Tadahito Iguchi

The Phillies continue to come up short in their quest to upgrade the third base position. The team learned yesterday that Tadahito Iguchi has agreed to a one-year contract to play second base with the San Diego Padres. The Phillies are believed to have offered Iguchi a two-year contract to play third, although because of a baseball rule he could not have rejoined the Phillies until May 15. Iguchi's agent, Rocky Hall, said last week that Iguchi preferred to play second base and on the West Coast.

Tadahito Iguchi, the Phillies' new second baseman, can become a free agent after the season, but he says he isn't looking that far ahead. "My thought now is to come here and give my best and make a championship run with the Phillies," a smiling Iguchi said through his interpreter, David Yamamoto, before last night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Iguchi, the first Japanese player to play for the Phillies, was acquired Thursday for single-A pitcher Michael Dubee. He will probably bat second when Aaron Rowand (strained shoulder)

No one was happier than Tadahito Iguchi when he put an end to a pre-All-Star break marathon. Iguchi's bases-loaded single in the 19th inning sent the Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 win over visiting Boston yesterday in a 6-hour, 19-minute game that began in sunshine and ended under the lights at U.S. Cellular Field. The teams used eight pitchers each and combined to throw 570 pitches. Bothered by a sprained ankle, Iguchi looked a bit weary as his teammates mobbed him near the first-base line after the White Sox avoided a three-game sweep in the matchup of the last two World Series winners.

It didn't take the Phillies long to find a replacement for injured second baseman Chase Utley. The Phils yesterday acquired veteran second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox for minor-league pitcher Michael Dubee, the son of Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee. Iguchi, 32, was hitting .251 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, and 31 RBIs in 90 games. A native of Tokyo, the righthanded-hitting Iguchi batted .281 last season with 18 homers and 67 RBIs. He appeared in 12 playoff games for the Sox in 2005.

CHICAGO - Kyle Lohse is not the pitcher Phillies fans have dreamed about in recent weeks. But the Phillies think he can help. They acquired the righthander yesterday in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds for double-A lefthander Matt Maloney. Lohse, 28, is 6-12 with a 4.58 ERA this season but 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in his last five starts. He is expected to replace rookie righthander J.D. Durbin in the rotation Thursday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, although the Phillies have made no official announcement.

The Phillies could be front-runners to sign Tadahito Iguchi to a new contract if they overcome a big obstacle in the rulebook. The Phillies and Iguchi's agent, Rocky Hall, met yesterday at the Opryland Hotel to talk about a multiyear deal. It was believed that the team would make a formal offer as early as last night. Iguchi had hoped to sign a contract elsewhere as an everyday second baseman, but that option has not materialized and he is interested in rejoining the Phillies as a third baseman.

The Phillies made a point after last season of trying to upgrade at third base, but it looked as if they would come up empty. First, they struck out on Mike Lowell, and then Tadahito Iguchi. Not so with free-agent Pedro Feliz. The Phillies reached a two-year, $8.5 million contract agreement with the third baseman. A baseball source said yesterday that the deal includes a club option for 2010. The agreement is pending a physical, which could come as soon as tomorrow. An official announcement is expected soon.

Talk about delicious irony. In what figured to be the most significant victory in the short history of Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies stole a game yesterday from the New York Mets and their indomitable closer, Billy Wagner, who helped christen the park in a Phillies uniform in 2004. Jayson Werth's two stolen bases on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the ninth ignited a comeback as the Phils stunned the Mets, 11-10. The slugfest, ending with Chase Utley's RBI single, completed a four-game sweep that left Charlie Manuel's team just two games behind New York in the NL East race and two behind the loser of last night's Diamondbacks-Padres game in the wild-card standings.

The Phillies found a short note on their clubhouse door yesterday at Shea Stadium. Just a few inspirational words from Mike Schmidt. "One pitch. One at-bat. One play. One situation," the Hall of Fame third baseman wrote in an e-mail posted with permission from manager Charlie Manuel. "Think small and big things result. Tough at-bats. Lots of walks. Stay up the middle with men on base. Whatever it takes to keep the line moving on offense. 27 outs on defense. The Mets know you're better than they are. They remember last year.

If the Phillies sometimes seem too confident about where this season is headed, there is definitely a reason. Since Charlie Manuel became manager, they have saved their best baseball for the second half. "I know we're going to get hot," Manuel said in the middle of last week. "I know we're going to get a run at our division. I'll be surprised if we don't. " Those words came the day after the Phillies had lost two of three games to the Atlanta Braves, leaving the team a season-high six games out of first place.

