Mired in a huge four out of 45 at-bats to hit ratio is Mr.Vernon Wells, or as most of us Torontonians call him, V-dub.

Still currently hitting out of that four spot, the slugger position, Wells has earned it with his on and off talented bat and defensive seasons. He currently hits .238, with a measly five home runs, and a high left on base total. Comparing our slugger to our small ball second basemen, Aaron Hill, who has 14 home runs tells you something.

On Sunday, in a move that can be described as nothing more than blaming the easiest target, the Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Gerald Perry.

General Manager Jim Hendry threw around the cliche sound bites, saying that a "new voice" was needed and that the team's stars aren't performing to their historical abilities.

What Hendry didn't say was: "I paid $30 million for an overrated right fielder and, with a series of questionable moves, destroyed the chemistry on the best team in the National League."

But what was important was that he stuck to the cliches.

The Phillies mostly had one goal going into todays afternoon finale, do not get swept. Well, Philadelphia did its job. The Phillies beat Josh Beckett and the Red Sox 11-6 at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies broke away from the Sox with a massive six-run seventh that snapped a 5-5 tie. Slumping shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a tie-breaking home run in the seventh, the blast snapped his 0-for-16 hit-less streak.

Mets ace Johan Santana may be the best pitcher on the planet. He has proven himself throughout his career, first in Minnesota, and now during his first two seasons as a New York Met.

But Santana hardly looked the part of the "best pitcher in baseball" Sunday afternoon. The Yankees lambasted him for nine runs in only three innings of work during the Mets' embarrassing 15-0 dismantlement in the Bronx.

The outing was the worst of Santana's career.

Clay Buchholz, Jeff Bialey, Chris Carter, Lars Anderson, Jonathan Van Every, Michael Bowden, Argenis Diaz, Junichi Tazawa, Josh Reddick, etc. etc. etc.
Everyone acknowledges that the Boston Red Sox farm system is by far one of the deepest in all of baseball. Some of the players have been in the system forever, others just getting their first sip of Red Sox minors coffee. These guys are the fututre of the Sox, and will show why Boston will contend for the next decade.

Earlier this week, Mets manager Jerry Manuel walked out mound to get Johan Santana.  Johan did not want to come out of the game.  He's a competitor and he was beating the Phillies.  I understand.

We learned after the game what he was saying to Manuel on the mound.  Johan has a saying, "I'm a man, I'm a man."

I don't know what Johan means by this; I'm sure it has meaning to him.

What I do know, is Luis Castillo is a man, and I'm proud to have him on my team.

Breaking news at this hour as FOXSports.com is reporting the Washington Nationals are set to announce the termination of manager Manny Acta's contract, potentially allowing bench coach Jim Riggleman to become head coach.

The reports are unconfirmed however, as team sources are stating Riggleman has not been told he is taking over the job, even going as far as mentioning that Acta has not been dismissed from his position on the team.