Reid finally pulls the trigger on McNabb

As I am writing this blog, the game is still in progress. But this may possibly be a historic day in the history of The Philadelphia Eagles. This may be known as the day when Andy Reid finally replaced Donovan McNabb with possible future quarterback Kevin Kolb. After seven turnovers in the last two games and looking as enthused as someone ready for a tax audit, McNabb's removal is still shocking but not totally surprising.

I know it's hard to believe, but several players shared the notion that Reid was as angry as they had ever seen him following last week's overtime debacle in Cincinnati. Although his job doesn't seem to be on the line, all of greater Philadelphia is calling for his head or Donovan's. After a decade, it's really hard to point the finger at who needs a change of scenery: Is it Reid's play calling? Is it Donovan's play? I for one, and getting sick and tired of both of them on AND off the field. With Reid, you can listen to a press conference from 1999, and you still wouldn't know what game or year it was. The same old song and dance is getting real old. If Reid "has to do a better job with putting his players in a better position to win" after ten years, maybe Reid does need to go to the front office and turn the reigns over to another coach. Since Reid drafted Kolb, it is likely that he would want to work with him if he is indeed McNabb's replacement.

No matter what has happened in any Eagles loss over the past decade, it has NEVER been the fault of Donovan McNabb. You could publish his book of excuses and make a lot of money. There have been rare occasions when Donovan opens his mouth and makes sense. Last week was not one of those instances. The fact that almost nobody on the Eagles knew that overtime ended in a tie during the season is an embarrassing to the fans of this city. And if they didn;t know the rules, it should be further reinforced by the coach. I have known that rule since I was about six. When he was six, McNabb was probably being told by somebody how fantastic he is, so I guess he never really needed to know that. To add insult to injury, he justifies his excuse by saying that Heinz Ward didn't know the rule either when a Steelers game ended in a tie several years ago. Isn't that something you do when you're a child? Put something on the other kid when you know you did something stupid?

In Philadelphia, the fans actually have greater respect for less talented athletes than McNabb (Mitch Williams) when they stick there face in the camera and say "I screwed up." We have never gotten that with McNabb. He has been the best football player in his pee wee league, grade school, high school, and college. Probably being told by his overprotective parents that everything he has ever done is perfect. When you are suddenly in a situation where everything you do isn't so great all the time, it can hit you harder than Ray Lewis. I have seen this scenario on much smaller scales, but when you break it down maybe it is bigger because this is life, not a football game. All I know is, if I don't know the rules to my job, I wouldn't have it for too much longer.

Donovan McNabb, for other reasons or not, may soon be in that position.

Phinally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In case you're wondering why it took me so long to write this blog, it's simply because I still can't believe what has transpired over the last four days in this town. I've had this site up for close to three years, and for the first time I am speechless. So I'm just gonna blurt it out, like the true kings of baseball that we are right now.

WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!

What I have witnessed in the last week you really can't describe: The 25 year jinx ending in this town, the first suspended game in MLB World Series history. The 2 million plus at that parade that DWARFED the 1980 parade. We actually celebrated without anyone dying or jumping off a building. Of course, there is a clown in every bunch that always tries to make things interesting. Right now, we are the center of the baseball world. EVERYONE envies us right now. EVERYONE wants to be us right now. We are national heroes. Not only does this boost the morale of Philly sports fans, this will work wonders for the city and everybody in it.



WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those as fortunate as myself that were actually at the game, the image of Brad Lidge going down on his knees after striking out Eric Hinske will forever be imbedded in my brain. The fact that I was able to celebrate it with my dad as well as friends that have live, cried, and died with this team for our whole lives is probably what is the most special. If you can't share it with somebody, it's not worth celebrating.

What is also special are the storylines assiciated with this wonderful victory:

1. Charlie Manuel, managing with a heavy heart, is now vindicated in this town. Nobody (including myself) is crying for Jim Leyland now.

2. Brett Myers, after being exiled to the minor leagues, marks a tremendous comeback to be a post season hero, with his arm and his bat.

3. Jamie Moyer, the 45 year old ageless wonder pitches a classic game three, silencing any doubters that he can't pitch in the major leagues anymore. he attended the 1980 parade as a fan. Now in 2008, he WAS part of the parade.

4. It was a true team effort in every sense of the word. Geoff Jenkins gets the rally started in game 5 (part deux) with THE buggest hit of his career. Eric Bruntlett scores the winning run in two of the four Phillies victories in the World Series. Pedro Feliz, who overall had an up and down season, delivers the game winning hit in game five. Matt Stairs' home run against the Dodgers in the NLCS. We could go on and on. Heroes galore. And they will NEVER ever pay for a meal or drink in this town again.

5. Tim McGraw spreading his late dad Tug's ashes on the pitchers mound prior to game three. Tugger was literally on the mound. Words can't describe that.

WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As Phillies fans, we have to savor this moment the rest of our lives. Just because we've won a title doesn't mean it automatically can happen again, or for at least another 28 years. Collect the memorabilia, buy the shirts and DVD's. Experience this over and over again. Because damn it, we deserve it.

Many many people have asked me over the last week what I'm going to do with this site if the Phillies did win the series. After a few weeks of deliberation, I have decided to keep the site up. It will however, have a different tone and an almost total makeover. It is time for a little change. And in this particular situation, change is indeed good. After all, in the words of Chase Utley we are

WORLD FUCKING CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fear and Loathing in Philadelphia- by Nicky Vallee

The World Series should be renamed the Wild and Wet Series...and I don't mean that in a good way....what happened last night in Philly was a disgrace. Commissioner Bud Selig should have suspended the game way before he did, and I'm not just saying that because the Phils had the lead earlier in the game.


The conditions on the field were, in a word, deplorable. What would normally have been an easy pop up out for Jimmy Rollins ended up putting a man on base. And it just went downhill from there...play was mercifully stopped as the top of the 6th inning drew to a close...but not until the Rays tied it up at 2-2.


Right now, the Phils should have a 2-1 lead in Game 5...but they don't...and with high winds and heavy rain/wet snow forecasted for tonight in the Philadelphia metro area, die hard fans are left to wonder if we will be able to finally shake off that monkey...and win a title Wednesday.

Nicky Vallee is a public relations specialist and free lance writer for Dune Mgazine in Palm Springs California. Nicky is a life long, die hard Phillies fan.

Phils rout Rays 10-2, one win away from breaking the jinx.

You knew eventually that the fightin' Phils would finally break out of their series slump with runners in scoring position.

They did that tonight- and THEN SOME.

When your starting pitcher with a .061 average in his career homers and equals his career rbi total, you know something special is in the air. Add two homers and five rbi's by a surging Ryan Howard and the Philadlephia Phillies need just one more win to become the World Champions of 2008. They now lead the Rays three games to one, and with lefty Cole Hamels pitching tomorrow night's game, the Phillies have to feel confident about their chances of wrapping up the series tomorrow.

The Phils attacked starter Andy Sonnanstine from the bottom of the first inning. Although they only scored one run on a bases loaded walk from Pat Burrell, Pedro Feliz singled to drive in the second run in the bottom of the second inning and the Phillies. The umpiring seemed to go the Phillies way as well. Replays showed that third baseman Evan Longoria tagged out Jimmy Rollins in the bottom of the first inning. Rollins later scored and went 3 for 5. Jayson Werth went 2 for 4 and added a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With his two home runs, Howard joins Lenny Dykstra in 1993 as the two Phillies with multi home run games in the World Series.

Blanton was also spectacular on the mound. Pitching six innings with seven strikeouts. Rays corner infielders Longoria and Carlos Pena went a combined 0 for 7 and are both hitless in the series.

On a personal note, this game was actually easier to watch in person than last night's nail biter. Then again, this will happen when you score 10 runs as opposed to just 5. In addition to the Rays facing Hamels tomorrow, they now also have to worry about the Phillies offense, which has clearly awoken from its slumber.

If all goes well tomorrow, it may be a few days before I write another column for this site. After all, it's not like anyone would have a reason to be disgruntled anyway.

Wet, Wild, Wacky, and Eventually Wonderful

Note to the baseball gods: If you made 45,900 Phillies fans wait seven hours for the home team to lose another heart breaker of a World Series game, you are not baseball gods, you would be SATAN!

Whether it is fate, or luck, or whatever you want to call it these days, the Fightin' Phils narrowly pulled out a game three victory at 1:47 am to take a 2-1 series lead over the Rays in the first World Series game ever to be played in Citizens Bank Park. Truth be told, this game shouldn't have even been this close. However, you throw in a combination of more blown calls by the umpiring crew and the Phillies still struggling to hit with RISP and you had the gut wrenching feeling that nothing is going to come easy for this team and their fans, no matter what the final result of this World Series is.

The game was the latest starting game in the history of the World Series. This was because all of your typical World Series games for the Phillies over the last quarter of a century have this common denominator: RAIN. Look it up. Game three of the '83 series didn't exactly feature rain, but rather a storm from the night before resulting in wet turf that in all likelihood cost the Phillies game three (look up Ivan DeJesus). And as far as 1993 goes, we played two games in a downpour and I think we don't really need to rehash them. So needless to say I was not very optimistic when rain was in the forecast for yesterday. And by the way, the previous openers in '83 and '93 also featured left handed starters for the Phillies- and YES, Steve Carlton (who threw out the game's first pitch) and Danny Jackson were both the losing pitchers in those games.

Enter left hander number three- Jamie Moyer. The script is all too perfect: Local guy from Souderton who skipped school in 1980 for the Phillies World Series Parade. At 23, he made his big league debut and beats Steve Carlton, his boyhood hero. 22 years later at 45, he shouldn't be pitching in a softball league let alone the Major Leagues. Nonetheless, here is Moyer, in the twilight of his career and oh yeah, about to pitch THE biggest game of his life. After two rough outing in the playoffs, there was question as to whether Moyer should even start this game. Manager Charlie Manuel stuck with the guy who led the Phils in wins this year and he did not disappoint: allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings (and two of the three runs were avoidable). Made even more impressive was the fact that Moyer pitched the game with a stomach virus. Needless to say, my fellow Hawk Hill alumni made us all proud last night. Truth be told, I wanted Moyer to win this game almost as badly as I wanted the Phillies to win the game.

Lost in the mix is Carlos Ruiz, who went two for three and shrugged off a crucial eighth inning throwing error that tied the game to have the only game-winning, walk off, infield hit in World Series history. Ruiz, who may have been the most inconsistent hitter on the Phillies this season, is the most consistent hitter in this World Series. His second inning homer off starter Matt Garza was just his fifth this season, but all five of his homers have tied the game or put the Phillies in the lead.

