Thursday Morning Links

Thursdays news fresh off the presses.

Sixers:

Here's all the coverage of the Sixers' game 2 loss to Orlando.

ESPN's coverage is here, Rich Hofmann both blogs and writes a column, and Kate Fagan gives us this piece from the Inquirer.

Phillies:

The Phillies managed to get two consecutive games with decent starting pitching, of course the squandered Blanton's effort, which you can read about here.

Joe Blanton's outing isn't enough according to Andy Martino of the Inquirer.

David Murphy of the Daily News talk about the Phillies lack of a rhythmatic offense.

We also have a pair of pitching updates, one on Brad Lidge trying to regain his form, and this piece on the progress of young starters Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco.

Eagles:

The Eagles talk these days seems to surround three topics:

1. The latest on Sheldon Brown, who now claims that there are other disgruntled Birds around the nest.

2. The Draft. There is speculation whether the Eagles will keep their pick or trade it. If they keep it, here's a peek at what their draft board may look like for offense and defense.

3. The quest for receiving help. ESPN insider reports that the Eagles are the front-runners to land Tony Gonzalez, with an offer on the table of the 85th pick in the draft. The article speculates that one of the Birds' fifth rounders may have to be added to make the deal worthwhile for Kansas City.

Flyers:

Just a pair of stories for the orange and black, first about their impending elimination, and this piece from Phil Sheridan explaining that the Flyers not improving like many of their Eastern Conference foes.

Wednesday Morning Links

Here's this morning's links following a busy sports day that featured a Phillies win, a Flyers loss, and continued drama surrounding Sheldon Brown.

Flyers:

From Philly.com, here's the game 4 recap, as well as a pair of opinions; Sam Donnellon wondering about Jeff Carter's scoring touch, and Phil Sheridan writes about how the Flyers are in a tough spot with only themselves to blame.

ESPN's Scott Burnside gives Marc-Andre Fleury his due.

Phillies:

The Phillies sat through the rain Tuesday to collect a big win.

A few words on the early success of Raul Ibanez from Paul Hagen.

Sixers:

There's a decent amount of Sixer's stuff today.

First Kate Fagan writes about the Andre Iguodala bandwagon filling back up.

Rich Hofmann talks about the injured Jameer Nelson of the Magic.

Marcus Hayes talks about the strategy being planned before tonight's game 2 match-up.

Eagles:

Fan-favorite Dave Spadaro wonders about whether the birds will pick a corner due to the Sheldon Brown situation.

Speaking of Brown, here are random thoughts from Paul Domowitch.

ESPN insider leaves just three teams in on the Boldin sweepstakes, The Jets, The Giants, and The Eagles. (Subscription required.)

Speaking of trading WR's ESPN's Len Pasquarelli thinks Reggie Brown may be moved soon, and the Eagles own website gives the breakdown on the WR's that the fans have clamoured for this offseason.

Tuesday Morning Links

Here's todays news and notes for Philly Sports.


Eagles:

Sheldon Brown has made it clear he wants a raise or a trade because he feel unappreciated, ESPN covers it here, and Bob Brookover covers the Eagles response, and it wasn't positive.

Still hoping for Anquan Boldin, maybe Ochocinco? Check out this about the costs of getting either receiver.

Also, if you have ESPN Insider, check out this piece about the Eagles being a likely Boldin destination.

Bob Ford credits Donovan for prodding the Eagles into spending this offseason.

Phillies:

With the rainout there's no new news, but Charlie Manuel talks about being concerned about the team's attitude and performance. The Inquirer has a version here.

Sixers:

Here's a piece from Rich Hofmann about Lou Williams importance this offseason.

ESPN's Daily Dime starts off with David Thorpe talking in depth about Donyell Marshall.


Flyers:

Apparently Penguins forward Chris Kunitz will not be disciplined for his hit on Kimmo Timonen.

Sam Carchidi writes about Briere and the rookies coming up big in game 3.

PSP Podcast for April 20, 2009

After a glorious sports Sunday, Greg is on the podcast covering all four major sports, and breaking down the happenings of the week.

LISTEN - Click here to open the player. Be sure to play the Podcast from 4/20/2009

ITUNES - Click here to get The Not Sports Report in Itunes. To get our Weekly Sports Podcast in Itunes, click here.

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

The Phillies Week In Review, Week 2

The Phillies Week In Review, Week 2

After another week and five more games, the issues continue to mount for the Phillies. The bullpen had a rough week, including Brad Lidge’s consecutive saves streak ending at 47. The top of the order continues to slump, the lefties continue to pound the ball, and they end the week again with a dramatic home run. I’ve also buried the lead of the week, the passing of Harry Kalas.



Charlie Manuel: C- There was nothing blatant the week to judge Charlie on, but he needs to get quite a few players turned around sooner rather than later. He sat Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth Sunday, so maybe that can help the guys get back to hitting the ball.

The Rotation: D- Five more games, and five crappy to mediocre starts from the rotation. The team continues to fall behind early in games and relies on late-game heroics to win. The staff’s ERA currently sits at 7.67 after 11 games, which is easily the worst in all of Major League Baseball. There’s not much more to add, although Myers again was great when not offering up home runs.

The ‘Pen: F This was a rough week for the Phillies’ bullpen, as just about everybody had a rough outing or two. Brad Lidge collected his 47th consecutive save with a shaky 2-run ninth on Monday, pitched an adventurous although scoreless ninth on Friday in a non-save spot, and then got shelled on Saturday night to end his saves streak. Madson, Taschner, and Durbin all had rough weeks as well.

The Lineup: B- The kids can sure hit. Despite struggles from Rollins, Victorino, and Werth this week the team continues to hit well and score runs. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez all played tremendous baseball this week, carrying the team offensively. The lineup can’t be too highly praised, however, as long as the two guys getting the most at-bats are hitting under the Mendoza Line combined.

The Bench: C The bench added a few hits this week, including a big home run from Jimmy Rollins late in Sunday’s contest. The team’s top pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs finally got a hit, but on a whole this unit isn’t producing, as evidenced by their .227 average so far this season.

