Park Grabs 5th Spot/Myers to Start Opener

Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today that Chan Ho Park has won the 5th spot in the Phillies rotation, beating out J.A. Happ for the position. Happ will now compete for a spot in the bullpen according to Amaro.


In addition, Charlie Manuel announced that Brett Myers would be the Phils Opening Night Starter, giving Myers the honor for the third year in a row.

Jenkins is Way Outta Here!

Geoff Jenkins has been released by the Philadelphia Phillies. In a well deserved, yet somewhat surprising move, Geoff Jenkins was released today following a season in which he posted his worst offensive numbers since 2002 when he only played in 67 games. Jenkins didn't help his cause after posting sub-par numbers in Grape Fruit league action this spring.

Jenkins hit .246 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 293 at-bats last season, losing the everyday job in right field to Jayson Werth. He hit .250 (11-for-44) with three doubles, one homer and five RBIs in 20 games this spring. Despite his struggles, Jenkins did provide a spark for the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series last year when he led off the sixth inning with a double.

Despite being cut from the team, Jenkins is owed $8 million, which includes his $6.75million salary plus a $1.25 million buyout on a club option for 2010. This adds to the mountain of money the Phillies are already paying ex-players. The Phils owe $3 million to former first baseman Jim Thome this season and another $9 million to pitching-bust Adam Eaton

The Phillies have confirmed that they have reached out to outfielder Gary Sheffield to gage his interest in filling a reserve spot, with the hopes that Sheffield could provide some right handed power off the bench.

To check out an interview with Jenkins following the news that he had been released click: Here

Weekly Podcast for 3/31/09

We are back today with another podcast. If you listened to the Weekly podcast, you realized there was no Flyers talk, even though we opened the show by saying there was going to be. We ran a little long with that podcast, so we figured instead of giving you 5 minutes of Flyers at the end of the show, why not record another podcast. So, here it is, a full podcast dedicated to the Flyers. Enjoy.






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Hamels Out For Opener

It was made official on Monday, Cole Hamels is not going to pitch next Sunday when then the Phillies open the 2009 season at Citizen's Bank Park.

No decision has been made as to who will pitch Sunday night, Brett Myers is in line to pitch Sunday if you follow the spring rotation, but Joe Blanton hasn't been ruled out either.

Check out Jim Salisbury's piece from the Inquirer here
which also covers the 5th starter race between Park and Happ.

Inside the mind of the Philly sports fan

During the research and the subsequent debates that were a part of doing our “Greatest Philadelphia Athlete” podcast, I repeatedly came across a common storyline, that we as fans turn on our superstar athletes and run them out of town. Its uncanny how many times the fan base here in Philadelphia have found something wrong with a premiere athlete and how often popular opinion has swung against a player whose performance should grant them some sort of immunity from that type of uprising. Successful or not, over time it seems as if Philly fans just get sick of the same players being the focal point of their teams.



If you try to hypothesize why this is the case, your first instinct would be to say it’s because the fan base demands a winner, and unless you win it all you get the label of a failure. This isn’t actually the case when you look further into this behavior. Mike Schmidt, for example, had a very vocal crowd of detractors throughout the ‘80s despite being a World Series champion, MVP of that World Series, a 12-time all-star, a 10-time gold glove winner, and a 3-time NL MVP. Schmidt was the greatest player of his time, yet still faced the wrath of the Philly crowds. They claimed he didn’t hustle and that he seemed nonchalant in the field, despite his records for fielding. At the time Schmidt grew frustrated with the crowds, calling them a mob scene and saying they were beyond help. Well, 25 years later not much has changed, a new generation of fans has come to be, and they are just as tough as their predecessors. 25 years later, I wonder if the great Michael Jack Schmidt was right, are we beyond help?

I’m not sure if we’re beyond help, but Michael Jack has nothing on today’s superstars. Today we live in a world with a television channel and two radio stations that are dedicated to covering Philadelphia sports exclusively. You think we used to nitpick in the ‘80s Mike? You ain’t seen nothing. Today every facet of professional sports is picked apart and criticized as a part of an endless 24-hour news cycle. Nobody feels this scorn and criticism any harsher than Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. This pair represents the best the Philadelphia Eagles organization has ever put on the field, the winningest coach and the best quarterback. So why do we as fans do nothing but rip these two apart day in and day out. I often criticize McNabb for things not related to his play, and I claim to know better. Who am I to say that he isn’t a leader, or that he doesn’t command respect like other quarterbacks? Why do fans think that Andy Reid is a smug, arrogant bastard even though all he ever does is win football games and take all criticism on himself. That’s what a real man is supposed to do, chin up, don’t complain, just continue doing what you feel in your heart is right. Andy Reid is a very good coach (although a flawed one), and Andy deserves to get better treatment from Eagles “fans”. If you raise this point to an Eagles fan, they’ll tell you it’s because he has never won a Super Bowl, but ask Mike Schmidt how long the bloom stays on that rose, and he’ll tell you not very long. Once Philly decides your aren’t a “Philly guy”, the chances of escaping that determination are slim to none.

Just ask Scott Rolen. Rolen came up to the big leagues at the end of 1996 and showed flashes of greatness, those flashes materialized into a rookie of the year award in 1997 and Scott was on his way to becoming a Phillies legend. Then something odd happened, Scott won a few gold gloves and blossomed into one of the best young third basemen in baseball when the fans started saying that he wasn’t hard-nosed enough. After time Rolen began to bristle at this distinction and that was a huge mistake. It’s all well and good for the fans to slander you, but if you dare even hint that you resent their opinion, then you’re dead to them. It got to be so bad, that when Rolen started to question the team’s commitment to winning the fans took THE TEAM’S SIDE! So Rolen decided he wanted out, and he got a crybaby label for it. The label was further cemented by his feud with fiery manager Larry Bowa, who had never been a successful manager, yet is still loved by Phillies fans due to his passing the feisty personality litmus test with flying colors.

Scotty Rolen was just the tip of the iceberg. Remember Eagles’ star Randall Cunningham, who went from MVP to pariah in about three years. What about Eric Lindros? He went from hockey god to pansy-ass Daddy’s boy in about three years. You only need to look at The Answer himself. We named Allen Iverson the greatest athlete of the last 20 years, yet he was exiled too. He was labeled lazy for not making a handful of practices, yet all anyone talks about when he’s mentioned is how hard he played and how much effort he gave night in and night out. So what gives? Why do we continue to vilify our stars? Who is next to face the wrath of the infamous Philly backlash?

If I had to guess, the next in line is World Series MVP Cole Hamels. I vividly recall the fans declaring that Hamels wasn’t a big game pitcher, and that he was a pansy and cowardly for not pitching a day early last season, a move that would have matched him up against the Mets instead of the Marlins. That’s right, Cole Hamels had his heart and big-game ability questioned a mere weeks before he carried the Phillies to a World Series title. I remember arguing that if the kid isn’t comfortable pitching early, then respect that he has the maturity to recognize his limitations. Cole didn’t want to risk messing up his routine, and I think that decision worked out pretty well. Brett Myers, meanwhile, returned to the big-league roster after being sent to AAA to straighten out a horrible season as popular as ever, despite having a terrible season and recent legal troubles of a disturbing nature. Part of that was us fans knowing that Myers needed to perform well down the stretch for the Phillies to have a chance to win the East, and we decided that we were going to be behind Brett all the way for the good of the team. Then again, how often are we positive for positivity’s sake, I think as big a part of his maintained popularity is that Brett Myers always had that feisty demeanor on the field, and Philly fans respond to that.