A story that surfaced after the game was that Tim McGraw, son of the late Phils reliever Tug, scattered some of his father's ashes on the pitcher's mound prior to the start of the game. Ya gotta believe that Tugger was looking out for the Phils and the fans this night.

If the Phillies lost this game, it would have gone down in the top five heartbreaking losses in this club's checkered history. Instead, they pulled it out for their first game three victory in six World Series appearances. The team will be the death of all of us for how they do things, and I may not live to see my next birthday. If there are two more wins and a parade down Broad Street, I think I have a chance. They have never won a game four in their World Series contests either, so Joe Blanton will need to be on his best tonight against Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine.

Last night they made the impossible just two steps closer.

Phils acting like they forgot how to play baseball as Rays even series.

Where do we begin?

Greg Dobbs forgetting how to swing the bat? Jimmy Rollins now at an ungodly 0 for 10 clip? Ryan Howard continuously coming up small in the clutch and forgetting how to catch a baseball? Jason Werth forgetting how to field, run the bases, or setting a Philies record with 16 strikeouts in the postseason? Oh, and I almost forgot: How the Phillies after two games are an alarming, discouraging, and downright frightening 1 for 28 for an .036 clip with runners in scoring position! This officially tops Tyrone Hill in the 2001 NBA Finals as the most impotent display (or lack thereof) of offense I have ever seen from a team playing for a championship. I was not alive to see the 1966 Dodgers score just two runs against Baltimore in the most anemic showing of team offense ever witnessed in a World Series.

Starter James (Big Game) Shields was not his sharpest, but when your offense is sporadic like the Phillies, they sometimes can make anyone look good. Things got so bad for the Phillies that they made Dan Wheeler, considered the weakest link in Tampa Bay's bullpen, look like Sparky Lyle. Unlike game four of the NLCS, there was no dramatic comeback win to seize a commanding lead in the series. Although the Phillies leave Tampa Bay with a split, they can't help but feel that this game was well within their reach, and they let it slip away. A win by the Phillies tonight would have almost secured a parade down Broad Street for the first time in 25 years.

As I said before, Tampa Bay is no lay down. And just like all of the critics who are predicting the Rays to win this series, they did anything but that in game two. By getting three runs on three ground outs, they didn't exactly tear the cover off the ball. Nonetheless, they did much more than the Phillies did offensively. For the second straight game, the Phillies failed to put the ball in play in clutch situations. After watching this team throughout the year, you are well aware of the long stretches this can go on for. And with an inconsistent and questionable Jamie Moyer going against ALCS MVP Matt Garza on Saturday night in Philadelphia, it looks like the Phillies may be the underdog in this series just 24 hours after their thrilling game one victory.

That's Philadelphia for you. Note to Don Henley: New York's not the only city where everything can change in a minute.

Will the Phillies turn the tide? Or will it be 1983 and 1993 all over again? I really hate to bring this up, but the Phillies just don't seem to have ANY luck in World Series games dated October 23rd. After all, it IS 15 years to the day since Joe Carter sent Mitch Williams' fastball (?) over Skydome's left field wall. I am going to bed tonight very disgruntled, just like I did 15 years ago to the day, and just like every other Phillies fan in the Delaware Valley will do tonight.

I really hope I haven't seen this script before.

Phils win opener in Tampa Bay, but take it one game at a time.

You've heard the stats over the last week: 10 out of the last 11 winners of game one of The World Series have gone on to win the fall classic. That bodes very well for The Philadelphia Phillies, who won the inaugural contest in Tampa Bay 3-2 in exciting, and sometimes gut-wrenching fashion. Despite the game one victory, there were several problems that the Phillies will have to address if they are to capture the first title in Philadelphia since 1983.

The Good:

Starter Cole Hamels is quickly cementing himself as one of the best Phillies post season pitchers of all time, allowing seven baserunners in seven innings and surrendering two runs in last night's victory. His post season ERA is now 1.55

Chase Utley became the 34th player in World Series history to homer in his first World Series at bat. His two-run blast set the tone for game one, and he added another hit later in the game.

Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge: When these guys pitch as effectively as they did last night, you are pretty much looking at a seven inning game. Madson is throwing even harder this post season, and the fact that Lidge could set the Rays down in order despite a seven day layoff is very encouraging.

Taking game one was VITAL. If the Rays beat Hamels, it shifts the confidence level towards them. 63 out of 103 teams who have won game one have won the series. That is just a number, but this morning I would rather be the Phillies than the Rays. Also lost in the mix is the momentum factor. Even though the last two teams with an extended layoff (2006 Tigers, 2007 Corraddo Rockies) exited rather quietly in the World Series, the previous three teams (2001 Diamondbacks, 2002 Angels, 2005 White Sox) had an equally long layoff and won the World Series.

The Bad:

After Cole Hamels, the talent in the Phillies rotation drops significantly. Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton must step up if they are to put the Rays away.

The Phillies were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. This included Ryan Howard going 0 for 4 and striking out three times with runners in scoring position. Howard was also atrocious in the field again, only being saved by a pickoff of Carlos Pena after his error allowed Pena to reach first base. You can't give a championship caliber team like Tampa Bay 4 outs in an inning. Eventually, they will make you pay for it. The layoff seemed to hurt Jimmy Rollins as well. Rollins probably had the worst offensive game by a hitter in recent memory in a World Series, going 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts and stranding 5 runners on base. My prediction was that these two would have an excellent series. But then again, everybody seems to be picking the Rays to win as well. I hope that the latter is wrong. Howard and Rollins MUST have a stronger series if the Phillies are to win.

I'm sure this series is far from over and technically, there are six games left to go. Keep in mind that the Rays also lost game one of the ALCS against the Red Sox, and then reeled off three wins in a row. They are a resilient team who will bounce back. Also keep in the mind that the Phillies won the opener of the 1983 World Series, then promptly dropped four in a row from the Orioles. At the end of the day, I'd still rather be in the Phillies position right now. Their business like approach assures you that they know there are three more wins to go. They've proven everybody wrong all year. They have to do it again tonight as the "experts" are predicting an uproar in the Rays offense in game two.

Last night however, the Phillies made what always seemed impossible one step closer to becoming possible.

We FINALLY know who we're playing!!!!!

I was enjoying a drink with Brian Startare of WIP and Dennis Bakay of PhillyPurge.com at Downey's Friday night, when Phils broadcaster and former pitcher Larry Andersen stopped by with some friends. When I asked Larry who he would rather see the Phillies face in the World Series, Andersen noted that both teams in the ALCS are both good teams, but that The Boston Red Sox would have too much momentum going into a World Series if they came back from another three games to one deficit.

For the record, I agree. And after almost a week of speculation, the fightin' Phils will indeed be facing The Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field to start game one of the much anticipated World Series. As usual, the Phillies are NEVER the media favorites, with ESPN's Tim Kurkjian picking the cinderella Rays (if I hear that again, I will vomit) in seven games. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, never one to favor the Phils during the 2008 playoffs, didn't exactly pick Tampa Bay, but it seemed more or less that he was leaning towards them as opposed to the Phillies.

The fact that this 25-year jinx has been burden on this town for so long should be a story of its own to the national media. Problem is, no one is biting. To be fair, Tampa Bay is no Milwaukee or Los Angeles. However, if the Phillies were able to beat the Dodgers despite a batting average of .533 from Manny Ramirez, they should do at least an adequate job at trying to contain the Rays offense. Truth be told, the Phils and Rays match up well against each other, with the slight edge given to the Rays starting pitchers. Despite the emergence of ALCS MVP Matt Garza, James Shields, and Andy Sonnanstine, the Phillies handled C.C. Sabathia, Derek Lowe, and Chad Billingsley pretty well in the playoffs so far. The key to game one is getting to Rays starter Scott Kazmir, who could give problems to lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

The Phils need to win this for the franchise, the long-suffering city, and last but not least, the fans. This is the most pivotal run at a championship in the long history of the city. If they win, it will be the best and most significant. We will no longer be losers, no longer number two. Pain, anguish, and heartache erased for a long while. The city of Philadelphia will rise to new and unbelievable heights. I really don't want to think of what could happen if we lose.....again. Faith in any of our sports teams may be permanently damaged. And with the Flyers struggling again, the Sixers not quite ready, and the Eagles inconsistency, chances are you'll have to wait next year's Phillies team for another hope of a parade. And as we all know in this town, once you get there, you may never get back. Tampa Bay CAN'T get another championship at our expense. The interviewers who talk to Tampa's "fans" openly discuss about how much they have lived and died with their team. This is a complete and utter joke. We've been waiting to get back to the World Series since before they even had a team. They've had their World Series already. I remember a team who had a pretty good run similar to the Rays back in the day: the 1993 Phillies. As a thirty year old, I can't afford to be 45 and complain about the 2008 World Series, just like I still cringe beyond help when I watch Joe Carter's ball go over the Skydome's outfield wall.

They've done it all year. Let's hope they are the hungrier of two hungry teams. Never in sports did I ever think I'd be happy going 2 for 126.

Phils on the doorstep to World Series as the team pulls off the improbable

Four weeks ago, you never could have imagined this. As Carlos Delgado rocketed his second home run off of Phillies starter Cole Hamels deep into the New York night, the Phillies were on their way to a two game deficit in the National League East. However, a funny thing happened on the way to the playoffs. A sweep of the Brewers at home, a second straight division title, a series win in the NLDS, and three thrilling victories against the Dodgers in the NLCS later and the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves just one win away from advancing to their sixth World Series in franchise history.

It's not the fact that the Phillies simply managed to finally win a game this year at Dodger Stadium to give them a three games to one series lead over L.A., it's the tension filled, spine tingling, come from behind victory last night that will have Phillies fans talking about this game for the rest of their lives.

From the outset, it looked like the Phillies were in the drivers seat against starter Derek Lowe, who was pitching on three days rest. The Phillies jumped to an early 2-0 at the end of the first. Starter Joe Blanton, not unlike game three loser Jamie Moyer, was not as sharp as he was against the Brewers in the previous week, yielding a game tying rbi to (who else?) Manny Ramirez in the bottom of the fifth. The Dodgers eventually took the lead on a ground out. After the Phillies tied the game on a wild pitch by Dodgers reliever Chan Ho Park, reliever Chad Durbin surrendered a go ahead home run to Casey Blake in the bottom of the sixth, and only a tremendous game saving double play by Chase Utley prevented the Dodgers from blowing the game wide open to ending the inning with a 5-3 lead. Truth be told, the Phillies looked dead in the water. They had a game that was seemingly in their grasp slip away from them. What could have been a commanding three games to one series lead was looking more and more like a series tied at two games a piece.

