The Sports Simpleton

The Philadelphia Eagles: It's Time to Start Cutting

2009-05-05T14:30:00.004-04:00

Now that the draft is over and the first mini camp has taken place, it’s time for the Eagles to start purging themselves of players they no longer need. This will stop the team from wasting time on players that will not make the roster come training camp, allow them to focus on and prepare the new arrivals for the upcoming season. Of course I understand that getting rid of these guys so early may lessen the environment of competition within the camp setting, but it will get younger players much needed practice reps so that their game readiness will come all that much faster.

The first guy that comes to mind is the much maligned Reggie Brown, who in three years has gone from a NFL starting wide receiver, to injured backup, to someone who is completely and utterly expendable. Everyone had hope for Reggie coming out of Georgia and he actually looked good with Jeff Garcia throwing him the ball. Unfortunately, he has underperformed at every other point in his game. He is currently behind DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, and Hank Baskett on the depth chart. And for a guy who doesn’t play special teams, I think it’s time to say goodbye. As of this past mini camp however, one would think that the Eagles love Brown, having Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg praise him for catching the football during practice. We’ll see how long this lovefest lasts.

The Winston Justice travesty can go on no longer. Once a potential 1st round draft pick out of USC, Justice has been nothing short of a disappointment. The only memory that any Eagle fan will have of Winston Justice is the number of sacks he gave up to the New York Giants’ Osi Umenyiora: Four, all by himself. In that fateful game on the 30th of September in 2007, the Giants sacked the QB a total of 12 times, so it wasn’t just Justice. To Osi, it was like a video game. To Winston, it was the end of a one time promising career. It had been rumored that Justice was being shopped in a potential trade for Anquan Boldin. I can only imagine what the Cardinals thought they were getting.

Why the Eagles traded a fourth round pick for Lorenzo Booker still goes unexplained. The Eagles and Andy Reid say it was because it was like getting a third rounder and there was some value in the trade. I say they really wanted Brian Westbrook-lite. Too bad Booker is more like Ryan Moats-lite. The Eagles have B-West, they have Shady McCoy, and that third RB spot can go to some undrafted rookie like Rashard Mendenhall’s brother, Walter who has 2 inches and twenty pounds on Westbrook. There is absolutely no need for Philly to keep Booker on the roster, unless they put off admitting they were wrong. He wasn’t great on special teams, and he doesn’t add anything to the passing game so….see you later.

These guys could make a team somewhere else, so they should be given that opportunity sooner than later. In fact, I hope that Justice gets a job in the NFC East. They are still under contract with the Birds, to the organization can do what they will with them. Regardless, the writing is on the wall and their names have been removed from their lockers, so let’s forget about the past and move forward, with better players, a better team, for I doubt Eagle fans will be regretting any of them go a year from now.

A-Rod Is Becoming More Like Rodman Every Day

2009-05-05T11:16:00.007-04:00

Can Alex Rodriguez become a bigger mess than he has already become? What happened to that pampered phenom that came up through the Mariner organization that made people forget about former Seattle legends like Al Davis, Mark Langston, and Harold Reynolds? I’ll tell you what happened. Dude was weird to begin with. He just hit a ton of home runs so that no one would notice. Now that he’s gone to New York, a little visit to Madonna has become the most normal thing he’s done in years.

There is the steroid issue, the strange photos that include him standing unusually close to himself in the mirror, and now a book has come out about how he really is and all of this stuff just this year. Never mind that A-Rod has distanced himself from his WBC Dominican teammates, or that he apparently can’t handle the Yankee/Red Sox pissing match, or that despite his talent, he has failed to help his team to a championship, A-Rod just can’t seem to be un-ridiculous anymore.

I haven’t read the book that’s recently come out about the slugger, nor do I plan to. I just think that this guy is becoming a mess and that his personal clutter is going to cover up the fact that he is a great ballplayer. Although the fact that there are allegations of him using what are now banned substances, the fact that he is a great ball player has even become tainted to some degree. It’s up to historians to decide whether or not whatever Rodriguez took really enhanced his play. I think it did a little, but I think the guy probably wouldn’t have profited from the stuff as some other last man on the bench type of player.

The worst part of it all is that he is still relatively young. Maybe he will grow out of his eccentricities, but then again maybe they’ll grow. But the guy had to be screwed up to get this ball rolling so perhaps with the use of some top notch state of the art therapy, he can move past the need to become baseball’s Dennis Rodman. That’s where he’s headed, only for a different reason. Dennis realized relatively late in his career that he didn’t have the cash required to retire for life, so he made himself into a spectacle in order to generate some interest in him. If you remember, while Rodman was in San Antonio, he began dying his hair. Then by the time he was playing with MJ he was in full wacko mode. He started slow, and built it up. Kind of like what A-rod has done. And where Alex now? Well, he’s loving his reflection, literally.

At this rate, it is only a matter of time before A-rod throws on a white wedding dress, or starts keeping a pet tiger cub in the locker room, or even better, legally changes his name to A-rod. It’s a real shame though, that his book is gonna make the author dirty rich by making A-rod look real dirty, but I guess that the way it is when you are more than just a pop icon, baseball player superstar who appears to be living a psychedelic and surreal life.

Blow Up The 76ers, Please!

2009-05-04T15:03:00.005-04:00

If any team is doomed to stay in the NBA’s version of eternal purgatory, it is the Philadelphia 76ers. For two years, they have succeeded, yet failed and are destined to repeat this outcome year after year for the foreseeable future. They have made the playoffs two years in a row, and got bounced in the first round. They have talent, yet no stars. They have a coach, yet they don’t. They are in essence good enough only not to be bad. And now, after years of consecutive success and failure, it appears that they are spinning the wheels of mediocrity and will continue to do so until something drastic occurs. That time is now.

Andre Miller (right) wants to be gone. Fine. Samuel Dalembert wants out too. Better. In fact, anyone who wants to leave, go ahead and good luck. Most of the guys on the roster, with the exception of Miller would either have a hard time finding a role on their team or finding playing time ‘cause they stink. Andre Miller is a good point guard for a team who can convince him that he doesn’t need to shoot the ball. He hadn’t requested a trade, probably because he wanted to see how things would turn out in Philly. Now he can predict that the opportunity for him to win is most likely elsewhere. Samuel Dalembert anyway, could even get a job with the Canadian National Team, so I don’t know who’ll take a big stiff with no heart with a bigger contract and lesser skill.

The rest of the team is a rabble of athletic guys who are more of a mish-mosh of talent than a solid team. Andre Iguodala, although young, is not a guy who is ever going to develop into a go-to, take the last shot, star. He hit a big shot against Orlando this year, but no one would have been even slightly surprised if that ball rimmed out. Thaddeus Young (left) I like a lot, but he doesn’t really have a position to call his own. Since Iggy can’t play the two guard, the whole team gets screwed up trying to put Andre and Young on the court at the same time. Either Thaddeus gets stuck behind Andre at the three or he is forced to play the small four. It doesn’t help the team in either case. One has got to go, either one, but whoever it is…make sure they take Willie Green with them.

Then there is the case of Louis Williams (right), who was drafted out of what seems like junior high school. He is one of those tweeners, half point, half shooting guard who can look promising or compromising depending on who he is matched up against. He is still young, but guess what, in five years he’s going to be the exact same player and not so young. Better see where he can be moved in order to get a bona fide point guard now that Miller is on his way out.

The last main piece of the debacle called the Sixers is Elton Brand. All I will say about him is that he makes the Sixers look more like the Clippers every day he is on the roster.

So, let’s take stock. We get rid of Dalembert, Iguodala or Young, Willie Green, and Lou Williams, Miller walks as does anyone else on a one year deal. That’s four starters, so yep, that constitutes a blow up. Whoever the coach is going to be, whether it’s Tony DiLeo or some new guy, shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to have a team that they can lead into the second round of the playoffs before getting their ticket home? Please, at least for the fan’s sake, let make it happen.

The Mets Are Losers: Plain and Simple

2009-05-01T16:16:00.005-04:00

Going into tonights game with the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets are 9-12 and 4.5 games behind the Florida Marlins. This must be a disappointment to Mets fans as the bullpen was viewed as the anchor that took the team down and out of contention last year. It appears that even with the addition of two solid relief pitchers in K-Rod and JJ Putz, that the problem wasn't relief pitching.

The Mets have stars on the team, that there is no doubt. David Wright is a great third baseman who can put up numbers that will rival the greats of the game. Delgado, Reyes, and Beltran are all bonifide hitters although Jose is over-rated and streaky at best. What these four cannot seem to do is get their team to win due to lack of heart.

Unlike their opponents this evening, these great yet gutless players in the Mets lineup are, for lack of a better word, losers. The Phillies' Jimmy Rollins willed his team to the playoffs in 2007, while Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are clear leaders for their club. And no matter what the Mets try to do to improve, whether its spending a ton of cash for a starting pitcher or using the manager as the scapegoat for the team's lack of winners, they will fail.

This weekend, all should be revealed. The Phillies do not have their best pitchers on the mound and they won't need to. The Phillies have the Mets' number and by the time the Mets leave Philly, that number will be 0, as in the number of wins they will have against the Phils. New York, since 1986 anyway, has been wannabes. They have had some mild success, but only due to a weak division. Now that their rivals have gotten better, they can be seen for what they are: a sub-.500 team that will fall short when the going gets tough.

Thank you and have a nice day.

What Will Jeremy Maclin Look Like?

2009-05-01T15:47:00.006-04:00

Snapshot of what Jeremy Maclin will look like in an Eagles uniform in the upcoming 2010 edition of Madden Football.

The Philadelphia Eagles: Sticking With McNabb?

2009-05-01T15:05:00.004-04:00

The Philadelphia Eagles are consistently moving forward, or at least that is what they’d like us to believe. Last weekend’s draft may have been an indication that they are doing just that, but not in the way that would make Philly fans particularly happy. It could be very well possible that the Eagles are gearing up for the post-McNabb era by drafting young players that will be well ingrained in the system when they turn the reigns over to Kevin Kolb. Or maybe the Eagles are willing to let McNabb remain in control and are simply surrounding him with more offensive options. In either case, one of the two QBs will probably be on another roster come the 2010 season.

Let’s first look briefly at what they have done this offseason. They replaced the two offensive tackles on the offensive line. They added a much needed fullback. They picked up a safety to replace a local legend. They added a wideout, a running back, and potentially a decent tight end through the draft in addition to picking up an established cornerback through a trade. One might say that the Eagles addressed their needs, but didn’t go all out to go for it all. This is a valid point considering that they could have had Tony Gonzalez and/or Anquan Boldin on the squad for a couple draft picks. The fact that they didn’t leads fans to believe that the team is getting ready to move on without McNabb.

But are the Eagles really ready to give up on winning with McNabb and give the ball to a guy who has played virtually the same amount of NFL football as my grandmother? That would be one of the biggest leaps of faith any franchise could take. It’s not even clear if it’s worked out in Packerland with Aaron Rodgers. So if the Eagles are looking to go that direction, 2010 ain’t lookin’ so good. First of all, Kolb’s contract is going to be up and they’ll have to give him a new deal, with starter’s money. He won’t get the 100 million dollar contract, but either way, he may not be worth whatever salary they’ll pay him.
The additions of Maclin & McCoy surely points to a youth movement, but I think they will end up with McNabb as their guy in the end. The Eagles need the experience and the skill to put up as many W’s as possible, and Kolb can’t do that for them. So the Birds add to what may be a more defined running game, the throw in a guy that can only enhance the receiving corps and at the same time take some pressure off the team’s new star in DeSean Jackson, and they address the issues that possibly held them back last year. Should it happen again, they probably won’t have Quintin Demps trying to cover Larry Fitzgerald.

This isn’t rocket science, or brain surgery. It’s even easier than trying to manage the salary cap. This is all simple common sense. The Eagles want to at least compete and maybe, just maybe, even win. They’re not going to blow things up, even though at some point they should. Instead they want to transition. They want to go from Westbrook to McCoy (right), McNabb to Kolb, just like they’ve done with the linebackers and defensive backs in the past. The problem with the current plan though is that McNabb and B-West might still be too good to transition away from. So what do you do in the meantime? Do you resign Kolb and let him sit or do you let him go and draft a replacement later on? McCoy we know will at least get some playing time and Brian knows that it is his job to keep LeSean off the field.

Regardless what the Eagles’ plans are, it won’t change much this year. McNabb and Westbrook will both be the starters and McCoy and Maclin (left) will play their roles, whatever they might be. Kolb, though will be lucky if he gets any meaningful snaps and might be looking to find a job he can really compete for. But should he stick around we might end up having a Philly style Montana-out-Young-in, albeit a poor man’s version.

Have the Phillies Started Their Engines Yet?

2009-04-27T15:21:00.002-04:00

After a few questionable weeks of the 2009 baseball season, it looks as though the Phillies are finally getting down to business after a weekend sweep of the division leading Florida Marlins. The last game, the team exploded for 13 runs as the get their record over the .500 mark and within a game and a half of the top. The main point here being if they can maintain a little bit of this momentum and finish the month with more wins than losses.

In the beginning, it looked as if Raul Ibanez was going to have 170 RBI, but he has cooled. At the same time other guys like Chase Utley and Shane Victorino have picked it up and helping them win these much needed early games. Ryan Howard, who has been relatively quiet with only three home runs to date, has at least kept his average respectable at .290. Luckily for the Phils, as the weather gets hotter, so typically does Howard.

The starting pitching on the other hand is surely not indicative of a team even close to even in the standing department. Of all the starters, Brett Myers has the lowest ERA, and that is 4.91. Jamie Moyer just picked up his third win, so maybe he is getting back to his 46 year old form. Cole Hamels, well, we’ll have to see whether that shot he took to his arm last week will actually affect his game. He said he wouldn’t miss a start, so I can at least be hopeful.

The Phillies are not supposed to count on the Mets collapsing and the Marlins and Braves withering away at the end of the year. They cannot rely on winning eighty percent of their games the last two weeks of the season. They must take control now, while they can, and get into first place. From that point they can work on staying there and building a lead that they won’t have to worry about surrendering once the last month of the season rolls around. But in order to do this they must start their engines and keep them in high gear for as long as possible and barring multiple injuries, they should be able to simply maintain.

Right as of this moment, they are 9-8, which can easily turn into 9-11 if they are not conscious of the fact that last year was the first winning April that the franchise has had in years. And what happened last year? That’s right, a championship. If they come out ahead this month, then staying ahead should be easier when they guys that start slow start coming out of their slow starts. Hopefully, the pitching will bring itself together so that the offense doesn’t need to score thirteen runs a game although it would be nice.

In the 2009 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles Select...

2009-04-22T10:36:00.010-04:00

I have previously stated that I would not be doing a mock draft, and that is still the case. There is something about part-time bloggers, wannabe know-it-alls, and self-proclaimed experts putting stuff out there like its gospel when in actuality it ends up being more wrong than right. So I won’t bore you with some uninformed information about what the Miami Dolphins are going to do in the draft because I don’t follow Miami, or Chicago, or the New York Giants. I don’t write about those teams normally and won’t pretend that I have any clue as to what their going to do this Saturday. What I will do is, based on the picks they have now, go through the players that I think would fit the Eagles best in a given round. I will do my best in keeping it real of course, because things will change probably before they even use their first pick. Today, here are the first three rounds of picks. Next week (hopefully I’ll remember), I will revisit these selections to see just how far off I am.

First Round (Pick 21): Although the Eagles may have to trade up to get him, Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno is the best pick in the draft for their team. He is easily the best running back prospect available and will help the Birds’ offense almost immediately, just as long as he understands the playbook a little. The selection of Moreno makes the most sense, particularly with new bookends whose strengths are run blocking. It will also mean some relief to Brian Westbrook, who coming off a knee injury could use some help in the backfield. If the Eagles come out of the first round with Moreno and Jason Peters, then Philly fans should be more than satisfied. On another note, the Eagles haven’t drafted a running back in the first round since Keith Byars in 1986. Should there be no way to get Knowshon, either by trading up or otherwise, the next best pick at that position would be Tight End Brandon Pettigrew out of OK State. There is always the possibility that they trade this pick too, possibly even for Anquan Boldin.

Second Round (Pick 53): Should the Eagles get Moreno and answer their backfield issue they will then need to turn to address the tight end position. Pettigrew is long gone at this point and the next batch of talent isn’t as solid to be sure. Either Southern Miss’s Shawn Nelson or South Carolina’s Jared Cook (right) should be there unless there is a run on them earlier in the round. Offensively, both are sound, but neither are particularly good blockers. Cook has the best speed of the group, which to me puts him ahead of Nelson, but then again, I’m not in the Eagles’ war room. People have Cornelius Ingram out of rated pretty high on the TE list, but I expect him to be gone by pick 53. Philly could go defensive end here, but for the value of the pick based on their needs, tight end is the way to go.

Round Three (Pick 85): If West Virginia’s Pat White (left) is available they take him otherwise, they take the best defensive end on the board. They love guys that can do more than one thing well, and although he wants to be a QB in the NFL, White will probably have to wait to really get that chance anywhere he goes. In Philly, he will give the gadget-play loving Coach Andy any number of options, most importantly a Wildcat formation. As far as defensive ends go, the Eagles would love six feet six inch Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech, if he’s there. More likely than not though, he’ll be gone and they will chose from either Michael Bennett or Brandon Williams from Texas A&M and Tech respectively.

Tomorrow, will (should) be rounds four through seven. It should be exciting, so stay tuned!

To Anquan or Not To Anquan

2009-04-21T15:57:00.008-04:00

Should the Eagles trade their remaining first round pick for Arizona’s Anquan Boldin? A good number of Birds fans would say yes. I say hold on there Sparky. Boldin would most certainly improve the wide receiving corps, that I have no doubt. But I feel that he wouldn’t really improve the team overall, especially when you have no one to back up Brian Westbrook in the backfield. No, leave Anquan out West. Work with what you have on the outside, which isn’t all that bad by the way, and go out and get what you really need…a running back.

Just imagine if you will…You have Anquan Boldin on one side, DeSean Jackson on the other and Kevin Curtis fitting perfectly in the slot. Brian Westbrook is in the backfield. McNabb takes the snap, goes play action faking the handoff. Westbrook takes off only to be met at the line and on the tackle gets his knee twisted. Oh no! He’s hurt. In comes his backup, not Knowshon Moreno or Beanie Wells, but the wonderful and talented Lorenzo Booker! Can you see the dropoff yet? Now you can say that there is a loss of talent between the first and second string of receivers, but when your big weapon, and B-West is still your big weapon, goes down, the offense begins to look a whole lot less scary.

The 21st pick isn’t even guaranteed to get you Anquan straight up. A 3rd or 4th rounder would almost certainly have to be included as well, so it is unlikely that after the Jason Peters trade, that the Eagles will give up one pick let alone a couple. They have holes and depth that needs to be addressed. Take safety for instance. Right now there’s Jones, Mikell, Demps, and maybe J.R. Reed, but really, using a 3rd round pick for this position would be a good idea.

