Phils don new rings

The Philadelphia Phillies received their World Series championship bling on Wednesday, a 14-carat white gold ring featuring 103 diamonds.

Led by a motorcycle police escort, the rings arrived in a white van that circled around the warning track. Former general manager Pat Gillick, who retired after last season, was the first to receive his ring during a lengthy ceremony for the game against visiting Atlanta.

An emotional Gillick cried after team president David Montgomery handed him his ring. Manager Charlie Manuel came next, and he was greeted by chants of “Charlie! Charlie” by the sellout crowd.

Former Phillies Pat Burrell, Geoff Jenkins and Adam Eaton took part in the ceremony. Burrell got a big ovation before heading off to Boston to play a game for Tampa Bay. Eaton, who was left off the postseason roster, was booed.

Courtesy of Bernie

You can put yourself in Bernard Madoff’s place – his Citi Field seats, that is.

The trustee overseeing the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities put a pair of tickets for Monday’s Citi Field opener on sale on eBay. The latest bid, as of midnight EDT, was $1,700 for the tickets, seats 5-6 in the eighth row in section 11, just to the home plate side of the New York Mets’ dugout.

Clearing the bases

Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb will skip his next start because of shoulder stiffness. Webb, whose 22 victories led by National League last season, experienced stiffness in his shoulder in the fourth inning of Arizona’s 9-8 opening-day victory Monday over the Colorado Rockies. … The Kansas City Royals claimed third baseman Travis Metcalf on waivers from the Texas Rangers. Metcalf had 15 homers and 62 RBIs for the 2004 Spokane Indians. … Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is coming back to Cooperstown. Aaron will make a visit April 25 to celebrate the opening of a permanent exhibit on his career at the National Baseball Hall of Fame: “Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream.”