Don't forget: HE EATS SPAM.

Right on King. We've loved Shane in Philly for ages, and we're happy to let the rest of the world in on the secret. He's a good dude.

LET'S GO PHILS!

No other player that I've seen exudes such enthusiasm and excitement for the game. His bursts of joy when he (or anyone) does something game-changing are infectious and are one of the reasons I watch as much baseball as I do. He'll hit a triple knocking in two runs to take the lead. As he gets up from the slide he claps his hands and waves his arms like he's a toddler playing hide and seek. It sounds stupid, I know, but it's such a pure expression of happiness, with himself, for the team and, above all, from the game, that you can't help but root for the guy.

Tragedy often comes at the worst of times, but when I heard his grandmother passed away last week, the only thing I could say was "That's not fair." More than any other athlete I see on a regular basis, he deserves his day in the sun and I'm glad he's getting it.

I don't care what PETA says, spam musubi is one of the most awesome foods ever invented. It is a wonderful Hawaiian fusion of healthy Japanese food with hyper-unhealthy spam. Also: goes great with alcoholic beverages, as many fatty, greasy, salty food does.

fried spam,fried rice, fried eggs, fresh tomato

It's too bad the talking heads at Yankee Central...er, I mean, ESPN, haven't heard about Shane. Living in the Philly region, I've had the opportunity to see him play, listen to him do a radio take-over at WXPN, and watch him re-hab at AA Reading. Even in Reading, he was the most happy and most humble player on the field. (A far cry from another Phillie who rehabbed in Reading a few years ago, but that's another letter).

He is what baseball should be all about, and what baseball is sorely lacking. Where have you gone, Cal and Tony??? Selfishly, I hope that the Phillie organization makes every attempt under the sun to ensure that Shane retires a Phillie!!!

And, may I add: GO PHILLIES!!!

He was in the dugout talking to some teammates about what a great hitter Manny Ramirez is. It was neat to hear how impressed he was with what Manny does at the plate.

He is all grit and heart.

Last year, when a freakishly strong thunderstorm hit Coors Field in Colorado, Shane was leading the charge of Phillies players who rushed onto the field, to help the Rockies ground crew get control of the tarp.

Some of the ground crew members had become trapped under the tarp. And most of the Rockies were in the clubhouse.

But there was Shane, and Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins, and the rest of the Fightin' Phils, wrestling with the tarp, and tossing sandbags.

Afterward, the ground crew said they couldn't believe that professional baseball players had come to their rescue. And Rockies fans gave the Phils a standing O.

This group of Phillies are a classy bunch of ball players. And now they're going to the World Series!

Victorino has been the silent MVP for the Phillies all year. A long aired out pass from center field to home to stop the Braves from scoring, shifting momentum to the Phillies, who won. Hitting a base hit for 99.999% of the league is usually a double for Victorino. His diving catches, his game saving plays or game changing steals and enthusiasm. Victorino is one of my favorite Phillies, up there with Utley and Howard.

Go Phightin' Phils!!! I wait with baited breath that this could really be the year I can celebrate a championship. I was two when they won in 1980, I don't remember any of the Flyers or Sixers championships and the Eagles almost win in 2004 was bittersweet. If anyone can will us to victory with is passion for the game, it is the Flyin' Hawaiian.

Victorino has always struck me as a guy whose mind is just boggled that he is where he is, and really appreciates every minute of it. There should be more baseball players like him.

Go Phils...!

shaaaaane

...Andy Van Slyke. Another great CenterFielder with a passion for the game. Andy told me that Granderson and Victorino were two of the most exciting young CF's.

farnsworth He was in the dugout talking to some teammates about what a great hitter Manny Ramirez is. It was neat to hear how impressed he was with what Manny does at the plate.

Yeah, that was great too. "How's he do that? I'm hackin'. He's hittin'."

...of the link that's provided at my name. I know it might be folly to start expecting this particular sort of humanity and humility from athletes, but it's good to see some anyway.