It could be a long season: Phillies bullpen shelled in Opener

Boy, the Phillies really know how to suck the excitement out of Opening Day. The Phillies Achilles heel, their pitching, reared its ugly head today as the Phils lost to the Nationals 11-6. The Phillies seemed in control of the game through the first four innings, as Brett Myers coasted and the offense put up two runs. Myers imploded in the 5th, when he loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter. He ended up giving up 4 runs to allow the Nationals to take a 4-2 lead. Ryan Madsen pitched the 6th inning and gave up a two-run blast to Lastings Milledge to help the Nats expand their lead to 6-2.

The Phillies offense then took control, with homers by Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins to give the Phils a tie heading into the 9th inning. Then, Charlie Manuel made his first questionable call of the season and sent interim closer Tom Gordon out in a tie game. J.C. Romero had thrown only 12 pitches in the 8th, striking out two Nationals, and he seemed like the logical choice to go back out to the mound. Instead, Gordon was rocked, giving up 4 hits and 5 runs while only getting one out. The Phils offense was shut out in the bottom of the 9th, and Gordon took the loss to go with his 135.00 ERA.

This was not the start the Phillies were hoping for. The offense did its part, but the pitching looked like it did all spring: pathetic. Only Romero and Chad Durbin looked effective on the mound. Obviously, it's still very early in the season, so there is no need to panic, but it's sickening to see the one problem the Phillies have cost them the first game of the season.

The Phillies have an off-day tomorrow, and will look to bounce back against the Nationals on Wednesday with Cole Hamels facing off against Tim Redding.

Highlights of the game, from Comcast SportsNet:

It's Opening Day!

After Opening Night's thrilling victory by the Nationals, it's great to see a full slate of games today, including the Phillies taking on those same Nationals this afternoon in their home opener. Brett Myers will take the mound as the Phillies look to defend their National League East crown. Matt Chico will pitch for the Nationals, with first pitch coming at 3:05. The Phillies aren't getting a lot of love from the national media, so let's see if they can prove them wrong again.

In the meantime, be sure to read my predictions for the AL, NL and for the individual Phillie players.

LeBron too much for Sixers

LeBron James proved to be too much for the Sixers to contain as he nearly singlehandedly led the Cavaliers to a 91-88 victory. James, who finished with 26 points, 9 boards and 9 assists, broke an 88-88 tie in the final seconds with a driving shot. Andre Iguodala missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime. The loss likely ends any hope the Sixers had of climbing all the way up into the 4th seed in the East, but with Toronto also losing today, Philly will still be in the hunt to improve their playoff seeding.

James was dominant all game, as was his teammate Delonte West. West hit several key shots down the stretch, including two big threes to tie the game up in the fourth quarter. West finished with 18 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds. For the Sixers, Andre Iguodala led them in scoring with 19, but Andre Miller had the better all around game, netting 16 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 5 steals.

The Sixers had several large leads in the game, but couldn't stop LeBron when the game was on the line. Their schedule lightens up this week, with a game against the Nets and two against the Hawks. The Sixers will need to stop this slide and make a quick turnaround if they want to avoid playing the Pistons in the first round. Judging by the way the Sixers couldn't slow LeBron down, it might be ideal if the Sixers finished with the 6th seed, where they can take a crack at Dwight Howard and the Magic. With 8 games left, the season definitely remains interesting for the Sixers.

Highlights of the game, from ESPN News:

2008 Phillies Predictions

Yesterday, I made my predictions for the AL and NL. Today, I will take a more in-depth look at the Phillies and make predictions for each individual player. I'll make predictions for players on their Opening Day roster only, plus Brad Lidge and Kris Benson.

Phillies Overall Record: 89-73 (Wild Card Winner, Lose in the NLDS)

Pitchers: (W-L, ERA, Saves)

Kris Benson: 9-7, 4.36
Makes his debut in June, initially for an injured Cole Hamels and eventually replacing Adam Eaton, and will do an adequate job.

Clay Condrey: 1-4, 5.21
Another split year between AAA and the Philies. Wouldn't be on most the Opening Day rosters of most contending teams.

Chad Durbin: 4-3, 4.63
Will get a few spot starts when Hamels inevitably goes on the DL, but will be relegated to mop-up duty whenever Eaton starts.

Adam Eaton: 5-9, 6.54
Will have a phantom injury that will keep him on the DL for the second half of the season.

Tom Gordon: 2-1, 4.55, 7 saves
Will do fine in the closers role temporarily and will team with J.C. Romero to make a formidable 8th inning combo.

Cole Hamels: 17-6, 3.45
Will be effective when healthy. Will have at least two short DL stints.

Kyle Kendrick: 12-13, 4.31
Expect growing pains. He will start the season slowly, but pick it up by the end.

Tim Lahey: 1-1, 5,43
Won't be with the team for long, he will be sent back to the Twins.

Brad Lidge: 2-3, 3.86, 38 saves.
Once healthy, Lidge will have a great season closing out games.

Ryan Madsen: 3-3, 3.45, 2 saves
Will finally develop into a reliable 7th inning option when he puts together a healthy full season.

Jamie Moyer: 11-12, 5.33
Old Man Moyer will struggle in his final year, but should be good for a few solid starts.

Brett Myers: 18-9, 3.22
Will flourish as a starter again. Will be looked at to win the big games.

J.C. Romero: 4-2, 2.99
Will have a good follow-up to last years lights out performance.

Hitters (AVG, HR's, RBI's)

Catchers

Chris Coste: .263, 4, 18
Unfortunately I think Coste will get supplanted as the backup catcher by Jason Jaramillo by mid-season.

Carlos Ruiz: .268, 11, 66
Adds a little more power, continues to call a good game behind the plate.

Infielders

Eric Bruntlett: .244, 1, 12
Won't play much since there is no longer a need for a defensive replacement late in games.

Greg Dobbs: .268, 8, 44
A decline in playing time means a decline in production.

Pedro Feliz: .253, 28, 77
Great year defensively and great power numbers.

Wes Helms: .233, 4, 13
Hopefully gone by June in a trade that nets the Phils a reliever

Ryan Howard: .270, 51, 144
The power numbers should go back up if he stays healthy all season. Will be in consideration for the MVP

Jimmy Rollins: .286, 24, 79
Can't possibly repeat last years production, but will be his usual consistent self and clubhouse leader.

Chase Utley: .322, 35, 128
MVP! MVP! Those numbers should get it done.

Outfielders
Pat Burrell: .252, 31, 101
Another streaky year from Burrell, probably his last with the Phillies.

Geoff Jenkins: .279, 20, 69
His average will be higher than last years because he will primarily face righties.

So Taguchi: .285, 1, 18
Won't see too many at-bats as a replacement for Burrell in late innings.

Shane Victorino: .277, 8, 44
His numbers will drop slightly, but should steal about 45 bases.

Jayson Werth: .280, 6, 38
Won't be as good as last year, and will see a big reduction in playing time.

So that's what I think will happen this season. Agree or disagree with my predictions? Want to make your own? Include your thoughts in the comment section.

ProFootballTalk.com: Lito Deal Likely to Happen

This certainly doesn't seem like new information, but ProFootballTalk.com put a post up today reminding everyone that Lito Sheppard is still likely to be traded in the near future. There is speculation that the reason the deal hasn't gone down yet is because the Eagles want more for Lito than teams are offering. Shutdown corner Deangelo Hall was traded from the Falcons to the Raiders, and the Falcons received a 2nd and 5th round draft picks. The Eagles would likely use that compensation as a starting point for Lito. We can likely forget about getting an impact receiver in any trade involving Lito.

With the way the Eagles shelled out the huge money to bring in Asante Samuel, it has appeared Lito Sheppard's days with the Eagles have been numbered. Hopefully the Eagles are holding out for a good deal, and they won't just unload him for whatever they can get. If the Eagles can't find what they want, then I hope they hold on to Lito, because if he teams up with Samuel and Sheldon Brown it would make for a scary-good secondary. I would still bet that a deal happens sometime between now and the draft.

Flyers Defeat Islanders in Shootout

Although it took a shootout to make it happen, the Flyers continued their dominance over the New York Islanders by defeating them 4-3. The Flyers were down most of the game, but kept rallying back, and a late goal by Mike Richards forced the game into overtime. After no one scored in OT, Danny Briere scored a spectacular goal to win the shootout.

The Flyers peppered Islanders goaltender Wade Dubielwicz with a season-high 54 shots, but the Islanders goalie was sharp enough to keep his team in the game. Antero Niitymaki, who started in goal despite Martin Biron's ownage of the Islanders, also played well, stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced, including several big saves in overtime.

The Flyers featured a well-rounded offensive attack tonight, with four different players scoring goals. Richards added an assist to his one goal, and also fired 11 shots on net.

The win temporarily moves the Flyers into a tie with the Rangers for the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Rangers have played two less games than Philly. The Bruins could also pass the Flyers if they win their next game. The Flyers have three tough games remaining, two with the Penguins and one with the Devils.

Highlights of the game, from Comcast SportsNet:

National League Predictions

Earlier today, I made my American League predictions, where I predicted the Indians would make the World Series. Now it's time to find out who I think they will be playing in my National League Predictions. Can the Phillies overcome their pitching and be a serious threat?

NL East
1. Mets
As much as I don't want to pick them, the addition of Johan Santana puts them over the top. Santana is the best pitcher in baseball, and he posted an ERA of 3.33 last year in the AL. That may dip below 3 now that he gets to face pitchers instead of DH's. The Mets lineup is also one of the best in the NL, although they have weaknesses at catcher and at the corner outfield positions. Jose Reyes is overrated, but he will still steal 70 bases and score a bunch of runs. David Wright is only going to get better, and their bullpen is adequate. It pains me to pick the Mets, but they won't win the division by much.

2. Phillies (Wild Card)
The best lineup in the National League will only be held back by suspect pitching. The rotation has too many question marks to be counted on: Will Jamie Moyer be able to keep it up at age 70? Is Kyle Kendrick going to have a sophomore slump? And, are they really going to pitch Adam Eaton every fifth day? If everyone is healthy, then the bullpen appears to be set. But, at what point will the bullpen be healthy? Brad Lidge is hurt, and Tom Gordon is one sneeze away from landing on the DL. At least we know the bats will produce. There are potentially 5 players that can hit 30 home runs in Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell and Pedro Feliz. Four of them could reach 100 RBI's. Rollins and Shane Victorino could each steal 40 bases. The only negative is there are too many outs at the bottom of the order. Of the players that will play most days, none of them hitting in the 5-8 spots in the lineup hit above .260 last year. The lineup will score a ton of runs, but there are too many all-or-nothing hitters. The Phillies will remain in contention all year, but finish a couple of games behind the Mets.

3. Braves
Everyone's favorite sleeper pick for the East is the Braves. Their offense should be good, with possibly the best 3-4-5 combination of hitters in the league with Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira and Jeff Francoeur, all potentially 30 homer/100 RBI guys in the middle of the order. But, like the Phillies, their pitching is suspect. John Smoltz and Tim Hudson are a great 1-2 punch, but after that there are a ton of question marks that are similar to the Phillies' issues. Will Tom Glavine be able to keep it up at age 60? Can Mike Hampton bounce back from injuries to be effective? And, who the heck is Jair Jurrjens and can he really be counted on as the 5th starter? In the bullpen, they will be turning the closer duties over to Rafael Soriano, and he should be effective in that role. On the offensive side, they will be relying on Mark Kotsay to stay off the disabled list and play center field every day. Good luck with that. The Braves are good, but they will finish a few games behind the Phillies and out of the playoffs.

4. Nationals
It was tough to pick who will come in 4th in this division, as neither Washington or Florida looks to be any good. I'll go with the Nationals in 4th because at least they have a semblance of a pitching staff. Odalis Perez will be the Opening Day starter, which is a little scary, but they have some quality young pitchers after him, including Jason Bergmann and Shawn Hill. They even have an actual quality closer in Chad Cordero, although he should have been traded for prospects long ago. They don't have much offensively, although Ryan Zimmerman is a future star and Lastings Milledge should be fun to watch. They won't lose 100 games, but they won't come close to .500 either.

5. Marlins
Coming in last by only a few games will be the Marlins. They simply don't have the pitching to be a competitive team. Mark Hendrickson, who won all of 4 games last year, will be the Opening Day starter. Scott Olsen is the only name anyone recognizes from the rotation, and even he will be hard pressed to win 10 games. In the bullpen, Kevin Gregg will once again be the closer, but beyond him there isn't much. Offensively, it will revolve around the top of the order, Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. Uggla amazingly hit 31 home runs last year, but his average dipped all the way down to .245. Ramirez is the real deal, and will be the best shortstop in the division this year. He can hit for power and average and steal a ton of bases. Look for him to carry the offense on most nights. He may be the only bright spot in a long year for Florida fans.

NL Central
1. Cubs
The Cubs are well-rounded, with solid hitting and pitching. Their rotation goes 6 deep, with Jon Leiber starting the year in the pen. Phillies fans will remember how good Leiber did in that role last year, but the Cubs rotation will nevertheless be good. When Rich Hill is the 4th starter, you know your team is going to contend. In the bullpen, they will hope that Kerry Wood can stay healthy enough to close a few games, but look for Carlos Marmol to get his chance as soon as Wood lands on the DL. The offense is good, but not great. Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez make a potent middle of the order, but they are relying on a number of unproven players at the bottom. Who knows what they will get from Kosuke Fukodome, Geovany Soto has promise but is unproven and Felix Pie is nothing worth getting excited about. The Cubs will win the Central because they have the best balance of offense and defense.

