Accustomed to chasing — and catching — the Mets, the Phils are a mere 16-13 in September. They have a history of producing in big moments. But the sooner they clinch the National League East, the better.

For all the talk about the problems in the Phillies' bullpen, six of their regulars have appeared in 151 or more of the team's 157 games this season.

Opposing base stealers are 150 for 166 against the Red Sox this season, a success rate of 90.4 percent. Yes, the Sox can slow the Angels by keeping them off the bases in the Division Series, but that will not be as easy as it sounds.

The Angels, second in the majors in runs, need to score only six in their final five games to break the franchise record. Leadoff man Chone Figgins ranks first in the league in walks and seventh in on-base percentage. And oh yes, the Angels succeeded in 15 of 17 stolen-base attempts against the Red Sox this season.

Only two other teams since 1974 have had less success than the Red Sox throwing out opposing base stealers, according to STATS LLC — the 2007 Padres and '08 White Sox.

Around the Horn

A.J. Burnett's 1.89 ERA in his last three starts might not be an illusion. Watching game tape, Burnett noticed that he wasn't turning enough in his delivery.

By turning and hesitating ever so briefly, Burnett gives his arm an extra split-second to catch up to the rest of his body, enabling him to better control his pitches.

One scout doing advance work on the Phillies jokes about the difficulty of filling in the blanks when describing how Manuel manages his bullpen.

"Who does the manager use in the sixth, the seventh, the eighth?" the scout says, referring to a series of questions he must answer. "I don't know."

Before the Braves' seven-game winning streak and 15-2 run ended Tuesday night, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was duly impressed.

"I know what that feels like," O'Dowd said. "They've got the mojo going. I get it. I've been on the other side. But they're more talented than we were in '07. Their pitching staff is better."

Jacoby Ellsbury frequently is compared to Johnny Damon, but a better comparison might be Kenny Lofton. Ellsbury is just 26, and in time he might hit for even more power than Lofton did.

His batting line this season — .299 batting average, .351 on-base percentage, .413 slugging percentage — is close to Lofton's career line of .299-.372-.423.

Does Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander ever get tired? He has thrown 128, 126 and 129 pitches in his last three starts, 125 or more in five of his last seven and 120 or more 10 times.

The amazing thing about Verlander is how he maintains his velocity into the late innings. But the payback figures to come eventually, either in the postseason or next season.

The glut of closers on the trade and free-agent markets might compel the White Sox to act quickly if they wish to move Bobby Jenks, who will not be a free agent until after the 2011 season.

Matt Thornton could replace Jenks, but then the Sox would have no replacement for Thornton, one of the game's most dominant left-handed relievers. One possible solution: Wait until January to sign a remaining free agent at a bargain-basement price.

The Rangers want to re-sign outfielder Marlon Byrd, a potential free agent, but Byrd could be in demand and the team's finances, at least for the moment, remain tight.

Byrd, 32, produced career-highs with 20 homers and 89 RBIs this season and also is an integral part of the Rangers' clubhouse. By retaining him to play center with Julio Borbon, the Rangers could keep the oft-injured Josh Hamilton on a corner and use him more at DH.

While Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is perhaps the game's leading doubles machine, his defensive falloff is alarming.

This is Roberts' third straight season of decline according to the plus-minus ratings on Bill James Online and the ultimate zone ratings on Fangraphs.com. Both metrics suggest that he is now well-below average defensively.

And finally, a quote from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman on the changes in manager Joe Girardi this season:

"He has opened himself up to make sure people realize that he is one of the best people you can know. He's given everyone a chance to see not just his intellect, but his heart."