A Philadelphia Phanatic

Off to a Good Start!

2009-10-04T19:21:00.003-04:00

This year's edition of the Flyers seems to be off to a flying start. They're 2-0, and Ray Emery has looked absolutely phenomenal so far. He shut out Boston in the first game and outplayed Martin Brodeur, generally acknowledged to be one of the two or three best goaltenders to ever strap on a set of pads, last night, 5-2. Emery looks like the hot-handed goaltender who led the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup finals in 2007. "If he had any doubters, I think he's proved them all wrong," said rookie winger James van Riemsdyk after the game. "He made some sick saves," said Ian Laperriere. "When you see a guy make saves like that, everybody on the bench gets a boost. In this league, you go as far as the goalie takes you." If Emery keeps playing this well--and keeps his head on straight--he should have a tremendous year.

In the wake of last year's painful playoff defeat at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, this team has a lot of important questions to answer. "The mentality is probably different than last year," said Briere, of the team that started last year at 0-3-3 but still managed to tally 99 points. "Last year, we were maybe a little overconfident, a little too loosey-goosey. This year, there's a little bit of an attitude change." In other words, this team now understands that this is a serious business that must be taken seriously in order to have a realistic chance of winning it all.

This year's edition of the Flyers is very different from last year's team. Sure, the stalwarts, like Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Scott Hartnell, are all back, and all are expected to have big seasons again this year. In addition to these important links in the chain, the Flyers also expect a lot from proven veterans like Simon Gagne and Danny Briere, who seems to be healthy again after an injury-plagued season last year.

In addition, the Flyers have added defenseman Chris Pronger, who is known as a hard-hitting defender who can also move the puck. More than anything else, Pronger brings a winning record and a fierce attitude to the game, and he's known as a leader wherever he goes. Hopefully, some of his fierceness will spread itself around to the rest of the team, which will hopefully show some of the attitude of Broad Street Bullies teams of the past. Kimmo Timonen, who remains one of the NHL's best defensemen, joins Pronger and gives the Flyers two of the leagues most reliable defenders.

At the same time, the Flyers have to play smart and avoid stupid penalties. "Discipline is going to be the big thing," said Timonen. "We can't take six, seven, eight penalties every game. That was a problem last year. That has to change. If you look at the good teams and how they win, they don't take penalties." Or, if they do take them, they kill them. So far this year, the Flyers have done just that.

Before the season opener, coach John Stevens observed, "It's a matter of starting better and finishing stronger. They all make a difference in the end. We've gone through a lot of experiences the last two years. Now it's time to put it all together." So far, Stevens and his team are off to the best possible start. Let's hope that they continue to play this well for the entire season.

I'm looking forward to what looks like it's going to be an excellent season for the Flyers. Let's see how it plays out. So far, so good.

The Magic Number is 0!

2009-10-01T09:37:00.009-04:00

The Phils clinched their third straight National League Eastern Division title in grand fashion last night, dispatching the Houston Astros 10-3. The actual victory didn't clinch it--a few minutes before the last out of the Phillies game, the Marlins defeated the Braves to eliminate Atlanta. It didn't matter.

Pedro Martinez struggled last night, giving up three runs in four innings. Luckily, the Phils' bats awakened last night. Raul Ibanez set a career high with his 34th homer of the season, and the Phils coasted to victory behind excellent relief pitching by Kyle Kendrick, who took over from Martinez in the fifth. Scott Eyre came out to pitch the ninth inning, and got the first two outs quickly. With two outs and the Bank rocking, Charlie Manuel made the slow trudge to the mound. He signaled for beleaguered closer Brad Lidge to close it out.

"Awesome," said Eyre. "I looked at Charlie and said 'I'm good with this.' Normally I would have been like, 'Come on!' But he should be on the mound for the last out." The crowd, recognizing what Manuel was doing, went nuts.

"That's what I wanted to do," declared Charlie. "I wanted him to pitch in front of the crowd. I thought it would be good for him and the crowd and crowd responded good. It was the ideal situation for me to run him out there. I want to get his confidence back because I know how talented he is. I wanted him pitching in that situation."

The pumped up closer needed one pitch to finish the job, inducing a game ending out. "That was huge," said a grateful Lidge. "I was really hoping he would. A lot of guys down there in the bullpen deserve it. The other guys have all done a great job, but I was hoping and praying it would be me tonight. This season has been a grind, no doubt about it. I always felt like it was going to end well, no matter what. I think it's going to. I really believe it will."

And the little ballpark erupted. Once again, the Phils were division champs, and Charlie Manuel let his weary veterans celebrate and enjoy the moment. "I let them celebrate because it's more their celebration and I like it that way better," said Manuel. "They're the ones who play. They're the ones who got it done and that's kind of how I like it."

All that was missing was Harry Kalas. The players spontaneously included the legendary late broadcaster in their celebration, congregating around the memorial to Harry on the outfield wall, pounding it with glee, and including the memory of their legendary play by play man in their joy. Chase Utley even offered Harry a celebratory cigar. Somewhere, I have no doubt that Harry and Whitey Ashburn are enjoying this moment.

"This what I came here for," declared Ibanez after the game. "I came here because it's a great ballclub. But I didn't realize how special a club it is until I got here."

The joy of the night was tempered by the news that Jamie Moyer, who has meant so much to this team for the past three years, would need season-ending--and perhaps career-ending--surgery to repair three torn tendons in his abdomen and groin that gave way in Tuesday night's game. But Moyer was there, where he should have been, celebrating with his teammates. It remains to be seen whether he will ever pitch in the major leagues again at 46, but he is an important part of this team.

I particularly like the photo above. That's Jamie Moyer on the left and Pedro Martinez on the right. They're two old pros who, between them, represent 477 major league wins. Moyer, of course, is from the Philadelphia area and won a World Series with his hometown team. Martinez was a member of the 2007 New York Mets team that melted down and blew a large lead to the Phillies, and Martinez took Moyer's place in the Phillies' starting rotation. It was undoubtedly a bittersweet moment for both of them that also demonstrates what class acts both of them are. The Phillies are better off for having both of them.

And so the Phillies move on to the playoffs, adding more luster to the greatest decade in the history of the franchise. Not since Connie Mack's A's dynasties has Philadelphia enjoyed so much prolonged success on the diamond as it has this decade, which has featured seven straight winning seasons, three straight division championships, and a World Series championship. The regulars will rest for a few days while the Phils try to claim the home field advantage through the National League playoffs; the Dodgers are locked in a great race with Colorado, who have closed to within 2.5 games. The Dodgers and Rockies finish the regular season against each other in a weekend series that I will watch with great interest.

LET'S GO PHILLIES!!!!

And the Magic Number is 1

2009-09-30T08:32:00.004-04:00

After losing five of seven and conjuring up the ghosts of 1964, Charlie Manuel called a team meeting of his slumping Phillies before last night's game. He told his team that they needed to relax and just play ball, and they did just that last night.

Carried by a huge fourth inning grand slam by third baseman Pedro Feliz, the Phils beat the Astros 7-4. "It was a big swing," said Feliz. "Four runs on one swing." He was right. "Oh, it was huge," declared Ryan Howard, "especially because we've been scuffling with the bats, getting runs. Any time you can hit a grand slam, that's pretty big. That definitely catapulted us."

J. A. Happ, who definitely did not have his best stuff last night, nevertheless won his 12th game of the season, running his record to 12-4. Happ pitched 5.2 innings, battling for every pitch and every out. When he finally ran out of gas after throwing 120 pitches, Charlie Manuel brought in Jamie Moyer, and the 46-year-old southpaw put out the fire, stranding two runs. He then pitched a shutout seventh inning before having to be helped off the field after tweaking his groin. It's unknown how long Moyer might be out. Happ's performance last night, on a night when he clearly didn't have his best stuff, probably went a long way toward nailing down his position as the frontrunner for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Manuel then brought in Ryan Madson, who pitched two shutout innings to earn the save. Madson only needed 9 pitches to close out the Astros in the 8th, so Manuel elected to leave him in the game. Madson got in trouble to open the 9th, but then struck out two tough hitters in Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence to end the game to the cheers of a huge and vocal crowd. "The crowd definitely helped," said Madson. "When I went out there for the ninth, they made some noise."

The Florida Marlins helped the Phillies out last night by hanging on to beat Atlanta 5-4 after inducing Chipper Jones to hit into a huge ninth inning double play. That reduced the Phils' magic number to 1, and resulted in them clinching at least a tie for the Eastern Division title. The Phils play the Astros again tonight, with Pedro Martinez on the mound with a chance to clinch the title and permit Charlie Manuel to rest his weary regulars--Chase Utley looks completely worn out after hitting a couple of weak ground balls last night, and Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have both played more than 150 games and look tired too--for a few days before the playoffs begin.

Let's hope that they can do so tonight so that the remaining four games become meaningless.

Jeremiah Trotter is Back!

2009-09-29T21:09:00.002-04:00

The Eagles signed Jeremiah Trotter to a one-year, league minimum contract today. The prodigal son returns to the team that first drafted him in 1998. A four-time Pro Bowler, Trotter makes his return to the Eagles after last playing for them in 2006. After the Eagles cut him during the 2007 training camp, he spent the season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He did not play in 2008. However, he came into camp at 257 pounds, and is apparently in great shape.

"I always dreamed I would retire as an Eagle," said the 32-year-old Trotter, who declared that he still has at least three years of good football left in his body. "Hopefully, that can still happen."

"Jeremiah Trotter has always been one of my favorite players," said head coach Andy Reid in a press release. "He has worked very hard to keep himself in shape and we are pleased with where he is physically. We are excited to give him an opportunity to contribute to our football team." In order to make room for Trotter, the Eagles cut quarterback Jeff Garcia, whose time in Philadelphia was bound to be limited once Kevin Kolb demonstrated that he was competent as an NFL starting quarterback. Also, Garcia fumbled one of the two snaps that he got in last Sunday's game, costing the Eagles a touchdown by the Chiefs. "Jeff Garcia is a true professional and I know the players and coaches appreciated having him around these last two weeks," continued Reid. "There is no doubt Jeff can still perform at a championship caliber level in the National Football League."

Trotter made a deal with linebacker Tracy White and will wear his old, familiar number 54. Trotter is one of the all-time Eagles greats on defense. He had at least 100 or more tackles and led the team in that category in five of his seven seasons in Philly. He also became the fourth linebacker in team history with at least four Pro Bowl appearances, joining immortals Chuck Bednarik (8), Maxie Baughan (5), and Bill Bergey (4). As of the end of the 2007 season, Trotter has played in 134 games (with 117 starts) in his career, tallying 1201 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 9 interceptions (two returns for touchdowns), and 8 forced fumbles.

His role with the team remains undefined. "I don't think they brought me back to play special teams," Trotter noted. With the Eagles' linebacking corps thinned by injuries, Trotter may well see significant playing time, particularly if he performs at something close to his old level of excellence. At the very least, it will be interesting to see how Reid decides to use Trotter.

Not Bad. Not Bad at All.

2009-09-28T17:45:00.005-04:00

The Eagles thrashed a roadkill team in the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday. The thrashing was not unexpected. The Chiefs are just awful, perhaps as bad as last year's Detroit Lions (congratulations to the Lions on breaking their massive losing streak, by the way). Something would have been wrong if the Birds hadn't beaten them badly.

The bigger questions were whether the defense would perform and how Kevin Kolb would do. The answers to both questions, fortunately, were excellent. The defense swarmed, put a ton of pressure on Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassell, and bottled up the Kansas City offense. The Birds held Cassell to 14-18 and only 90 passing yards, while sacking him three times. They also held bruising running back Larry Johnson to 38 yards on 19 carries. "The main thing we needed to do was we needed to take [Johnson] out of the game," said safety Quintin Mikell. "That was our focus all week--kind of make them one dimensional."

More importantly, the blitz--missing against Drew Brees and the Saints last week--was back. "Everyone in there today, I guarantee you, was still thinking about what happened last week," said Mikell. "We don't want that to happen again, so we had to out there and...get our swagger back." Let's hope that the swagger--and aggressiveness--is back for good.

Kevin Kolb proved me wrong--I admit it. It does, indeed, appear that he has the ability to be a successful NFL quarterback. He went 24-34 foe 327 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception, making him one of only a handful of NFL quarterbacks to throw for more than 300 yards in his first two games as a starter. He hit moving targets, including a nifty 64 yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson in the first quarter, and Brent Celek had a bunch of catches for more than 100 receiving yards. Jackson and Celek have demonstrated that they are legitimate offensive threats.

Michael Vick played a few downs, and looked uncomfortable. He simply didn't look like he really wanted to be out there.

LeSean McCoy played his first game as a starter at running back after Brian Westbrook's ankle sprain prevented him from playing. McCoy had 84 rushing yards on 20 carries, did not lose the ball once, and scored a touchdown. He's still very young and very inexperienced, but he demonstrated that he has the basic tools to be a successor to Westbrook. With all of his injuries, I fear that Westbrook is about finished, so I tip my cap to the Eagles for being proactive and seeking out a successor to him in the draft.

The Birds are 2-1 going into the bye week. They play another bad team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in two weeks. Tampa is 0-3 and just benched its starting quarterback, Byron Leftwich, and they're in disarray. Andy Reid has indicated that he expects Donovan McNabb back for the Tampa Bay game, four weeks after breaking his rib. I have gained confidence in Kolb, as he has earned it, but given a choice between Kolb and McNabb remains a no-brainer. I would rather see McNabb out there leading the team, and he will be a welcome sight once he returns to action.

It Doesn't Look Like Tyler Walker is the Answer, Either

2009-09-27T12:19:00.004-04:00

Tyler Walker got his first prime time shot last night, coming into the bottom of the 9th inning in a 5-5 tie in Milwaukee last night. He promptly gave up a single to the lead-off hitter, and then the next hitter, Ryan Braun, hit a two-run walk-off homer to win the game. Walker faced two hitters and didn't get an out. "When one run is going to end the game, you've got to get that first guy out," noted Walker. "Then the pitch to Braun was not quite away, not quite down enough...Now I have to regroup and come back at them tomorrow."

Of course, the Phils shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. A costly 6th inning error by Jimmy Rollins cost two runs and permitted the Brewers to tie the game. Starter Kyle Kendrick pitched 4 innings and gave up three runs. He also balked and made a throwing error that cost him an unearned run. Jamie Moyer pitched 4 solid innings in relief of Kendrick, but he was the victim of Rollins' error and probably deserved a better fate.

Chase Utley, the usually dependable second baseman and number 3 hitter, is 1-13 this series, and appears to be pressing.

"I know some say it's in the bag," Charlie Manuel told his players after the game. "We ain't got a thing yet." How true. His bullpen is atrocious, and his hitters are pressing and not delivering when the team needs them to do so. His team appears to be complacent, because it demonstrates no sense of urgency. "I'm not [complacent]," said Manuel. "You'll have to go ask them. I talk to them every day, and I hadn't seen nobody tell me that. I'm not taking it for granted that we've got the division won. No. Not at all."

Let's hope that his players got the message, because time is now running very, very short.....

Is Tyler Walker the Answer?

2009-09-25T09:18:00.005-04:00

The Phils won in Milwaukee last night, 9-4. They ran up a lead that not even Brad Lidge could have blown (although Lidge didn't pitch), thanks to a 5-run inning in the 8th that included a 3-run homer by Jimmy Rollins (his 20th) of the season. The game marked the return of J. A. Happ, who pitched 5.1 solid innings in his second start since straining a rib cage muscle. The bullpen did a solid job, although Clay Condrey gave up two unearned runs in the bottom of the 9th to make the game closer than it should have been. The magic number is now 4 with ten games left to play.

Tyler Walker pitched the 8th inning last night. He struggled a little bit, but managed to get out of a jam without giving up a run. Walker may well be the best option for a closer that the Phillies have now, with Lidge as ineffective as he has been. Charlie Manuel was coy about the whole thing.

Chollie talked to reporters before the game, and the inevitable questions about who might close came up. One asked whether Tyler Walker might deserve a shot to close. "Yeah, I mean, that might be what we have to do," responded Manuel. "We'll see. Whatever we think. Whatever we want to do. I'll do that. We've got to win some games." When asked whether he would still stand by Lidge and Madson, he shrugged and said, "I don't know. You can call it whatever you want to call it." He reiterated his point that there weren't many available options. "If you look and se what our pitching situation is right now and who we have there, I mean, you know...."

Walker seems to be a viable option. He's been a closer before, posting 23 saves with the San Francisco Giants in 2005. He's been effective for the Phillies this year: He's held the other team scoreless in 23 of his 28 appearances, and opposing teams have batted only .215 against him. However, he nearly gave up a grand slam last night, when a long fly ball was caught on the warning track to end a major threat by the Brewers in the bottom of the 8th inning. Walker's problem is that he's effective, but not overpowering. He lacks a dominating out pitch like Madson's heater or Lidge's slider (when it's working).

The problem is that the other options aren't great. J.C. Romero remains injured, and has four saves in his career. He's a specialist against lefties and often will face only one or two hitters in an appearance. Chan Ho Park, out with a hamstring pull, has two saves in his career. Clay Condrey is not a closer. Brett Myers is hurt. That leaves a starter--either J. A. Happ or Pedro Martinez--as an option, but neither is suited to the role, and neither has much experience pitching out of the bullpen. Consequently, it's not known whether they have the ability to bounce back quickly after an appearance.

Thus, given the fact that neither Lidge nor Madson are effective as closers, Tyler Walker--shown in the photo above--seems to be the best choice by default. How he will perform in the role remains to be seen, but he can't do any worse than Lidge and Madson, who have 17 blown saves between them.

11 Blown Saves and Counting....

2009-09-24T08:17:00.006-04:00

Brad Lidge, also known as The Human Incendiary Device, got lit up like a Christmas tree last night, not only blowing his 11th save of the season, but also losing the game to the pesky Florida Marlins in the bottom of the 9th. Lidge came in with a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the 9th, promptly gave up a lead-off double, and ultimately gave up 3 more hits to blow the game. The Phils lost 7-6, wasting another decent but not overpowering effort by Cole Hamels and homers by Ryan Howard (his 42nd) and Raul Ibanez (his 33rd, tying his career high), as well as two RBI's by Hamels. Lidge is now 0-8, with a gruesome 7.48 ERA. And yet Charlie Manuel continues to trot this guy out there.

When the lead-off hitter hit his double and then advanced to third on a fly ball by the next hitter, I had an immediate sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, knowing that the the tying run was on third base with only one out, and because I just have no confidence at all in Lidge. Unfortunately, my fears were rapidly proved well-taken.

"Him and Madson, that's what we've got in the back end of the bullpen right now," explained Charlie. "He's struggling. At the same time, it's hard for us to close a game out. It's tough. It's kind of what we've got. I mean, I've got confidence in him. I keep running him out there. Hopefully he does the job. I pull like hell for him every time he goes out there, believe me."

I understand pulling like hell for him, but I don't understand the confidence. Lidge has demonstrated that he's not worthy of that confidence now. "It's frustrating," admitted Lidge. "I'm disappointed. They hit the ball tonight and did a good job. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get a chance to get something started again." I hope not. We can't afford it.

A little of Charlie Manuel's frustration crept through last night, which is no surprise. "The bottom line is, when you're winning going into the ninth, you have to win the game," he declared. "The big thing is we're not closing the game out. When you're leading going into the eighth and ninth, you're supposed to win a high percentage of those. I don't know exactly what the percentage is, but it's...damn high." The problem is that with Brett Myers, Chan Ho Park, and J. C. Romero all out injured, Manuel has few options available other than Madson and Lidge. Madson has not set the world on fire as a closer, either, so there really aren't many moves available to the manager. Perhaps it's time to give Sergio Escalona a shot, because he can't do any worse.

Manuel is, of course, absolutely correct about that. The problem is that with the 2009 version of Brad Lidge, it's not going to happen. The bottom line is that a team with no effective closer has almost no chance of succeeding in the post-season where pitching makes all the difference. I hate to admit that, but it's the truth.

As the regular season winds down with performances like last night's, I hold out little hope for the prospects of repeating as World Series champions.

And the Magic Number is Now 6....

2009-09-20T19:43:00.010-04:00

The Phils beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 yesterday in a rain-delayed game. A nearly two-hour rain delay cost Cliff Lee another win, as the rains came halfway through the fifth inning, and Lee was unable to return after the lengthy rain delay. Lee pitched four solid innings, giving up one run on five hits. Instead, Tyler Walker, who pitched two innings, got the win. In the process, the Phillies snapped Braves' rookie Tommy Hanson's scoreless inning streak at 19. They tagged Hanson for seven hits and four earned runs.

Lee didn't want to come out of the game, even after the delay. "I let them know I wanted to go back out there, but I'm not going to sit there and argue with them over it," he said. "I wanted to go out and they know I wanted to go out. They were saying it's not really worth the risk. We still won the game, so it doesn't really matter."

The bullpen did an excellent job. "We got some good work out of our bullpen," declared Charlie Manuel. "We got some good work our first night in here, and we got some good work today." Brad "Light 'Em Up" Lidge got his 31st save, but it was yet another shaky and unpredictable performance by him. Lidge gave up a walk to Brooks Conrad, who then advanced to second base as a result of Lidge's not watching him. Conrad then scored on Brian McCann's single. Lidge then retired the side by striking out Nate McLouth to notch the save, but by giving up the run to Conrad, his ERA puffed up to a really hideous 7.24, which is, by far, the highest ERA of any major league closer. It's not even close.

Shane Victorino was ejected in the second inning after arguing being called out while trying to steal second base. Although he only played two innings, at least it wasn't as a result of still being under the weather from a stomach virus that caused him to miss the two previous games. Carlos Ruiz, who sprained his wrist last week, missed another game, with Paul Bako doing the catching.