The scary part is that those toughness related criticisms probably aren’t behind Cole. If Cole only makes 50 starts over the next two season, and the Phillies don’t win the East in those two years. I would not be at all surprised if the questions of his toughness crept back onto barstools and into the radio waves of the sports talk world. I heard Ike Reese on Monday evening say that Hamels is “overly cautious” when it comes to his body. This is before he’s thrown a single regular season pitch after a dominating World Series run that you’d think would have granted the kid some sort of a pass. If Cole isn’t currently immune, then is anybody in the Philadelphia sports scene ever going to be safe? After a few seasons without repeating as NL East champions, I could easily see the current group of Phillies falling out of favor. It won’t take much for Manuel to return to being Charlie from Mayberry, and Ryan Howard’s giant strikeout totals could very easily become a reflection of how he doesn’t work hard enough to get better, rather than a natural byproduct of a non-steroid era slugger.

So I ask, are we wrong? Are we hurting our teams more than we help with the way obsess like we do? As much as I love my teams, and as much as I love dissecting every move and game, maybe I’m not helping either. Should I restrict my opinion making data to what happens between the white lines? To answer this questions let’s consider the end of Andy Reid. I feel like when/if Reid is ever released by the Eagles, it will be due in part to the large, vocal group of fans who don’t like Reid because they find him arrogant and condescending. Odds say that our next coach will not be as good as Andy, since he is the winningest coach in team history; in fact odds are the next five coaches won’t be as good. So when Andy goes, if public opinion based on his personality is a factor in that decision, then we as fans will have chosen to have an inferior coach who is a better interview or who is a fierier guy on the sidelines, than a winner who is stone faced and boring. How insane is that? How insane are we?

Well, insane enough to spend countless hours picking apart every angle of the Eagles offseason, insane enough to pack Lehigh every year at mini-camps, insane enough to sell out every game for an entire 81 home game schedule despite a collapsing economy, and insane enough that three guys with full time jobs spend most of their free time building a website about Philly sports. We are very dedicated, is that so wrong? Is it wrong for fans of Lost to pack message boards and go over every frame of every episode? Absolutely not. The only thing that would be wrong is if the producers of Lost read those message board postings and make knee-jerk reactions to the feedback. It’s also wrong if the show’s producers completely ignore what those message boards say, not acknowledging what the show’s most hardcore fans believe.

In the end when you commit to following a team on a daily basis, you are also deciding that the team will be your primary entertainment source. Fans want a payoff for their time, money, and troubles. That is why we dislike boring Andy Reid, we want entertainment, and while the game day on-the-field product may usually be a quality one, what about our entertainment on the other 349 days of the year? If we aren’t working towards a title, the triumph of which is our ultimate payoff from this entertainment, then we need to be getting something else for our commitment, namely drama. The drama of the big game, the drama of the offseason where characters are added or removed from the roster, and sometimes we just need to add the drama ourselves. Drama, after all is second to triumph in what we hope to experience from watching sports to begin with.

That’s really the answer, I think, that when triumph isn’t an option, we want drama, and we are willing to create it ourselves as necessary. When that drama is created it is a pretty basic idea that the bigger the star involved, the bigger the drama. It works in Hollywood, it works on television and it works in Philadelphia sports. That why Scott Rolen was a superstar in the making who got the boot, but Pedro Feliz is a huge underachiever who gets a pass, because one was a leading man, and the other is playing a bit part. I think it really is that simple: we want drama, so we create it, and when we create it, we create it around our biggest stars. So when Philly’s brightest stars find themselves knee-deep in the quicksand of public opinion, don’t blame their downfall on us. After all, it’s our job as fans to follow along with the drama and even to embrace it. It is our right as fans to start the drama when it looks like that triumph we long for isn’t coming anytime soon, or when things are getting boring.

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Toronto Blue Jays

The PSP stops in beautiful Canada to check in with the Toronto Blue Jays, owners of 2008's best pitching staff. How does their 2009 staff look? What are their overall chances this season? Come on in as Greg and the guys from Blue Bird Banter break it down.


The Toronto Blue Jays

Last Season’s Result: 86-76. 4th place in the AL East.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added 1B Kevin Millar (Signed from Baltimore)
• Lost SP A.J. Burnett (Signed with New York Yankees)
• Lost C Gregg Zaun (Signed with Baltimore)
• Lost RF Brad Wilkerson (Signed with Boston)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: F This team was a real contender in 2008, with the best pitching staff in baseball. This offseason they did nothing to improve, and will be lucky to maintain a .500 record because of it.

• Rotation Grade: C Roy Halladay is still among the game’s best, and Jesse Litsch is a nice young arm, but with the loss of Burnett to the Yanks and Marcum to injury, this rotation is reduced to average.

• Bullpen Grade: A The league’s best bullpen was great in ’08, and I expect them to be just as good in 2009. BJ Ryan returns as closer, with Scott Downs and Brian Tallet in front of him, each of whom is coming off of a tremendous season.

• Lineup Grade: D+ A below average group in 2008, and I can’t imagine them getting any better in 2009. There’s no power in this lineup, I’m not expecting a single man on this roster to hit 25 home runs.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Vernon Wells. This team is going to be kind of bad this season, but I think Wells could have a nice year and give the fans a bright spot.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Travis Snider. The young leftfielder should get ample playing time this season, and with it expect a run at ROTY. Snider is expected to be a long term solution for the Jays, but this year may be a bit soon, as he is only 21.

Best Case Scenario: Getting back to .500 this season is a lofty goal at this point. If the young pitchers can perform than there’s a shot, but real contention is probably out of the question.

Worst Case Scenario: I think this team is likely to struggle this season, and rumblings of moving Halladay seem to creep into the rumor mill every trade deadline. I think the worst case scenario would be for them to move Halladay and fail to get any prospects that pan out in return.

Prediction for 2009: 69-93. 4th place in the AL East.

Local Thoughts

We have a pair of fans of Canadian baseball for your reading pleasure today, Tom Dakers and Hugo Fruchter of Blue Bird Banter.

By: Tom will start us off.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: D-. We really didn't do anything this off-season, signed a handful of guys to minor league contracts, the only ones that are likely likely to see playing time are Michael Barrett and Kevin Millar. We lost AJ Burnett which is too bad and all, but I'm glad we aren't paying him what the Godless Yankees will be paying him over the next few years.

• Most Essential: Maybe Travis Snider. He looks like the real thing. I'm hoping for an average close to .280 and 25 or so homers. If you want to put money on who gets the Rookie of the Year, he's as good a bet as anyone.

• Breakout Potential: Alex Rios. Until last season Alex had improved his home run totals each season in the majors. Last year, the Jays had a new hitting coach and his philosophy didn't work for Alex. This year, with Cito telling him to swing for the fences, I think 30+ home runs isn't out of the question. He looked good in the WBC.

• Prediction for 2009: I think they will be right around where they were last year. Last year they were 86-76, but their Pythagorean record was 93-69. I think their offense will improve, but likely their starting pitching will decline some. They will likely finish 3rd or 4th, but if the stars align right they could be in the race. It isn't likely in the strong division they are in, but the Yankees are aging, never know what will happen in Boston and Tampa Bay could regress some.

By: Hugo, again from Blue Bird Banter.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: F. The Jays were really an excellent team last season, much better than their record or order of finish showed. Adding a pitcher to compensate for the loss of A.J. Burnett and Shaun Marcum, who contributed substantially to the major league's best starting rotation in 2008 and adding a bat to boost what was a sagging offense in 2008 could have thrust the Jays into real contention. This was particularly true in this depressed market where many quality hitters were available at moderate cost. Instead the Jays decided to compensate for the loss of Marcum and Burnett by essentially punting the offseason and hoping for the best.

