The Phillies came back to win 4-3 against the Astros tonight. They scored four runs in the 9th against closer Jose Valverde. Pat Burrell and Chris Snelling both had HRs and Pedro Feliz had an RBI double.

Ugh

The Braves were shutout by the Braves 4-0. Marlins SP Scott Olsen threw seven scoreless innings. The scoring included an RBI double by Ex-Met Mike Jacobs.

Elsewhere in the NL East this weekend:

Ex Met Mike Jacobs is expected back Monday, after missing some time due to a thumb injury. The Marlins beat the Nats earlier today 12-6.  The Nats Jerome Williams gave up 10 runs, and Manny Acta pulled Ryan Church for not running out a grounder.  Its only assumed Acta is using lessons learned from the book of Willie Randolph as he tries to get the young Nats team turned around.  Zimmerman had a grand slam to make the game almost close, and but Uggla went long twice, Cabrera once and another from Willingham in the Marlins runfest.  The Marlins are now 8-10, the Nats 6-13.

Philly beat the Reds, and Ryan Howard returned after being day to day with a strain and getting an MRI.  He had a homerun as part of his welcome back party and Utley added two doubles.  The team was reported to have held a players only meeting this weekend, and have now won two in a row. The two game streak included Philly pulling a triple play on the Reds yesterday.  Red catcher, Ross, grounded to third allowing the force out there, followed by a relay to Utley (2nd) and Helms (1st) to make it three.  The last Philly triple play was against the Mets.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports the Giants are making progress with OF Juan Pierre. Pierre is believed to be seeking a 3-year, $30 million deal.

Crasnik also reports that the Phillies are talking contract with P Adam Eaton, a former Phills farmhand.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports the Devil Rays have won the negotiating rights to Japanese 3B Akinori Iwamura.

The LA Times reports there has been speculation that the White Sox could trade 3B Joe Crede to the Angels for OF Chone Figgins.

The Arizona Republic states the Diamondbacks might have trouble signing P Mark Mulder because the are unwilling to add health and performance incentives in any deal.

The Republic also says the Diamondbacks (who have the new ugliest uniform in sports) are pursuing P Randy Wolf.

The San Diego-Union Tribune reports the Padres will not trade P Scott Linebrink due to the price of relief pitching on the free agent market. GM Kevin Towers was quoted as saying “Someone would really have to overpay to get him”.

Mike Jacobs was shipped to Florida as part of the Carlos Delgado trade this past winter. He was a shot in the arm to the Mets, and showed flashes of brillance that had Met fans thinking they had another young superstar in the making on their hands to add to the other two on the left side of the infield.

There is a great article about Jacobs in the Miami Herald which includes the following…

Jacobs' father died of cancer when Mike was 6 years old, but he will carry the memory of his dad into this season, too.

''He was a real good high school athlete,'' said Jacobs, who has a
tattoo on his back that reads ''JAKE'' in Gothic print. It serves as a
tribute to his father. ''Everyone called him Jake, and that's what they
call me,'' he said with a slight smile of pride.

Jacobs is one of those feel-good stories, the one about the kid
nobody wanted who somehow made it to the majors. He was a catcher in
high school in San Diego.

From time to time, he worked out with other Hilltop High grads Jose
Silva, Todd Pratt and Bob Natal, major leaguers who went home in the
winter.

But Jacobs was an afterthought. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays picked him
in the 43rd round of the draft. He didn't sign with Tampa Bay and tried
to gain attention playing for Grossmont (Calif.) Junior College. The
Mets then drafted him in the 38th round.

You won't find Jacobs, a converted first baseman, reading the long
lists of can't-miss prospects in Baseball America. It's fine reading,
but it doesn't mean much to Jacobs, who ignored all the hype given to
so many other players, and just went to work to prove everyone wrong.

''There are so many guys who weren't drafted high who made it,'' he said. “I never thought that way.

“I just believed if I worked hard I would get a chance to prove myself.''

Jacobs, who was the Mets' organizational player of the year in 2005,
got more than a chance. He got a helping hand from Pedro Martinez.

The Mets called him up last August. Four days later, Jacobs hit a
pinch-hit, three-run home run in his first big-league at-bat. After the
game, the Mets were preparing to leave for a road trip, and they told
Jacobs he was being sent back to the minors.

Martinez heard they were sending Jacobs down, and had a tirade in
the clubhouse over the decision, telling Mets manager Willie Randolph
that Jacobs deserved to stay.

''It's just not right,'' Martinez told reporters at the time. “It
could frustrate a kid when he hits a three-run homer that puts us back
in the game, and you send him back down.''

Martinez's words made a difference, and the Mets kept Jacobs. He
made Martinez look like a genius. He hit a home run in each of his
first four games. Jacobs finished the season with 11 homers in 100
at-bats. If you extrapolate the numbers to an entire season it comes
out to 55 home runs for the year.

''I thanked Pedro for standing up for me,'' Jacobs said. “What he
did was awesome. He said he remembered what it was like coming up. For
a guy like Pedro Martinez to stand up for you was something I'll never
forget.''