*Special Grade for the handling of Harry Kalas’ death: A++ First class treatment in every respect. From the tearful broadcasts of Monday’s game in DC that turned slowly into eulogies, to the tribute videos, to the public viewing at home plate, the Phillies handled this very sad week with the utmost class and respect. Thank you to the entire front office.

Final Grade: D+ The on-field product is nowhere near good enough to this point. Hopefully something gives soon, because if not then moves will have to be made, starting with the rotation. Chan Ho Park’s leash shouldn’t be very long, and Cole may end up on the DL just to rest if he can’t turn things around. JA Happ or Carlos Carrasco may be seen in the rotation a lot sooner than any of us had even feared. If Jimmy and Shane can’t turn around their struggles soon, then who hits leadoff on this team? Werth? Marson? I do not know.

Pick Your Poison: Walk-off or Buzzer Beater?

Philadelphia was treated to two of the coolest ways to win in all of sports this Sunday, but which is better? You be the judge...

The Buzzer Beater:



or the Walk-off:

The Passing of Harry Kalas

Harry Kalas has passed away today at the age of 73.

Harry Kalas meant the world to me, Harry is what baseball sounds like. Harry is the narrator of every one of my childhood dreams, and his voice will never fail to bring a smile to my face. Last October, I wondered "How would Harry call that?" after every big play called by Joe Buck, and I will still wonder that when watching games when I'm 40. He led a blessed life, he did what he loved, he fittingly passed away in the booth, and was also lucky enough to get to call a World Series inning with his son Todd. God Bless them both, as well as Harry's wife Eileen, and Todd's brothers Brad and Kane.

Below you'll find a ton of links, that we'll continue to update as we come across them.

Harry's wiki page.

Jayson Stark weighs in here.

Mike Schmidt's quick conversation with ESPN on his feelings.

The Mayor, Michael Nutter.

The Inquirer has this, and the Daily News' Rich Hoffman posted this.

The ESPN story on his passing.

Everybody keep him in your prayers, thanks.

The Phillies Week in Review, Week 1

Last Monday we recorded a podcast exclusively covering opening day; the festivities, the lost parachute jumper, the Phillies on-field performance, and what the game meant in the big picture. We were concerned that the Phillies flaws were all on display, but felt one game wasn’t a big deal. After an entire week of baseball, the Phillies look better, and it appears things aren’t quite as bad as they seemed. Let’s break down the squad’s week.




Charlie Manuel: B Like I said on the previously mentioned podcast, it’s easy to be a smart manager when you have a great bullpen and clutch pinch-hitters. The bullpen, aside from Chad Durbin, has returned in 2009 just as unhittable as it was in 2008. The pinch-hitters may be off to a slow start, but its hard to knock that group after Matt Stairs gives you an instant replay of last October by hitting a game-winning two-run homer to beat the Rockies. In all it was an uneventful week from the skipper: nothing foolish, nothing brilliant.

The Rotation: F You can’t sugar coat this start, a combined staff ERA of 8.07 after 6 starts. Brett Myers has somehow managed to be unhittable while leading the majors in gopherballs. Cole Hamels looks like he has no velocity or control after his spring training elbow concerns, and if you weren’t already worried read this piece by ESPN’s Buster Olney. Joe Blanton and Chan Ho Park were lights out this spring, yet neither could get past the 4th inning of their season debuts. Finally, Jamie Moyer looked awful as well in his loss to the Braves, but to be fair Jamie has always struggled against Atlanta. His Monday start against the Nationals is much more to his talents, namely taking advantage of a young free-swinging team. Still, you can’t pitch any worse, and they came out of the week 3-3, so I feel pretty good. Kind of like returning from Tampa after splitting games 1 and 2, even though you knew the Phillies didn’t play their best ball.

The ‘Pen: A All-around a great week for the bullpen, as they collectively posted a stellar 2.63 ERA. When you take away Chad Durbin’s adventurous inning against Colorado on April 10, that ERA falls to 1.50. This unit also got an encouraging 4.1 scoreless innings from lefties Scott Eyre and Jack Taschner, easing some of the concern surrounding JC Romero’s suspension.

The Lineup: C After 18 BRUTAL innings to start the season, things have gone fairly well for the offense. Utley, Howard and Werth have all been excellent, as has surprise star Pedro Feliz, who had his best week since joining the team. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have been disappointments at the top of the order, which may be why the 3,4,5 guys are all on fire, yet the team is just 3-3.

The Bench: D+ Matt Stairs’ game-winner aside it was a tough week from the bench. Especially concerning is Greg Dobbs’ 0-5 start considering he was a huge part of all those late-game rallies in 2008. Another solid season from Dobbs would go a long way to helping the Phils repeat.

Final Grade: C- The starters were all terrible and the team has gotten nothing from the top of the order, yet they are 3-3 so they may have gotten off easy. There is some promise that you may have found some right-handed pop with both Werth and Feliz killing the ball in the early going, but even with this balanced attack you couldn't break .500, so maybe things aren't quite so good. There’s obvious room for improvement, but .500 is .500. So let’s sit back and get a better idea of what we have before getting too concerned or excited.

The Not Sports Report-Muppet Report

Something strange happened last Friday, the PSP crew got together to record a podcast that Greg wanted to start with a bad joke about Kermit the Frog being "romantic". The subsequent 20 minute conversation sparked by this idea will either leave you laughing or nauseous, depending on your level of morality and maturity. Enjoy. Be warned this one is NOT for the kids, sorry.


LISTEN - Click here to the player. Be sure to play the Muppet Show mp3

ITUNES - Click here to get The Not Sports Report in Itunes. To get our Weekly Sports Podcast in Itunes, click here.

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

2009 MLB Preview Podcast

Our 30 part MLB 2009 preview, which you can find here, concludes with a podcast where we name our division winners, Wild Cards, Cy Young and MVP winners. Some topics discussed in this one: Did the Yankees 425 Million spending spree pays off? Can the Padres win the NL West on sweet Camo Uniforms alone? Does a healthy Chris Carpenter make the Cards a NL Favorite?