We also learned why Brett Myers hasn't appeared in a game in over a week. "He's got some soreness in the back of his shoulder," declared Ruben Amaro, Jr., the team's general manager. "We've been kind of protecting him. I guess he sustained it about eight or 10 days ago....He's scheduled to see (team physician) Mike Ciccotti on Tuesday to see of there is anything really serious about it. [The training staff] is saying it's a possible strain." Let's hope that it's not anything serious, as the Phillies will need a healthy and effective Myers int he post season.

The Marlins lost, meaning that the magic number is now 6. The Phils are off tomorrow, and then have a three game set against the Fish. If they sweep the series, it's over. Let's hope that the Phillies will be celebrating in Miami this week.

Defense? What Defense?

2009-09-20T16:13:00.007-04:00

With the combination of the death of defensive coordinator/guiding light Jim Johnson, and the departure of Brian Dawkins, the unquestioned leader of the defense, I have had serious concerns about the viability of the Eagles' defense all season. Once middle linebacker Stewart Bradley went down with a blown ACL early in training camp, the depth of my concern only grew. The defense played beyond my wildest expectations last week against the Carolina Panthers, and deceived me about how good the defense really is. Today, Sean McDermott's defense showed its true colors, and believe me, it wasn't pretty. Not pretty at all.

Today, the defense ran into the superb Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, and Brees ate them for lunch. The Birds lost really, really ugly today, 48-22. In many ways, they were their own worst enemies--they fumbled the second half kick0ff on their own 20 yard line, and New Orleans immediately took the ball in and scored. Kevin Kolb also had an interception returned 95 yards for a touchdown in the closing moments of the game. The defense was just atrocious. It allowed Brees to go 25/34 for 311 yards and 3 touchdowns, and gave up a total of 421 yards of offense. The defensive line got almost no pressure on Brees. He was sacked a couple of times, and knocked down a couple of times, but it wasn't enough to rattle a cool customer like Drew Brees. For a team that lives and dies by its defense, those numbers just are not acceptable.

"We're the team that we had last week," said safety Quintin Mikell. "This week, it's almost a game where you gotta watch the film, learn from it and move on. That's just not what we do around here. We were playing on our heels. We weren't playing aggressive. You can't do that against a good team. And they're a good team. They came out and they made a lot of good plays. But I feel like we're a good team too. We just didn't play our best game tonight." That's for absolutely certain. If that was their best game, it's going to be an ugly season.

Kevin Kolb did better than I might have hoped. He went 31/51 for 391 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. One of those touchdowns was a 71-yarder to DeSean Jackson in the first quarter, that happened when the Saints blew a coverage and Jackson found a seam and got free. The Eagles also made good use of the Wildcat formation during the first half, gaining some decent yardage with it, but as soon as the Saints got a lead, Marty Morninhweg stopped calling it and stuck with a conventional offensive set. Kolb showed some maturity in the wake of the loss. "There really are a lot of things I can learn from and do better at," he said after the game. "It's a shame." About his three interceptions, he said, "The last one is Hail Mary, the other two, they were bad throws. I left them inside. You can't do that on those routes. That's on the first page of the quarterback book. It upsets me that I made errors. To be fair, Kolb probably played well enough to earn another start next week if Donovan McNabb is not ready to go. The offense wasn't great--coughing up four big turnovers--but it wasn't terrible, either. I'm not particularly worried about the ability of the Birds to put points on the board, even though Brian Westbrook appears to have injured his ankle. In spite of it all, they will score plenty of points this season.

Andy Reid was very blunt in his assessment of the game. "An absolutely horrendous performance," he correctly stated. "We made too many mistakes. That's my responsibility. Wasn't right today, and phase of it...The first half, we had way too many penalties. We were lucky enough to keep it close. We came out in the second half and turnovers, penalties, and everything else. That's my responsibility. It's my football team. It's my job to make sure they play better than that." Let's hope he does so, and quickly.

I am very, very worried about the defense, or lack thereof. If they don't find a way to play more like they did in the season opener, when they had a slew of turnovers, it's going to be a VERY long and unpleasant season for the Eagles, and it's upon the shoulders of the coaching staff to turn this around and get the defense straightened out before next week's game, or it could be another long and unpleasant day again next Sunday.

The Dominating Cole Hamels is Back

2009-09-18T10:20:00.004-04:00

Cole Hamels pitched 8 dominating innings last night, giving up only four hits, one run, and one walk while striking out 10 and delivering an RBI single. The Phils won, 4-2, improving their record to 85-60. They now have a 7.5 game lead and their magic number is 10. They've won 8 of their last 10 games and seem to be on a roll. They are on a pace to finish with 95 regular season wins, which would exceed last year's World Series championship season mark by 3 (last year's team finished the regular season at 92-70). "That's why people come to see us play. We're an exciting team to watch," observed Jayson Werth of the team's 35th consecutive sellout last night. "We can play different styles at any point."

The starting pitching, in particular, has been absolutely superb for the past several weeks. He's 3-1 with a 1.43 ERA in his last 5 starts. Hamels has reduced his ERA from 4.78 to 4.07 as a result of three straight excellent outings, and appears destined to end the season with an ERA below 4.0 after hovering at or above 5.0 for most of the season. Hamels has gotten hot at just the right moment, as the team makes its stretch run for the playoffs and World Series.

The team seems to understand where things stand. "You have to enjoy it," said Hamels. "It's being out there. Knowing what's at stake. I bear down better." Indeed he has, and at just the right time of the season for it to really count.

Brad Lidge got his 30th save of the season by pitching the 9th inning. Lidge gave up a run after a triple that actually skipped off the glove of a diving Jayson Werth, playing centerfield after Shane Victorino left the game due to gastrointestinal distress. Other than that fluke hit, Lidge had strong stuff and seemed to be in command of it, which is a hopeful sign as the Phils head for the regular season finish line with 17 games left to play. "The last couple of outings have been real constructive," said Lidge. "I can definitely use a few more outings."

We can only hope that Lidge's turn-around is for real. He and Ryan Madson have combined for 16 blown saves this year, and it doesn't appear that Brett Myers is ready to close. "Watching him the three or four times we've run him out there, he's not quite ready," said manager Charlie Manuel of Myers. "He still has some problems at times...it's kind of like he's back in spring training. He's not 100 percent. He has soreness, which is kind of normal because he missed so much time. Right now, he's not ready to be turned loose." Although Manuel wouldn't rule out using Myers as a closer in the postseason, it's clear that he's not counting on him being available or ready. And so the Phillies will either sink or swim with Lidge.

Time will tell. The Phils now have 17 games in 17 days to close the regular season, with a series against the banged-up Atlanta Braves beginning tonight.

The Magic Number is 11.....

2009-09-16T22:11:00.004-04:00

The Phils came within one out of doing something that they haven't done in 40 years last night...Tyler Walker gave up a run in the top of the 9th inning, keeping the Phils from posting three straight shutouts for the first time since 1969. Instead, they won 6-1, behind 6 gritty innings by Joe Blanton, who ran his record to 10-7.

The Phils scored their first run on a double steal by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Utley stole home and Howard second. As an added benefit of his weight loss, the big fella has 7 steals this year; he had 2 in his career before this year. Utley also stole second base later in the game, giving him 21 for the season. Jayson Werth's breakout year continues, as he hit a grand slam in the 7th inning for his 34th homer of the season. He now has 88 RBI's and should finish with at least 90 for the season.

There's no glory in beating the incredibly woeful Nationals, who now have 95 losses for the season and seem a sure bet to lose at least 105 games this year. However, championship teams have to do well against the second division teams, and the Phils have feasted on the Nationals this year. They have one more to go against the Nats tonight. The Phillies are now 24 games over .500, tying their highest winning percentage of the season to date.

And the good news is that Clay Condrey was activated from the disabled list after a lengthy stay, and J. A. Happ will make his first start since September 2 on Friday night. The starting pitching has been spectacular for the last week. Greg Dobbs, the excellent pinch hitter and utility man, also returned from a lengthy stay on the disabled list yesterday, too. Things are really beginning to look up for the prospects for the postseason.

The bad news is that Chan Ho Park, who has been excellent since going to the bullpen, suffered a badly pulled hamstring last night when he felt something pop. He will be out indefinitely, and may very well miss the postseason as a result. He's been effective, and will be missed.

Goodbye and Good Riddance to Shawn Andrews

2009-09-16T09:07:00.009-04:00

Once upon a time, Shawn Andrews was an All Pro offensive lineman. A first round draft choice of the Eagles, Andrews turned out to be a real head case. It began last year, when Andrews missed a big chunk of the season battling depression and then having back surgery. When he did return to the team, Andy Reid shifted him from his natural position, guard, to right tackle, and he proved to be the linchpin of an improved offensive line. However, Andrews is flighty and mercurial, and he seems to be far more interested in becoming a hip hop artist than in playing football, more hipster than offensive force to be reckoned with. Andrews has posted several bizarre videos on YouTube, including an especially strange one called Get Your Michael Phelps On".

This summer, he claimed to be having back problems, and tweaked his back running wind sprints at training camp. Although he was medically cleared to play, Andrews claimed he was in too much pain to take the field, and that proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Yesterday, the Eagles placed Andrews on injured reserve for the season, meaning that his career with the Birds is probably over. "Despite receiving medical clearance from back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins late in the summer, Andrews was unable to overcome back pain to get on the field in the days leading up to the opening game of the regular season in Carolina," said a team statement. Read between the lines: Andrews was unwilling to play hurt. In a game where playing hurt is the norm--remember that Donovan McNabb once played an entire game on a broken leg--Andrews doesn't have the heart or the character to do so. A professional football team has no place for someone without the heart and commitment to do what it takes to win.

The fact is that the Eagles have a lot of trouble with the offensive line. With Andrews and Todd Herremans out, the offensive line is the team's biggest question mark. That the Eagles have washed their hands of Andrews under these circumstances plainly says that Andy Reid has had enough of Andrews and that he doesn't view him as worth tying up a roster spot. As columnist John Smallwood put it, "This is the Eagles throwing their hands in the air. This is Reid acknowledging he misread Andrews' commitment to the Eagles. It's cauterizing a wound before the body bleeds out. It's the right move. A football team cannot thrive with players like Shawn Andrews around. The bond in a locker room comes from each player believing that each of his teammates is willing to sacrifice for the whole."

Clearly, Shawn Andrews was not willing to make that sacrifice, and clearly, Andy Reid decided it was time to remove a cancer from the locker room, much as he did with Terrell Owens. Good riddance.

Jeff Garcia Redux

2009-09-14T21:36:00.004-04:00

With Donovan McNabb down with a broken rib, the Eagles surprised me yesterday and signed their former back-up quarterback, Jeff Garcia, who was cut by the Oakland Raiders last week. During his last stint with the Eagles, Garcia had a great run, leading the team into the playoffs after McNabb went down with a blown ACL. Garcia did a great job, and then left the team to seek greener pastures and a starting position, because he was not going to be the starter in Philadelphia once McNabb returned. He spent several years as the starting quarterback for the woeful Raiders, and was cut at the end of training camp this year. It looked like the end of the road for the 39-year-old Garcia. And then McNabb had a rib broken on a cheap shot after the play ended, and an opportunity for Garcia to resurrect his career arrived.

With Michael Vick not eligible to play this week, and the unproven and unimpressive Kevin Kolb scheduled to start this week, the team needed a back-up quarterback. The Eagles tried to re-sign A. J. Feeley, whom they cut last week, but Feeley had already signed with the Carolina Panthers and was not available. Given the terrible quarterback situation in Charlotte, I certainly can't blame Feeley for seeking out and getting the best deal he could, and I wish him well. He's always been a good guy and a capable back-up, and I hope he finds success with the Panthers.

So, with Feeley unavailable, the Eagles snapped up Garcia. The signing prompted a positive response from McNabb. "Adding Jeff Garcia to the roster is a great idea," wrote McNabb in a statement posted on his blog last night. "He knows our offense and how we do things around here. He's a great teammate, and I look forward to working with him again."

Andy Reid said, "Jeff's going to come on board with us for who knows how long here. We're lucky that Jeff was available. Someone who knows the offense, has been very, very successful in the offense, and can come in and also be a positive influence for Kevin Kolb and everyone else int he locker room. It's a unique situation because Michael [Vick] is suspended for a week and Donovan's banged up. So we don't know how long Donovan's going to be and at the same time we need a second quarterback in there if needed this weekend."

Garcia was his usual classy self. "I am excited to come back to the organization, not excited to come back due to Donovan's injury," he stated. "But I am looking forward to contributing any way I can, whether it's for a week or two weeks or the entire season." The truth is that I would really prefer to see Garcia as the starter this week than Kevin Kolb, because I have this sneaking suspicion that Kolb is never going to get any better than what he is now, which not very good at all. I hope I'm wrong about that, but Garcia at least is a proven commodity and a proven winner. Kolb is untested and unknown, and I have little faith in him.

Redemption Comes in Unpredictable Ways....

2009-09-14T19:34:00.005-04:00

Two Phillies pitchers found redemption yesterday as the Phightins eliminated the hapless Muts from any chance of making the postseason by taking both games of a double header.

In the first game, Kyle Kendrick, who played such an important role in the 2007 miracle finish and then was so disappointing last year that he didn't make the postseason roster, pitched a superb game in the first game of the doubleheader. Kendrick pitched into the eighth inning, mixing up his trademark sinker ball, cut fastball, slider, and change-up. He took a shutout into the eighth inning before giving up a two-run homer to first baseman Daniel Murphy, and he left to a standing ovation from the sell-out crowd. "It felt good," he said of the crowd's reaction. "The fans were a little hard on me when I was dealing with last year's struggles, but today was pretty special." He has returned a much more mature pitcher with an array of pitches at his disposal. He's only 25 years old and could enjoy success in the major leagues for years to come.

Of course, Brad Lidge nearly blew the game for Kendrick, giving up two runs in the top of the ninth in a real white-knuckle save. He hung on and the Phils won 5-4. I still can't get comfortable with the idea of Lidge being the closer going into the postseason, but we shall see. He claims he's almost where he needs to be in spite of his horrific ERA of more than 7.0.

Then, in the second game, the years peeled away and the Pedro Martinez of 1999 made an appearance. Pedro pitched 8 gritty, magnificent shutout innings in a 1-0 win, running his record with the Phillies to 5-0 (the team is 7-0 in games in which he has pitched), dropping his ERA to an excellent 2.87. Pedro threw 130 effective pitches in 8 full innings, and he dominated the hapless Muts. Charlie Manuel almost pulled Martinez in the 8th, when the Murphy got a lead-off double. With two outs and Murphy on second, Manuel came out. "I didn't like it, but Chase said 'He might get you. He might not get you.'" Utley asked Martinez "if I wanted the guy, and I said, 'Yeah, I want him.' Charlie asked me the same thing. So I convinced him to give me one more out."

"When I went to the mound, I was leaving him in anyway, because I liked him on their hitters," said Manuel. "Just looking in his eyes told me that he wanted him."

Martinez threw a nasty change-up in the dirt, which Carlos Ruiz blocked. Murphy unwisely took off for third base, and Ruiz made a perfect throw to gun him down. As shown in the photo above, Martinez clenched his fist and left to a loud standing ovation from the appreciative faithful, which had been loudly cheering him all evening. It was his 130th pitch, something he had not done since 2003.

"If I'm healthy, I feel like I am able to do anything anybody does," declared Pedro after the game. "I came here with the mentality that I came here in the last quarter of the season to help this team when it matters the most. And I think today was a good example of what really matters to this team." Right now, Martinez is making a very strong case for being included in the postseason rotation, and if he keeps pitching as well as he has been, it will be very difficult to leave him out of that postseason rotation.

Ryan Madson pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to nail down the save for Martinez, who was just superb last night. For one night, at least, the 37-year-old turned back the hands of time and looked like the ace that he was for so many years.

Kyle Kendrick and Pedro Martinez both found redemption agains the Muts last night. I'm happy for both of them.

The Phils now have a 6.5 game lead with 20 left to play. The magic number is 14.

A Good Start, But.....

2009-09-13T20:50:00.003-04:00

The Eagles started their season with an impressive 38-10 win over the Carolina Panthers today in Charlotte. Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme was booed off the field by the Carolina fans after a wretched performance of 7-17, with 4 big interceptions, including two by cornerback Sheldon Brown. Carrying on Jim Johnson's tradition, the defense's blitzes kept Delhomme off balance and wreaked havoc on the Carolina offense, prompting Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith to say, "Offensively, we just sucked. Let's be honest." The Birds' defense scored one touchdown with a fumble return, and shut down the Carolina offense. The Eagles held Carolina to 72 rushing yards and only 136 passing yards, with two quarterbacks combining for a bad 13-28 with 5 interceptions. DeSean Jackson had an incendiary 85 yard punt return for a touchdown.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that Donovan McNabb broke a rib on a third quarter touchdown run that put the Birds up 38-10 when he took a cheap shot after the play had already ended. The terribly unimpressive Kevin Kolb finished the game with a 7-11 performance for only 23 yards. It appears likely that McNabb may miss some time as a consequence of the broken rib, and the thought of Kolb starting at quarterback next week against New Orleans scares me to no end, as I am far from impressed by what I've seen from him so far in his career.

And so the Eagles begin the season with a dominating win on the road over a good Carolina team, but they may have lost their leader, McNabb, to a broken rib in the process. "Don is very resilient," declared Brian Westbrook, who had 64 yards on 13 carries, "He heals fast." Let's hope that Westbrook is right, because I just have no confidence at all in Kevin Kolb's ability to lead this team.

Looks Like Charlie's Finally Had Enough.....

2009-09-08T22:22:00.004-04:00

The opener of the Phils' series in Washington against the lowly Nationals was one of the stranger games in my recent memory. First off, the Phightins hit 5 solo homers tonight, scoring 5 runs. Raul Ibanez, who finally seems to have broken out of his long slump, hit 2. Jayson Werth had one, Chase Utley had one, and catcher Carlos Ruiz had the fifth. The Phils are now the 12th team in the history major league baseball with four players with 30 or more homers (Howard, Ibanez, Utley, and Werth), while Ruiz has raised his batting average to almost .260. Ruiz has been contributing lately.

Pedro Martinez gave Charlie Manuel another quality start in running his record with the Phillies to 4-0 with 6 1/3 solid innings. Brett Myers pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings, and then Charlie brought in Brad Lidge. And Lidge did his very best to blow the save opportunity, leaving after getting one out, hitting a batter, walking another, and throwing a wild pitch. When Charlie finally came and got Lidge, the bases were loaded with one out and 9th inning homer specialist Ryan Zimmerman coming up with the winning run on first base. Fortunately, Ryan Madson struck out Zimmerman and then induced cleanup hitter Adam Dunn to ground out to end the game. And so the Phils won 5-3 against the dreadful Nationals in a game that should not have been that close. The photo is of Ryan Madson accepting congratulations from Carlos Ruiz after bailing Lidge out of his mess.

"That's a tough call," said Manuel. "I have all the respect in the world for Brad. I know how good a closer he is, and I know how great he can be. I've still got all the confidence in the world in him. But I'm sitting there and I didn't have a very good feel about the game. And I made up my mind that I wanted to try Madson. Things will work out and be OK, but at the same it's real tough." No doubt--Manuel has undoubtedly been dreading this day's arrival all season. "Let me tell you something," he continued. "When I tell you he's my closer, I don't tell lies. I don't like to go back on nothing. But the team and the game is bigger than my heart and it's bigger than anything else, if you want to know the truth. Winning a game is what it's all about. It's baseball and why I manage and it's what comes first."

Before the game, Charlie Manuel gave the beleaguered Lidge a vote of confidence, and he was rewarded with yet another really dreadful performance by his erstwhile closer. I just can't help but ask myself--when is Charlie finally going to face the truth and recognize that Lidge has no business closing this year, especially when he has a healthy and very effective Brett Myers to call upon. Perhaps tonight was the final straw. I surely hope so.

The Pittsburgh Pirates

2009-09-08T15:33:00.009-04:00

I would be remiss if I did not at least acknowledge an all-time mark for futility set by the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday. The Pirates clinched their 17th consecutive losing season yesterday, meaning that the last time that they won anything--and they did win their division in 1992--Barry Bonds was still playing left field for them, and wasn't yet a juicer. That 17 year streak is a new major league record for futility. It's a very dubious honor at best.

I actually have a real soft spot in my heart for the Buccos. I lived in Pittsburgh from August 1983-May 1987, and I went to a lot of Pirates games. I was at opening night in 1986, which was great fun, although I froze my ass off that night. I had only a suit coat to wear, and it got MIGHTY cold long about the 7th inning. I saw R. J. Reynolds hit a lead-off homer off Doc Gooden as the Mets began their World Series run. In those days, the Pirates were atrocious, and nobody went to their games, so management came up with a great idea--every Wednesday night home game was Buck Night. It went like this: a buck to get in, a buck to park your car, and for a third buck, you got a Coke and a hot dog. Even on my extraordinarily limited student budget, that was an entertainment value. My roommate Al and I spent many an enjoyable Wednesday evening sitting in the cheap seats, smoking bad cigars and drinking warm Iron City, watching the Pirates lose game after game. I saw one of Barry Bonds' first games in the major leagues, and I was at Three Rivers Stadium the day Mike Schmidt hit his 500th homer off Don Robinson in the 9th inning of a game to win one for the Phightins.

Pitt's law school--my alma mater--stands on the spot where old Forbes Field stood. The next building over, called Forbes Quadrangle, has home plate imbedded in the floor where it would have been in the old stadium. The angle in the old wall in center field and the flagpole there still stand, and there used to be a brass plaque embedded in a parking lot marking the spot where Bill Mazeroski's 1960 World Series homer went out to beat the Yankees. I spent many an hour wandering around those spots while a student at Pitt, and as a baseball fan, it still thrills me to stand in some of those historic spots and think about all of the great players who also stood there.