• Most Essential: Great question. I don't want to put too much on rookie Travis Snider's shoulders, so I think the answer is Scott Rolen. If he is able to stay on the field and hit like he does when his shoulder isn't killing him, that will go a long way to boosting the Jays' offense. On the pitching side, if David Purcey takes a step forward and lives up to his first-round draft pick promise, that'll be huge for a rotation with lots of question marks.

• Breakout Potential: I have a good feeling about Adam Lind. I'm hoping he has made all his adjustments and this season he will just go out and hit like he can.


• Prediction for 2009: I think the Jays will win 83 games and finish 4th in the AL East. The biggest factor in this projection is the strength of their competition, to which no other division even comes close. I do think it's more likely they win 90 games than 75.

Weekly Podcast for 3/30/09

On this week's episode, we talk some college hoops and some Eagles...mostly Eagles though. We start off by congratulating Villanova on making it to the Final Four, and discuss whether or not this city will go nuts if they manage to win the whole thing. We then shift our focus to the Eagles, as Paul and Greg get in a heated debate over whether or not the Eagles have done enough to improve their chances of winning the Superbowl. Are we jumping the gun with the Eagles, or should we at least let them draft before making our judgment? There was supposed to be some Flyers talk, but since we ran a bit long, we decided to just add another Podcast for the Flyers, which you can hear tomorrow. That's right, you read that correctly...another podcast tomorrow!



LISTEN - Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Weekly Podcast 3/30/09 mp3

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2009 MLB Team Preview- The New York Yankees

Here we are with the Yankees, who are back and big spending as always.

The New York Yankees

Last Season’s Result: 89-73. 3rd place in the AL East.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added SP CC Sabathia (Signed from Milwaukee)
• Added 1B Mark Teixeira (Signed from Los Angeles Angels)
• Added 1B/OF Nick Swisher (Trade with Chicago White Sox)
• Added SP A.J. Burnett (Signed from Toronto)
• Added SP Jason Johnson (Signed from LA Dodgers)
• Lost RF Bobby Abreu (Signed with Los Angeles Angels)
• Lost 1B Jason Giambi (Signed with Oakland)
• Lost SP Mike Mussina (Retired)
• Lost SP Carl Pavano (Signed with Cleveland)
• Lost C Ivan Rodriguez (Signed with Houston)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: B The Yankees spent a small fortune bringing in most of the top free agents of this offseason. The additions of Sabathia and Burnett will return the Yankees rotation to among the best in the league, if not the best. Teixeira’s addition makes the Yankees lineup a step closer to the juggernaut that they are used to. The reason I didn’t give them an A is because they have a terrible defensive team, and it doesn’t look like its getting any better. Teixeira is a fine defender, but up the middle they are very suspect.

• Rotation Grade: A+ Chien-Ming Wang goes from a solid ace to the game’s best #3 (sorry Dice-K). This is probably the best rotation in baseball. Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Pettitte, and Chamberlain form a murderer’s row of a rotation, and only Pettitte’s advanced age makes him the only one who can’t win twenty games this season.

• Bullpen Grade: C+ Mariano Rivera was amazing in 2008, posting a 1.40 ERA in 64 appearances. Forget all the K-Rod hype, this guy may have been the AL’s best closer in 2008. Surrounding this future hall of famer is a cast of lesser known young hurlers.

• Lineup Grade: A- A lot of talk this preseason is about the flaws in this group, but think they are still among the game’s best. They are above-average at worst at every offensive position except left and centerfield. This team will score, with A-Rod and without him.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Alex Rodriguez. How much will this hip injury affect his production? If the controversial third basemen return at his normal level, then with their upgraded pitching staff the Yankees will contend in the East.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees are finally going to give Joba the chance to throw every fifth day, and with that chance expect him to emerge as the Yankees #2 guy. If Joba’s arm troubles return, then the new star on the block may end up being RF Xavier Nady who will finally showcase his “un-tier” clutchness for a full season in the biggest market in the country.
Best Case Scenario: If the pitching stays healthy, this team will definitely be in contention. If A-Rod plays to form as well, then this team has the ability to run away with this division regardless of Boston and Tampa.

Worst Case Scenario: AJ Burnett, Joba, and Wang all get injured again. A-Rod slumps after his return and become a lightning rod for criticism. This team added some nice talent, but an A-Rod circus could derail what they have going.

Prediction for 2009: 96-66. 1st place in the AL East.

Local Thoughts

A trio of Yankees bloggers give us a ton of insight to the upcoming year; Edward Valentine and Travis Goldman from Pinstripe Alley, and Patrick O’Keefe of YanksBlog.com.

By: First up is Edward Valentine of Pinstripe Alley

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: A-: As everyone knows, and many have whined about, the Yankees spent a ton of money in the off-season. The signings of CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett give them front-line starting pitching they didn't have in 2008. Re-signing Andy Pettitte was also huge, as it means they now have depth with Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves at AAA. Mark Teixeira was also a great get, especially since the Yankees have no other true, young, in their prime offensive players. Nick Swisher gives them flexibility, and a bat, off the bench they have been missing. Letting Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi go were also smart moves, as it helped the Yankees get more flexible. The only demerit Brian Cashman gets is for not finding a better backup middle infielder than Cody Ransom or Angel Berroa, and the Yanks will pay for that with A-Rod hurt.

• Most Essential: Oh, man. You can argue that it will be A-Rod once he returns. You can argue Sabathia since he gives them a true No. 1. You can argue that it is Teixeira. I think, though, that is is the same guy it has been for the last 10-12 years -- Mariano Rivera. Since he became the closer Yankee games have always been about getting the ball to Mo. If he is healthy following shoulder surgery, and still the dominant force he has always been even at 39, then the Yankee pitching staff sets up great and they have no 9th inning worries. If he can't handle the workload, or his stuff isn't the same, then there is a problem.

• Breakout Potential: I am looking for (pleading for? hoping for? begging for?) a big comeback season from Robinson Cano. A guy who isn't even on the radar right now is Phil Hughes, who will start the season in AAA. The Franchise was very disappointing last season, but I think he will still pitch some big games, and pitch well, in the Bronx this summer.


• Prediction for 2009: I think this team wins in the neighborhood of 95 games. The pitching and defense should both be better than they were in 2008. I hate to say it, but I think the Red Sox win the division and the Yankees place 2nd and earn the wild card. Sorry, Tampa Bay fans.

By: Travis Goldman also from Pinstripe Alley

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: B+, would've been an A if they had signed Manny.

• Most Essential: Posada and his health. If he can play 110 games at catcher, the offense should be fine. If he can't, and we have to use Molina a lot, it could kill the offense.

• Breakout Potential: Brett Gardner, who could turn into a very good centerfielder. His defense and speed are already plus, and while his minor league OBP was great, he'll have to hit for average because pitchers aren't afraid to challenge him in the Bigs. But I think he can do that.

• Prediction for 2009: 95-67, 2nd in the AL East behind Tampa. They would've been first but A-Rod's injury derailed that outcome.

By: Finally we have Patrick O’Keefe from YanksBlog.com.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: A.

• Most Essential: I don’t think there is one. Either the team will win or the team will lose, but it’s not on one guy. If we get hit by injuries, we’ll be vulnerable like any other team.

• Breakout Potential: Tough because this is a team of people who have already played well. Does CC Sabathia count? I mean, he’s never had a 20 win season. This could be the year. Joba comes to mind, too, just because this will be his first full season as a starter, so I’m hopeful he’ll have a big year and put to rest the concerns about him starting.

