Philadelphia Daily News' Sam Donnellon:
Scott Barry will be the second-base umpire and Greg Gibson will be checking checked swings at third when the Phillies resume their thrilling series with the last-place Central Division Houston Astros tonight at Citizens Bank Park.
For fans unable to take their eyes off the two after the events of the last 2 nights, be forewarned: This might be one of the last chances to see the two together on the same field. That's because when he's not ejecting major league stars for the first or second time in their careers, Barry spends most of his time umpiring minor league games.
Gibson? He spends his off hours hiding behind a rule that really doesn't seem to exist, or at least operates more as a guideline...
...Barry's happy thumb, which began early and continued often last night, rung up Howard on two body bends that sure didn't look like swings.
But that's hardly the point. Yes, Gibson has never seen an ankle-high pitch he didn't like and yes, Barry seems to have his thumb up as the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.
But the problem is not their incompetency. It's their obstinacy.
Unless the Astros, with the win, lost four games to the Cubs and 14.5 games to the Pirates, they're safely in 4th place. Nit-picky? Hell, and yes, it is.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