I also remember some great rivalry games between the Phils and Pirates in the 1970's, when those two teams dominated the National League East for nearly an entire decade. I particularly remember the 1979 pennant race when old Pops Stargell and Dave Parker carried the team to its last world championship over a much better Baltimore Orioles team. I remember Kent Tekulve, and Manny Sanguillen, Jim Rooker, Rick Rhoden, Bruce "The Barber" Kison, and Bob "The Gunner" Prince, and especially Roberto Clemente, possibly the best right fielder to ever take the field.

I rooted for the Pirates when they were awful, and I enjoyed the success of their fine teams in the late 1980's and early 1990's, and I regret their lack of success today. This team is saddled with a tiny market, no budget, terrible ownership, and a lot of mediocre players. Unfortunately, they seem destined to continue to be awful, which is too bad. I'd love to see them at least break the .500 barrier last year, because as it stands, they've joined the true pantheon of epically bad baseball teams with this dubious honor they've just achieved.

I am Genuinely Concerned

2009-09-07T18:20:00.003-04:00

The Phillies' bullpen blew another one today, meaning that the Astros swept the series from the Phils. The Phillies should have taken two out of four from the 'Stros, and they have their bullpen to blame for the two losses.

J. A. Happ strained an oblique and was unable to go today, so Jamie Moyer got a start and gave the Phillies six quality innings, giving up only two runs on a homer by Hunter Pence. It was a quality start by true professional, who not only has been ready to go whenever called upon, but who has really pitched well since being bumped from the starting rotation in favor of Pedro Martinez.

The Phils scored three runs today. Ryan Howard drove in 2 of them, with a solo homer and an RBI single. Raul Ibanez, whose bat seems to be waking up after a hellacious slump, also had a solo homer, his 28th of the year, immediately after Howard's homer. Both Chase Utley and Shane Victorino played today despite being banged up, but Utley contributed nothing, going 0-4 with a strikeout, as his slump continues. Victorino went 1-5 and scored a run with a sore knee.

And then Chan Ho Park, who has been fairly reliable out of the pen, walked in the losing run in the 7th inning in a poor performance where he gave up 2 hits and 3 walks in just 1/3 of an inning, wasting Moyer's fine start and robbing the team of an opportunity to chalk up a win when it needed one. That's Park in the photo, reacting to his walking in the winning run. He should be disgusted with his awful performance today. Brett Myers pitched a shutout inning in a mop-up appearance.

I am genuinely concerned about two things: (a) the general lack of reliability emanating from the Phillies' bullpen and (b) the lack of meaningful offensive production. The combination of the bats going cold and the generally poor performances out of the 'pen mean that the relievers aren't holding the skinny leads they're being given, and then the offense sputters and cannot come from behind. It's cost the team at least three wins in the past seven days, and it's not acceptable.

I don't know what the solution is, but Ruben Amaro and Charlie Manuel need to figure it out much sooner than later. Not surprisingly, Charlie unloaded on his team after the game, and rightfully so. Let's hope that the message got through....

The Phils' lead has shrunk to 6 and the magic number remains stuck at 22. There are only 27 regular season games remaining for this team get itself straightened out and back on track.

That's 10 Blown Saves and Counting....

2009-09-05T22:34:00.003-04:00

Brad Lidge blew another save tonight, his tenth of the season, dropping his record to 0-7. The Phils took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the 9th tonight, and as I have come to expect, he not only blew the lead, he blew the game. That's now 10 blown saves by Lidge, plus another 5 by Madson. That's a staggering number.

To his credit, Lidge recognizes that his performance just won't do. "The slider that we've been working with, the control wasn't there," he said. "For whatever reason, I've had a hell of a time getting back into consistently repeating the delivery pitch after pitch after pitch." He is enough of a realist to know that the explanations, while insightful, are not enough. "Three good [games], one bad one. Three good ones, one bad one. That's not good enough." No, it certainly isn't, and the Phillies cannot afford ANY more bad ones from him.

Brett Myers pitched a solid inning in his first performance after his return from the disabled list, and he was rock solid.

The Phils simply cannot afford any more losses in the 9th inning. Now that Brett Myers is healthy and back, it's time for Charlie Manuel to give him a chance at closing, something he did well in 2007. The Phillies cannot afford any more of Lidge's meltdowns. I understand that closers have delicate mentalities, and I likewise understand that Manuel has stood by his man all season long out of necessity. However, he now has a real and viable alternative in Myers, and it's hight time that he avail himself of that choice. Ten blown saves by Lidge is more than enough and the team cannot afford an eleventh.

C'mon, Charlie. It's time. I understand loyalty, but it's time to make a change, because Lidge simply is not doing the job.

Pedro Delivers

2009-09-04T12:05:00.004-04:00

Well, the Phillies' bats are still quiet, but they delivered two runs last night against the National League's best pitcher, Tim Lincecum. Those two runs were enough.

Pedro Martinez needed only 87 pitches to get through 7 very solid innings last night. He gave up 5 hits and no walks, with 9 strikeout and only 1 earned run, a lead-off homer by Eugenio Velez. The Pedro Martinez who pitched last night looked like the Pedro Martinez of 1997--dominant, hard to hit, and efficient. "I flashed back to the good old times," Martinez said. "I don't have the power I used to have, but I always said it's not about power, it's about hitting your spots." Martinez dueled Lincecum pitch-for-pitch, hitter for hitter, and he was simply superb in improving his record to 3-0 with the Phillies, and lowering his ERA to a solid 3.52.

Lincecum had 11 strikeouts, and dominated the Phils for much of the game. "He reminds me a little bit of me, but he's twice as good as me at this time of my career," Martinez said of Lincecum. "It took me seven years to win a Cy Young." Lincecum made up a mutual admiration society for the old pro. "It's ridiculous how nasty his stuff still is," he said of Martinez. "When you watch him, it's obvious he knows what he's doing out there."

The Phils relied on a solo homer by Jayson Werth, his 30th of the season, adding to his career high, and a clutch double by Ryan Howard and some excellent baserunning by Chase Utley who scored from first on Howard's double to tally the game-winning run. Ryan Madsen pitched a solid 8th inning, and then Brad Lidge finished it--not before giving up a walk and a hit--in the ninth for his 28th save before a huge--sell-out--crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

The starting pitching continues to do as well as it has since the All Star Break, the Phils will stay in the hunt of things. "It goes without saying that we can beat people a lot of different ways," observed Werth. "Our starting pitching has definitely been upgraded. We've got some guys coming back, too, to bolster up the pen. We're going to be tough. We're going to be tough down the stretch. And hopefully when it gets down to the playoffs we'll be tough again this year." Utley sounded a similar note. "I think last year it showed in the playoffs that pitching and defense can win you a lot of games," he said. "You're not going to score every single night. You're bound to run into a tough pitcher occasionally. But if you have good pitchers on your side and play good defense, it's going to be a good game." Exactly correct on both counts. And, on top of it all, Brett Myers came off the disabled list yesterday after a very strong outing in relief with the Iron Pigs. The bullpen just improved.

Let's hope that their bats wake up soon, because if they do, the Phightins are going to be very tough to beat......

The Bats Have Gone Quiet

2009-09-03T19:16:00.002-04:00

For the past several games, an alarming season-long problem has become much more significant. All season long, the Phillies have stranded too many runners in scoring position, instead relying upon the long ball to win games. They got shut out 4-0 last night by Brad Penny, who came into the game with an ERA in excess of 5.0. The night before, they got Cole Hamels only one run. They've certainly had plenty of opportunities to score runs in these situations, but they have failed miserably to deliver in the clutch, stranding runner after runner in scoring position.

Again, this sort of impotence is going to make it really difficult for this team to repeat as World Series champions. It's very alarming, and it needs to end very soon. I don't know what can be done about it, but Chollie needs to do something to light a fire under these guys soon before they begin to fritter away that comfortable lead that they've built up.

What a Performance by Hamels

2009-09-01T21:41:00.003-04:00

Cole Hamels demonstrated that he meant business last night, pitching a complete game 1-0 shutout in which he gave up only two hits and one walk--the only baserunners for the Giants for the whole game--and had 9 strikeouts. Hamels needed less than 120 pitches to go the distance, and he was nothing short of spectacular.

This performance comes on the heels of his last start, when he pitched 8 shutout innings against Pittsburgh before the bullpen blew the game for him. He has shaved half a run off of his ERA in those last two starts, and he looks like the World Series MVP again. It's taken him a big chunk of the season to get on track, but if these last two outings are an indicator of what we can expect the rest of the way, a post-season rotation of Hamels, Cliff Lee, and either J. A. Happ or Joe Blanton looks very, very good from where I sit.

Keep up the good work, Cole.

I'm a little worried about the offense, which hasn't been managing many runs lately; the Phils have been winning with good pitching for the last week or so. The night's only run was the result of a Ryan Howard double (he actually had two doubles for the game), and that run stood up. The Giants are a good team--and a potential first round playoff opponent--and the Phillies had better start scoring runs again if they hope to have a chance to win the whole thing again.

All things considered, though, I can't be too unhappy with a win after a performance like the one that Cole Hamels gave last night.

Comparing Teams

2009-09-01T09:09:00.002-04:00

Since the Phillies appear to be headed toward their third consecutive National League Eastern Division championship, it brings back memories of the 1976-1978 edition of the team, which also won three straight division championships. I think it makes for an interesting comparison.

The 1976 and 1977 editions of the Phillies each won 101 regular season games, the best regular season records ever posted by any Phillies team. The 1978 team slipped to 90-72, but still won the division by 1.5 games. That run, wherein the Phillies posted a combined record of 292-194, was the best in the history of the franchise. Many say that the 1977 team was the finest that the franchise has ever fielded. Of course, they suffered an epic meltdown during the first round of the playoffs and were eliminated by a Dodgers team that was clearly not the better team. As great as those Phillies teams were, they never reached the World Series.

The current incarnation of the Phils went 89-73 during the regular season and then went 92-70 in 2008. This year, they are on a pace to finish the season at 95-67, which would give them a three-season combined record of 276-210. From a wins and losses standpoint, the current incarnation does not appear to be as good as the mid-1970's edition of the team, but for one major factor: the 2008 team is the defending world champion, while those mid-1970's teams never made it to the big dance.

From a personnel standpoint, the 1970's edition featured names that are now legendary in Phillies' lore: Mike Schmidt, the Hall of Fame third baseman often considered the greatest to play his position; Steve Carlton, the Hall of Fame hurler who won 329 games and four Cy Young Awards in his storied career and was one of the finest left-handed pitchers to ever toe the rubber; Tug McGraw, the Irish sprite who saved game after game; fiery shortstop Larry Bowa, Garry Maddox, the gazelle-like centerfielder, Greg "The Bull" Luzinski, the power hitting but immobile left fielder; Bob Boone, the superb defensive catcher who had some pop in his bat, and others. Those Phillies teams were just loaded with talent.

The current edition features second baseman Chase Utley, who is well on is way to a fifth straight season of 100 RBI's or more; first baseman Ryan Howard, the "Big Piece", who reached 200 career homers faster than any player in the history of the game; shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who already has one MVP to his credit, and who plays superb defense in addition to being the engine that makes the team run; emerging star right fielder Jayson Werth, Cliff Lee, like Carlton a lefty who gets people out, and Cole Hamels, who could be great.

From a talent standpoint, I think I like the current edition of the team better. It's more balanced, and it features some truly gifted young players. Utley, Howard, and Werth probably haven't even reached their potential yet, and certainly are in the prime of their careers. The point is that with judicious monetary management by the front office, these Phillies could be competitive for years to come. The 1970's team had its last hurrah in 1980 when, driven by Pete Rose, the Phils won the franchise's first world championship. In 1981, they lost all of their momentum with the unfortunate players' strike, and they were never the same again. Let's hope that nothing similar happens to the current edition of the team.

The Phillies by the Numbers

2009-08-31T14:54:00.003-04:00

Courtesy of The Zo Zone on Facebook, here are the Phillies by the numbers:

Hitting

The Phillies lead the National League in scoring with 665 runs, despite playing at least two fewer games than most teams in the league. They are averaging 5.20 runs per game. No other team has averaged more than 4.99 runs per game.
The Phillies lead the league with 185 home runs. The Rockies are second with 153.
Despite those home runs, the Phillies rank just eighth with 925 strikeouts. That's a strikeout every 5.46 plate appearances, which ranks seventh.
Their 1.08 groundball-to-flyball ratio is last in the league.
Their five bunt hits are last in the league.
They take 57.4 percent of their pitches, which is the second highest percentage in the league. They put 18.4 percent of their pitches in play, which is tied for ninth. The swing at only 20.9 percent of their first pitches, which is the lowest percentage in the league.
They are last in singles with 684, but first in extra-base hits with 463.
That explains why they are tied for 10th in hitting (.259) and eighth in on-base percentage (.336), but are first with a .452 slugging percentage.
They are fifth in the league with 3.86 pitches per plate appearance.
They are fifth with 89 stolen bases, but first with an 8.17 stolen base percentage. They have stolen third base 17 times, which is tied with the Diamondbacks for the league lead.

Pitching

Their 4.15 ERA is sixth in the league.
Opponents have hit .263 against them, which is eighth.
They are sixth with 34 saves. They are tied for fifth with 18 blown saves. Their 65.4 save completion percentage is seventh.
Their 150.7 pitches per game are fourth.
Their 12.61 baserunners per nine innings are seventh fewest. Their 7.07 strikeouts per nine innings are ninth. Their 3.13 walks per nine innings are second fewest. Their 1.23 homers per nine innings are second worst.

Fielding

The Phillies have 60 errors. Only the Pirates (55) have fewer.
Their .987 fielding percentage ranks third.

All things considered, not too bad. Not too bad at all. The obvious weakness continues to be the bullpen, and, in particular, Brad Lidge. Lidge, however, looked sharp last night after an excellent performance by first Joe Blanton and then by Scott Eyre, who inherited a bad situation from normally reliable set-up man Ryan Madson.

It's No Fun When the Muts Suck as Badly as They Do This Year

2009-08-30T20:46:00.002-04:00

In 2007, the Muts blew a 7 game lead with 17 left to play. They came into spring training last year claiming that they were the team to beat in the National League, and the Phils again surged from behind to catch them last year. Of course, the Phillies won the World Series last year. Phillies starter Cole Hamels said it all last winter when he declared, "For the past two years they've been choke artists."

This spring, after signing Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez as their closer, the Muts were yapping again. "Of course, we're going to try to win the division. Of course, we're going to be the front-runner. Of course, we're going to be the team to beat," he boasted. "I don't want there to be a controversy or the other ballclubs in that division to take it personally or take it in a bad way. If they ask me, 'Oh, which ballclub is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the Mets. Easy question."

The Muts, of course, are 59-72 and 17 games behind the Phils, firmly entrenched in fifth place in the National League East Division. They can take consolation that they are better than the horrifically bad Washington Nationals, but that's about it. They have had injury after injury, and most recently, lost ace Johan Santana for the rest of the season to elbow surgery.

The Mets have sucked so badly for most of the season that you haven't heard any yapping out of them. They've been smart enough to keep their big yaps shut. The Phils have a large and comfortable lead and will have to work hard to blow it. I have to admit, though, that it's been more fun watching the Muts melt down the last two years. Too bad that they won't get a chance to do so again this year.

McNabb and Vick

2009-08-29T14:21:00.003-04:00

Thursday night's sloppy win over the Jacksonville Jaguars featured Michael Vick's debut with the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick appeared in six plays. He completed four passes, with the longest completion being for 13 yards. His debut surely didn't live up the massive hype that led up to the kickoff.

Donovan McNabb, on the other hand, threw for 244 yards in less than three quarters of playing time, including four completions to prized rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. It also does not appear that Donovan is terribly excited with the whole Michael Vick Wildcat formation thing. When asked if he thought that the Wildcat formation disrupted the rhythm of the offense and whether the offense needed to get back to basics during the first half of the game with Jacksonville: "Absolutely, Absolutely," McNabb said. "I did. In that situation, it's needed." McNabb apparently demanded that the experiment be curtailed due to the disruption to the offensive flow, and Reid went along with it. That does not bode well for a rosy relationship between the hyper-competitive Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Even if they keep Vick, that raises a different set of questions about whether Kevin Kolb really is the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb, or whether Vick will now be appointed the heir apparent.

Andy Reid has said that Vick will get a few snaps at quarterback in more conventional formations during this week's final pre-season game with the Jets.

The good news is that, for the first time in years, it looks like the Eagles have an abundance of offensive threats at the wide receiver position. The duo of DeSean Jackson and Maclin looks like it's going to be a very effective one that gives the Birds two legitimate deep threats, with sure-handed Kevin Curtis doing what he does so well as a possession receiver. I look forward to seeing how this trio fares when it counts. It also means that Hank Baskett and Reggie Brown are now trade bait, since they may not be needed once the regular season begins.

The down side is that while Shawn Andrews is finally ready to begin playing, the rest of the offensive line remains plagued with injuries. Fortunately, Reid has a great deal of confidence in his back-up guards, because I suspect that they're going to see a lot of playing time this year. Time will tell.

There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered:

1. How will the Eagles defense handle losing Jim Johnson?

2. How will the Eagles defense handle losing middle linebacker Stewart Bradley for the season?

3. How will the Eagles defense handle losing spiritual and emotional leader Brian Dawkins?

4. Will the offensive line gel?

5. How is Brian Westbrook's surgically repaired knee? Will he be the same offensive triple threat that he has been for his entire career?

The answers to these questions, of course, won't be known until the end of the season. We time will tell.

And Yet Another Blown Save...

2009-08-27T09:19:00.004-04:00

Last night's blown save du jour was courtesy of Ryan Madson, who wasted a superb performance by Cole Hamels. Hamels pitched 8 strong, shutout innings with 7 strikeout and only 2 walks (one of which was intentional), and had excellent command of a fastball that consistently reached 95 mph. With the Phils ahead 1-0 (thanks to a solo homer by Chase Utley in the first inning), Charlie Manuel brought in Madson to save it for Hamels, and Madson promptly gave up a pinch hit homer to tie the game.

Fortunately, Ryan Howard hit a three-run long tater in the top of the 1oth to win the game for Madson, but it meant that Hamels ended up with a n0-decision to show for that superb performance. "The Big Piece was right on time," declared Charlie Manuel, who recently revealed that he refers to Howard as The Big Piece. "He was running from behind, but caught up at the end. The Big Piece is all right, especially when he hits three-run bombs."

It was Madsen's 5th blown save of the season. "I think Madson can close," said Manuel. "I know he can close. It's kind of Lidge. Get in a groove and get going." In the meantime, Brett Myers had a strong outing in Reading last night, striking out five in two innings. He could be a real plus for the bullpen at just the right moment.

"I'm not really trying to force it," said Hamels. "The stuff that I've had, it's gotten me to the big leagues. It's gotten me to have success. Why do I have to try to be better or expect more out of myself when I was able to get the job done pretty well with the stuff that I normally have? I have the stuff to be here. I have the stuff to succeed. I have the stuff to succeed in the postseason. Why was I getting carried with trying to be somebody else I'm not. Even with the stuff I have, it's pretty good. I don't think Mark Buehrle went out and tried to be even better when he threw a perfect game. He just threw a game and it became a perfect game." Let's hope that this revelation means that the Cole Hamels we've come to expect is back, and just in time. A postseason rotation of Cliff Lee, an effective Cole Hamels, and either Joe Blanton or J. A. Happ will be tough to beat.

Let's hope that Hamels has turned the corner.

Not Just a Blown Save, but a Blown Game

2009-08-26T12:51:00.008-04:00

Brad Lidge did it again.

He squandered a lead by giving up first the tying run to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates in the bottom of the 9th last night, and then gave up a walk-off, game-winning homer to Bucco centerfielder Andrew McCutchen. That's now 9 blown saves for Lidge, whose ERA was re-inflated to a gruesome 7.33, by far the worst ERA of any major league closer. In the process, he blew a remarkable comeback by the Phils, who scored two in the top of the 9th on a double by pinch hitter Ben Francisco and a Shane Victorino muffed fly ball that turned into a triple that gave the Phightins a 4-3 lead, as well as two solo homers by Jimmy Rollins (including a lead-off homer to start the game). In the process, Lidge squandered a solid start by Joe Blanton, who didn't have his good stuff but still pitched 6 solid innings.

For once, Lidge was honest last night. He spoke of being tired after pitching in four straight games, and acknowledged, too late to do any good for the team, "I didn't have anything on the ball tonight." For once, Charlie Manuel seemed to be entirely at a loss for words. Perhaps he has finally realized that Lidge is not going to turn it around this year. Perhaps he has finally realized that Lidge is not going to be the answer to the Phils' problems.

Brett Myers is nearly ready to return, and his velocity has been up around 94 mph, which makes for an overpowering fastball. Chan Ho Park has been truly outstanding since being sent to the bullpen. J.C. Romero has the stuff to be an effective closer. Perhaps the time has come to give one of these guys a chance to close, because the Phillies simply cannot afford any more blown saves by Lidge. At this point, I can't help but wonder if the Phillies shouldn't leave Lidge off the post-season roster, because I can't imagine him closing in the World Series the way he's going.

And Billy Wagner is a now a member of the Boston Red Sox. While a return to Philly by Wagner would have been less than an ideal situation--Wagner said he would not waive his no-trade clause to allow it--he certainly couldn't do any worse than Lidge, reconstructed pitching elbow and all. Wagner is no longer an option, which can only benefit the Red Sox. While I admire the job that Ruben Amaro, Jr. has done as general manager, he should have claimed Wagner off waivers and given it a shot.

SOMETHING has to change....

Vick to Play on Thursday Night

2009-08-25T19:37:00.002-04:00

Andy Reid has stated that Michael Vick will see his first playing time as an Eagle during Thursday night's pre-season game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He said that Donovan McNabb and the rest of the starters would play the first three quarters and that Kevin Kolb would play the fourth quarter. That means that Vick will NOT line up as quarterback. Thus, it appears that the only time that we will see Vick is when Andy decides to trot out the Wildcat formation.