Some would say that you could throw in a player. Really? Like who? Sheldon Brown plus the 21st pick is too much. And I can tell you now that there isn’t much of a market for Reggie Brown or Hank Baskett, not when the guy involved is better than those two guys combined. The first round draft pick is really the only chip the Eagles can dangle in front of the Cardinals. It is unlikely they’ll take a player the Eagles are willing to give up.

So I’ll say to Eagles fans, you must live without Anquan Boldin, and (I hate to say it this way) make due with what we have at the moment, which isn’t Thrash/Pinkston (pictured) or Johnson/Small. For once in a long time, receiver isn’t our biggest need; it may be a need, but not our biggest one. We need a complimentary back, we need a tight end, and we need a defensive end, all before we need a receiver. And while it might be flashy, with some razzle dazzle pop, adding Boldin will not necessarily be the answer.

Horrid Pitching by the Phils

2009-04-21T15:51:00.005-04:00

Monday night’s Phillies game was called due to rain, and that might have been a good thing. The pitching has been horrid, inconsistent, and resembling nothing like the staff that took the mound last year, despite coming into the year looking like the strength of the team. Instead, from Cole Hamels to Brad Lidge, Phil’s fans have watched this team put up good offensive numbers, only to hover just shy of .500 ball. And despite his claim to the blame, it all can’t fall on ole Cole.

Hidden by this dark shadow of underperforming hurlers are a couple of bright spots that have undoubtedly helped this team avoid pure freefall. Raul Ibanez has put up a couple weeks of play by batting .386, leading the team in dingers and driving in 12 runs. More that what could have been expected from Pat the Bat, he has taken his spot in the lineup and just about eliminated the whole too many left handed bats cries. He still may not be worth the money he’s getting, especially when compared to Burrell’s deal with the Rays, but come season’s end, his consistency and overall ability to hurt the baseball, early naysayers might be speaking in a different tongue.

Should he keep it up for the next week and a half, Ryan Howard is having his best April since his MVP year in ’06. Gone could be the days where Ryan hits below his weight, as he came into the season in great shape. Whatever he did in the offseason certainly seems to have worked, and although he hasn’t put up crazy power numbers, he is holding his own batting .341. And when his power does switch on, and it will, watch out. I would even be willing to say that if he hits six home runs in April, he’ll hit fifty for the year, easily. In the meantime, he needs to simply maintain.

A third bright spot in the young Phillies season is the apparent return to health for Chase Utley. Many, including me, were unsure just how he would do following the hip injury, but obviously he’s fine. Batting .366 and what looks like to be well on his way to another All-Star caliber season. Chase is possibly the most important member of the team as he has the ability to carry a team when he is healthy. Where Jimmy Rollins is who provides the energy, or fuel to make this team go, Utley is the guy who keeps the team on track.

My hope is that the pitching comes together, that Brad Lidge doesn’t implode, Jamie Moyer turns fifty overnight, and that Cole isn’t a heartbeat away from arm trouble. It is the pitching that must pull through, because no matter how many runs Raul, Chase, and Ryan drive in, it won’t be enough to keep up with the runs given up. Right now, it’s early, a month from now there will still be time. Two months though, it may be getting to the brink when if the pitching hasn’t turned itself around, the chances of repeating would have shrunken as if they were in fifty degree seawater.

The Eagles Bring Some Intrigue to Their NFL Draft

2009-04-20T15:39:00.006-04:00

The Philadelphia Eagles have made the upcoming NFL Draft a bit intriguing for Philly fans. Nearly everyone in America knew that they were going to pick an offensive lineman with one of their two first round picks, and in essence they did with trading the 28th pick in the draft to the Bills for 2-time All-Pro Jason Peters. It won’t be know until the season starts whether Peters is the solid replacement to Tra Thomas that the Eagles organization thinks that he is or the guy who gave up the 11+ sacks last year, at least according to some stat geeks. Regardless though, this trade with Buffalo only increases a great deal of speculation on what will happen with their 21st pick.

At this point, I have no clue, but I suspect that they will draft a defensive lineman. I would be happily surprised if they picked a running back like Knowshon Moreno (left) or Beanie Wells (right) to complement Bryan Westbrook, but my gut tells me that they will leave that for the second or third round and get a second tier back. My eyebrows will also be raised a bit if they pick up Brandon Pettigrew (below) should he fall that far. No, look for the Birds to go ho-hum and select Tyson Jackson out of LSU and stick him in a rotation with Victor Abiamiri.
But what if….what if the Eagles see what’s coming down the road…an aging Westbrook, a young QB entering his third year, a dynamic wideout that makes defensive backs buckle. What if they see the opportunity to pick up that third piece to the offensive puzzle? A guy that will create a reason for safeties to move up and play the run, or a tight end that needs double coverage. This pick could be the one guy who will take us truly to the next generation of Philadelphia Eagles, the post McNabb, post Westbrook, and reluctantly, the post Dawkins Eagles.

To me, either Moreno or Wells will do, for that matter you can add Pettigrew too, but I would rather see one of the two top RBs in an Eagles uniform next season. Philadelphia replaced both of their offensive tackles with guys who are arguably better at run blocking than pass blocking, but that might not mean much since that was the case with Thomas and Jon Runyan. We will know just what they will do this Saturday. Perhaps this Eagles regime has seen the light, or perhaps not. Maybe they will finally understand what the fans mean when they say “playmaker,” or maybe they’ll risk ruining the franchise just to prove that their philosophy is right.

The other option they have of course is to trade their pick. I won’t give them the ability to trade out of the first round, but instead send it to Arizona for Anquan Boldin. That will enable the Eagles to slide Kevin Curtis inside where he belongs and solidify what will be the best receiving group, dare I say it, in the NFL. It wasn’t too long ago when Eagle fans had to bear witness to James Thrash and Todd Pinkston, but now on the precipice of what could be the last chance for Donovan and Andy Reid to make it back to the Super Bowl together, the Eagles might be prepared to go all out offensively, not unlike they did with T.O., only without all the drama.

The suspense is building and we might end up with something exciting or horribly disappointing. I am trying to think positive and believe that they will pick someone who will make the immediate impact and will help make the enigma that is DeSean Jackson, better. If only I could will them to select someone other than a lineman and to stimulate the fan base. Although they haven’t acknowledged that they are rebuilding, the letting go of Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas, and realistically Jon Runyan strikes another chord. Let’s make it official and draft the replacement to the guy who has been most important player on the team for the last couple of years, and get the best running back available to take over the reigns for B-West.

In other news regarding the Philadelphia Eagles….Cornerback Sheldon Brown wants out, especially after Joselio Hanson’s new contract. Brown has been the most consistent DB since the departure of Troy Vincent. Also, does anyone get the feeling that the Eagles are scared that Shawn Andrews might leave the game? Andrews missed all of last year and it was questionable whether or not he still wanted to play football. To try to ensure that he comes back the Birds signed his brother Stacy at the opening of free agency. Now they trade for his college roommate in Peters. Stay tuned, Philly might be signing two of his uncles, a second cousin, and his 3rd grade crush, just to make sure he’s back on the O-Line in ’09.

The Phillies Vs. The Month of April

2009-04-10T16:59:00.007-04:00

The Phillies cannot afford their typical April. Unlike last year, when they finished the first month of the season 15-13 as opposed to the 11-14, 10-14 they finished with in April of 2007 and 2006 respectively. Some believe that their first over .500 start in years and years helped propel them to a position to contend for the division title, and eventually overtake the Choke and Slide Mets. Going off on a quick tangent…They should call the Mets the New York Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches….My father used to call (and now I call) PB&Js, choke and slides because you would choke on the PB, and the jelly would help is slide down the throat. Here the Mets choke on the field, and slide down the standings. In any case, let’s stay focused.
It’s no secret that the past two seasons have yielded some exciting September baseball in Philadelphia, and this season may prove to be the same way. It is unknown just where the Phils will stand come playoff judgment day and even though we would like to think that they’ll be headed into postseason play, there are no guarantees. So despite the fact that this is a long season, April becomes August very quickly and it is absolutely vital that they get as many wins under their belts as possible, regardless of the month.

The Phillies could rely on the Mets being in it and then falling apart at the end and that would be safe bet. However, there is no need for all the drama, no matter how captivating it might be. In reality, it might hinge on the bullpens. Last year the Mets had to be rescued from the walking blown save, Billy Wagner, while the Phillies got the most consistent guy in the majors, Brad Lidge, (for two fringe players) and took full advantage of him all the way through the World Series. Can he be Light’s Out Lidge again? Maybe. The Mets pen certainly got better with an overrated K-Rod and the guy who should be closing, Putz.

Then again, it could be the rotation that defines the winner. Or, for arguments sake, another upstart Marlins team could play spoiler. There could be injuries too. If either Cole Hamels or Johan Santana go down for any real amount of time, their respective pitching staffs become iffy.

That is why the Phillies have to be as far above .500 as possible by the end of April. Another start with fourteen or fifteen in the loss column and not only will they need guys like Chase, J-Roll, and Ryan Howard clicking on all cylinders, but the pitching staff will need to be closer to perfect. Needing Jamie Moyer to haul in another 16 wins is not what Philadelphia fans want to see. So while I am not scared after three games and a 1-2 record, I am cautiously nervous because I have seen this Philadelphia Phillies team do some great things, but I have also seen them very flat. And I fear, that this year, the season will go as April goes.

Ocho Cinco on the Eagles? That's Craziness

2009-04-08T23:13:00.005-04:00

Ocho Cinco on the Philadelphia Eagles is craziness. I mean, c’mon! How many receivers in this league have been tied to the Birds this offseason, something like six. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Marvin Harrison, T.O (again), Anquan Boldin, Braylon Edwards, and now Chad Johnson were all Philly bound at some point. And it is only a matter of time before Plaxico, Jerry Rice, and Steve Largent find their way to the rumor mill as future Eagles. It is getting a bit ridiculous. The Eagles are always looking for players that will upgrade a position and they have, according to media reports at least, been inquiring about wideouts. But I will put the chance of the Eagles obtaining Chad somewhere between slim and the space between Coach Andy’s cheeks…the ones in the rear.

First of all, Ocho Cinco is T.O.-lite, and there is no way that the Eagles are taking that big of a risk. They would take on an ego, especially if the talent and possibly more important, the salary outweighed the potential risk of discord and Johnson has shown that he can bring discord. Johnson is not so much an ego, but rather he is an honest to goodness leggo my eggo loon that could help the Eagles win, as long as he was happy. If not, who knows? The difference between Chad and Terrell is that Chad is a bit more fun, particularly from the standpoint of the fans. Legally changing his name to his Spanish nickname is fine by me, just down throw your teammates under the bus.

And do the Eagles even need Chad Johnson? I don’t know. They could use a guy like that to completely open the field, but the damage he would do to DeSean Jackson would be immeasurable. Jackson has an ego all his own, and sometimes his football smarts take a time out ala the play of him running down the field and releasing the ball just prior to passing the goal line. Jackson has a good work ethic, he picked up the offense well, and his potential at this very moment may not be has high as his mentor, the immortal Rice, but in the least Steve Smith. I must note that I have no idea how Boldin or Edwards would affect Jackson, but I don’t think either will suggest that DeSean changes his name simply to Diez (and that’s the number ten in Spanish for those not in the know).

I say no to Ocho Cinco, let him rot in Cincinnati. He does nothing for me in terms of helping the Eagles advance further into the playoffs and I don’t think that he could catch those McNabb passes to his feet any better than Kevin Curtis. There will be many Birds fans that that will want his skill, but few that want his character. Perhaps if there was a way to somehow convince that brain of Johnson and turn it into the boring, humdrumness that is the career of Hank Baskett, then the balance of what is and what should never be will be maintained in the realm of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ryan Howard Will Win the 2009 NL MVP...Book It!

2009-04-07T16:38:00.004-04:00

The 2009 Philadelphia Phillies have had some questions going into the season. Not so much in the form of who will be on the roster, or the moves they’ve made, but regarding the guys they have, their stars in fact. Will Jimmy Rollins have a resurgence year after an average 2008? Is Chase Utley fully recovered from his hip injury? But neither of those questions is as big as Ryan Howard and how the best power hitter in the game today will do after a big contract, after the World Series?

Not that his skills will really be called into question, because we all know what he can do (hit home runs) and can’t do (field worth a lick), but his desire to lead this team back into the playoffs to defend their title, the first time any Philadelphia player has had to since 1984. Well, to start the answer off we’ll look at the Phillies Spring Training. Howard came into camp in the best shape ever and it showed on the diamond, knocking in 10 home runs in the month of March. And, in my simpleton opinion, this should be only a prelude for what people can expect in April. Even though he has struggled during the early months in previous years he is ready to put together the most complete season of his still young major league career.

A 0 for 4 with 2Ks performance in the first game of the year is not a great start but it’s too early to assume the worst. That being said, his performances that last few years have indicated that his offensive prowess is unmatched save one, Albert Pujols. I think that the Pujols MVP last year bothered Ryan. That he forced his will upon his opponents in order to take the Phillies to the top of the NL East, and not winning was a quiet but personal disappointment.

After his first MVP award in 2006, Howard was battling contract issues every offseason and these were distractions that took away from his conditioning. He became less disciplined at the plate and his production actually dropped in 2007 and 2008, in comparison to his MVP year anyway. Yet despite this, he was still among the most valuable players in the league, finishing 5th in voting in 2007 when the award went to Jimmy Rollins, and 2nd to Albert Pujols in 2008. And last year, it was most likely his .251 average that tipped the scales to the Cardinal.

Pujols remains is main competition but you may also consider Manny and Hanley Ramirez to be in the mix as well. This does not include Ryan’s teammates, who have collected their own share of MVP votes. But, barring injury, it will be Howard who prevails in ’09 as he and Albert go at each other in the statistics. Back in mid-Feb I predicted that he was going to hit a mere .252/48/144, and I’ll stick with the power numbers, but expect a thirty to forty point jump in the batting average as he sends the ball into the stratosphere nearly fifty times this season. Think I’m wrong…..I don’t think so. Ryan Howard will be the 2009 NL MVP….you can book it.

Congratulations to Penn State...but not really

2009-04-03T11:44:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to the Penn State Nittany Lions Basketball team for winning the NIT over Baylor last night at MSG. You are the top team of all the teams not considered as top teams by NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. By winning all of those high stressed tournament games, you have proven that not only can you beat good teams not wanting to be there, that you can do so without anyone noticing. All that you managed to do was prolong the inevitable, ending the season out of the Tournament. Fifty or sixty years ago, the National Invitational Tournament meant a great deal, unfortunately you are fifty or sixty years too late. No one will remember that the Nittanies beat George Mason in OT, or that you crushed Notre Dame. In fact, no one will remember who won the NIT in 2009 by the time July rolls around, let alone remember next year. Think of it this way, you are not the runner up to Miss America, you were runner up to the chick who went to the pageant to become runner up.

It’s shameful, I know, but despite you 27-11 record, how many Penn State basketball fans can deem this season a success? Winning the NIT may get you a banner to hang in the Bryce Jordan Center, but the fact that the team failed to add to its lowly eight appearances in the big dance diminishes the value of the season on the whole. But what can you do? You play the schedule you have, and you have to win the games you can. But now that win against NJIT is wasted, and as a matter of fact, that win probably didn’t help, particularly in the RPI. Needless to say, all of the patsies that Penn State beat got them no closer to the big dance than that win against Final Four participant Michigan State did. And Penn State is not the only one. A bunch of teams play walkovers at the beginning of the season in an effort to prepare for conference play and to enhance the record. And if you were in the Big East, you wouldn’t have gotten a sniff of a whiff of tourney consideration. Overall, the Lions probably didn’t deserve to make it to the big dance and probably shouldn’t celebrate the NIT win either. To win a consolation bracket is hardly to have won at all.

Breaking Down the NL East: Relief Pitching

2009-04-03T10:54:00.008-04:00

Thirty years ago the use of relief pitchers was normally reserved for the eighth and ninth innings and even then those guys were hardly considered specialists as they could pitch 5 or 6 innings themselves. There weren’t the 7th inning setup guys to the 8th inning setup guys. There were relief pitchers and closers, and even then I can’t recall the term closer being used. But that was back when starters would pitch twenty complete games a year. Now, through a crack in the game’s evolution, starting pitchers are accustomed to believing that five innings means a quality start; the back four being left to the relief. And guys now make a good living pitching one inning, and sometimes one batter, every other game, making their roles on the team vital to its success. For my evaluation of the relief pitchers I took into consideration wins and saves versus ERA, WHIP, and Losses. I didn’t go into blown saves or holds since if a closer blows a save, they probably may have gotten a loss and that’s worse, plus blown saves in the seventh or eighth innings is plain stupid. Holds, on the other hand are a decent enough stat, ERA and WHIP will indicate just how they do well enough.

First (Score 3.55): The Philadelphia Phillies historically have had iffy relief pitching at best. Sure they’ve had bright spots here and there like Steve Bedrock Bedrosian, but generally guys like Roberto Horrendous Hernandez come to mind. Last year was a different story though, Brad Lidge was lights out, J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson at the end of the year was nearly as good. The role players of Scott Eyre, Clay Condrey, and Chad Durbin each played a major part in the team’s success. Right off the bat in 2009 Romero is on a fifty game suspension however his absence will hopefully be minimized with the addition of Jack Tascher, a replacement lefty if you will. No one expect Lidge to go perfect again this year, but he should be far off. The Phillies have a good group and if there aren’t any injuries, they shouldn’t lose more than a dozen games for the team.

Second (2.37): If I were going on last year alone I would have put the New York Mets relief staff at the bottom of the list and I don’t think there would be many complaints. Their relievers, especially loud-mouthed Billy Wagner is a big reason they’ve missed the post season. The addition of K-Rod is not a big as the addition of J.J. Putz who, in my opinion is a better closer, but who will be relegated to the setup role unless Rodriguez melts down. Keep in mind that K-Rod did blow nine saves (not calculated into the score), so Putz might be the closer at season’s end. The rest of the riff raff including Pedro Feliciano and guys named Sean Green, Brian Stokes, and Carlos Muniz will have to hold down the fort until the late innings when the real players can come in to pitch. Hopefully for the Mets they can get into the eighth with a lead.

Third (0.76): As a complete shock to me, the Washington Nationals ranks third in relief pitching. This is due to young pitchers last year doing a good job, unnoticed by nearly everyone in baseball, plus the addition of a solid vet Joe Beimel. Joel Hanrahan, who had nine saves last year, gets the closers job it would appear, by default. Saul Rivera, Steven Shell, Garrett Mock, and Julian Tavarez round out the rest of the core relievers on this Nationals’ team. Shell and Mock were rookies last year, looking to make a living in the major leagues. In order to do that, they will have to ensure that any lead (however rare) they have when the come into pitch, stays that way when they hand the ball over to Hanrahan. Washington won’t win many games on merit, so the relief pitching has to be adequate enough not to lose any leads they get.