• Prediction for 2009: 104-58, first place. It’s hard to predict such a high number, but this team has the potential if they stay healthy and play the way they look on paper. That’s baseball.


Thanks for all the help, see you guys tomorrow when we make our debut from Canada!

Meet the Phillies 4 Horsemen, Woooo!

“Diamonds are forever and so are the Four Horsemen.”

The Four Horsemen remain the most dominating force the wrestling industry has ever seen. From the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, no one in the NWA could touch the stable of champions. The Four Horsemen epitomized excellence. Although Vince McMahon and the WWF in New York were spending the most money in sports entertainment, not even they could put a stable together to rival the dominance and longevity of the Four Horsemen. Wrestling stables have come and gone, but none have been able to duplicate the legitimacy of the Four Horsemen: Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and Tully Blanchard. Ric Flair was the stylin' and profilin' NWA champion. Arn Anderson would become the “enforcer” and was the hard hat wearer of the group. Barry Windham was the utility guy, the go to guy in any tight situation, the ace up their sleeve. Tully Blanchard was the small, yet smug and cocky guy with Babydoll "The Perfect 10" at his side.

And although in wrestling, the Horsemen will never be duplicated, it looks like Phillies fans may be witnessing the culmination of their own Four Horsemen: Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels.

Briefly glancing at their statistics, achievements and awards leads me to believe that these four may end up being the most dominant “stable” of players the Phillies have ever had together on one team for a significant amount of time. The four of them have been playing together for three full seasons now and will be together for at least another three (as long as the Phillies pick up the club option in 2011 for Rollins). They have already won one World Championship together, have won numerous individual awards and with all four of them in the prime of their careers, there is no limit to the legacy that they may leave behind. Because we are living through it, I don’t think we totally grasp the greatness that we are witnessing. Much like those old crowds at the Omni who cheered and booed the Four Horsemen, I don’t think we are fully grasping the history that is unfolding before our eyes. I want to run down the achievements of these four stars, because when you summarize it all and put it all together right in front of you, it is truly astonishing.

When the Four Horsemen were tearing up the NWA they were the best around. They held the titles, won the big matches and got the job done night in and night out. Sure they would talk some trash and weren’t afraid to speak their minds, but they weren’t the best because they said so, they were the best because they could back up their words.

With that being said, let’s take a look at how the Phillies version of Four Horsemen stacks up to the originals.

Jimmy Rollins will naturally step into the leadership role and will be the Phillies incarnation of The Nature Boy, Ric Flair. Not afraid to speak his mind, no single comment grabbed headlines as quickly as Jimmy’s “team to beat” statement before the 2007 season. Jimmy didn’t just talk the talk though; he backed it up by leading the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in 14 years. In addition, he became only the seventh player to collect at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, in one season (and only the fourth player to also have 20 stolen bases in that same year). Jimmy completed his dream season by being voted the 2007 NL MVP. Following his stellar 2007 season, Jimmy picked up right where he left off when he began trading “promos” with Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran over whose team was the team to beat in ’08. After cutting a great interview shredding up Beltran (a promo that Ric Flair would have been proud of), Jimmy once again stepped up and played a huge role in leading the Phillies to the World Series in 2008. In addition to winning the World Championship, just like the Nature Boy, Jimmy has grabbed his share of awards as well. Rollins has been voted to the All Star team on three occasions, has the longest hitting streak in Phillies history and became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to collect at least 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 homers and 25 stolen bases in one season. As Ric Flair put it so many times, “to be the man you have to beat the man” and from where I’m sitting, it doesn’t get much better than Jimmy Rollins.

But let’s move on and tackle the next man in the Four Horsemen, The Enforcer Arn Anderson. Arn was the power behind the Horsemen. The muscle behind the swagger. He was a beast in the ring and simply wanted to pound you until you couldn’t take any more. No one can better fill that role than Ryan Howard. Arn Anderson stands 6’1”, 241lbs; Ryan Howard stands 6’4”, 260 lbs. Both are ridiculously strong and both will back up their squad without question. Ryan has caused more sleepless nights for opposing pitchers than any other batter in MLB over the past four seasons. Howard entered the scene and received his first significant playing time with the Phils in 2005. Ryan won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2005 and as quickly as Arn Anderson could drop an opponent with a spinebuster, the Jim Thome era in Philadelphia was over. In 2006, Howard was voted to his first All Star game and won the Home Run Derby with a total of 23 Home runs. His power display in the Home Run Derby was a sign of things to follow. Howard quickly became the Phillies single-season home run leader and became the 8th player in MLB history to whack 58 home runs in a season. Ryan was named the NL MVP following the 2006 season. The following season Howard became the fastest player to reach 100 home runs in MLB history. Despite his strike outs becoming an issue in 2007, Ryan managed to bat .268 average, with 47 home runs and 136 runs batted in, helping the Phillies make it to the playoffs. Howard again struggled at times throughout the 2008 season with strike outs, but when it mattered he got hot and was able to hit 48 home runs, drove in 146 RBIs and provided the spark that the Phillies needed to make it into the playoffs and eventually win the World Series. Ryan provided 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in Game 4 of the World Series. In 2008 Howard became the fastest player to reach 150 home runs. Despite not being the most polished of players, much like Double A, Ryan Howard still commands respect at the plate and can strike fear into any opposing pitcher that is staring down from the mound at him. The true “enforcer” on the Phils, but let’s continue.

Chase Utley is the Barry Windham of the Philadelphia Phillies without question. Maybe not the strongest or the fastest, he is the most consistent and will put his body on the line to get the job done. Barry was the utility guy; he could be used in any situation. Much the same, Chase is the guy that can get it done, in any situation. As Harry Kalas put it, “Chase Utley, you are the man!” Chase Utley was first called up in 2003 but would not become the Phillies everyday second baseman until the 2005 season. The minute he was given his opportunity, he never looked back. Chase quickly established himself as a premier second baseman and was elected to the All Star game in 2006. During that same season, Utley maintained a 35-game hitting streak, which is tied for first in MLB history for longest hitting streak by a second baseman and is also the second longest hitting streak in Phillies history, behind “Nature Boy” Jimmy Rollins. In addition, he and Rollins began to cement their status as the best middle infield duo in MLB, by being the first middle infield pair to hit at least 25 home runs each in a single season. In 2007 Chase picked up right where he left off and was selected to his second All Star game and won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award, all in an effort that helped propel the Phillies to the NL East title in 2007. In 2008, Chase tied another Phillies record, when he hit home runs in five consecutive games and was voted to his third consecutive All Star game. Utley quickly cut his own memorable promo when, after being booed by the New York crowd said, “Boo? F*ck you,” a statement that was clearly heard on the broadcast. Utley’s performance throughout the 2008 season was a key component in helping the Phillies get back into the playoffs and eventually win their first World Series in 28 years. At the World Series parade, Utley once again ignited the home crowd by dropping another memorable line in Phillies history: “World Champions…World F*cking Champions!” I think for a moment you could actually see Chase and the rest of the Phillies Four Horsemen raise the four fingers on their right hands up, just like the original four used to, letting all of their opponents know that you were looking at the best in the business.