When Andy was asked about what he expected of Vick's performance, he said, "I can only go off what I've seen in practice and it looks like he's been moving around pretty good. Again, it pretty much has been two years, so we'll see how it works out. We'll give him a couple shots in there and see what he can do."

I remain vehemently opposed to the whole idea of Michael Vick even being a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but nobody asked my opinion before he was signed. And so he will occupy a roster spot. If he's going to take up a roster spot, let's hope that he (a) makes some positive contributions to the team's success and (b) keeps his nose clean and doesn't do anything stupid along the way. If he does both, perhaps I might gain some respect for him.

Burying the Muts

2009-08-24T17:51:00.005-04:00

After another absolutely stellar performance by Cliff Lee today, the Muts are now 57-68 and 16.5 games out of first place. Their lineup today featured the team's homer leader, Fernando Tatis, who has 6 homers this year. Cliff Lee raised his record with the Phils to 5-0, and dropped his National League ERA to a miniscule .68 after giving up only 2 unearned runs in 7 strong innings today. The Phils are now 72-50 and 7 games ahead of the second place Braves.

Best of all, Brad Lidge seems to have righted himself. He's now gone four straight outings without giving up an earned run, and has shaved half a run off his still-bloated ERA. If that's true, it couldn't have happened at a better time.

Ryan Howard blasted 2 homers today, including a three-run shot to the opposite field in the first inning. He now has 34 homers and 104 RBIS, and the big fella is on a real tear. He became only the second Phillies player ever to have four straight seasons of at least 30 homers and 100 RBI's; only Hall of Famer Chuck Klein had accomplished that feat before Howard topped the 100 RBI plateau today. Again, Howard's hot streak couldn't have happened at a better time.

Raul Ibanez had an RBI double today, and hopefully, that will be the beginning of the end of his protracted slump. If all goes according to script, the Phils will finish the season with four players with 30 or more homers (Howard, Ibanez, Werth, and Utley) and three with 100 or more RBI's (Howard, Uteley and Ibanez). Only a handful of teams have ever had four players with 30 or more big flies, so that would be a real plus for the Phils.

Now, it's off to Pittsburgh for a three-game set with a very bad Pirates team. The Phils can put some more distance between them and the rest of the division at the expense of the rebuilding Buccos.

A Wild and Wacky Win

2009-08-23T18:29:00.004-04:00

First things first: any win over the New York Muts is a good win. Let's begin with that as the overarching premise. The Phillies beat the Muts 9-7 today, meaning that they are now 21 games over .500 and now enjoy a 6.5 game lead over Atlanta. The Muts, who were bragging about being the team to beat in spring training, are 10 games under .500 and are now 15.5 games out of first place.

Pedro Martinez went to 2-0, beating his old team. Martinez went six innings, giving up four runs, including an inside-the-park home run. Once again, the Phillies lit up Oliver Perez like a Christmas tree, including homers by Jayson Werth, who continues to be on a tear and how has 29 homers, and catcher Carlos Ruiz, who has hit homers in back-t0-back games.

The game also featured a typically nail-biting save by Brad Lidge, who gave up a run. This time, though, it was not Lidge's fault--the Phils made 2 errors behind him in the bottom of the 9th. Ryan Howard made a three-base error on the lead-off hitter, and then nearly completely useless Eric Bruntlett then kicked a ground ball that brought in a run. The next hitter, Daniel Murphy, got an infield single, and it looked like Lidge was going to blow another save.

And then the useless Eric Bruntlett--playing because Charlie Manuel gave Chase Utley a rare day off--did something VERY useful--he turned what was 15th unassisted triple play in the history of major league baseball, and only the second one to end a game. With Angel Pagan on second base and Murphy on first, Jeff Francouer hit a scorching line drive to Bruntlett, who snagged the liner, stepped on second base to double Pagan, and then chased down and tagged Murphy out for an unassisted triple play (second baseman Mickey Morandini was the only other Phil to do so, in 1992) to end the game. A frustrated Francouer slammed his helmet and bat to the ground at the plate. The photo is of Bruntlett tagging out Murphy to end the game.

"Frenchy hit it on the screws," Murphy said. "It happened so fast there was nothing I could do."

"What a bizarre ending. I don't know what happened there. The game's over, so I'm happy with that," Lidge said. "That was pretty exciting. That's definitely not the way you draw it up."

"Even with the runners going I did not expect him to be there. The only place he could catch the ball was where he was," Francouer said. "To end the way it did was a little disheartening."

And with that, Brad Lidge earned his 25th save and didn't give up an earned run for the third straight appearance. Perhaps he's finally starting to find some consistency. If so, it couldn't happen at a better time.

Bruntlett remains almost completely useless, although he did get 3 hits today, raising his awe-inspiring batting average all the way to .154. However, he does deserve kudos for turning the unassisted triple play to end the game. Good for you, Eric Bruntlett. You still have no place on a major league roster, but at least today, you earned your paycheck.

It's a Good Thing It Was Just a Preseason Game....

2009-08-20T21:57:00.002-04:00

It's an awfully good thing that tonight's game between the Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts was just a preseason game, and didn't count for anything, because the Birds looked positively awful tonight. For one thing, not one of the starting offensive lineman played a snap tonight. Four of the five are injured. We're now two games into the preseason schedule, and the starting offensive line has yet to play together under game conditions. I am extremely concerned that they will start the season that way, which would not be good.

For another, fullback Leonard Weaver left the game with an injured knee in the first half, and I have no idea how serious that injury might be. The Eagles are really counting on Weaver, so his injury is a significant concern.

The defense looked a little shoddy in the first half. A blown coverage in the defensive secondary led to a 74 yard touchdown pass by Peyton Manning, and the Colts marched right down the field and scored on their first possession, meaning that the Eagles were down 14-0 before they knew what happened to them.

The offense fumbled on its first possession, but McNabb did engineer a nice touchdown drive that led to a 28-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, who split a seam in the Colts' zone for a nice scoring play. That, at least, was most promising.

All things considered, it wasn't an impressive performance by the Eagles against a very good Colts team. There are plenty of reasons to be concerned.

2009-08-19T18:23:00.002-04:00

John Gonzalez of the Inquirer made a very interesting point in his column in today's paper. He points out that Charlie Manuel is keenly aware of the questioning of why he continues to stand by Brad Lidge as his closer after Lidge's inconsistency this year, but that Chollie really has no alternative but to use Lidge. Lidge has a major league-leading eight blown saves this year, only six away from the major league record. The bottom line is that, with Brett Myers still on the disabled list and J.C. Romero out, there really are no other options available. Since Ryan Madsen was even worse than Lidge as closer, Manuel really has nobody else to turn to.

He's very much aware that unless Lidge turns it around, or the Phillies find another closer (such as Billy Wagner), the Phillies will be in serious, serious trouble come October. Charlie's heard the questions coming from the likes of me. "I'm trying to find out what those options are," said Chollie. "I get a lot of help--suggestions." That's probably true--there are plenty of armchair quarterbacks like me out there.

So, the Phillies either need to get busy trying to find someone like Billy Wagner to take over the role of the closer, or they just need to suck it up and hope that Lidge gets his act together and becomes effective for the first time this season. Hey, a guy can hope, right?

Brilliant. Just Brilliant.

2009-08-18T22:50:00.002-04:00

Just when I had written Jamie Moyer off, he was magnificent tonight. Pedro Martinez started and pitched three good innings before a long rain delay came along. Rather than try to send Martinez out there after that long rain delay, Charlie Manuel instead sent Jamie Moyer to the mound, and Moyer was brilliant tonight Just brilliant.

He threw six shutout innings, giving up just two hits and no walks. He had four strikeouts, and had the Arizona Diamondbacks in his back pocket. Moyer got his 11th win, and was just brilliant tonight, once again proving that someone who knows the art of pitching can win in the major leagues with an 80 MPH fastball that probably wouldn't break a pane of glass.

I have to tip my cap to Jamie Moyer tonight. The consummate professional, he was ready when called upon, and he performed magnificently when he got his chance. Nice work, Jamie. Thank you for a clutch performance when the team really needed you to step up.

Rookie of the Year?

2009-08-17T12:24:00.003-04:00

J. A. Happ continues to make a strong case to be the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year. He's now 9-2 with a very respectable 2.66 ERA. Last night, even though Happ didn't have his best stuff--he issued six walks and hit a batter--he still held the Atlanta Braves to a single run in 7 2/3 innings pitched. Happ has now had 15 starts since joining the rotation at the end of May, and he's been the Phillies most consistent starter since then. He's beaten some of the best teams in the National League, including a shutout of the Rockies. Without his 9 wins, the Phils would not be in first place, and he's been critical to stopping some of the losing streaks that the Phillies have endured this year.

It's easy to see why the Toronto Blue Jays were so insistent on Happ being included in any deal for Roy Halladay, and it's likewise easy to see and understand why Ruben Amaro was so insistent that he hang on to Happ. Personally, I'm glad that the deal fell through, that the Phils kept Happ, and that they got Cliff Lee instead.

Each time he goes out to pitch, Happ makes a stronger and stronger statement about being named the National League's Rookie of the Year. He could end up with as many as 15 wins before it's all said and done if he continues to pitch as effectively as he has.

Billy Wagner Redux?

2009-08-15T00:53:00.002-04:00

Mets reliever Billy Wagner, the former Phillies closer, is about to come off the disabled list about a year after having Tommy John surgery on his left arm. He has been overpowering during his rehab appearances, but the Muts have Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez as their closer, and there is no room for two closers. Apparently, the Muts will be shopping Wagner, who has one more year remaining on his contract.

Although Brad Lidge got a save against the Braves on Friday night, it was another typical Mitch Williams/Brad Lidge save--he gave up a walk, a stolen base and a hit before finally getting the third out. Given Lidge's lack of reliability, I think that the Phillies would be well-served in at least scouting Wagner and seeing if he might be the solution to their bullpen woes. Wagner will certainly have a better chance of winning a World Series in Philadelphia than he ever will in New York.

Wagner, of course, has been the subject of lots of booing in Philly since leaving town, rightfully so. It could be interesting to see him return.....

More on Michael Vick

2009-08-14T20:13:00.008-04:00

I remain absolutely flabbergasted that the Eagles signed Michael Vick. Stunned.

I'm even more stunned that Donovan McNabb advocated for him. I hope it works out. From today's edition of Philly.com:

New Eagles quarterback Michael Vick returned to the NFL with his introductory press conference at a jam-packed NovaCare Complex auditorium, meeting with the local and national media.

“I’m glad to have an opportunity at a second chance and I won’t disappoint,” said Vick, wearing a pinstriped suit and flanked by coach Andy Reid and adviser Tony Dungy.

Outside the gates, there were about 50 people, many protesting but others supporting Vick. One man has a put bull, wearing a No. 7 Falcons jersey.

Vick struck several themes, in which he expressed contrition, and called being in position to return to the NFL "a surreal feeling."

* “It was a point in my life before I was even convicted or before the allegations even came out that I knew it was wrong and I felt it was wrong," Vick said. "Just when I was trying to turn the corner, it was too late. Everything happens for a reason. There’s a reason I was sent to Kansas, a reason I was convicted. I was conscious of that fact. To this day, I have to deal with that shame and embarrassment.”

* “We all used the excuse that it was part of our culture. I don’t think that is an excuse. I was abiding by that rule at the time. When I went to prison, I had plenty of time to think about what I did. Saw people’s reaction … Now I understand people care about their animals, their health, their welfare, the protections of their animals. Now I do.”

* “I was wrong for what I did. Everything that happened at that point in time was wrong. I can’t understand why I was involved to this day … I was a naive to a lot of things. If I can help more animals than I can hurt then I have contributed and I have done my part.”

* "I now know playing in the NFL is a privilege and not a right. I want to do whatever is necessary and be the best ambassador to the NFL and in the community."

Vick also said he would contribute to the community and make a "conscious effort" to continue his work with the Humane Society.

“My actions will speak louder than my words, to be proactive, involved in community. People will see that in due time. I have been working with the Humane Society, working with certain inner cities and communities to make sure we attack the problem.”

Owner Jeffrey Lurie, an acknowledged dog lover, had some harsh comments for Vick’s actions, calling them horrific and not meeting the basic standards of human decency. Lurie made a 14-minute opening statement, detailing his feelings.

"His legend, he will be successful if he can diminish the level of animal cruelty and that's it," Lurie said. "If he is not proactive, he will not be on the team, because that is part of the agreement."

Lurie also tried to look forward. He described a lot of soul searching and a long meeting with he and Vick. Lurie said it was the first he had been so involved in the process of signing a player.

“My hope as we go forward is Michael will prove his value in society,” Lurie said. “Whether he becomes a good football player again, it’s possible. He’s got an opportunity to become a good member of society. That’s the goal here.”

Vick, who has not played in an NFL game since December 2006, is expected to practice with the Eagles for the first time tomorrow. He is eligible to play in the third preseason game against Jacksonville. His regular season debut is still up in the air, pending review by comissioner Roger Goodell. It could come as late as Week 6.

“I’ve been away from game for two years. Have to crawl before I can walk," Vick said. "I can’t imagine trying to be a starter for a football team. As much God-given ability as I have, I don’t think I could do it. I think I could, but wouldn’t want to risk it. I need time to get my feet wet ... I thought this was a perfect scenario, a perfect situation to learn from Donovan [McNabb] … I want to get with Coach Reid and Donovan and become a complete quarterback.”

Vick said he has tested his physical skills, although it will take time to get acclimated.

“I am ready to go," Vick said. "I stayed in shape, did all the things to keep up my physical physique. It was hard when I was away, but last two months, I have done the things to maintain my weight, my build, my speed. I think I have tested the waters and I feel great.”

Vick was asked about the reaction he expected from the fans.

“Hopefully, it’s positive … Fans expect a lot of the players. We have to put on a great performances, put on a how and ultimate winning games. Sometimes they’re good to you, sometimes they’re not so good. That is part of the game, that is part of this business.”

Reid struck on the theme of second chances, as he did after last night’s game.

“The majority of the public wants Michael to do well,” Reid said.

As for joining the Eagles, Dungy expressed that Vick was in the right place. He said he would be available to help Vick and the Eagles in whatever way he was asked.

“I am really happy that things turned out this way,” Dungy said. “I am proud of the Philadelphia Eagles. I know they didn’t do this as a charity measure … They also stepped out to give a man a second chance and I think that is important. I think this is going to work out great. I didn’t think he could be with a better organization … Have a great support system here in place for him.”

Asked why he landed with the Eagles, Vick said: “I know everyone is thinking why Philadelphia. It’s a flagship organization, great tradition, great staff, a winning team. They have a great team in place and want to be a part of that … I want to give the team every opportunity to win a Super Bowl. I’m considering this my first year, just trying to fit in wherever I can and get acclimated and do whatever I can to help this team succeed and reach the Super Bowl.”

Vick's former team, the Atlanta Falcons, issued a brief statement: “Michael is going to a first-class organization and will receive tremendous support from Eagles Chairman/CEO Jeffrey Lurie, Team President Joe Banner, Head Coach Andy Reid and Quarterback Donovan McNabb. Michael has been given a good opportunity to restart his career in the NFL, and we wish him well.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released this statement: "I have said several times in recent weeks that I want Michael to be one of the NFL's success stories as an individual and as a football player. I believe he can accomplish both goals with the Eagles organization which has done an outstanding job in the community and on the field these last 15 years under the direction of owner Jeffrey Lurie. I know the Eagles will provide strong support but, ultimately, Michael’s success is up to him and the decisions he makes."

The Eagles have always said that they are about character, and that being about character sets them apart from the rest of the National Football League. They can no longer claim that moral high ground, and that saddens me most of all.

Back-Up Quarterback Issues

2009-08-13T17:17:00.008-04:00

Kevin Kolb injured his knee over the weekend, another of the many injuries that the Eagles have sustained already this training camp. Kolb's injury is particularly worrisome, because if something happens to Donovan McNabb, Kolb at least knows the system and can step in and run the offense. So far as I know, other than third-stringer A. J. Feeley, there isn't another quarterback on the roster who really knows the system. Kolb won't be out all season, or so they say, but right now, they need another quarterback with only Feeley available.

The Birds have signed former Temple quarterback Adam DiMichele yesterday. He is an undrafted rookie who didn't make the team coming out of spring workouts. "I don't think I can put it into words how excited I was," said DiMichele. "The next thing I know I was getting on a flight at 5:30. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to a few of my family members. I just packed up and took off." DiMichele passed his physical and joined the team yesterday, and will probably see a few snaps in tonight's first pre-season game against the Patriots. With Kolb injured, Feeley will probably see a lot of snaps tonight.

I will be curious to see how first-round draft pick Jeremy Maclin does tonight in his real debut as an Eagle.

The Eagles broke their training camp yesterday with lots of important injured players and a team that is not especially healthy. It's not a good way to open the pre-season. Let's hope that the rash of injuries is finally over.

UPDATE, 9:22 PM: Michael Vick, the convicted criminal, was definitely NOT what I had in mind when I suggested that the Eagles really need a back-up quarterback.

"I'm happy with my quarterback situation here," said Andy Reid. "I do believe this kid deserves a second chance, and there's nobody better to have in your corner than Tony Dungy, man. He's a class, class act, and I know commissioner Goodell has stood up on the table for the kid, so I'm sure there were some things that happened there that built trust in him. He's got great people in his corner, and I'm pulling for him."

To say that I am disappointed in an Eagles' front office that would let Brian Dawkins leave, but which would sign this criminal doesn't begin to do it justice.

Meltdown, Part 2

2009-08-12T19:05:00.002-04:00

Brad Lidge had yet another meltdown last night. He blew his seventh save of the season, giving up the game tying run to the Cubs in the bottom of the 9th by giving up a couple of hits and a back-breaking lead-off walk. Luckily, the Phillies won the game in the 12th inning, in spite of Lidge. Chad Durbin, just returned from the disabled list, got the win.

"I'm definitely frustrated by it," said Lidge. "I know in that situation you never want to give up a leadoff walk. I felt that maybe those pitches were pretty close, but that being said, I could have made them closer so they had to be called strikes. I was definitely frustrated by it. We'll just leave it at that. The bottom line is, it's a leadoff walk, it's a one-run game, and it kills you. I'm not happy with how it went, but I'm happy we got the win."

He shouldn't be happy with it. He sucks this year. Massively. And he has absolutely no business being a closer now, at the height of a pennant race. His ERA is a very grim 7.29, and he cannot be relied upon for anything other than to give up at least one run virtually every time he appears now.

It's time that Charlie stop trotting Lidge out there with the game on the line, and use Madsen or Durbin as his closer until Brett Myers comes back. Lidge just cannot be relied upon with the game on the line this year.

Meltdown....

2009-08-11T12:52:00.006-04:00

Sorry for not posting for a few days. My wife and I are actually in California on vacation, and there just wasn't time to post.

That was quite a meltdown against the troublesome Marlins this past weekend. The Phils' bats went to sleep, the pitching was inconsistent and unreliable, and nothing worked. Instead of burying the Fish, the Phillies let them right back into the running. Their lead went from a comfortable 7 games to a not-so-comfortable 3.5 games, and who knows what will happen next.

And, in the midst of all of it, Jamie Moyer pitched himself right out of the starting rotation with another atrocious start. Pedro Martinez makes his Phillies' debut tomorrow night, and Moyer has been shunted off to the pen, where his style of pitching is not well suited at all. "Jamie was a total professional and team player when we let him know of the decision to move him to the bullpen. He has been and will continue to be a very important part of this team," said Charlie Manuel. Moyer is a realist, and he has to know that he has not been effective or consistent. Moyer is signed through next year, and I hope that he realizes that it's time for him to hang them up before he really embarrasses himself. Moyer is a class act, and I'm sure that there will be a position for him in the front office when the time comes for him to retire.

It's not that simple. Moyer is not happy, and he has spoken out publicly to express his unhappiness with the situation. "I'm really not happy with this decision that the Phillies have made," he said, sitting in the stands behind the first base dugout. "I will take what they've asked me to do, but I'm not really excited about the decision that has been made. Ultimately, I'm a little disheartened because this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies this was a sore thumb, but if you will, about this potentially happening.

"You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben (Amaro Jr.) parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen. Actually even had some discussion with David (Montgomery) with them reassuring me that this type of situation wouldn't happen. Again, I'm a little disheartened by the way it's happened, how it's happened. We're still in first place. I probably feel like I haven't contributed as well as I could have, but I think if you go around to the other 24 players on our club they would probably say the same type of thing.

"Whether I like it or not, this is the situation I'm in. I will deal with it. I will deal with it in a respectful way. I'll be respectful to my teammates. Like I said in the beginning, I do not want to be a distraction and I refuse to be a distraction. It's about the 25 players that are here. We all have to pick each other up. We all have to support each other. We all have to be professional about what we do. This is a job that sometimes you're in situations that you like or dislike and you have to deal with it. That's why for me dealing with this like a man and taking whatever they choose to do. I'm an employee here, but I don't always have to like the situation that I'm in. And that's OK. Life goes on. But like I said, I feel a little disheartened. I feel a little bit like I've been misled. I feel like I've played this game long enough that the respect factor should be there."

I don't really blame Jamie Moyer for feeling this way, but I commend him for insisting that he will be the sort of consummate professional that I expected he would be. I am a little surprised that he spoke out the way he did, but the man is a class act. But he's a class act whose time to gracefully fade from the picture has come. Ultimately, as he pointed out, the team has to come first.

I'm looking forward to Pedro's debut with great interest. The way I see it, he can't be any worse or any more inconsistent than Moyer has been all season, and we know that Pedro will throw a lot harder than Moyer ever did. He will make his debut in Chicago against the Cubs, which will be a challenge.

Martinez also handled the situation with class. "I'm a man," he said. "I'm a human being. So is Jamie. He's my friend, my teammate, my colleague, whatever you want to call it. Of course, you have to feel. If it happened the same way, if I went to the bullpen, I wouldn't be happy. It wasn't my decision. It wasn't me. I was placed in this position. As a matter of fact, I didn't know anything until yesterday."

