High Seize

The Phils took care of business last night, salvaging a 3-1 series win over the Fairfax Congressmen (or Dulles Lobbyists, if you will) with yet another offensive explosion. The 10-5 victory included seven innings from Randy Wolf, who recovered from early trouble and finished strong.

Meanwhile, the fire-Larry Bowa chorus is starting to come together. Sam Donnellon's column in today's Daily News is, as far as I can tell, the first explicit pink-slip cannon to be fired this season among the mainstream media. Donnellon points mainly to the team's maddening inconsistency -- not just this season, but during Bowa's entire tenure as manager. He also notes that no players have improved during that time, that the Phils continue to skate just above mediocrity despite upgrades at every position except for third base, and that "there would be no mourning" in the clubhouse should Bowa be shown the door.

Elsewhere in the DN, Paul Hagen implies that the Phillies need to seize the day and swing a big deal. Discussing "how quickly the window of opportunity can slam shut," he checks in with the Seattle Mariners, just a few years removed from a 116-win season and now auctioning off big-salaried players to contenders.

What to change? Manager? Players?

Carpe diem, Ed Wade. Carpe diem.