The final member of the Four Horseman was just as important as all the others. Tully Blanchard was the glue that brought all of the talent together into one cohesive unit. Tully was the cool and confident member of the Horsemen. He never needed to scream to get his point across; he let his performance do the talking. After Tully left the Horsemen, the incarnations that followed never quite matched the success of the first squad. In much the same way, Cole Hamels, the laid back lefty who is entering his fourth season with the Phillies, served as the final piece to the puzzle when he stepped into the ‘ace’ role in the 2008 playoffs. Let’s start at the beginning though. In his first MLB game in 2006, Hamels pitched five scoreless innings in which he allowed only one hit, striking out seven batters. This would become the norm as his young career progressed. In 2007, Cole Hamels won his first career complete game and was named to his first All Star game. In 2008, Cole recorded his first career complete game shut out but the best was yet to come, as Cole would step into the national spotlight by dominating the 2008 playoffs. Hamels was named the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series in 2008. Overall, Hamels made five postseason starts in 2008, going 4–0 with a 1.80 ERA. Cole became only the fifth player to win two post-season MVP awards in the same year. If Cole can carry the swagger that he possessed in the 2008 playoffs through the next few years, we have one helluva show waiting for us.

Has their ever been a more dominant collection of young players assembled at one time, on one team? The feat becomes much more impressive when you realize that all four players were developed through the Phillies farm system and were not purchased through free agency. The Phillies Four Horsemen have done it all: they’ve won the individual awards, they’ve won a world championship and they are are still in the prime of their careers. How many more championships and awards are still yet to come? It’s human nature to look at tomorrow instead of enjoying today. But hopefully all of us realize just how good we have it right now and realize how special this team really is.

As Ric Flair once put it, “Whether or like it or not, learn to love it, because it’s the best thing going. Woooo!”

Not Sports Report PodCast-Wrestlemania

The Not Sports Report Podcast for 3/30/09 is available! With one week until Wrestlemania 25, we use this edition to take a trip down memory lane and discuss our favorite Wrestlemania moments. We also briefly take a glimpse at Wrestlemania 25, which will be held on Sunday April 5, 2009. Click below to listen to the Podcast and be sure to read further into this article to check out some of the memorable moments that we have clipped to the page, including several midget wrestlers getting squashed, Bob Uecker getting strangled and Bart Gunn getting his F*#@ing head knocked off by ButterBean!




LISTEN - Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Not Sports Report 3/30/09 mp3

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

ITUNES - Click here to get The Not Sports Report in Itunes.



Let's start with one of the funnier clips in Wrestlemania history, coming from IV, Andre gives it to Mr. Baseball:


From there we'll take you to the first midget wrestler squashing in Wrestlemania history, from III, King Kong bundy goes ape sh!t and destroys Little Beaver (Yes, his name is Little Beaver!). Anyway, the clip shows the entire match, which was Bundy and two midgets versus HillBilly Jim and two midgets. If you want to skip to the good stuff, forward to 7:00. Bob Uecker has a dynamite line about Little Beaver and then the squashing begins!



Alright, now to top that off we're going to need to see Bart Gunn get destroyed by ButterBean from Wrestlemania 15. In the words of Smokey from Friday, "You Got Knocked the F*** Out!



Now you can't have a Wrestlemania discussion without taking a brief break from the funny stuff and acknowledging The Undertaker's impressive undefeated streak. So check out a tribute video:



Not bad at all, however, let's get back to the funny stuff. What's better than another midget wrestler getting pummeled? I give you Mr. Kennedy manhandling Hornswoggle at Wrestlemania 23. This clip shows a bunch of Kennedy highlights from his MITB match, but if you're in a hurry, forward to 1:30 of the video for the good stuff.



Our trip down memory lane will have to end at this point, so check out this last clip, a brief compilation of some of the most memorable moments in Wrestlemania history that doesn't include Bart Gunn or midgets. Enjoy.

Villanova heading to the Final Four

The Villanova Wildcats pulled out a win over top seeded Pitt, 78-76, on a Scottie Reynolds drive from half court that gave the Wildcats the lead with less than a second on the game clock. The Wildcats secured their spot in the Final Four for the first time since their dream run in 1985 after Pitt's Levance Fields missed a shot from 65-feet away. Fields shot was on target but bounced hard off the back board, sealing Villanova's win.

The game was the most exciting of the tournament, with 15 lead changes, six of them in the last six minutes of play. With both teams playing hard, Villanova responded to Pitt's physical play by making 22 of 23 free throws. However, Villanova almost gave the game away with eight seconds left when Reggie Redding attempted a full court pass to Dante Cunningham. The questionable play led to a Wildcats turnover and Fields making two free throws to tie the score at 76 with five seconds left.

However, Scottie Reynolds would not allow the game to slip away and quickly sealed the game for 'Nova with his last second drive, giving him 15 points for the game. In addition, Dwayne Anderson led the Wildcats with 17 points and Dante Cunningham contributed 14 points. Pitt's Sam Young led all scorers with 28 points and DeJuan Blair tossed in 20 points in the lose. The Panther's are the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated from the tournament so far this year.

Villanova will play the winner of today's North Carolina-Oklahoma South Regional final in next weekend's Final Four in Detroit.

For highlights of the Nova-Pitt game, check out the Sports Shorts video on the Philly Sports Post home page.

Not Sports Report Delayed

To all the devoted listeners of The Not Sports Report Podcast who were expecting it to be posted today, I have a bit of bad news. It has been delayed until Sunday due to some technical difficulties. Fear not though, as you will get a double dose this week, with one podcast Sunday and another Thursday.

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Baltomore Orioles

We enter the final stages of our sweeping cross-country trip. Today starts the AL East, and we'll start it off with the Orioles.

The Baltimore Orioles

Last Season’s Result: 68-93, 5th place in the AL East.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added SP Rich Hill (Trade with Chicago Cubs)
• Added OF Feliz Pie (Trade with Chicago Cubs)
• Added SP Mark Hendrickson (Signed from Florida)
• Added SS Cesar Izturis (Signed From St. Louis)
• Added SP Koji Uehara (Signed from Japan)
• Added C Gregg Zaun (Signed from Toronto)
• Added IF Ty Wigginton (Signed from Houston)
• Lost SP Daniel Cabrera (Signed with Washington)
• Lost RP Lance Cormier (Signed with Tampa)
• Lost 1B Kevin Millar (Signed with Toronto)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: B The Orioles aren’t going to contend in 2009, but they did take steps to ensure they have a chance in the years to come. Locking up Nick Markakis was a great move that ensures he’ll remain in the middle of their order through 2014. The free agent they did bring in, are improvements, but long term solutions.

• Rotation Grade: D- Jeremy Guthrie is decent enough, but he’s no ace. The fact that Adam Eaton has a chance to be the O’s third starter says more than I ever could.


• Bullpen Grade: D- A crummy bullpen with an average at best closer in George Sherrill.

• Lineup Grade: C This group was about average in 2008, but they should continue to improve as they mature. Nick Markakis is already a star, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters should soon follow.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Adam Jones. The Orioles won’t contend in 2009, so the goal for the season should be setting things up for a run in the future. If Jones can step up and excel this season as a major leaguer it puts a giant piece into place for the O’s.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Matt Wieters. Apparently he’ll be called up in May and then should instantly be one of the game’s top catchers. All the hype surrounding Wieters makes him an easy pick to break out, which means I’m probably putting the jinx on him.

Best Case Scenario: Adam Jones becomes a star-type level, Jeremy Guthrie builds on last season’s success and Matt Wieters is the real deal. The emergence of a young cure this season is vital if the Orioles are ever going to compete.

Worst Case Scenario: Jones struggles, Wieters follows suit, and Guthrie returns to a subpar pitcher. They’re probably a last place team regardless of best or worst case, so worst case is finding out their youngsters aren’t what they hoped.

Prediction for 2009: 58-104, 5th place in the AL East.