LISTEN - Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the MLB 2009 Preview MP3

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

ITUNES - Click here to get our podcast in Itunes

Phillies 2009 Opening Night Podcast

The Phillies kicked off their 2009 season last night with a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Instead of our normal weekly podcast, we are dedicating the podcast specifically to the Phillies opening night, the hoopla surrounding it and what this loss means in the grand scheme or things. Can the Phils turn it around in the next 161? Can Brett Myers keep the ball in the park? Is it time to panic? I know these are ridiculous questions, but the fan base here is for some reason asking these questions. Have a listen and let us know what you think.



LISTEN - Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Opening Night 2009 mp3

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

ITUNES - Click here to get our podcast in Itunes

Pat Burrell Returns

Pat Burrell made his first of three trips this week to visit his old team, when he and the Tampa Bay Rays played the first of two games in this year's "On Deck" series. The exhibition series is being played at Citizen Bank Park before the Phillies host the Atlanta Braves on Sunday to kick off the 2009 season. Following the two exhibition games, Burrell will also be on hand for the Ring Ceremony prior to Wednesday afternoon's game.

The Phillies won tonight's game 3-2, but before it started the Phillies played a tribute video for Pat the Bat, showing highlights from his career with the Phillies.

For a full article detailing tonight's events and Burrell's reactions, check out Jeff McLane's article here

Although the official tribute video that was played tonight is not available yet, check out this Burrell highlight video:

WOW: Santino Marella

Although the Wrestler of the Week is generally reserved for wrestlers from previous generations, Wrestlemania 25 is only days away and I wanted to take this opportunity to show support for the most hysterical man on the WWE roster; the man who hopes to be crowned Miss Wrestlemania...Santino Marella!

You read that right, the WOW Santino Marella has his sights set on becoming Miss Wrestlemania by outperforming 25 divas of past and present fame. This past week on Raw, Santino showed once again why it is still worth it to click on USA on Monday nights. This past week, Santino whipped out the Mankini!


Tremendous. And there will be plenty of hilarious clips to follow, but let me first take you on the brief ride that has been Santino's career.

Santino Marella debuted in the WWE in April, 2007 and won the Intercontinental Championship in his first match, defeating Umaga with help from Bobby Lashley. Santino was initially pushed as a weak face, an alleged "fan" who was pulled from the crowd and capitalized on his chance by winning the IC title. Fortunately for all of us, Santino's potential quickly became obvious and the WWE allowed him to develop his identity. Gone was the boring face persona. In it's place was the possessive, egotistical, can't get an English catch phrase right, down right hysterical Santino Marella; the one we have come to love.

Santino quickly began to make his mark, running down everyone from his own "girlfriend" Maria to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Every time he got his hands on a microphone, Santino would trash someone else. Sure he would also destroy the English language, purposely ruin catch phrases quicker than Biff Tannen and would generally get his ass kicked every time he did it; but damn it got funnier every time out. Here's him and Stone Cold.


Following his time with Maria, Santino briefly feuded with Roddy Piper before first wrestling, then dating, the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix. The duo would form "Glamerella." The formation of Glamerella would lead Santino to his second reign as IC champion. But that wasn't enough for him. Santino set his goals high and wanted to become the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, surpassing the 64-week title reign of The Honky Tonk Man. The next video clip has a 5-part playlist, showing the hilarious 6-week stretch that Santino held the title and used the "Honk-a-Meter" to measure his success. The "Honk-a-Meter" is priceless.


Needless to say, Santino didn't quite pull off the 64-week streak and lost the title shortly after the last clip. But that didn't stop him and the Glamazon from taking care of business. As you can tell from this next clip, Santino did a helluva job taking care of Batista. Santino does a great Batista impersonation.



Despite only being in the WWE for two years, Santino has held the Intercontinental Title twice and has grabbed the distinction of having the shortest Royal Rumble appearance; he was eliminated within one second of entering the 2009 Royal Rumble. Pretty funny when he screams that he wasn't ready after he gets eliminated.



Santino has been able to get over with nothing more than a unibrow and a microphone. Despite coming out on the short end of the stick time and again, Santino continues to amuse us. Here's to Santino...hoping that he'll be crowned this year's Miss Wrestlemania! Now let's end this week with one last clip, one of the most amusing, it's Santino rapping and calling Akon, who's in the crowd, Acorn.

The Phillies' Big 5

The Phillies season begins Sunday, and while they are considered favorites to win the NL East, there are a handful of major questions floating around the team. So here's an attempt to answer the big 5.


Is Chan Ho Park For Real?

What do you make of Chan Ho Park? Park signed with the Phillies this offseason, and when Park did he claimed he chose the Phillies because he was promised a chance to win the 5th spot in the starting rotation. At the time most observers took Park’s desire to start with a grain of salt, and felt that the chances of him winning the job were slim at best. I was among this group, in fact I worried that Park would end up like Ryan Franklin and spend the season sulking about not getting the job he was promised. Then spring training happened, and Park put together a dominant, and surprising, month of baseball, not just to win the job, but to win it emphatically.

Park was spectacular this spring, going 2-0, with a 2.53 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, a strikeout rate of better than one per inning, and a walk rate of less than one BB per 9 innings pitched. Park was the best pitcher the Phillies had this spring, and when you see what Joe Blanton has done as well, there is a real reason to get optimistic about the back of the Phillies rotation. That said, the question lingers, what can you expect from Park over the entire season?

Park first was a full-time starter with the LA Dodgers from 1997-2001. In LA, a notorious pitcher’s park, Chan Ho Park had 4 very good seasons sandwiching a disappointing 1999. In those 4 seasons when Park was at his peak, he averaged 217 innings and a 3.47 ERA for those four years, with a combined record of 62-38. Park turned these tremendous numbers into a 5-year, $65 million contract with the Texas Rangers.