Of greater concern was another torching of Brad Lidge in the series finale against the Marlins. Lidge pitched only one inning, gave up another 3 earned runs, and inflated his already enormous ERA to a very grim 7.24. He blew another save tonight, coughing up the tying run in the bottom of the 9th inning, forcing the Phillies into extra innings in a game where it shouldn't have been necessary. Once Brett Myers returns, there really is no harm to giving him a shot at closing, because Lidge surely isn't getting the job.

This team has been streaky all year, so I guess this is nothing new. However, it's now August, and October isn't far off. They need to get settled down, and they need to gain some consistency, or else they will have no chance of repeating as World Series champions. It's now or never, guys.

A Chance to Bury the Marlins

2009-08-07T10:20:00.004-04:00

The Florida Marlins come to Philadelphia tonight for a three-game set. The Fish are 55-53, and in second place, 7 games behind the Phightin's. The Phils are 16 games over .500 and can pretty much nail things down this weekend if they can manage to take three from Florida.

Joe Blanton goes tonight. Blanton has been on a major hot streak, going 5-2 with a 2.33 ERA in his last twelve starts. Overall, he is 7-5, with an ERA of 4.04, which has been slowly but steadily dropping. In his last start, against San Francisco, he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits and struck out 5. He has not allowed more than 2 runs in an outing since June 30, when Atlanta got 3. He also leads the Phillies pitching staff in most innings pitched, a testament to his sturdiness. In addition, he leads the staff in strikeouts.

I don't think anyone expected Blanton to be a stopper when the Phils acquired him last summer, but he has certainly proved that he is capable of filling that role. After getting beyond the rocky start he had, he has been the Phillies' most effective and most reliable starter.

Florida has some interesting young players, but they clearly are not in the same category as the Phils, who have to be considered if not the best team in the National League, one of the two best teams in the Senior Circuit with the Dodgers.

If the Phils sweep Florida, they will be 19 games over .500 and have something close to a 10 game lead. Absent a complete collapse, which is very unlikely, they would have the National League East well in hand.

A Six Man Rotation??????

2009-08-06T20:44:00.003-04:00

Today, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. made a very welcome announcement: J. A. Happ will not be removed from the starting rotation to make room for Pedro Martinez. That's some extremely good news, and I feel relieved to hear that.

However, Amaro then made a bizarre statement. "Going with a six-man rotation is not out of the realm of possibility," he said. "There are a lot of permutations. We haven't discussed it yet. You never know what's going to happen in the next week to 10 days. A guy can go down [get injured]."

Why in the world would the Phillies do that? Adding another starting pitcher to the rotation just means that the tough pitchers--Hamels, Lee, and Blanton--would have to wait one additional day to pitch and get fewer starts. It's crazy.

I understand that Moyer has a large, rich contract that's guaranteed for next year, and I completely understand loyalty and going home with the one who brought you to the dance. But the bottom line is defending the World Series championship, and I don't think that the Phillies will get there with Jamie Moyer still in their starting rotation once Pedro Martinez joins the staff.

Cliff Lee had another very strong outing for the Phils today in earning his second win in his first start before the home crowd at The Bank. Lee threw 7 strong innings, gave up 6 hits and 1 run, with 9 strikeouts against a good Colorado team. That's now two very strong performances by Lee, who is proving to be the ace that the Phils hoped he would be. Why add another starter and cut the number of starts for Lee? That would be insane.

C'mon, Ruben. You're smarter than that.

I Think That the Time Has Come....

2009-08-05T20:22:00.004-04:00

....for Jamie Moyer to lose his spot in the Phillies' starting rotation. Moyer had no command of his slow ball last night and got hit hard again. To his credit, he admitted as much after the game, which, unfortunately, does nothing to win games for the team. Moyer's made major contributions to the team's success. Of that, there can be no dispute. And yes, he does have 10 wins this year.

However, he also has a 5.55 ERA, and he's been hit hard much more than not. The Phils are about to add Pedro Martinez to their pitching staff, and the front office has made no bones about the fact that Martinez was brought in to be a starter. With Moyer in the rotation, there is no room for Pedro. Pedro struck out 9 of the first 12 batters he faced in his rehab start at Reading tonight, allowing 3 runs and 5 hits in 6 solid innings. He's just about ready to return to the major leagues.

Charlie Manuel, bless his soul, is a loyal man, and he has stated that he hasn't really considered removing Moyer from the rotation because Moyer has more than 250 career wins and has made major contributions. I agree, those things should count for something. However, the issue is not loyalty, but winning games. Moyer has just been too erratic and has been hit way too hard way too often this year, and I can only hope that, having gotten to the 250 win milestone, he will retire at the end of the season and join the Phillies' front office, where he belongs.

The other option is to remove J.A. Happ from the rotation. What's Happ done? He's 7-2 with an ERA of less than 3.0, and so far tonight, he's pitched 5 strong shutout innings and has given up only two hits so far. Happ needs--deserves--to be part of the starting rotation.

And what happens when Brett Myers returns later this month? I hope that Myers returns as closer and not as starter. He likes that role, and he did very well in it.

This is a tough decision, no matter how you slice it. But Jamie Moyer is nothing if not the consummate professional, and I have absolutely no doubt that he will understand and act like the true pro that he is if he's demoted to the bullpen. The name on the front of the uniform needs to be more important than the name on the back, and I think Moyer understands that.

UPDATE, 9:30 PM: Happ pitched a complete game, 7-0 shutout. He gave up only 4 hits and had 10 strikeouts, including the final hitter of the game. His ERA is now a very respectable 2.74, has an 8-2 record, and has to be considered to be a serious contender for National League Rookie of the Year. Nice job, J.A. Keep up the good work.

Maclin Finally Signs and the Eagles Sign a Linebacker

2009-08-04T20:37:00.003-04:00

The Eagles' first round draft choice, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, finally signed today after a nine day contract holdout. The kid is a rookie, and he really needs every minute of training camp. I am concerned that he will not be able to make up this time when he really needed to be at camp learning Andy Reid's complicated offensive scheme. However, better late than never, as they say. He signed a five-year, $15.5 million deal.

"We'll see what his retention was from the minicamps and it's my responsibility to get him ready and we've got one of the very best receiver coaches in this league and he takes that responsibility seriously as well," said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "So, we'll see what happens here and he's got a lot of catching up to do. However, he's a real sharp guy, he's a natural football player and se we'll see how quickly he can get himself ready."

Time will tell.

On another note, the Eagles also signed linebacker Matt Wilhelm today. Wilhelm, who was a two-year starter at San Diego, had been cut by the Chargers. I saw Wilhelm play college ball, as he played here at Ohio State, and he was a quick, hard-hitting linebacker then. Let's see how he does in the Eagles' system. Once again, time will tell.

At least the Eagles are trying to make the best of the loss of Stewart Bradley by trying to fill his spot with another competent middle linebacker.

I Am Worried About the Eagles' Defense

2009-08-03T18:49:00.005-04:00

I am genuinely concerned about the Eagles' defense this year. This team wins because of defense, not because of offense. The defense has now taken three major hits, and from where I sit, there is plenty to be worried about.

First came the unfortunate death of defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson. Johnson was the architect of the defense, and he was the driving force behind it. He was its spiritual leader, the guy that made the Eagles the feared defensive team that they have been for the last decade. He's the guy who reinvented the position of safety with the great Brian Dawkins. I realize that the new defensive coordinator is a Johnson disciple, but he's not Jim Johnson. There will never be another Jim Johnson. And I can't help but wonder what that will mean to the team.

And then, there's the loss of Dawkins. BDawk is probably the best safety to play the game. Ever. And the Eagles let him leave. While his skills are diminished at 36, Weapon X was the unquestioned on-field leader of the defense. His are a huge pair of shoes to fill. While I think Quentin Mikell is a perfectly fine player, the bottom line is that he's not Dawkins, and in a season without Jim Johnson, I really fear what the loss of Dawkins will mean to the defense.

And then today, the Eagles announced that their fine young middle linebacker, Stewart Bradley (pictured above), is lost for the season with a blown ACL. That means that Omar Gaither--who was replaced as the starting middle linebacker by Bradley after starting in the middle for the 2007 season--is the likely starting middle linebacker. Again, with no disrespect intended to Gaither, who did alright as a role player last year, he's not Stewart Bradley. Without Dawkins and Bradley to stop the run, I cannot help but wonder how well the Birds will play run defense this year.

As is the usual case, Andy Reid won't discuss the situation, so we're left to guess and speculate and hope for the best. He decided to punish the beat writers for talking to Bradley directly instead of waiting for him to talk about the injury. That's one thing about Big Red that I have always hated.

I wonder how the Birds' defense will do without their spiritual leader in Johnson and without their on-field leader in Dawkins. Losing one is a big blow. Losing both may be too much of a blow to overcome. Mix in the loss of the well-regarded starting middle linebacker, and I am deeply worried about this.....

What's Wrong With Cole Hamels?

2009-08-02T19:07:00.007-04:00

There is no question that the Phillies could not and would not have won the World Series last year without Cole Hamels. That's a fact. Hamels was the workhorse of the staff, and he was nothing short of spectacular in the post season. He threw 267 innings last year, more than any other season in his career.

Perhaps those were too many innings. Perhaps there were too many off-season distractions (Hamels has admitted as much). Perhaps those distractions caused him to come to spring training unprepared for the season (again, he has admitted as much). I don't know what it is now, but he has been extremely inconsistent. When he's on, he's very, very good. But on days like today, when he consistently kept getting his pitches up, he gets hit hard. And this year, he has gotten hit hard more often than not.

So far in his career, Hamels has had lots of comparisons to all-time Phillies great Steve "Lefty" Carlton, picture above. Both are southpaws, both are tall and lanky, and both throw hard to hit pitches--for Carlton it was his slider, and for Hamels, his change-up. Carlton was clearly the ace of the Phillies' staff, and Hamels is supposed to be. Those are all good comparisons. However, there is one comparison that scares me.

After losing to the Giants today, his line looks something like this: 7-6, with a nasty 4.68 ERA. Last year, of course, he was 14-10, with a 3.09 ERA, a full 1.5 runs per 9 innings less than his ERA so far this year. I wonder if I am the only one that sees parallels in Hamels' performance this year and with Steve Carlton's in 1973. In 1972, Carlton went 27-10, with a 1.97 ERA in a staggering 346.1 innings, with 310 strikeouts. The next year, after winning the Cy Young Award and being feted around the country, Carlton was 13-20, with an ERA of 3.90, and only 223 strikeouts in 293.1 innings. The Lefty of 1973 was definitely not the Lefty of 1972. He didn't really return to form until 1976.

Let's hope that, at least in this sense, Cole Hamels is not Steve Carlton. All I can say is that it's a good thing that Ruben Amaro went out and got Cliff Lee, because I doubt that the Phillies would have had much of a real chance of making it past the first round of the playoffs with Hamels at the top of the rotation unless he really gets his act together between now and the end of the season.

A Tale of Two Leftfielders

2009-07-30T18:24:00.005-04:00

Like a lot of Phillies fans, I was very sad to hear that the Phillies were not going to tender an offer to Pat Burrell last fall. After a fine season last year, and after leading the Phils' World Series parade, the thought of not seeing him in pinstripes after all these years made me sad. I had come to appreciate Pat the Bat, with his inconsistencies at the plate and his streaky hitting. When he was good, he was very, very good. When he was bad, he was very, very bad. However, no matter how you slice it, this man played ten years for the Phillies, including for some really bad teams, and he is third on the team's all-time homers list, ahead of Hall of Famer Chuck Klein and Phillies legends Greg "The Bull" Luzinski and Dick Allen.

I have to admit that I was not terribly familiar with Raul Ibanez. He spent most of his career playing in Seattle, and he didn't get a lot of press there. I typically don't pay much attention to the American League, and I surely don't pay much attention to the AL West, where Ibanez spent most of his career. When I heard that the Phillies had signed a 37-year-old outfielder to replace Burrell, I was perplexed. I looked up his stats and saw that he was a solid offensive player, with a higher career batting average than Burrell. I also saw that he was a lefty, and I was really worried that there would be too many left handed hitters in the Phillies' lineup.

Well, 100 games into the season, I have to say that the decision not to sign Burrell and to replace him with Ibanez makes general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. look like a genius. Burrell has played in only 70 games so far, having been dogged by injuries. He's only hitting .219, with 7 homers and only 37 RBI's. Last year, he hit 33 homers and had 86 RBI's. Burrell is being used as a designated hitter and is not playing the outfield much, so it's entirely possible that he has found the twin adjustments to the American League and to not playing the field difficult. If so, he's far from the first guy to have that particular problem.

Ibanez, by contrast, has made the move to the National League look easy. In spite of a trip to the disabled list due to a strained groin muscle, Ibanez is hitting .307, with 26 homers and 74 RBI's. He's on a pace to exceed his career highs of 33 homers and 123 RBI's, and he's proven to be an integral part of the team's offense. He's also a significantly better fielder than Burrell and has good speed, something Burrell has always lacked. There is no doubt that replacing Burrell with Ibanez has proven to be a significant upgrade that has significantly improved the Phillies.

I was wrong. I admit it. Kudos to Ruben Amaro for having the foresight to make these controversial moves.

Bravo, Ruben Amaro

2009-07-29T19:03:00.002-04:00

Realizing that the price for Roy Halladay was far too high, Ruben Amaro went out and got Cliff Lee today. In the process, he also got the Tribe's starting left fielder, Ben Francisco. The cost was four minor leaguers: catcher Roy Marson, pitcher Carlos Carasco, infielder Jason Donald, and pitcher Jason Knapp.

Marson will be a good major league catcher. He did well during his brief call-up earlier this season. Carasco nearly made the team coming out of training camp, but the Phils' brass decided he needed more seasoning in the minors. Donald will be a decent player, but he's coming off an injury and would have been stuck behind Chase Utley for the foreseeable future. Knapp is a rookie league fireballer with a very long way to go before he's ready to pitch in the majors. I'm guessing that Marson and Carasco will stick with the Indians, and Donald will end up here in Columbus.

In return, Amaro got last year's American League Cy Young Award winner, and a right handed outfielder with good pop in his bat and 13 stolen bases. That means that young John Mayberry can go back to the Iron Pigs, where he can some steady playing time and continue to progress toward being an everyday player in the majors.

"Obviously the Phillies are the defending world champions, they're a good team and they're in first place," said Lee this afternoon. "Honestly, it's an honor and I look at it as a good thing. If other teams are wanting me and are willing to trade some of their key players and future players for me, it's a compliment."

The Phightin's now have four southpaws in their starting rotation: Lee, Hamels, J.A. Happ, and the ancient Jamie Moyer. That's got to be scary for a lot of teams, and Lee is the kind of pitcher who can be an ace. His 7-9 record this year does not reflect his effectiveness; the Indians are awful and don't score runs behind him. He could easily regain the type of effectiveness that brought him a 22-3 record last year.

And, on top of it all, it looks like Brett Myers may be ready to return to the active roster in August, and Pedro Martinez will soon be ready, too. I'm guessing that it's goodbye to the likes of Rodrigo Lopez (who, in fairness, did a perfectly acceptable job in his three starts with the Phillies).

Bravo, Ruben Amaro. Well played. Pat Gillick must be very proud of you today.

R.I.P. Jim Johnson

2009-07-28T22:54:00.007-04:00

The Eagles' great defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, died today after a battle with metastatic melanoma that was first diagnosed during last year's NFL playoffs. Jim Johnson was one of the very best of the NFL's defensive wizards, and he made his mark on many a field. Nobody knew or understood the power of the blitz like Jim Johnson, and he was an innovator who leaves a huge pair of shoes to fill. Just as Brian Dawkins embodied the Eagles defense, so did Jim Johnson, and now they're both gone.

"For ten years, Jim Johnson was an exceptional coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, but more importantly, he was an outstanding human being," said Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. "As an integral part of the Eagles family, Jim epitomized the traits of what a great coach should be--a teacher, a leader, and a winner. He positively touched the lives of so many people in and out of the Eagles organization. Our hearts go out to his wife, Vicky and his wonderful family. We will miss him greatly."

Indeed, the twin losses created by the departure of Dawkins and the unfortunate, untimely death of Jim Johnson may well leave a hole in the Birds' defense that can never be filled. That's a tribute to Dawkins, as the protege, and of Jim Johnson, the teacher, who was truly the heart and soul of the Eagles defense. Johnson turned down numerous head coaching offers to remain Andy Reid's defensive coordinator, and Philadelphia was lucky to have him.

Rest in peace, Jim Johnson. You will be missed.

What About Cliff Lee?

2009-07-27T20:59:00.003-04:00

Cliff Lee went 22-3 and won the American League Cy Young Award with the Cleveland Indians last year. This year, he's 7-9, but has a very respectable 3.14 ERA. Lee has been pitching well of late, with a complete game and a 1.69 ERA last week. He's 3-0 in his last three starts, with two complete games. When he's throwing well, Lee is a very effective left handed pitcher who has proven that he can win games in the major leagues.

The Indians are going nowhere fast this year. They're 41-58 and 12 games out of first place, and they're in a rebuilding mode. Mark Shapiro, the Tribe's GM, is shopping for young talent, and will trade Lee for a couple of solid prospects. Since talks with Toronto for Roy Halladay are not going well, the Phils are now looking at Cliff Lee as a potential acquisition, and I think that Lee would be a good fit with the team. Having four lefties in a starting rotation--Hamels, Moyer, Happ, and Lee--would be most unusual, but it would make the Phils tough to hit.

Clearly, the Phillies would prefer to get Halladay--most consider him the best pitcher in baseball--but the price for him is just too high. Toronto wants J. A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, and Dominic Brown, and that price is more than the Phillies will pay. They project Drabek as a starter next year, and Happ has already proven that he can be a successful major league starter. They view Brown as a five-tool prospect, and it's a lot to give up for a 32-year-old pitcher. Lee would be an excellent addition, and the price for him can't be as high as what Toronto is demanding for Halladay.

Would I like to see Halladay in pinstripes? Sure, but not at the cost of mortgaging the future of the franchise. If they can get Cliff Lee for less, then I'm all for it. I think he would make an excellent addition to the team, and hope that he can be had for a reasonable price.

Jimmy Rollins is Back!

2009-07-26T16:31:00.002-04:00

If you need proof positive that Jimmy Rollins is the engine that makes the Phillies go, look at the last month. The Phightin's are 17-3 in their last 20 games after steamrolling a good St. Louis Cardinals team yesterday and again today. Rollins ended June at a batting average barely above the dreaded Mendoza line, and he was benched for three straight games in the hope that he would get his head on straight and start hitting. He was also removed from his customary spot as the Phillies' lead-off hitter for failing to perform.

Rollins has been torrid for the last month. He wont yesterday's game with a grand slam homer, and he hit a two-run shot today. He's now hitting .237, and been well over .300 for the month of July. With Rollins producing and getting on base, that means that Shane Victorino has been getting pitches to hit, and Victorino has also delivered. He went 4-4 with a homer yesterday, and has raised his batting average to an excellent .320. Mix in some timely hitting by Raul Ibanez, who hit his 27th homer today, and by Ryan Howard, and the Phillies' offense has been extremely potent for the last 20 games.

With the exception of a poor performance by Jamie Moyer on Friday night, the starting pitching has been very respectable. Rodrigo Lopez gave Charlie Manuel 6 solid innings yesterday in picking up his third win in three starts, and Joe Blanton, who seems to be the ace and workhorse of the staff, pitching 8 strong innings today. Blanton, whose ERA was near 8.00 early in the season, has now lowered his ERA to a solid 4.14.

The problem remains the bullpen. After a couple of effective performances, Clay Condrey re-aggravated his muscle pull and had to go back on the disabled list. He joined J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin on the DL, meaning that Kyle Kendrick and newly-acquired Steven Register have been added to the active roster in the hope of bolstering the bullpen.

Management also seems unwilling to pay the price to obtain Roy Halladay, and I can't really blame them. The Blue Jays want three of the Phillies' best prospects--J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, and prized outfield prospect Dominic Brown for Halladay, and that's a very stiff price to pay for a 32-year-old pitcher. Pedro Martinez was scheduled to pitch a Class A game today, and I'm hoping that Martinez will be able to make a solid contribution to the team sooner than later, since it does not appear likely that we will be seeing Halladay in pinstripes any time soon.

In spite of it all, the Phils are 56-40, and have a 7 game lead. Unless they completely fall apart, they will run away with the National League Eastern Division. That's a good first step toward defending their World Series championship.

Is Brad Lidge Really Mitch Williams in Disguise?

2009-07-22T19:26:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, the Phillies' winning streak ended at 10 games today, as they lost to Carlos Zambrano and the Cubbies, 10-5. Jamie Moyer continued his Jekyll & Hyde ways and got hit hard again today. Oh, yeah--Eric Bruntlett went 0-1, dropping his "batting average"--if it can be called that--to a robust .128. Most pitchers do better than that.

More importantly, Brad Lidge was trotted out today in a losing effort to get him some work, and his performance was very reminiscent of Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams. Williams' close friend Mark Grace once said, "Mitch pitches like his hair's on fire," and that description seems to fit Brad Lidge, too. Williams was, fittingly, called "Wild Thing". A typical Williams save involved at least one walk, a couple of base runners, and fingernails chewed to a nub.

Brad Lidge seems to be the righthanded version of Mitch Williams. Today, in a game that was already lost, Lidge gave up two walks, hit a batter, gave up two hits, and two earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. Ryan Madson had to come in and get the third out, or Lidge's line would have been even uglier. His ERA, which had finally dropped below 7.00, fluffed back up to 7.20. It was a performance that the Wild Thing would have appreciated, and it surely reminded me of a Mitch Williams appearance.