Then it happened. A base hit and a pop up later, Shane Victorino laced a game tying home run to right field. After a base hit by Carlos Ruiz, late season acquisition Matt Stairs launched a 3-1 fast ball off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton deep into the right field seats, and suddenly the Phillies had a 7-5 lead. After a four out save by Brad Lidge, the Phillies stunned the Dodger Stadium crowd, and ended one of the most unlikely comebacks in the post season history of the franchise. With staff ace Cole Hamels on the mound for the possible clinching victory in game five, the Phillies put themselves in a very good position to clinch the pennant tomorrow. Once again, they are not arrogant but confident. An example of this could have possibly occurred this afternoon when Pat Burrell called a team meeting just prior to their workout. Nobody is sure exactly what was said in the meeting. It does however, speak volumes when Burrell, a notoriously quiet presence in the clubhouse is becoming quite vocal in the wake of the current circumstances.

The home run was sweet redemption for Victorino, who was a victim of retaliation on behalf of Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda in game three. After Phillies pitchers threw inside to Dodger hitters Ramirez and Russell Martin in games two and three respectively, Kuroda threw over Victorino's head an inning later. The center fielder made it clear that throwing above the head was off limits, which the Dodgers seemed to understand. However, after Victorino was retired to end the inning, more words were exchanged and benches cleared, but order was eventually restored. Many insiders were wondering whose team this would fire up more, the Phillies or Dodgers? The answer to that is unclear, but we do know one particular Philly who let his bat do the talking. Victorino is our Pete Rose, Scott Stevens, and maybe a little bit of the good T.O. all rolled into one. Always maintaining an upbeat attitude while remaining confident, always being part of the action, and doing whatever it takes to put a spark into your team. It's no surprise that most of the biggest moments in the playoffs this season have centered around Victorino, who right now should be the odds-on favorite for the NLCS MVP should the Phillies win this thing.

If the home run was redemption for Victorino, it was validation for Stairs. The seventeen year veteran and the quiet owner of 254 major league home runs has only been with the Phillies for a few weeks. Some fans called me and didn't even know who he was! What everyone soon knew was that the ball he hit would still be travelling if it wasn't such a cool night in L.A. The emotion on Stairs' face after rounding the bases said it all. A great guy and a good influence in the clubhouse, you really couldn't think of a better defining moment to have the biggest hit in your major league career. Hopefully for Stairs and the Phillies, there's much more to come.

Not unnoticed in the Phillies win is that the team is continuing to play exactly how all teams should play: Like a team. Ryan Howard may not be hitting the ball out of the park, but his base hit led to Victorino's home run. Carlos Ruiz may have only hit .219 this season, but if it weren't for his two out single, there is no Stairs home run, and I may be writing a completely different column right now. Ruiz's performance in the playoffs is much reminiscent of Bob Boone's performance in the 1980 NLCS. While Boone only hit .228 in 1980, his stellar defense and timely clutch hitting in the playoffs were enough to compensate for some of the subpar performances of the team's superstars.

Don't get me wrong, this team does have some concerns if they are to advance to the World Series. Chad Durbin is clearly exhausted after pitching in almost 80 games this season. Jamie Moyer has looked downright abysmal in the only two losses the Phillies have suffered this postseason, and Ryan Howard is seriously suffering from a bad case of Steve Sax disease. However, when your team overcomes such obstacles as game four of the NLCS with timely hitting from the unlikliest of heroes, one might dare to think that everything will pan out, and that luck for once may be on your side.

Don't believe me? We'll find out in a few days.

Phils look to take pennant in LA as they carry heavy hearts

The Phils took the red eye to Los Angeles Friday evening after taking the first two games of the NLCS against The Los Angeles Dodgers. However, these weren't just two typical wins in the NLCS. And come to think of it, these aren't your typical Phillies either.

The Dodgers first inning run in the opening game Thursday night could have been two runs- IF left fielder Manny Ramirez's long fly ball to center field didn't just hit the top panel before the stands. Baseball truly is a game of inches, and never more so for the Phillies on that particular play. The Dodgers Derek Lowe is known as one of the best post season pitchers in the last 30 years- BUT the Phillies got the best of him in game one just like they had done to C.C. Sabathia just one week prior. This was due in large part to Chase Utley's first post-season home run, and Pat Burrell's game winning blast moments later. And let's not forget Cole Hamels, who after a shaky start was able to settle down and pitch brilliantly for seven strong innings. Not many people are questioning the young lefthander's heart now, and after last year's shaky NLCS, Hamels has regrouped in 2008 and has been nothing short of spectacular this postseason. If you thought game one was awesome, this was truly the "Star Wars" to game two's "Empire Strikes Back".

Just prior to batting practice Friday afternoon, Charlie Manuel had received word that his 87 year-old mother had passed away after suffering a heart attack several days earlier. When game two starter Brett Myers heard the news, he told Manuel that he was going to win the game for his mother. It's obvious at this stage in Manuel's tenure in Philadelphia that he is truly loved by his players, and there is no doubt that circumstances or not, he gets the best from his players as well. Myers did not disappoint. His overall line was not impressive: five innings pitched, 5 runs, 6 hits, but once again it was his hitting that made the headlines.

Myers became the only pitcher in major league baseball history to go three for three with three rbi's in the Phillies 8-5 victory. Keep in mind that Myers only had four hits the entire season and has now equalled that in the playoffs. Like I said, these aren't your typical Phillies. Also lost in the mix was Shane Victorino, who had four runs batted in and made what was perhaps to this point the series most important catch. With a leap against the wall off the bat of Casey Blake's bat in the top of the eighth inning, Victorino easily saved three runs to keep the Dodgers scoreless for the fourth consecutive inning. The Phillies held on for the win, but moments after the game, he was told that his grandmother had passed away early Friday morning. Victorino's father had waited to tell him until after the game for fear that his performance would be affected. Nothing is yet confirmed, but it has been said that the families of Manuel and Victorino are taking care of arrangements that will enable both men to be present for the funerals of their respective loved ones while still being able to participate in the NLCS without missing any time. One thing is for certain: heaven now has a few more angels looking down on the Phillies.

In the whole history of this game, there is not doubt that the myriad of emotions experienced by the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday have not been equalled by any other team in the modern era. To play the way they did despite the circumstances truly shows the character of this team. Again they are not arrogant, claiming that there is still much work to be done as play resumes Sunday evening in Los Angeles. With the way they are playing they are getting closer and closer to the ultimate goal with each victory, even making believers out of the staunchest negadelphians.

And for that matter, some disgruntled fans as well.

Phils to take on Dodgers for World Series.....again

Haven't we been here before? Of course we have, but the majority of people reading this blog won't remember (or maybe weren't even born) when the Phillies last faced The Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS in 1983. I was just a kindergardner who remembers my neighbor's Moses Malone poster hanging proudly in his bedroom. It was only a few years later when I realized the signifigance of that poster. Oddly enough that year, the Sixers dusted the Lakers in four games to win the 1983 NBA Finals: to this day the LAST title that this town has seen. To add irony to the matter, the Phillies were in Los Angeles playing the Dodgers that night in May of 1983. As far as championships go, it seems that we either face a Los Angeles team, or have to beat them to get there. The Lakers robbed us of another NBA title in 2001,so now it's our turn.

The Phillies bats seemed to be heating up on Sunday as Jimmy Rollins and a rejuvanated Pat (Bring Back the Bat) Burrell slugged three home runs (two by Burrell) en route to a 6-2 Phillies win to clinch the NLDS against Milwaukee. After everything this frnachise has been through since their arrival in 2000, it was quite poetic that Rollins and Burrell sealed the deal. If Burrell has indeed found his stroke again, this means trouble for the Dodgers simply because they won't have the luxury of walking Ryan Howard to face him. Keep in mind that Howard has nine career home runs against the Dodgers, so he must make their pitching staff pay for mistakes.

Although the media is foaming at the bit for a Dodgers/Red Sox World Series and will always profess their undying love for Joe Torre and a hungry Manny Ramierez who is playing for a contract, you have to wonder if the Dodgers sweep against the Cubs was a result of them playing that well, or the Cubs simply falling apart once again. My guess is that it's a little of both. Their pitching has been more than consistent, with Derek Lowe always a threat in the postseason. Throw in Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda and the Dodgers can be dangerous. However, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, and Jamie Moyer at their A game are better than the Dodgers top three at their A game.

Despite the bias of the media, the Dodgers and their mediocre 84-78 record in the World Series would once agian show how weak the National League can truly be. Everyone is making a big deal about how it's been 20 years since the team won a World Series. My response to that is best exemplified by a quote from the late Chris Farley: "WELL LADEE FREAKIN' DA!" It's been 28 long, frustruating years for the Phillies. The Dodgers have won two championships during this span and the Phillies have lost two. Nobody is crying for us. But then again, it's Philadelphia. We will NEVER be the media darlings.

Simply put, if the Phillies can hit the way they are capable of hitting, they can take the Dodgers in six games. If not, they could be swept right out of the NLCS, maybe stealing a game if they are lucky. If they are meant to win, it will happen.

I've counted them out several times this year and they have proven me wrong every single time. Many things must go right, just as they did against the Brewers. Why count them out now? They may be just getting started. Let's hope for the fans in the best city in the world that they are.

Fightin' Phils go for the sweep

After witnessing one of the most memorable games in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday afternoon, you just have to sit back and tip your cap to this team. The play of the Phillies has been erratic at times this season, and I know it's just the inaugural round of the playoffs, but in just two games the Phillies have made me believe that almost anything is possible with this team. Many experts went on record saying that the Brewers would be in good shape if they were able to split two games in Philadelphia. The Phillies needed to win game one just to alleviate the pressure of facing C.C. Sabathia in game two, and also to get the monkey off their back from their short exit in the previous year's NLDS. Not only did they take game one, they decided to take game two to take a commanding series lead back to Milwaukee. The last time the Phillies were up 2-0 in a postseason series was.... dare I say it- 1980. A win tomorrow could put the team in the NLCS for the first time since 1993. Before we jump the gun, let's talk about yesterday's legendary game.

The challenge that was C.C. Sabathia was not one that Phillies fans were looking forward to after Wednesday's thrilling game one victory. In addition to facing Sabathia, there was the question as to which Brett Myers would show up for the Phillies- the one who got rocked in his final two appearances this season, or the one who resembled Bob Feller after he was recalled from the minor leagues in late July. After a shaky start, Myers settled down, not walking a batter after forcing in a run in the first inning and only surrendering one more hit while striking out four.