The ballpark in Arlington is among the best hitters’ parks in all of baseball, and Park was terrible there in 3 and a half injury plagued seasons. Park ended up being traded to San Diego late in 2005, but despite returning to a pitchers park and the easier to handle National League, Park was still quite awful. After floundering in 2006 in San Diego, Park signed on with the Mets for 2007 in hopes of being their fifth starter, but it didn’t pan out, and Park made just one start in place of the injured Orlando Hernandez before returning to minors. Park spent the rest of 2007 in the minors, splitting time between the Mets’ and Astros’ organizations. Park returned to LA in 2008, and had a fine season for the Dodgers, pitching mainly from the bullpen. Park left the team after the season to pursue a shot at starting, which is what landed him in Philadelphia.

So what do you make of Park’s past, and what can we expect from him in the future? The short answer is as long as he’s missing bats and avoiding walks as he did this spring he’ll be successful at the major league level. The pitcher I saw this spring training makes you want to believe that this is a capable veteran who has a burning desire to make every team that passed on his services this offseason choke on it. Then again, I don’t think you can expect Park to maintain this level for an entire year. In fact the biggest question I have is if Park can have success at any venue other than Dodger Stadium. Chan Ho Park has a very respectable career ERA of 4.34. The problem is that at Dodger Stadium Park’s ERA is 2.96, and everywhere else it’s at an alarming 5.15.

So is Park for real? Can he be a fixture in this rotation? It’s a huge question mark. He was very good in 2008, and Park looks even better so far this season. Then again, Park has been either injured or dreadful in the last 5 seasons he attempted to be a starter. So which pitcher will we get? A focused veteran who can give you innings and strikeouts, or a Korean version of Adam Eaton? The answer to that question will go a long way to deciding the Phillies 2009 season.

Who is #2?

Game 5 of the World Series ended the championship drought that had plagued the city of Philadelphia. Game 5 also ended any debate about whether the Phillies had a true #1 starting pitcher. Cole Hamels left game 5 (sort of left, sort of was forced out by weather) having completed one of the all-time great post-season runs. Hamels went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA, and 30 strikeouts in 35 innings, it was an amazing October that cemented him as an elite pitcher, and ended all debate about whether he was a true ace. The Phillies have several solid middle-of-the-rotation type starters, but can any of them become Cole’s sidekick, and give the Phillies a real 1-2 punch that would make the Phillies the hands-down favorite to win the NL? Let’s look at the candidates and see how they stack up.

Brett Myers: Myers will pitch on opening day, taking Hamels’ place after his elbow flared up this spring training, causing a (so far) minor setback. Is Myers capable of being a #2? Myers has shown flashes in the past of sustained success, most noticeably in 2005-06 when he had back to back seasons with a winning record, a sub 4.00 ERA, and nearly a strikeout per inning. After spending 2007 in the bullpen, Myers returned to the rotation in 2008 and was a huge disappointment. Myers was so bad in 2008, he had to be sent to the minors to try and regain his form. It appeared that he worked out his issues and over his next 11 starts; Brett went 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA and 69 strikeouts. Those 11 starts represent a third of a season where he was nothing short of brilliant, but in the other 19 starts he made Brett was 3-11 with a 6.10 ERA. Then again, that seems to be Brett Myers in a nutshell, so bad at times you want to be completely finished with him, and so good that sometimes you think he has the potential to win a Cy Young award. The first guy is a borderline fifth starter, the latter could be your ace, but when judged on a whole Brett Myers falls somewhere in between. Ideally Brett is your #3, good enough to deserve regular innings, but not consistent enough to be counted to pick your team up during a slump.

Jamie Moyer: Jamie Moyer was the Phillies #2 starter in 2008, and earned that distinction by having his best year since 2003. Moyer’s status as #2 is hardly an indictment on the Phillies staff, as Moyer was one of the top pitchers in all the National League, finishing tied for 7th with 16 wins, and tied for 15th with a 3.71 ERA. It should be noted that Moyer wasn’t so successful in the postseason, where he went 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in 3 starts. The other questions around Moyer involve either his advanced age of 46 and his ability to stay effective, or his inconsistency. After all Moyer posted an above 5.00 ERA in 2007; so which of the last two years is a better indicator of what Moyer will give the team at his current age and physical condition? If the 2007 Moyer returns, then the Phillies will have an innings eater that will keep them in ballgames, but rarely will win a game on his own. If 2008 Moyer returns, then the Phillies will have a legitimate #2 to trust behind Hamels, at least until the postseason arrives. On most teams that’s ok, since he’ll certainly help get you to the playoffs, but with this team, with this set of lofty goals, it isn’t quite enough to be the #2 they’re looking for.

Joe Blanton: After a shaky start to his tenure in Philadelphia, Blanton settled in and went 4-0 with a 3.73 ERA in his final 11 starts. More importantly the Phillies were 9-4 overall in his 13 starts. For his career, Blanton has been inconsistent at best. Blanton owns a very nice career ERA of 4.24, which would normally be more than enough to win with this offense behind him, but most of that work came in pitcher friendly McAfee Coliseum, a far cry from the notorious hitter's haven that is Citizens Bank Park. The best case for Blanton was that he was clearly the Phillies second best starter when they needed it most; during their October run through the playoffs, going 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA. Joe also has had an excellent spring and may be ready to step up and give the Phillies that second big arm they need. Of course, that hope is based on a very small body of work, and is optimistic to say the least. Honestly, Joe most likely isn’t the guy, and much like Myers and Moyer is an asset, just not that much coveted #2.

In closing I guess it’s safe to say that entering the season the Phillies don’t have a #2 starter, but instead they have three #3’s. If that holds up, I feel like it will balance out, and over the course of the season all three of these men will fill that role at times. The big question is if one of them can do it next October when it becomes an absolute must to have a legitimate #2 starter.

Can The Phillies Bullpen Be The Best In the NL Again?

The Phillies had the National League’s best Bullpen in 2008, and need to stay among the best if they are going to repeat in 2009. There are a handful of questions surrounding this bullpen, so let’s just jump right into it.

