giles strolled onto the field at the Vet yesterday and pitched an entire six-inning game to help bring victory back to Philadelphia.

This story starts 50 years ago, when a 14-year-old motherless boy took his first summer job in his father's business. Not exceptionally athletic, he was given a hammer and a block of wood and told to await a signal. When the signal came, he struck the hammer to the block, simulating the crack of a bat on a baseball. And the noise he made found its way to homes throughout Cincinnati, where fans sat by their radios and, hearing the blow, would cheer or sigh or moan, and see in their mind's eye a fleet-footed player racing for a base or diving for the ball.

The city and the Phillies hope to resolve their final stadium issues - including location - in time to introduce a stadium bill in City Council by next Thursday, Phillies chairman Bill Giles said yesterday. "We have a team of people working very feverishly with the city trying to come up with an agreement we can present to City Council," Giles said. He said that if a stadium bill was not introduced by next Thursday, Council would not have enough time to consider the issue before breaking for the year.

They sat in their offices yesterday, waiting for word that strike talks would resume - possibly, probably, hopefully - later this week. They shook their heads in bewilderment. They don't understand. They can't understand. How could anyone? "It's just beyond my comprehension how people could have let it go this far," said Lee Thomas. "I'm no longer angry. I'm no longer frustrated," said Bill Giles. "I just shake my head and say, 'How sad.' " How sad, indeed. Yesterday was exactly two weeks before what could have been another glorious opening day. But once again, the two men who run the Phillies awoke on a perfect baseball morning and found the Strike Monster That Ate Baseball still out there, chomping away.

The once-friendly contract talks between Curt Schilling and the Phillies got a little snippy yesterday. The pitcher expressed displeasure at the slow pace of negotiations, and club president Bill Giles asked, "What's his big hurry?" The two sides have exchanged proposals for a contract extension for the past two days, but nothing substantial is expected to unfold until Giles meets with his investment partners here on Saturday. "That's the part I don't like," Schilling said.

NEARLY 29 YEARS after one of the biggest heists in major league baseball history, Ryne Sandberg has returned to the scene of the crime. Or at least to the Phillies' payroll . . . The first-ballot Hall of Famer, who had both 40 home-run and 50 stolen-base seasons, a 10-time National League All-Star with nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Slugger awards, will manage the Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs next season. That would seem to move the 2010 Pacific Coast League manager of the year into the on-deck circle as Charlie Manuel's eventual replacement.

INDIANAPOLIS - Baseball fans and Vince Fumo have something in common. They enjoy spending OPM. That's Other People's Money, for those who didn't follow the soap-opera saga of the powerful former state senator. The folks who root, root, root for the home team know how much it costs to go to Citizens Bank Park. They see night after night of sellout crowds. They do the mental math. And then they go on a fantasy shopping spree. Chone Figgins to lead off and play third base. Roy Halladay to create the best rotation in baseball.

Members of the Phillies' family and notables elsewhere in baseball were joined by individuals from other professions yesterday in reacting to the sudden death of Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas. Phillies chairman Bill Giles: "Hall of Fame Harry was a special friend of mine and my family for 44 years. Baseball broadcasters become an integral part of baseball fans' families. They are in the homes of fans every day for the entire season. "No one will ever be able to match the joy Harry and Richie Ashburn brought to our fans for all those years.

Members of the Phillies' family and notables elsewhere in baseball were joined by individuals from other professions yesterday in reacting to the sudden death of Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas. Phillies chairman Bill Giles: "Hall of Fame Harry was a special friend of mine and my family for 44 years. Baseball broadcasters become an integral part of baseball fans' families. They are in the homes of fans every day for the entire season. "No one will ever be able to match the joy Harry and Richie Ashburn brought to our fans for all those years.

LOS ANGELES - Bill Giles is honorary president of the National League. It's strictly an honorary position. His sole duty is to present the Warren Giles trophy to the National League champion. Last night, Giles presented the trophy named for his father to the team he co-owns. "I thought I would end up crying like I used to do," Giles said later, standing on the field at Dodger Stadium. "But I tried to hold my emotions. " It was a surreal scene out there. A man held up a Ya Gotta Believe banner.

NEW YORK - Phillies fans are wondering whether a trip to the minors can help righthander Brett Myers turn his season around. The American League's starting pitcher in tonight's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium knows a little something about the subject. Cleveland Indians lefthander Cliff Lee is 12-2 with a 2.31 earned run average. American League manager Terry Francona explained the decision to have him start by saying that he was simply the "most outstanding" starting pitcher in the AL and that nobody else "measured up" to the first half he had. A year ago at this time, Lee was in the process of pitching himself back to Triple A Buffalo.

David Montgomery didn't even need to hear the entire question. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said last night. The Phillies president was reacting to multiple media reports yesterday that said the ball club would be sold soon, pending the approval of one of the team's investors. "Nothing could be further from the truth," Montgomery repeated, forcefully. "There's absolutely nothing to it. Nothing. Nothing. " Larry Shenk, the Phillies' vice president of public relations, also shot down the reports.

OK, CLAIRE BETZ, why don't you and your cute, little dog sit close to the door in case of a sandbox emergency. I don't recognize any of you male partners, but if you raise your hands when your name is called, we can get started. Let's start with you Tri-Play Associates guys. Alexander K. Buck . . . J. Mahlon Buck Jr. . . . William C. Buck. All present and accounted for. Now, the Old Money guy . . . Since Bill Giles couldn't be with us today to represent Giles Limited Partnership, you must be John S. Middleton, of Double Play Inc. I'm sorry if the T-shirt offends you, John.

Team chairman Bill Giles has worked for the Phillies since 1969. This is the second of two excerpts from his book, "Pouring Six Beers at a Time and Other Stories From a Lifetime in Baseball. " I always liked players who were colorful and fun to watch. I was never particularly fond of players like Eddie Murray, John Olerud and Todd Zeile. They were good, consistent players, but they lacked that extra flair that some guys have. What do I mean by flair? Think of Willie Mays chasing a fly ball, hat flying off. Think of John Kruk's at-bat against Randy Johnson in the All-Star Game.

Team chairman Bill Giles has worked for the Phillies since 1969. This is the first of two excerpts from his book, "Pouring Six Beers at a Time and Other Stories From a Lifetime in Baseball. " For me, the opening day of a baseball season was the third most important day of the year, falling behind only Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ever since we dropped a ball from a helicopter to our backup catcher to open Veterans Stadium in 1971, I knew we had to deliver each season's first ball in Philadelphia in some unique manner.