Greg Dobbs News

The Philadelphia Phillies have been getting it done so far this off-season. They've accomplished one of their main goals so far and have made a lot of small pickups along the way.

To avoid the appearance of tampering or other improprieties that may be leveled against a general manager, Ruben Amaro Jr.

After stayingA mostly silent for the first two days of the annual winter meetings - even the rumors that spread like a virus through the hotel lobby didna t involve them - the Phillies finally made a move late tonight by signing first baseman/outfielder Ross Gload to a two-year contract, the teama s official Web site said.

In recent days, the Phillies have made several roster additions in order to shore up some persistently weak spots in the composition of the team.

Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs is a free agent, as are catcher Paul Bako and infielder Eric Bruntlett.

In about eight hours - at midnight, to be precise - baseball's shopping season will begin.

SI writer Jon Heyman stated that the Phillies are still the main suitors for the services of speedy third baseman Chone Figgins.

The Phillies entry in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes was all the rage coming out of the general managers' meetings but the Phillies could be looking at other positions rather than starting pitching.

Rich Dubee was offered a baseball scholarship to the University of North Carolina after going 28-6 with two no-hitters during his career at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School.

Cole Hamels was the starting pitcher for the Phillies in Game 3. Times reporters David Waldstein, Tyler Kepner, Ben Shpigel, Jack Curry, William C. Rhoden and Richard Sandomir are providing updates and analysis during Game 3 of the Yankees-Phillies World Series in Philadelphia.

Joe pitched last year in the World Series, and he's got more experience.' Slumping sluggers Entering the World Series, Ryan Howard was batting .355 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in nine playoff games.

A prankster boarded up Greg Dobbs' locker with cardboard and yellow caution tape Friday at Citizens Bank Park because Dobbs had been out with flu-like symptoms.

In Charlie Manuel's office, on the wall to the right of the desk, there is a framed photo of Manuel accepting the National League championship trophy last October in Los Angeles.

"It's rainy, it's wet, it's cold," pitcher Joe Blanton said before the Yankees and Phillies met in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday.

ON THURSDAY NIGHT, Fox analyst Tim McCarver gave it to Charlie Manuel on the telecast about a strategic decision in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the World Series, about not starting his baserunners in what ended up being a doubleplay.

Raul Ibanez scored a run in the second inning and made a diving grab in left field in the bottom half to halt a Yankees rally before it started, as the Phillies have taken a 1-0 lead over New York through three innings in Game 2 of the World Series.

After winning Game 1 of the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies will make only one minor adjustment to their Game 2 lineup, inserting Matt Stairs as the designated hitter.

Good evening from Game 1, staged in an overpriced, taxpayer-thieving, Bronx parkland-destroying, Disney-fied facsimile of the real Yankee Stadium.

OK, I'll give it a shot. Add me to the long, ridiculous number of so-called experts making World Series predictions.

Even the most concrete answer that Charlie Manuel provided today isn't entirely clear.