However it wasn't Myers pitching that turned this series in the Phillies favor: it was his at bat in the bottom of the second inning which may be the turning point in the entire series. A .069 hitter in 2008, Myers miraculously (Yes- that is the only word to describe his at bat) fought back from a 1-2 count to foul off three pitches and work a walk against Sabathia, who by this time was clearly rattled (whether by the fans, Myers at bat, or both). At first, the fans seemed to cheer Myers for his valiant attempt to keep the inning alive and the realization that at least the lineup would be turned over if he would fail to reach base. Then something came over the stadium. You really can't explain it unless you were there. It was if the tides had turned, and the ghost of Burt Hooten in 1977 was reincarnated in Sabathia. He was not the same pitcher after the Myers at bat. A Jimmy Rollins walk set the stage for Shane Victorino, who promptly smacked a 1-2 pitch into the left field seats for the Phillies first ever post-season grand slam and the first of his career. It's safe to say that the seemingly invincible Sabathia was not so invincible after all. With one swing of the bat, the Phillies seized the game's momentum. And although they had seven more innings to play, the game was unofficially theirs.

In the first two games, the Phillies simply did what championship caliber teams do in the playoffs: 1. Work the pitcher 2. Be aggressive on the base paths 3. Capitalize on other teams mistakes, and most importantly 4. Show plate discipline. The latter is something several Phillies have struggled with at times this season. The beginning of this change was evident in game one, in which last night's hero Victorino took a bases loaded walk to force in the Phillies third run. As recently as three weeks ago, there was a chance that Victorino waves at that pitch. However, this is the playoffs: No more padding stats for the season, no need to play hero. Not that I am insinuating that the Phillies play for stats, but the end result justifies everyone's needs come playoff time. The Phillies have also managed several double steals in this series, which can make the difference between zero runs, and two runs. And in the playoffs, ANY run can make a difference. Maybe Mike Cameron catches Chase Utley's line drive in game one on a May afternoon. Point is, he didn't, and the Phillies made him pay for it.

The exciting thing is that the Phillies seem to get it. With each passing game, they aren't playing tighter, but they're playing looser. They aren't arrogant but confident, emphasizing that this series is far from over. The scariest scenario is that the Phillies are far from peaking as a team offensively. The Phils have only scored in 2 out of 18 innings in the postseason. If the team makes it to the NLCS, Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell will have to improve. If Hamels and Myers can stay in top form, the Phillies will be in good shape. Milwaukee is a solid baseball team, but the competition increases as the playoffs go on.

If the Brewers lose in game three, this will likely be their last hurrah with the expected trade of shortstop J.J. Hardy, and with starter Ben Sheets often injured and facing free agency. Moreover, you have to give credit to Sabathia for the job he has done with the Brewers. He is a decent guy, and his willingness to take the ball every third day during the stretch run with his free agency pending has earned him lifelong respect for his probably soon to be ex-teammates. Judging by the radar gun at Citizens Bank Park, it's not like Sabathia was running out of gas after pitching on just three days rest for the fourth time this season. The Phillies simply got to him. He will still make good money come wintertime, but his contract will in all likelihood exceed the entire payroll of the Brewers.

By winning Saturday, the Phillies will be one step closer to the NLCS. Let's not get cocky yet, the Phillies certainly aren't.

The moment of truth for the 2008 Phillies

With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Phillies statistically find themselves in a better position than they were last year. In addition to facing the lowly Washington Nationals to close out the regular season, the Mets are playing the Florida Marlins at home to hopefully close out their ENTIRE season. Getting a feeling of deja vu yet?

Out of the three teams vying for the final two playoff spots, one has to like the Phillies chances better than the Mets or the Brewers. In saying that, this weekend could very well be one the pivotal moments in the history of this looooooooooong suffering franchise of the Phillies. Win, and all is well. Lose, and you can just chalk up ANOTHER disappointment in the history of Philadelphia sports. Philly fans are tough and resilient, but everybody has a breaking point. And to furthermore prove that nothing is EVER easy in Philadelphia, mother nature plans of wrecking some severe havoc on the tri-state area this weekend. I won't even get into all of the possibilities that could happen with these games if inclimate weather prohibits the teams from playing because frankly, it's too damn confusing and the situation is too lengthy and complicated. So I'll make it easy.

If the Phils win out, they are division champs for the second consecutive year. If they fall to Washington and slump to the Wild Card, or even worse lose all three games and fail to make the playoffs, it may be the final straw for the fans in this town as far as baseball is concerned. Philly fans are desperate for a winner. And while we absolutely have an undying hatred for The New York Mets, even the most grandiose of haters has to admire their grit and determination.

In saying that, the possibility of losing your division to the much malingered and injury depleted Mets squad is like losing a fist fight to somebody with no arms. And with many, many Phillies headed for salary arbitration, ownership will almost surely use this excuse for not trying to improve the team this winter. The National League East is often known as the National League least, and this will furthermore reinforce these opinions of Phillies fans and the so-called experts alike if the Mets manage to pull this thing off. At this point, you HAVE to win the division. Facing the Cubs (although there are concerns about the overall health of the team) at Wrigley Field will not be fun in a first round matchup. I would much rather take my chances with Milwaukee (possibly minus Ben Sheets) or even the inconsistent Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Truth be told, the winner of this division has a legitimate shot at a World Series berth if they are lucky enough to hold off the (even more cursed than the Phillies) Cubs if both teams find themselves in the NLCS.

In addition to having the division title at stake, the two losses at home to the lowly Atlanta Braves and the second consecutive rough outing by Brett Myers has raised some cause for concern even though the Phillies are on the doorstep of the postseason. To be fair, the Phillies had won ten out of their last eleven games, and flat out pulverized the Braves in 2008, but they really picked the wrong time to fall flat. As for Myers, rumor has it that he has recently suffered from a mechanical glitch in his delivery. For the team's sake, one hopes that this is true. With Cole Hamels (whether fairly or unfairly) recently wearing the tag of the "pitcher who can't win the big game", Myers has become your ace in the hole. Major, major trouble lurks on the horizon if the Phils make the playoffs and neither Hamels or Myers can keep it together.

Every year brings new surpises to a team. The Phillies are one of the healthiest teams in the major leagues. You never know when the injury bug is just around the corner (see Atlanta-2008). That is why you have to win NOW. With the Mets payroll about to explode in 2009, who knows when this team will get another legitimate chance. You know what they say about karma, but you can't tell me the Phillies used up all of theirs last year? Can you?

Ryan Howard, McNabb, Dawkins, and my two cents

Right now, from this point on, you will NEVER hear me slam Ryan Howard again. Yes, I was one of many who bashed number six several times this summer when weeks went by where it looked like he never seen a baseball in his life. However, in my twenty plus years of watching this team, only three players come to mind who are, as once phrased by Jim Fregosi- "red light players": 1. Lenny Dykstra 2. Curt Schilling and 3. Ryan Howard These are indeed special players. Players who thrive when the camera light turns on, when pressure is on, and when the games count now more than anything. Only three players in a cast of thousands over the last two decades is not very good. That is why the Phillies have no choice to give Howard the money that he commands for a long term contract. Although an energized Jimmy Rollins has helped revitalize the bats with help from Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino, Howard has taken his performance to another level. Make no mistakes, Howard's game still has his holes (strikeouts, Ricky Jordan's disease), but when he turns it on like he is right now, his pluses outweigh the minuses. Oh, and the fact that the Phils are probably going to the playoffs helps as well. The team currently has seemed to recapture the magic from 2007 that enamored them to the entire tri-state area. It didn't seem like it was always there this summer. For now it has unquestionably returned, and that's enough for me to be a believer. With Ben Sheets having more arm problems, it looks like Milwaukee may miss the playoffs again, and that the Mets may not hold onto the division, but could very well be the NL Wild Card. It could make for a very interesting NL Playoffs, and with two of the most cursed teams in baseball possibly going head to head for a World Series berth, something's got to give.

Which now brings me to the Eagles. After Monday night's heartbreaking loss to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football (also known as "The One That Got Away", several questions were answered regarding the 2008 squad, and several more have arisen:

1. The Eagles CAN compete with the big boys, but can they BEAT the big boys- In divisional games, the teams always take their game to another level, and Monday's game was no exception. I hate the Cowboys, but you have give credit where it is due. The Eagles rattled Tony Romo several times, with one of the times resulting in a touchdown. To Romo's credit, he didn't let it rattle him and he pulled out a victory. The Eagles could have put Dallas away on several possessions, but failed to do so and it cost them the game. Failure to penetrate the end zone in the second quarter when the score is 27-21 would have put the game out of reach. The Eagles however, only managed a field goal and the rest is history. Championship teams have that killer instinct to put teams away. The Eagles don't have that, and they had better find it if they wanna be considered a serious contender.

2. Donovan McNabb CAN still play, but he can't close the game- If you look at McNabb's numbers for Monday (25/37 with 281 Yds Passing) it's obvious that if he stays healthy, he has several good years left in his 31 year old body. The bad news- McNabb plays one of the best 57 minute games in the NFL. Problem is that there are the three other minutes in the game that have had Eagles fans scratching their heads for the last decade. Hall of Fame QB's take their team down the field and execute. All anyone needs to know about Donovan McNabb's career should watch that Monday Night Football game, which sums up his career in a nutshell (even more so than the Super Bowl). I couldn't help but feel that I was watching the same game that I have been watching for the last ten years when the Eagles lost Monday night, and the fumble and overthrow on third down in the fourth quarter were unacceptable.

I am one of the rare oddities who is in the middle of the road when it comes to Donovan McNabb. I am more of a supporter than a basher. We are watching the best quarterback in the history of the franchise. The Eagles will win a Super Bowl one day, but four consecutive trips to the NFC Championship Game may never happen again. There is nothing I would change about McNabb's game, except for those final three minutes. A "red light player", he has yet to prove. And after ten years in the NFL, I get this sinking feeling that we may never see those final three minutes we've all been waiting for from Donovan McNabb.

4. Brian Dawkins- From one athlete who still can play, to an Eagles legend whose game is becoming the most painful one of all to watch. At 34 years of age, Dawkins obviously is not the force he once was, and several plays on Monday night in which he seemingly was burned by Jason Witten and Terrell Owens multiple times has only brought more speculation to the fact that Dawkins game is fading. One of the classiest Eagles of all time, I hope that Dawkins is smart enough to know when his playing days are over and doesn't overextend his welcome and become a detriment to the team like so many other athletes have done in the past. A man of his stature should exit the game gracefully.

