That's a fine howdoyoudo

Mike “Bronko” Zagurski, or “Li’l Krukie” as Larry Andersen called him on the radio, made an impressive Major League debut last night in Atlanta. In pitching a perfect eighth inning, Zagurski fired 10 pitches, threw six strikes and got two ground outs.

He also seemed to have a good-looking curve and a hard fastball, though I can’t say I know much about him. According to the stats, Zagurski spent all of spring training in the minor league camp, and after pitching part of 2005 for Batavia as a starter, all of 2006 for Lakewood, the first part of 2007 at Clearwater and six games for Reading, Zagurski found himself on the mound at Turner Field last night.

According to baseball people, Zagurski blossomed when he was converted from a starter to a reliever in 2006. That’s when his rather pedestrian fastball jumped to a stead 93 mph and the strikeouts piled up. In 16 1/3 innings for Clearwater, Zagurski had 30 strikeouts and added eight more in seven innings for Reading. All of that goes with a combined 1.16 ERA this season.

Either way, Zagurski has had an Apa Sherpa-like ascent.

So if you’re putting it all together, Zagurski – a prospect seemingly unworthy of an entry in the Baseball Prospectus annual – has pitched just six games and seven innings above Single-A ball and none in Triple-A. That, of course, is not counting his first Major League inning.

If you’re counting – and I know you are – four different players (all pitchers) have made their Major League debuts for the Phillies this season. Along with Zagurski, Joe Bisenius, Zack Segovia and Yoel Hernandez entered the record books this season. Better yet, the quartet has allowed six runs in 11 1/3 innings. Five of those runs came when Segovia allowed five during a five-inning start against the Marlins on April 8.

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Zagurski should be with the club next weekend when Barry Bonds, James Earl Jones and Danny DeVito all turn up at the Bank. Bonds will be in town for the weekend series with the San Francisco Giants, which certainly will give the hometown fans someone to boo in addition to Rod Barajas.

Jones, according to the Phillies, will be at the ballpark on June 1 to participate in a special on-field reading of “Casey at the Bat” with the Phanatic before the game. Meanwhile, DeVito, known in these parts as the infamous Louie DePalma, will join “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” cast mate Rob McElhenney to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Sunday.

I’m told “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is a television show and not some odd phenomenon.

Waiting out the rain

While sitting here waiting out the long rain delay before the Phillies-Brewers game where ace Cole Hamels will take on Jeff Suppan, I thought it would be a good idea to break out the old-time baseball shows to keep busy. Here’s an episode of “The Baseball Bunch.”

Stay tuned… more pithy comments on sports and sports byproducts to follow.

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Some people say there is a statistic to prove anything. Numbers, they say, can be manipulated to make just about any argument.

With that in mind, a story on Slate magazine argued that Roger Clemens is worth every penny the Yankees will pay him for pitching for four months this season. Better yet, they have the statistics and a formula to prove it.

The formula looks like this:

PCT = RS2 / (RS2 + RA2)

Yeah, I have no idea what it means and I’m not sure I want to risk the headache by attempting to think about it either. But if anyone out there wants to argue the argument, give it a go by checking out the Slate story.

From here on out there will be no math.

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Speaking of numbers, it should be noted that a Sherpa named, simply, Apa, broke the all-time record for climbs to the top of Mount Everest on Wednesday. Apa Sherpa, as he’s known, reached the summit of the world’s tallest mountain for the 17th time to break the record of 16, which he held. The most ascents following Apa is Chewang Nima, who at 41 completed his 14th climb last year.

Apa is 47 years old and first reached the top of Everest on May 10, 1990 and has completed the climb every year since, except for the infamous 1996 expedition that was chronicled by Jon Krakauer in Into Thin Air. Interestingly, Apa is the leader of a group of guides called The Super Sherpas.

New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, are credited as the first men to reach the rooftop of the world in 1953, though there is some belief that English climber George Mallory made it to the top during his ill-fated climb in 1924.

Mallory is credited with the using the quip, “Because it is there,” when asked why he wanted to attempt to climb Everest.

This could be the last time I ever get to write anything about Sherpas, specifically Apa Sherpa, so I’m taking full advantage. Thanks for indulging.

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Speaking of taking one giant leap for mankind, Ryan Howard trotted around the field before the heavy rains poured over South Philly today. Still on the disabled list with a strained quadriceps muscle, Howard will start working out with former team trainer Jeff Cooper (and currebt medical staff consultant) next Tuesday before heading out on a rehab assignment to Lakewood on May 23 and 24.

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Anyone who reads the stuff I write on this site knows that I am a running freak. Besides that, readers will note that I often write about marathoner Deena Kastor, who is currently the best American distance runner out there and probably the best since Joan Samuelson. If Joanie is No. 1, Deena is an Olympic gold medal away from replacing her – she already broke her old marathon record twice.

So it is with great concern and trepidation that we wish Deena a speedy recovery and long term health from her latest bout with skin cancer. Deena updates her progress on her site and cautions runners and outdoorsy types to be smart about sun exposure and diligent in getting regular screenings. Sometimes it’s a pain, but it’s not too difficult to wear proper clothing or to apply sunscreen before going outside. I certainly know that I’m often lazy about this basic bit of prevention, but I’m going to say it anyway:

Wear your sunscreen! Better yet, make sure your kids wear it, too.

Anyway, send good thoughts or prayers or whatever positive vibes Deena’s way so she can get back to the business of kicking ass with a 100 percent bill of health very soon.