Fourth (0.66): It has been my contention for years that Mike Gonzalez is an underrated closer. He has been stuck on win anemic teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates where save opportunities were not real forthcoming. Last year on the Braves, no one could lock down that closer role, and much like Hanrahan in D.C., Gonzalez will have the closer’s job by lack of competition. Manny Acosta, Blaine Boyer, Jeff Bennett, Buddy Carlyle, and Boone Logan make up the bulk of the rest of the squad, none of whom had an ERA under 3.50 last year. If they can keep the runs from scoring, then Gonzalez should have a career year in 2009. If the Braves are lucky, their pitching staff might get them a sniff of a possible postseason run.

Fifth (0.43) The Florida Marlins have found a way to remain somewhat competitive despite having guys with names you’ve never heard of, who have nothing real special to mention about them, and who may not make a roster elsewhere. Matt Lindstrom had five saves in 2008 and is the Fish’s closer. Kiko Calero, not to be confused with Kiki Vandeweghe was picked up from Oakland, and will provide some nice experience in the bullpen. The combination of Leo Nunez, Logan Kensing, Renyel Pinto, and Rick VandenHurk, who were a combined 10-8 with 0 saves, will be responsible for maintaining whatever leads the starting staff drops in their laps. Regardless, I can imagine them helping the Marlins to anything better than third place in the division.

Well, that’s it for this series. Thanks everyone for view, reading, and for the one or two comments I got from them. I hope I wrote without too much bias, even though I know some was blatant. It should be a great season, particularly if you are a Phillies fan like me, so it goes without saying….

Let’s look alive out there!

Sixers Need to Trade a Star

2009-04-02T16:31:00.004-04:00

There is only a matter of time before the obvious comes to light. The 76ers, although a young, perhaps up and coming, playoff team, have a dilemma on their roster. Not only do they not have a guy to play the point after this season, no sharpshooters, a potential bust in Elton Brand, but more intriguing they have two starters at small forward. Andre Iguodala was signed to a huge deal, paying him upwards of around 80 million dollars over the next six years. It was a great deal for Andre, but it proved to show little insight on the part of the Sixers. They drafted a guy by the name of Thaddeus Young back in 2007, who looks as if he is going to be a real player, at the three. Now what do they do? Neither can play the two guard, and even though they threw Young in at power forward, that is not his spot, that belongs to Marreese Speights.

It would appear that T.Young is hurt right now but he will be forever without of a position. His average of 15.2 points per game can be picked up by other guys, but his skill without the ball and his defense will be missed just as much. But what it can get the team is what it needs to get passed the first round of the playoffs. Thaddeus Young has absolutely the highest trade value on the team. He can get you a player like Michael Redd, maybe not straight up due to the salary cap, but Young would be the integral piece in any deal if you throw in Samuel Dalembert. I personally would rather the Sixers trade Iggy, but with the new contract is unlikely to be as desirable as a 20 year old kid who everyone knows can play and has nothing but upside at this point in his career.

Right now the Sixers have holes. And those holes are only going to get bigger when Andre Miller leaves town. There is no sense trying to force square pegs in when you can trade for round ones. The team on the whole is young enough to grow, and by adding a veteran that will clearly fill a need and the whole dynamic of the team changes. Maybe Elton Brand get good again, maybe the Sixers find a better shooting guard than Willie Green, and maybe the whole team goes to hell and Philly makes back into the lottery. Either way, Young is going to be a wasted talent, even more so if he stays in Philadelphia. Get what you can to improve the team, before his boat runs out of steam.

Breaking Down the NL East: Starting Pitching

2009-04-02T16:14:00.013-04:00

Back in the 1980’s the NL East had some dominating pitching that mowed down opposing hitters. Steve Carlton began the decade for the Phils as one of the most intimidating southpaws in history and led into the phenomenon known as Doc Gooden. Gooden carried the Mets staff to a 1986 World Series Championship but was doomed due to his personal issues. The early 90’s saw the blossoming of the likes of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Curt Schilling, and Pedro Martinez to name a few. Today, Johann Santana and Cole Hamels lead the pack with young pitchers like the Marlins’ Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson look to come into their own. On the opposite ends of the spectrum are Jamie Moyer and the now older Tom Glavine, both in the twilight of their careers, yet somehow remaining effective enough to remain in the league. I evaluated the starters on various categories, putting the heaviest weight on wins, ERA, and WHIP creating a “productivity” number. Here are my rankings for the National League East’s Starting Staffs.

First (Score 2.57): The New York Mets would probably be lost without their ace, Johan Santana (pictured) as the rest of the staff is made up of a prospect coming of age (Mike Pelfrey), an inconsistent pitcher who can be really good or really bad (Oliver Perez), a once promising starter who was hindered by injuries (John Maine), and a journeyman now in his 13th year and 7th team (Livian Hernandez). Santana ranked the highest of all of the starting pitchers in the division. He brings up the team’s average in nearly every category leading the pack with a productivity number of 5.5. If his team will hit behind him, he may be odds on favorite to win the NL Cy Young award.

Second (2.25): The Phillies of 2008 were extremely fortunate that their pitching remained in tact last year. Brett Myers was sent down to the minors midseason and returned a solid No. 2 behind Cole Hamels (pictured), who for some strange reason received no run support from the league’s most offensive team. The ageless wonder of Jamie Moyer pulled together 16 wins and Joe Blanton came to the Phils via Oakland and went 4-0 before having the postseason of his life. Kyle Kendrick will not be on the starting staff this year and is replaced by Chan Ho Park for found his competitive edge after being banished to the bullpen for the past several years. JA Happ, who will/should start the year in the pen may be counted on to start as well. Hamels finished second in the division with a score of 4.19 and Moyer slipped into the fifth spot in the NL East at 3.25.

Third (2.14): This is not the same Atlanta Braves pitching staff that won so many division titles, so many games, and now is left to fill spots with quality arms with guys who have names like Jurrjens and Kawakami. Derek Lowe (pictured) anchors this group and will have to win twenty games if the Braves are to be on the winning side of .500. Javier Vazquez has hoodwinked another team into thinking he can help them win, despite a career 127-129 record. Jurrjens had a decent year as a rookie. Now that teams have a book on him, we’ll see how well he does in 2009. Kawakami is a Japanese import and my guess is that he’ll be somewhere between Dice-K and Hideki Irabu. The all familiar name of Tom Glavine rounds out the rotation and as long as he can be effective, they’ll keep the 42 year old on the team. His season last year though (2-4, 5.54 ERA in 63 innings), wasn’t a good sign for things to come.

Fourth (1.56): There are no Josh Becketts, A.J. Burnetts, or Brad Pennys on this Florida Marlins team, Dontrelle Willis is even gone. Some might ask who’s left to pitch. Well, that’s a good question. Ricky Nolasco (pictured) is a big league pitcher for sure as he went 15-8 with a 3.52 ERA last year and is young enough to expect improvement. After Ricky, there’s Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez, and Andrew Miller. All young, all unproven. Given that the NL East is chock full of experienced hitters I’m unsure just how they’ll do. Marlins prospects seem to be unlimited in their ability to mature quicker than others, so maybe they’ll be ok. In reality, the offense will probably have to carry the load if Florida wants to finish even in fourth place in the division.

Fifth (1.06): The Washington Nationals’ pitching staff is hardly worth mentioning. That organization hasn’t had a decent pitcher since they were in Montreal. Now they’re going to throw John Lannan (pictured), Scott Olsen, Daniel Cabrera. They are decent, but I don’t know that they are anything other than fourth starters on much of the other staffs around the league. Then add Jordan (not Ryan) Zimmermann and Shairon (that’s a dude’s name) Martis and you are looking at a 100 loss season. Is baseball really back in the Nation’s capital? It is if you are counting the visiting team. I’m sorry D.C. fans for being harsh, but pitching is key in this game and the Nationals don’t have it.

All this of course is barring injuries which are key to the success or despair of any team. If Johan or Cole goes down, then the whole landscape changes. From top to bottom I think the Phillies have the best rotation and while the New York Mets don’t exactly have slouches, the staff will lead the Phils to their 3rd division title. Heaven forbid Mike Pelfrey be a bust for the Metropolitans, because if he is, or hits a sophomore snag, then everything will rest on Santana.

One more in the Breaking Down the NL East series….the bullpen.

Phillies Notes to Note

2009-04-01T10:14:00.011-04:00

The Phillies recently released fourth outfielder Geoff Jenkins (below), making room for a move that will improve the club and their bench strength. They have two options, neither of them particularly bad. First, the Phillies have already been in contact with Gary Sheffield, showing interest in the former Tigers DH who is just shy of 500 home runs. The second would be Andruw Jones, still under contract with the Texas Rangers. While it is doubtful that either would get a full time playing gig with the Phils, they would provide a much needed right-handed bat off the bench to go with lefties Greg Dobbs, Matt Stairs, and Chris Coste. The Phillies will eat the eight million dollars still left on the Jenkins' contract.

Gary Sheffield has fallen upon hard times. Since leaving the Yankees the forty year old Sheffield had shown a steady decrease in his ability at the plate. Add to the fact that he no longer can play anything but DH or First Base, and he doesn’t provide that much to a Phillies team looking to repeat. On the other hand, from what I understand, the Phillies would only have to pay him $400,000 which is a bargain for a veteran bat.

The Phils are also looking into a trade for Andruw Jones, who despite ripping off the Dodgers for $14+ million; can still play the field. They would probably only have to give up a low level prospect for him or a journeyman in the system that wouldn’t make the big league club regardless. The Phils have a history with the Rangers too. They traded Vincente Padilla to the Rangers a few years back and recently received John Mayberry Jr. in a deal for Greg Golson. He would be a better fit for the Phillies since he still owns a glove and should still no how to use it. The big question surrounding Jones is whether or not he can regain his form from the earlier part of this decade, for from two years ago for that matter, or whether the overweight, lackadaisical shell of a former All-Star is all that is left.

The Phillies named their fifth starter, and his name is Chan Ho Park. Park had an outstanding spring and took full advantage of the opportunity to crack the rotation after spending the last few seasons coming out of the bullpen. He beat out expected starter JA Happ, who may either join the pen as long relief, or temporarily be sent to AAA. Happ will regardless be spending plenty of time on the big league roster. This solidifies the starting staff as Hamels, Myers, Blanton, Moyer, and now Park.

As the Phillies roster rounds itself out there are few surprises, with possibly the exception being Jenkins’ release. But despite that, the pitching staff looks in better shape than it did a year ago and the addition of Jack Taschner will help fill the void during the J.C. Romero suspension. Should Philly pick up either Sheffield or Jones, it will be interesting to see who the odd man out will be, although Stairs is the most likely candidate.

The Philadelphia Eagles Invented the Game of Football

2009-03-30T15:14:00.026-04:00

The Philadelphia Eagles invented the game of football. Oh no? You say that they didn’t invent the game of football? Well, my friend, the three amigos of Andy Reid, Joe Banner, and Jeffrey Lurie would lead you to believe otherwise. The self-proclaimed gold standard, the Eagles have failed to acknowledge some very important things about their organization. And this is what will do them in at the end.

First, the Eagles need to remember that professional football is based on a fan driven economy. And much like the real world economy, it can have its ups and downs forming a cyclical path that in some cases can be predictable. It wasn’t twenty years ago when the team couldn’t sell out, and required a local TV station to buy up the tickets so that it wouldn’t be blacked out. Then, the team was bad and there was a disconnect between then owner Norman Braman and his customer base. Stars like Reggie White and Seth Joyner were great a hit in the pocket book and were allowed to leave. Since Lurie and Banner took over, they have had a nice run of success both on and off the field. But, again, like the economy there could be a fall coming….and like I said, it can be predictable. First, Dawkins was allowed to leave…then Tre Thomas…, and like Reggie and Seth, were barely replaced. Could this be the precursor to a downturn for the gold standard of the NFL?

The Birds administration have had a chronic issue with arrogance, from the pretentious Boston born owner and his evil little henchman to the non-answers begrudgingly provided during every post-game press conference. They put off the notion that they think very little of the fans. They are a three headed monster that think the people paying them hard earned money are crazy for not bowing down to their god-like status in the world. Perhaps I am crazy, or maybe we all are for not realizing what we really have; a football dictatorship. We are told, by them, how to root for our team. We are disregarded, by them, when we speak. And we are those who have been taken advantage of from the onset. Perhaps it time for a revolution. We can have a Boston Tea Party and dress up like Redskin fans and begin the process of regime change.

But just as every notable dictatorship has condemned the masses to their rule, the three headed monster also gave themselves the ability to rewrite history; and their good at it too, not Stalin good, but good. Every year during the state of the team address, it is almost as if they are trying to convince us that not only did they win last year’s Super Bowl, but every Super Bowl since 1996. I could swear I saw a Football Prospectus photo with Lurie hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. They should really wait a little while more, until all of the fans are completely brainwashed, before they start officially changing the history books. I’ll provide an example. After the Baltimore blowout, otherwise known as the game Coach Andy benched Donovan, Reid said that he didn’t know who was going to start the next week, mentioning Kolb and McNabb by name. More recently, he stated that McNabb was always the guy and that there was never a question about it. Soon the whole Dawkins saga will disappear into a new season and that story will change. Old photos of the Eagles great will then be superimposed with those of Quintin Demps even though he was in grade school when Dawk joined the Birds. And they’ll expect us to believe it without question.

I don’t mind an owner making business decisions, that’s part of life when it comes to being a sports fan. What I don’t want is to be spoken down to, to be told how to behave when I pay to behave how I wish (within reason). I don’t want to be told what is good for me when the actions taken eat me alive. And I do not want someone in charge of something that I love dangling my precious in front of my face and saying it is not mine. The Eagles belong to me, me and every other Philly fan around the globe. We want honesty, a sense of reality, and the knowledge that ownership will truly improve to reach the next level. Not say that they’ve tried and that it’s not their fault; that our expectations are too high. We don’t want to here that they’ve won however many games and that they are just as good as teams who’ve brought home the glory. The Phillies gave us the taste of a winner and now the Eagles are in trouble, because it is their time to bring the next championship, and they better get ready for the criticism, second guessing, and foul-mouthed venting every time they fail to win it all. Because unbeknownst to the three headed monster, they didn’t invent the game of football, they just invented a new way to disenfranchise the fan.

Breaking Down the NL East: Rightfielders

2009-03-30T14:53:00.010-04:00

In my humble and uninformed simpleton opinion, this year’s crop of NL East right fielders is the weakest of any and all positions with the possible exception of Catcher. On that note, there is an inkling of a potential star in Jeff Francoeur, but everyone else is slightly above if not average. Long gone are the days of Daryl Strawberry, Dave Justice and….and….Von Hayes? Boy that list went downhill fast. Boy, Bobby Abreu being one of the divisions best rightfielders of the past thirty years doesn’t say very much for the position. In any case, here is this year’s bunch of guys…in order of rank.

First (Score 1.875): Don’t let the score fool you. The Philadelphia Phillies' Jayson Werth is a good player, but he probably isn’t the best in this group. A serviceable fielder who became the starter following the departure of Bobby Abreu was a solid hitter with some pop in his bat. He hit career highs in dingers and RBIs, mainly due to the increase in playing time. I think he has consistency issues, but when he’s on, he’ll provide good protection to any of the lefties he hits behind. This year I project him to hit .285/21/73 as he’ll bat fifth or sixth depending on the opposing pitcher.

Second (2.5): The New York Mets’ Ryan Church has been in the league now for a couple of years and would be a good fourth outfielder for a contending team. Unfortunately for him and the Mets, he is the starting right fielder really due to a lack of options. As with leftfielder Daniel Murphy, his job this year is not secure by any means, and if either of these two should perform poorly early, then they just might get replaced. He has decent production when he plays, but playing will depend on his health and how he fares in April and May. I actually expect the Mets to make a trade for an outfielder sooner than later and Ryan might be the odd man out. It will be .275/15/53 for Ryan Church in 2009.

Third (2.875): Jeff Francoeur of the Atlanta Braves had a down year in 2008 and after two straight 100 RBI years in ’06 and ’07 finished with a mere 71 last season. Maybe it was the Andruw Jones factor and the added stress affected his game. Last year I would easily have put him first, and almost did this year, but I have a nagging feeling that ’08 was the real Francoeur. I’m not sure how much better he’s going to be since the lineup outside of Chipper and Brian McCann is mediocre. But for the time being I see him hitting .264 with 13 home runs and driving in 76 runs.

Fourth (3.5): When I first heard about Jeremy Hermida I though he was going to be the next star coming out of the Florida Marlins farm system, best thing since sliced bread. And he had a promising year in 2007. 2008 however was far from his coming out party. He had the same power numbers, but he couldn’t hit the .250 mark by season’s end. That’s o.k. if you are Ryan Howard hitting 45 round trippers, but if you are anyone else, you are a notch below average. This year he’ll need to do more since the Fish dropped more power off the pier and I think he will. He reach 18 home runs, 72 RBIs, and bat around .270 in 2009 for a Marlins team that will battle for the 3rd spot in the East.

Fifth (4.25): In his two part-time years in the majors, it is unclear just how good the Washington Nationals’ Elijah Dukes really is. The thing that has been holding him back in the past was his attitude and who knows if he can really exorcise whatever demons he has so that he can realize his full potential. But the “high risk” term is doubtful to leave him as he enters his second season in the nation’s capital. He does show some power and the ability to drive in runs, as long as he keeps his strikeouts down. Barring any injuries, I expect him do keep Austin Kearns out of a starting job; .257/18/62 for Elijah in 2009.

I might have done Jeff Francoeur some injustice here, but I don’t mind being wrong at any point. None of these guys have shown superstar potential and may wind up being nothing more than role players on their respective teams. I wouldn’t be surprised however if one or two of these guys aren’t replaced by midseason and I may have to revisit these projections then. This ends the projections for the position players. Next time I break down the NL East I will look at the starting pitching, then the relief crew to wrap up the series.

Is Jay Cutler the New Brett Favre

2009-03-27T10:02:00.007-04:00

When Brett Favre was retiring, then unretiring, then retiring again only to play for the New York Jets he was constantly in the news. ESPN was camped out on his lawn, wearing Wranglers, and hoping that the Ragin' Cajun would give them a glimpse for what they came. Now, Favre is gone to be Brett Favre, at least for the time being, and the sports minds that be must have very little to focus on. In comes Jay Cutler.

Jay Cutler wasn't setting the media world on fire through last season as he was viewed as an up and coming star as the franchise quarterback of the Denver Broncos. But when Mike Shanahan was let go and Josh McDaniels brought in as coach, oh boy, they gave 'em somthing to talk about and the Denver soap opera began.