1. Who is going to be in the bullpen this year? Well, there are the obvious names such as Lidge, Madson, Romero (eventually), Eyre, Condrey, and Chad Durbin. The final two bullpen spots will be filled from the group of J.A.Happ, Jack Taschner, Gary Majewski, and Robert Mosebach. Odds are that the Phillies keep one of the right-handers (Majewski and Mosebach) and one of the lefties (Taschner and Happ). Mosebach is a rule 5 pick that has been offered back to the Angels, and the Phillies must return him unless a trade is worked out, something the Phillies are currently working on. The fact that they offered him back shows the Phillies aren’t really looking to keep him in the majors, so that eliminates him from the mix. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say Taschner and Majewski stay, and Happ is sent to Lehigh Valley where he will continue to pitch as a starter. Happ will be the first pitcher the Phillies turn to if there is an injury, or if a starter falters.

2. Which Ryan Madson will show up this year? Ryan Madson has been up and down in his young career, but never so “up” as he was during the 2008 playoffs. Madson was dominating in the postseason, including an impressive World Series where he frequently was blazing fastballs up there at 95-98 mph, some 5-10 mph faster than Phillies fans were used to. If the postseason version of Ryan Madson shows up more nights than not, then the Phillies can consider the 8th innings locked down.

3. How much will the Phillies miss J.C. Romero during his suspension? Romero has been fantastic since joining the Phillies. In two seasons, the lefthander has appeared in 132 games and posted a 2.17 ERA. The Phillies will be hard pressed to match that type of production. Scott Eyre will apparently inherit most of those innings until Romero returns, so really this question will be answered by him. In all I expect the absence to cost the Phillies a game or two, but it’s hardly going to cripple the bullpen.

4. Can then Phillies replace the departing Rudy Seanez and Tom Gordon? I don’t think that Gary Mejewski, J.A. Happ, or Jack Taschner will ever as good a reliever as Gordon and Seasnez were once upon a time, but based on what you could expect to get from those veteran this season, the younger group the Phillies have is more than up to the challenge. The biggest question mark is Majewski, who was a valuable pitcher for the Expos/Nationals when he first came to the majors, but was dismal in his most recent two and a half years, spent in Cincinnati.

5. Can Brad Lidge Repeat His “Perfect” 2008 Season? Honestly, probably not. Oh, I’m sorry you wanted something more substantive? OK then, Lidge’s 2008 season was spectacular, and to expect the same in 2009 is unrealistic. You can expect Lidge to be among the game’s best closers, his strikeout rates alone make him among the most lethal pitchers in the game. So maybe he blows 2 or 3 saves, even then he’ll still be a strength for this team.

After all these questions, I’ll give you one simple answer; Yes expect the Phillies to have an excellent bullpen again in 2009.

Will the Lack of Right-handed Power Be a Problem?

Potions of the following are from a piece that originally ran 2-19-09.

Pat Burrell, although flawed, has maintained a certain level of production of the last few years, in fact over the past 4 seasons; Burrell averaged 31 homers and 99 RBIs. Over that time, Aaron Rowand left for San Francisco, and the Phillies attempted to replace his offense with Pedro Feliz, but Feliz was a major underachiever in 2008. So now the Phillies are left with only a single right-handed hitter who is capable of hitting 20 home runs, Jayson Werth. Werth had a breakout year in 2008, setting new career highs in games, at bats, hits, home runs, stolen bases and RBIs. Now Werth will be counted on to be the main source of power from the right side, a responsibility he may or may not be capable of handling.

The Phillies have a real problem in this regard; the only players on the team who are capable of hitting 20 homers from the right side are Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins. Since Jimmy is your leadoff hitter, he won’t be helping round out the middle of the lineup this season, which leaves Jayson Werth. I love what Werth did in 2008, he hit .273 and averaged a home run once every 17.42 at bats. That home run rate was fantastic, and if Werth had enough at bats he would have ranked 15th in the league sandwiched between Hanley Ramirez and Prince Fielder. The optimist in me would like to think that Werth has now come into his own, and is ready to emerge as a full-time power-hitting outfielder.

The problem with Werth is that he hit only .255 against right-handed pitching with a HR per every 32.875 at bats. Not only is Werth a potential liability against right-handed pitching, he is definitely injury prone. Jayson Werth has spent time on the DL every season of his career from 2003 through 2008, and every time it was either an oblique or wrist injury. Even when healthy, Werth has never played an entire year as a starter, and if the Phillies intend to continue the platoon situation with either Stairs or Dobbs starting against right-handed pitching, then they will be playing four lefties in the middle of the order. There is also the chance that last season was a career year, and Werth may fall back to his career averages of a .263 batting average and a homerun once every 24.45 at bats.

In all, I guess it goes without saying that the Phillies are taking a huge risk with all the faith they’ve shown in Werth. The Phillies have tried to add Gary Sheffield as an insurance policy, but his signing seems like a long shot without any playing time to offer the future Hall of Fame outfielder. So the team will apparently sink or swim with Werth being the only right handed bat in the middle of the order.

Can the Phillies Avoid Their Usual Slow Start?

The Phillies chances of repeating as World Series Champions may very well hinge on whether they can avoid the slow start that has plagued their last several seasons. In 2008, the Phillies posted a 15-13 record on April, their first winning record in the season’s opening month since 2003. Of course the Phillies didn’t exactly come blazing out of the gates last season. After struggling through the first three weeks of the year, the Phillies managed to post that winning record by ending the month with 7 wins in their final 10 games.

Recently the Phillies best hitters in April have been Pat Burrell and Chase Utley. The Phillies will need to replace their offense if they are going to avoid a poor start. Chase Utley finished last April on such a tear he was the early favorite to win the National League MVP. This April Utley enters the year on far more uncertain terms, as he is attempting to return from offseason surgery. While Utley has repeatedly said he’ll be ready for the start of the season, you have to wonder at what level he’ll start the year. Obviously, Pat Burrell’s April production is gone, replaced with Raul Ibanez who is a fine April hitter in his own right, but he must address the issues that come with switching leagues and playing in a new stadium. At best, the Phillies will suffer a slight drop-off from their best April hitters, at worst they’ll be without most of their offense to open the year.