If the Phillies sometimes seem too confident about where this season is headed, there is definitely a reason. Since Charlie Manuel became manager, they have saved their best baseball for the second half. "I know we're going to get hot," Manuel said in the middle of last week. "I know we're going to get a run at our division. I'll be surprised if we don't. " Those words came the day after the Phillies had lost two of three games to the Atlanta Braves, leaving the team a season-high six games out of first place.

The Phillies found a short note on their clubhouse door yesterday at Shea Stadium. Just a few inspirational words from Mike Schmidt. "One pitch. One at-bat. One play. One situation," the Hall of Fame third baseman wrote in an e-mail posted with permission from manager Charlie Manuel. "Think small and big things result. Tough at-bats. Lots of walks. Stay up the middle with men on base. Whatever it takes to keep the line moving on offense. 27 outs on defense. The Mets know you're better than they are. They remember last year.

The Phillies made a point after last season of trying to upgrade at third base, but it looked as if they would come up empty. First, they struck out on Mike Lowell, and then Tadahito Iguchi. Not so with free-agent Pedro Feliz. The Phillies reached a two-year, $8.5 million contract agreement with the third baseman. A baseball source said yesterday that the deal includes a club option for 2010. The agreement is pending a physical, which could come as soon as tomorrow. An official announcement is expected soon.

The Phillies continue to come up short in their quest to upgrade the third base position. The team learned yesterday that Tadahito Iguchi has agreed to a one-year contract to play second base with the San Diego Padres. The Phillies are believed to have offered Iguchi a two-year contract to play third, although because of a baseball rule he could not have rejoined the Phillies until May 15. Iguchi's agent, Rocky Hall, said last week that Iguchi preferred to play second base and on the West Coast.

The Phillies could be front-runners to sign Tadahito Iguchi to a new contract if they overcome a big obstacle in the rulebook. The Phillies and Iguchi's agent, Rocky Hall, met yesterday at the Opryland Hotel to talk about a multiyear deal. It was believed that the team would make a formal offer as early as last night. Iguchi had hoped to sign a contract elsewhere as an everyday second baseman, but that option has not materialized and he is interested in rejoining the Phillies as a third baseman.

Talk about delicious irony. In what figured to be the most significant victory in the short history of Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies stole a game yesterday from the New York Mets and their indomitable closer, Billy Wagner, who helped christen the park in a Phillies uniform in 2004. Jayson Werth's two stolen bases on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the ninth ignited a comeback as the Phils stunned the Mets, 11-10. The slugfest, ending with Chase Utley's RBI single, completed a four-game sweep that left Charlie Manuel's team just two games behind New York in the NL East race and two behind the loser of last night's Diamondbacks-Padres game in the wild-card standings.

CHICAGO - Kyle Lohse is not the pitcher Phillies fans have dreamed about in recent weeks. But the Phillies think he can help. They acquired the righthander yesterday in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds for double-A lefthander Matt Maloney. Lohse, 28, is 6-12 with a 4.58 ERA this season but 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in his last five starts. He is expected to replace rookie righthander J.D. Durbin in the rotation Thursday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, although the Phillies have made no official announcement.

Tadahito Iguchi, the Phillies' new second baseman, can become a free agent after the season, but he says he isn't looking that far ahead. "My thought now is to come here and give my best and make a championship run with the Phillies," a smiling Iguchi said through his interpreter, David Yamamoto, before last night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Iguchi, the first Japanese player to play for the Phillies, was acquired Thursday for single-A pitcher Michael Dubee. He will probably bat second when Aaron Rowand (strained shoulder)

It didn't take the Phillies long to find a replacement for injured second baseman Chase Utley. The Phils yesterday acquired veteran second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox for minor-league pitcher Michael Dubee, the son of Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee. Iguchi, 32, was hitting .251 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, and 31 RBIs in 90 games. A native of Tokyo, the righthanded-hitting Iguchi batted .281 last season with 18 homers and 67 RBIs. He appeared in 12 playoff games for the Sox in 2005.

No one was happier than Tadahito Iguchi when he put an end to a pre-All-Star break marathon. Iguchi's bases-loaded single in the 19th inning sent the Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 win over visiting Boston yesterday in a 6-hour, 19-minute game that began in sunshine and ended under the lights at U.S. Cellular Field. The teams used eight pitchers each and combined to throw 570 pitches. Bothered by a sprained ankle, Iguchi looked a bit weary as his teammates mobbed him near the first-base line after the White Sox avoided a three-game sweep in the matchup of the last two World Series winners.