Reports were coming out that McDaniels didn't want Cutler as his QB, that he wanted his good buddy Matt Cassel. That made Jay cry and want to leave. That made the Broncos say that they like Jay Cutler and that Cutler and McDaniels are BFFs. One text leads to another. Jay Cutler and Josh McDaniels aren't talking 'cause Josh asked Jay's girl to the prom....and so on. And in the meantime, Brett is walkin on crawdaddys wondering where all the cameras are.

Neither McDaniels nor "Big Baby" Cutler are as big a media hound at Favre, but they're both quick growing pups. If Jay wants to save his reputation for being a man, not the man, just a man, he should quit whining and get ready to do his job. If it wasn't for the drama, essentially caused by him, then sports media outlets wouldn't portray him as someone who want to grab his balls and go home because he's not happy. He needs to understand that a coach wants to put in his people if he can but generally has to work with what he's got and if all he's got is an insecure, super-privileged, Brett Favre-like egomaniac at quarterback, then so be it.

Eighteen Weeks of Football Still Aren't Enough

2009-03-26T15:59:00.017-04:00

With the NFL Commissioner and team owners going through the state of the league, making rule changes, and whatever else they do, the concept of an 18 week season came up. Intriguing as it may be, cutting off two preseason games at the beginning and pasting them on the back end and calling it the regular season, still needs to be approved and sanctioned by the players association. I think it’s a good idea for several reasons, and state them as I see them.

First, it provides the country with what it really needs, more football. With perhaps the 2008 season being an exception due to the Phillies’ championship, the Eagles run the show in Philadelphia from September through January. Sports talk radio is engrossed with Eagles talk, blogs run amuck, and people drown in water cooler conversations. It helps treat the football jonesing that goes on consistently year round but cutting two more weeks of non-football out. Now, instead of talking about the 76er’s Samuel Dalembert mailing in another game, Philly fans can discuss why Andy Reid threw the ball 87% of the time in a blowout against the last place Cowboys (prediction? I think so).

Second, will be the advantages to teams fighting for the playoffs. It will give those teams on the bubble two more weeks of getting in and it won’t take away from the funky scenarios that got the Eagles in this year. The excuses of teams running out of time will go by the wayside as good teams should start to separate from the mucker and grinders of the league. Sure, some mediocre team will make it in, but with two extra weeks added to last season I’d bet that the New England Patriots would have been in over the Miami Dolphins.

Third and this may not necessarily be a good thing, will be the setting of new plateaus for single season and career records. Football records do not hold the same weight as baseball as players are considered great more by their impact on the field, so seeing more 2,000 yard rushers; maybe a 2,000 yard receiver would be more fascinating. Maybe we’ll even get a few 1,000-1,000 guys. Fact of the matter, we’ll start seeing new records set, like when the league went from fourteen to sixteen games and impact players will still be impact players. Would Jim Brown be less great if he played more games? I don’t think so.

The potential for burnout might increase as the season moves on but who cares? It eliminates part of the boredom-filled gap between the Super Bowl and March Madness and MLB Spring Training, and anything that can do that is alright in my book.

There are some negatives if this initiative goes through. Risk of injury is probably the biggest one since adding two more regular season games puts a player out there all the more, considering they probably wouldn’t have played in the last two preseason games. This might open up the possibility of an expanded rosters, it may also lead to better contracts for the players, that’s all up to the league and the new NFLPA boss, DeMaurice Smith.

Regardless of which side of the fence you might be on regarding this issue, I am hopeful that my opportunity to watch more football becomes realized. Sixteen weeks aren’t enough and in the spirit of keeping it real, eighteen weeks aren’t enough either. The NFL keeps itself in the news all year round already, but the actual action of the game is relegated to a mere six months. Why not keep it going through March? Then the Super can be played in places like New York and Philly. The fans would enjoy it, and then teams can take a couple of weeks off until the NFL Draft in April.

Does The Phillies Season Rest On Cole's Left Arm?

2009-03-26T15:19:00.006-04:00

When news came down that Cole Hamels felt some discomfort in the throwing arm, people were getting themselves ready to jump off of the Ben Franklin Bridge in total and utter despair. Well, yesterday he threw in a minor league assignment and all went well so far, but that led to a question. Does the Philadelphia Phillies season rest in Cole’s left arm? He is possibly the most important individual to the team, but does his health determine how far the Phillies can go? I don’t know. Last year we saw the team struggle without Jimmy Rollins, yet succeed to a modest degree when Ryan Howard struggled. The team also seemed to go get by with Chase Utley’s bad hip, but through it all, the pitching staff remained intact.

Cole Hamels is easily the ace of the staff, but he pitches once in every four or five games. That can be vital in the role of the stopper, but the more important player for winning may be the closer. Brad Lidge nailed down every game he played. He took the possibility of winning a game and made it a certainty. Look at the Mets last year. The reason they didn’t win was not how Pedro or Johann pitched, but through the implosion of the bullpen and their inability to keep a lead. That was what got the Phillies into first place. Well, that and the fact the Howard went on an unbelievable September tear.

While Cole would be a great loss, it is easier to fill the void of an injured starting pitcher than a closer. One could juggle the rotation, throw J.A. Happ in the back end of the starting staff and although the potential for winning would be decreased a bit, it wouldn’t evaporate. Take away Brad Lidge, particularly early in the season, and who’s going to be the closer? Ryan Madsen? Perhaps, but regardless of who comes out of the bullpen in the ninth inning, it wouldn’t be the same. Madsen did become a pretty good setup guy down the stretch, however I doubt many would say that he wouldn’t have blown a save all year.

This isn’t an argument for the ages, so I won’t beat it into the dirt. I will say however, that if the Phillies lose a starting pitcher, even the already immortalized Cole Hamels, I think the team will manage. Now, if Lidge is lost…well, that’s a different story. I won’t go diving off of Big Ben, but I’ll certainly think about it when I drive over Betsey Ross.

More Eagles Rumors....

2009-03-25T13:28:00.005-04:00

Braylon Edwards is not the only name that has recently been connected in rumors linked to the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason Peters, Pro Bowl offensive tackle of the Buffalo Bills possibly has a higher chance than Edwards to be a Bird next season. The Bills and Peters have been in an ongoing dispute over his contract and he would fit in nicely on the Eagles offensive line answering any questions as to who will fill the void left by Tre Thomas’s departure. Philly had shelled out a good deal of money for Jon Runyan when he was a free agent, so they might be willing to redo Peters’ contract to give him a deal he’s satisfied with. Whether that contract will be anything close to the 6 year, 60 million dollar deal Jordan Gross received from the Panthers is only known to Joe Banner.

Tony Gonzalez is back in the news wanting a trade again, and again the Eagles are a potential landing point for the Pro Bowl tight end. If the Chiefs are asking for a fifth round pick for Tony, then the Eagles might listen, anything else would be too much. Gonzalez, who is 33, is still a viable offensive option, reaching 1,000 yards receiving last year. Obtaining Gonzalez would give Brent Celek another year to progress and would open up a day one draft pick for the Eagles at least for 2009. Tony’s age and salary could be determining factors in whether the Eagles make a trade for the Chief or look to get a tight end in the draft.

Of the three guys, including Edwards, Peters is the guy most intriguing. I have read a lot negative comments from Buffalo fans regarding just how good he is but I am not all that familiar with either his contract situation or his play on the field. On paper, he looks like the best of the three to pick up, but on grass he has the greatest potential to be a mistake.

Another Eagles Receiver Rumor

2009-03-25T11:13:00.006-04:00

First it was Marvin Harrison, then it was Anquan Boldin, now, it seems that Braylon Edwards might be the next wide receiver to be joining the Philadelphia Eagles. They have apparently joined the group of teams that are looking to deal for the guy. It would be a great thing for the Birds to acquire a top-notch wideout, but as far as I can tell, Cleveland would demand a first round draft pick (unless they get desperate), and Edwards would want a new contract. Neither of these two things would go well with the Eagles administration, and the possibility of them trading for Edwards, in my opinion is between nope and not gonna do it.

Let’s start by looking at the receivers they have. The tandem of Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson is the best they’ve had in the Andy Reid era. Yes, T.O. is the best receiver in Eagle green in the past 10 years, but I would say the Todd Pinkston devalues that duo. Adding Braylon Edwards would certainly upgrade the corps, but not enough in the Eagles’ eyes to justify the price tag that would come along with him. Sure, the team has plenty of money under the cap, but they would have to view Edwards as enough as an upgrade to warrant the spending of cash. He made over 10 million dollars, including bonuses in 2008 and could look for as much in a new deal. Generally he would be worth it since he may be one of the top five receivers in the league however if anyone knows how Joe Banner works, he low balls players, then pays based on future production, not on what someone has already accomplished. Curtis made less than six million last year.

The Eagles do certainly have two first round draft picks and it is possible that one could be used to obtain Edwards, but it is also possible, more likely even that they will use both picks to fill glaring needs at offensive tackle and either tight end or running back. There will be no way that Edwards will have the opportunity to catch balls thrown at his feet if the QB is on his back all day due to a revolving door on the offensive line. There was some talk of a stop-gap solution putting Todd Herremans or Shawn Andrews at the spot vacated by Tre Thomas so that would free up one of the picks that could go for Edwards. In addition, the Eagles have something like eight second day picks and one or two of those could get a deal moving as throw ins.

Joe Banner is the maker or breaker of this deal for Edwards. Instead of looking at Edwards 2007 season when he scored 16 touchdowns and caught 80 balls for 1289 yards, he is bound to base any trade value on his 2008 stats when he scored only three TDs with 873 yards receiving, indicating that this may be Edwards’ potential on his team, adding in the number of drops Braylon is credited with as well. All this may be true, and it is unfortunate because Banner won’t look at the big picture. Does this make my wide receiver corps better? He will put Edwards in a particular spot, say in Curtis’s spot on the field and ask, “is this guy worth four million dollars more?” The answer will be no and he will cite “value” at the position. Forget asking if Edwards is better than Reggie Brown or Hank Baskett.

It won’t be a shock if the Eagles are able to obtain Edwards. They did get T.O. and speed racer Donte Stallworth via trades so it isn’t unprecedented. The big difference here is that T.O. was an upgrade over James Thrash to the Nth degree and Stallworth was there only to fill the massive whole that Owens left. But if they do decide that Edwards is worth the price it would take to get him, then perhaps kudos would be deserved. Right now, I’ll reserve the right to skepticism as I wait for Braylon to be traded elsewhere and Banner to say they tried….just like they tried to get Randy Moss and resign Brian Dawkins.

Breaking Down the NL East: Centerfield

2009-03-24T13:45:00.003-04:00

The NL East Centerfielders are a varied bunch. There is a power hitting, run producing machine, a Flyin’ Hawaiian, and former prospect coming into his own, and two youngsters cracking a major league lineup. In this group, only really two stand out, with the potential for a third growing with each season. All five of these guys, however, will have something to prove this year. Here they are.

First (Score = 1.375): The New York Mets' Carlos Beltran has not provided the dividends that the team and its fans were hoping for. The idea of bringing him in, winning a bidding war and paying him a ton of money, was to get them over the hump and consistently into the playoffs. Well, that hasn’t happened once. It isn’t necessarily Beltran’s fault. He’s driven in over 110 runs each of the last three years, so he’s doing most of what he can. I say most because it doesn’t appear he has that intangible that turns a good player into a great player, a competitor into a winner. He is in essence a younger version of Bobby Abreu. This upcoming season it will be more of the same for Carlos. He’ll see .279/37/114 for a second place team.

Second (2.25): Before last season there were question surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies as to whether or not Shane Victorino could be an everyday outfielder but by the time September rolled around, there was no doubt that he was the best centerfielder the team had had since Lenny Dykstra. His series in the playoffs against Milwaukee was amazing, supplying the sparkplug that made the Phillies engine go. Last year on the whole he mixed some power with good speed and although he won’t be called upon to hit a grand slam, he will hit .284/10/47 in the second spot in the Phillies lineup in 2009.

Third (2.25): The National’s Lastings Milledge loses out to Victorino in a tie break mainly because of the impact each has made on their team and at this point in his career, Milledge has shown he can hit major league pitching but not be an integral part of a winning team. Milledge has a very nice junior year in the show hitting .261/14/61 and getting some full-time experience. Can he do it again? There is no reason to think otherwise. As long as he stays healthy, this year will tell whether he is doomed to mediocrity on bad teams or whether he is a star in the making….on a bad team. He will reach .255/16/59 this year as he comes of age as an average ballplayer.

Fourth & Fifth (4.375 & 4.625): The juries are still out on Atlanta Braves’ Josh Anderson and the Florida Marlins’ Cameron Maybin. They have played a combined total of 93 games in the majors and project so close to each other, I might as well surgically connect them at the hip. Both likely to hit just above the pitcher in the lineup, Maybin has the better shot at helping his team. With the Marlins pitching and the organizations propensity to field good young players (Uggla, Cabrera, Willingham, Beckett, & Willis just to name a few) Cameron will show why the Fish wanted him in that blockbuster trade that sent two Marlin stars to Detroit. This is not to say that the younger Anderson in the Brave outfield won’t have a chance to shine; I just expect Maybin to shine brighter a bit faster. Same projection for both, despite my obvious bias toward Maybin: .283/7/43.

I realize that in my opening paragraph I put Victorino in the same category as Carlos Beltran and that might have been getting ahead of myself. Beltran is a better all-round hitter, hands down, but what he brings to the Mets and what Victorino brings to the Phils cannot be compared, in my opinion. The two slot of the Phillies’ lineup is his and he is just about the perfect guy to hit behind Jimmy Rollins. He can be kind of a slacker at times, but the energy he brings to the everyday batting order is why he is more important to Philly than Carlos to NYC.

The World Baseball Classic Is Finally Over

2009-03-24T13:30:00.004-04:00

Now that the World Baseball Classic has ended in dramatic fashion, fans of Major League Baseball can finally get their players back and get back to some form of normality. This Phillies had rented out a couple of players to the international set of teams, and some of these guys were pretty important to their big league club. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz, J.C. Romero, Matt Stairs, not to mention about a half dozen or so minor leaguers were playing for their respective countries.

I am not going to get into whether or not I think they should play for their country. But I will discuss what the MLB team should do to protect themselves from a disaster should one of the league’s stars blow out a knee or an elbow. In future contracts, place a proviso where the team is not on the hook for the player’s salary for injuries incurred during exhibition play. This will include the World Baseball Classic, and if the Olympic Committee puts baseball back on the list of games, that too. This will of course, force the players to carefully consider their participation.

Now luckily, no one was seriously injured and those who felt tweaks or strains, pulled out when they could. It would be difficult to imagine the uproar if J.Roll would have pulled up lame. How could the Phillies be compensated for losing their star shortstop? They couldn’t. Instead they would have to deal with it when every other team in their division is at full strength.

Injuries can happen at any time and that has been an area of concern for the other professional sports too, so it is time for baseball to follow their leads and give the ability to the teams to disallow players from participation. Otherwise clubs could be looking at a situation where some guy from the Netherlands or China ruins a teams chance from winning a championship.

Goodbye To My Favorite Knucklehead

2009-03-23T16:32:00.004-04:00

Even though his legend will lie within a bloody sock, I will always remember Curt Schilling as a guy who drove Phillies fans nuts. He was traded to the Phillies on April 2, 1992 by the Houston Astros for a future journeyman in Jason Grimsley. He almost instantly became ace of the staff going 14-11 in his first year in Philadelphia. He then led the crusade with guys like Dykstra, Daulton, and Kruk to reach the World Series in 1993, where he proceeded to go 1-1 after winning the NLCS MVP. The Series went to the Blue Jays that year but the future looked bright for "Schill."

He was a man that everyone wanted on the mound but no one wanted in the clubhouse, mainly due to his big mouth. He was a bit overbearing at times and even though he drove then Phillies manager Terry Francona up the wall, he was one of the best pitchers to wear the uniform. His 101 wins as a Phil ranks sixth in franchise history, but he also places in strikeouts (4th), games started (6th), and holds the team's single season record with his 319 strikeouts in 1997.

These few words here can't describe how he tried to carry a bad Phillies team year after year following that 1993 run, nor can it truly show how missed he was when he was traded to Arizona. But no matter how many red cell/ketchup soaked socks he may have placed upon his feet, no matter how many championships he won elsewhere, he will always be a greater Phillie then he will be a loud mouthed, crazy headed, yet golden armed lunatic member of the Diamondbacks and Red Sox

The Philadelphia Eagles One Year Deal Wonders

2009-03-23T15:00:00.003-04:00

The Eagles have made a smart move signing fullback Leonard Weaver to a contract. This ensures that the Birds will not have to start Dan Klecko in the backfield and can put him back on the defensive line where he can be more effective until the Eagles decide to cut him. The contract to Weaver is a one year deal that has a base salary of 1.75 million, but can get to 2.5 Mil with incentives that are probably so far out of reach Leonard couldn’t get to them in a spaceship.

The Eagles have been very fond of one year deals this offseason. They signed safety Sean Jones for one year, then safety Rashad Baker for one year. They signed restricted free agent linebacker Tank Daniels for one year as well. Add in Weaver’s contract and that makes four contracts out of five, with Stacy Andrews getting the only multi-year deal from the Birds thus far. It’s a bit peculiar and it may call into question their long range plans.
First is the potential for a lockout between owners and players after the 2010 season. The media has been discussing it already and the Eagles may be financially preparing themselves should a standoff occur. This way they don’t have a lot of money tied up in signing bonuses and salaries when everything is settled. And you know what that leads up to….one year deals for next year’s free agents. There’s no good reason to go into each season with the same question marks, but next year the Eagles will go into the 2009 offseason needing to sign a fullback, a safety, a wide receiver, all of the things they needed to pick up this year. This type of consistency is not a good thing.The Birds could be looking at the potential of the players they have on the roster now, or plan to draft this April. Something tells me they’re going to love Quintin Demps more than his own mother just so they can feel justified for letting Dawk go and signing Sean Jones for only one year. Maybe they’ll draft a fullback, or sign a rookie free agent and pay him the minimum. They’ll save money and if they find some guy off the streets that will do it for less, it’s easier to make that move than it would be if you had a guy who could play a little, like Weaver. It doesn’t say much for depth at any position though.

They only other reason that comes to mind is that the Eagles were expecting something better and it didn’t work out. The problem with that statement is that they didn’t go after anything better. Dawkins was probably the best safety for this team and they let him go to Denver. Weaver is a pretty good player and perhaps, like Jones, wants to see how everything plays out for one year before they start talking long term. Unfortunately for the players, they will probably be low-balled to the point they want to leave. I am not saying either side needs to agree to a five year deal, but three for a player with a decent track record isn’t necessarily a bad idea, unless of course, that third year is a lockout year.

Whatever the Eagles due, it will probably warrant criticism. Almost everything that comes out of that camp does nowadays. The administrative branch of Reid, Banner and Lurie has become a focal point of frustration that has eaten away at the average fan and the flow of bad press has left the image of a cheap organization with the mindset of Ebenezer Scrooge. I don’t think they need to worry about the customer base though since there is a waiting list for season tickets and their merchandise sells well. But it’s only a matter of time before their mismanagement of the Philadelphia Eagles will make Norman Braman the Philadelphia patron saint of football.