The obvious hope is that Ryan Howard avoids a third consecutive disastrous April and picks up the slack. Howard had an excellent April in his 2006 MVP campaign, batting .306 with 5 home runs. In the spring preceding that April, Howard had a monstrous grapefruit league run bashing 11 home runs and batting .341. This spring has been Howard’s best since then, with him hitting 10 home runs so far while batting .310. If Howard’s spring leads to him skipping this season’s opening month slump, then the Phillies will be able to handle whatever loss of offense Utley’s injury and Burrell’s departure may cause.

The more likely source of early season success would be to get better pitching from the get go. Cole Hamels was the only Phillies starting pitcher who had an April ERA under 4.50. If Blanton and Park can improve on what little you got from Eaton and Kendrick last April, then things should work out pretty well. Plus, you have to expect that Moyer and Myers will perform better than last year when they combined to go 3-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 11 starts. Then again, if Myers can avoid allowing double digit homers this month that would be an improvement after he surrendered 10 last April.

In all, I think the Phillies will be able to avoid the troubles of previous Aprils, with a combination of better pitching and a big month from Ryan Howard. The improvement to the back end of the rotation is the most obvious reason to be optimistic, as Eaton and Kendrick were terrible last season. If Cole Hamels stays on track and doesn’t miss any time with his recent elbow issues, then this rotation will be a strength from the first day on. I think you can expect 13 or 14 wins out of the 22 games on the April schedule.

That about wraps up the questions, the answers will start coming in for real this Sunday.

It's Late Night with... Andre Iguodala

Check out Philadelphia 76er Andre Iguodala on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.



By the way, Andre is a small forward.

How Do You Say Embarrassed in Swedish?

I think the title says it all. Just Watch.



This display of humiliation came courtesy of Linus Omark, an Edmonton Oiler's prospect playing in the Swedish Elite League. The announcers and crowds reactions are priceless.

2009 MLB Preview Special Edition

Welcome to the PSP MLB Preview for 2009. Inside you'll find all of Greg's predictions for the division races and individual awards.
After looking through the entire league team by team, here are the official PSP predictions for 2009.

American League

East
1. New York Yankees 96-66
2. Tampa Bay Rays 93-69
3. Boston Red Sox 89-73
4. Toronto Blue Jays 69-93
5. Baltimore Orioles 58-104

Central
1. Cleveland Indians 93-69
2. Minnesota Twins 86-76
3. Kansas City 81-81
4. Chicago White Sox 81-81
5. Detroit Tigers 79-83

West
1. Los Angeles Angels 93-69
2. Texas Rangers 77-85
3. Oakland Athletics 76-86
4. Seattle Mariners 69-93

National League

East
1. Philadelphia Phillies 96-66
2. New York Mets 91-71
3. Florida Marlins 85-77
4. Atlanta Braves 83-79
5. Washington Nationals 68-94

Central
1. St. Louis Cardinals 94-68
2. Chicago Cubs 88-74
3. Milwaukee Brewers 78-84
4. Houston Astros 77-85
5. Cincinnati Reds 72-90
6. Pittsburgh Pirates 58-104

West
1. Arizona Diamondbacks 89-73
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 86-76
3. San Francisco Giants 82-80
4. Colorado Rockies 77-85
5. San Diego Padres 66-96

These would provide the following playoff match-ups:
AL:Yankees vs Angels and Indians vs Rays
NL: Phillies vs Diamondbacks and Cardinals vs Mets

The LCS match-ups would be:
AL: Yankees vs Rays and NL: Phillies vs St. Louis

Finally, the World Series would be:
Phillies winning over the Yankees

Now for the individual awards for 2009:

AL MVP: Mark Teixeira
NL MVP: Ryan Howard
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester
NL Cy Young: Francisco Rodriguez

With my expectations that both New York teams return to the playoffs in 2009, I expect the awards to lean towards those two teams. Teixeira is the most likely candidate from the Yanks now that A-rod is out for the opening of the season. I think the revamped bullpen will go a long way towards getting the Mets back into the playoffs, and K-Rod's Cy Young will be the reward. The other awards are simply that I expect monster seasons from Lester and Howard.

Finally here are my projected All-Star teams:

AL:
C- Jorge Posada
1B- Mark Teieira
2B- Dustin Pedroia
3B- Alex Rodriguez
SS- Derek Jeter
OF- Josh Hamilton
OF- Ichiro Suzuki
OF- Carlos Quentin
SP- Jon Lester

NL:
C- Geovany Soto
1B- Albert Pujols
2B- Chase Utley
3B- David Wright
SS- Hanley Ramirez
OF- Ryan Braun
OF- Alfonso Soriano
OF- Carlos Beltran
SP- Aaron Harang

That's all the predictions for today, be sure to check out our article answering the 5 biggest questions the Phillies face as they open the 2009 season, and come back Sunday for our season preview podcast.

The Not Sports Report - 4/2/2009

It is still technically Thursday, so this isn't late. On this week's episode of The Not Sports Report, we mostly discuss Paul's man crush on Paul Rudd. Paul also ruins the movie Knowing for anyone interested. We also cover other man crushes, Greg's inability to like anything and our new favorite character of all time, Kuzzick, ruler of Xanthia. Have a listen for yourself:



LISTEN - Click here to launch an external player. Be sure to play the Not Sports Report 4/2/2009 mp3

DOWNLOAD - Click here to download

ITUNES - Click here to get The Not Sports Report in Itunes. To get our Weekly Sports Podcast in Itunes, click here.

See some more Not Sports Report hilarity by reading the full post.

We start out by talking about Role Models and how Paul Rudd tends to play the same hilarious character in every single movie, which is basically a sarcastic prick.



I'm gonna throw you in my Delorean and gun it to 88...(language a bit Not Safe For Work...but really who cares)



Actually, he does have some diversity in his roles. Here, he is a sarcastic prick AND he fights a giant murdering robot somewhere in Hong Kong...I shit you not. It's a long clip, so skip to about 6:30 to see the good stuff.



