Durbin and Phillies avoid arbitration

A source said that the Phillies successfully avoided salary arbitration with Chad Durbin on Monday, and they agreed to a one-year, $2.125 million contract. If the two sides had not agreed, they would have exchanged salary arbitration figures on Tuesday.

Durbin went 2-2 with a 4.39 ERA in 59 appearances last season. He went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 71 appearances in 2008. The Phillies have three other players available for arbitration: center fielder Shane Victorino, right-hander Joe Blanton and catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Phils agrees one-year deal with Juan Castro

The Phillies made agreement on a one-year deal with veteran infielder Juan Castro recently. Castro hit .277 with a homer and nine RBIs in 57 games for the Dodgers last season, making 19 starts at shortstop, eight at second base and two at third base. "In Juan Castro, we have a versatile guy who can play multiple positions and is coming off a year in which he swung the bat fairly well," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement. "We're very happy to add him to our club, as he will give manager Charlie Manuel options."

Castro has made most of his appearances as a shortstop, but has seen plenty playing time at second and third base.
MLB.com reported that the Phillies are closing in on a three-year deal with Placido Polanco to serve as their third baseman. Castro would join Greg Dobbs as a backup infielder in phillies jersey.

Phillies add three players to the roster

It is reported that the Phillies selected center fielder Quintin Berry, left-hander Yohan Flande and right-hander Jesus Sanchez and add them to the 40-man roster. Now the team has 30 players. This movement can ensure that Berry, Flande and Sanchez won't be picked up by another team during December's Rule 5 Draft.

Berry was the fifth-round Draft pick in 2006 in four Minor League seasons and has 173 stolen bases in phillies jersey. Flande split the season between Class A Clearwater and Reading. Sanchez was acquired from the Yankees in exchange of Bobby Abreu to New York in 2006.

Game 3 was delayed by rain

The start of Game 3 of the World Series was delayed because of rainy in the Philadelphia area, has now been scheduled for 9:15 p.m. Half an hour earlier a steady storm continued to pound Citizens Bank Park, where the Yankees meet the Phillies.

Commissioner Bud Selig went into the umpires' dressing room at 6:55 and conducted a lengthy meeting about the weather that included other baseball officials and. Among the group was Yankees manager Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman. When the two exited the room, Girardi said that he anticipated the game would be played. Jimmie Lee Solomon, baseball's Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the front is expected to pass through before 9 p.m. ET. At that time, a decision will be made on a start time.

Last year, rain in Philly stopped Games 3 and 5 of a World Series and the Phillies eventually won in five games over the Rays. The start of Game 3 was delayed three hours and Game 5 was suspended in a downpour and was delayed for two days before it was completed. Fans are looking forward to watching World Series games no matter they wear yankees jerseys or phillies jerseys.

Lenny Dykstra's championship ring was sold

The Associated Press reported that Lenny Dykstra's championship ring from the 1986 World Series was sold at an auction for more than $56,000. Dykstra, who is said to have serious financial troubles, had 11 items at the auction.

A collector from Queens, where Dykstra and the rest of his Mets wrapped up the Series win over the Red Sox, won the ring with a bid of $56,762.50. Dykstra is a three-time All-Star player, whose last season was with the Phillies in 1996, said he owed more than $31 million and had only about $50,000 possession.

Chase Utley is back in lineup

Chase Utley was back in the Phillies' lineup last Sunday after missing Saturday's game because of his broken right foot. Now fans can wear the utley jersey supporing him in the match. Shane Victorino was also out of the game at Minute Maid Park because of his broken left knee. Victorino has been suffering a lot this season, and the pain aggravated during the game against the D-backs. He left Saturday's game after flying out to right field.

"He's been playing, but at the same time it keeps hurting him. Evidently he's have a hard time keeping his backside down."said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. It is reported that the Phillies recalled outfielder John Mayberry Jr. and right-hander Kyle Kendrick on that day. Both of them joined the team in order to play in the final two games against the Astros.