Here’s something you probably haven’t seen before. In fact, unless you were watching the May 31st game between Cleveland and Detroit — In 1927, you’ve never seen an unassisted triple play to end a major league game.

What struck me is that it all happened so fast.

It looks to be an interesting week.

Of course the big story this week will be the “Wise Latina” Senate confirmation hearings starting today.

Hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee begin Monday with opening remarks from the panel’s 12 Democrats and 7 Republicans, followed by Sotomayor’s own statement that is expected to emphasize her compelling rise from poverty in New York City.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the committee chairman, planned to kick off the proceedings with laudatory remarks that also sought to firmly establish Sotomayor as a judge who follows wherever the law leads her.

“In truth, we do not have to speculate about what kind of a justice she will be because we have seen the kind of judge she has been. She is a judge in which all Americans can have confidence. She has been a judge for all Americans and will be a justice for all Americans,” Leahy said in excerpts of his statement that were provided to The Associated Press.

Questioning of Sotomayor will wait for Tuesday.

Yes, “we have seen the kind of judge she has been.” Overturned.

Also later today the Council of Economic Advisers will issue a report saying that healthcare and environmental jobs are growing at a faster rate than those of the U.S. economy as a whole.

The report, which looks at how the U.S. labor market is expected to develop in the next few years, says a rebound in employment in construction and some manufacturing sectors is expected as stimulus spending approved early this year invests in projects around the country.

The report is based on an analysis of recent labor market data, a White House official said. The report identifies likely changes in the U.S. labor market as economic drivers shift from sectors like financial services to the growing sectors that are transforming the economy, the official said.

Personally, I wonder if the healthcare and environmental job numbers, or any of the rest for that matter, are going to be real jobs, or the smoke, mirrors, and thin air numbers of “created or saved” fame. I have a guess, but will wait and see.

Tomorrow night is the MLB All-Star game. Four of my Phillies are on the team: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino. I’ll be watching.

I’ll be discussing these stories, and more, on bRight @ Night, tonight at 11:00 ET on Blog Talk Radio. You can call in and share your thoughts: (718) 664-9725 or go to the show page and look for the click to talk button. The chat room will open just before show time.

I hope you have a great week.

With Spring Training in high gear the regular baseball season is close and getting closer. Of course that also means that it’s time for the Hot Wing Conspiracy fantasy baseball season to get started as well.

There are still openings in this years league. If you want to find out how to join, send an email to lakelandjim ++at++ gmail ++dot++ com

In 1980 I was a month away from turning 25 and Ronald Reagan was a week away from chasing Jimmy Carter from the White House.

In 2008 I am a month away from turning 53 and if you believe the polls and TOM we are a week away from returning Jimmy Carter II to the White House.

In both years The Phillies were the World Champions!

So, in 2036 I’ll be (hopefully) a month away from turning 81 and Bristol Palin-Johnston will be a week away from returning to the White House.

Will I have to wait this long for the Phillies to win the World Series again?

It’s good to have something to look forward to.

Like many sports fans, especially those of us living somewhere other than where we grew up, I have “my” team and the home team.

Even occasional readers here may have picked up on the fact that I’m a Phillies fan. I’ve been cheering on the Phils since the days when I was young enough to be fooled by hearing the radio announcer say, “Pittsburgh three, Phillies one,” and thinking he meant that the Phillies had won. I’ve cheered for Robin Roberts, Clay Dalyrimple, and Johnny Callison; Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Tug McGraw, and Steve Carlton. Now I’m thrilled to follow the play of Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Rollins, Howard, Moyer, Myers, Lidge, and the rest of this year’s National League Champions.

And then there’s the “home” team. Home for the past years has been central Florida. Miami and the Marlins are several hours away, and besides they’re in the Phillies division so I’m usually rooting against them. However the former Devil Rays, now officially just the Rays, are close by. The Trop is less than an hours drive away. In past years there hasn’t been much to cheer there. Most of the time I’ve lived in this area they’ve been out of contention pretty early in the season. But they are the “home” team, and this year has been quite different. All through the summer I felt that this team was for real. Last night they proved that by holding off the Red Sox and wrapping up the American League crown.