An Early Exit For Temple

2009-03-23T14:28:00.005-04:00

Dionte Christmas (left) played one of his best games at the collegiate level, but unfortunately this was the game that Semaj Inge (right)decided to try to become a shooter for the first time in four years. Christmas shot 8-16, including five three pointers to lead all scorers with 29 points. Inge on the other hand shot 0-10 with his two points coming in the form of free throws. Why, on this date, Semaj wanted to score is beyond me. He did average nearly seven shots a game this season, but there is no way that he is considered anything more than a fifth option when he is on the floor. I could certainly understand it if Christmas was being shut down, but Dionte was seemingly having his way with the ASU defense, but beyond that Sergio Olmos and Lavoy Allen were more viable offensive options. Fran Dunphy should have nipped that in the bud. I cannot blame the entire loss on the poor shooting Inge, but if that ball got spread around a bit more, particularly in the first half, I think the Owls would have pulled off the upset.

The Assassination Of The Philadelphia Eagles By The Coward Andy Reid

2009-03-20T11:26:00.001-04:00

This week Andy Reid finally spoke up on the state of the Philadelphia Eagles, including the departure of key veterans from his roster. He didn’t speak to the general media of course. Instead, the Eagles own website lackey was handed the responsibility of grilling Coach Andy with softball questions on topics like the Brian Dawkins saga, the wide receivers, the draft, and free agency. This is a quick rundown on what he said.

When questioned regarding Brian Dawkins, Coach Andy did indicate the great job he had done for years, but that they had made an attempt to keep him but that it didn’t work out. Perhaps it was because Coach Andy and Joe Banner didn’t want to work it out. Andy said this in regards to how much money they had 40 million under the cap and how they go after free agents, but I think this is how he and Banner truly felt about Dawk and why they didn’t resign him.
"You can say it's a conservative approach or you can just say it's smart. People are hesitant to say that, but … Because you have the money, you just don't go blow it on something that you don't think is good enough quality to put on the Eagles uniform.”

Well, apparently they didn’t really feel that anyone was worth putting in an Eagles uniform except the brother of an AWOL offensive lineman, a backup safety, and another safety as a stop-gap replacement to the Pro-Bowler he let go.

Andy Reid thinks that Reggie Brown and Hank Baskett are starting caliber players, for which teams, I’m not sure. Maybe he is right, but only if DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis are both suffering from broken legs. His talent evaluation processes have killed this team time and time again, especially when guys like Greg Lewis took up roster spots from guys who could actually make a contribution, like a punt returner or a fullback. He put players in like Mark Simoneau and pretended he could replace then Pro-Bowler Jeremiah Trotter. He’d rather have Brown and Baskett instead of the likes of Houshmandzadeh, Bouldin, and anyone else out there with a bit of skill.

That leads into the draft where they have the potential to pick up 12 more guys that will fail to make a contribution. But at this point, where they got rid of quite a few guys, they will need a good deal of those picks to select replacements in order to maintain the general roster. Andy is looking for fourth and fifth round picks to make an impact, probably because they guys they’ll be backing up were last year’s fourth and fifth round picks. He wouldn’t say whether they will use all twelve picks, but if there is a Winston Justice in this years draft, Andy might just trade up to get him.

Another thing that was brought up was that, according to Tra Thomas, departed offensive tackle, the Coach needs to have a better relationship with his players. But Andy Reid has a big head. I’m not saying that because of the actual girth of his noggin, but rather the arrogance and the pompous attitude he lays down on the Philadelphia Sports media at large and the Eagles fans. This is the foundation why he didn’t personally bench Donovan, didn’t answer questions about Dawkins, and doesn’t feel that he needs to answer to anyone but Joe Banner and Jeffrey Lurie. He may know more football, I will give him that, but does he know better? I don’t think so.

Most of what was discussed got bogus Andy Reid answers. He needs to do a better job in the Red Zone, he’s not discussing the McNabb situation, What this B.S. interview does is give Andy an out every time a real reporter or journalist wants to ask him a question. He doesn’t want to open himself to criticism because he doesn’t think he deserves it. Instead, he will respond by indicating he already put out his answer on the B.Dawk issue and will treat it as if it is old news. The problem there is that he never spoke about it before and when he finally did it was with a guy who will get fired if he even thinks about considering any critical words against his employer. I don’t know, maybe Coach Andy’s in the same boat. If that’s the case, we’re all sunk.

Breaking Down the NL East: Left Fielders

2009-03-20T11:23:00.002-04:00

It’s been difficult to find time to complete my Breaking Down the NL East series, but I have managed to get to the left fielders, of which we have a couple of old guys, a couple of young upstarts, and a man who appears to be stuck, going nowhere in mediocrity. Garrett Anderson and Raul Ibanez move in from the AL West to try their hand at NL pitching, Josh Willingham has been unable to find his way off horrible teams, and Daniel Murphy and Cody Ross look to solidify themselves in everyday roles as each of their teams try to topple the Phillies. So, here is my ranking and projections of the NL East Left Fielders.

First (Score 1.625): Raul Ibanez has played on a team with some potential however the Seattle Mariners are struggling to find an identity outside of Ichiro. Now, with the Philadelphia Phillies, Raul has the opportunity to hit behind one of the most prolific power hitters in years and despite his age and contract, should be an upgrade over the departed Pat Burrell. Ibanez is unlikely to drive in as many runs as he had in Seattle, mainly because of the guys in front of him, but he should still protect Howard in the batting order. Again, aside from his age, the only other issue facing Ibanez, but really the Phillies in general; are the number of left handed bats that will be populating the everyday lineup. I see Raul hitting .290 and 27 home runs in Citizen’s Bank Park and driving 104 adding only more offense to the most offensive team in the league.

Second (2.625): This may be a bit of a surprise, but Cody Ross of the Florida Marlins has quietly become a solid major league hitter driving in 22 dingers and 73 RBIs in 2008. This year he should be a full time player and the only thing that will hold him back will be the other guys in the Marlins lineup. He has also been the most clutch performer in his short career, slugging over .600 with runners in scoring position. I don’t expect a drop off for Ross, but as he becomes the focus of opposing pitchers, he may have a hard time getting a pitch to hit. Cody is going to go for .284/33/86 in 2009 for an anemic offense.

Third (3.25): The Washington National’s Josh Willingham was a guy I had high hopes for a couple of years ago, but with an injury and really lackluster play, I’m afraid he has become simply an adequate player who is not going to wow anybody at this point. A platoon player on most teams, for the Nationals he will be a starting player. He comes in third here not for what he will potentially do as much as what he has done the past couple of years. Taking into consideration that he was hurt, he will see better offensive numbers, but I don’t project him having a blockbuster year like I would have back in 2006. The National left fielder will reach .271/24/80 and he will be happy he did.

Fourth (3.5): The new Atlanta Brave, Garrett Anderson was one of the Angel’s most consistent hitters in the last decade and was instrumental in getting the Halos their first World Series Championship. He is now, clearly, on his way out of the game as I think he was just looking for a place he can play everyday. His 3 year average of 16 home runs and 85 RBIs won’t blow anyone away in the NL East, but it should keep him in the top half of the batting order. That being said, he is not going to bring the glory back to Atlanta and he should probably be no more than a stopgap for a year or two until the Braves can find a younger replacement. He is projected right at his averages .283/16/83 because there is no reason to think otherwise.

Fifth (4.0): Daniel Murphy of the New York Mets could be the next Dale Murphy or the next Murphy Brown. It is just too soon to tell. But based on the short amount of time he got last year, he should be no less than a platoon player for the Metropolitans in 2009. He was decent in the clutch with anything less than two outs, but again, I emphasize that that could all change as he gains the major league experience. This year, I do expect him to struggle a little bit, especially if he starts off hot and opposing teams start gathering data on Murphy. Should that happen it will be interesting to see just what kind of hitter he can turn himself into. This season I don’t expect him to hit like Dale, but certainly better than a fictional television news anchor. Right now I will lowball him with .250/5/45, but that could get better with playing time.
This is not necessarily a weak group of left fielders, but it is not one that will be fighting for MVP votes to be sure. I am looking forward to seeing how well Murphy does in New York, although I would rather see him flounder than do well against the Phillies. Additionally interesting will be how well Ibanez fits into the Philadelphia lineup and if Cody Ross can continually build on his last three seasons to become the next Marlins player to get traded to a contender.

Philadelphia Eagles Free Agency Update: Bargain Hunting

2009-03-13T13:43:00.001-04:00

The Eagles have expressed interest in former Buffalo Bill linebacker Angelo Crowell who missed all of last season after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee last August. He was only going to be out for four weeks but the Bills decided to put him on IR anyway, forcing him to miss the entire season and solidifying his chances of playing for another team next year.

This is not so much of breaking news but last week the Eagles signed a back up defensive back, Rashad Baker, who played in 10 games with Oakland in 2008. He did have three interceptions while covering for an injured Michael Huff, and that possibly made him more marketable to the Birds. This move however is strictly to replace Sean Considine.

The Eagles like looking at these fringe types of guys especially those with questionable health. Coming off an injury like Crowell, or even their big free agent signing to date, Stacy Andrews who is coming off knee surgery, puts the Eagles in a position of leverage where they can either undercut the player in pay or years of contract. This has worked out for them in the past. A few years ago in 2002 then Redskin, Shawn Barber, signed a short-term deal, played well, and then got a good deal from Kansas City. So we’ll see if they are able to strike it rich again with some of these bargains that they are looking for to fill roster spots. Where would their sense be in actually trying to improve a position when you could throw what you hope is a healthy body out there and get the same results as if you know there’s a healthy body out there? I think it’s funny that they will justify not signing Tra Thomas because he has had back problems, but they’ll sign other guys despite red flags in the health history because they can get them on the cheap.

The Philadelphia Eagles Billionare: Jeffrey Laurie

2009-03-13T10:42:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Laurie for being a new member on the Forbes magazine billionaires list. Perhaps he should celebrate by taking Joe Banner out to dinner and releasing him of any and all duties he has in regards to the operation of the football team. Banner, the over-controlling yet ever loyal employee to Laurie, has completely changed the football financial system and how it relates to the salary cap, and now Banner’s version of the system is essentially what is used around the league. Laurie should understand this and identify and reward his right-hand man with something wonderful…like a nice severance package. Banner is a man who has made himself obsolete in the business. Banner is a shrewd guy, but now he’s not the only one who can do the job.

Laurie should also realize just how he became a Billionaire. Yes, it was through the ownership of the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was through the toiling and hard work of Eagles fans, buying the tickets, concessions, and merchandise. And now with the apparent disregard for the fan, and in some cases his affect on the quality of product the organization is putting on the field, give him a warm pink slip laden send off. I know there will be those who will say that the team has gone to five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl. I will retort with the fact that the money values that they put on certain positions have hindered them from winning it all. For instance, they will spend money on the offensive and defensive lines. They will not spend money on linebacker, although they have been lucky with the young guys they have. They will spend money on the cornerback, but not come close to signing any of the bigger named wideouts when they become available. For years it has been argued that the Eagles would have won at least one if they had better guys than Pinkston & Thrash, and a guy like T.O. for more than one season. Dante Stallworth was a pickup in a trade, but they didn’t consider him worth signing after the season was over. To sum up the position on the receivers, they will spend many dollars on covering the best receivers in the league, but do not want the best receivers on their team. That is a Joe Banner decision, and if Jeffrey Laurie wants to win the Lombardi trophy, those decisions need to be made be someone else. It will be a fan friendly move that will not necessarily endear Laurie to the Philly fan, that will be difficult to do since he is one of those high brow types, but it will inch him in the positive direction.

Outside the Banner issue, Laurie also needs to step up a bit and settle with the city of Philadelphia regarding a petty battle of a mere eight million dollars. Laurie claims he lost that much due to a canceled preseason game a few years back, and the city claims that the Eagles still owe that amount for agreeing to build luxury boxes in Vet’s Stadium. That deal was with the previous regime, but Laurie took that debt on when he bought the team. Incidentally, it has been argued that eight million dollars would enable the city to keep multiple libraries, slated for closure due to budgetary constraints, in operation.

Laurie was a rich guy before he bought the team, now he is richer. He doesn’t need money and he has his share of fame. What he needs is love. Love from the city he relies on. Love from the people who helped put him on the billionaire list. The amount of good grace and a sterling public persona he would receive would undoubtedly outweigh the actions it would take to receive such accolades. Whether he cares, I do not know. What I do know is despite his new billionaire moniker, it won’t take him as far in the eyes of public appeal if he doesn’t do what it takes to properly thank the city and fans of the Eagles for what they helped him accomplish in the city of Philadelphia.

Eagles Free Agency Update

2009-03-11T11:05:00.000-04:00

The Eagles aren’t exactly burning up the Free Agent Trackers around the web, signing on a few guys to replace long time Eagle players that the administration has decided to jettison. To play the potential role of Correll Buckhalter’s stand-in will be Eldra Buckley, a 5-9 running back claimed off waivers, who has spent the past two seasons on the Charger’s practice squad and has gained zero game experience. If he even makes the every day roster Buckley will be nothing more than a special teams body and will do nothing to the actual run game. Now, to be fair, I could be mistaken and this guy could be the second coming of Heath Sherman, but in actuality Brian Westbrook can rest easy knowing that his job is secure, unless Heath decides to come out of retirement.
I
n other news, the Eagles are expected to talk with former Seattle fullback Leonard Weaver. Weaver is considered one of the best, if not the best fullback on the open market. Last year he rushed for 130 yards, but more importantly in an Andy Reid offense, caught 20 balls for 222 yards. The 2008 Eagles had no true fullback to lead block for B.West as they tried defensive tackle Dan Klecko in the role. I like Klecko, but he should stay and add depth to the D-Line and let a real fullback play. This would be a good pickup for the Birds and I hope that this is not a case where Weaver will take a Philly offer back to the Seahawks and resign with Seattle. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. Then, of course, the Eagles will come out and say that they tried to sign a fullback but he decided to resign with his current team, so they’ll have to try, um, Jason Avant at fullback. It will be Randy Moss all over again and the contentious combo of Andy Reid and Joe Banner.

More talk is being made about how Andy Reid is handling the loss of veteran starting players from his team. Generic statements have been released to the media, but anyone who believes that those are Andy’s words are fooling themselves. Previously during the Stacy Andrews welcoming party, Reid refused to discuss the Dawkins departure. More recently, Tra Thomas has come out and said that he hasn’t spoken to his former head coach since just before Free Agency started up. No one expects Andy to be handing out hugs, but his communication skills or lack thereof only will only add to the public image dilemma the Eagles are facing in the real world outside the Novacare complex.

The Philadelphia Eagles Are In Trouble

2009-03-09T14:22:00.001-04:00

The Eagles are in trouble, plain and simple. They have purged themselves of not one or two, but four starters and two important backups this free agency season and have found the administration the focus of negative media coverage from every direction. They have done little to garner public support in their decision making and have replaced replaced their losses with what looks to be a decent safety and a potentially decent offensive tackle. The depth chart is beginning to wear thin in a couple of areas and the Eagles have failed to produce any more viable options to show that they can remain competitive going into next season and fewer reasons why the fans shouldn’t run ownership out of town.

Tre Thomas, the eleven year vet and the only man who has truly protected Donovan McNabb’s blindside has agree to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The next guy in line would have been Winston Justice, but if anyone has heard of him, it is because he was manhandled and abused by the New York Giants defensive line. If he is the man for the job, the Kevin Kolb will be the starter by the time the bye comes around because Number 5 will be broken and near dead. Behind Justice, there was last year’s 7th round pick, King Dunlap, who may or not be a player. Dunlap was a monster for his first couple years in college, but fell off the face of the Earth in his senior year. If he can regain some semblance of a NFL tackle, he will take the place of Justice on the roster when he invariably gets cut.

Then there is the case of running back. It is no secret that Brian Westbrook is the team’s best player at that position. Now, there is no question that Lorenzo Booker is not as good as Correll Buckhalter, and thereby an inadequate backup. If the Eagles expect B.West to last the season, they will need to get someone, either via the draft or free agency, to spell him from time to time. The organization claims that Brian will be better on the field since he will be overall healthier than he was in 2008, but how long can that last when he is the only ground option.
Jeff Laurie, who only speaks when the team is either doing well or there is exceedingly good news, has been in an ongoing battle over an eight million dollar suit from the city of Philadelphia. The Eagles have a counter-suit going saying that they lost eight million dollars when a Pre-Season game with Baltimore was canceled because the field at Veteran’s Stadium was in shambles. The political action group, ACORN, has a small rally outside Laurie’s suburb home, fighting for city. It turns out, that eight million dollars would help keep the libraries that are forced to close due to budgetary constraints open.

Joe Banner, went on talk radio last week and essentially lied his way through an interview regarding the Brian Dawkins saga. He stated that he wished he only had a chance to talk to Brian and maybe he could have swayed him to stay or that a deal still could have been worked out. Brian said his agent was in contact with the team three times before he signed with the Broncos and that there was never an indication that Banner wanted to talk or change the deal he had put on the table. Sunday night, Banner said just that, that he wasn’t going to match the offer Denver made, which tells me that Banner had no intention of giving Dawkins a better deal and was only doing a media tour because of the public backlash of Brian’s departure. Oh, by the way, no one has heard a peep from Coach Andy Reid during this whole mess.

And now, most recently a story has come out about just how weasel-like the organization can be read
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20090309_Gonzo___Cold_Eagles_sure_are_thin-skinned.html to see how they fired a part-time employee with a disability because he loved the team he worked for. If every company was like this, unemployment would be 75% and the remaining workers would be so frightened little robots. For six years, Dan Leone, who suffers from a potentially debilitating illness called transverse myelitis, was an exemplary worker. Then the Eagles let Brian Dawkins leave for Denver, and to vent Dan vented on a Facebook page. One of team’s upper management saw this posting and well, one thing led to another and Dan “could no longer be trusted.” The post wasn’t even up that long as Dan realized his mistake and removed it, but the wheels to his firing were already rolling. Soon he found out that there would be no warning, no slap on the wrist, and no understanding, just a firing squad from a team with no backbone and the arrogance previously unknown to mankind.

Not only have the Eagles screwed up with their on the field business, they are doing the same off the field. Their PR department must have been bought on the cheap like everything else, because they are slipping into an area saved for those like Marge Schott and Leona Helmsley. All we need now is some insider trading and a sex scandal and we’ll have the most eclectic bunch of guys possible running our team.