Local Thoughts

We have a pair of Orioles bloggers for your enjoyment, Matthew Taylor of Roar From 34 and Scott Christ of Camden Chat

By: Matthew Taylor will start things off for us. Be sure to check out his site at www.roarfrom34.blogspot.com

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: I'd give the O's a solid B.

The offseason was a steady step in the right direction. The team didn't make a big splash on the free-agent market, but their time will come. They need to continue making incremental steps toward being a competitive outfit and then they can overspend on a big bat to complete the puzzle. It would've been a mistake to overpay for pitching, especially a guy like A.J. Burnett. Andy MacPhail set out a rebuilding model when he got to town, fans are buying into it - especially after the Bedard trade and Markakis extension - and even Peter Angelos seems to be among the converted.

You can't overstate the importance of signing Nick Markakis this offseason. The Markakis signing proves that the team actually learned something from losing Mike Mussina to the Yankees years ago when they had a chance to lock him up before he hit the market. Signing Cesar Izturis was a good, underrated move, and it's nice to have the Brian Roberts situation resolved. Add in the fact that the O's signed their recent top draft picks, Matt Wieters and Brian Matusz (granted, not offseason moves), and the team is sending a real message that this is a brave, new Andy MacPhail world that Baltimore fans live in.

• Most Essential: Jeremy Guthrie. O's fans are going to have a lot of fun watching some exciting position players this season. It'll be fun to track Adam Jones' development, there's hope that Felix Pie can finally make good on his promise given a full-time role and less pressure to produce, Cesar Izturis will provide a much-needed steady hand at shortstop, not to mention the anticipated production of Nick Markakis, the debut of Matt Wieters, etc. But with all that said, the starting rotation is a real Achilles heel.

Guthrie is a solid, underappreciated pitcher, who will have to provide reliable production out of the No. 1 spot and serve as a model for a shaky rotation if the O's are going to have any chance of avoiding a disappointing record that doesn't match their promise on other parts of the diamond. His time away from the team for WBC duties and less-than-stellar return to camp is an early cause for concern.

• Breakout Potential: The good news for O's fans is that there are a multiple players to be excited about in regard to the potential for a breakout season. No one expected the production the Birds got from Aubrey Huff last season, but this year it's more about the young talent. There's much anticipation - perhaps even too much - surrounding Matt Wieters' debut in Orange and Black, but given that Wieters won't start the season in the big leagues, Adam Jones is the guy to watch over the long haul. By all accounts, Jones put in a lot of work in the offseason. Hopefully he reaps the rewards of that effort.

• Prediction for 2009: It's still not going to be pretty when the final numbers are posted. There will be multiple noteworthy individual performances, but the team will have to fight to get out of the cellar in the AL East. Regular fans of the team will see the improvement, outside observers will say, "Same old Orioles."

This is a team that has won more than 74 games just once since the 2000 season. I'm anticipating a run at the Blue Jays for fourth place and a win total in the low- to mid-70s. We're more Kansas City than Tampa Bay at this point. If the Royals could win 75 games and outlast Detroit for fourth place in the Central last season, we can win 75 and outlast Toronto this year. Then, in a couple of more years, we can talk about a Rays-like season.

By: Scott Christ of Camden Chat

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: B+, just short of an A because they didn't do enough big stuff to get an A, I don't think. That's also because the team doesn't really feel (past bidding on Mark Teixeira) that the time was right to go after big free agents or anything. They get the B+ on extending Nick Markakis early, because that had to happen for so many reasons. Markakis is the young player that O's fans are connected to the most right now. Extending him now curtails the dread that he won't be here long. They also extended Brian Roberts, which is more questionable but he's the team leader and basically the face of the franchise in Baltimore, plus he's a very good player. They also got their feet into the Japanese market by signing Koji Uehara, which is a solid move just considering the player, and could pay off even bigger down the line with other Japanese free agents.

• Most Essential: Success in 2009 is relative for the O's and everyone knows it. Literally nobody expects this team to compete, and for the most part we're OK with it because the future looks awesome with guys like Matt Wieters, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta not even in Baltimore yet. But if Aubrey Huff backslides really badly from his excellent 2008, it could get pretty ugly. Somewhere between his lackluster 2007 and his great 2008 would be fine, really, but if he dips back down to '07 numbers, there's a hole in the middle of the lineup and at first base.

• Breakout Potential: Adam Jones. Really good glove in center, has the speed to become a good base stealer if he learns the art, and his power is going to come, and I think it's going to start coming this year. He's never going to have a great or even good K-to-BB ratio, and will never be a big OBP guy. But he could be a 20-20 guy every year and has the ability to become a great center fielder. He struggled with offspeed stuff early last year and got better as the year went on, which was a great sign.

• Prediction for 2009: Probably not much different than last year. Unless the Blue Jays really collapse, the Orioles are going to finish in fifth place, with 70-75 wins. It's a vicious division with Tampa Bay, Boston and New York up top; really we're talking about at the least three of the five best teams in baseball, probably, and the Orioles are trying to find a way to compete with them in the near future. It's hardly impossible. Hey, Tampa Bay did it.

Shaq Calls Out LeBron!

Shaquille O'Neal, always up to the task of being the most entertaining athlete on the planet, performed a hilarious pre-game bowling skit, as a 'response' to LeBron James' pre-game "photo-op" entrance that he and the Cavs have performed. To check out Lebron and Shaq's new entrances, plus their bonus 'dance off' from last years All Star game click below.


The "feud" may have started when the two superstars had a dance off at the 2007 All Star game. Check it out:



That may have feuled the creative energy. Lebron strikes first! Here is the video of the Cavs pre-game photo-op.



Not to be outdone, Shaq and the Suns rise to the occasion:



Which was better, you be the judge. But I'm sure there's more to come!

WOW: Akeem, The African Dream

A few weeks ago, former WWF manager The Doctor of Style, Slick was honored as the Wrestler of the Week. During that article one of his biggest superstars during the 1980s-1990s was discussed. That man is now going to be honored as the WOW. From Deepest, Darkest Africa I present you with: The African Dream, Akeem.

Upon his debut in the WWF in 1987, after ten years wandering around smaller wrestling companies, Akeem wrestled under the moniker The One Man Gang. He was brought into the WWF managed by Slick and had some moderate success. He was on the first Survivor Series show, wrestling on Andre the Giant's team against Hulk Hogan's team. He also wrestled in the World Championship tournament at Wrestlemania IV, losing to the Macho Man, Randy Savage in the Semi-Finals.

On top of all that, he rocked a crazy mohawk and had some killer 'skull and cross bones' stiched onto the shoulders of his full-body black jump suit! That'll intimidate. Not to mention his great entrance theme, which has been featured here before, Jive Soul Bro. I couldn't make this stuff up. Anyway, here is a brief clip showing The One Man Gang squashing Reno Riggins. Jesse Ventura's color commentary during the 2-minute match is quality.



Impressive, huh? But that was only the beginning for our WOW. The One Man Gang, as Slick would point out late in 1988, was actually African and wanted to embrace his roots. An episode of WWF Superstars featured a vignette with Mean Gene Okerlund on-location in an American ghetto that is dubbed "The Deepest Darkest Parts Of Africa". This promo also featured "Mean Gean" and tribal African dancers dancing and chanting around a fire. Slick announced from that point on, One Man Gang would be referred to by his new name, Akeem, the African Dream. This vignette received some criticism, as Akeem delivered a promo in which he spoke with an extremely stereotypical black accent and mockingly danced while an African ritual took place in the background. Again, who could make this stuff up. And, again, Slick's song, Jive Soul Bro makes a brief cameo, blaring from Slick's boom box which he carries on his shoulder! That Vince McMahon is one crazy son-of-a-bitch. Anyway, take a look. The clip is about five minutes long, but well worth it. God, 80's wrestling was ridiculous!