The bottom line is that, even with last year's heroics, the 2009 version is definitely NOT "Lights Out Lidge". He's far from it. He is too inconsistent and too unreliable to be the closer of a team in the hunt to repeat as world champions. The Phils need to do something, and soon, before Wild Thing II costs them too many more games.

Why Is Eric Bruntlett on the Phillies' Roster?

2009-07-20T21:24:00.004-04:00

After striking out tonight, Eric Bruntlett's batting average is .130. For reasons I cannot even begin to fathom, Charlie Manuel insists on using this guy as a pinch hitter even though he's not even close to hitting his weight. Offensively, he is less than useless.

Defensively, he's able to play several positions and can fill some holes. I understand that. However, the Phillies are already short on right handed hitting, and having a guy who is WAY below the Mendoza line on the roster is a waste of a roster spot that could be filled by a right handed stick that might occasionally make an offensive contribution to the team. Bruntlett certainly doesn't make offensive contributions to the team, that much is for sure.

There are any number of guys in the farm system who swing a right handed stick who might be able to make a contribution to the team. Or Ruben Amaro could pick up a player like the Phils did last year by acquiring Matt Stairs. For now, though, there is nowhere to put another play. I think that it's unfortunate that management insists on wasting a roster spot on a guy whose only ability to make a contribution is with his glove.

The Starting Pitching Looks Much Better

2009-07-19T16:21:00.003-04:00

If the three games since the All Star break are any indication of the rest of the season, my concerns about the Phillies' starting pitching probably were overstated. Jamie Moyer pitched 7 magical innings in a shutout effort in the first game back, Hamels pitched five good innings until a long rain delay forced him from the game, and today, J.A. Happ pitched 7 strong shutout innings. The Phils took 3 from the Florida Marlins this week (not counting last night's rainout) and have now won eight in a row. They are now 13 games over .500. They are the only team in the NL East over .500 at 51-38, and are presently enjoying a 7 game lead over Florida and Atlanta. The Muts are 43-47, and are 8.5 games behind.

The Phils got really good starting pitching this week, for probably the first time all season, and the team ERA is down to 4.55, and getting lower each game. Happ is now 7-0 with a very respectable 2.68 ERA, and has to be considered a strong contender for Rookie of the Year. The Cubbies come to town next, with Rodrigo Lopez getting the ball tomorrow night as he keeps the 5th spot in the rotation until Pedro Martinez is ready to go.

After the strong pitching by the staff this week, I'm feeling good about the stretch run. Unless something goes dramatically wrong, they should win the division easily. The question will be what happens in the post season.

I Know What I Will Be Doing on New Year's Day.....

2009-07-16T19:05:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, it was announced that the Flyers will participate in the 2010 NHL Winter Classic game, which will be played at Boston's iconic Fenway Park. The Flyers will take on the big, bad Boston Bruins on January 1, 2010.

"When you have something special like the Winter Classic and a facility as special and iconic as Fenway Park, it just seemed like a good marriage," Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher, from Woonsocket, Rhode Island, said, "You come here to watch sporting events, not to take part in them. It's wild."

It's going to be lots of fun to watch NHL hockey being played outdoors in Fenway Park, and it's going to be made even better by the fact that the Flyers will be one of the participants in the game. I know what I will be doing on New Year's Day 2010.....

Welcome, Pedro Martinez

2009-07-15T18:52:00.005-04:00

37-year-old pitcher Pedro Martinez signed with the Phillies today. Pedro is a great pitcher who is, undoubtedly, destined for the Hall of Fame when the time comes. However, he's had a ton of injury problems the past couple of seasons, and he did not put up Pedro-like numbers with the Muts last year. Pedro has a career record of 214-99 and a career ERA of 2.91. However, last year with the Muts, he was 5-6 with an ugly 5.61 ERA, very un-Pedro like numbers.

"I'm really pleased and really happy to be here and I'm looking forward to making this happen and seeing how much help I can to this organization," said Martinez. ""It hasn't been easy for me, I don't like to make excuses, I gave it up the last few years. I wasn't the same Pedro Martinez that you are accustomed to seeing." He continued, "I think I was too brave sometimes, I was stupid sometimes for pitching and not in the regular health I should've been in. The last few years I have been horrible and I'm not saying horrible because of the results but because I didn't feel the way I wanted to feel. To be honest I wasn't the Pedro Martinez you are accustomed to seeing and I don't expect to be the same Pedro I was when I was 26. . . . This team needs a little help, very little help and I think I can supply it. I'm not gonna say all of it, but some of it."

He's right, of course. The Phils definitely need pitching help, and if it comes in the form of a future Hall of Famer with something left to prove, I'm all for it. Welcome to Philly, Pedro. May your stay be successful, and may you leave with a World Series ring. I never, ever expected to see you in a Phillies uniform, but I'm pleased to have you if you can help the team.

The All Star Break Arrives

2009-07-12T16:36:00.005-04:00

The Phils got a first inning grand slam from third baseman Pedro Feliz today, staking J. A. Happ to a 5-0 lead. That was enough. Happ pitched 7 superb innings, giving up only 4 hits and 1 earned run. He's now 6-0 for the season, with a sparkling 2.90 ERA. The Phillies are now ten games over .500, with a record of 48-38, and are enjoying a 4.5 game lead over the Marlins as they head into the All Star Break.

Happ has clearly been the highlight of the team's pitching staff so far this season. He has been the one reliable, steady performer from beginning to end, although Joe Blanton has recently been very effective and very consistent. Considering that the Phils really only have two consistently dependable starters in Happ and Blanton, they've done remarkably well. Jamie Moyer and Cole Hamels, who combined for 30 wins last year, have been extremely inconsistent. One game, they look like world-beaters, and the next, they get shellacked. And, since Brett Meyers went down with his hip injury, a number of also-rans have been filling in as fifth starters, but someone better and more experienced would ease my mind.

The bullpen has also been inconsistent. Brad Lidge has been unreliable and often horrible. Ryan Madson continues to be an excellent set-up man, but he was terrible when he got his chance to close. J.C. Romero missed 50 games with his drug suspension, but has been dependable since returning. Scott Eyre is always dependable, but spent time on the disabled list. Clay Condrey, also always reliable, is on the DL now. Chan Ho Park, awful as a starter, has been pretty dependable filling the middle relief role and has had some excellent outings. Chad Durbin has been inconsistent, unlike last year. The bullpen, which was clearly the Phils' strongest point last year, has been very inconsistent this year.

There's not much to say about the offense, other than that when it's hot, it's hot. When it's not, it's not. Luckily, it's been hot much more often than not.

And so we head to the All Star break with the Phils firmly entrenched in first place in their division, and only one other team in the division with a record over .500. So, things look promising for a repeat of the division title. Where we go from there remains an open question.

Good luck to the five Phillies who are members of the National All Star team. I hope that they all make us proud.

Never Say Die.

2009-07-11T22:50:00.003-04:00

The Phils went into the bottom of the 9th down 7-3 tonight. Matt Stairs led off the inning with what he does best, a pinch hit homer. The next two batters reached base, including the evening's third steal by Jimmy Rollins, and then Ryan Howard hit a three-run bomb to tie it. The Pirates got one out along the way, and the Phils loaded the bases. Light-hitting catcher Paul Bako won the game with a walk-off, bases loaded single. Final score, 8-3 Phils, featuring a 5-spot in the bottom of the ninth.

This team never, ever says die. They just don't quit. This is a game that they SHOULD have lost, but they once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, picking up Cole Hamels after another poor performance by the ace of the staff, who gave up five earned runs in five innings tonight. The Phightin's are now 47-38, and have a 3.5 game lead over the Marlins and a 5.5 game lead over the third-place Braves (who are below .500, by the way). The dreadful Muts are now 4 games under .500 and 6.5 games out of first place, and headed south. But for the atrocious Nationals, the Muts would have a good shot at finishing last, but I can't see any team edging out the Nats for the crown of MLB's worst team, 2009 edition.

Howard now is tied with Raul Ibanez for the team lead with 66 RBI's, which is good enough for third in the National League, behind Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Even with his stint on the disabled list Ibanez has 60 RBI's. Chase Utley has 20 homers and 60 RBI's. Jayson Werth has 2o homers and 56 RBI's. This quartet of Phils marks only the second time in the long history of major league baseball that a team has had four players with 20 or more homers before the All Star break. When their bats are going good, this team flat-out scores runs.

I remain worried about the starting pitching over the long haul, although Joe Blanton is proving to be the work horse of the staff. Hamels and Moyer can't seem to get anyone out, and the team has yet to find a reliable fifth starter in the absence of Brett Meyers. J.A. Happ has done very well in most of his starts, but he is very inexperienced.

Kudos to Charlie Manuel for looking after his players by choosing Howard and Werth for the All Star team, and congratulations to Shane Victorino for being voted onto the All Star team. Two Phils will start the game: Utley and Ibanez, and then Victorino, Howard, and Werth will also appear. I can't remember another time where all three starting outfielders from a single team were named to the All Star team as Ibanez, Werth, and Victorino were this year. Congratulations to all of the Phillies players who will be appearing in the All Star game this year.

22-1. Wow.

2009-07-06T22:06:00.009-04:00

The Phillies scored three touchdowns, two PAT's, and a two-point conversion tonight against the Cincinnati Reds. They hit four homers, including an eighth inning grand slam by right fielder Jason Werth. Shane Victorino and Gregg Dobbs both had four hits. Werth had 5 RBI's, and Chase Utley and Victorino each had four. Even Cole Hamels, who came into the game hitting .100 (2 for 20), went 2-4 with a double and two RBI's. Jimmy Rollins, who seems to have busted out of his slump, went 3-4 with 4 runs scored and raised his batting average to .224.

The Phightin's sent 13 hitters to the plate in the first inning, had two homers in the opening frame, and ended the first inning with a 10-0 lead. When it was over, they had scored 22 runs. And they did it against a pretty good pitcher in Johnny Cueto.

More importantly, Hamels looked like the Cole Hamels of last year tonight. He was very effective, giving up only 3 hits and 1 run in 7 strong innings. He had 2 strikeouts and didn't walk a batter. He was dominant, and that can only bode well for the rest of the season.

Also, Scott Eyre made his return tonight, pitching his way out of a jam in the top of the 9th inning. Eyre is just back from the disabled list, and he was effective tonight in spite of the rust. He's an important cog in the bullpen wheel, and it's good to see him back and pitching effectively.

Finally, Raul Ibanez made a rehab start in Reading tonight. Although he went hitless, he played, which is the important thing. Once he returns to the starting lineup, the Phils will be healthy and ready for the second half of the season. Let's hope it's a good second half.

Dr. Jekyll, Meet Mr. Hyde....

2009-07-05T19:24:00.002-04:00

After an absolutely horrific run, the Phils swept a three-game series from the incompetent Muts this weekend, and even beat their ace, Johan Santana, today. The key to the series sweep was excellent starting pitching. Jamie Moyer pitched a terrific game last night, and Joe Blanton pitched an even better one today to beat Santana. Brad Lidge had a couple of saves, and is finally starting to look like an effective closer again.

The other key is that Jimmy Rollins finally showed some offensive spark this weekend after being benched for four straight games last week. He led off today's game with a homer, setting the tone for the win over Santana, and was on base all weekend. The Phillies offense depends heavily on JRo getting on base and scoring runs, and when he doesn't do so, the team does not win. That much became painfully obvious during the recent eight-game losing streak, including the four games when Rollins sat. He has raised his batting average from a really dismal .206 to .217 in the past couple of days, and is showing signs of returning to form.

Let's hope so, because without JRo providing the spark, the Phillies have absolutely no chance to repeat. If the starting pitching comes around--and they will need better and more consistent performances from their ace, Cole Hamels, if they are to repeat, they will be in reasonably good shape. They've managed to stay in first place in spite of it all, largely due to the rank incompetence of the Muts, so we can only hope that they can hang onto first place for the rest of the season.

Chris Pronger is a Flyer!

2009-06-29T19:32:00.003-04:00

Paul Holmgren traded for tough defenseman Chris Pronger the other day. It cost 19 year-old defenseman Lucas Sbisa, reliable winger Joffrey Lupol, and a couple of draft choices. However, Pronger is precisely the sort of tough defenseman who can play defense and also score goals from time to time. He's also a proven winner, having won a couple of Olympic gold medals and a couple of Stanley Cups in his career. He's also been captain of two teams and should provide precisely the sort of veteran leadership that the Flyers have been needing for some time.

Let's hope that the next time we see a photo of Chris Pronger with Lord Stanley's hardware, it's in a Flyers jersey.

Welcome to Philly, Chris. May your stay be long and productive.

Lidge Gets the Save, But....

2009-06-28T16:55:00.002-04:00

Brad Lidge is back from the disabled list, and he got his first save opportunity against the Toronto Blue Jays today. He came into a 5-4 game in the bottom of the ninth, hoping to save one for Jamie Moyer. Moyer pitched five innings. Chan Ho Park pitched two good innings, and Ryan Madson had a scoreless eighth, and so it came to the Phillies' erstwhile closer.

Even his scoreless outings are adventures. Lidge gave up a bunt single to the first hitter, and then Lidge walked the next batter. Lidge then managed to extricate himself from the situation with a scoreless inning and his 14th save in 21 opportunities, but it's like watching Mitch Williams all over again. Even the successful outings are enough to drive one insane. Let's just hope that Lidge is back to his old form after the rehabilitation trip to the minor leagues. If the Phils are to have a chance to repeat, they will need Lidge to get people out and not blow any more saves.

The Phillies' bats finally have awakened the last two games. They've scored 15 runs in two games, including a come-from-behind victory today. Chollie Manuel gave the team an uncharacteristic chewing out on Friday night, and it appears to have done some good. Let's hope that the team is back on the right track, because there's still lots of season left to go. In spite of it all, the rank incompetence of the Muts means that the Phillies continue to hold an improbable tw0-game lead, even after the losing streak from hell.

Pat Burrell Beats the Phillies

2009-06-25T18:09:00.002-04:00

Pat Burrell, the former Phillies left fielder who was unceremoniously let go after leading the World Series victory parade last November, got a measure of revenge against his old team last night. Leading his new team, the Tampa Bay Rays, to a victory over the Phils last night, Burrell hit a two-run homer in the second inning and then drove in the third run with a fielder's choice in the 8th inning. The Rays won 3-1, with Burrell driving in all three runs. Although he didn't specifically say so, that had to have been particularly sweet for the jilted outfielder. Unfortunately, the Phillies and their fans failed to appreciate Pat Burrell until it was too late. I, for one, was--and still am--sorry to see him in another team's uniform.

On another note, Brad Lidge was activated from the disabled list today and returned to the active roster. Let's hope that the 15-day rehab stint helped him and that the Brad Lidge that returns to the mound is the one who was last year's hero and not the one who has been eminently hittable so far this year....

Get Well, Ryan Howard

2009-06-22T18:58:00.004-04:00

Ryan Howard, the slugging first baseman of the Phils, spiked a 104 degree fever this weekend, and had to be briefly hospitalized twice. Today, it was announced that he has a particularly nasty sinus infection. As someone who has regularly suffered with the misery of sinus infections on at least an annual basis for more than 30 years now, I can certainly empathize. There are few things more miserable than a bad sinus infection. You feel like your head is in a vice, and nothing you do helps. It's horrible.

Get well very soon, Ryan. I hope that you make a quick and full recovery, as the Phightin's need every at bat from you that they can get after this weekend's disaster against the Orioles. It's a good thing that the Muts are so incredibly inept, or the Phillies would be out of the race by now. Only because the Muts continue to play inconsistent and bad baseball are the Phils still in it.

The good news is that the Phils can't lose tonight, simply because they don't play. Maybe a night off will help right all that's presently wrong with this team, because it would be hard to imagine a team playing a whole lot worse than they are at present.

Okay, So Madson is Not the Answer....

2009-06-18T21:19:00.002-04:00

I agitated for Ryan Madson to become the Phillies' closer due to the ineffectiveness of Brad Lidge. When Lidge when on the disabled list, I got my wish. The answer is, be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Madson has blown one of his three save opportunities, and he came into a tied game in the ninth today and promptly gave up the game-winning homer to light hitting Phillies reject Rod Barajas. That's not good. Not good at all.

Supposedly, the inflammation is gone from Lidge's knee and he's ready for a rehab assignment to Reading. Let's hope it's true and that he is ready, because even with his inconsistency, Ryan Madson has demonstrated that he's not a closer. A terrific set-up man, perhaps, but NOT a closer.

The Phils need pitching help badly. Let's hope they find some.

Donovan Gets His Deal

2009-06-13T18:28:00.003-04:00

The Eagles have signed Donovan McNabb to a new contract. Claiming that he's earned it, the Birds gave their franchise's greatest quaterback a new six-year that will take him to age 38. There's no question that McNabb has rewritten the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback record book. However, there's still one major accomplishment that remains unfulfilled: bringing a Super Bowl championship home to the City of Brotherly Love.

Some of that, of course, is NOT his fault. It is not Donovan McNabb's fault that the front office has not seen fit to bring in the sort of game-breaking wide receiver that championship teams typically have. The one year that they had one--the year when T.O. acted like a human being and not like himself--the Birds made it to Super Bowl. That's no coincidence.

It likewise is not Donovan McNabb's fault that he has suffered two season-ending injuries with his blown ACL and with the sports hernia surgery that he underwent. Players get hurt. It's part of the game. Quarterbacks are no exception to that rule.

Nevertheless, the crushing burden of being the franchise's face and its undisputed leader mean that the pressure to bring home a Super Bowl win will be ramped up by this signing, particularly among the McNabb critics who think that the time has come to give Kevin Kolb his chance to be the team's starting quarterback. Only time will tell who's correct between the McNabb supporters and those who believe that Kolb has earned his shot.

Congratulations to Donovan McNabb. Be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it....

Gambling on Ray Emery

2009-06-12T19:37:00.005-04:00

The Flyers are taking a huge chance at goaltender. Instead of re-signing Martin Biron, who played pretty well when he was healthy, the Flyers have signed former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery to be their netminder. Emery is a gifted but troublesome goalie, as well known for his fondness for fisticuffs as for his quick hands. He's been known to go Terrell Owens on his teammates and was described as a cancer in the locker room before the Senators cut him. Emery has been playing in Russia--no NHL team wanted him--and he is definitely a risky acquisition.

"I've learned from those bad experiences, maybe more than I learned from the good times," said Emery at the press conference after his signing. "I went through a lot the last two years or so. I realize I had a great thing going there and lost a lot of people that I enjoyed hanging out with on a daily basis. I want to get back to having those good relationships and enjoying my workplace and the sport because it's a great position to have."

He has been saying all of the right things: "This is a fresh start for me. I'm excited that they're giving me the opportunity. This is a great young team. . . . I came back to a Stanley Cup-contending team. Any goalie in the league would want to play here, so I consider myself lucky."

Time will tell. Let's hope that Emery was telling the truth, and let's hope that he was sincere. We can only hope he was, or else the Flyers won't be going anywhere next year, either.

The Phils and the Muts

2009-06-09T11:19:00.003-04:00

The Phightin's head for New York today for a three game set with the Muts. Characteristically, the Muts have been playing badly, and are three games behind the Phillies. The Phils should, of course, have a five game--thanks for the two consecutive blown saves, Brad Lidge--but a three game cushion is nice. It's important to remember that last year's world champions never had more than a four game lead over the Muts over the course of the season, so this year's team has a chance to really put some space between the Phils and the Muts with more good baseball this week.

The Muts are not playing good baseball. They are getting their normal inconsistent hitting, and that bullpen that they spent so much money to try to fix hasn't set the world on fire. While Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez has been fairly effective, J. J. Putz, the former closer for the Seattle Mariners, has simply stunk out the joint. Their starting pitching has been inconsistent, and their fielding is always indifferent. In short, this is a team that never seems able to live up to the high expectations of its fans, which is just fine by me.

On the other hand, Lidge's blown saves notwithstanding, the Phillies are playing terrific baseball just now, and they will be facing the Muts at a time when pretty much everything but Lidge are working well. This is a chance for the Phightin's to put some real space between themselves and the Muts, and let's hope that they do so.

The Lidge Dilemma

2009-06-08T19:49:00.004-04:00

The Phils SHOULD have swept the Dodgers this weekend, and they would have, but for two consecutive blown saves/meltdowns by Brad Lidge. Lidge blew saves on Friday and Saturday nights, costing the Phils two games that they could and should have won. Lidge's confidence is apparently blown, and he's not getting the job done.

"Last year's last year and this year's this year," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said, in an admirable effort to bolster his guy's confidence. "He's got the same stuff he had last year, but that's baseball. Right when you think you've got this game whipped, it can jump right up and bite you. But he'll always be my guy. If you do something else with him, I think that could hurt his confidence."

I appreciate that Charlie wants to stand by his man. I likewise understand that the psyche of closers is somewhat fragile. However, Lidge has cost the team five losses this year and has six blown saves. It is quite clear that this is not the same dominating pitcher as last year. To his credit, Lidge recognizes that he's not pitching well. "I feel good, but I know that something needs to change , in terms of the results," Lidge said. While I support trying to stroke the closer's brittle psyche, the team cannot afford to continue to blow games in a misguided attempt to massage Lidge's ego.

My humble opinion is that unless Lidge gets himself right very quickly, he and Ryan Madson need to switch roles, as I think that Madson deserves a shot at the closer's role. While that may not be good for Lidge or for his ego, the needs of the team must come first, and if Lidge isn't doing the job, someone else needs to get a chance to do so.

Congratulations to the Big Unit

2009-06-04T19:48:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to 45-year-old Randy Johnson for becoming the 24th member of the 300-win club today. Johnson beat the lowly Nationals 5-1 today, reaching the pantheon of the game's great pitchers. Not that the Big Unit was not headed for Cooperstown already after four Cy Youngs and nearly 5,000 strikeouts, but achieving the magic number of 300 makes membership in the Hall of Fame automatic.

