the philadelphia story

Don’t look now, but Philadelphia, with a 4-2 win on Tuesday, has caught Washington (again) in the National League East; they’re tied for second behind Atlanta. Former Meridian Community College star Cliff Lee notched his ninth win for the 35-37 Phillies — he won only six times in 2012 — by working eight innings and allowing just five hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Wonder now if the trade rumors swirling about Lee will subside — or intensify? The left-hander, in the midst of a 5-year, $120 million contract, said Tuesday he wants to stay with Philly, which missed the postseason last year and struggled out of the gates in 2013. There has also been chatter about Jonathan Papelbon, the ex-Mississippi State standout who also has a fat contract, getting shipped out. Papelbon got his 14th save (in 15 opportunities) on Tuesday and has a 1.69 ERA. The Phillies are certainly better with those two, but management appears to have rebuilding in mind. P.S. Weir’s Roy Oswalt, who went 3-2 with a 2.16 ERA in a Double-A tuneup, is slated to start for Colorado on Thursday at Washington. The Rockies have to wonder if they’re getting the Oswalt with the career 3.28 ERA or the one who put up a 5.80 for Texas last summer. He’ll be 36 in August. Colorado, a contender in the wild, wild NL West, also has Ole Miss product Drew Pomeranz at Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he is 7-1, 4.35. … Former Mississippi Braves standout Charlie Morton, with Pittsburgh, got his first win since coming back from Tommy John surgery, and fellow M-Braves alum Randall Delgado pitched seven strong innings in his first start this year for Arizona.