2. Brewers
The Brewers have so much young talent, they are a lock to be Central division contenders for the next decade. Rickie Weeks has a surprising amount of pop and tremendous speed and if he can improve his average he will be a star. Prince Fielder is another Ryan Howard, a huge lefty with tremendous power. Ryan Braun, while he is terrible in the field, put together an amazing rookie season, belting 34 homers and hitting .324. Corey Hart, Bill Hall and J.J. Hardy are all young up and comers who have the potential to hit 20 home runs. So why won't they win the division? Pitching. Besides Ben Sheets and Yovani Gallardo, the Brewers lack the starters to compete with the Cubs. They will need to win games 10-9 when guys like Jeff Suppan and Dave Bush are on the mound. And, are they really counting on Eric Gagne to close out games? Did they not watch him implode in Boston last year? With their young offensive firepower, the Brewers could win the NL Central for about a decade straight, but they need just one more year of seasoning.

3. Reds
Another popular sleeper pick to win the division, another team with too many holes to compete. Aaron Harang is the definition of underrated, and Johnny Cueto looks special, but the rest of their pitching staff is too inexperienced or ineffective to get the job done. Offensively, they feature the lousy Corey Patterson in the lead-off role, and continue to employ offensive stalwart Dave Ross. The middle of the order has a ton of power, with Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips all capable of hitting another 30+ homers this year. Their bullpen was also solidified with the acquisition of Francisco Cordero, so while I do think this team is improving, they just won't challenge for the division title.

4. Astros
What were they thinking hiring Ed Wade? Did they watch him destroy the Phillies with a series of boneheaded moves? He certainly made a ton of moves this offseason, including bringing in a cleaned up Miguel Tejada and former Phillie Michael Bourn, but the Astros will be lucky to sniff .500. The fact that they have Bourn penciled in at the leadoff spot is evidence enough that this team isn't any good. They have some serious power with Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada, but those three are not getting any younger. Hunter Pence should be fun to watch, and he should score a ton of runs hitting ahead of the big boppers. Ed Wade completely re-worked the Astros bullpen, jettisoning long-time closer Brad Lidge and replacing him with Jose Valverde, but he did nothing to improve their weak rotation. Roy Oswalt is a force, but the rest of the starters are below average. Of course, Wade's dumbest move of all could have been signing Kazuo Matsui to a 16.5 million dollar contract.

5. Cardinals
Someone has to come in 5th place, so I guess the Cardinals will avoid the cellar. The Cardinals look shockingly bad on paper, with nothing on offense besides Albert Pujols, and no star pitchers besides Jason Isringhausen. Everyone else on the team is mediocre at best. Only three hitters hit as many as 20 home runs last year (Pujols, Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan), and they return only one pitcher with an ERA below 4.33, Adam Wainright. Their offense will feature Rick Ankiel hitting cleanup, and the always dangerous Skip Schumaker leading off. And can someone tell me how trading Scott Rolen for Troy Glaus straight-up is a smart move? I know they had to get rid of Rolen, but Glaus is a stiff at this point in his career. I feel bad for Cardinals fans, probably the best there are, that they have to watch this team all summer. Pujols should be furious that the team is wasting one of his prime years.

6. Pirates
We know they are awful, but how could they make no roster changes after winning 68 games last year? They didn't even try to bring anyone in or make any significant moves? Are they just hoping the team will get magically better? The sad thing is, the only reason this team has a chance to win 70 games is because they are in such a bad division. Imagine if they were in the AL East, they would be lucky to win 40 games. Jason Bay is their whole offense, and he hit .247 last year. They do have some interesting young pitchers, but few of them would make the rotation of any other team. Steelers season will come sooner than you think, Pirates fans.

NL West
1. Diamondbacks
This division was the toughest to predict, but Arizona will edge out the rest with their tremendous rotation. They feature the best 1-2 punch in the majors with Brandon Webb and Dan Haren, and at the back end they have the ancient Randy Johnson who still can bring the heat and has something to prove. They have a strange offense; their lead-off hitter led the teams in homers (Chris Young, 32), while their cleanup hitter led the team in stolen bases (Eric Byrnes, 50), but they have just enough firepower to win a bunch of 3-2 games. Look for Conor Jackson to break out and raise his average above .300 and hit 20+ bombs. The D'backs will win the division on the basis of their stud arms, but only by a small margin.

2. Rockies
Don't expect another miracle out of the Rockies. This is a team on the rise, but last seasons run to the World Series was more a mirage than a trend. Their lineup remains potent, with MVP candidate Matt Holliday leading the way. The club has a good mix of players, with young stars Garrett Atkins and Troy Tulowitzki countered by grizzled veterans like Todd Helton. Their pitching is underrated, with a number of quality young arms carrying the load. Jeff Francis will continue to anchor the staff, and he should once again be a threat to win 20 games. They do have questions at closer, but between Manny Corpas and Brian Fuentes, they should be fine. The Rockies are a solid up-and-coming team, but they are a few pieces away from being a perennial favorite.

3. Padres
Just like Arizona, the Padres feature a stellar one-two punch in their rotation, with Jake Peavy and Chris Young coming off great years. From there, though, there is a big drop-off. Greg Maddux is the third starter, and he is solid but unspectacular. Two former Phillies, Randy Wolf and Justin Germano round out the rotation, but neither is anything to get excited about. Offensively, the Padres don't put up a ton of runs, not that it's possible in their park anyway. Adrian Gonzalez might be the only guy to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs that no one has ever heard of, and Khalil Greene also had a strong, under-the-radar year. They feature another former Phillie at second base, Tadahito Iguchi, who should continue to be an average player. Their outfield is weak, with two aging stars, Brian Giles and Jim Edmonds, attempting to avoid injuries and father time. With their pitching, they will finish slightly above .500, but they won't be a serious threat to win the division.

4. Dodgers
What are they thinking giving Andruw Jones that huge salary? Do they realize he hit .222 last year and covers about half the ground in the outfield that he used to? The Dodgers don't have any major weaknesses, unless you count the fact they have no third baseman, but there really isn't anything special about this team either. Their pitching seems good enough, with Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, but are they really counting on Esteban Loaiza? Offensively, Russell Martin could be the best catcher of our time, but what are they thinking keeping Juan Pierre playing every day? They are an average team, and should finish around .500.

5. Giants
If not for the Orioles, this would be the worst team in baseball. Why in the world did Aaron Rowand actually choose to play for this team? Oh, right, they offered him a ton of money. I like Rowand and all, but when he is being counted on to be your cleanup hitter, you aren't a very good team. The team still features a cast of players that should have retired long ago dragging them down. Seriously, Rich Aurilia is going to play every day? At least they have some amazing young pitchers, like Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, otherwise this team would be a total waste. Kind of like all the money they gave to Barry Zito.

NLDS:
Cubs over Phillies
Mets over Diamonbacks

NLCS:
Cubs over Mets

World Series:
Cubs over Indians
The Curse is finally over for the Cubs.

MVP: Chase Utley
He will continue the streak of Phillie MVP's.

CY Young: Johan Santana
Will find the NL much easier and dominate the league.

Agree or disagree with my predictions? Want to make your own? Include your thoughts in the comment section. Check back tomorrow for my Phillies individual player projections.

American League Predictions

With the official Opening Day tomorrow night (I refuse to count those games in Japan), I figured it was time to go on record with my predictions for the 2008 baseball season. I will start with the American League in this post, and then later today I will post my predictions for the National League. Finally, tomorrow, I will make predictions for each player on the Phillies, plus go more in-depth with the National League East. Let's get started with the AL.

AL East
1. Red Sox
The defending Champs lose no one of significance from their roster, except an old Curt Schilling. Don't underestimate how good Manny Ramirez is going to be in his walk year. They still have a great blend of youth (Ellsbury, Pedroia) coupled with veterans who can still get it done (Lowell, Varitek), the only thing that could hold them back is if Josh Beckett continues to have injury issues.

2. Yankees
I'm not as high on this team as most people. They have so little pitching that if one or both of Andy Pettite or Mike Mussina finally breaks down, this team is dead. They are relying on Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, who haven't proven anything yet, in the back end of the rotation, and Joba Chamberlain is good, but overrated. The lineup is great, as always, but they are going to lose a lot of 8-7 games.

3. Blue Jays
Toronto could have been a threat for second place before they had a slew of injuries, including our old friend Scott Rolen, who will miss a month. Their lineup has some good mashers, but they could have found a better leadoff hitter than David Eckstein. Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett keep this team around .500.

4. Rays
The gap between the Blue Jays and Rays is closing. Tampa Bay has three good, young pitchers in Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Matt Garza, and their lineup is a good combination of speed (Carl Crawford) and power (Carlos Pena). I still can't believe Pena hit 46 home runs last year. The Rays would be even better if they let Evan Longoria start the season in the majors, but they are trying to save money by keeping him in AAA. This team will approach .500 for the season, but fall just short.

5. Orioles
The worst team in baseball. Quick, name an Oriole besides Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts. Better yet, name their Opening Day starting pitcher. If you answered Jeremy Guthrie, sadly, you are correct. The only thing Orioles fans have to look forward to is watching Adam Jones, who the O's got for Erik Bedard, blossom into a star player. This team will likely lose 100 games, especially with Kevin Millar as their cleanup hitter.

AL Central
1. Indians
People seem to forget that this team was one win away from the World Series last year. Everyone of importance returns to the team that has the best balance of pitching and hitting of any team in the American League. Their rotation goes 4 deep with guys that can win 15+ games (Sabathia, Carmona, Westbrook, Byrd), and there are 6 guys in their lineup who will hit 20+ home runs (Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, Peralta, Garko, Blake). While everyone is talking about the Tigers and their great offseason, the Indians quietly stood pat and are hoping another year of experience will help their young guys reach their full potential.

2. Tigers (Wild Card)
The lineup is amazing. To put it in perspective, they will have former MVP Ivan Rodriquez, while he isn't the star player he once was, batting 9th! This team will easily score 1000 runs. However, they will also give up a ton of runs. Their pitching staff is suspect at best. Everyone talks about the addition of Dontrelle Willis, but do you realize he had an ERA of 5.17 in the National League last year? How high will his ERA be now that he has to pitch to DH's? And, are they really going to count on Todd Jones as their closer again? Lastly, don't underestimate the short-term impact Curtis Granderson's injury will have on the offense. Not having him setting the table for the big bats will slow the offense down.

3. White Sox
This team just isn't that good. I wanted to put them lower, but the Twins and Royals are even worse. This will probably be the year that Ozzie Guillen implodes trying to will this mediocre them to victory. The lineup is still pretty good, and Nick Swisher will make a solid impact hitting if he ends up hitting in the #6 spot (he's not a leadoff hitter), but this team is too old (Jose Contreras has to be at least 60) and didn't do enough to improve their pitching in the offseason (Gavin Floyd is their #5 starter!). They will finish below .500.

4. Twins
The Twins are a tough team to gauge because they are always better on the field than they look on paper. Losing Johan Santana and having Francisco Liriano start the season in the minors would kill most team’s pitching, but expect Scott Baker and Boof Bonser to be adequate replacements. Their hitting doesn't look that strong, either, but I bet Delmon Young has a big year. If speedy Carlos Gomez, a prospect the got from the Mets, can learn to hit a little, this team should remain competitive and will finish only slightly behind the White Sox.

5. Royals
Many publications are predicting the Royals emerge from the AL Central cellar, but I'm not buying it. What do they have? Pitching? Nope, Gil Meche is their best starter. Hitting? Forget it, Jose Guillen is their cleanup hitter. If all of the young guys actually produce they have a chance to rise from the cellar, but when has anything gone right for the Royals?

AL West
1. Mariners
Seattle quietly had a really good offseason. With the addition of Erik Bedard, the rotation is deep, and the always underrated Brad Wilkerson will add a lot to an already solid lineup. This team just doesn't have any holes. They have Ichiro for speed, Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre for power, solid catching with Kenji Johjima, and an ace closer in J.J. Putz. They will squeak by the injury-riddled Angels to win the division this year.

2. Angels
Two weeks ago I would have picked them to win the division without even thinking twice. Now, with the possibly career-ending injury to 18-game winner Kelvin Escobar and 19-game winner John Lackey out for about a month, the pitching looks incredibly weak. It'll be Jon Garland, unproven Ervin Santana, streaky Jered Weaver and not much else in their rotation. The hitters will do their thing, and they will feature a really good defensive outfield (Matthews Jr., Hunter and Vlad), but you don't win without pitching. After a slow start, they will come on late in the season but miss the playoffs by a few games.

3. A's
This team is better than you think. They traded away a slew of talent, some great (Dan Haren), some old (Mark Kotsay) and some overrated (Nick Swisher), but they still have some pieces left. Catcher Kurt Suzuki is great behind the plate, although he needs to learn how to hit major league pitching. First baseman Daric Barton and center fielder Chris Denorfia are good young hitters who will do some damage. Plus, the pitching staff isn't totally decimated, with Joe Blanton and Rich Harden leading the way. There is a decent mix of youth and veterans on this team, and as long as Billy Beane doesn't trade everyone away, they will be competitive. Look at their first two games against the Red Sox. They would have won both if usually reliable Huston Street hadn't blown the first game. Expect them to flirt with .500 but fall short by the end of the year.

