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

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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.

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.

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

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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:

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.

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.

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

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.

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!”

Cole Hamels Updates

There's a ton of stuff around the web on Cole Hamels and his tender left elbow. Come on in and check out what the Internet thinks.

The gist of it all is that Hamels should be ok after getting a shot today to reduce inflammation, but this setback may cost him his start on Opening Day.

Here's some details from Buster Olney.

Here's Rich Dubee saying he doubts Cole will be back for the start of the season in a story by Olney and Jayson Stark.

Here's Olney one last time, talking about how Cole is among the league's most indispensable players to his team.

Enough of Buster, here's some reporting on Cole from local sportswriters. David Murphy seems fairly optimistic, Jim Salisbury is much more worried, and Paul Hagen doesn't know what to think.

Maybe We Don't Need a 5th Starter, Maybe We Need an ACE

Well crap, I don't want to seem like Chicken Little, but Cole Hamels is being examined for elbow pain. If he needs surgery, then the sky very well may fall.


Cole returned to Philly today to have the arm looked at, details are available here.

I guess it's a little reassuring that both Happ and Park are doing well this spring if Hamels is to miss any regular season time. Let's not kid ourselves, if Hamels hits the 60-day DL with this problem, or any other later on, this team's chances of repeating will be greatly reduced.

I would like to be the first to request Jamie Moyer be our opening day starter in Cole's place should he be unavailable. The thought of triple-A call-up Brett Myers on the mound on national tv to start the season just burns me up.

To be at least the slightest bit optimistic in this piece, Cole has been very cautious over the last few seasons after he struggled with injuries early in his career. Cole understands that the season is a marathon, and won't risk his long-term health just for the pomp and circumstance of opening day.

Either way, let's cross our fingers and light a candle.

Greg

The 5th Starter race.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com writes that the competition for the Phillies' 5th starter job is starting to shake out.



Chan Ho Park and JA Happ seem to have seperated themselves from the pack, and you can read all about it here.

Phillies Release Adam Eaton

Clearwater, FL (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies released disappointing right-handed pitcher Adam Eaton on Friday.

In the last year of a three-year contract that he signed before the 2007 season, Eaton didn't have a chance to win the fifth spot in the Phillies rotation.

"Based on where we are with our pitching staff and the fact that we feel comfortable with our depth, we wanted to give Adam every opportunity to pitch with another club, rather than wait until later in the spring when it gets more difficult," said Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro.

The 31-year old posted a 14-18 mark with a 6.10 earned-run average in 51 games (49 starts) with Philadelphia. Last season he went 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA in 21 games (19 starts).

Over nine seasons in the majors, which has included stops with San Diego and Texas, he is 68-63 with a 4.80 ERA.

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02/27 11:31:09 ET

The Prediction

Every spring as the Phillies head south and begin spring training, I begin my own springtime tradition. My four stages of spring baseball, they are as follows:
1. Relive the previous season
2. I get overly optimistic, and find all the evidence possible to support said optimism.
3. I become a lot less optimistic, and start pointing at all the reasons the season could fall apart.
4. I cobble together an assessment based on both sides of the argument and lay out a realistic prediction.



Now we come to the end of my springtime return to baseball, after mulling over all the reasons this season could be an improvement of 2008, as well as a few reasons why it could end in disappointment, I make a decision. Which will it be? Thumbs up or thumbs down? I think I’m going to go with thumbs up. I think the 2009 Phillies are positioned quite well to be a better club than last year’s world champions.

The Phillies return a prolific offense that will be at or near the top of the league in runs scored. I’ve already made my questions about the offense clear, so let’s move on to where I see most of the improvement coming from, the starting rotation. Last season the Phillies starting pitchers combined to win 59 games. This season, barring a rash of serious injuries, I expect that total to rise into the low to mid 60’s. Individually I see Hamels, Blanton and Myers all adding 2 or 3 wins to what they did last season and that trio totaling between 40 and 45 wins. I think Jamie Moyer will pitch with similar success to what he found in 2008, but not quite the luck and as a result Jamie will see his win total fall from last season’s team-high of 16 to a more modest 12 or so. That leaves the fifth starter’s spot last season a struggling Kyle Kendrick found 11 wins as this team’s #5, so to expect double digits from whomever assumes that role coming out of spring training seems reasonable, so let’s say 10 and move on. The biggest factor in derailing this theory would be guys missing time with injuries. This team does have some depth at starting pitcher, so injuries should be able to be managed as the squad will have three guys waiting for a chance to join the rotation after the Park-Happ-Kendrick-Carassco contest sorts itself out, in addition Chad Durbin could always be called on for a spot start if needed.

Click here for thoughts on the rest of the relevant NL’s rotations.

This improvement in the starting rotation will set the Phillies up to improve on the 92 wins of 2008, to 95 or more. Improving is essential since, as previously noted, several other teams also appear to have better pitching than last season. Getting back to 92 wins however should be the team’s primary goal since only once has a National League team reached that mark and failed to make the playoffs during the wildcard era, and only four NL teams have won more than 90 games in a season in the last four years combined.

So here’s the bottom line, I think the offense that was 2nd in the NL last season stays in the top 3, I think the NL’s best bullpen stays in the top 3, and I think that a rotation that was 7th in the NL last year takes a step up into the top five, and this team wins an extra 4 games and finishes 96-66. The Phillies are definitely a playoff team. They will probably once again be the NL East champs, although if Florida or NewYork won the division it wouldn’t be a complete shock. What would shock me would be the Phillies not beating either the Mets or the Cubs in a playoff series. So I’m predicting a return to the World Series for the Phillies, with St. Louis as the only team that can challenge them.