Preview of Games 5/6

Well, my predictions for an offensive breakthrough and a win in game four of the season look pretty bad after the fact, but that won't stop me from trying again. Ryan Madson will pitch the Phillies to victory in the first game...they can't start the year off 0-5, right? Pitching matchups for today's doubleheader are Madson vs. Derek Lowe and Jon Lieber vs. Brad Penny. Those are four pretty solid starting pitchers, the weather is supposed to be decent (gametime temp: 51 degrees), there are two games for the price of one, and, last but certainly not least, you can go down to the ballpark and fill up on all the dollar dogs you can handle.

Reader Prediction (from a real reader, no lie):

• Phillies win 2-0, Madson pitches well and gets the win, Phillies offense still struggles but gets solo homeruns out of both Chase Utley and Aaron Rowand

I like the sound of that...a shutout is a rather ambitious guess for a guy making only his second ML career start, but the optimism is nice, good job reader. Hopefully, it all works out.

I love America and all, but that was one awful rendition of the National Anthem...painful to listen to.