4. Rangers
This team has no pitching. Kevin Millwood, who had a 5.16 ERA is their "ace". Former Phillie Vicente Padilla, whose ERA approached 6 last year, is their #2. Their closer is C.J. Wilson. They brought in Eddie Guardado to be their setup guy. They could easily give up 1000 runs. Their hitting isn't that great, either, especially when they are relying on crazy Milton Bradley to hit in the middle of their order. Feel bad for Michael Young, their talented second baseman. It's going to be a long year in Texas.

ALDS:
Red Sox over Tigers
Indians over Mariners

ALCS:
Indians over Red Sox
This time the Indians won't choke.

MVP: Alex Rodriguez
Simply the best player in baseball, he'll hit 50 bombs and drive in 150 again.

CY Young: C.C. Sabathia
Another repeat winner, but expect 20+ wins before he becomes a free agent at seasons end.

Agree or disagree with my predictions? Want to make your own? Include your thoughts in the comment section. Check back later for my National League predictions.

Devils down Flyers in Shootout

The Flyers just can't win in New Jersey. It took a shootout, but the Devils won their 12th straight home game against the Flyers, 5-4. The Flyers did well to come back from a 3-1 deficit to earn the point, but couldn't earn the all important second point in the shootout. The point pulls the Flyers past the idle Boston Bruins into the 7th seed in the East, but they remain two points behind the Rangers, who have played one less game.

The Flyers featured a well-balanced attack, with 4 different players scoring. Mike Knuble scored the game tying goal late in the third period following a sweet pass by Mike Richards. Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal continued to show their on-ice chemistry on the first goal of the game, where Briere slid the puck to Prospal who blasted it home. For the Devils, Johnny Oduya scored two goals, and Jamie Langenbrunner notched the clinching shootout goal.

The game also featured a spirited fight between Randy Jones, who just returned from an injury, and Mike Mottau in the first period. The fight seemed pretty even, and both players received fighting majors and matching minors, with Mottau's minor being an unsportsmanlike conduct for pulling Jones' hair.

The Flyers have four games left, the next one against the Islanders tomorrow, and then a pair of games against the Penguins next week with the Devils sandwiched in between. The Flyers appear to be a solid bet to make the playoffs, unfortunately it will likely be in the 7th or 8th seed, meaning an early playoff exit might be inevitable.

Highlights of the game, from Comcast SportsNet:

Sixers handed a dose of reality by the Suns

Well, the good times weren't going to last forever for the Sixers. The Suns gave them a little dose of reality, beating them 107-93. The Sixers fell behind early when they missed their first 13 shots, and made numerous efforts to get back in the game, but the Suns proved to be too good. At one point, the Sixers were down by 24, but they managed to pull within 10 in the third quarter before the Suns went on a run to widen their lead again. The loss, coupled with the Raptors beating the Knicks, pushes the Sixers down into the 7th seed in the East.

Andre Iguodala had an off night, shooting 3 of 12 from the field and finishing with only 13 points, although he did have a highlight dunk, which you can watch below, in the third quarter. Andre Miller had a solid game on paper, finishing with 16 points and 10 assists, but he also shot poorly from the field, making 6 of 17 shots. The Suns had a balanced attack, with 5 players finishing with double digits in points. Steve Nash had only 5 points, but he was still solid distributing the ball and finished with 10 assists.

The Sixers next game is Sunday against possible first round opponent Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The schedule lightens up after that game, with a game against the Nets and a home and home with the Hawks on tap for next week.

The lone highlight of the game, another amazing dunk by Andre Iguodala, this time over the helpless Grant Hill:

Phillies claim Tim Lahey, sign Chris Woodward

The Phillies made a flurry of minor moves today, none of which will get Phillies fans too excited.

Tim Lahey, a righthander, was claimed off waivers of the Chicago Cubs and placed on the 25 man roster. Lahey, who had been with the Minnesota Twins, was selected by the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft last winter. Lahey is 26 and has never pitched in the majors, making this a questionable move. He spent most of last season in Double A, where he had an 8-4 record with a 3.45 ERA.

Is Lahey really the final piece to a championship puzzle? Rotoworld.com calls him a "weak choice" for the Phillies bullpen, and they go on to speculate that he will likely end up back with the Twins. Lahey had a mediocre spring, pitching 11 innings and posting an ERA of 6.55. It's a curious move, seeing as how the Phillies were saying all along they wanted another lefthanded pitcher, and Aaron Fultz, Mike Stanton and Rudy Seanez were all recently made available.

To make room for Lahey, the Phillies outrighted J.D. Durbin, Chris Snelling, and Ray Olmedo to the minors. Durbin and Snelling were recently waived, so they both must have cleared waivers, otherwise they couldn't have been sent down. Barring any other moves, this means that the Phillies will go with 11 pitchers on Opening Day, and Wes Helms will be on the roster. When Brad Lidge comes back, Helms, or even possibly Lahey, would be the first to go.

The Phillies also signed infielder Chris Woodward to a minor league deal. Woodward is a nine-year veteran who spent last season with the Atlanta Braves. He played for the Yankees this spring, and hit a solid .393 in 28 at bats. Woodward is a career .243 hitter who is the very definition of a utility player, having played every position except pitcher and catcher. Woodward is very similar to Eric Bruntlett, and outside of injuries or trades, he is likely to spend the entire season in the minors. He could just be a depth signing, or the Phillies could be close to moving Helms or Bruntlett.

Barring trades, the Phillies appear to be set for Opening Day. The acquisition of Tim Lahey looks disappointing, so let's hope Pat Gillick has something else up his sleeve.

Two Big Games Tonight

It's been a good week for Philly fans. The Sixers and Flyers have both been on a roll lately, with neither team losing since last Friday, March 21st. Both teams have gone a long way to solidifying their playoff positions, with the Sixers becoming near locks to see postseason action. Both teams have tough games tonight, however, with the Flyers traveling to New Jersey to take on their nemesis the Devils, while the Sixers welcome in Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns.

The Flyers, despite winning 4 games in a row, will need to finish strong if they want to make the playoffs. With 5 games left, they are currently tied for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Bruins, and they are only two points ahead of the Washington Capitals. There is still room for the Flyers to move up, as a win tonight would put them only one point behind the Devils, who currently are sitting in the 5th seed. Of course, winning tonight is no easy task, as the Flyers haven't won in New Jersey in four years. For a great preview of tonights game, take a look at Bill Meltzer's write up at Hockeybuzz.com.

If the Flyers want to do any damage in the playoffs, they will need to finish with the 6th seed or better. Finishing 7th or 8th would give them a first round matchup with either the Canadiens or Penguins, two teams they don't match up well with.

The Sixers are in better standing after winning 11 of their last 13 games. They currently have the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, a half game behind the Washington Wizards for the 5th seed. The Sixers are nearly assured of a playoff spot, as they are 5 1/2 games ahead of the Hawks, the 8th seeded team in the East, with 10 games left to play. The Sixers also have room to move up, although it is unlikely, as they sit 3 games behind Cleveland for the 4th seed.

The Suns have come a long way since they lost to the Sixers back on March 1st. Shaquille O'Neal has acclimated himself to the offense, and they have won 7 of their last 9 games. However, they have lost two in a row to the Celtics and Pistons, two teams the Sixers have beaten recently. Either way, it should be a highly entertaining game, as both teams like to push the ball. Expect the winning team to score at least 120 points. The Sixers are a better defensive team than the Suns, but the question will be whether they can keep pace with them offensively.

Should be a great night of games, with even the Phillies playing a game at Citizens Bank against the Blue Jays. Also, don't forget that there are more college basketball games tonight, with Villanova looking to knock off Kansas. Have your remote ready and prepare for some great action.

In the meantime, be sure to vote in the polls to the right. How do you think the Sixers and Flyers will finish out their seasons?

Snelling on waivers, Phillies interested in Freel?

Another roster move, and a confusing rumor as we approach Opening Day:

*Chris Snelling placed on waivers It appears that Wes Helms has won the last bench spot over Chris Snelling, who was subsequently waived. Snelling can't be sent to the minors until he clears waivers, so right now he is up for grabs. There are plenty of teams that are looking for outfield depth, so I would expect Snelling to get claimed.

*Phillies interested in Ryan Freel? Here is a rumor that makes very little sense, from MLBTraderumors.com. The Reds have been shopping Ryan Freel all spring, and it appears that the Phillies, along with the Twins, are showing interest in acquiring the versatile Freel, who can play second, third and all three outfield positions. I would be all for the Phillies getting Freel, a hustle guy who steals a ton of bases. Unfortunately, there is nowhere for him to play. The Phillies are set in the infield, and they just waived Snelling, which still leaves them with five outfielders. Freel would be an upgrade over someone like So Taguchi, but I just can't see Pat Gillick making a move for a player that has no position to play. Also, the Reds likely want pitching for Freel, and the Phils aren't exactly stacked in that department.

There are still rumors circulating that the Phillies are trying to find a taker for Wes Helms, with the Giants still in the mix. I don't have high hopes that Gillick will find a taker.

Eaton, Gordon in midseason form

With only a handful of exhibition games left before Opening Day on Monday, the Phillies should be rounding into form. The hitters should be kicking it into high gear, and the pitchers should no longer be looking to "make their pitches", but instead looking for results. Someone forgot to tell Adam Eaton and Tom Gordon that the season starts next week, because both players got rocked today in the Phillies 14-5 loss to the Tigers.

Eaton, the Phils 5th starter by default, pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up 6 earned runs, upping his spring ERA to 7.41. Flash Gordon, the closer until Brad Lidge is healthy enough to return, gave up 6 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning to bring his ERA to 12.38. They were facing a scary-good Tigers team with no easy outs in their lineup, but there is no excuse to be getting shelled like that so close to the season. We've come to expect this kind of outing from Eaton, but the Phils are relying on Gordon to hold down the 9th until Lidge comes back. Even after Lidge returns, Gordon is supposed to be the setup guy, but he doesn't appear ready for any high leverage situations.

The only positive thing to happen today for the Phillies was a 3-run homerun by new third baseman Pedro Feliz. It was Feliz's 5th homer of the spring, and he looks like he will be a potent addition to the bottom of the lineup. He's going to hit about .250, but he will also hit 25-30 homeruns.

Here are "highlights" from today's ugly game, courtesy of Comcast SportsNet:

ESPN Writers don't believe in the Phillies

ESPN has been making their baseball predictions this week, and they have given very little love to the Phillies. Here is the predicted order of finish for the big three teams in the NL East, according to these five ESPN experts:

Jayson Stark: Braves, Mets, Phillies
Tim Kurkjian: Mets, Phillies, Braves
Buster Olney: Braves, Mets, Phillies
Keith Law: Mets, Braves, Phillies
Steve Phillips: Mets, Braves, Phillies

Everyone agrees that the Mets, Phillies and Braves will be battling all season for the top of the division, but not one of them thinks the Phillies will actually repeat as NL East Champs? Plus, only Kurkjian thinks the Phils will even be the Wild Card winner. At least they all agree that the Phillies have the best lineup in the National League, but we all knew that already.

Good thing none of these preseason predictions mean anything.

Chase Utley for MVP!

Here is a cool piece that Jayson Stark and ESPN put together discussing Chase Utley and his chances of getting the NL MVP award this season. It includes interviews with Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Utley himself, and plenty of references to Utley's game face.

J. D. Durbin placed on waivers, Blackley clears

A few more minor moves today as the Phillies prepare for Opening Day next week.

*J. D. Durbin waived Looks like the Phillies finally got fed up with J.D. Durbin's 12.33 spring ERA, because they placed him on waivers today. This move was a long time coming given how terrible he has looked this spring. This also means the Phillies roster is down to 10 pitchers who will be available Opening Day, with Brad Lidge being #11 when he is ready about a week into the season. Seems pretty likely that the Phils will try to bring in someone, whether its through a trade or through waivers, to fill that last bullpen spot. They should easily be able to find someone better than Durbin.

There is still a chance we will see Durbin pitch again for the Phillies. Durbin has bounced around between so many teams already, chances are very few are still interested in his "potential". Durbin is only 26, and has already been a part of the Twins, Diamondbacks, Red Sox and Phillies organizations. If Durbin clears waivers, the Phillies will send him down to AAA, which is probably where he belonged all along.

If Durbin is really done as a Phillie, his highlight has to be the shutout he pitched against the San Diego Padres last July. Of course, he will more likely be remembered for his Myspace page and his incredibly ironic nickname, "Real Deal" Durbin.

*Travis Blackley clears waivers On Tuesday, Travis Blackley was placed on waivers, and today we learn that he has cleared and has been outrighted to AAA Lehigh Valley. Blackley was originally selected in the Rule 5 draft from the San Francisco Giants, who chose not to claim him back, allowing him to return to the Phillies. Blackley is a lefty and he is only 25, so he could still have a future as a major leaguer, although probably in the bullpen.