Playoffs or not, expect changes in '09 for the Phils

After yesterday's humilaition at the hands of Tim Redding(?)and the streaking (yes, I said streaking) Washington Nationals, the Philadelphia Phillies are slowly but surely losing momentum in this free-for-all we call the National League East. With emerging MVP candidate Carlos Delgado's two-run, game-winning homer against the now Ben Sheets less Brewers, the Mets now hold a two game lead on our fighting Phils. There are twenty four games left in this season, but the Phillies MUST, I repeat MUST take the remaining two games from Washington, and MUST take two out of three from the Mets this weekend at Shea to even have a hope of staying alive in this race, or by Sunday this thing could be all but over.

Whether the Phillies make the playoffs or not this year (and right now, I still have to go with the Mets) this will be a different Phillies team in 2009. Some faces will definately be gone, some may be traded, and some may be gone who shouldn't go. Let's weigh out some of the scenarios:

Ryan Howard- I understand that this is a very controversial topic. Let's be honest, Phillies brass will obviously try to find reasons not to give Howard a pay increase for 2009. Numbers are numbers however, and expect Howard to be awarded somewhere in the range of $14 million for next year alone in the arbitration hearings. This will not thrill the Phillies one bit. Casual fans will think I'm crazy, but don't be surprised if the Phillies attempt to trade Howard for front line starting pitching or major prospects. It is almost defniate that Howard will be leaving Philadelphia after 2010 and the Phillies will get nothing for him in return if time is running out (see Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling). Plus, Howard wants way too much money for a slugger who will surpass 200 strikeouts in a year and whose defense is a constant detriment to the team. If the Phillies can find a first baseman who strikes out way less and is a clutch hitter who plays great defense, they should at least try to acquire one. Make no mistake, Howard is not entirely to blame for the Phillies silent bats this summer, but a shakeup is needed if there are no playoffs for this team. To move Howard would be to try to improve the team, and the Phillies aren't going be confused with the Tampa Bay Rays any time soon.

Jimmy Rollins- There has been speculation that for the Phillies to get to the next level, one of the big three will have to go (Utley, Rollins, or Howard). Jimmy Rollins' performance this season on and off the field has been inexcusable and disheartening at the same time. His "anything goes" approach at the plate is getting more and more aggravating as the years go by. The fact that a leadoff hitter is not patient at the plate is mind boggling. We won't even get into the whole "front runners" comment, but rumors have it that Rollins is not happy with his current contract. If that is indeed the case, he is not exactly endearing himself to the brass to where they would want to renegotiate with him. Stories and scuttlebut surround the off-season, and don't be shocked if there was more to Rollins behavior and performance this season than meets the eye. Time will tell, but unless some team blows the Phillies out of the water with a package that may include Rollins, expect him to be back.

Pedro Feliz- Truth be told, Feliz has offensively been a letdown. That being said, I would still take him every day of the year over Wes Helms. Phillies fans have not seen that kind of defense at third base since Scott Rolen, and Feliz has a penchant for the big hit when he has been healthy more than Utley or Rollins this summer. Feliz is owed around $4 million for 2009, so chances are he will be back regarding some crazy package deal that never seems to fall in the lap of the Phillies anyway.

Pat Burrell- In recent weeks Burrell has struggled, but until then was one of the more consistent bats in an inconsistent lineup. Burrell has his holes, but has more of an upside than downside. He will be 32 in October and probably has a few good years left. He loves playing in Philly, and only two players in the history of this long suffering franchise have hit more home runs than he has. With his power numbers still strong, that has to count for something. If this team ever miraculously wins a World Series, it would be nice for Burrell to be part of that. He has earned the right to stay here, and he probably would take a hometown discount to do so. With the Phillies high on prospect Greg Golson and with Jayson Werth coming into his own in right field, Burrell may be expendable. Another possibility is trading Ryan Howard and moving Burrell to first base. Burrel's return is probably 50/50, but let's hope they "BRING BACK THE BAT".

Carlos Ruiz/Chris Coste- To be fair to Ruiz, he is praised for handling the pitching staff the way he does. As far as offensively, he has been the weakest link in the Phillies lineup all year. More was expected out of Ruiz after a solid regular season and also in the NLDS. If the offense was running on all eight cylinders, people wouldn't even care that Ruiz is hitting .221. Fact of the matter is, the offense isn't consistent, and people now start to point fingers. Coste is the ultimate team guy and a great success story. However, Ruiz's shortcomings with the bat have pushed Coste into the everyday lineup more times than the Phillies would have hoped, and as a result he is getting exposed. Coste may return in 2009 because he can hit, and is capable of playing third base and first base in a limited role of the bench. Ruiz is younger and a solid defensive catcher, so that may make him more tradeable. Chances are that prospect Lou Marson will not be ready come opening day 2009, so expect the Phils to sign a stop gap catcher (Benito Santiago-1996) while Marson is the backup.

Brett Myers- This may be the biggest question mark of them all. To say that Myers is the team's second half MVP is not a stretch to say the least. Myers has been nothing short of spectacular since his demotion to the minor leagues this summer, and he is solidifying himself as a dominant number two starter in the big leagues. At the same time, Myers performance during the last several weeks could also have the Phillies using him as trade bait in the off-season. Myers is slated to make $12 million next year and has long expressed his desire to be a reliever. With Brad Lidge locked up for the next three years, Myers will not get the chance to close. Due to his newfound success as a starter, it is possible that Myers may want to continue starting. We'll have to wait and see on this one. With Kyle Kendrick increasingly inconsistent and Carlos Carrasco not quite ready for the bigs yet, I would say the chances are maybe more than 50/50 that he will return, unless the Phils can acquire a better starter, or just want to give Myers and the team a fresh start.

Adam Eaton- The fact that Eaton couldn't get ANYBODY out in the minor leagues is a total disgrace to himself, the fans, and the organization. It's not that the post-Giles regime doesn't spend money, they don't spend it wisely. There was no bidding war for Eaton. The Phils simply gave him a three year deal at the price of around $25 million dollars. That is why he will be on this team next year. The Phillies wouldn't even cut So Taguchi, so you know they won't dump Eaton. And forget the fact about trading him anywhere and taking on half of his salary. If Eaton had any character, he should retire, or donate a portion of his salary to charity. I know that is easier said than done, but I would love to make millions of dollars and do my job less than half assed. All the money in the world can't take the place of embarrassment.

Kyle Kendrick- Maybe someday, Kyle Kendrick will be a consistent major league pitcher. However, that time is not now, and he is hurting the team more than he has helped them since the All-Star break. His ERA is now 5.08, and he will probably be bumped in the rotation on Sunday in place of Cole Hammels at Shea Stadium. Kendrick was a godsend last summer, and the Phillies wouldn't have made the playoffs without his help. In saying this, he is not helping them now, and with Carlos Carrasco waiting in the wings, don't be surprised if the Phils shop him around this offseason. Kendrick's control is way too shaky to make him a bullpen pitcher, and the Phils can't afford to keep putting lackluster pitching out on the mound when you are fighting for your playoff lives in September.

Jamie Moyer- Moyer was supposed to spend the final month of 2006 with the Phillies, then call it a career. He was so rejuvanated that he returned to the team in 2007, helped the Phillies clinch the NL East on the final day of the season, mentored young pitchers like Hammels and Kendrick, and has been the healthiest and most consistent starter in 2008. Veterans like Moyer don't just grow on trees, and at 45 years of age he is probably older than some trees. Moyer not only plans to keep pitching in 2009, he may plan to pitch after that season as well. Only problem is, the Phillies might not want him back. It is a valid point, but Moyer has shown no signs of slowing down this year and until he proves otherwise, he should be allowed to finish his career here. As much as I knock the Phillies, they have a better chance of winning a title than Seattle, where Moyer still makes his home and where Phillies GM Pat Gillick will likely wind up in 2009. The quote by assistant (and likely future) GM Ruben Amaro Jr. concerning the possible chances of Moyer not returning next year were untimely and classless. A classy act like Moyer should be entitled to have his affairs kept private until the off season. Odds are probably 50/50 he returns.

So Taguchi- Taguchi is hitting .198 and his fielding has been even more horrendous. The fact that he is even still on this team is an insult to the Philly fans as well as the players on the team. Odds are almost %100 that he will not be back. I said almost because the Phillies are never one to respect their fan base, they just take our money, no questions asked.

Geoff Jenkins- Jenkins has been a major disapointment, but as we all know, the Phillies will not eat salary and Jenkins is owed $6.5 million in 2009. Unless the Phillies try to trade him (and their probably won't be many takers for a 34 year-old former slugger with slow bat speed), expect Jenkins to be back, but in a limited role due to the emergence of Jayson Werth as an everyday player.

The Phillies Bullpen- The bullpen has probably been the most consistent part of the team from the start of the season up until the last week. Relief pitchers are spotty (see Rheal Cormier) and are known to have great years followed by horrendous ones. Chad Durbin has been the most consistent reliever who is not named Brad Lidge all season, but now is showing signs of leaking oil. There is no way to tell if his shoulder can take the pounding of another year in the pen. Durbin's upsode is that he is relatively young. Ryan Madson has pitched well more times than not, but the "deer in the headlights" look when he enters the eight inning is hit or miss. The Phillies acquired Scott Eyre as a lefthanded specialist to compliment J.C. Romero (and also because his contract will expire soon). Eyre has been solid so far, and the Phils would be wise to bring him back in the same role next season, though they may decide to go with J.A. Haap instead. Rudy Seanez has pitched well at times, but he is injury prone and nearing 40 at season's end. Not a good combination for a reliever (see Tom Gordon). Clay Condrey has pitched well in mop up situations, but his spot next year will probably be vacated by the more expensive and less reliable Adam Eaton. In closing, most of these guys will be back than not, but expect some replacements for the older veterans.

One thing is for certain, the Phillies will be a different team than the one you are looking at for the final weeks of 2008. For better or worse remains to be seen. The team has been a consistent 80 plus-win team for almost a decade now. Management will be the key factor as to whether this team has reached the pinnacle of their ability, or will now begin the downward spiral that permeated the 1990's. With rumors of Mark Cuban clamoring to buy the Cubs, and with the estimated $800 million dollar value of the Mets after moving into their new stadium in 2009, the Phillies brass and players have their work cut out for the them, not just for the next few years, but for the next few decades.