Goodbye Greg Lewis

2009-03-06T12:18:00.004-05:00

In an unprecedented move, the Philadelphia Eagles traded wide reciever Greg Lewis to the New England Patriots for a 2009 fifth round pick. Thank you, thank you, thank you. There was no reason for G.Lew to make this roster for the past two years. He was a pedestrian free agent rookie coming out of Illinois and he never became more than that during his tenure in Philly. I never saw him as a go to guy, nor did he have blazing speed, but for some unknown reason Andy Reid would send him deep only to have McNabb overthrow him.
At the beginning of the 2007 season, Coach Andy named him the punt returner despite the fact that Lewis never returned a punt. The first game against the Packers...it showed as he botched it up helping the Eagles lose the game. It wasn't entirely Lew's fault since it was the coach's bad decision to put him in there in the first place. In any case, I bid a fond farwell to one of the last guys on the depth chart and I wish him all the best in New England.

Any bets that Tom Brady will make him look useful?

Philadelphia Eagles Free Agency Update: Sean Jones

2009-03-06T12:03:00.001-05:00

The Eagles have nearly backed themselves into a corner at several positions during this offseason. The departure of Pro-Bowl Safety Brian Dawkins has left a void in the Eagles’ backfield no matter how much the Eagles organization tries to convince the public that they are all right at that spot with Quintin Demps. The news that the Eagles are interested in unrestricted free agent Sean Jones is welcomed. Jones is not Brian Dawkins, but he is much better than anyone on the roster at this moment. The scouting reports indicate that he is a decent player who does well around the line of scrimmage. He also has picked up a few interceptions along the way with 14 over the past three years.

Jones was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft, which was the same year the Eagle selected Matt Ware in the 3rd round. He started getting regular playing time in 2005 and by 2006 he was the starter. He wasn’t the problem when it came to the Brown’s pitiful defense, and I think he will make a nice partner for Quintin Mikell in the Eagles secondary.

Whether the Eagles will sign him depends on how desperate they are to fill this position and truly move beyond Weapon X. I think this deal gets done by the end of this weekend because they cannot afford to let another free agent come in, meet with the team and media, and leave. They only have one signing to their names this year, and that the brother of a guy already on the roster. It will also put to rest any rumors that Sheldon Brown will move from his cornerback spot to safety. Possibly freeing him up for a trade for Bouldin?

The Philadelphia Eagles: A Fan's Affirmation

2009-03-04T11:35:00.004-05:00

For the past five days or so, the average and avid Eagles fan has felt that thirteen years worth of investment into their team has been evaporated, turning Joe Banner into our own personal Bernie Madoff. The emotions that we now must deal with as WE try to move forward will linger far past the draft and the minicamps. The first game of the season will be like that first holiday after a loved one passes on to the next world. Not that Denver is heaven, but I’m sure you get the gist of it.

Over the years we have lost our favorite players, Reggie and Seth, Randall, Trotter and Vincent, but we were all able to maintain our level of fandom. And the days when we feel the hurt with the departure of more family members, Dawkins, Runyan, and apparently Tre Thomas, we must realize will subside. We are Eagles fans, fans of a team that is the championship-less gold standard of their own proclamation. All the spin masters in the world with their puckered lips and brown noses couldn’t blur the reality that the city of Philadelphia possesses no Lombardi Trophies. But no matter how much we know better, and I believe we do know better, the fandom is too great a mountain to bury and before too long we will return to our Sunday ritual.

I have contemplated a self-imposed one year Eagles ban, but I do not think I can go through with it. I have three children and what kind of message would that send to them regarding fan loyalty and the sanctity of what being an Eagles fan is all about. This is not to mean that criticism isn’t warranted in the case of Brian Dawkins, one of the greatest Eagles of all time, nor in any other case that diminishes the quality of product on the field. However, it is an affirmation that I care about the well-being of the team, not necessarily of the ownership and the detriment that Joe Banner has become, but of the team itself.

Whether the Eagles administration completely botch up the McNabb issue more, or screw around with B.West, we must understand that there is a clear separation between the players and management and that our loyalty rests more with the players wearing the uniform rather than with the idiots that charge us to watch them. I affirm my fandom towards the Eagles and must do so more often from time to time. I will read the articles, listen to the talk shows (all except one), and believe that through my will the team will succeed. Even though there may not be as much for me to root for, I will root. For I am an Eagles fan, not a disillusioned fool, and I will want what is best for my team even when the team doesn’t know what is best for itself.

Fly Eagles Fly! I will affirm my fandom ‘til the day I die. I may feel spit on, I may feel disenfranchised, but I will persevere with the resolve of all those fans who came before me and left this life without a glimpse of a Super Bowl Championship. And if I pass before the event of events then my children will be there and I will teach them to bear my burdens for as Eagle fans, it will be theirs to bear.

Thank you and Time’s Yours.

The Philadelphia Eagles & The Brian Dawkins Fallout

2009-03-02T16:09:00.003-05:00

The world according to Philadelphia Eagles fan has been turned upside down since the departure of Brian Dawkins. Questions upon questions have been raised regarding the reasons he decided to sign with the Denver Broncos, few blaming Dawkins. It is widely believed that the Pro-Bowl safety never wanted to leave the Eagles, but was summarily told by the Eagles administration that the Eagles were leaving him. This picture started to become clear once free agency started. Historically, the Eagles have signed players they wanted to keep, locked them up early before they had a chance to hit the open market. So when the clock struck midnight last Friday and B.Dawk wasn’t under contract it became clear that the Eagles were willing to part with guy.

I remember hearing the news, driving home on Friday, a little after 5 p.m. The announcement made reference to the nearly infamous piece from SF Chronicle indicating that Brian had “agreed to terms” with the Broncos. Panic started to take shape, both within myself, and every other Eagles fan. Since then I clearly went through the five stages of grief. First I denied the fact that the Eagles would actually let him go and that Dawk would leave. I then felt hatred for the man I believed responsible (and still do) in Joe Banner. The stage of bargaining was a very small one in this episode of free agency, I told myself that the Eagles could sign no other free agent and they would be fine as long as they had #20 in the backfield. Depression, yeah, I was depressed, but I don’t want to talk about it. And now, nearly 72 hours after I first heard the news, I have accepted the entire situation. I don’t like it, but I have accepted it.

Team lackeys and media brown-nosing doo doo sellers became obvious as they took the side as the administration, allowing the administration itself to become heard without speaking. They knew it was going to be bad, bad for the fans, bad for them, but all they had to do was survive the initial brunt of criticism. Andy Reid didn’t even address the issue at the big party known as the Stacy Andrews unveiling. Joe Banner and Jeff Laurie have been completely silent, issuing bogus statements saying how much Dawkins has meant to the team. Fact of the matter is this: Banner and Laurie own the team and they run it like a business, they are not fans in the real sense of the word, they do not feel the passion that real fans do, especially in Philadelphia, and they know that Eagles football is a drug, a narcotic that the city needs to survive and that they can do anything they want, no matter how heinous and us junkie Eagles fans will keep coming back.

What could have been the disagreement between the two sides that would have driven the wedge between Brian Dawkins the man and the team he lived and died for sixteen Sundays a year for the past thirteen years? I haven’t heard the terms the Eagles offered their star but I’m guessing that they used a calculator, abacus, and a slide rule, to come up with a lowball number and offer that for a one year deal, not considering how much money they have under the cap. It was reminiscent of Hugh Douglas’s departure, and Jeremiah Trotter’s first exit, when they took an older player, “insulted” them with a bad contract offer, and then talked about how they pay based on how they will play at the end of the deal using verbiage like “diminishing returns.” Denver simply offered Dawkins a better commitment than Banner. Denver valued the player, man, leader, and his experience more that Banner, who would prefer to have a 2nd year Quintin Demps start instead of a Pro-Bowler.

Maybe the economy has hit the big wigs at the Eagles, and that their real financial investments have given nothing but diminishing returns. But Joe Banner has made clear that in the world of football, capology is more important than the fan, because the fan is a constant in his equations. He couldn’t be more wrong. The fallout has occurred and his silence will not be tolerated, cannot be tolerated. He has laughed in the face of children as he took what they loved and sent it away. I am an Eagles fan, and will be forever, but my dedication to the franchise has changed I think. I am not excited about who they may or may not bring in anymore, nor do I care who they draft next month. My guess is that I’m not the only one who feels that disconnect, that numbness that settles in after a dramatic change. How will I feel when camp opens? I don’t know. It will be different and it won’t be as electric as it would have been if Brian Dawkins’ energy was still radiating through the entire defense. My man crush has been crushed and that all I’m gonna say about that. I wish him well, and I wish Bronco fans the best, as they watch perhaps the greatest player in Eagles history.

Someone Needs to Talk!

2009-03-02T11:26:00.005-05:00

This entire weekend, we have heard virtually nothing from the Eagles administration regarding the departure of Brian Dawkins. There have been some press releases, but that's it. When Andy Ried was available for questions, he would only discuss the signing of Stacy Andrews. All respects to Stacy, but his signing was completely overshadowed by a shunning of B.Dawk. The fact that Andy wouldn't address it only makes matters worse has it appears that he, Joe Banner, and Jeff Laurie viewed Dawkins as nothing less than expendable in the eys of a salary cap. First, remember that the Eagles were 48 million dollars under the cap, so money was there. The problem was they didn't want to spend it on a Philadelphia icon. Brian got a lot of money over his five year deal in Denver, but for anyone who knows the NFL, it is easily understood that Dawkins is unlikely to fulfill that contract. So in essence, his 7.2 million guaranteed over the next two couldn't be matched by the loser Joe Banner. He'll say it was regarding the dimishing returns or about maintaining a level of competition, but hello?? Dude was a Pro-Bowler last year. But what does Banner care, as long as the games are sold out, as long as the team continues to make tons of money, he bets that fans of Dawkins will forget him and move on. I wish Banner would just move on.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Free Agency: Two Days In

2009-03-01T01:18:00.001-05:00

The first two days of free agency has passed and the Eagles went ahead and screwed up almost as much as they possibly could. Here is a breakdown of what has happened in relation to Philly and how it impacts the upcoming season.

First, we'll start with Sean Considine, backup safety and special teamer. He has agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars and will make three million over the next two years. The Eagles will really only miss him as a special teams player, as he was exposed way to often to keep him on the field for too many snaps.

Lito Sheppard is no longer an Eagle, and to be honest, he really wasn't an Eagle for the last 3 weeks of the season and the playoffs as recently re-signed Joselio Hanson moved ahead of him on the depth chart and left Lito the odd man out. He is still a good player, when he's a happy camper. The Birds really won't miss him too much and have three solid CB's. He was traded to the New York Jets for a 2009 fifth round pick and a conditional 2010 pick. He then signed a contract extension for four years and 27 million.

Correll Buckhalter was the first player from the Eagles roster to sign with the Denver Broncos. He signed a four year deal and is a contender for the starting job there in the Mile High City. He was totally underused by the Birds and he should be a lot happier lining up behind Jay Cutler and crew. This is a good signing for Denver and it leaves a gaping hole on the running back depth chart, even though the Eagles rarely use the running back to run the ball. I don't know if he ever get 1,000 yards but he'll get closer than he ever did in Philly.

Then there is Brian Dawkins. I am not going to go into too much detail here, but something will be coming. He officially signs with the Denver Broncos for 5 years and 17 million dollars, but more importantly, he will be receiving 7.2 million guaranteed.

So far, four players lost, one true impact (Dawkins).

The one player they picked up was offensive tackle Stacy Andrews, the older brother of Pro-Bowl Guard Shawn Andrews to a six year deal. He will make Jon Runyan's departure from the team official. For my feelings on this signing please read http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/352117-the-philadelphia-eagles-signing-stacy-andrews-is-a-ploy. Essentially, this signing solidifies two spots on the O-Line.

As far as rumors go.....L.J. Smith was supposedly visiting the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles haven't been visited by TJ Houshmandzadeh. And there is still no word on whether the Eagles will/can resign blind side Tackle Tre Thomas. The Eagles also showed interest in former Arizona Defensive End Antonio Smith, but he is a new Texan. Anything other than that would be news to me.

Be sure to check out another spot from my blog www.sportsimpleton.blogspot.com. It's free to those who want it to be.

Dawkins a Bronco?

2009-02-27T18:03:00.002-05:00

If Joe Banner and his lackies let Brian Dawkins leave I will need a very long time to recover from the utter diappointment. Dawkins was the longest standing Eagle and he deserves to retire one, even though it may not be the greatest business decision. The Eagles are 48 million under the cap, 48 million. Give the greatest Eagle the opportunity to fly in midnight green until he is ready to hang it up. Joe Banner is a horrible, horrible blight on the city of Philadelphia.

Eagles 4:00 Free Agent Update

2009-02-27T15:59:00.001-05:00

The Eagles are reported to have invited Arizona Cardinals' DE Antonio Smith. The 27 year old out of OK State had 3.5 sacks last year and a monstrous post-season and is looking for a sure payday. I'm not sure that he is so much better than Juqua Parker-Thomas but he would fit into Jim Johnson's rotation nicely. He has several teams interested in him so he might not even make it to the Novacare Complex.

Other news indicate that Brian Dawkins, yes, that Brian Dawkins may be visiting the Denver Broncos. This may just be an effort to see how much he is worth on the open market. However, if the Eagles lose Brian Dawkins, there would be no possible way for Andy Reid and Joe Banner to get out of Philly fast enough.

Future Ex-Eagles Looking For Homes

2009-02-27T14:19:00.002-05:00

Possibly the best news in free agency that I've heard so far is that the Atlanta Falcons are taking a good look at L.J. Smith. I think that's awesome. What better way to assist in ruining a potentially great quarterback in Matt Ryan, than to give him a player with no heart, questionable hands, and the ability to become invisible in the middle of a football field? As of 2:23, I still haven't heard whether or not Buckhalter is a Bronco. I like the guy and the player and think that would be a good fit for him, as long as he gets more playing time than he got here. I read a rumor that Denver was also looking at J.J. Arrington, but I think they'll lean towards Buck.

On another note...does anybody think that the Eagles will sign Stacy Andrews as insurance that Shawn will want to come back and play next to his brother? I think so.

Report: Tackle Stacy Andrews to "Visit" Eagles

2009-02-27T11:18:00.003-05:00

Stacy Andrews, the brother of Philadelphia Offensive Lineman Shawn Andres will be visiting the Philadelphia Eagles and as long as he passes a physical may be signed to a contract. Stacy, a five year vet of the Cincinnati Bengals will be expected to be the replacement for Jon Runyan. Andrews underwent reconstructive knee surgery last month, but the 27 year old out of Mississippi should be ready by the time camp opens.
If it happens, this may be a good signing for the Eagles as Andrews was listed as one of the better available tackles on the market. He should be a suitable for he fan favorite Runyan, but the knee surgury should be a concern. The Birds better make sure that due dilligence is served. The team doesn't need another problem with an Andrews brother.

Eagles and Free Agency: The 11th Hour

2009-02-27T11:08:00.001-05:00

Nearly 12 hours into free agency and not one little peep from the Eagles. They have the third most cap money in the league and they haven’t even signed their own guys yet. Brian Dawkins, Tre Thomas, and Jon Runyan have received no offers from Philadelphia and it looks as if the team is once again undervaluing its veteran players, particularly the Pro-Bowler Dawkins.

Now I don’t expect them to go out and spend 100 million dollars like the Redskins did this morning but c’mon! The Birds aren’t even listed in the rumor mill, aside from the reports that Correll Buckhalter is in Denver and may sign there (Good for him). When are they at least going to indicate who they are expressing interest in, or are they waiting for the right time to make a big announcement. The day that Javon Kearse signed back in 2004, they were trying to hold off on the announcement in case the T.O. trade went through. Nothing like that is going to happen today, but hopefully they will not wait until the market is set before they start improving the team.

So, as it stands, 12 hours in and nothing to show for it. Stay tuned.

The Eagles Offer Tenders to Three

2009-02-26T15:40:00.005-05:00

The Eagles have offered one year tenders to reciever Hank Baskett, guard Nick Cole, and linebacker Tank Daniels.
Baskett is the only one of the three that I think the Eagles can let go and not miss anything. Although he had career highs in reception and yards, Jason Avant is totally capable of doing what Hank does. Baskett does have height, which is a luxury for a receiver, however, beyond that there is nothing particulary special. But, with all that being said, he is still so much better than Greg Lewis.

Nick Cole took over for an injured Max Jean-Gilles who took over for an AWOL Shawn Andrews and played well the last four games of the season through the playoffs. He adds need depth on a line that got very shallow towards the end of the year and may be needed in case Andrews does not come back.

Daniels was picked up after the Giants cut him and became a good special teams player. I am not surprised so much that the Eagles offered him a tender as that they haven't cut Omar Gaither. The Eagles have so many young linebackers that someone will have to go at some point and I expect Daniels to find more time on the field in the 2009 season.

Is There An Un-Must Win For Temple?

2009-02-26T14:54:00.004-05:00

Tonight the Temple Owls continue their quest to become more than just a bubble team. Winners of five in a row the Owls face the LaSalle Explorers in a matchup that means much more to Temple's chances of getting into the big dance than LaSalle's chances of getting into the A-10 tournament. LaSalle 14-12 (5-7 in the A-10) are on a two game slide and roll into the Liacouras Center to face a team trying to win the conference, or at least a bye in the tourney. The Owls are 9-3 in conference games, tied with Rhode Island, 1/2 game behind Xavier, and 1/2 ahead of Dayton. A win tonight will go a long way in the standings and hopefully get Fran Dunphy and crew revved up enough to go into Dayton on Saturday and pull off an upset. Dionte Christmas should also be able to score 20 points for the first time since facing URI on January 28th, as the NBA prospect will be called upon to lead the team as it approaches post-season play. There is not, and make no mistake about their tournament chances, a game that Temple can afford to lose, including Dayton, if they want to dance for the second straight year.

Breaking Down the NL East: Catchers

2009-02-26T14:35:00.003-05:00

I should call Brian McCann Carl Lewis because he is the run away winner of the top catcher ranking in the National League East and possibly the best catcher in the NL altogether. While there may be some other able bodied backstops in the division, none have the offensive ability as McCann and none play such a large part in their lineup. A couple of these guys have been part-time players or really 2nd year guys with very little to show for their abilities overall. The group as a whole is rather underwhelming so it was not difficult to rank McCann….

First (Score 1.125): The Atlanta Braves catcher led in every evaluated category but one (slugging with RISP and two outs), and there he came in second. For the past couple of years he has been the best catcher in the division not even really getting any competition from guys like LoDuca, even when he was a bigger name. McCann has shown that he can hit for power and for a decent average solidifying himself alongside Chipper Jones as one of the main offensive threats on his team. This year he’ll go for .301/22/91 and surpass Chip as the big guy in the lineup.

Second (2.5): Who? Yes the guys name is Jesus, but can Flores be the savior of a lowly Nationals team? Last year he saw somewhat regular playing time and was able to put up decent number, .256/8/56 in 90 games. Over 162, he may post pretty respectable numbers especially when compared to the other offensively anemic catchers in the division, aside from McCann of course. He may also become one of the more vital bats in Washington’s lineup, but everyone will have to wait and see for sure. For 2009, I see a slight drop in power, but a better average: .262/6/41 for a guy who will find a secure spot on a team for the next few years.