And I leave you with a trifecta of clips of Kuzzick, ruler of Xanthia. We touched on Joe Lo Truglia's character from Role Models and how over the top and hilarious he was. See for yourself.





Sturdy Wings Interviews - Kuzzik and Gayle

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Boston Red Sox

Here it is, the 30th and final installment of the 2009 team previews. So let's get to it, here are the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox

Last Season’s Result: 95-67. 2nd place in the AL East.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added RF Rocco Baldelli (Signed from Tampa)
• Added SP Brad Penny (Signed from Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Added SP John Smoltz (Signed from Atlanta)
• Added RP Takashi Saito (Signed from Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Added RF Brad Wilkerson (Signed from Toronto)
• Added RP Ramon Ramirez (Trade form Kansas City)
• Lost CF Coco Crisp (Traded to Kansas City)
• Lost 1B Sean Casey (Retired)
• Lost SP Curt Schilling (Retired)
• Lost SS Alex Cora (Signed with New York Mets)
• Lost C David Ross (Signed with Atlanta)
• Lost RP Mike Timlin (Unsigned free agent)
• Lost SP Bartolo Colon (Signed with Chicago White Sox)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: C+ I think the made some nice low risk signings in Smoltz, Penny and Baldelli. My problem with their offseason is that they refrained from making a large splash, since they were one of the few teams that had the financial prowess to do so. They should have pressed their financial advantage by going after somebody like Pat Burrell, or better yet Adam Dunn, who would’ve given them a big right-handed bat at first base at a relatively discount price. I mean is anybody going to get 30 home runs on this team?

• Rotation Grade: A A very nice rotation, with 3 potential aces at the top in Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K. Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield fill out the back end of the rotation for now, with John Smoltz and youngster Clay Buchholz also in the mix to start this season. If that wasn’t enough depth, the Sox could always start Justin Masterson in an emergency. By the way, Masterson would be in almost every other rotation in the league, and he’s option 8, I’d say the Sox are set here.

• Bullpen Grade: C+ Jonathan Papelbon is a fine closer, and he anchored this group that was about average last season. This year expect Masterson to play a very large role in returning this pen to among the league’s best.

• Lineup Grade: B This team was second in the league in runs scored in 2008, but I don’t know if they can be that good in 2009. There are a lot of question marks on this squad. Some are very large red flags like Veritek and Lowrie, injury concerns surround Papi, Drew, Baldelli, and Lowell. Another question is how good is Dustin Pedroia, is he really an MVP caliber player, or is he just a very good middle infielder. Pedroia will regress from his great 2008 season, the question is how much. The only two guys I think the Red Sox can count on are Youkilis and Bay, but if the lefties fail to protect them it could be trouble.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: David Ortiz. Is Papi at theend or was 2008 jjust an aberration? The answer to this question may decide the fate of the Sox in 2009. With their staff they will compete, but if Ortiz can’t provide a left-handed threat, this lineup is lopsided.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury has been handed the chance to hit leadoff in a high-powered offense, so it’s likely Ellsbury will have a star making year. Then again it’s not like there’s a ton of young talent to choose from, especially since I consider Lester to already be the Sox best pitcher.

Best Case Scenario: 100 wins and cruising into the playoffs. You know the talent, and you’ve know their potential, what more can I add?

Worst Case Scenario: Drew and Papi can’t protect the righties, and the back end of the staff doesn’t work out. With the Rays as the defending champs and the Yankees much improved, the Sox could miss the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Prediction for 2009: 89-73. 3rd place in the AL East.

Local Thoughts

By: Allan Wood from the Joy of Sox.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: B. We now know that Mark Teixeira had absolutely no intention of signing with Boston, so there was nothing Theo Epstein could do about that. I wasn't crazy about having Jason Varitek back, but he is (and we still have our young pitching prospects). The team made a few low risk/high reward signings of Smoltz and Penny that could really pay off.

• Most Essential: Daisuke Matsuzaka. As the 3rd starter after Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, Boston needs a strong #3.

• Breakout Potential: Jacoby Ellsbury. (Or Jed Lowrie. (If Varitek rebounds and hits .240, does that could as a breakout?))

• Prediction for 2009: 98-64, 1st in East.

Should We Expect Much from the Flyers?

On March 21, I posted an article asking the Flyers to step up. At the time, the Flyers had 12 games remaining, the most among all playoff teams, and held their fate in their own hands. All I asked was that they show some consistency and build a little bit of momentum as they moved towards the NHL playoffs. Despite notching a 3-game winning streak (only their second since December) including big wins against the Penguins and Devils, the Flyers have once again faded and come up short on effort and heart. If their recent play is any indication of what we can expect in the playoffs, then we probably shouldn't get our hopes up this spring.

The Flyers lost an uninspired game to the Maple Leafs last night 3-2. The Maple Leafs will not be in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. This is not a game that should be lost by a team trying to focus on the playoffs. Despite a late game surge, the Flyers were simply outplayed by a team playing for nothing. Marty Biron, the goaltender that the Flyers will rest their Stanley Cup hopes on, was pulled from the game in the second period.

The Flyers now have 3 loses in their last 4 games, with their only win coming over the hapless Islanders, the worst team in the NHL. Even in the victory, the Flyers were outplayed by the Islanders for the majority of the game, needing a shoot out to finally secure the 'W'.

Their most recent loss has once again placed the Flyers in a tie with the Penguins for the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with 92 points. Both teams remain only one point over the Hurricanes and three points over the 7th seeded Rangers. The Flyers have 6 games remaining, while Pittsburgh, Carolina and New York all have 5 games left.

As we pointed out on our Podcast, the Flyers path to the Stanley Cup is not an easy road traveled. Despite their explosive offense, the Flyers defense and goaltending are questionable. The Flyers run to the Eastern Conference finals last year was built on as much heart as it was talent. The one thing that the Flyers cannot afford is a lack of effort and focus. If the Flyers cannot stay focused going into the playoffs, can we really expect them to be able to flip a switch and pick up the pace once the playoffs begin? Home ice advantage could very easily mean the difference between the Flyers making it past the opening round of the playoffs. Why don't they get it?