Im sure however, that Phillies management is right on top of things, is up to the challenge and everything will be fine.............................(Insert joke here)

Mets taking a page from the '07 Phillies

It's been several weeks since a new article has been posted on this site. Since then, Jimmy Rollins has called all of the philly faithful front runners, the Phillies were swept in Los Angeles by the Dodgers, the Phillies in turn swept the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park, and the team pulled off one of the most stunning and unlikely wins in recent memory against the hated New York Mets. The Phillies were so motivated by this dramatic come from behind victory that they proceeded to blow the next three games in typical vintage Phillies fashion. All three defeats occurred at the hands of the team's increasingly ineffective bullpen, who have now blown leads in the last three games. To say that this team is consistently inconsistent is the understatement of the year. One minute the team wins five in a row, with one of the wins a seemingly insormountable comeback against their division rivals, then they proceed to blow three of the biggest games of the year. I don't get it, and I'm done trying to figure it out.

So before anyone wants to complain about Charlie Manual's decision to pitch to Carlos Delgado on Wednesday, taking Cole Hammels out of last night's game, or complain how the potential go-ahead run would have scored today if the umpiring crew hadn't called Ryan Howard out at first base, just remember that the Phillies bullpen was considered one of the best (if not the the best) in MLB until a week ago. And as for today, Chase Utley (who clearly has a free pass in this town) was called safe at first on the potential ending inning double play prior to Howard's at bat. Also make note that the Phillies, despite being able to finally figure out new Cubs starter Rich Harden, characteristically left ten runners on base in this afternoon's contest. If Major League Baseball presented yearly awards concerning the aforementioned category, then the Philadelphia Phillies would have more championship hardware than the New York Yankees. And that is a lot of hardware.

Meanwhile, just when it seemed that the Phillies wouldn't lose any ground to the Mets in the standings, the philly fans get the traditional double whammy when Carlos Beltran launched a dramatic two out, ninth inning grand slam to pull out a stunning 5-4 victory over the Marlins tonight in Miami.

So just like that, what was once a half game lead after Tuesday night's 13 inning marathon has now turned into a 2 game deficit in the National League East. Whether it is securing the division lead, or holding an eight inning lead, the Phillies once again show their inability to put teams away when it counts the most. Tuesday's thriller should have made every Phillie on that team feel invincible, that this division truly belongs to them and they were never going to relinquish the division lead from this point on. A win Wednesday could have made it very tough for the Mets to regain first place. Two wins against the best team in baseball would have further proven this. Yes it's true that a two game defecit is much easier to take than last year's seven game defecit at an even later point in the season, but if it's not obvious by this point, take close notice that the New York Mets are now playing the roll of the 2007 Phillies, and the 2008 Phillies may be headed for the roll of last year's Mets.

It may sound crazy, but one must take note some glaring similarities: at one point last June, the Mets had a three and a half game lead on the Phillies. In June of 2008,the Phillies had a three and a half game lead on the Mets. The Mets are without the services of their closer for an extended period of time this season and their bullpen is in shambles. Last season, the Phillies were without their closer for several months, and until the arrival of J.C. Romero, their bullpen was in shambles. When the Mets' position players weren't hitting, they were saved by their resurgent left fielder. The same can be said last year for Pat Burrell, whose dynamic second half energized the Phillies. The Mets have won every important game against the Phillies in 2008. Despite several heartbreaking losses that would have sent many teams into a tragic downward spiral, the Mets seem to come back from these losses even stronger with dramatic, late-inning, come from behind victories. In 2007, the Phillies seemed to be left for dead by the Mets in early July, until they turned a corner with a vevy of improbable victories when it seemed that all hope was lost. Last summer, the Phillies got confident. This year, the Mets are getting confident. This is shown every time Carlos Delgado pumps his fist in triumph after another unlikely Mets victory. At the same time, we are all reminded of Delgado's refusal to stand during our National Anthem. Let's try to see him make $120 million in any other country, but I digress.

At the present time, the Phillies may still have a chance to win this division. In all likelihood however, any team who wins the NL East will probably have a short stay in the October playoffs. Before people send me emails citing the 2006 Cardinals as the exception to the rule, I offer this observation: for every 2006 Cardinals, 1988 Dodgers, or even the 2003 Marlins, there are decades of 1984-ish Tigers, 1998-ish Yankees, or 2007-ish Red Sox that seek and destroy their opponents. If you don't appreciate the analogy, at least admire the Metallica reference. Simply put, things like that do not happen in Philadelphia. This is spoken from a true fan like everybody reading this. Trust me on this one, there is a difference between having faith in your team, and being a homer. Don't be the latter. Nobody on this planet wants to see this team win a World Series more than yours truly, but you will only set yourself up again for more heartache at the expense of an ownership who are counting their money while you are crying in your beer.

In the end, if I were a betting man, one should put their money on the team that looks and acts like winners despite all of their shortcomings. That was last years Phillies team. Sometimes, drive and a will to win can compensate for a lot of things. And right now, that team is not the Phillies. I hope I'm wrong on this one. To paraphrase the late, great John Belushi from Animal House: "What the $%@# happened to the Phillies that I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh?"

Meet the new boss. NOT the same as the old boss.

Philly fans no longer fooled.....almost.

If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Big series for the fightin' Phils. If they take two out of three, they'll be in good shape. Well guess what? The result this time is no different. Having just dropped two out of three at home in one of the biggest series of the year to the Marlins in front of the biggest home crowd of the season, the Phillies once again came up short. A win today would not have exactly eliminated Florida from playoff contention. There are still two long months left in the season, but it definitely would have put the club on the ropes. The Phillies, despite remaining in first place for all but a few days of this summer, have time and time again failed to put away opponents when it has truly mattered. As a result, this division remains wide open with the Mets having won today as well. In the end, the Phillies may still win this division, but just expect a repeat of last years NLDS. Just getting to the playoffs gives you more of a chance to win than you are at home watching the games on the couch, but you can count the underdog champion story lines on one hand during the last 15 years.

The other night, one of the local radio talk show hosts presented callers with the question as to why Philadelphia fans have not rallied around this Phillies team? Despite 36 sellouts in 56 home games this season, the basic consensus form the general public is not one of strong faith regarding the Phillies chances to do anything past the first round of the playoffs. Why is this? I'll tell you why: This team is as maddening as hell. The failure once again to land an impact player at the deadline just further reassures fans that the Phillies brass may want to win, but on their terms (which everyone knows will never work). Yours truly has even sated in the previous article that I will watch the Phillies, but will never get my hopes up for them. Call it cynicism, I call it reality.

The main problem with this team is not their pitching, which is not the 1965 Dodgers staff, but nonetheless is given a raw deal by the "experts." The culprit is the offense, who has more mood swings than a pregnant woman. So inconsistent to the point that whomever our newly appointed puppet (general manager) will be during this winter, he will almost have to shake up this inconsistent lineup to find a righthanded bat who can hit to all fields and doesn't have 130 strikeouts a year. This lineup is way too predictable, full of vanilla hitters with absolutely no plate discipline. Sure the Phillies help opposing pitchers more often than not, but there have been some rumblings that NL scouts have finally found a way to get the Phillies hitters out when it counts.

Then there's the Philadelphia Eagles. It's no secret that the Lehigh camp has not exactly been an attendence magnet this year. No matter how far they jam Lorenzo Booker down our throats, how improved the defense is, or how Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown are the second coming of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, Eagles fans are simply fed up with the all talk and no action approach by Joe Banner and "Mr. Lurie" to finally get this team to the top. Eagles fans have been to the tip of the summit: four consecutive NFC Championship Games, and a Superbowl that should have been theirs, regardless of Spygate, Vomitgate, or the total of 26 rushing yards in the game by the offense. Simply put, what Eagles fans feel is a lack of committment coupled by the Brian Westbrook and Lito Sheppard soap opera storylines have finally convinced fans that enough is enough. Have you ever seen more drama surrounding a football team that hasn't won ONE SINGLE CHAMPIONSHIP?! Of course you haven't. Who would have thought the king of controversy, Donovan McNabb, would go through camp unscathed and under the radar. I guess it's Philly, so you should expect the unexpected at all times. On a side note, if Shawn Andrews is indeed not well, I wish him luck and hope he gets the help he needs.

Well that's about it with the two teams in town whose ownership "always knows what they are doing", yet the results are still the same year after year. One team consisting of total jackasses, the other team who went from The Gold Standard to Fools Gold. Let's be optimistic however, the two teams most likely to win titles in this town will be starting soon. And you know what, those owners are actually tolerable. Instead of selling a bill of goods, they usually deliver the goods. And though sometimes it might not work out, they don't try and fool you: they leave that to the other guys.


On a side note, when Lurie takes some of his Eagles players to the NBA Finals games aboard his private jet, do you ever wonder if any of those guys after a few cocktails says "Jeff, we really appreciate you doing this for us, but when the heck are you going to get us that wide receiver?!!!!"

Phils World Series hopes most likely washed away

This one hurts. Bad. Much more than usual. You know the feeling all too well. That punch in the gut that usually occurs near the end of September of every baseball season when the Phillies playoff hopes are once again nothing but the faint hopes of the Delaware Valley faithful. Oddly enough, Phillies fans were thankfully spared from those feelings last fall, although they were only preempted by a week or so after game three of the 2007 NLDS.

Unfortunately, the same feeling that this town knows all too well returned this year a little earlier than expected: around 9:00pm this evening to be exact. That is when the Milwaukee Brewers(?) had reached a tentative deal (all this means is that the paperwork has not been signed) to acquire the coveted C.C. Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians and two lower-level minor leaguers for a package that includes top prospect Matt LaPorta and other minor leaguers. Right then, at that precise moment, the World Series dreams of the Philadelphia Phillies were in all likelihood washed away for the 2008 season. However, before I dive completely head first into the Sabathia sweepstakes leading up to today's trade, the current state of the team must be evaluated.

To say it has been a week of mixed emotions for the Philadelphia Phillies is a vast understatement. After starting the week sweeping the floundering Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, the Phillies came home Friday only to see their "phantom offense" vanish yet again. Since their 20 run outburst in St. Louis on June 13th, the Phillies have scored only 48 runs. While their starting pitching has been solid, the bullpen has now lost two games in a row and may finally be showing signs of exhaustion. With only one left handed reliever in the bullpen, J.C. Romero is clearly getting exposed, and let's not even discuss Tom Gordon because frankly, the punchline is getting old. The same can be said for Brett Myers, whose start at AAA Lehigh last week was ANYTHING but encouraging, it was more embarrassing. That's why it is most likely no coincidence that the Phillies signed All-Star closer Brad Lidge today to a reported 3-year, $37 million dollar deal, and that Myers name had been reported in trade rumors involving Sabathia as recently as last week. Lidge's signing means two things:
1. He is the Phillies closer for the next three years, a role which Myers clearly coveted, and 2. Myers better learn how to become a starter again and FAST because the Phillies are not paying him $12 million to be a setup man despite Gordon's shoulder issues.