Third (3.125): Another thorn in my side as somehow Brian Schneider of the New York Mets edges into third place. Consistently mediocre over the past couple of years Schneider is the prototypical plug and play player. He’s not a great offensive threat, nor does he have unbelievable defense, but he is reliable enough to keep his job in baseball. He has found a home in New York for the time being, but if anyone needs a catcher, Schneider’s name is going to come up in a trade rumor. He’s a good enough player to have on the roster however I don’t think he’s the answer to anyone’s catching dreams. This year will be much of the same for the Met backstop. .253/9/41 is what it will be in 2009.

Fourth (3.25): You wouldn’t know that Carlos Ruiz is required to start for the Phillies if you lived outside of the city of Philadelphia. He is possibly the best defensive catcher of this group, throwing out approximately a third of all base runners and handles all of the pitchers very, very well and that’s why he plays. He has no offense but came through when needed during the playoffs last year. As long as he hits a little bit above his weight, he will keep his job, well at least until the team gets a good look at Lou Marson. Ruiz is being projected at .224/4/36 as he sits in the eighth spot in the lineup. I would probably hit the pitcher ahead of him though.

Fifth (4.875): The Florida Marlin’s John Baker was a 27 year old rookie last year and performed admirably for a team who tried to beat expectations but found itself where it deserved to be, out of contention. He batted .299 with a .392 OBP in 61 games and although there are no guarantees that he can continue that on a full time basis, he has been around long enough that there should be much of a drop off. Next year he may be ranked second, but for the time being, I’m comfortable leaving him in fifth until he gets a full season under his belt. He should hit around .261/7/48 and if he does that he may find himself an honest to goodness big league baseball player.

No Splash for the Eagles in Free Agency

2009-02-26T14:09:00.003-05:00

Less than a month ago, the NFL season ended and I thought that the Eagles were in a good position to be a player in Free Agency. Not a huge money spender, but a player nonetheless. Now, a lot of the hot commodities have been franchised leaving really, second tier players, outside of Albert Haynesworth. Now, with less than twelve hours to go, the Eagles are trying to lock up Tra Thomas and Brian Dawkins, because once they hit they hit the open market, there's no telling what can happen. Thomas is one of the few good left tackles available and he is actually a little excited about the possibility of teams bidding for his services. Dawkins is a different story though, as I would doubt that he would sign anywhere else without at least getting an offer from the Birds. As for Jon Runyan, their other starting tackle, there is no word that a contract is being offered, which would leave me to believe that either they are expecting Shawn Andrews to come back, or that they will be looking for someone of adequate skill. Good luck with that. In any case, Houshmandzadeh is still out there, and that may end up being the only real chase the Eagles find themselves in but for how long, Joe Banner only knows.

Breaking Down the NL East: Shortstops

2009-02-25T16:13:00.002-05:00

After going through the third basemen, I didn’t realize that the shortstop position would provide an even tighter race for the top spot in the ranks. But lo and behold, with Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez in the same division, who could expect anything less? More dynamic that the Utley/Uggla combination or the pair of Wright & Jones, these three guys play such a catalytic role in their team’s success that to remove one from the lineup could hinder the possibility of a victory. So who came in first?

First (Score 1.875): Oh no! Of all the things that could happen, Jose Reyes wins a tie break with Hanley Ramirez. But it’s a good tie break dealing with the fact that Reyes has hit much better in the clutch over the past three years. Everything else is a near wash. Jose, in my opinion one of the most over rated player has hit .312 and slugged .598 for the Mets. I haven’t looked to see what his stats were in September during the great chokes of the 21st century, but ability to get on base and then steal them puts him in first. Yuck! In any case I expect him to hit around his three year averages at .294/15/66 as New York once again misses the playoffs.

Second (1.875): Forida’s Hanley Ramirez is considered by many, including myself, to be the best shortstop in the National League and with good reason. He has averaged 26 home runs over the past three years to go along with a .308 batting average and an ever increasing on base percentage. On a real team with some real stars batting behind him and you might find him putting up some really unreal numbers. Unfortunately for Hanley, he’ll have to get traded for that to happen. I see him hitting .306 with 33 home runs and 70 RBI for a pedestrian Marlins team in 2009.

Third (2.25): Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies had an unmatched 2007, but seemed to see his offensive prowess fall back in 2008. What he may do is anyone’s guess but as long as he remains healthy, he should hit more than 20 dingers and drive in 70 runs. I have him projected at .280/14/65 and that should be fine as long as the team wins. He has to get his OBP up and keep his mouth shut and he will continue to be a fan favorite in Philadelphia.

Fourth (4.25): There’s this guy, Yunel Escobar down in Atlanta who I’d swear I’ve never heard of in my entire life, despite the fact that he hit .288 with 10 round-trippers and 60 RBIs last year. Now that I have heard of him, he doesn’t seem half bad. He doesn’t seem half good either, but on a Braves team consisting of half good and not half bad players, he’ll fit right in. I initially had him projected as a relative poor hitter particularly since he didn’t play in 2006, but I expect him to hit .307 have 12 home runs and 65 RBI in 2009. Not so shabby for a guy named Yunel.

Fifth (4.75): The National’s Christian Guzman, a 2008 All-Star, is a good hitting shortstop with no power. He reminds me of the prototypical guy from the 1980, something out of the Ozzie Smith mold, just lacking crazy defensive skills. Whether he can maintain himself a good enough player to make the All-Star team again, even as the National’s lone representative, only means that the team is falling deeper and deeper into the shadowy cellar in the NL East. His 2009 projections of .312/6/39 will certainly not wow anyone, but then again does anyone on that team?

Breaking Down the NL East: Third Basemen

2009-02-24T13:13:00.001-05:00

The NL East has arguably the best set of their basemen in the League, including its AL counterpart. It consists of two solid All-Star caliber players, a defensive whiz, one up and coming guy, and a no-namer. One is a borderline hall-of-famer. Another, should he keep on keepin’ on, has the potential to be enshrined as well. But this blog post isn’t about who may or may not be hall of fame material, no, this is about the NL East third basemen and where they rank in the division. So here goes.

First (Score 1.75): A winner of a tie break because of his overall performance at the position, New York’s David Wright is possibly the most offensive third baseman since, well, the guys that’s number two on this list. Averaging nearly 30 home runs and 116 RBI, he is a machine at the plate who makes an overrated Jose Reyes valuable as a run scorer. A really good hitter overall, he maintains a .300 average and a decent OBP. He has also been a done well in the clutch hitting .306 and slugging .510 with runners in scoring position. This year I project him to do much of the same, .306/33/122, as he continues to carve out an outstanding career.

Second (1.75): Chipper Jones, whether a left fielder or a third baseman, has to carry a team even despite any contributions from Brian McCann. Hopefully for Atlanta and Chipper, the Braves’ pitching will surprise the world and become the reincarnates of the early 90’s teams. Unlikely as it is, the Braves’ best shot at winning the division will Chipper and his ability to pound the baseball. If he manages to flirt with .400 late into the season, and stay healthy, the rest of the lineup will have plenty of opportunities to not be a detriment. While I don’t expect Chipper to hit .380, .350 is not out of the realm of possibility. I also expect him to maintain a nice output power, hitting around 23 dingers and driving in at least 80 RBI. It all depends on the rest of that lineup.

Third (2.875): Philadelphia Phillie, Pedro Feliz has had a steadily decreasing offensive output the last three years. That being said, he is probably the best defensive third baseman on the list and why his job is extremely secure in Philly as long as he can come back from his back problem. It’s almost a shame that his back can’t be blamed for an abhorrent on base percentage (.291 over the past three years). But despite that, onlookers need to understand that Pedro doesn’t need to be money at the plate. He’ll be batting seventh behind guys that will take care of all of the offense, as long as he covers the hot corner.

Fourth (3.625): A couple of years ago, I would have thought that the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman would be pushing David Wright for the top spot on this list, but after a completely lackluster 2008 he will have to come out like gangbusters and totally annihilate opposing pitchers. Still considered by many to be a rising star in the league, he needs to prove that he can do it with RISP, particularly with two outs as he hasn’t hit better than .217 over the last two years. If he can come back to form, barring any lingering affects from a 2008 injury, I’m proposing that he will hit .280/16/75 this year, which may be low since he now has Adam Dunn behind him in the lineup.

Fifth (5.95): I would say that Don McPherson is going to be a horrible third baseman starting for a horrible Florida Marlins team, but that would be horribly premature and shortsighted. For years this team had young players come through for them and this guy might just be ready to break out. Who knows? He’s played a total of 128 games in his career and what better place to play and get experience than in front of 37 fans? Much like Andersen Hernandez, the second baseman of the Nationals, McPherson just doesn’t have the track record to warrant anything but fifth place on this list. I would be surprised if he hit anything more than the minimum to keep him in the show. He goes for .227/4/31 in my book.

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An Extension to Donovan McNabb

2009-02-24T10:29:00.002-05:00

I must give number five a little credit here as he has taken a further step away from the Eagles administration. His proclamation that he is going to forgo talks of a contract extension until he sees whether or not the Birds will improve the team may be what the team needs in order to pick up the first big time offensive weapon since T.O.'s departure. This may come back and bite him in the end, but if D.Mac feels that this is a risk worth taking, so do I. Anquan Bouldin will be available, if the Eagles want to trade for him. The same goes for Tony Gonzalez. TJ Houshmandzadeh is a free agent looking for a payday, and the Eagles can sign him if they want to pay him. Outside of that, I'm not sure what Joe Banner and crew can do, other than let Donovan go and truly begin rebuilding the team around Kevin Kolb.

Breaking Down the NL East Second Basemen

2009-02-23T15:53:00.002-05:00

The gap between 2nd basemen from top to bottom is wider than the Pacific Ocean. At the top you have two of the best second basemen in the league and at the bottom you have guys with names unrecognizable even by their own families. But for whatever reason, there they are. Whether some of these guys will still be there at the all-star break remains to be seen. One in particular, Andersen Hernandez for the Nationals, proved to be interesting to project and rank, mostly because the guy hasn’t had half a season worth of service. I’ve figured something objective out, so we’ll see how it works in the future for rookies and such. Below are the National League East Second Basemen in order of rank.

First (Score 2.125): Chase Utley, in Philadelphia, is coming into the season far healthier than he ended last season due to a torn labrum in his hip, and even though he may miss the starting lineup on Opening Day, he will be a force to reckon with upon his return to daily play. The All-Star has been preparing and undergoing extra rehab to regain top form and there is nothing to indicate that this will last past the second week of the season. If he is healthy, look out. He had a monstrous first half last year and it was obvious he wasn’t getting the same play out of his body once the injury occurred so opposing pitchers need to keep in mind: A healthy Utley makes him the most dangerous hitter in a scary lineup.I project Chase to .298/31/104, but I would expect his batting average to be around .310. His power numbers are pretty close to his averages healthy or not.

Second (2.75): I have heard Florida’s Dan Uggla called the poor man’s Utley and I think that’s a bit unfair. Despite a down year in 2007 Uggs has had a good three year stretch and could easily have been considered the best 2nd baseman had it not been for Utley. He also had the unfortunate incident at the All-Star game last year when his defensive ability completely melted down, but that aside, he does hit for good power, not so much for average. Uggla’s numbers are not that far off from Utley either and expect the Marlin to hit around 32 home runs, 91 RBIs, and hit for about .257 in 2009.

Third (3.75): This is the point where the NL East’s second basemen are mediocre at absolute best, and that begins with the Met’s Luis Castillo. Once a prime contact slap-hitter, Castillo has gone from a once promising hitter that could smack the ball to all fields to a one base wonder. Never being big on power, his style of hitting would have been fine for a team like New York who has Beltran, Wright, and Delgado to knock the ball out. Unfortunately for the Mets, Castillo has seen his RBI total drop from 49 to 28 over the past three years. They better have someone one the horizon ‘cause it’s not looking any better this year. Expect Castillo to hit only .253/3/30 this year, and I would say that is at best.

Fourth (4.375): Kelly Johnson should probably be ranked third, but it doesn’t really matter. He is going to fill in the second hole along the right side with Casey Kotchman for the Atlanta Braves in what may end up being one of the most offensively anemic infields in the league. The last two years for Johnson however have been pretty productive totaling 28 home runs and 137 RBI with a steady batting average. I can’t see him getting more than his 14 or so runs a year, not in an offense that will struggle to score runs. In fact, Johnson’s clutch numbers were bad last year as he hit only .220 with RISP with 2 outs. I’ll project him at .275/11/50 this year as he now becomes one of the offensive leaders on the Braves, by default of course.

Fifth (5.15): Originally I had no one able to score higher than a five in my calculations, but then I realized that there were going to be starters that have had little or no playing time, so I came to the conclusion that my system may not bode particularly well for rookies. But then what system does? The Nationals’ Andersen Hernandez would have outscored Chase Utley had I not factored in that Anderson had only played 63 games in his career. And while he may not be the slugger that the top two guys are he can easily finish ahead of Castillo should he be a decent enough player not to be sent back down to the minors. In any case, base on what I have read and the stats I have seen, the guys is a good contact hitter, but I expect him to bat no higher than eighth. My initial projections do not have him hitting a home run, reaching 20 RBIs, but hitting .343, however I think that .292/0/36, would be more realistic.

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Breaking Down the NL East: First Baseman

2009-02-19T13:51:00.003-05:00

With the start of Spring Training, the gears that will become the 2009 baseball season begin to grind away. Before to long, Opening Day will be upon us and our dreams as fans will either start to take shape or become a nightmare, eroding our faith in our team and all that is good in our lives. So as a public service, I will address each position in the National League Eastern Division, one at a time in order to provide a relatively informative, if slightly biased opinion, on who has the best opportunity to succeed. To accomplish this, I have graded each starting player on each team based on several key stats and have deduced 2009 projections for BA/HR/RBI that should be spot on, if not way off. The players are listed in order of rank. The statistics used to determine rank are batting average, home runs, RBI, and OBP, compared to the Clutch hitting data of the Average and Slugging with RISP and RISP/2outs. This data was then placed into an equation that I made up off the top of my head. These are the NL East First Basemen

First (1.5 score): Ryan Howard of the Phillies last year saw a good drop in his batting average and that was due for the most part, to a dismal first half despite hitting 28 home runs and knocking in 84 RBIs. Everyone like to focus on his strikeouts, however, strikeouts do not represent the lack of offensive production. Even though he only batted .251 and struck out 199 times, I would gladly take the 48/146 that he provided any day of the week. More importantly he hit .352/11/32 (BA/HR/RBI) in September/October, when you really need your star to step up. He led the 2008 Phillies team into the playoffs, as he should. Howard is projected to hit around what he did last year and his home run and RBI totals are not too far off from the average of his last 3 years. I expect him to see .252/48/144 in 2010, unfortunately for opposing pitchers, his clutch hitting is only going to get better.

Second (2.5): Carlos Delgado in New York had a better 2008 than 2007. That being said, as Carlos goes so does the Mets. He has not been with runners in scoring position until there are two outs. The difference being more than 100 points (.530 vs. .639). He is still a legitimate threat in that Mets lineup, and as long as he remains healthy and they guys in front of him can get on base, then he should be as productive as he was last year as the Mets will/should be happy to stay in second place behind Philadelphia. Look for Carlos’s to hit .269/36/110 this year, not bad numbers for a guy on the downside of his career. We’ll have to wait and see if his teammate will do their jobs, and perhaps, just perhaps, the Mets will force the Phils to look over their shoulder.

Third (3.0): Jorge Cantu has had a roller coaster career changing teams, changing positions. This year he looks to settle in as the Marlin’s first baseman with the trading of Mike Jacobs to Kansas City. Now with a place, both city and position, to call home, Cantu can focus on his game. Last year he hit .277/29/95 for a young team where at 27, Jorge will be one of the elder statesmen. This year should only be better. He has shown that with an adequate numbers of at bats and with his health in good shape, his numbers will start to solidify to show an above average player. .273/27/85 is where he’ll be at season’s end. That RBI total should be higher but with Hanley Ramirez being the only real established hitter ahead of him, he’ll have to take advantage of every RBI chance he can.

Fourth (3.0): Casey Kotchman loses the tie break with Cantu by way of power and slugging. He is a good young player to came to the Braves via the Los Angeles California Angels of Anaheim and has established himself as a good hitting first baseman. He’s not the kind of power hitter Howard and Delgado are, but he has hit 11 and 14 in the last two years respectively, so some pop is there. I see him more in the Mark Grace mold though where he has a decent batting average and he doesn’t hurt an overall lineup that includes Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. Whether any of these guys will drive in 100 runs in 2010 is a big question mark, while Kotchman should be good for around 80 RBI. His projection figures out to be .282/15/79 as the Braves will have troubles keeping pace with Philadelphia and New York, especially when it comes to producing runs.

Fifth (5.0): Nick Johnson is a tough guy to rate, mainly because he hasn’t played the last couple of years. Now, with the National’s addition of Adam Dunn, it’s unclear whether Johnson will have any significant time this year either. Assuming he does play first base, and the Nationals play Dunn in left field, Nick Johnson has a long way to go to get back to the .290/23/77 he hit way back in 2006. Dunn would probably be rated 3rd in the division, essentially due to his power, while his batting average would be what is holding him back from getting any higher than three. But enough on Adam Dunn, I have listed Nick Johnson because he is a first baseman first (and because I did the math before the Dunn signing) and his projections are horrible .121/3/11 but may be more accurate since he may not see the field once again.

The analysis: I would happily post the excel spreadsheet I used to come up with my rankings/projections but it just wouldn’t come out right so I will try my best to explain it in such a way that is coherent and understandable by the general public. First, I weighted the last three years and used multiplying factors of .6 (for 2008), .25, and .15 for a total of 1.00. I then added up the sums of each stat (BA, HR, RBI, Avg-RISP, Slg-RISP, Avg-RISP 2 outs, and Slg-RISP 2 outs) and then divided by each players three year average in that statistic. I then took that number and multiplied it again against the sum and whammo, I got the projections for this year based on the last three. In most cases, it’s not to far off of the 3 year average but it does reflect an increase in some areas for some players. Okay, from there I ranked them one thru five and took the average of the regular stats (BA, HR, and RBI) versus the clutch stats and got the overall score. I wish there was a way to post it but that is the way it goes. We’ll see how it works out at the other positions and particularly with the pitchers, and hopefully, I’ll get it all done by Opening Day.

The Philadelphia Eagles: Free Agency Vs. The Draft Final Part

2009-02-18T15:29:00.002-05:00

One consistent thing that the Philadelphia Eagles have done during the off season is try to upgrade their O and D lines. Their offensive line needs to get a bit younger, however their defensive line is in pretty good shape. Now does that mean that they are going to stand pat? No. For the most part they need a solid defensive end opposite Trent Cole, someone who can command a double team, opening up Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson in the middle or require chipping tight end from time to time. They still might be hurting a bit from the Javon Kearse experiment, but I think it is safe to say that Juqua Parker is not the answer to optimizing the pass rush.