Simon Gagne making progress, could return if Flyers make Stanley Cup Finals

Simon Gagne, who has been out since February 10th with lingering concussion symptoms, has been making progress in his return to the ice. He has been advised to sit out the remainder of the season, but Gagne believes that he could return to the ice in the unlikely event that the Flyers make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

In other words, we should expect to see Gagne sometime next fall. If the Flyers somehow do make it to the Finals this season, I would hope that Gagne is kept far away from the ice. One more big hit could end his career, and the last thing he should be doing is trying to make his comeback in an intense Stanley Cup game.

There is still a chance that Gagne will be able to return to his 40-goal form if he is fully healthy again. His career is quickly heading down the Eric Lindros path, where he unfortunately might become the next promising player whose career was cut short. Gagne should learn from Lindros and not rush his return to the ice.

After all, we painfully remember what happened when Eric Lindros tried to make his comeback in the Stanley Cup playoffs in May 2000:

Sixers Dominate Bulls

The Sixers did something tonight that good teams are supposed to do: beat up on the bad teams. The Sixers completely dominated the Bulls in every facet of the game, winning 121-99. It was a great overall team effort, with good defensive plays leading to tons of fast break points. There was no one hero tonight, as several guys stepped up and had good games. Andre Miller was awesome again, nearly getting a triple double with 9 points, 8 boards and a whopping 18 assists. Andre Iguodala also had a solid game, picking up 9 assists, 4 steals and 21 points, including this monster dunk. Louis Williams led the team in scoring with 23 points, and Thaddeus Young also netted 20.

The win helps the Sixers temporarily move into a virtual tie for the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference with the Washington Wizards, who will break the tie when they play the Sonics later tonight. The win was also important for the Sixers because it keeps them just ahead of the Raptors, who knocked off the Pistons tonight.

In the coming week, the Sixers schedule gets tougher, including their next two games against the Suns and Cavaliers. This team is for real, folks, so expect them to step up and continue to give these top teams a challenge.

Highlights of the win, from Comcast SportsNet:

Iguodala with another huge dunk!

It's halftime in the Bulls/Sixers game, and the Sixers appear to be in control. Andre Iguodala is having another great game, highlighted by this massive dunk:

Myers Blanks Yanks to Continue His Strong Spring; Benson Staying

Converted closer Brett Myers seems to be enjoying his return to being a starter. In Grapefruit League play today, Myers pitched 5 shutout innings, giving up only 2 hits and striking out 3, to lead the Phillies over the Yankees, 4-0. Drew Carpenter, a second round pick by the Phillies back in 2006, completed the shutout by pitching 4 scoreless innings, striking out 6 batters. Jimmy Rollins led the offense for the Phils with 2 RBI's.

Myers, with an ERA of 1.13, has been by far the best Phillies pitcher this spring, proving he was the right choice to be the Opening Day starter. Despite giving up 13 runs Monday to the Yankees, the Phillies pitching has turned things around lately. The only starter that seems to still be struggling is Kyle Kendrick, who gave up 5 runs in 5 innings in his last start.

In other pitching news, Kris Benson has decided to remain with the team despite the fact the Phillies decided not to add him to their 40 man roster. Benson had a short window when he could have opted out of his contract and tried to join another team, but instead he chose to stay, citing his comfort level with his manager and pitching coach. Benson remains several weeks away from returning, but he will be a nice insurance option whenever he finally gets healthy.

Who is Kris Wilson?

The answer: likely the newest Eagle. Kris Wilson is visiting the Eagles today, and the team has announced they will hold a press conference at 3 pm today, where they will likely discuss their signing of the free agent. According to PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Wilson is a tight end, H-back and fullback. He is a local kid, from Lancaster, who spent the last four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is coming off his best season in 2007, where he started 12 games, and caught 24 passes for 180 yards. He played a lot of fullback last season for the Chiefs and even had 3 carries for 7 yards. He also has 4 career touchdown receptions.

So where will Wilson fit in with the Eagles? Is he being brought in as a third string tight end, or as competition for the recently signed Dan Klecko for fullback? Likely he will compete for both spots, and he will make the team if he shows he can be a useful special teamer. The Eagles already have L.J. Smith and Brent Celek entrenched into the top two tight end spots, so Wilson would have to compete with Matt Schobel for the third tight end spot.

The Eagles roster is rounding out nicely. With the recent signing of Rocky Boiman, they seem set on the defensive side of the ball, and the signing of Kris Wilson would help to solidify the offense. There are still a few more needs, like another running back and a top flight receiver, but those can always be addressed with the draft.

The Eagles are making a good showing this off-season, starting with the big splash of Asante Samuel and then finishing with lots of smaller, necessary depth players. Hopefully this all translates into a return to the playoffs.

Here is a short highlight of Wilson plowing through the Titans defense to score a touchdown.

UPDATE: Wilson has reportedly signed with the Eagles to a three year deal.

Chris Webber to Retire

Former Sixer Chris Webber, who returned to the NBA just a few short months ago with the Golden State Warriors, is about to call it a career. Webber, citing more problems with his injured knees, will announce his retirement at a press conference tomorrow afternoon. Webber hadn't played for three weeks, contemplating his future while struggling with his knee. Webber only played 9 games with the Warriors in his comeback attempt this season, and looked out of place in the Warriors run-and-gun offense, averaging only 3.9 points and 3.5 boards per game.

Webber's retirement will not cause Philly fans to shed a tear for the former Sixer who spent portions of 3 seasons in Philadelphia. Webber was brought over from Sacramento to be the complementary player that Allen Iverson never had, and instead he was a terrible teammate who quit on the team, causing the Sixers to buy him out. When he re-emerged in Detroit later that same season, Webber all of the sudden found his form again, playing a key role for a contending Pistons team. Sixers fans will never forgive Webber for his lack of effort and the way he forced himself out of town. It's safe to say he won't get a reception anything like AI's if he shows up at the Wachovia Center.

As Webber's career comes to a close, it's unfortunate that the man who never won a championship will always be remembered for calling a timeout his team didn't have.

Flyers Edge Rangers in Overtime

As the season is winding down, the Flyers continue to play solid hockey at just the right time. They won their 4th straight game tonight, 2-1 over the Rangers in overtime. The win helps the Flyers to stay ahead of Boston and in the 7th seed, and pulls them to within one point of the Rangers for the 6th seed in the East.

The story of the game, once again, was the play of Martin Biron. Biron was sharp all night, making numerous big saves to keep the Flyers in the game. The Rangers scored early on a Jaromir Jagr goal, and then Biron shut the door for the rest of the game. The Flyers offense looked stagnant throughout, until Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal showed some of their brilliant chemistry on a sweet give-and-go goal to force overtime. The Flyers completely dominated the play in overtime, getting several chances until Jason Smith fed Mike Richards up ice, and Richards slid the puck past Henrik Lundqvist for the game winner.

The Flyers have started their tough final stretch off on the right foot, winning the first three of their final eight games against Atlantic Division foes. Of course, the Flyers still have four more games against the two best teams in the Atlantic, the Devils and the Penguins. If they can continue their solid play, the playoffs are a certainty, with the 6th seed an outside possibility.

Highlights of the game, via ComcastSportsNet:

Sports Illustrated: No Playoffs for Phillies

Predicting what's going to happen in a 162 game baseball season is nearly impossible, but basically every major sports publication takes a stab at it this time of year. Sports Illustrated is the latest to make their predictions, and there are a few eyebrow raisers.

The Phillies were picked to finish in second in the NL East, 5 games behind the Mets and 1 game ahead of the Braves. The Phils also were picked to finish 2 games behind the Diamondbacks for the Wild Card, meaning they would be sitting out the postseason.

The rest of the National League goes the way most expect it to, with the Rockies and Cubs winning their divisions. In the playoffs, SI believes the Cubs will make it all the way to the World Series. Seems reasonable, although the Mets are the better team on paper.

The Yankees are the surprise pick to have the best record in baseball, and win their division, forcing the Red Sox to be the Wild Card team. Has SI looked at the Yankees pitchers lately? If you thought the Phillies had bad pitching, take one look at the Yankees staff and be glad we don't have to rely on two old, decrepit pitchers like Mike Mussina and Andy Pettite. SI sees the rest of the AL shaping up much like most experts do, with the Tigers and Angels winning their divisions. They picked the Tigers to not only win the AL, but the World Series. With that lineup, the Tigers should be the prohibitive favorite.

Take all of these predictions with a grain of salt, but most "experts" predict the Phillies will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. The Phils have mostly been picked second or third in their division with everyone having qualms about their pitching staff. I am not sure how those same people can be so confident that the Mets aging starters and lousy corner outfielders will get the job done, but we won't have to wait long to find out.

Only 6 more days 'til the Phillies season starts!

Phillies Roster Cut Down to 27

The Phillies made three more player moves today, cutting their camp roster down to 27 players. Pitcher Travis Blackley, a Rule 5 pick, was placed on waivers. Vic Darensbourg and Gary Knotts, a pair of journeymen relievers, were reassigned to the minor league camp. None of these moves comes as a surprise, although there had been some rumblings at Beerleaguer.com that Darensbourg was deserving of a roster spot. Blackley has done nothing to prove he belongs in the majors, with a 7.27 ERA and a WHIP of 1.73 this spring.

According to Todd Zolecki of the The Phillies Zone, here is the Phillies current roster:

Pitchers (11): Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, Adam Eaton, Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey and J.D. Durbin.

Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste.

Infielders (8): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett, Wes Helms and Ray Olmedo.

Outfielders (6): Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Geoff Jenkins, Jayson Werth, So Taguchi and Chris Snelling.

The Phillies will need to part with at least two more of these players before Opening Day on Tuesday. One likely cut will be Ray Olmedo, but the other will be either Chris Snelling or Wes Helms. It's surprising that J.D. Durbin still has a spot on the roster, given his terrible spring. Zolecki speculates that if the Phillies add another pitcher, Durbin will be shipped down to the minors. I am definitely glad to see the Phillies keep only 11 pitchers instead of carrying a 12th pitcher who has little business being in the majors. The extra bench player, whether it's Helms or Snelling, will come in handy in extra inning games or in big pinch-hitting situations.

It will be interesting to see what the Phillies do with their final two moves, and if they can pull off a trade before the season starts. It's very unlikely that the Phils will be able to acquire an impact player at this time, but there are plenty of useful players available that can be small pieces to the puzzle.

Phillies Not Interested in Fultz, Zagurski's Season May be Over

Just a couple of quick Phillies news items as we close in on Opening Day:

*Phillies don't want Fultz Following up on yesterday's story, Aaron Fultz was released by the Cleveland Indians, but, according to assistant GM Ruben Amaro, the Phillies aren't interested in adding the former Phillie to the bullpen. It seems like the perfect fit: a lefty who would basically cost the Phillies nothing. They must have someone else in their plans.

*Zagurski may need surgery It may be a while before we see former fan favorite Mike Zagurski pitching for the Phillies again. According to Phillies.com, Zagurski may need Tommy John surgery, meaning he would miss all of the 2008 season and wouldn't be able to pitch again for at least a year. Zagurski has been having trouble with his elbow during the spring, and is currently on the DL. Zagurski didn't figure to be a big part of the bullpen this year, but it he could have developed into a solid bullpen option down the road. This surgery will be a huge setback for his develpment.

Andre Iguodala Throws it Down!

Great win tonight over the Celtics. Great game by Andre Iguodala, including this monster dunk:

Sixers Stun Celtics With Huge Comeback Win

In a game that looked lost, the Sixers went on an improbable 19-0 fourth quarter run to knock off the team with the best record in the NBA, the Boston Celtics, 95-90. The Celtics looked in control pretty much the whole way, leading by as much as 11 points, until they went cold in the fourth quarter and missed 11 straight field goals. Andre Iguodala led the way for the Sixers with 28 points, including 10 straight during their 19 point run. Iguodala is looking more and more like the star we all hoped he would become.

This game was a combination of the Celtics playing terrible down the stretch and the Sixers playing their best ball of the season. Every shot by the Celtics was contested, and they went nearly 7 minutes without scoring. It was the Sixers most impressive win of the season: a huge comeback on the road against the best team in the NBA.

The win moved the Sixers past the idle Toronto Raptors into the 6th spot in the Eastern Conference. They still remain one game behind the Wizards for the 5th seed. Next up for the surging Sixers are the slumping Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, a game they should be able to win to continue their playoff drive.

Revisiting the Abreu Trade

The Hardball Times posted a great article today that looks back on the Phillies trade of Bobby Abreu to the Yankees back in July 2006. Now that 20 months have passed since the trade, the article weighs in on the impact for both teams and comes to the conclusion that there was no real winner. While the Yankees got the better players (don't forget the late Cory Lidle was part of the deal), the Phillies got rid of Abreu's salary and his lackadaisical attitude. It was no coincidence the team made a major turnaround immediately after Abreu was shipped out. His removal allowed new leaders to emerge, like Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, who had a passion for winning, unlike the nonchalant Abreu.

While it would have been nice for the Phillies to have gotten something of value for Abreu, few Phillies fans would want him back in Philadelphia. It's just too bad the four players they got from the Yankees, Matt Smith, C.J. Henry, Carlos Monasterios and Jesus Sanchez, have no major league future. Henry isn't even with the Phillies anymore, having "retired" and then subsequently returning to play with the Yankees.

Abreu did help the Yankees reach the postseason the last two years, but there is no way the Phillies would have made the run they did last season with Abreu still on the team, so both teams come out looking pretty good in this deal.