Then there is today's near three hour rain delay that culminated with the Phils losing a heart breaker to the hated Mets 4-2 at Citizens Bank Park. Is it just me, or did everyone know that Ryan Howard would go down on three strikes once play resumed? Howard is indeed an enigma: One minute looking like a sure fire superstar, the next minute looking like he has NEVER seen a major league pitch in his life. Which one will show up? Your guess is as good as anybody's. You have to love the clutch hitting of outfielder Jason Werth, who tied the game at 2-2 with a dramtic two out, two strike home run when all hope seemed lost (off of Billy Wagner too,I might add), but you would love the team even more if Carlos Ruiz rediscovered how to hit a fastball that possibly could have won them the game in the bottom of the tenth inning. Ruiz, who played so well last year and was the Phillies leading hitter in the NLDS, has Howard's batting average, but about fifty five less runs batted in. Ruiz's lackluster performance this season ruins any chance of the Phillies dealing catching prospect Lou Marson to any contending teams for pitching or any other need that the Phillies look to improve on by the trade deadline. Free agents Geoff Jenkins and So Tagucchi have been major disappointments. And to completely end the weekend on a sour note, it is looking more and more like Pat Burrell won't make the cut for his first All-Star game appearance. The numbers don't lie: Burrell is leading all NL outfielders in home runs and rbi (and no, I'm not just saying this to sell some shirts- Pat Gillick really should make an effort to sign Burrell before this season ends). Sure, C.C. Sabathia can't cure all of the Phillies woes, but good pitching always trumps good hitting, and the Phillies offense could actually breathe for a minute with a horse like Sabathia on the mound as opposed to being in a 5-0 hole before the bats even step to the plate. That's why the Angels will probably win the World Series if they acquire Matt Holliday from Colorado. Their offense is not as good as the Phillies, but their pitching makes the current Phillies starters look like the starting five of the 1989 squad (you wouldn't remember the names even if I mentioned them). Watching this team is almost like watching those awesome Eagles teams of the early 2000's: you knew they would make the playoffs, but their glaring weaknesses would come back to haunt them once they got there.

Although the Phillies have holes, and they were documented in a pretty convincing manner in the last paragraph, they probably are going to win the NL East again barring a major collapse. Florida, while remaining competitive in a horrendous National League, is not a division winning team. The Mets have won two straight in our own backyard, but zebras never change their stripes. Once they start losing again, it's going to be every rat for himself aboard that sinking ship that they call a baseball team. Atlanta is decimated, with Jeff Bennett and Manny Acosta joining the already crowded disabled list that the 4077 couldn't even nurse back to health, and Washington is well.......Washington.

The playoffs, well that's another story. Just look at these possible scenarios in the first round of the NLDS: Game 1: Hammels vs. Zambrano. Game 2: Myers (Hail Mary, full of grace!) vs. Dempster. If that's not painful enough, let's go to Milwaukee: Game 1. Hammels vs. Sabathia. Game 2: Myers (Our Father, who art in heaven!) vs. Sheets. I would rather ride the X2 at Six Flags about 60 times than encounter these match ups. In layman's terms: this would be downright terrifying. Also lost here in the mix is the legacy of Phillies GM Pat Gillick. Gillick, who by all accounts will be leaving the Phillies at the end of the 2008 baseball season, was desperately trying to land Sabathia and deservedly so. Not only for the team, but so he can go out a winner. Despite this loss, Gillick will still do his best to land another starter before July 31st. Truth be told, there maybe nobody really worth getting. Do you really want to trade with our old buddy Ed Wade for Roy Oswalt and his bum hip? That truly has Freddy Garcia part two written all over it. A.J. Burnett has been on the disabled list more than he's actually pitched, we've already "experienced" Paul Byrd, Randy Wolf knows Citizens Bank Park but has never pitched a playoff game, and Greg Maddux is just a Mickey Morandini line drive off his shin from adding another loss to his 11-14 career postseason record.

Lost in the shuffle is the fact that Sabathia's arrival makes the Milwaukee Brewers legitimate World Series contenders since the days of Harvey's Wallbangers! Back then, John Mellencamp was known as John Cougar, Moses Malone was still on the Houston Rockets, Laverne and Shirley was still on prime time, Robin Williams was simply known as Mork, and Snoopy's Snow Cone Machine was all the rage! You get the point. Despite these useless bits of pop culture knowledge used to express my point of view, it doesn't erase the fact that for some reason, it is remarkably annoying that the Brewers were the ones to land Sabathia. The team hasn't sniffed first place all year, and only recently have they started to show any signs of productivity. There was even talk of manager Ned Yost losing his job in June. This is a team whose market was so small that it couldn't even resign lifelong Brewer Paul Molitor after the 1992 season. Molitor went on to Toronto and promptly became the World Series MVP for a team who beat this other team who really should have won that World Series, but that's neither here nor there. The chances of the Brewers knocking the Cardinals out of the NL Wild Card went from decent to excellent. I will even go as far as to say that the Brewers could seriously give most AL teams a run for their money if they represent the National League in this year's fall classic. Of course if it's not the Cubs year...........

So as the early morning comes upon us, I end this article with overall numbness and a feeling of missed opportunity. It's a feeling that Phillies fans are too familiar with, but this one really stings and probably will for years to come. You really thought things were going to be different this year. With the exception of the World Series years of 1983 and 1993, this is probably the year that the Phillies can actually win a World Series if everything falls into place. Now it makes things a little harder if not near impossible. The worst part about all of this is, you can't even blame ownership for this one. There is nobody to really vent our frustrations to. Montgomery and Co. actually shelled out quite a bit of money today. To top it off, they were in serious contention to try and make things happen and publicly made no bones about it. Baseball insiders don't lie: the Phillies were in this thing until the very end. That's what makes this hurt even more. They one year they seemingly want to bring home a winner, they still can't get things done. And despite their presumptuous hard efforts (I can't believe I'm actually writing that about the ownership, or whoever gives Gillick the green light to do what he does), the results will probably be the same as the last 28 October's in this cursed town: no World Series trophy. Not to completely be the voice of doom and gloom, anything can happen in the playoffs(see 2006 Cardinals), and a few breaks here and there can be the difference in a crucial win or a heartbreaking loss no matter how good or bad your team is. C.C. Sabathia doesn't guarantee any team a World Series ring, but it would have put the Phillies a hell of a lot closer to where they wanna go as opposed to where they will most likely wind up. I will still follow the Phillies every game until whenever their curtain falls this year, but part of the fun is indeed gone. And one has to get the feeling that yet another missed opportunity for the greatest nucleus in the club's history along with their fans has to wait for (REPEAT AFTER ME) another year. Yeah, this one's gonna hurt for a long time.

And you can't even take it out on ownership.

What is up with Florida baseball teams?! This better NOT be 2003 all over again!

So here we are at the halfway point in this surprising, and now downright frustrating 2008 season for the Phillies, and you almost can't help but get this strange feeling of deja vu dating back to five summers ago in 2003: You can catch The Hulk at the movie theaters, the Phillies' offense comes and goes like the weather, and the team is fighting the (insert expletive here) Florida Marlins (?!) for first place. This is a scenario that not only shouldn't be repeated, but CAN'T be repeated.

I must admit, watching the Phillies the last two weeks has been downright awful. More for the fact that their performance brings back dreadful memories of that summer in '03: You know, when the team would rack up 15 runs and then zero the next night, when the malcontents of the Larry Bowa managed squad coughed up four straight losses to the Marlins during the final week of the season as a round mound of a pitcher named Kevin Millwood and his teammates coughed up big game after big game time and time again. Millwood's performance has been duplicated by another overhyped, out of shape, right handed starter who seems to be losing every game to the opposition in 2008 (I think you all know who it is). In games against the big boys this year (ANY game against the AL is a big game), the Phillies have, to be blunt, STUNK. Like that 2003 team, it doesn't look like they ever came to play. I thought the stigma of those teams of the early 2000's were over, but ghosts of seasons past never want to rest in this town, and you can't help but feel you are watching "Groundhog Day" over and over and over again. Make no mistake: I like this team better than the 2003 team. This is a team who actually cares, but it the end, it's all for naught if the final results are the same.

Now to the Marlins. You've gotta be kidding me if that "joke" of a baseball franchise down in Florida is gonna go knock the Phillies out the playoffs as a result of these dramatic, last second shenanigans that first came to surface several years ago by Miguel Cabrera, Derek Lee, and whatever future superstars the franchise had to trade away because they can never afford their players and NOBODY GOES TO THEIR GAMES! First it was their "miracle" win yesterday against the floundering Diamondbacks. Tonight, a game winning home run by Josh (insert expletive here) Willingham- owner of just eight home runs for the entire season? Somethings got to stop-NOW. I mean it, no more joking around.

Then, there is The Tampa Bay Rays. The same Tampa Bay Rays that are now ranked number one in the Fox Sports Power Rankings- nine spots ahead of that team in red who right now is hanging onto first place by a thread in the dreadful NL East. The little scrawny kid that you always threw into the shower in gym class is now the muscle bound stud that nobody seems to want a part of, including the immortal Boston Red Sox. If Boston dismantled the Phillies, what would Tampa Bay, who ALWAYS gives the Phillies trouble- do to them in a- dare I say it, series in October? (not that we're gonna have to worry about that the way our "heroes" are playing right now).

I think two things that propelled me to write this article tonight were: 1) the fact that the Malrins always seem to win games with a dramatic home run (as Willingham did tonight). And as he triumphantly circles the bases, we are given the privilege of watching all three fans jump up and down in ecstasy as they edge within a half game of first place. This STINKS!

2) Shortly after Baseball Tonight airs this memorable moment in Marlins history, the viewer is forced to hear Dick Vitale gush about his "beloved Rays" (there should be a contest to see which franchise in Florida can attract the least number of fans) and how ownership is doing all the right things to turn this franchise around. It's like watching your younger brothers and sisters all grow up to make something of themselves, when you're still stuck in the same dead end job with no chances of progressing (and no, I don't have any younger brothers and sisters, LOL) When Fernando Vina and Chris Singleton donned Rays jerseys during this segment, I had seen enough and was forced to go outside to take out my trash. Speaking of trash, I'm not going to use this segment to to just that to the Phillies ownership, but let's just put it this way: you'll NEVER hear them gushing about how much money they have so they can buy some free agents that will maybe put them over the top (GO SIXERS!)