The remaining schedule for the Flyers seems favorable. They have the Maple Leafs again, the Rangers twice, the Islanders, Panthers and Senators. Of the group, the Rangers are the only team that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Flyers need to capitalize on their schedule and lock up the 4th seed. The idea that the Flyers can play "consistently inconsistent" and make any noise this spring is over. The Flyers cannot trade wins and loses and think they have a shot at The Cup. My challenge to the Flyers is the same as it was six games ago. Play 60 minutes of consistent hockey in each of the remaining six games, put some wins together and develop some momentum that you can build from. The next six games will reveal a lot. If the Flyers show that they can't handle a group of inferior opponents over the next eleven days, how can we expect much from them in the playoffs?

Stallworth Charged with Manslaughter

Former Philadelphia Eagle, and current Cleveland Brown, Donte Stallworth will be charged with killing Mario Reyes, 59, last month while driving drunk.

The DUI manslaughter charge carries a possible 15-year prison sentence. Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after the crash was .12, well above Florida's legal limit of .08, according to results of a blood test.

2009 MLB Team Preview- The Tampa Bay Rays

On our second to last day of team previews, we cover the defending American League Champions, The Tampa Bay Rays.

The Tampa Bay Rays

Last Season’s Result: 97-65, 1st Place in the AL East, American League Champions.

Major Offseason Changes

• Added OF Matt Joyce (Trade from Detroit)
• Added LF Pat Burrell (Signed from Philadelphia)
• Added RP Brian Shouse (Signed from Milwaukee)
• Added RP Jason Isringhausen (Signed from St. Louis)
• Added RP Joe Nelson (Signed from Florida)
• Added OF Gabe Kapler (Signed from Milwaukee)
• Lost RF Rocco Baldelli (Signed with Boston)
• Lost LF Cliff Floyd (Signed with San Diego)
• Lost RF Eric Hinske (Signed with Pittsburgh)
• Lost RP Trevor Miller (Signed with St. Louis)
• Lost RF Jonny Gomes (Signed with Cincinnati)
• Lost SP Edwin Jackson (Traded to Detroit)

Letter Grades

• Offseason Moves: B The Rays did a fine job of fine tuning a good team that has its core in place. Burrell gives the team a nice right-handed power bat, and the combo of Joyce and Zobrist gives the team both depth and a fine replacement for Baldelli and Hinske.

• Rotation Grade: B The Rays had the second best staff in the AL last season, and they are poised to improve on that once David Price works his way into the rotation. This is definitely the team’s strength.

• Bullpen Grade: B The Rays had the third best bullpen in 2008, and they stand to improve on that in 2009 with a handful of free agent acquisitions, to go with Balfour, Wheeler, Howell, and Percival. Percival’s frail health is this groups weakness.

• Lineup Grade: A- An exciting young team, featuring some of the best young talent in baseball. If they play to their potential the Rays have three guys in Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, and Bossman Junior Upton that could be potential MVP candidates.

Player most closely linked to team’s 2009 hopes: Troy Percival. If the veteran closer can stay healthy and stabilize the back of the Rays’ bullpen, it will help the Rays again have one of the league’s better bullpens. If Percival is often injured then the rest of the crew would have to continuously shift roles, weakening the overall quality of the unit.

Biggest Breakout Star Potential: David Price, the best pitching prospect in all of baseball will finally get a lengthy stay in the majors this season, when he does he’ll instantly have among the game’s best stuff. If he can channel that stuff into a pitching rather than throwing, he may end up the best pitcher in the AL East come September.

Best Case Scenario: The Bossman gets the power surge many expect. The pitching staff repeats last season’s success, and they find a reliable closer among their bullpen bunch. Best case is a few more wins than last year.

Worst Case Scenario: The worst case is that last season was a fluke, which is likelier than you might think. If these guys regress as feared then they could return to a team that struggles for .500.

Prediction for 2009: 93-69, 2nd place in the AL East, Wild Card entry into playoffs.

Local Thoughts

We have another twosome today, Tommy Rancel and Erik Hahmann from D Rays Bay.

By: Tommy Rancel.

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: I may be a little biased, but I would have to give Andrew Friedman and his front office an A on offseason moves. The Rays needed a right handed power bat that could handle left handed pitching and they got that in Pat Burrell at a reduced salary. Friedman also understood that a bullpen in the most volatile group on a team. Instead of being
complacent and keeping together the bullpen that was so successful in 2008, he was very aggressive in making upgrades to the pen by adding Brian Shouse and Joe Nelson. He also moved a player from a position of strength in Edwin Jackson to address a position of weakness, right field and got back a player in Matt Joyce, who could be the Rays everyday right fielder starting in 2010 and beyond.

• Most Essential: Evan Longoria. Longoria adds a 30 HR bat from the right side with gold glove caliber defense. If the Rays were to lose him to an injury, it would be really hard to replace his production, although Willy Aybar
is a very good player. It would be equivalent to the Mets losing David Wright in my opinion.

• Breakout Potential: While he already had sort of a breakout in 2007 and the 2008 playoffs, I think B.J. Upton is really going to take that next step in 2009. Upton is returning from offseason surgery, which was very similar to
Hanley Ramirez's injury in 2008. I don't think 30 home runs and 30 steals is a bad estimate for Upton in 2009 if he's 100%.

• Prediction for 2009: 96-66, 2nd place wild card.

By: Erik Hahmann

• Letter Grade for Offseason Moves: I'd give it a B

• Most Essential: I don't think you can peg any one player as being the most essential. The team won the American League last year with many of
its best players having down seasons.

• Breakout Potential: I believe B.J. Upton is poised to have a breakout year. He's still very young and was poised to breakout in 2008 before injuries zapped all of his power.

• Prediction for 2009: I'll say 95-67 with a second place finish and the wild card.