--LF Raul Ibanez explained the Phillies' five-game, team-wide offensive slump thusly: "It's like a yawn. One person yawns in a room, and all of a sudden, everyone starts yawning." Ibanez picked a fine time to awaken. He recorded four singles Friday night and picked up two RBI to help fuel a 16-hit attack in the Phillies' 12-inning, 10-6 victory over the Washington Nationals. It was Ibanez's first four-hit game for the Phillies. Signed to a three-year, $31.5 million contract in December, he's leading the Phillies with a .352 average and 28 RBI.
--Manager Charlie Manuel has named Dodgers manager Joe Torre to the National League coaching staff at the All-Star Game on July 14 in St. Louis. Torre included Manuel on the American League All-Star staff in 2002. Manuel hasn't announced his other coaching pick, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is a good bet. "It's a privilege and an honor," Torre said. "I'm definitely going." --LHP J.C. Romero will begin a 16-day minor league assignment Monday, barring a rainout in the Phillies' schedule. Romero is eligible to be activated June 3 at San Diego after serving his 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy. He'll pitch for the Phillies' nearest affiliates, Class AAA Lehigh Valley, Class AA Reading and Class A Lakewood, according to GM Ruben Amaro Jr. "I've been working on my command," said Romero, who has been pitching in extended spring training games in Clearwater, Fla. "I'm trying to just get that right mentality so that when I come back I'm ready to go."
BY THE NUMBERS: .485 -- The Phillies' batting average with the bases loaded, best in the majors through May 10.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When we got back, the first couple games were like, what am I doing? It was rough. Your skills and effort don't change. It was just hard to get up. But the last 15 games or so, I've been feeling refreshed. You get that air back in that balloon." -- SS Jimmy Rollins, on the initial letdown after playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic in March.