In recent years, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Roger Clemens all reached this milestone (although Clemens apparently did it by juicing). Some have speculated that Johnson will be the game's last 300-game winner due to the dramatic changes in the way pitchers are used today. I don't believe that for a moment. I don't think that there's any doubt that there will be more 300-game winners, but it WILL be a long time before the next one. With 305-game-winner Glavine having been cut by Atlanta yesterday, there are only two active pitchers with more than 200 wins. 46-year-old Jamie Moyer has 250 wins, and I cannot imagine that Moyer will last long enough to reach 300. The next in line, Andy Pettitte, has 220 wins, but he's already talking about retiring at the end of the season. Consequently, it will be a LONG time before we see another pitcher reach the magic number.

That makes Johnson's accomplishment all the more remarkable. Congratulations to the Big Unit. There's not much else left for him to prove.

Would Jake Peavy Be a Good Fit?

2009-06-02T19:40:00.003-04:00

There is no question that Jake Peavy is one of the three or four best starting pitchers in the National League. He has a Cy Young Award to prove it. He's also the only really talented player left on a Padres team that has been decimated to suit the purposes of its idiot owner, much like the way that Connie Mack raped his Athletics teams. Peavy has a no-trade clause in his contract, and has already vetoed a trade to the Chicago White Sox. He has made his preference for the National League clear.

With Brett Myers done for the season, the Phillies need to find another quality starter to take his place in the rotation. Peavy would be a perfect one-two punch with Cole Hamels and would make the Phils hard to beat on the days when those two start. However, Peavy is apparently partial to Southern California, having indicated a preference for the Dodgers. He has also criticized Citizens Bank Park as being a launching pad, so it's questionable whether he would ever approve a trade to Phillies. That's a shame, because he's giving up his best shot at winning a championship. He's certainly not going to get one with the Padres, decimated as they are.

Another option is Roy Oswalt, who is also available. Oswalt is a fine pitcher, but he also comes with a $14 million contract. The Phils are already heavy on payroll, and the traditionally skittish Phils' ownership may not be willing to absorb that sort of liability. He's also suffering from a nasty bone bruise on his pitching hand from trying to stab a line drive barehanded.

Time will tell. Perhaps Antonio Bastardo will set the league on fire tonight against Peavy, and he will prove to be the sort of solution that Kyle Kendrick was in 2007.

Congratulations, Jamie Moyer

2009-06-01T18:30:00.006-04:00

After several unsuccessful tries, 46-year-old Jamie Moyer finally won the 250th game of his very long career last night, pitching six solid innings against the hapless Nationals. Moyer became only the 44th pitcher--and only the 11th lefty--in the history of the game to reach that historic benchmark. He has won a remarkable 216 games since reaching the age of 30, getting major league hitters out with a fastball that has rarely exceeded 82 mph.

After struggling all spring, Moyer finally seems to have found command of his pitches, and is getting people out, just as he did last year, and with Myers done for the season with hip surgery, it couldn't have come at a better time.

Moyer has the second highest win total of all active major league pitchers, trailing only Randy "The Big Unit" Johnson, who goes for the 300th win of his epic career tomorrow night, also against the Nats. Just think, the Nats could lose to two pitchers who are 91 years of age between them and who have 549 major league wins between them in less than a week. Talk about a dubious accomplishment...

Moyer was typically modest about his accomplishment. "I really hadn't thought about it," Moyer said of reaching his 250th win. "For me, it takes so much effort to play, to prepare to play. I really believe that my focus has been on that, not milestones or numbers or personal things. I've been taught to play the game as a team, not an individual, and I really feel that's how I approach things. When you play 20-plus years, some of these things are going to happen. I'm proud to get my 250th win, but there is still a lot of baseball to play."

Congratulations to Jamie Moyer. I've criticized his performance this year, and have suggested that perhaps it might be time for him to retire, but if he pitches as he did yesterday, I wish him many more wins.

Myers Finally Tells the Truth

2009-05-28T11:53:00.006-04:00

After getting hit hard again last night, Brett Myers finally came clean and told the truth--he's been pitching with a very sore hip that prevents him from planting and pushing off the way he needs to be able to do to pitch effectively. He described a sharp nerve pain: "It kind of runs from my hip down to my knee sometimes. It might be a nerve."

Obviously, he needs to do what he needs to do to get well. That much is obvious.

I also respect his desire to play hurt, and to do his best. There's no question that Brett Myers is a competitor, and I have always admired that about him. However, that raises another issue: how smart is it for a high-priced major league pitcher to hide an injury like that which (a) hurts the team, which continues to trot him out there expecting him to perform at a level that is physically impossible at the moment and (b) which could cause him to alter his motion and irreparably damage his arm?

There comes a time when you have to do the right thing, set aside your own ego, and seek help. I respect Myers for do so, but I can't help but ask why he waited so long to do so if this has been bothering him that much? Getting help sooner not only would have helped him, it also would have helped the team. I'd rather see him spend some time on the disabled list, get well, and come back to pitch the way we all know he can, rather than to have him continue to get hit hard and lose games when he's not pitching at his best.

A trip to the DL for Myers raises the important question of who takes his place in the rotation. It shouldn't be Chan Ho Park, who seems to be thriving in the bullpen. That means that the Phils either have to bring up someone like Carlos Carrasco, who made a run at making the team in spring training, or they have to go out and trade for a starting pitcher. Quality starters don't come cheap.

I hope Myers gets well soon. The Phils need him--at his best--in order to compete.

Is it Time to Make Ryan Madson the Closer?

2009-05-24T15:31:00.007-04:00

Brad Lidge got hit hard again yesterday, not only blowing a save by giving up a game-tying homer to A-Roid in the bottom of the 9th inning, he then gave up the losing run. He came into the game with a 4-2 lead. The Phils lost 5-4, thanks to Lidge's incendiary performance, wasting a fine start by J. A. Happ. It also wasted the first major league homer by rookie outfielder John Mayberry, Jr. (whose father, former Kansas City Royal first baseman John Mayberry, was present). Mayberry, Jr. hit his first homer in Yankee Stadium while Mayberry, Sr. his last there, completing the circle.

He blew another today, giving up the tying run in the bottom of the 9th, and wasting a terrific start by Cole Hamels and good work by Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, and Ryan Madson. It's SO frustrating. The minute he came into the game, something told me that he was going to blow it, and, unfortunately, I was right.

Lidge's ERA is now a very, very ugly 9.15, and opposing batters are hitting .340 against him. Those are hardly the numbers for a closer. Hell, they're not even the numbers for a long reliever. He's now blown 4 of 12 save opportunities, and can't seem to get through an inning without letting at least one runner get on base. He is definitely NOT the same pitcher he was last year, and the Phillies just cannot afford to keep blowing games in the last inning. I think that it's time that Lidge be removed from the closer's role and Ryan Madson installed in that critical role. Madson certainly has the stuff to be an effective closer. If Lidge works out his problems and gets his shit together, then he can certainly be reinstated as the closer. I sincerely hope that that happens, preferably sooner than later, but for now, the Phillies just cannot afford to trot him out there with as totally ineffective as he has been.

Luckily, the starting pitching seems to be improving. Brett Myers pitched a terrific game Friday night, Happ did very well yesterday, and Cole Hamels pitched six solid innings today. That can only bode well, given the inconsistency and unreliability of Lidge.

A Sad Anniversary

2009-05-21T20:12:00.003-04:00

Twenty years ago today, Michael Jack Schmidt, the finest third baseman to ever pick up a glove retired. Schmidt was 39, and his skills were deteriorating quickly. Schmidt was unable to bear the idea of not playing the game up to his standards, and, unlike his Hall of Fame teammate, Steve Carlton, was unwilling to hang on too long and tarnish his great reputation. Insisting on going out on his own terms, Schmidt suddenly and unexpectedly retired.

The picture on the left is of Schmidt announcing his retirement to the surprise of fans and press alike.

Mike Schmidt was the greatest Phillie ever, and the greatest third baseman to ever play the game. I was fortunate enough to see his entire career and to appreciate the man for all of his greatness, even if Phillies fan didn't come around to doing so until it was nearly too late.

My favorite memory of Mike Schmidt was watching him hit his 500th homer, which happened in Pittsburgh while I was just about to graduate from law school. Schmidt came up in the top of the ninth inning, with the Phils down two, with two out and two on. After working the count to 3-0 against tough pitcher Don Robinson, Schmidt his 500th for a game winning homer. The usually taciturn Schmidt was ecstatic and, for once, allowed his emotions to show as he made his way around the bases. That's the Mike Schmidt that I will always remember.

I still miss watching you play, Mike, and I wonder what sort of numbers you would have put up playing in Citizens Bank Park instead of at the Vet.

Charlie Makes a Good Decision

2009-05-21T17:36:00.002-04:00

Not surprisingly, Charlie Manuel has banished Chan Ho Park to the bullpen. To Park's credit, he has taken it well, acknowledging that he hasn't done well as a starter, and he vowed to make the best of his new role. He pitched a solid inning out of the bullpen this afternoon against the Reds in today's 12-5 blowout in Cincinnati.

J.A. Happ, who has pitched exceptionally well out of the bullpen, will get a start against the Yankees this weekend. It should make for an interesting game.

Jamie Moyer pitched better last night, even though he lost. He gave up three runs in 5 inning, but he finally showed some command of his pitches last night. His performance last night was a significant improvement over the last several, giving me hope. Blanton got hit again today though--5 earned runs in 5 innings.

Next up: the hated, damned Yankees. Oh, and did I mention that I really hate inter-league play during the regular season. It's just wrong, in so many ways.....

Are the Wheels Coming for the Mets? (Let's hope so!)

2009-05-19T17:02:00.002-04:00

From today's issue of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Things falling apart fast for the Mets

By Michael Rushton, MLB Contributing Editor

(Sports Network) - There is no being saved by the bell for the New York Mets right now. It's too early in the season for that.

Despite the fact that they are just percentage points behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, the Mets are on the ropes and all that remains to be seen is if the club can stay on its feet or fall faster than when Jake LaMotta made sure Tony Janiro wasn't "pretty no more" in Raging Bull.

Even a successful series in San Francisco came at a price. Despite taking three of four games over the extended weekend, the Mets saw Carlos Delgado opt for right hip surgery that could end his season, Jose Reyes missed most of the series due to a lingering calf injury and his backup Alex Cora land on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his right thumb.

The Delgado injury is a big one for the Mets, who now have to find a first baseman out of Fernando Tatis, Jeremy Reed or Daniel Murphy, or make a move. Delgado had surgery to repair a labrum tear in addition to removing a bone spur from his right hip, an injury similar to the one that sidelined the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez for the start of the season.

Rodriguez was out for two months and the Mets think Delgado can return in 10 weeks. But lets be real here; Rodriguez is 33 and regardless of how he did so, is in excellent shape. Delgado is three years older and his 159 games played last year were the most since a 161-game campaign with Toronto in 2003.

In addition to not having a suitable replacement at first, the Mets will miss Delgado in the locker room. The mental lapses have already begun, a problem that has plagued the Mets for the past few seasons.

In Monday night's loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York may have turned in one of the worst innings in club history. It began when Ryan Church wiped out a go-ahead run in the 11th inning when he failed to touch third on what looked like an Angel Pagan triple.

Already rumored to be in manager Jerry Manuel's doghouse, Church might not see the field for some time now.

"The guy missed third base, it's unbelievable," Manuel said. "I can't remember a guy missing third base. It was a very bad game."

Strong words by the manager, who didn't even address Church by name.

Things didn't get better in the bottom of the 11th. A catchable fly ball that fell between Pagan and Carlos Beltran, followed by Reed's wild throw from first to home with the bases loaded led to a 3-2 Dodgers win.

Sure, there are built-in excuses for the Mets. After all, Reed was playing just his fourth game ever at first and few can blame Beltran for wanting to avoid contract with Pagan given the infamous collision he was involved in with then-teammate Mike Cameron in 2005.

"I called the ball like six times, and Pagan stood in the middle and I couldn't see the ball," Beltran told New York's official Web site. "That particular play right there, I have priority.

"He knows that when the center fielder calls the ball, everyone has to get out of the way."

Add possible infighting to the list of New York's problems.

The easiest thing for the Mets to fix is their first base issues. That can be solved by way of a trade and looking at clubs in the bottom of the standings, Washington's Nick Johnson, Adam LaRoche of Pittsburgh and Conor Jackson of Arizona could all be available.

The tougher challenge Manuel faces is how to get his team off the cloud they seem to be floating on, surprising given that they are largely the same team that has missed the playoffs two straight years due to late-season collapses.

Perhaps tougher and unexpected roster moves will be necessary, but until then it appears as if it could be the same old story in New York.

It would appear that the wheels are coming off for the Muts. This stuff is exactly why they've lost the division the last two years and why the Phillies, atrocious pitching and all, are in a tie with them for first place for the division now. Let's hope it gets worse still for the Mets and that they bury themselves early.

Congratulations to Sergio Escalona

2009-05-18T19:20:00.002-04:00

Because Chan Ho Park got hammered yesterday, Sergio Escalona, a rookie left handed reliever called up from AA Reading to help out, not only made his major league debut in yesterday's game against the Nationals, he pitched a solid inning in relief, and got the win. Congratulations to Escalona for notching a win in his major league debut.

Luckily, the Kardiac Kids known as the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies scored a lot of runs to make up the ugly deficit that was created by Park's incendiarye performance put up a 3-spot in the 8th inning to win the game. I've said it before, this team never quits and doesn't understand the meaning of the word "quit." They've come from behind so many times already this year that it's difficult to keep track.

As for Park, I'm guessing that Charlie Manuel has probably seen enough. A starting pitcher that can't get anyone out isn't much use to the team, which is somehow 20-16 and just a half game behind the Muts. Even columnist Paul Hagen of the Daily News is now wondering aloud whether it's time for J. A. Happ to be given a place in the starting rotation. I certainly think so.

There's also the Jamie Moyer question. It's clear that the 2009 edition of Jamie Moyer is very different from the 2008 edition and that Moyer is not getting people out. An elder statesman like Moyer deserves some respect and some slack, but in the midst of a pennant race, even Charlie Manuel has to be asking himself how long he has to hang in there with his elderly starter.

The Phils are hanging in there against the Muts with incredibly inconsistent pitching. If this team can get ever its starting pitching righted, they should cruise to another division championship.

Park Gets Hammered Again

2009-05-17T15:39:00.002-04:00

After two pretty good starts in a row, Chan Ho Park didn't make it out of the second inning today against the Washington Nationals. Here's his ugly line for today's game: 1.1 innings pitched, 5 hits, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts. His ERA is now a huge 7.08, and that's after two good outings in his prior two starts. It's pretty clear that the experiment has been a dismal failure, and that it's time for him to take a seat in the bullpen. Perhaps he will be more effective in long relief.

What's also clear, from consistent performances all season to date, is that Charlie Manuel needs to find a place for J. A. Happ in this starting rotation. Happ has been consistently excellent all season long, and the poor guy just can't buy a start. He was supposed to start the first game of yesterday's split double header with the Nationals, but because he was needed on Friday night, he couldn't start yesterday.

I think that Park is a battler, and I appreciate that about him. However, his battling does no good if he can't get anyone out. That's the bottom line. It does the team no good if he gets torched every start and they have to try to come back from a serious deficit as they did today. The Phillies are a great come-from-behind team, but I'd rather get a lead and hold it than have to try to come back because the starting pitching can't get anyone out.

It's time for Chan Ho Park lose his spot in the starting rotation to Happ. Happ can't possibly do any worse.

Jamie Moyer

2009-05-13T20:57:00.004-04:00

As I write this, the Phillies are losing to the Dodgers, 7-1. Jamie Moyer started the game tonight. Please don't get me wrong--Jamie Moyer has been a critical part of the success of the Phillies the past two seasons. And at 46, he's only two years younger than me. That he's still collecting a paycheck for pitching in the major leagues at that age is really pretty remarkable.

However, Jamie has been awful so far this season. He got hit HARD tonight--8 hits and 7 earned runs in 4.1 innings. His ERA for the season is a brutal, awful 8.15. Opposing players are hitting .346 against him so far this year. He's allowed 12 homers in less than 40 innings so far this season.

Moyer only throws the ball about 80 mph on a good day. In order to be effective and get people out, he has to have command of all of his pitches. He has to nibble, hit corners, and move the ball around. There is almost no margin for error, and he walks a very fine line. It would appear that after 25 years in the majors, perhaps Moyer has finally lost it. A slow pitcher throwing fat pitches will get torched, and that's exactly what's been happening to Jamie.

I hate to say this, because I love the guy, but maybe it's time for Moyer to think it's time to hang it up. It's time to let J.A. Happ, who's been very effective coming out of the bullpen as the long reliever, to join the starting rotation, because the Phils need to start winning consistently if they're to have any chance of repeating this year. It's still early, but every loss adds up and makes the task more difficult.

Rest in Peace, Danny Ozark

2009-05-07T16:30:00.009-04:00

I was saddened to learn that former Phillies manager Danny Ozark died today at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 85.

Danny Ozark managed the Phillies from 1973-1979. The Phils went from doormat of the National League to three straight National League Eastern Division titles under him in 1976, 1977, and 1978, including two consecutive 101-win seasons. However, Ozark could never get over the hump and get to the World Series, and he was fired after the 1979 season when the Phils lost the Eastern Division to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He survived a clubhouse coup by Steve Carlton in 1973, but couldn't survive three consecutive losses in the National League playoffs.

Danny always looked like a bloodhound to me. He sort of shambled along, always looked sad, and had big ears. He constantly made malapropisms that channeled Yogi Berra. He had the reputation of being a solid baseball man but not the smartest guy in the world, but he did well with the Phightins. He had a career managerial record of 594-510.

First, Harry the K. Now, the Wizard of Oze. It's been a bad month for my childhood memories of the Phillies.

Rest in peace, Danny. And thanks for helping the Phillies emerge from their years in the wilderness.

Photo courtesy of Daylife.com.

Ramirez Suspended for 50 Games

2009-05-07T12:07:00.002-04:00

The scorching hot start to the season by the Los Angeles Dodgers will, undoubtedly, cool off now. As if we needed any further proof that Manny Ramirez is an idiot and a negative influence wherever he goes, our boy has now been suspended for 50 games for failing a mandatory drug test. He now joins J. C. Romero of the Phillies in serving a long suspension.

The article in the Los Angeles Times indicates that Ramirez will blame the failed drug test on prescription drugs given him by his physician. That may be true, but the buck stops with Manny, just as it stops with Romero. While they both claim no intentional wrongdoing and that they're victims of a negligent physician (Ramirez) or an unscrupulous manufacturer of dietary supplements (Romero), ultimately, they're the ones who chose to put the substances in their bodies, and they're the ones who must bear the consequences of their choices.

Losing Ramirez's big bat for 50 games will undoubtedly hurt the Dodgers' chances of repeating as Western Division champs, but if it's what it takes to clean up the game, I can live with that.

Ryan Howard and Joe Blanton

2009-05-05T19:52:00.003-04:00

Ryan Howard is off to a torrid start. While he was well under .200 this time last year, he's hitting close to .300 now, and has really been swinging the bat well. When he's really on top of things, he hits the ball to center and even left center, and he's been stroking the ball to center. His grand slam last week was to dead center field, which really bodes well. While he's only hit 5 homers so far this season, they've been timely. He's putting up MVP-caliber numbers again this season, and I would love to see him make the All Star game this year, as it's in his home town of St. Louis.

Last night, he smoked another grand slam, leading the Phightin's to a 6-1 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. That was his 7th career grand slam, tying him with Mike Schmidt for the franchise's career record. Never mind that it took Schmidt 17 years to hit his 7 slams; Howard has hit his 7 in just 3.5 major league seasons. Howard is 20 pounds lighter, his defense is greatly improved, and he's swinging the bat really well. Imagine how well the Phightin's might have done last year if Howard had been swinging the bat like this during the first half of the season.

Joe Blanton finally put together a good outing last night. He pitched 6 solid innings, including pitching out of a couple of jams, finally posting his first win of the season. His ERA came down by a couple of runs, and he looked like the dominating starter that he was during spring training and during the postseason last year. Hopefully, he's now back on track. It can only bode well for the Phillies if he's back on track.

The Mets are Struggling

2009-05-03T18:06:00.002-04:00

The Muts are struggling, pretty badly. In fact, they don't look much different from the team that struggled so much that manager Willie Randolph got canned. I wonder if Jerry Manuel's job is in jeopardy yet?

Oliver Perez, whom the Muts re-signed for $36 million just before training camp, is on the verge of being sent to the minors thanks to his ERA of nearly 10.00. He got hit by the Phillies yesterday, which is not a good sign for the Muts. Previously, Perez had enjoyed great success against the Phillies, but he got lit up yesterday.

The Muts also spent a king's ransom on signing J. J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez to bolster their bullpen, but they haven't performed well, and K-Rod is hurt. Putz has been inconsistent. Last night, reliever Sean Green had a world-class meltdown on the mound in the 10th inning. After retiring the first batter, he gave up an infield single, hit a batter, got a second out, and then walked two in a row, including the winning run. Gotta love that bullpen. All that money spent, and it's still their Achilles' heel.

The Muts are currently under .500. Let's hope that they finish the season that way, once more proving that just because you spend a fortune doesn't guarantee a winning team.

Phillies April Report Card

2009-04-30T18:57:00.003-04:00

Well, the first month of the season has ended. Just like last year, the Phightins are two games over .500 at the end of April, with a record of 11-9. They're 1.5 games behind the surprising Marlins, who won't stay in first place for long. The Muts are 9-12, and their vaunted bullpen hasn't been terribly effective so far. All things considered, it's not great, but it also could be worse.