In 2007 they drafted Victor Abiamiri in the second round hoping that he was going to tie down the one defensive spot. He was hurt his rookie year and was part of the rotation Jim Johnson employs but has not stood out to me like a stud DE. In 2008, the Eagles drafted Bryan Smith in the 3rd round, a guy who didn’t see the field at all during his rookie campaign. What the Birds have on their hands at the moment is a logjam of average players at one position. What they need to do is dump two or three of them and get a legitimate monster.

Monsters don’t grow on trees, in real life or in the fairy tales of fantasy football. Julius Peppers in Carolina would certainly qualify and could possibly sign with another team. The Panthers want to throw the franchise tag on Peppers but they also want to keep their OT Jordan Gross as well. If they are able to sign Gross, they’ll throw the tag on Peppers. Otherwise, Carolina is in a pickle with Peppers. Other than Julius, there are a bunch of guys with a similar skill level like the Cowboys’ Chris Canty and Igor Olshansky from San Diego who has a great name but is not so much better than what the Eagles have that I would break the bank for him. The one thing that Canty and Igor have going for themselves that might look favorable by the Birds is that they are relatively young. The detriment is that neither of them particularly stand out.

There are a couple of prospects in this year’s draft that could fall to the Eagles in the first round. Aaron Maybin out of Penn State is not likely to be one of them, however there is an off chance that Texas’ Brian Orakpo could be there at 21. Will the Eagles select him if he is still on the board? Who knows for sure? My bet is that they will still look to take an offensive tackle first. That being said, if a player that they rated highly is there for the taking, they’ll take him. Tyson Jackson from LSU and Paul Kruger from Utah may be available in the 2nd round that they are more likely to be picked by Philly then, unless Andy Reid is comfortable with who he has on the roster, which is possible as well.

Tackle, tight end, safety, an offensive weapon, and a defensive end, those are what the Eagles need, in my humble and somewhat informed opinion, in that order. How each area is addressed will depend on how much stock the Eagles put on that position and how much they are willing to pay for talent. In some cases they are willing to pay top dollar. Other evidence would show that they feel that role players fit the system better in some spots. Regardless of which direction they go, action must be taken. To sit back and let the market decide which free agent they go after is putting a nail in their own coffin. They have been the market-setter before and they need to do so again. To their advantage they also have two first round picks that will enable them to move up and select one of the best in the draft, or fill two spots with players that can make an impact their rookie seasons. All should be told by the end of April, when the house of cards will be constructed, only to potentially collapse when glaring holes in the team are revealed in week one of the regular season only to become blog fodder for the remainder of the year.

The Philadelphia Eagles: Free Agency Vs. The Draft Part 4

2009-02-17T16:35:00.002-05:00

For the past ten years, it has been argued whether the Eagles would have won a championship or more had Donovan McNabb and the offense had they more weapons to work with. More recently this has been used by McNabb apologists as his legacy is being called into question, but regardless, it is a valid question. Since the Andy Reid era began, you can count the offensive “skilled” players drafted in the first round on one hand. There is Donovan, and then there is Freddie Mitchell. Todd Pinkston, Reggie Brown, and DeSean Jackson were all second rounders. Westbrook was drafted in third round and Correll Buckhalter in the fourth. Their focus in the first round has really been the O and D lines.

Wide receiver has always been an intriguing position for Eagles fans, most of who know that the group they have had has been slightly below average at best. Philly has gone out on a limb and picked up T.O. via a trade a few years back and went to the Super Bowl, since that time, Kevin Curtis has been the only guy they’ve brought in that has made an impact. Some would argue that the short time Donte Stallworth was in town would qualify, and maybe he would if he stuck around for another year. This year, I would doubt that the Eagles would go after a wideout like T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who would command more money than Joe Banner would want to part with. Instead I would expect them to go after a role player like Pittsburgh’s Nate Washington, if they go the free agency route at all. Philadelphia will select one receiver in this draft, probably in the middle rounds, whether that person even makes the team though, is questionable. As long as Greg (G.Lew) Lewis isn’t back, it’s and upgrade. Since one Rutgers alum will be leaving (L.J. Smith), Kenny Britt would look nice running fade routes where his fellow Scarlett Knight seemed to disappear.

Running back would be pretty much the same story. Unfortunately, Buckhalter will probably not be back, especially if he knows he can get more playing time elsewhere. That leaves Westbrook and bust Lorenzo Booker. I’ve seen mock drafts having the Eagles select a running back in the first round, but I can’t imagine that happening. They’ll pick up someone in the third or fourth round. Chris Wells would be great for the Birds but Andre Brown out of NC State is more likely to occur. There are no decent prospects for signing a free agent for the Eagles since Jacobs franchised and both Sproles and Derrick Ward will be looking, again, to make more money than the Eagles will want to spend.

The Eagles do have other priorities other than running back and receiver, I’ll acknowledge. It is just a shame that the flashes of razzle-dazzle come just seldom enough, fans aren’t sure the team is capable of putting on a show. DeSean Jackson, who doesn’t exactly fit “Andy Reid’s type of player mold,” has that potential and talent, so we’ll have to see if he can build on a fine rookie season. B.West seems like he is just out of that stage of his career. Whether the Eagles will use one of their top picks to try to get some of that sparkle back remains to be seen. However, I would not expect them to make too much of a splash in regards to skilled players, either in free agency or the draft.

Be Careful Temple

2009-02-13T11:44:00.003-05:00

Temple cannot afford to squander a 10 point lead late in the game and even hope to sniff NCAA consideration. This years A-10 looks a bit tougher than it did last year so if Xavier doesn't win the whole thing, including the conference tournament in March, someone else might...like Dayton. Last year, Temple got hot at just the right time and was able to win the A-10 crown. This year is a different story. Right now, at 14-9, they're not really on the bubble. They need to keep winning and get their win total up. They do have wins against Tennessee and and upsurgent Penn State that will help them when they haven't had those wins in the past. With seven games left, if they can pull out six wins (accounting for a loss against Dayton), a 20-10 record may get them enough on the bubble for the big dance that they slip in as an 11th seed. Not that they'll do much in the tourney, but Dionte and company need to do something that will put Temple Basketball back on a consistent track to the NCAAs.

The Philadelphia Eagles: Free Agency Vs. The Draft Part Three

2009-02-13T10:44:00.003-05:00

Back in 2003, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted L.J. Smith out of Rutgers to replace Chad Lewis, one of Donovan McNabb’s favorite targets early in his career. Since that day, Philadelphia fans have been waiting for his breakout year. It hasn’t come thus far, and it probably won’t come as a member of the Eagles if it does at all. Last year, the Birds slapped the franchise tag on Smith, giving him a one year salary of 4.5 million, mainly because they didn’t have any better options. Tony Gonzalez was rumored to be available, just like he is now, but I don’t believe the Eagles had any serious interest in the All-Pro Chief. By the end of 2008, Brent Celek, a 2nd year player out of Cincinnati proved he could find the crease, get open on pass plays, and hold onto the ball, something with which Smith was just to inconsistent.

I fully expect the Eagles to play the Celek card for next year and let L.J. go find himself a new home. Brent is not a game breaker by any means, nor can he block as well as the team would like, but he is serviceable enough to be a productive member of the offense as could be seen during the course of last season. Matt Schobel, third on the depth chart is a take him or leave him player, but I would rather hold on to him if the Eagles are going to pick up someone through the draft and no one through free agency. Otherwise, guys like Schobel are a dime-a-dozen and can be replaced rather easily. The best Tight End in free agency is Owen Daniels from the Texans, but he is a restricted FA and the Texans will probably resign him. The next guy on the list is the Titan’s Bo Scaife, who is a nice player, but for the money, I’ll stick with Celek.
Oklahoma State tight end, Brandon Pettigrew, appears to be the stud in this year’s draft.

Whether he is or not, no one can tell. Kyle Brady was a big time prospect at one point too and he was a touch under average. Regardless, I don’t think he will be available when the Eagles pick at 21, and I don’t thing there is any way they would trade up for him. In fact, I’m not sold on the idea that they would take him anyway, even if he did fall to their spot. After Pettigrew, the next batch of guys is a rung down the ladder. I do think they will be able to pick up someone like Jared Cook in the second round. Cook has good ball skills, but like Celek, can’t block. Pettigrew is by far the best blocker of all the top tight ends available in the draft this year, most of the other potential draftees being considered as below average blockers. But again, I must reiterate, it would be nothing of a surprise if he ends up in Philly next year.

When the Eagles selected L.J. Smith, they passed up a guy named Jason Witten, and since then Smith has found himself the 4th best tight end in the NFC East. The Eagles at one time identified that position as important enough to spend a high draft pick on it, and I think they need to have that priority again. Brent Celek can catch the ball, but you cannot have him on the line to run block. For that you need a guy like Brandon Pettigrew and that type of player is hard to come by. However, if he happens to find a home at the Linc, it would be a nice addition to the squad.

Iguodala an All-Star?

2009-02-11T16:05:00.004-05:00

Now don't get me wrong, I like Andre Iguodala, but he is not nor will he ever be an All-Star.
In an article in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia 76ers coach Tony DiLeo told Iggy that this All-Star break would be his last, and that he is on his way to All-Star status. While Andre has decent numbers (17.8 ppg, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 asts), he does not have the star quality required to be voted in by the fans, in fact he wasn't even in the top ten in votes at his position. Additionally, he is not even the best player on his own team, let alone one of the best in the league. DiLeo would have been more accurate saying that Thaddeus Young would be an All-Star than Iguodala.
Andre is a good role player, but he cannot carry a team. That's not saying that All-Stars must do so, but a star in the NBA must be able to lift a team on his shoulders and dominate in some respect. Although he is still young and talented, he is not that guy. He, at best is a poor man's Scottie Pippen, but without a killer shot. He is almost a dime-a-dozen type of player that teams need to defend, but do not need to fear. That's alright. He doesn't need to be a superhero for his team....or an All-Star for that matter, mainly because he's not.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/homepage/20090211_All-Star_turn_is_likely_only_a_year_off_for_Sixers__Iguodala.html

The Philadelphia Eagles Free Agency Vs. The Draft Part 2

2009-02-11T11:57:00.001-05:00

After addressing the offensive line and the two aging tackles that may or may not be with the team come the opening of training camp, safety is the next position the Eagles need to address. Despite the Pro-Bowl season of Brian Dawkins last year, it is easy to see that he is on the relative downside of his career. He can no longer be left in coverage by himself with any real sense of security, not that his immediate replacement Quintin Demps can either. Pass coverage is not really the strong point of the Eagles safties in general, aside from perhaps Q. Mikell. They need to be near the line as part of Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson’s scheme, and that creates a one-dimensionality that limits the scheme overall, dictating who the blitzers can be.

This seems to me to be a need that will be addressed through the draft. The last time they signed a safety out of free agency was, I think, Blaine Bishop. Yeremiah Bell is the best guy on the market that plays the same position as B.Dawk, but he is not better. I figure this much, the Eagles will give #20 the contract that will allow him to end his career as one of the most decorated and celebrated Eagles. They will use a high draft pick to select his replacement and will slowly integrate the rookie into the system so that he will be fully ready to take over for a Philadelphia legend. Forget about Demps, Sean Considine, J.R. Reed and the rest of the rabble. They will get fresh young blood to take over for the “old” man.

Now the question becomes, who are they selecting in the Draft and when? If, and I mean if, they trade up in the first round, they’ll be taking a tackle, not a safety. That would leave them to pick over the second tier of guys like Patrick Chung of Oregon or William Moore of Mizzou. I like the prospect of Moore, who was, and maybe still is, a first rounder by most accounts. A step lower and you might find Michael Hamlin from Clemson. Hey! Brian Dawkins went to Clemson. Hmmm. The Eagles must figure what they are going to do in the first round, particularly now that there is speculation that one of their two picks may go in a trade for Anquan Bouldin, but they cannot let the safety position slide. They can’t afford to go with a sixth round pick and expect him to be able to fill in with the capacity of skill required for the spot.

Whatever the case, safety was slightly exposed, not slightly….sorry, glaringly exposed during the NFC Championship. They need a guy who can do a good job in coverage to help the other DBs so that guys like Larry Fitzgerald or T.O. remained as contained as possible. If the guy they pick up can hit like a truck, well, that’s great too. But for now, let’s get a player who is intelligent enough to pick up the system so that when Dawkins decides his time has come, he can leave his spot to someone who is competent, confident, and able to continue the journey started by the great ones before him.

Brett Favre is a Muttonhead

2009-02-11T11:30:00.004-05:00

Can the guy be relied upon to make a decision and stick with it? Not really, but Brett Favre at least didn't string the New York Jets along before letting them know that he's not coming back; well not for the Jets anyway. It's a shame, it puts the team in a situation where they need a QB for next year. They can get that through the draft, but will that guy really be any better the Kellen Clemens. The other guys they have on the roster, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge do not have starter-potential. That leaves free agency or trade, neither of which will give the Jets a franchise player, unless they trade for Matt Cassel in which bidding for his services will be expensive since signing him is automatically giving up your No. 1 pick to a division rival. In any case, the state of the team Brett is leaving is not better than when he left and it is arguable that he is abandoning a team that put all of their eggs in his baskett. Pity, but on the flip side, the Jets really should have seen it coming.

The Philadelphia Eagles: Free Agency Vs. The Draft, Part 1

2009-02-10T13:19:00.001-05:00

What positions do the Eagles need to focus on as the off-season kicks off officially with the NFL combine followed up by the opening of free agency? Well, that depends on where you stand. Running back, wide receiver, tight end, safety, defensive line, fullback, offensive line are all areas that need to be addressed. That in no small part will happen during the NFL Draft in April, but it could also happen when players become available at the end of the month. Who will they target, well that depends too. In the past, the Birds have valued some areas more than others, hence the fact they have had one Pro-Bowl receiver (T.O) during Andy’s tenure.

Offensive Tackle should be a major concern for the Philadelphia Eagles. Their two starters, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan are without a doubt getting up there in age and there are no guarantees that either one will be back in green next year. On top of that, their back ups leave too much to be desired. Winston Justice was something of a revolving door when he played in 2007 and has done nothing to prove he was worth trading up for in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft. Shawn Andrews was supposed to be the heir apparent to Jon Runyan and has become a dominating guard in the meantime. His desire to play the game has now been called into question over an iffy back problem. At this point I would hope the Eagles are not relying on this guy coming back, and if they are, not at the tackle position. That essentially leaves two open bookend spots.

In free agency there is not much they can go with. Jordan Gross, a potential free agent of the Carolina Panthers could be a route the Eagles might turn. They signed Runyan as their first big free agent signing from Tennessee all those years back so it is not out of the question if they push hard after Gross. Otherwise, there are not that many better options than Thomas and Runyan. Free Agency’s only other decent offers would be Vernon Carney of Miami, Cincinnati’s Stacy Andrews, and the Steeler’s Max Starks, and one or two of these guys will probably re-sign with their current team. I would say with some sense of confidence that if the Eagles do not get the top guy on the market, they will try to re-sign both Thomas and Runyan and move to picking up a top notch player with one of their two first round picks.

This years draft seems to have a few tackles with first round potential. Unless the Eagles move up, I think the top couple of players will be off the board when the Birds’ first pick at 21 is on the clock. Michael Oher from Mississipi is a possibility but it is really too early to tell who might still be there. If there is a player the Eagles really like and really want, I would expect them to move up. They have a history in doing so. Just a few years ago, they moved up and took Andrews, so instead of having to pay two first rounders, they’ll slide up 6 or so spots and get their guy.
When the free agency flurry begins, the Eagles are almost certain to be players, and I would imagine if Jordan Gross is available, he’ll get a call from Philly. Either way, the Eagles will hopefully not set themselves up to having to play Winston Justice and in turn a back up QB when McNabb gets killed. They are too smart to let that happen unless they out-think their own genius. But if Gross isn’t available, Philly fans will have to wait until April to see which direction the franchise will move.

The Philadelphia Phillies Are Brilliant

2009-02-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

It would appear that the chastity belts have been removed from the purse strings of the Phillies ownership. For years the mentality of being a second-rate team in a small market has weighed down the thinking that paying for players with a higher quality of potential and talent can lead to a championship. And what do you know? This past off season has been one of the most productive the Phillies have ever had. They resigned every player that was arbitration eligible. The one big piece of the World Series team who was eligible for free agency, Pat Burrell, was allow to leave but was replaced by a player who could be just as effective as a hitter, and probably a bit better in the field. Otherwise, the likes of Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, and ace Cole Hamels will help lead the Phils back to the post season.

Now in recent events, the Phillies have made their most brilliant move to date. They have locked up Ryan Howard, perhaps the most prolific power hitter (Albert Pujols noted) in the past decade. What he has done in his short career is unparalleled by any Phillie. Signing Howard to a three year, 54 million dollar contract was the best thing they could do for both sides. I have previously written about what has gone on between the two parties and while I am not shocked that they got a deal done, I am a bit surprised that it seems that Ryan shortchanged himself on the back end of the deal. The contract calls for 15 million dollars this year, 19 next year, and 20 the third year, which by then could be a real bargain if he continues the way he has. It also forgoes the next few years of arbitration which only created an environment of contention and allows Ryan to focus on getting prepared for the upcoming season. A happy Howard is a vital piece to repeating last year's performance, especially with the prospect of Chase Utley missing the beginning of the season

Now it seems that the team is in place for a run at defending its championship. With the only real questions being the fifth starter and J.C. Romero's temporary replacement, Ruben Amaro Jr. and Charlie Manuel should not only be set up this year, but perhaps the next three, just as long as they are able to find the pitching they need. They have Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer for one more year. After that they'll need to replace one or both. It could be through the promotion of JA Happ or Carlos Carrasco, both of whom are vying for the 5th starter spot this year, and we shall see how they work out in spring training. The Phils also have some trade bait to dangle if need be. Jason Donald performed well on the Olympic squad as well as the Arizona Fall League and could even make the big league roster if Utley isn't ready for opening day. But for the time being, instead of getting to far ahead of ourselves, let's focus on this year.

This year the Phillies division got a little better, through the Mets addition of K-Rod and the Braves picking up Derek Lowe. That being said, there is still no reason the Phillies should finish anywhere but in first place. The Mets gained nobody that can instill any heart into a ballclub that has collapsed in September the past two years and Atlanta's lineup couldn't be picked out by the players' own mothers. From the lead-off man, down to the last guy off the bench, Philly's offense remains unmatched in the National League East. Pitching is a bit more comparable from team to team, but the Phillies are in a position to where they can outscore their opponents when they need to, taking some of the pressure off the starters and allowing them to go after the hitters as they see fit. So if there are any doubters/haters out there that Philadelphia will be position to grab the pennant again come to grips with it now ‘cause it's gonna happen.

Oh yeah, to all those A-Rod fans. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!