Brad Lidge Placed on DL

The Phillies were hopeful that Brad Lidge would start the season healthy enough to contribute right away, but it's not going to happen. Lidge was placed on the 15 day disabled list, retroactive to March 21st, meaning the first day he could be activated would be for the sixth game of the season, April 6th against the Reds. Lidge is still dealing with knee issues, and he hasn't regained his form and velocity quite yet.

This move isn't that suprising, despite Lidge's insistence that he would be ready for Opening Day. With Lidge out, Tom Gordon will start the season as the Phillies closer. While it's nice to have Flash to fall back on, let's hope Lidge can make a return sooner rather than later. It's a long season and Lidge will only miss a few games, but this team needs to start quick this season, and a few blown saves by Gordon would really set them back.

By the way, this makes four Phillies pitchers on the disabled list.

Eagles Sign Rocky!

The Eagles made a move in free agency today, signing yet another defensive player who happens to have the perfect name for a Philadelphia player. Rocky Boiman, a linebacker with 6 years of NFL experience with the Titans and the Colts, signed a one-year deal with the Eagles. Boiman had his best season last year with the Colts, starting a career high seven games, recording 64 tackles and picking off two passes.

Boiman is being brought in to add depth and experience to the Eagles linebacking group. He immediately becomes the oldest player amongst the Eagles linebackers and has won a Super Bowl with the Colts, so he should be a solid veteran addition. Boiman will also play a lot of special teams.

This is a good depth signing. Boiman won't light the world on fire, but he should make a few plays this season and gives insurance should one of the young linebackers take a step back or get injured. The value of the contract was not announced, but you can bet the Eagles got a good deal on this one.

Besides, with a name like Rocky, he belongs in Philly.

Phillies May Look Into Past For Reliever

It's been no secret that the Phillies want another left-handed pitcher for their bullpen, and they may be looking to bring back a familiar name. Former Phillie Aaron Fultz was unable to earn a spot on the Cleveland Indians this spring, so the Tribe announced they will either trade or release him. Fultz had a rough spring, pitching 8 1/3 innings and giving up 11 runs for an ERA of 11.88. He became disposable after the Indians picked up reliever Craig Breslow off waivers from the Red Sox.

Fultz has developed into a typical LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY). He was effective in his 37 innings of work last season, striking out 28 batters and posting an ERA of 2.92. Fultz played two seasons with the Phillies, putting up great numbers in 2005 when he had an ERA of 2.24 and a WHIP under 1.00.

Unless Fultz has been injured this spring, there is really no excuse for the Phillies to not take a flier on him. He can be had for cheap since the Indians have made his availability known throughout the league. It would probably only take a mid-level prospect, or even just cash. Fultz is only 34, and has plenty of good innings left in his arm.

For the right price, it is worth the risk to see if Fultz can give the Phillies another good year out of the bullpen.

Martin Biron = Islander Killer

The Flyers look to be turning the corner again at just the right time. They defeated the New York Islanders 4-1, mostly thanks to a tremendous effort by Martin Biron. Biron, who made 32 saves and gave up the lone goal late in the third period, has owned the Islanders this season, going 6-0 against them. He has a chance to earn another win against the Islanders when the teams play again next week.

The win was the third in a row for the Flyers, who have moved into the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Bruins and two points behind the Rangers. Both the Rangers and Bruins have played one less game than Philly. Their final seeding may not matter too much, because they will likely end up playing either the Devils, Canadiens or Penguins, three teams they have had trouble with all season long.

Biron was the main story for the Flyers, but Danny Briere had a goal and two assists and Vaclav Prospal picked up a goal and an assist to lead the offense. Thanks to the great chemistry that is developing between Briere and Prospal, the Flyers played extremely well on the powerplay, scoring 3 times.

But, it was Biron's night. The fans at the Wachovia Center broke into "Marty!" chants several times, including the following after he made a spectacular save:

Next up for the Flyers are three road games in a row against the Rangers, Devils and Islanders. This week could be do or die for the Flyers and their playoff hopes.

Phillies Place 3 Pitchers on DL

The Phillies placed pitchers Francisco Rosario, Mike Zagurski and Scott Mathieson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21st. Zagurski and Mathieson have been injured all spring, so the move comes as no surprise for them, but this is the first I have heard that Rosario was injured. Rosario, who was battling for a bullpen spot, has a strained right shoulder.

These moves leave three players, Clay Condrey, J.D. Durbin and Travis Blackley battling for up to two roster spots. If the Phillies keep only 11 pitchers, only one of those three would make the team. Condrey has out-pitched the other two, so I would guess he would be the most likely of the three to make the team. Of course, there is plenty of speculation that the team is looking to acquire another left-handed pitcher for the bullpen, which could leave them all on the outside looking in.

The Phillies still have some tough decisions to make, like what they are going to do with Wes Helms and Chris Snelling. There is no way that both players make the team, so one will need to be traded or released. Unless there are a slew of injuries, neither player would have a big role on the team this year.

We are about a week away from the start of the season, and the Phillies still have their hardest roster decisions ahead of them.

TNT All-Access Video of A.I.'s Return

Just to close the book on Iverson's return, here's a video segment TNT put together. Highlights include A.I. at his pre- and post-game press conferences, greeting old friends like Samuel Dalembert and Mo Cheeks, game footage and some really cheesy music. Definitely a must-see for any Sixers fan.

Flyers Blow Lead, Win Shootout

It's been really hard to be a Flyers fan this season. Their play has been so inconsistent that you can never get too up or too down. Just when you think they have turned a corner, they will fall right back down again. No lead is safe, and no game is ever over until the final buzzer sounds.

Today's game against their division rival, the New York Rangers, was no exception. It looked like the Flyers were going to find a way to blow another game they should have won. In fact, the Flyers looked like they had the game won not once, but twice.

Most teams are pretty secure with a 2-0 lead midway through the third period, but not the Flyers. The Rangers scored 2 goals in the span of two minutes to tie the game up. Then, Danny Briere scored a goal, his second of the game, with under 4 minutes to play, which should have sealed victory for the team. But, this is the Flyers, so they allowed Jaromir Jagr to tie the game a few minutes later and force overtime. Luckily, after a scoreless overtime, the Flyers managed to win just their second shootout of the year to secure the two points they should have earned much earlier. Shootouts are always exciting, and it was great they were able to pull it out, but it should never have came down to that.

Here is footage of the shootout:


The win moves the Flyers past the idle Boston Bruins for the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. Allowing the Rangers to get a point in the game means the Flyers only inched towards the 6th seed. Their next game is Sunday, when they welcome in the New York Islanders.

Phillies Pitching Turning Around

Maybe we can all relax about the Phillies pitching now. Since giving up 11 runs to the Minnesota Twins last Saturday, the Phillies pitchers have given up 13 total runs in their last 6 games. That's an average of 2.2 runs per game. That span of games included good outings by each member of the rotation: Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick and the most recent one today by the beleaguered Adam Eaton.

Eaton pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Twins on Friday, giving up one run and scattering 4 hits. It's his second straight solid outing, and it lowered his ERA, which had recently been in double digits, to a reasonable 5.84. The Phillies, who benched most of their star offensive players in the game, ended up beating the Twins 3-2 when Carlos Ruiz drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

Eaton's solid outing comes on the heels of Kyle Kendrick's best start of the spring. On Thursday, Kendrick pitched 5 scoreless innings against the Pirates, giving up only 2 hits. Even though it was just the Pirates, it was an encouraging sign for a guy who hasn't looked confident on the mound all spring.

It appears that the Phillies rotation is finally starting to settle in and pitch they way we know they can. The Phillies offense is going to put up a ton of runs, so they don't need the pitching to be lights out every game, but it makes things a lot easier when you don't have to face five run deficits in the early innings after Eaton or Kendrick gets shelled.

The last pitcher to get hit hard, Chad Durbin, will start tomorrow's game against his old team, the Detroit Tigers. Durbin is going to need to shut down the Tigers potent offense if he wants any shot at the 5th spot in the rotation. Even then, it might be too late, as Adam Eaton may have already sewn it up with his performance today.

Even little kids can beat the Flyers

What hope do the Flyers have if their goalies can't even stop little kids from scoring on them? Here's a clip of a group of youth hockey league kids getting their chance to score on Flyers goalies Antero Niitymaki and Martin Biron. Let's hope the goalies weren't trying, because of the three shots in the clip, two of them go in.

Is it any wonder this team is struggling?

Cowboys Want Pacman

As if Eagle fans needed another reason to hate the Cowboys, now Dallas wants to add one of the most controversial football players of the last few seasons. The Cowboys are reportedly in talks with the Tennessee Titans to acquire Pacman Jones for a late round draft pick. The deal is nowhere near official, and Pacman hasn't even been cleared to play by Commissioner Roger Goodell, but Dallas would be one of the few teams that would take in a player like Jones.

While Jones is someone who is in constant trouble with the law and a complete distraction to a team, he is also a great football player who could be a big contributor if he was focused on the game. He was becoming one of the top playmaking corners in the league before his suspension, and he also can return punts with the best of them.

If the Cowboys add Jones, it could either be a shrewd pickup or huge mistake. Jones would fit right in with the already brash Cowboys locker room, but adding another volatile personality to the mix could cause the team to implode.

Eagles fans would love to see T.O. and Pacman go at it and destroy the team, but they should also be worried that Jones might end up being a key ingredient on a strong Cowboys team next year.

Sixers Spoil Iverson's Homecoming

The Philly fans welcomed Allen Iverson back with open arms, but the Sixers as a team proved to be less accommodating. Despite Iverson's 32 points and 8 assists, the Sixers continued their hot streak by defeating the Nuggets 115-113. Andre Miller, one of the players acquired in the Iverson trade, led the way for Philly, netting 28 points, and tallying 12 assists. The game fittingly came down to the Nuggets having the ball, down by two, and Iverson taking the possible game-winning shot. He missed the shot, and Marcus Camby missed a follow-up to allow the Sixers to come away with the victory.

The game was a win-win for Sixers fans: not only did they get to see their former star shine, but they got to see the home team move another step closer to the playoffs. Although it is a great win against a good Western Conference team, the victory more importantly allows the Sixers to keep up with the Wizards and Raptors, both winners tonight, in the race for the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers, who moved to .500 with the win, are still one game out of the 5th spot.

The Nuggets remain the 9th seed in the West. Shockingly, if the season ended today, Iverson would have to watch his former team in the playoffs while Denver's season would be over. Somewhere, Billy King is smiling.

Seeing Iverson embraced by the city of Philadelphia was a great sight. Iverson is definitely missed, although few fans would want him back on the team now. Iverson's departure has allowed the young guys on this team to develop their skills and step into roles that were non-existent with A.I. controlling everything. Do you think Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams would be valuable contributors if Iverson was still on the team?

With the Iverson distraction out of the way, the Sixers can go back to focusing on the playoffs. Next up are the Magic on Friday and the Nets on Sunday, followed by a tough slate next week with the Celtics, Bulls and Suns. I would normally say that the Sixers would be lucky to get 2 wins out of those games, but with the way they are playing right now, anything is possible.

Philly Fans Welcome A.I. Back

The Sixers didn't do a special tribute to their former star, but they gave the fans the opportunity to welcome Allen Iverson back to Philadelphia:


It was great to see the standing ovation and hear the applause that Iverson deserves for everything he did for Philadelphia.

Phillies Remove Castro, 3 Others From Camp

The Phillies have finally dropped a player from camp who had a solid chance of making the major league roster. They sent Fabio Castro, the diminutive lefty, down to the Double-A camp today. Castro has shuttled back and forth between the big club and the minors for the last few years, but has never done enough to stick. The Phillies still need another lefty in the pen, but Castro must not have done enough this spring to prove he could be relied upon. Castro throws with some serious heat, so I would expect him to develop into a LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY) sometime down the road.

The Phillies also sent three position players to the minors: catchers Jason Jaramillo and Pete Laforest and third baseman Brennan King. None of them were expected to make the team this year, and will likely toil in the minors for a while, although Jaramillo could be a useful backup catcher in the future.

The Return of A.I.

As you have no doubt heard, Allen Iverson makes his return to Philly tonight. Much has happened since Iverson was traded to Denver 15 months ago. With that trade, the Nuggets were supposed to become a powerhouse in the West, and the Sixers were supposed to be a team that would be a few years away from being competitive. Neither of those things happened, and ironically, if the season ended today, the Sixers would be in the playoffs while Iverson and the Nuggets would be on the outside looking in. Of course, Denver has won 7 more games than the Sixers, but that's not the point.

Most of the success the Sixers have had this season is due to a player they got in the Iverson deal, Andre Miller. Miller has meant so much to this team, and has made Billy King look really smart in demanding that Miller be included in the deal for AI.

So, what will happen tonight? I expect a fast-paced game, with plenty of points being scored. Iverson will try to score at least 50 to stick it to his old team, because that's the kind of player he is. The Sixers will be looking to prove that they don't need Iverson anymore. Look for the two Andre's, Miller and Iguodala, to show that Philly doesn't need the other AI anymore.

More importantly, will Iverson get booed or cheered? My guess is that he gets a standing ovation before the game, but once it tips off, Iverson becomes just another opponent. After all, the Sixers are trying to make a playoff push here.

Flyers Hold on Against Thrashers

Well, it's progress. The Flyers finally showed a little energy, and it narrowly carried them to a victory over a mediocre Atlanta Thrashers team, 3-2.

