A game off the Reds’ Wild Card lead, Philadelphia flips the switch from seller to buyer.  From MLB.com :

Outfielder Jeff Conine was acquired from Baltimore, along with cash considerations, for a player to be named later, Vice President & General Manager Pat Gillick announced today.

The Phillies will make a move to accommodate Conine on the 25-man roster once he reports. He will wear #19 and bench coach Gary Varsho will now wear #30.

Jewish Heritage Day at Shea Stadium was a washout — they’ll try again tomorrow at 12:35pm.  I asked my dad when they were gonna celebrate Anglo-Saxons Who Drink Too Much Day at the ballpark, and he said they do that all the time.

San Francisco moved within two games of the NL Wild Card with today’s 8-0 pasting of the Reds ; Cincy’s lead over the Padres remains a mere half game after San Diego dropped a 6-3 decision to the Rockies, the decisive blow being a two run HR by Matt Holliday (above) off Jake Peavy in the 5th. It’s nice to be able to use the words “decisive blow” in relation to the Rockies without bringing up Denny Neagle, but that just goes to show the good you accomplish when Maxim is banned from the clubhouse.