The Marlins won't win the World Series this year. Chances are, they're not going to make the playoffs either. As for Tampa Bay, if they don't fade by the end of July, you almost have to be convinced that they are the real deal. And to be honest, their future right now looks much better than that of our Phillies. Pathetic. If we have to watch The Tampa Bay Rays hoist a World Series trophy this year, Armageddon, while maybe not exactly at that moment, will happen soon after. Let those undeserving fans have that parade that they so desperately need.

Oh well, at least THIS years Hulk movie was good.

Totally out of their league

It's a good thing that Phillies GM Pat Gillick is openly discussing how he can improve his Phillies ball club. After watching the Phillies play during the last week, it is becoming more and more obvious that this team needs more than minor tweakings to even consider themselves on par with the Boston Red Sox and the Angels (the whole name is too long. You guys know who they are) if they are seriously considering making a run at just their second World Series Championship in (GULP!) 125 years.

It's no secret that as the Phillies offense goes, so does their team. So as their "potent" offense has apparently seemed to take a week long bender in Atlantic City, one must have to wonder if 1) The Phillies are just hitting a slide that commonly happens to teams every year with the exception of very few teams in MLB history (see 1984 Tigers, 1986 Mets, 1998 Yankees). After all, they uncharacteristically came out of the gate pretty strong in April, so maybe they are due for a rough skid. Or 2) as former Flyers Coach Terry Murray once said in the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals: "Basically we're in a choking situation."

The Phillies are playing the cream of the crop of Major League Baseball during the last week, and to say they've come up small during these interleague games is a vast understatement. This was supposed to be the week that the Phillies were to make a statement to the rest of Major League Baseball: We ARE for real. We CAN compete with the big boys. As fate would have it, the only big boy's the Phillies competed with last week were the customers in line at the Bob's Big Boy's buffet, because they sure as hell didn't do it on the diamond. And in familiar fashion, Phillies fans were left not with a vote of confidence about their team, but if, when, and how they can graduate from boys to men in the grand scheme of reaching baseball's Mount Olympus. No matter how you look at the previously mentioned scenarios, the Phillies have been outhit, out pitched, and outclassed in virtually every category imaginable during the last week. With the exception of men LOB in last night's game: one can only imagine how last night's 7-1 debacle would have been if the Angels actually scored all of those potential runs. I may get my house egged for this, but Chase Utley does deserve part of the blame for the sputtering offense. If you're going to chastise Ryan Howard for his ridiculous strikeout total, or Shane Victorino for famously popping out to third base after valiantly working 3-0 counts, then you have to just sit back and ask yourself why Utley picked some of the biggest games in recent memory for this ball club to go into the biggest hitting funk of his career. Underlooked is the fact that Utley vanished last October as well. Utley will hit again, but one can only hope that this is just a funk, and not a recurring problem when the team needs to step up. Champions deliver when it matters. And right now, the look of champions has not yet been distributed to the Phillies.

If the Phillies were indeed fortunate enough to get past a Diamondbacks pitching staff in a five game series come October, and fool everyone by beating a Cubs team that may actually stand the chance of a World Series berth, the suits at MLB would have to seriously consider changing the World Series format to three games instead of four. Watching our starters last week was reminiscnent of the Francona squads of 1997-2000, when you would sit back, hold on for dear life, and hope that our AA pitchers who Bill Giles tried to convince us were "talented prospects" routinely got their lunch handed to them game after game. It's not AS bad as the 1988-1989 "AAA teams", but were not kidding anyone when we think that Brett Myers is going to get it together. Adam Eaton was due for a bad start last night, but then there's Kyle Kendrick. One can only imagine why Kendrick had a major meltdown on Wednesday afternoon. He is no stranger to pressure- ALL of 2007 was a pressure cooker for him. Do YOU feel comfortable going to the postseason with our starters? I sure as hell don't. To sit back and actually consider these guys as potential champions borders on the absurd to borderline disillusioninal.

In closing, they made me do it. I didn't want to be here writing this article as I mentioned in my previous blog last week. The Phillies however, will do that to you. They had the girl of their dreams sitting next to them at the bar, and they just sat back and didn't say a word to her. We hope that last week's below caliber play of our eternally tragic heroes is just indeed a slide that came at absolutely the worst time possible. We also hope that the brass will indeed step up to put this team at least in the running to be a serious contender to get to the playoffs let alone World Series. However Phillies fans, if anything, are realistic (complete the sentence as you want). Or better yet, fill it in at the end of October. Let's hope not September.

To quote the great Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Playoffs?!"

Right now, Phils don't have "The Look Of Champions"

It has now been a little more than an hour since the Phillies concluded their week long road trip. Despite the successful 5-4 record which included a thrilling sweep of the Braves down in Atlanta, the Phillies proceeded to drop two games out of three from their division rival Florida Marlins and the Albert Pujols less St. Louis Cardinals. Much worse is the fact that even though the usual cracks in the armor have come to the surface once again with this team, new ones may have arisen that can't happen again as they prepare for the BIGGEST series of the year: a three game set against the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.

After watching Sunday's 10-inning debacle against the Cardinals this afternoon, it is apparent to the entire show-me state of Missouri as well as the Delaware Valley that Brett Myers is obviously the weakest link in this starting rotation (that's right Adam Eaton, you're in the clear---for now). Myers constant failure to pitch consistently for this ball club will be a major hindrance for the Phillies down the stretch if they fail to acquire a proven starter at the trade deadline-or as it stands now, even before the deadline. With an ERA of 12 in the first inning of his started games, the Phillies bats are constantly playing catchup. And given Myers' record this year, the team has failed in doing so more often than not. The 20 home runs allowed by Myers leads the Major Leagues, and automatically spots the opposing team a run or more.

If you're the Phillies brass, what do you do? Move Myers back to the pen? The home runs will only occur later in the game as opposed to the beginning. Trade him? That's not going to happen at this particular time. This only further reinforces the fact the the Phillies MUST resign Brad Lidge, before the season ends or after. Indeed, Myers is an enigma and really always has been. He says he's a team player and will do anything to help the Phillies win. If that's the case Brett, maybe it's best that you do what the coaches tell you to do, perhaps do the recommended long toss, get yourself back into shape like you were during the off season. Although it will never be made public, one can easily imagine the frustration of the veteran players on this team constantly putting up with a headcase like Myers day in and day out in the clubhouse. Championship caliber teams do not have players like Brett Myers playing baseball the way he is playing right now. It's been seven years Brett. Get it together for yourself, the team, and the fans. How many chances can a guy get?

Then there is Tom Gordon. Yes, he was pretty much torn to pieces by yours truly in an article several months back after his meltdown in the season's inaugural contest against Washington. However, Gordon has almost Rheal Cormieried himself in a decent season. That is, until last week. After surrendering Dan Uggla's gargantuan grand slam on Wednesday, it is obvious to all that there is decreased velocity on Gordon's fastball. This most likely indicates that he is being overused by Charlie Manuel, and/or that he is 40 years old, and the Phillies simply can't depend on him the way they do. For the record, the Phillies starters need to depend less on the bullpen altogether. You've already seen signs of Gordon wearing down, and who knows if Rudy Seanez (39) isn't too far behind. Of course, there's always the chance of 45 year-old Jamie Moyer losing steam, but let's cross that bridge when it comes. J.C. Romero, while still effective, is being exposed after almost a year in the National League. However, this may have more to do with Romero being the only left handed pitcher in the Phillies bullpen. Where is Eddie Orepesa when you need him?!!! As for today's embarrassing bottom of the 10th inning, you can equally blame Chase Utley and Gordon for failure to execute properly on those two ground balls. The first throw Utley threw wide, the second throw, Gordon didn't catch. Once is understandable, but twice on a similar play? Get it together guys. You're making LOTS of money. Lapsed judgment equals losses, and this one hurt-bad.

Another concern that has crept upon this team in recent days is the disappearance of the offense after a massive onslaught the previous evening, and the stranding of runners on base particularly during Sunday's loss. The 20-2 drubbing of the redbirds in Friday's opening game was very impressive. However, just as I was about to give the team the tremendous props that were apparently well deserved, they manage just 2 measly runs off their old buddy Kyle Lohse on Saturday afternoon. As far as Lohse goes, I'm not about to knock him, for the job he did for the Phillies during last year's stretch drive, to his now 8-2 record in 2008. The Phillies gave him an offer (about three years in the $21 million range) that no other team really matched. With decent starting pitching an oddity in today's game, it kind of makes you wonder if 1) MLB is really trying to stick it to Scott Boras-Lohse's agent, or 2) Lohse is more of a headcase than teams are willing to disclose. A pitcher with Lohse's talent should have received better offers than just the offer of teh Phillies. Although their weren't any reported problems with Lohse in the Phillies clubhouse last year, there was that time in Minnesota back in 2005 when he practically demolished Ron Gardenhire's office door with a baseball bat after being removed from a game. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Though Lohse pitched a fine game, this weekend's offensive scenario is one all too familiar with Phillies fans from the years of 2003 until the beginning of 2007. Score 14 one night, zero the next. One must hope that this team doesn't fall into this kind of rut like its predecessors did. This was a pattern that costs those early teams of the 2000's some playoff spots. And for the record, the Phillies led all of Major League baseball for years in the Runners Left On Base department. It's only one game, but stranding 15 runners on base can't be a continuing trend. Bottom line: a championship caliber team who loads the bases four times in one game HAS to score at least a run. A team who is as just as good won't let you get away with it. As well as the Phillies are playing, the Cardinals are playing just as well- and now have a better record to show for it. And to top that, the Boston Red Sox are coming into town tomorrow, and there really isn't an explanation needed as far as to what that team will do as far as capitalizing on other's mistakes. Now this isn't the 2007 squad, but they are still the World Champs, and as of tomorrow the city of Boston will probably have another champion. Let's not give them anymore of a reason to celebrate.

So in closing, the Phils need a 1) Dependable number two starter, 2) Another lefthanded reliever to compliment Romero in the pen, and 3) A consistent offense who manufacture runs when it counts. Sounds good to me, but obviously it's not that simple. The Phils have made a pretty good dent in the National League up to this point. Let's see if they can play up to par with the big boys in the American League. And yes, Anaheim will be in just a few days after Boston. A true test of a champion will be measured this week. Will the Phils prevail and prove to all of us that they are a legitimate World Series contender? Or will Philly fans remain disgruntled, and again are left to wonder what the future holds for our heroes?

I really hope that I'm not sitting here next week typing a similar article. Isn't it about time things changed around here? Somebody? Anybody? Hello?...........