It started off looking like another grim night for the Flyers, as the Thrashers scored 58 seconds into the game on a flukey play. The Flyers were resilient, though, and fought back with three unanswered goals, one in each period. The highlight goal of the game was a nice give and go where Danny Briere set up Vinny Prospal in the third period. The whole play was created by a great defensive play by rookie Ryan Parent.

But the Flyers still almost gave the game away. The Thrashers pulled their goalie and Ilya Kovalchuk scored his 50th goal of the season with 30 seconds left. Kovalchuk then nearly had the game tying goal in the final seconds but Antero Niitymaki robbed him with a great save.

It wasn't a pretty win, but the Flyers will take it. At this point in the season, you take a win any way you can get it. The Flyers needed this game, which basically was a must-win. With the remaining 8 games all against tough division opponents, the Flyers had to come away with 2 points against a weak Thrashers team. If they had lost, they would have allowed the Capitals to tie them for the 8th spot in the East, but the win gives them a little breathing room.

Let's hope this win, even though it wasn't pretty, can give the Flyers some momentum and confidence heading into these crucial divisional games.

Highlights of this exciting game are here.

Hamels Returns to Form

It's been a trying exhibition season for Phillies fans. We know that wins and losses don't matter in the Grapefruit League, but when the pitching looks terrible and the losses mount, a sense of doubt about the team begins to creep in. Even laid-back Charlie Manuel has been so unimpressed by the way the team has played that he called the players out, imploring them to show more effort. The starting pitching, one of the main concerns for Manuel and the Phillies, looked like it heeded that call in today's 4-2 win over the Rays.

Cole Hamels was one of the most disappointing players this spring. He had gotten hit hard this exhibition season, and even sported an ERA in the double digits at one point. Hamels finally turned things around today, looking sharp in 6 innings of work, striking out seven batters and giving up only two hits. Of course, one of the hits was a home run by Rays rookie Evan Longoria (not the desperate houswife, the young star), but Hamels is prone to giving up the long ball from time to time. Hamels spring ERA now sits at 6.55, showing just how bad it was before.

Up until today, Brett Myers had been the only starting pitcher to look dominant this spring. Hamels looks like he is rounding into form, and you know Jamie Moyer will be his usual self. That leaves two other rotation spots to be worried about: Kyle Kendrick and the dreaded number 5 spot. I have talked ad nausea about the number 5 starter, but that situation is not any closer to being resolved. The Kendrick situation also should make Phillies fans nervous. This is a pitcher with no real track record of success that is being relied upon to be the number 3 starter. It could be a disastrous season for the Phillies if Kendrick doesn't pitch like he did last season.

Phils Rumor: Helms to San Francisco for Kline

Wes Helms doesn't have a position on the Phillies this year. With the signing of Pedro Feliz, a right-handed third baseman, Helms has become redundant. Yes, he can play first base if Ryan Howard needs a rest, but so can a number of players already on the roster. Therefore, Helms has been the subject of quite a few trade rumors this spring.

The Phillies would love to move Helms, but his 2 million dollar salary makes it difficult. The Marlins were interested in Helms at one point, but they hate taking on salary, so a deal with them is unlikely. The San Francisco Giants are the latest team that might want Helms.

The Giants are desperate for a third baseman. Ever since Pedro Feliz signed with the Phillies, the Giants have been looking for a replacement. They have been involved in talks with the White Sox about Joe Crede, but the Giants would have to give up something of value to get him. The rumor being floated around now is that the Giants would trade lefty reliever Steve Kline to the Phillies for Wes Helms.

This deal makes sense for both teams. Kline makes almost as much as Helms, so financially it works out. The Phillies are also seeking another lefty, and although Kline isn't much of a pitcher, he's your typical LOOGY. He'll get you a few outs a week against tough lefty hitters.

The Phillies should jump on any offer for Wes Helms that gets them a serviceable major league pitcher, so I would be all for this move. Kline won't light the world on fire, but he'll still be more useful to the Phils than Helms ever would be.

Kris Benson Suffers Setback

The Phillies supposed safety valve for the rotation won't be ready to pitch anytime soon. Kris Benson, who had originally thought he could be ready to play by Opening Day, will miss his next scheduled start due to arm soreness. Benson doesn't seem too worried about the setback, saying that on a scale of 1-10, his level of concern is a 1. Benson will try to pitch again sometime next week.

Benson won't be ready as quickly as he thought, but he should still be in line to join the Phillies rotation in June. What the Phillies will do between now and then with their 5th starter slot is another question. One of the candidates, Chad Durbin, didn't clear anything up with his start today. Durbin earned a win but gave up 3 runs over five innings. Shane Victorino had a good game at the plate, picking up 3 RBI's to lead the Phils to a 6-4 win over the Indians.

Phillies Eyeing Lefties Fuentes, Sowers, Laffey

Phillies GM Pat Gillick said in a recent interview that the Phils are looking to add another lefty to their bullpen, and three names have surfaced as possible targets: Brian Fuentes, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey.

Fuentes, a Colorado Rockie, seems to be the best option out of the three. He has closing experience, and a career ERA of 3.53. He also averages more than a strikeout an inning, and would look great as an 8th inning set-up guy. Fuentes would also be insurance should Brad Lidge falter in the closer role, meaning the Phillies wouldn't have to rely on Flash Gordon. Fuentes seems like a great option, but Colorado's asking price might be more than the Phillies are willing to give up. The Rockies would definitely want a viable young prospect if they are going to part with their former closer.

Sowers and Laffey have been in the hunt for the 5th starter spot for the Cleveland Indians, but Cliff Lee appears to have nailed down that spot for the Tribe, making the two southpaws expendable. Sowers is a career starter, so he would be insurance for the rotation should Adam Eaton or Kyle Kendrick falter. Sowers had an ERA of 6.42 last year, so he's nothing to get excited about. Laffey, who is 22, has a little more upside. He's also a career starter, and made his debut last season with the Indians and put up pretty respectable numbers. He was 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 9 games last season.

If the Phillies want to win now, Fuentes would be the best option out of these three. For a player with some upside who can help the Phillies down the road, Laffey is the guy. Sowers doesn't have as much talent or upside, so knowing the Phillies, that's who they are going to end up with.

Latest Flyers Injured: Umberger, Hatcher, Jones

The bad news just keeps coming for the Flyers. In the last three games, not only have the Flyers lost, but they have also had three players injured. Derian Hatcher, Randy Jones and R.J. Umberger are the latest three Flyers to be banged up, and all three are expected to miss some time.

Hatcher's injury is the worst of the three. He fractured his right leg while blocking a shot in the Boston game on Saturday. He is expected to miss at least a month, so unless the Flyers go deep into the playoffs, he is likely done for the year.

Randy Jones is day to day with a hip flexor, so he will likely only miss a few games. R. J. Umberger got hurt in Sunday's game against the Penguins, and he will be out for a minimum of two weeks with an MCL sprain. That timetable would let him return for the last few regular season games and allow him to play in the playoffs.

With Simon Gagne already out and the injuries mounting again for the Flyers, it is looking more and more like this season isn't going to be the amazing turnaround that fans were hoping for. The team has been inconsistent all year long, and some of that has to do with the revolving door of available players for any given game. The Flyers have used 34 different skaters this season, so you can imagine how hard it is to build any momentum from one game to the next when the team has no idea who will be taking the ice.

Injuries are a poor excuse for how awful the team looked today against the Penguins, but the way they are piling up isn't making things any easier for the Flyers.

Penguins Crush Flyers

Embarrassing. There is really no other word for it. The Penguins, on national television, embarrassed the Flyers 7-1 on Sunday afternoon. The Penguins, who played without their best player Sidney Crosby, beat the Flyers at every facet of the game, and played with more intensity, more skill and more heart. Five different players scored goals for the Penguins, who were barely even challenged to play defense. Marc-Andre Fleury only saw 25 Flyers shots, most of them of the "easy save" variety. The lone Flyers goal was scored by Mike Knuble, and was created by great hustle by Patrick Thoreson, who made a diving play to slide the puck toward Knuble who tapped it into the net.

The Flyers are picking the wrong time to go in the tank again. They haven't won in four games, and that has allowed teams to creep up behind them in the standings. They are barely holding on to the 8th seed in the East, with Buffalo 1 point behind and Washington 2 points out. This team was so bad last year, and it looked as though they made immense strides this season as they challenged for the top of the Eastern Conference back in January. Maybe it's injuries, or maybe they just haven't come as far as we thought, but something isn't working right now for the Flyers. It's not one players fault, it's a total team effort that is lacking.

The Flyers have tomorrow off, and then they look to rebound against the Thrashers on Tuesday. Following that game, the Flyers final 8 games are against division rivals the Rangers, Devils, Penguins and Islanders. There is still a chance the Flyers can right the ship, but if they can't improve their play, their rivals are going to enjoy knocking them out of the playoffs.

Phils Cuts Continue, Tough Decisions Looming

As the regular season approaches, the Phillies continue to pare down their roster. Pitchers Shane Youman and John Ennis are the next two to be reassigned to the minor league camp. There still haven't been any surprise cuts, neither of these players were expected to make the team. The only thing Youman had going for him was that he was a lefty, but like Ennis he is not a major league caliber pitcher.

The Phillies have made all of the obvious cuts, but the tough decisions are coming soon. The Phillies have 33 players left in camp, and need to cut 8 more. Looking at their current roster, Jason Jaramillo and Ray Olmedo seem like obvious position player cuts, but there are still six more players that need to be axed. The Phillies will need to decide if Wes Helms will be on the roster, and they have to figure out the final pieces to their bullpen.

Of course, they also need to make the tough decision as to who will be the 5th starter. Adam Eaton pitched adequately yesterday, giving up five hits but no runs in three innings. J.D. Durbin appears to be out of the running as he got rocked again to raise his ERA to 10.95. Darkhorse candidate Francisco Rosario got rocked in his last start, so it looks like Eaton might win the job by default.

Sixers Shock Spurs

So much for Andre Miller's ailing back. Miller scored a season-high 32 points to lead the Sixers to a 103-96 victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The Sixers led for most of the way, earning a convincing victory that was their 7th win in their last 8 games. The Sixers finished off a tough week that included road victories over the Pistons and Bulls with one of their best efforts in front of a loud crowd of more than 19,000 at the Wachovia Center.

The Sixers had a great effort from Miller, who played 43 minutes tonight despite a nagging back injury. Miller was on fire all night shooting 79% from the field, 91% from the line, plus he also added 7 assists and 5 rebounds to go with his season high in points. Like I said last week, Miller needs to be getting some consideration for MVP. He has done some amazing things for a team that has no business being in the playoffs. His leadership and tremendous play are what being an MVP is all about.

A few other players put up solid games. Andre Iguodala tallied 25 points, and Samuel Dalembert had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. For the Spurs, Tony Parker had a great game, finishing with 27 points, and Manu Ginobli filled up the scoresheet with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Philly continues to be the surprise team in the Eastern Conference. Washington keeps on winning so the Sixers are still stuck in the 7th seed one game behind the Wizards. They are also a mere two games behind the Raptors for the 5th seed. At this point a playoff spot seems a given, and with the way they are playing they might be able to steal a few first round games from whoever they end up facing.

The Sixers playoff quest continues Wednesday against Allen Iverson and the Nuggets. If you thought the Wachovia Center was loud for tonight's contest, wait until you hear the crowd for the Denver game.

Flyers Blow Chance to Move Past Bruins; Hatcher Injured

The Flyers found yet another way to lose a game. They were 27 seconds away from defeating the Boston Bruins and moving into the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference when Bruins forward Andrew Ference knocked in a goal that tied the game and forced overtime. In overtime, Aaron Ward let go a long-distance shot from the blue line that somehow got past Martin Biron for the game winning goal for the Bruins. It was Ward's second overtime winner against the Flyers this season.

On the injury front, the Flyers got some good news today with the return of Mike Richards and Joffrey Lupul, who both contributed offensively, with Richards scoring a goal and Lupul notching an assist. Unfortunately, that good news is overshadowed by the loss of another player to injury. They will likely be without defenseman Derian Hatcher for at least a few games. Hatcher hurt his leg while blocking a shot, and he has returned to Philadelphia to get an MRI. He said after the game that he couldn't put weight on the leg, which is a very bad sign.

The Flyers play the Penguins tomorrow. While they were lucky to get one point in today's game, they need to play at a higher level tomorrow if they want to hang with Pittsburgh. A few more bad losses like today and the Flyers will find themselves out of playoff contention.

Darrell Jackson an Option for the Eagles?

Darrell Jackson, who was recently waived by the 49ers, could be an option for the Eagles in their on-going search for a wide receiver. According to ProFootballtalk.com, the Eagles, Vikings, Bucs and Redskins are all interested in the services of the 8-year veteran. Jackson is coming off a mediocre season with the Niners where he caught 46 passes for 497 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was a star receiver in his early days with the Seahawks, when he caught over a thousand yards three times. His best season was in 2004 when he caught 87 balls for 1,199 yards and grabbed 7 touchdowns.

The Darrell Jackson of five years ago would be the solution to the Eagles need for a top receiver. Now, he is just another player. He is no better than Kevin Curtis or Reggie Brown, and would add very little to the Eagles passing attack. Jackson is coming off his worst professional season, and he doesn't stretch the field or make the tough catches anymore. He also has had on-going knee issues that have slowed him down.