Here's the report card:

Offense: A-. This team can score some runs. There's no doubt about that. And they have no quit in them. No opposing team's lead is ever safe with the Phillies. While Jimmy Rollins, normally the team's Little Engine that Could, is off to a slow start, he's started showing signs of coming out of his slump. Chase Utley's been on fire. Ryan Howard is off to a terrific start, and he's hitting the ball to center, which is what he does when he's swinging the bat well. Jason Werth has been a little inconsistent and Shane Victorino has been steady. The big--but pleasant--surprise has been new leftfielder Raul Ibanez, who's been hitting up a storm and has already won over the notoriously fickle Phillies fans--who had finally embraced his predecessor, Pat Burrell--with his clutch hitting.

Starting Pitching: D-. There's not much good to say about the Phils' starting pitching. So far, it's been just plain awful. I don't ever recall a Phillies pitching staff of recent vintage giving up homers at the rate that these guys have so far this season. Joe Blanton fed his gopher five times in his last start. Brett Meyers has been very inconsistent. He gets hit hard early and then settles down. Jamie Moyer has had rough patches. Chan Ho Park has been lit up like a Christmas tree in his three starts. Cole Hamels, the putative ace of the staff, started slowly after too many off-season distractions. Then, once he finally got himself on track, he got hit by a line drive and the sprained an ankle in consecutive starts, both of which drove him from games. The starting pitching HAS to become more reliable very, very soon, before it's too late. I think it's time to give J.A. Happ a shot at the starting rotation.

Bullpen: D. Only Clay Condrey and Ryan Madsen have been consistently reliable. Brad Lidge has been bothered by a sore knee, and he's been hit hard. Jack Taschner and Scott Eyre, the lefties, have both been hit, too. Chad Durbin has been inconsistent--fabulous one appearance and not very good at all the next. If Lidge comes back next week, as he says he's planning on doing, things will probably be alright. If Lidge has to go on the disabled list, then Madson will become the closer. Madson has a great arm and great stuff and may very well prove to be a dependable closer. It's the critical set-up man role that worries me.

Defense: A-. So far, so good. Victorino looks like he's on the way to another Gold Glove, and Ryan Howard's defense is VASTLY improved. Utley and Feliz are both playing like they never had off-season surgery. Team defense is the thing I worry about least.

OVERALL TEAM GRADE: C+. The team has a long way to go. There are plenty of games left, and plenty of time for the bugs to be worked out. But the starting pitching HAS to get itself back on track immediately, or there will be no chance of reaching the post-season.

An Offensive Explosion

2009-04-28T19:36:00.002-04:00

Never mind that the Phillies pitching staff surrendered six homers to the Nationals last night, and that their pitching was horrific last night. Never mind that Brad Lidge's sore knee has put him on the disabled list.

The Phils came from four runs down on two different occasions last night on two grand slam homers. The first one, a moonshot to center field by Ryan Howard, tied it at 6. The second, to right field by Raul Ibanez, put the Phils ahead 13-11, which was the final score of the game. The last time the Phils had two slams in a game was in 2003. Jimmy Rollins finally broke his terrible slump and had three hits, including two doubles. I am not worried about the Phils scoring runs. They do so in bunches, and they have no quit in them. They're the comeback kids.

I am, however, terribly concerned about the ineffective pitching staff. Even usually reliable Scott Eyre coughed up two long two-run homers last night. Joe Blanton was awful as the starter, giving up three homers and six runs in four innings. He's been just awful in all of his starts so far this season. Brett Myers has also been extremely erratic so far. He keeps giving up homers early, but then he settles down and pitches reasonably well. Cole Hamels has certainly not been himself so far this season, and Chan Ho Park has been hit hard. The Phils' hurlers need to get it together very quickly, because they can't play all their games against the Washington Nationals. Sooner or later, they're going to have to play the Mets and the Braves and the Pirates and other teams with solid starting pitching, and that's going to be the real test of whether this team has any chance of repeating. Rich Dubee needs to do something with this staff, and soon.

An Observation About the Flyers

2009-04-27T18:48:00.002-04:00

I never thought I would hear myself say this, but....

I think that the biggest problem with the Flyers, other than inconsistent play, is a lack of toughness. Without Riley Cote in the lineup, there just isn't much toughness there. Pittsburgh outmuscled the Flyers, and they deserved to win as a consequence. It's hard to imagine the Broad Street Bullies without a bunch of hard-hitting tough guys, but that is the case with this year's team. GM Paul Holmgren, who was as tough a customer as one could want when he was playing, should know that the team seems to lack toughness. Hopefully, his off-season will include adding toughness to the Flyers so that they don't get pushed around the ice again as they did against Pittsburgh.

Until then, fast, highly mobile, high-scoring teams like Pittsburgh will continue to make the Flyers look bad. Let's hope we see a return to tough forechecking soon, or else the Flyers are destined to more early exits from the playoffs.

An Interesting Draft

2009-04-26T12:52:00.003-04:00

The Eagles have a bad track record of trading away their top draft choices. Yesterday was the first time in several years that they actually got to use their first round draft choice. There was a lot of speculation that perhaps the Birds might trade their remaining first round draft choice (they had already traded one first round draft choice to Buffalo for offensive tackle Jason Peters) to Phoenix for disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Not that the Eagles management has ever cared about this sort of thing, but there was a fair amount of pressure coming from the fans and local sportswriters for them to go after Boldin, who has been a game-breaking wide receiver of the sort that the Eagles have not had since Mike Quick retired (with the exception of the one season that Terrell Owens behaved himself and played to his ability).

The Birds also have been sorely lacking at tight end for some time now. While L. J. Smith has decent hands, he's a lousy blocker and he's been very injury-prone during his career. Some had speculated that the Eagles would use their first round draft choice on monster Oklahoma tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who was still available when the Eagles picked (in fact, Pettigrew was the next player taken after the Eagles picked, going to the Detroit Lions, who had two first round picks and need all the help they can get after an 0-16 season last year).

Instead of bowing to the pressure, the made some interesting moves. They traded up in the draft, swapping first round picks with the Cleveland Browns. They then drafted University of Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Maclin is the sort of receiver that can make an immediate impact. He can return punts, kicks, and he has blazing speed and good size, and is the sort of a wide out who can make substantial contributions to the Eagles' West Coast offense. They now have a good receiving corps, consisting of DeSean Jackson, who had an excellent rookie year last year, Kevin Curtis, who is healthy again, Hank Baskett, Jason Avant, and now Maclin. The Birds should be set at wide receiver for a few years now.

They used their second pick to draft Pitt running back LeSean McCoy. McCoy, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, posted 35 rushing touchdowns and 2 1,000 yard seasons in his two years at Pitt, and provides the Eagles with an alternative to Brian Westbrook, who is coming off of knee surgery and is now 30 years old. McCoy bring size and speed, but with only two years of college football experience, still has plenty to learn. Eagles coach Andy Reid has already told McCoy that he wants him to work on his blocking, so time will tell whether McCoy can become effective n providing additional protection for Donovan McNabb or blocking for newly-signed fullback Leonard Weaver to carry the ball.

True to form, the Birds then traded away their third round pick. They'd already traded their fourth round pick to move up in the draft, so the middle round picks won't do much to help the team. Time will tell.

One thing is clear: the Eagles certainly march to the beat of their own drummer when it comes to personnel decisions. Yesterday proved it once more. Let's hope that Maclin and McCoy become the sort of impact players that will cause Eagles fans to look back with appreciation on the 2009 NFL draft.

Are the Phillies Suffering from Post-World Series Hangover?

2009-04-24T15:02:00.000-04:00

Two weeks into the season, the Phillies just can't get untracked. So far, with very few exceptions (steady Clay Condrey comes to mind), the pitching staff has been abysmal. Then, when the pitching is on, the hitting is off. They've only meshed a few times so far this year; the other night's 11-4 victory over Milwaukee comes to mind. The defending world champions are two games under .500 at the moment, and they look bad.

Manager Charlie Manuel hasn't been shy about letting his displeasure with the team show. After nearly being no-hit yesterday, Charlie said, "Bush had a no-hitter into the eighth. You have to give him some credit. He was hitting his spots, making some pitches. But I didn't like the way we played. I should give Bush more credit. I don't want to take anything away from him. But I didn't like the way we hit. I didn't like the way we swung the bat. We swung the bats defensively. We weren't aggressive at the plate. We didn't put good swings on the ball. The first ball we hit hard was the one by Stairs." Manuel was referring to a pinch-hit solo homer off the foul pole by Matt Stairs, which broke up the no-hitter.

Cole Hamels has candidly admitted that the post-World Series celebrity rubber chicken circuit left him less prepared for the season than he has previously. Plus several Phillies participated in the World Championship of Baseball, and that left them with too much play too early. It's messed with swings and it's messed with pitchers. Only a few players--Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley (who seems like he hasn't missed a beat after his off-season hip surgery) and a thinner Ryan Howard come to mind--have performed well while the rest have been significant disappointments.

The Phillies had better get right--and forget last October--very, very soon, or it's going to be too late. It's up to Charlie Manuel to give these guys a wake-up call, and soon.

Sheldon Brown and Demanding to be Traded

2009-04-21T19:37:00.000-04:00

Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown, who signed a long contract extension in 2004 and who makes a handsome salary is, apparently, unhappy with commanding a handsome salary and playing for one of the NFL's elite franchises. Claiming that he's been treated like a red-headed stepchild, and pouting because he thinks his agent has been disrespected by team management, Brown demanded a trade yesterday.

Eagles management responded quickly and decisively, releasing this statement:

"It's very unfortunate and counterproductive that Sheldon has chosen to go public with his feelings about his situation. After thorough evaluation by himself and discussions with his family and agents, he chose to accept an extension of his rookie contract early that provided his family financial security for the rest of his life. It removed any concerns about health or performance that all other players in his draft class had to worry about. He has 4 years remaining on that contract and, after taking the signing bonus and his first 2 years of salary into account, we feel that Sheldon is being paid fairly. Focusing only on a player's salary for a given year is not a valid analysis.

There have been league MVPs, Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, and perennial Pro Bowlers who have been in a similar situation. All of their teams have required them to wait until their contract expired or there was only 1 year remaining before any adjustment took place. It is only in the most extraordinary, in fact, less than a handful of circumstances in the last 10 years that any players 2 new years into a contract with 4 years left have been adjusted. We don't think this qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance.

Sheldon's comments under the circumstances actually serve to devalue him in a trade if we were willing to consider it; which we are not."

I can appreciate that Brown thinks he's been disrespected, but the simple fact is that he's being paid a huge amount of money to play a game. Shut up and play. And quit your whining. Didn't you learn anything from the Terrell Owens debacle? Or from watching what happened to Lito Sheppard last year when he turned into a petulant child?

Book Review: The Fall of the 1977 Phillies: How a Baseball's Team's Collapse Sank a City's Spirit

2009-04-20T18:09:00.001-04:00

Mitchell Nathanson, a legal writing instructor at the Villanova University School of Law, has written a very intriguing book titled The Fall of the 1977 Phillies: How a Baseball Team's Collapse Sank a City's Spirit. Published in 2007 by McFarland Co., this 264 page softcover book provides a fascinating juxtaposition of the loss of a single playoff game by the 1977 Phillies with the social history of Philadelphia. For anyone who wants to understand the contentious relationship between Philadelphia and the rest of the baseball world and between Phillies fans and the team they love to hate, this book is absolutely mandatory reading. I was 16 years old when the Phillies collapsed in 1977, and I remember it like it happened yesterday.

Nathanson dissects the critical third game of the 1977 National League Championship Series, between the Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers, a game that has become infamous in Philadelphia as Black Friday. The Phils had just completed their second straight 101-win season and had won the National League Eastern Division by 8 games. From top to bottom, the 1977 edition of the Phils were probably the best team that the Phillies have ever fielded. Featuring Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton, and the National League's best bullpen, the Phils were the best team in the National League. The players liked each other, and they had harmony. And best of all, the fans loved this team. For once, the notoriously fickle Philadelphia fans embraced the Phillies wholeheartedly and without reservation, and they had their collective hearts broken. He presents the Black Friday game pitch-by-pitch.

In one 10-minute frenzy of poor play and a horrendously bad call by an umpire, the wheels came off, and the Phillies lost game three of the NLCS in the ninth inning. Their usually reliable bullpen failed them that night, manager Danny Ozark inexplicably failed to make a defensive replacement in left field, Greg Luzinski failed to catch a fly ball that his defensive replacement easily would have caught, and umpire Bruce Froemming blew a call at first base for what would have been the third out of the inning. Along the way, the Phillies fans caused Dodger starting pitcher Burt Hooton to have a meltdown on the mound so bad that he had to be removed from the game. The Phils lost this game and then lost the playoff series, to the disgust of their fans, who were not shy about making their disappointment and displeasure known. Thus ended the honeymoon between the Phillies and their fans, opening their door to a new era of bitterness and hostility that not even the 1980 World Series championship helped.

The heartbreak of Black Friday is juxtaposed against the social history of why Philadelphia has historically played second banana to New York City, as well as a history of baseball in the City of Brotherly Love. Nathanson concludes that the wrong team--the Philadelphia Athletics--left town. He contends that it would have been better for all if the A's had stayed in 1954 and the Phillies had left instead. The A's had a winning tradition, while the Phillies had a tradition of wretchedness. He argues--quite convincingly--that the 1977 team was the apex of Philadelphia baseball (at least prior to the 2008 World Series champions), and that the collapse of the Phils on Black Friday led to a collapse of Philadelphia as a whole. As proof, he points to the tragic MOVE episode of 1978 and the continuing impact of that event decades later. As the Phillies collapsed, so did the spirits of Philadelphians, who sank back into the depths of despair.

I'm not 100% convinced of the validity of the theory, but the book certainly makes for an interesting, enlightening, and thought-provoking read. The history of baseball in Philadelphia, in particular, is eye-opening. It will help you to understand the love-hate relationship between Phillies fans and their team, and it also proves that baseball truly is a game of inches.

In short, I can't say enough good things about this book. It really should be mandatory reading for any Phillies fan who wants to understand the complicated relationship between the City of Brotherly Love and the Phitin' Phils.

The Streak Ends

2009-04-19T13:08:00.000-04:00

Brad Lidge's save streak finally ended last night after 54 games. Lidge came into a game against the surprising San Diego Padres with the Phils ahead 5-4. Presumably, it would be more of the same: Lights Out Lidge would nail down another victory.

However, this year's edition of Brad Lidge seems to be different from last year's edition. He has been struggling with command of his fastball, and has been hit. He almost blew a save earlier this week when he gave up a homer. Last night was ugly, because Lidge got lit up like a Christmas tree. He gave up a lead-off double followed by a couple of hits, walked a couple of batters, and then gave up a three-run homer. He was wild and not in command of his pitches. Instead of winning 5-4, the Phils lost 8-5. To give the notably difficult Phillies fans credit, although some booed when Lidge gave up the homer, they gave him a standing ovation when he came out of the game in recognition of what he'd accomplished and what he meant to last year's world championship team.

We all knew that the streak had to end sooner or later, so it's not a huge surprise that it did. Lidge is, after all, only human, and this has been an exceedingly difficult week for the Phillies as a consequence of Harry Kalas' sudden death. There was a very emotional and undoubtedly difficult farewell ceremony for Harry the K at Citizens Bank Park yesterday afternoon before the game, and I have no doubt that this week has taken a toll on all involved. I am, therefore, not as concerned about the steak ending as I might otherwise be.

I am much more concerned about the fact that virtually every Phillies' pitcher has been hit hard so far this spring and by the fact that the entire staff seems very ineffective just now. After ten games, the team ERA is a staggering 7.16, dead last in the National League. Charlie Manuel had better do something to get his pitching staff righted and turned around quickly, before the barrage of homers by opposing players teams buries the Phils' hopes of repeating before June. I don't know what the solution is, but they had better figure something out and fast.

UPDATE, 4:30 P.M.: Chan Ho Park got hit pretty hard in his second start for the Phillies today. He gave up 4 earned runs in 5 innings, including two homers. His ERA so far is in excess of 8. However, the Phils got excellent work from their bullpen today. J.A. Happ pitched 3 shutout innings and Clay Condrey 1. A walk-off two-run homer by Raul Ibanez in the bottom of the ninth won the game for the Phils, who trailed the whole way. All five of the Phils' runs came on homers, by Utley, Ibanez and a pinch-hit homer by Jimmy Rollins, who got the day off today. Ibanez has been sensational so far.

I think it's probably time for Charlie Manuel to consider banishing Park to the bullpen and giving Happ a shot at the starting rotation.

What's With the Flyers?

2009-04-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

The Philadelphia Flyers came into the National Hockey League in 1967. A mere seven years later, the Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and then repeated the next year. Even though the franchise has the second highest winning percentage in the history of the NHL, the Flyers have not won another Cup since. The Flyers have won division championships in 1968, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, and 2004. They've also won their conference championship in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1987, and 1997, meaning that they have lost in the Stanley Cup finals five times since their last championship in 1975. The 1979-80 team reeled off a 35-game undefeated streak, which still stands as the North American record. This franchise's history is not a bad record, to be sure, but what is it about this team that seems to prevent them from being able to get over the hump and win another Stanley Cup?

The Stanley Cup playoffs began this past Wednesday night, and the Flyers are already down 2-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round series. They lost last night in overtime on a goal by ancient Billy Guerin. They look tired, and they don't look like they have the kind of fresh legs needed to win a championship.

What is it with this franchise? For years, I blamed it on Bobby Clarke's stewardship as general manager. It always seemed like Clarke was bound and determined to re-create the Broad Street Bullies of the early 1970's, but Clarke's now been gone for a couple of years. To be be fair about it, his successor as GM, Paul Holmgren, has had challenges. His first team was coming off a franchise-worst season, and he had to rebuild from the bottom up. Just a year later, the Flyers made the playoffs again, and last year, they made it to the conference finals before losing to Pittsburgh.

However, it all begs the question of why, with all of the great talent that has worn the black & orange over the years, haven't the Flyers won another Stanley Cup? Something always seems to be missing, and something continues to be missing. I can only hope that the Flyers can turn things around this year and make it out of the first round, but given the incredible talent that Pittsburgh has, I'm not particularly optimistic. I wish I had the answers to the questions I've posed here, but I don't.

I just know that a team that has enjoyed as much success and has had as much talent as this one has shouldn't have gone for 35 years without another championship.

Harry and Me

2009-04-16T08:39:00.000-04:00

I was 10 years old in 1971 when the Phillies moved into gleaming new Veterans Stadium. My father took me to a game there that year, my first in person (old Connie Mack Stadium was in a really bad part of town, and you took your life into your hands to go there). I got to see the dreadful Phillies lose to the awesome Big Red Machine, and saw Johnny Bench hit a homer into the upper deck of the Vet for the first time.

Along with the new stadium, the Phillies got a new lead broadcaster in 1971. When Bill Giles came over from the Houston Astros that year, he brought Harry Kalas with him. Harry had the unenviable task of following the enormously popular Bill Campbell, and the fans were not inclined to accept him. However, his mellifluous baritone and easy delivery soon won over the fans, who appreciated his chemistry with color man Richie Ashburn. In fact, Harry and Richie soon became the best of friends--more like brothers--with a chemistry like none other.

Before long, Harry became the voice of summer. As I grew up, Harry and Richie--he called him His Whiteness--were always there. I wish I could count the times that I heard those two call games. At first, the Phillies were dreadful. And then, they got good. Harry dubbed third baseman Mike Schmidt "Michael Jack" and got to call every one of Schmidt's 548 career homers--"Watch that baby--outta here!" Or how he would drag out the enunciation of some names: "Mic-key Mor-an-dini". He was unique.

In 1980, the Phillies won their first World Series championship, and because of the broadcasting contract between the network and major league baseball, Harry didn't get to call it. That was sad, and for years, I wondered if he would ever get another chance. Luckily, he did--last fall. Although Harry's voice didn't betray it, you could tell his heart was racing as he said, "Struck him out! The Phillies are the world champions of baseball!" A World Series championship without Harry....it was something you couldn't even imagine.

Ashburn died suddenly and unexpectedly in 1997, and Harry's loss was palpable. You could feel his pain at losing his best friend. But, he picked up the pieces and went on. One thing was a constant--Harry Kalas. He transformed himself from the voice of Philadelphia baseball to baseball itself. Harry was the Philadelphia Phillies. Players came and went, but one thing was constant--Harry.

We lost Harry on Monday of this week. He died as he should have: in the broadcast booth, getting ready to call another Phillies game. And with him died another piece of my childhood. ESPN's Jayson Stark, who spent 28 years covering the Phillies, summed it up best when he said that the thought of watching or listening to a Phillies game without Harry was inconceivable. We lost the voice of Philadelphia. We lost the voice of summer. And it will never be the same again.

Rest in peace, Harry. You will be missed by this Phillies fan.

Welcome!

2009-04-15T19:02:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my new blog.

By way of introduction, I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. I had the great misfortune of being born into a family of Philadelphia sports fans, and I caught the bug early. Some of my earliest memories are of watching Dick "Don't Call Me Richie" Allen hit long home runs out of Connie Mack Stadium with my father, and of watching some of the really horrible Eagles teams of the early 1970's lose game after game, season after season. Or then there were the 1973-1974 76'ers, who posted a 9-73 record.

The only saving grace was the Flyers. The Broad Street Bullies won two consecutive Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975, the only two championships the franchise has won in its 43 years of existence. I still remember those championship parades as though they were yesterday, even though I was only 13 when the first one happened.

Although I have lived in Columbus, Ohio for 22 years now, I remain loyal to the Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers (although it's always a challenge when the Flyers play the Columbus Blue Jackets). I've ridden the roller coaster, such as the Phillies' World Series championship last year, and the Eagles losing in the conference championship yet again. Remember that, before the Phils won last year, it had been 25 years and 100 professional sports seasons since the last championship for the City of Brotherly Love.

True Philadelphia sports fans know pain. They know suffering. Rooting for Philadelphia teams is all about pain and suffering, with the occasional burst of glory. This blog will help to track the pain of a lifetime of disappointment.

This blog will help track the travails of a loyal Philadelphia sports fan who has the misfortune of living 450 miles away from where his teams play. Check back often.