So this year the World Series will be between “My” team and the “Home” team. Make no mistake, I’ll be cheering on the Phillies all the way. I can hardly wait for things to get started Wednesday night. I’ll be just as thrilled watching this years Phils hold up the World Series trophy as I was watching Tug McGraw beating his glove against his leg many years ago. But if they outcome is different and it’s the Rays celebrating I won’t be nearly as disappointed. All in all it’s been a really good baseball summer.

I’ve never seen something like this. Game 6 between Boston and Tampa Bay should be starting right now. TBS has the ALCS contract. What’s on TBS right now? Hangin with Mr. Cooper Steve Harvey, with an occasional scroll saying that they are experiencing technical difficulties.

I’m guessing unemployment numbers are about to rise in Atlanta.

Finally on, bottom of the 1st, Tampa up 1-0

Choices, choices. What to do on a Wednesday night?

There was McCain/Obama debate III of course, but team Obamessiah had already told us how it would all turn out. Besides, my pre-debate assessment was the same as A.J. Strata’s:

To save myself time I am going to live blog the debate now and get it over with:

McCain wins most rounds, nation differs with me when polled.

Yup.

It didn’t matter that I didn’t watch, Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee summed it up well:

Senator Government: Spend, spend, spend.

Senator Blinky: You can’t spend your way into prosperity.

Now, will anyone looking for Hopeychange understand?

Instead of watching the debate I went the Good Lt. route. The Phillies are going to the World Series!

The Phillies are up two games to none over the Dodgers, winning 8-5 behind Brett Myers. . . the hitting of Brett Myers. Myers was 3 for 3, scored twice and had 3 RBIs. Sure he gave up five earned in five innings, but he sure did help himself at the plate.

Game three will be in L.A. on Sunday night.

The Phillies are going to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 1993. Their first game against the Dodgers is Thursday night.

Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Frank Fitzpatrick observed about the Phillies that you can “Bank on them in bad times”.

Think about it.

Who was baseball’s best team when the Great Depression got rolling in 1929, 1930 and 1931?

The Philadelphia Athletics.

Connie Mack’s clubs won the World Series in 1929 and 1930, then lost to St. Louis in the ‘31 Series.

Then came the late 1970s, when inflation ran rampant, when there were gas shortages and long lines at gas stations, when interest rates rose like CC Sabathia’s postseason ERA.

Well, the Phillies took division titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978, winning a franchise-best 101 games in each of those first two seasons.

He also notes that when the Phillies won the World Series for the first time in 1980 that the Prime hit 20% for the first time as well.

Not only does he note the connection, he has a theory for the reason.

Let’s face it, for most of their existence, the Phillies have been a pretty gross domestic product. Their trade balance always has been negative. Interest was low until the 1970s. And “stuck in the past” more accurately would describe the team’s philosophy over most of its 125 years than “currency.”

Or maybe it’s because depression is a word that, in another sense, has long been associated with the Phillies. In fact, over the years, they’ve probably driven more Philadelphians to the pharmacy than SEPTA has.

I guess that if the empty suit wins the White House I can at least look forward to several years of Phillies domination.

The Phillies have won the NL East.

The Phillies won the National League East Division title today, beating the Washington Nationals 4-3 at Citizens Bank Park.

The triumph in front of the 50th sellout crowd of the season gave the Phillies their second consecutive division title.

The Phillies won’t know their playoff opponent for at least one more day. The New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers are still alive in the race to be the National League wild-card team.

[...]

If the Mets win the wild-card, then the Phillies play the Los Angeles Dodgers and have the home-field advantage.

If the Brewers win the wild-card, then the Phillies will play the Brewers and have the home-field advantage.

Way. To. Go!!

Fox has switched over to the Phillies/Nationals game just in time for me to see the Phils go up 1-0.

Another two runs across. In the bottom of the 4th the Phils are up 2-zip with the bases loaded and two out.

They’ve switched back to the Cubs/Brewers game, but an update show the Phillies up 3-1. (Whoever is covering the game for Yahoo/MLB GameChannel is spending a little too much time at Bull’s Barbecue and not watching the game. They still have it 1-0, but in the 5th.)

OK, they’ve caught up now, adding the second Phillies run in the 4th and the runs by each club in the 5th.