If the Eagles sign Darrell Jackson and expect him to be their big playmaker, they would be making a mistake. While he has something to prove coming off a bad season, Jackson just doesn't have it anymore. Keep looking, Eagles, there is nothing to see here.

Kevin Jones Wants to Come Home to Philly

Former Detroit Lions running back and Chester native Kevin Jones is a free agent, and he would love to come back to Philly and play for his hometown team. He may get his wish, as the Eagles are amongst 12 teams interested in signing the former thousand yard rusher. The Eagles would likely have the inside track in signing Jones because he is very vocal about his interest in playing in Philadelphia. He said that "Chester will always be home to me" and that he has always wanted to play for the Eagles.

Should the Eagles go after a injury-riddled running back who is coming off December knee surgery? When healthy, Jones proved to be a versatile back who could catch the ball out of the backfield, kind of a Brian Westbrook-lite. He's not a great goal-line back, but he would certainly be a better backup than Tony Hunt. Jones, who when healthy has started every NFL game he has been a part of, is willing to be a backup, saying that he would "love to play with Brian Westbrook" and that he could "learn some things" from the Eagles starter.

Jones would be a nice addition as a backup, as long as he comes at a reasonable price. He would be an upgrade over Hunt, but I would worry that he is a little too similar to Westbrook. The Eagles need a guy who can pound the ball up the middle, not another shifty pass catching back. If Jones is willing to take a "home town discount" to come play for the Eagles, then he would be a strong addition to their backfield.

Sixers Overcome 18 Point 4th Quarter Defecit to Defeat Bulls

This is the type of game playoff teams win. The Sixers trailed 88-70 with 11 minutes left and looked poised to drop a game against a weak Bulls team. Instead, led by Rodney Carney and Andre Iguodala, they came storming back with a run of 40-18 to win the game 110-106. Carney scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a three pointer with under 2 minutes left to give the Sixers a lead that they never relinquished. Iguodala led all scorers with 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Even more impressive about the comeback win was the fact that they did it without Andre Miller, who sat out the fourth quarter with a sore back.

With the win, the Sixers remain one game behind the Wizards for the 6th spot in the Eastern Conference. They are 2 games under .500, and, barring a huge collapse, appear a near lock to make the playoffs at this point. Their "Hell Week" ends tomorrow with a game against the Spurs at home, and then they have 3 days off before they welcome old friend Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets back to Philly.

With the Flyers floundering and the Phillies sputtering towards the regular season, the Sixers seem to have caught fire at the right time. They have won 14 of their last 18 games, and have made basketball exciting again for Philly fans. Of course, once the playoffs start and they have to face the Pistons or the Celtics in multiple games, their weaknesses will likely be exposed and they will be quickly bounced from the playoffs. In the meantime, let's just enjoy the ride.

Rosario Rocked by Braves

Entering the day, Francisco Rosario had been building momentum as a darkhorse 5th starter for the Phillies. After surrendering 6 runs in two innings against the Braves, Rosario may have blown his shot at even making the team.

In yet another Grapefruit league drubbing, the Phillies lost 9-1 to the Braves. Not only was Rosario shelled, but the offense was completely shut down by such star pitchers as Royce Ring, Vladmir Nunez and Chris Resop. The Phils managed only 6 hits, and the only run came on a Greg Dobbs home run. On the pitching side, Shane Youman was also hit hard, giving up 3 runs in his only inning of work.

Rosario had been mentioned as a possible starting option, but with today's showing he appears to have lost any hope for that role. Phillies fans who though that Rosario could have been an effective starter were grasping at straws, desperate to find another option besides Adam Eaton. He is still the same guy who was 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA for the Phils last year, and he is a notorious fly ball pitcher, which doesn't bode well for a future in Citizens Bank. Rosario can still earn a spot in the bullpen if he turns it around in his next few outings.

Phillies Cut 5 More

With the season a little more than two weeks away, things are starting to get interesting in the baseball world. Teams are starting to whittle down their roster, starting players are playing a little more, and injuries are mounting throughout the league. The Phillies don't have any major position battles, so there is less intrigue in their camp, but there is still a race for the final few roster spots.

The Phillies cut 14 players last week, and dropped five more today. Outfielders Greg Golson and Brendan Watson and pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Josh Outman were all reassigned to the minor league camp while outfielder T.J. Bohn was optioned there as well. None of these cuts were surprises. Carrasco and Outman are two prospects that the Phillies have high hopes for down the road. Neither figures to see any big league action this season unless the Phils have a rash of injuries. Golson is tremendously fast and continues to flash a great glove, but hasn't proven he can hit major league pitching yet. Bohn and Watson are just minor league fodder and don't have much upside.

Injury Update: Kris Benson is still a long way from returning, according to Charlie Manuel. Manuel said he didn't expect Benson to be back until sometime around June. He is progressing well, but he still has a long, slow recovery to make. This could mean more starts from Adam Eaton or a Durbin than anyone can stomach.

Brad Lidge, however, appears to be right on schedule for a return in April. He looked good yesterday throwing in practice and expects to see some action next week in a simulated game.

Dan Klecko Signs with Eagles to play Fullback

The Eagles signed former Colts and Patriots defensive lineman Dan Klecko to a one-year contract. Klecko is a local guy, having grown up in Delaware Valley and gone to Temple. Klecko has primarily played defensive tackle in the NFL, but the Eagles plan to convert him to a fullback, a position he occasionally played for the Colts during their Super Bowl run.

Klecko brings plenty of playoff and Super Bowl experience to the Eagles, having won three rings with the Colts and Patriots. It's unknown if the Eagles expect Klecko to step in and be a starter right away, or if they intend for him to simply push Jason David. Given that Thomas Tapeh touched the ball a whopping 13 times last year, the Eagles don't really utilize the fullback position in their offense anyway. At the very least, Klecko could be a solid special teams player and can be brought in to block on short yardage plays.

Kyle Lohse Signs With Cardinals

Kyle Lohse, the man apparently no one wanted, finally found a team for 2008. He signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. The contract is reportedly worth 4.25 million dollars. Why the Phillies didn't want to sign him at that bargain price will remain a mystery.

While Lohse is not a star pitcher, it would have been nice to see the Phillies sign some insurance for their rotation. While Lohse wouldn't have won 15 games for Phillies, he wouldn't have lost 15 either. He is an average pitcher who would put up an ERA near 5.00 and end up with a record around 12-12. Those are solid numbers for the back of a rotation, and numbers the Phillies would be lucky to get from Adam Eaton, their likely 5th starter to begin the season. Eaton finished last season 10-10 with a 6.29 ERA.

The Phillies seem to be banking on Kris Benson stepping into the rotation at some point in the season. That is the only explanation they could have as to why they didn't sign Lohse. GM Pat Gillick has said in recent interviews that since the Phillies have been impressed with Benson and his progress, they weren't even considering Lohse as an option. Another theory is that when the Phillies were forced to dole out an extra 3 million to Ryan Howard, they didn't have any money left over to sign anyone else. Their self-imposed budget kept them from strengthening their rotation.

Kyle Lohse figures to have a mediocre season with the Cardinals. The Cardinals don't look like a strong team, so he figures to finish with a record below .500. Phillies fans would still take him over Adam Eaton any day. The Phils seem to be putting a lot of their hopes on Kris Benson; hopefully it doesn't backfire in the end.

New Eagles Lineman: Juqua Parker

Okay, so its just a name change. Juqua Thomas announced yesterday that he will now be known as Juqua Parker. Parker's father, who passed away in 2005, asked Juqua to honor his father by taking his last name.

Parker figures to have a big role in 2008 for the Eagles, as he looks to build on his 5 sacks from last season. Parker started last season as a reserve but moved into the starting role and played pretty well down the stretch.

Sixers Knock Off Pistons

Halfway through the week I dubbed "Hell Week", and the Sixers are halfway towards their goal of winning two games. They barely defeated the Pistons 83-82, made no shots in the final 2:27 of play, and needed Mr. Clutch Chauncey Billups to miss a last second shot to pull it off, but when you are fighting for the playoffs, a win is a win.

The Sixers won despite not shooting well down the stretch, and finished the game shooting only slightly above 40%. They continue to shoot poorly from outside, but tonight only attempted 8 shots from beyond the arc. The Sixers played a good all-around team game, with 5 players finishing in double figures in points. Andre Iguodala led the way with 22 points, and Reggie Evans had a big game with 12 points and 11 boards.

Philly proved two things tonight. They proved that while they rely on an uptempo, fast-break style, they can win a game where the tempo is considerably slower and they have to rely on their half-court game. They managed only 8 fast break points, but still pulled out the victory. The Sixers also proved they can win a big game without Willie Green. With Rodney Carney playing well and Thaddeus Young getting more minutes, Green was barely missed.

Andre Miller hurt his back and missed the end of the game, but is considered day to day. I doubt he will miss any games.

Up next for the Sixers is the lowly Chicago Bulls on Friday. It's a must-win game with the Spurs looming on Saturday.

Phils Minor Move: Holdzkom a Free Agent

Things were quiet from Phillies camp yesterday as they relaxed on an off day. They did make one minor move, taking Rule 5 draftee Lincoln Holdzkom off their 40 man roster, making him a free agent. Since he was taken in the Rule 5 draft, the Phillies had to offer him back to his original team, the Red Sox, who refused Holdzkom, making him free to sign with any team.

Holdzkom had a decent Spring, pitching 3.1 innings with an ERA of 2.70. He had some control issues, so even though he struck out three batters, he walked four. There was very little chance he was going to make the Opening Day roster anyway, but the Phillies could easily sign him to a minor league deal. They did the same thing with Shane Victorino a few years ago, and he eventually re-signed with the team.

Holdzkom throws hard but doesn't project to be much of a major leaguer. He's only 25, but has already worked his way through several organizations, having been drafted by the Marlins and been passed through the Astros, Cubs and Red Sox.

The Phillies still have one other Rule 5 draftee, Travis Blackley. With his poor showing this spring, Blackley doesn't seem likely to make the team, either, so he may go through the same process.

Flyers Collapse, Blow 3-0 Lead

Yesterday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs was a microcosm of the entire Flyers season. The Flyers played well for two periods, and when Danny Briere scored early in the 3rd period to make it 3-0, the game appeared to be over. At least, the Flyers played like it was over. The Maple Leafs came storming back, firing a barrage of shots and getting three goals to force overtime. Pavel Kubina scored the game winner in the final minute of overtime play.

It was another tough loss for the Flyers, who still can't find any consistency. After being near unstoppable in January and then awful in February, the team has played up and down from night to night. Last night they looked like a different team in the third period, as they played back on their heels and let Toronto dictate the play. While they were lucky to earn a point, you have to win games when you have a three goal lead. They blew a chance to move past the Bruins into the 7th seed, and allowed teams like the Maple Leafs to creep up closer to playoff contention.

On a positive note, Braydon Coburn has played extremely well lately. He had a sweet one-timer goal and tallied an assist on Scottie Upshall's goal in the first period. He played over 29 minutes in the game, and with the tremendous improvements he has made this season, he has proven he can be a top pairing defenseman.

The Flyers look to bounce back tonight in a rematch with the Maple Leafs at the Wachovia Center. Despite the terrible finish to yesterday's game, they will gladly take the three points in two games they would earn if they win tonight.

Injury Update:
Reinforcements are coming! The Flyers got some good news on the injury front, as Mike Richards and Joffrey Lupul are expected to return to the line-up for Saturday's game against the Bruins. Hopefully they can provide a spark to give the Flyers some momentum heading into the playoffs.

Anquan Boldin may want a trade?

Next stop on the Eagles rumor wheel? Anquan Boldin. Now that Larry Fitzgerald has re-signed with Arizona, it appears fellow Cardinals' receiver Boldin may want out if he doesn't get his own big contract. This speculation comes from Adam Schefter of NFL Network, who says that although the Cardinals consider Boldin the better receiver, he is scheduled to make under 3 million dollars for the next two seasons. Contrast that with Fitzgerald who will be getting 10 million a year for four years, and you could see why an issue could arise. The Cardinals would not be able to pay another receiver upwards of 10 million dollars a season, so they may look to trade him. Schefter mentions that the Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins, the three teams that have been rumored for every top receiver, are possible destinations for Boldin.

Obviously Boldin would be an excellent addition to the Eagles. Just like Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald would have been. This time, however, I am not going to get my hopes up. The Eagles have to look into getting Boldin if he becomes available, but I would not count on it happening. Eagles fans have learned far too well how hard it is to acquire a top receiver, so don't start buying your Anquan Boldin #81 Eagles jerseys just yet.

Gillick: Phillies looking to add lefty; Lohse not an option

The Phillies pitching this Spring Training has been so bad it's laughable. Every starter, with the exception of Brett Myers, has been shelled. The bullpen hasn't looked much better. Randy Miller at Phillyburbs.com wrote an interesting piece about the Phils pitching situation that addresses the current situation and even discusses some possible future moves.

GM Pat Gillick was interviewed in the article, and he mentioned that the Phillies are looking at acquiring another lefty reliever to go with J.C. Romero. Apparently Fabio Castro and Shane Youman aren't cutting it. Big surprise there. Gillick said "we'd like to have two left-handers in the 'pen if we can.” Gillick also eliminated any possibility of Kyle Lohse coming back, saying “we're not going down that road....we made Lohse an offer, and he decided to do something else".