Priceless.

Akeem would form a tag team with the Big Boss Man, dubbed the Twin Towers. The Towers would feud with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, which led to Hogan and Savage breaking up prior to Wrestlemania V. Although the Twin Towers never won the tag team titles, they were a force on the tag team scene until they split up in 1990. The split would essentially spell the end for the run of Akeem in the WWF. Akeem would join WCW for the next few years, once again going by The One Man Gang, joining the Dungeon of Doom and winning the United States title in 1995. He has not wrestled consistently since, despite a few appearances for the WWE, including being in the Gimmick Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 17, again as the One Man Gang.

Despite his change back to the One Man Gang, his roots as Akeem would not go away. In 2008, he made an appearance at a small wrestling card, teaming with Demolition (I know, scary) in a loss. But the highligt occured prior to the match where opponent Todd Sweeney and Akeem engaged in a "strut-off" set to Slick's old theme music, wherein Akeem donned his old hat and the strut he perfected. Keep in mind he lost a lot of weight following a heart attack in 2000. But regardless it is worth checking out:



Akeem currently works as a prison guard at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Despite spending about 28 of his 30 years in wrestling as the One Man Gang, Akeem is how we will remember the WOW for this week. Akeem, you came from Deepest Darkest Africa and somehow brought light into our lives. I salute you.

Who is Philly's greatest athlete from the past 20 Years?

That's right the greatest we've ever seen this generation is an undersized kid from Virginia who played harder than anyone we've ever seen. Allen Iverson is hands down the greatest Philly athlete of the past 20 years.

B-Dawk had a great career, but he's hardly the player Iverson was, Dawk always had help in his secondary, never playing without another Pro Bowl caliber player either in front of or next to him in the secondary.

Donovan McNabb came in second in our tournament, but Donovan will never be considered among the 50 greatest to ever play pro football, I'm not sure he's even close. Donovan just started to spark debate about whether he should be considered for the hall of fame. There is no doubt that Iverson will be enshrined the first year he is eligible.

So come on in, and relish in AI's greatness. I have a handful of videos to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and watch the greatest player we've had in a generation.




Let's start with his infamous practice press conference. I'd like to note that he's completely right. AI played his ass off every night, yet after one missed practice he has to answer a line of silly questions about his dedication. As fans we frequently make the argument that nobody played harder, yet the notion that Iverson had questionable commitment still lingers. Anyway, enjoy...



I found an awesome 5 minute highlight reel here, but be careful the video is set to a song with questionable lyrics.

I have a two more, Iverson's top ten:



And finally, Iverson's farewell:

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Chicago White Sox

We close out the AL Central with the defending division champions, The Chicago White Sox.

The Chicago White Sox

Last Season’s Result: 89-74, 1st place in the AL Central.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added IF Wilson Betemit (Trade from Yankees)
• Added SP Bartolo Colon (Signed from Boston)
• Lost SS Orlando Cabrera (Signed with Oakland)
• Lost 3B Joe Crede (Signed with Minnesota)
• Lost OF Ken Griffey Jr. (Signed with Seattle)
• Lost SP Horacio Ramirez (Signed with Kansas City)
• Lost SS Juan Uribe (Signed with San Francisco)
• Lost OF Nick Swisher (Traded to Yankees)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: F The White Sox won the division in 2008, and then lost a lot of talent to free agency. When Bartolo Colon is your only free agent acquisition, you weren’t really trying. Admittedly they didn’t anybody essential, but they just didn’t try.

• Rotation Grade: B Apparently Gavin Floyd is a good pitcher, which is news to us in Philadelphia. We spent what seems like a decade for Floyd to emerge, and it just never happened. Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, and John Danks round out the front line of this rotation, and they are among the league’s best. Bartolo Colon, not so much.

• Bullpen Grade: C+ A middle of the road group with a solid closer in Bobby Jenks. They will only improve on last year’s average performance which, although decent, I consider an underachievement.

• Lineup Grade: B A top 5 offense in 2008, that was faces several changes for 2009. Although Griffey and Crede were injury risks, they still had talent, and they may be missed if nobody steps up in their place. Although any lineup with Carlos Quentin and Jim Thome hitting 3-4 will score runs without too much trouble.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Carlos Quentin. After his breakout season was cut short by injury, can Quentin return to his MVP form. If he is for real and plays as he did last year, this team is going to be fine. If he regresses even slightly, it could be trouble.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Josh Fields. Fields already had a breakout year in 2007, but the team wanted to showcase Joe Crede for a trade early in 2008 so Fields started the year at AAA-Charlotte. The problem for Fields was that Crede started the year on an unbelievable tear, and Fields never got the chance to play. Now with Crede in Minnesota, the job is Fields’ along with the chance to shine in a lineup where he’ll get protection from some of baseball’s finest sluggers.

Best Case Scenario: Quentin again plays like an MVP, this time for a full season. The young starters build on promising ‘08s and they contend again in 2009.

Worst Case Scenario: Regression from the young staff, and the offense doesn’t quite click as it did in ’08. This is a tight division and it will be tough to repeat for the Sox.

Prediction for 2009: 81-81. 3rd place in the Al Central (Tie with Kansas City)

Local Thoughts

Nobody responded about the Sox, so we’re done here. Come back tomorrow as we start the AL East with the orange and black attack, The Baltimore Orioles.

Greatest Athlete Tournament: The Final Four and Championship

Welcome Back to the PSP and today's conclusion of the Greatest Philadelphia Athlete of the Past 20 Years Tournament. The final four match-ups are as follows:

Broad Bracket

(1) Brain Dawkins vs (1) Allen Iverson

Pattison Bracket

(1) Donovan McNabb vs (2) Jimmy Rollins

After our two semi-final match-ups we take a few moments to mention the handful of guys who just missed the cut for the tournament before returning for the finals.


Click the Play button below to listen, or find the other options at the end of the post.


Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Tournament 4/4 file.
Click here to download

To catch up with the first few rounds you can open the external player and play the other files, or head to their pages.

The first round Broad bracket is here.

The first round Pattison Bracket is here.

The second round of both brackets is here.

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Minnesota Twins

We've traveled north to the beautiful twin cities to check out the Minnesota Twins. Hey, look at that, I bet that why they're called the Twins. Neat.

The Minnesota Twins

Last Season’s Result: 88-75, 2nd place in the AL Central.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added RP Luis Ayala (Signed from NY Mets)
• Added 3B Joe Crede (Signed from Chicago White Sox)
• Lost SS Adam Everett (Signed with Detroit)
• Lost RP Dennys Reyes (Signed with St. Louis)
• Lost RP Eddie Guardado (Signed with Texas)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: C+ The Twins were mostly quiet this offseason, but did take a nice calculated risk on Joe Crede. The Twins were tied for first at the end of last year, so simply having Liriano for an entire season may be enough to put the Twins over the top.

• Rotation Grade: C The Twins rotation gets an A- when they’re at home, and a D when they go on the road. We’ll split the difference and call it a C. The Twins had the 2nd best home ERA in the AL, and the 3rd worst road ERA, a difference of 2 runs a game.


• Bullpen Grade: B- The Twins were among the better bullpen in 2008, headed as always by superstar closer Joe Nathan. The Twins swapped out Reyes for Ayala, but more or less return their 2008 squad.

• Lineup Grade: B If you asked the average fan to guess the three offenses in the AL in 2008, I doubt very much that they’d remember the Twins. In fact the Twins were the 3rd best offense in 2008, and they come back improved for 2009 with the addition of Joe Crede. Joe Mauer’s health may be the difference this year between a good and an elite unit.


Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Joe Mauer. Three weeks ago I would have probably answered differently, but the increased concern over Mauer’s health can’t be ignored. Mauer lead the AL in batting in 2008, and is the difference maker for this team.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: I wanted to say Denard Span would continue to build on a very solid debut season, but after the spring he struggled through I’m not sure. That leaves a handful of guys like Kubel, Gomez, and Young to pick from, none of whom I’m that big on.

Best Case Scenario: A healthy Twins team can definitely win this division by a handful of games.

Worst Case Scenario: Not getting enough pitching on the road again could lead to the Twins being in the bottom half of a very tight division.

Prediction for 2009: 86-76. 2nd place in the AL Central.

Local Thoughts

By: Nick Nelson of Nick & Nick's Twins blog, which you can find at www.TwinsFanatNicks.blogspot.com

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: I'd have to give the Twins' offseason moves a D. They just didn't do much. The late addition of Joe Crede may prove helpful, but of course the third baseman carries considerable injury concerns and even if healthy may not provide a significant upgrade over what the team was ready tol roll with at third base. The only other offseason addition that seems likely to make the big-league roster is Luis Ayala, but he is coming off a down year and is unlikely to give the bullpen a major boost.

• Most Essential: Without a question, it's Joe Mauer. The Twins' best player, Mauer has been unable to participate in baseball activities this spring due to back problems, and as I write this the extent of his injury is still unknown. I've heard whispers that he could be out until June or later. The Twins have a solid nucleus in place, but if they are forced to go without Mauer for a large portion of the season, they'll be in serious trouble.

• Breakout Potential: I've been pimping Jason Kubel to anyone who will listen. A former top prospect who was derailed by a knee injury in 2004, Kubel has been steadily improving over the past couple years and everything seems aligned for him to put up big numbers as the Twins' DH this season. He's having an outstanding spring.


• Prediction for 2009: Right now, I see the Twins finishing around 90-72 -- a couple games better than last year thanks to some internal improvements by a few players and no Livan Hernandezes or Mike Lambs to drag them down. I think the Indians had a better offseason and I view them as the division favorites by a couple games right now, but the AL Central is a wide open division and should be fun to follow this year.

Thanks again to Nick, see everbody tomorrow with the White Sox.

Greatest Athlete Tournament Podcast Round 2: The Great Elite 8

Welcome to the Great Elite 8! Today we set the Final 4 in our quest to name Philadelphia's greatest athlete of the past 20 years.

Today's Quarter-Final match-ups include:

Broad St Bracket

(1) Brian Dawkins vs (3) Charles Barkley
(1) Allen Iverson vs (2)Chase Utley

Pattison Ave Bracket

(1) Donovan McNabb vs (2) Eric Lindros
(1) Ryan Howard vs (2) Jimmy Rollins

If you missed any of the first round matchups they can be found here:
Broad Pattison

Click the Play button below to listen, or find the other options at the end of the post.



Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of this exciting tournament. We'll do the Final Four and name the champion tomorrow, as well as stop and take a look at some names the just missed the cut.


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Greatest Athlete Tournament Podcast - Round 1, Part 2

The second half of Round 1 gets underway today with the Pattison Bracket. Here are the match-ups:

The D-Mac Bracket
(1) Donovan McNabb vs (4) Ron Hextall
(2) Eric Lindros vs (3) Randall Cunningham

The Ryan Howard Bracket
(1) Ryan Howard vs (4) Mark Recchi
(2) Jimmy Rollins vs (3) Reggie White

Click the Play button below to listen, or find the other options at the end of the post.


The winners from today's podcast will move on to the Great Elite 8, which will be posted tomorrow. There they will meet up with the winners from the Broad Bracket podcast from yesterday, which you can find here. Check back on Thursday for the Final 4 and the Championship match, where we will name Philly's Greatest Athlete of the Past 20 Years.



Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Tournament 2/4 file.
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2009 MLB Team Preview- The Kansas City Royals

Last year the Tampa Rays caught fire and unexpectedly won the AL East, can a similar young team win the weaker AL Central? Come on in and see what Greg and KC Blogger Craig Brown think about those chances.

The Kansas City Royals

Last Season’s Result: 75-87, 4th Place in the AL Central.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added 1B Mike Jacobs (Traded from Florida)
• Added RP Juan Cruz (Signed from Arizona)
• Added RP Kyle Farnsworth (Signed from Detroit)
• Added SP Horacio Ramirez (Signed from Chicago White Sox)
• Added CF Coco Crisp (Trade from Boston)
• Lost RP Ramon Ramirez (Traded to Boston)
• Lost RP Leo Nunez (Traded to Florida)
• Lost CF Joey Gathright (Signed with Chicago Cubs)
• Lost 2B Mark Grudzielanek (Unsigned Free Agent)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: B- The Royals were pretty aggressive in this offseason, making a real attempt to upgrade their bullpen after giving up Leo Nunez for Mike Jacobs. I don’t love Farnsworth, but I love that they were willing to spend money now that their younger talent appears ready to step up and contend.

• Rotation Grade: C+ I like this rotation a little bit. They may lack a true number one guy, but they do have a trio of solid arms in Meche, Greinke, and Davies. They just need to get something from the handful of guys who may spend time as the team’s #4 and 5.

• Bullpen Grade: C- Joakim Soria was dominant in 2008, and he has new setup men for ’09. If Juan Cruz continues to be as effective as he was in the NL west, then these guys may have something.

• Lineup Grade: D+ This group struggled to score for much of 2008. The addition of Coco Crisp should help, as will the maturing of their young sluggers. Neither of those things are likely to move this group anywhere higher than league average.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Coco Crisp. It appears Coco will hit leadoff this season, and thus, the offense goes through him. If Crisp ever learns to improve his eye just slightly he could push his OBP to nearly .400 and the Royals would have something cooking. If he continues to strike out twice as often as he walks, then Royals will be decent when he’s hot, and poor when Crisp isn’t.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: I’m going to say Joakim Soria, even though he’s already been an all star and even though he already broke out in 2008. The problem is nobody knows who he is in National League cities. That will change after another killer year closing out games.

Best Case Scenario: Nobody wins 90 games in the Central, and the Royals get decent enough starting pitching to stay around .500 and competitive all season.

Worst Case Scenario: Same thing as every summer, not enough hitting meets not enough pitching, and they end up in last place.

Prediction for 2009: 81-81. 3rd Place in the AL Central.

Local Thoughts

By: Craig Brown of Royals Authority

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: Grade: C- The Cruz and Crisp additions serve to balance the Jacobs and Farnsworth deals. The Ramirez signing makes no sense considering they're going to put him in the rotation. I'm not sure what the Bloomquist signing was all about either. Unfortunately, you're asking me this question before the regular season. If Jacobs plays everyday and they attempt to use Farnsworth in high leverage situations out of the bullpen and if they keep Ramirez in the rotation for a couple of months, the C becomes a D.

• Most Essential: Alex Gordon. The Royals need offense in a bad way and Gordon is the guy they've been counting on to provide it. Unfortunately, he hasn't shown much in his two years. Year three is pivotal.

• Breakout Potential: I'm not sure it qualifies as a breakout, but I think Billy Butler will hit around .300/.360/.450. Actually, yeah... That's a breakout.

• Prediction for 2009: I'm thinking 76 wins which would represent a one win improvement from 2008. In this year's AL Central, that's good for 3rd place.

Thanks again to Craig, and I'll see you guys tomorrow when we'll be live from frigid Minnesota.