It looks like the Phillies think they are set in terms of starting pitching, which means we can count on Adam Eaton starting the 5th game this year. Kris Benson will likely take over if/when Eaton struggles. In terms of the bullpen, it seems like the Phillies have been searching for another lefty for years. I have no clue who they are looking to acquire, or what it would take to get them. There have been some rumors floating around that the Dodgers, who are in need of a 3rd baseman, could be interested in Wes Helms. Maybe the Phillies could pry away a reliever from them, although it might be asking too much for a team to take on Helms' contract and give back a serviceable player.

Injury Updates (via Philly.com):
Adam Eaton said his back looks fine and he's ready to "pitch" again.
Brad Lidge is back to throwing again, and he thinks he could be ready for opening day.
Kris Benson also appears to be on target for a return in early April.

Sixers Hand Celtics 50th Win, Green Shelved

"Hell Week" couldn't have started much worse for the Sixers. Not only did they lose by a wide margin to the Celtics, they also lost the services of Willie Green for at least the next two games.

Despite tremendous support from a sold-out Wachovia Center, the Sixers rarely threatened to make it much of a game against the Celtics, losing 100-86. The Celtics slowed the tempo down, forcing the Sixers into half-court sets and taking them away from their fastbreak offense. The Sixers also shot terrible from behind the three point line, hitting only 2 of 17. Mr. Reliable Andre Miller even had an off game. Despite getting 22 points and 8 rebounds, he shot just 7 of 20 from the field. Andre Iguodala didn't fare much better, hitting just 5 of 14 shots for 17 points. One positive for the Sixers: their bench outscored the Celtics bench, 36-23.

Willie Green played 12 minutes last night before leaving with a lower back strain. He won't be going on the road trip, so he will miss the games against Detroit and Chicago. He may also miss Sunday's game against the Spurs.

The Sixers need to be playing their best basketball to stay competitive with the Pistons and Spurs, so losing Willie Green will be a big blow. Green is one of the few Sixers who can make shots from the outside since the trading of Kyle Korver, so he will be missed in that regard. Of course, it will likely mean bigger roles for Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams, so it will be good to see them in crucial situations against top teams.

Yesterday I said that the Sixers would need a split this week to maintain their playoff position in the Eastern Conference. So far they are 0-1, and they need to win two of their next three. Do they have enough to knock off Detroit or San Antonio? They will have to play much better than they did against Boston if that's going to happen.

Larry Fitzgerald Extends Deal, won't be an Eagle

So much for the dream of seeing Larry Fitzgerald in an Eagle uniform. Fitzgerald agreed to extend his deal with the Cardinals, signing a 4 year, 40 million dollar deal. You have to hand it to the normally incompetent Cardinals, not only did they find a way to keep their star receiver, they got him on the cheap. Even though it includes 30 million dollars in guaranteed money, 10 million a year is a steal for a player of Fitzgerald's talent.

This is strike two against the Eagles in their search for a star receiver. Who's left for them to pursue? Detroit is reluctant to move Roy Williams, Chad Johnson looks like he's staying put, and Torry Holt isn't going anywhere. It is looking more and more like the Eagles will be stuck with the same group of receivers next year. They still have to trade Lito Sheppard at some point, but this team probably won't be making any moves until the draft.

Joe Banner Discusses Eagles Moves

Here is a short but interesting interview of Eagles Team President Joe Banner discussing the Birds offseason so far. He talks about going after Randy Moss, and how they will deal with the Lito Sheppard situation and trades in the future.

Phils Offense Strong While Pitching Stinks

Same story, different day for the Phillies this exhibition season. The Phillies lost today 8-5 to the Pirates, but the offense put on a show, with Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz all hitting solo home runs. Unfortunately it was all a waste as the pitching continues to struggle, with J. D. Durbin giving up 5 runs in 3.1 innings.

Durbin had a chance to assert himself in the race for the 5th starter, but failed to show that he even deserved a spot on the Opening Day roster. He gave up 8 hits, walked 2 batters and only struck out one. His ERA has risen to 9.64 this spring. As a team, the Phillies pitching is only slightly better with an ERA of 6.77, which ranks 27th amongst all teams. The poor showing can't all be blamed on Adam Eaton and his 15.75 ERA, there are several others who are getting shelled. Kyle Kendrick is coming off a terrible performance against the Blue Jays where he gave up 6 runs to raise his ERA to 16.43. Cole Hamels and Tom Gordon, both key parts to the team, also have ERA's above 10. Hopefully the pitchers are just rusty and this won't be an omen for the rest of the season.

If the pitchers can't get their act together, at least we will see a lot of 10-8 games because the offense has been coming on as of late. Ryan Howard, who is hitting .433, hit a towering home run yesterday, and then added another today, to continue his torrid spring hitting. Pedro Feliz has hit 2 bombs, showing he is capable of some pop to go with his solid defense, and So Taguchi has played well, hitting .412. Just about the only Phillie regular to not be hitting well is NL MVP Jimmy Rollins, who has only 3 hits in 26 at bats for an average of .115.

The Phillies have an off-day tomorrow, so hopefully they can figure out how to get their pitching back on track. It's still early in the exhibition season, but the trend they have started could lead to another horrible April. This team needs to get some momentum to avoid the early season struggles that have plagued them in recent seasons.

Hell Week Starts Tonight for Red Hot Sixers

The Sixers look to continue their playoff push, but this week they will meet their toughest challenge yet. They have won four straight, and 12 of their last 15, to climb into the playoff picture in the East. Most of those wins have come against the NBA JV teams, including their latest thrashings of the Sonics and Bucks. This week the challenge is much greater, with four total games, three of them against the NBA's elite. The Sixers start the week against the Celtics tonight, then face the Pistons, Bulls and Spurs. The Bulls game is a must-win, and if they can steal one of the other three, they will happily take a split for the week.

The Sixers continue to be led by Andre Miller, who is coming off his second Eastern Conference Player of the Week award. Miller has been providing the leadership this young team needs, and is getting it done on both ends of the floor. His scoring average of 16.2 points per game is the highest of his career, and he's a threat for a triple double every time out. He has to be getting at least some consideration for the MVP award given the way he is playing and the Sixers recent surge into playoff contention.

Also playing well for the Sixers of late is Samuel Dalembert. In the last two games combined he has scored a total of 40 points and grabbed 23 rebounds. It's just too bad he isn't enjoying himself. Dalembert expressed that he has felt confused lately and that the game isn't fun for him anymore. Seems like odd timing for such comments, with the Sixers on a roll and Dalembert starting to finally live up to his huge contract. Maurice Cheeks didn't seem too worried by the comments, so hopefully it won't be a big deal.

Thaddeus Young has also played exceptionally well the last two games, totaling 40 points and grabbing 13 boards. Young has continually proven that the Sixers were smart in drafting him with the 12th overall pick last year, even though everyone was clamoring for Al Thornton. Young looks better every game, and has tremendous upside.

The Sixers find themselves in great position as they enter the stretch run. With 19 games remaining, they sit in the 7th seed in the East, 4 games up on 9th seeded New Jersey. The Sixers are also a half game behind Washington for the 6th seed, but as I discussed last week, they aren't likely to pass the Wizards. With their tough remaining schedule, the best case scenario for the Sixers might be the 7th seed and a date with the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. For the immediate future, they need a split this week, so assuming they can beat Chicago, they will need to knock off one of the league's elite. This week will prove to be a great measuring stick for the Sixers to see how far they have come.

Torry Holt won't be traded

The rumor mill is still churning with possibilities for the Eagles in their quest for a number one receiver. One of the names that has been occasionally mentioned is Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams. I never really considered Holt an option, but the Rams have made it public that they won't trade the 10-year veteran. With Isaac Bruce in San Francisco, the Rams are thin at wide receiver, so why would they trade their only consistent threat? The Rams are looking to add another receiver, not trade one away.

Out of all the rumored candidates for the Eagles, Holt was the least impressive. He's 31 years old, and not the same player he once was. While he did finish with 90 catches last season, his yards per catch has steadily declined over the last seven years. The Eagles need someone who can be a deep threat, and Holt is not that guy anymore. He has turned into a possession receiver who can make the tough catches over the middle.

Cross Torry Holt off the Eagles wish list. The options are beginning to narrow, and it looks like if the Eagles can't pry Larry Fitzgerald away from the Cardinals, they will be stuck with the same group as last year. Maybe Reggie Brown will finally make the leap every has been expecting.

Mets "Laugh Off" Idea of Signing Bonds

It would have been the perfect storm of booing. Barry Bonds in a Mets uniform would've been like Christmas for Philly fans, who would have used their creative talents to boo the roided out slugger mercilessly. It also would have been scary, because the man can still swing the bat at an elite level.

The Mets have some serious injury issues in their outfield, with Moises Alou the latest to go down. Buster Olney made the suggestion yesterday that the Mets should sign Bonds, arguing that he is the best talent out there that can be acquired using only money. While Bonds can't play the field very well anymore, the middle of the Mets lineup would be frightening, with Bonds, Beltran and Wright all capable of 30 home runs and 100 RBI's.

Fortunately, the Mets are not interested. Mets GM Omar Minaya quickly dismissed the idea, stating that the team will "go with someone internal" to fill in until Alou comes back. The Mets have reportedly "laughed off" the idea, inferring that it would be foolish to sign someone with the kind of baggage that Bonds brings to a team.

While Bonds would be a pain in the ass, he would make the Mets better. If the Mets have a weakness, it's in the corner outfield positions, where they have two injured veterans, Moises Alou and Ryan Church. If both players miss a significant amount of time, the Mets would be forced to turn to Damon Easley and former Phillie Endy Chavez. It's hard to imagine a team with those two weak hitters in the corner outfield spots.

While Phillies fans would be both scared and excited to see Bonds playing for the Mets, it looks unlikely. The Phillies have a massive advantage over the Mets with their outfield, with Pat Burrell and Geoff Jenkins easily better than anything the Mets will trot out to their corner outfield positions, even if Alou and Church are healthy. Barry Bonds would tip the scales back towards the Mets, but luckily the Mets have decided they don't need yet another aging, injury-prone outfielder.

First Phillie Cuts and an Injury Update

The Phillies made their first cuts today, taking 14 players out of the major league camp. They sent pitchers Joe Bisenius, J.A. Happ and Scott Mathieson along with shortstop Brad Harman to the minor league camp. Mike Cervenak, Ron Chiavacci, Jason Donald, Tuffy Gosewisch, Lou Marson, Brian Mazone, Valentino Pascucci, Joe Savery, Zach Segovia and Andy Tracy were all reassigned.

None of those cuts comes as much of a surprise as none were projected to be on the Opening Day roster. Scott Mathieson is the only player listed here who might make an impact later in the season, but he needs to get healthy following his Tommy John surgery. Mathieson should be in the bullpen mix by midseason. Joe Savery is the Phillies number one pick from last years draft who had one terrible spring training outing followed by a good one. He will likely start the season in Single A, and won't be in the majors for a few years. Most of the rest of these guys are non-prospects or guys who have been to the majors and shown they can't cut it, like Happ and Segovia. One interesting player that wasn't cut was Josh Outman. He must have done enough to stick around for a few more days, but there is no chance he makes the club this year.

*Injury Updates
Adam Eaton will miss his next start with a back injury. He will be able to pitch again next weekend. No word yet on whether he will actually pitch well.

Kris Benson pitched yesterday in a minor league game, and looked strong, hitting 88 mph with his fastball. He believes he can be ready by opening day if the Phillies need him. With the 5th starter options all looking awful, they might be forced to call on Benson soon.

There haven't been any updates indicating when Brad Lidge will be able to pitch again. He's still hoping to be ready about a week into the season.

The Sluggish Race for Phillies 5th Starter

Yesterday I wrote a piece about Adam Eaton and his struggles this spring. Eaton is the leading candidate for the 5th starter spot, but with the terrible spring he is having, he is losing his grip on the spot. Too bad there isn't anyone stepping up to take it away from him.

Travis Blackley is one of the four options the Phillies are considering for the final spot in the rotation. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, walked 4 and gave up 5 earned runs in an appearance today against the Indians. He did strike out three batters, but he had trouble with his control all day. Blackley was considered a long shot for the rotation, but with Eaton slipping he could have asserted himself and grabbed the role.

Here are the Spring Training statistics so far for all of the 5th starter candidates:

Travis Blackley: 4.2 IP, 5 K's, 4 BB, 5 ER, 9.64 ERA
Chad Durbin: 5.0 IP, 5 K's, 0 BB, 4 ER, 7.20 ERA
J.D. Durbin: 6.0 IP, 3 K's, 3 BB, 5 ER, 7.50 ERA
Adam Eaton: 4.0 IP, 2 K's, 0 BB, 7 ER, 15.75 ERA

Not exactly the type of competition the Phils were hoping for. Each one of the candidates has had at least one bad outing that has caused their ERA to increase dramatically. Blackley had looked the best out of the group until today's performance. Chad Durbin probably has overtaken him, at least he has shown good control to go with his high strikeout rate. Clearly Eaton is struggling the worst out of this group.

Of course, it's always important to take Spring Training statistics with a grain of salt, especially for pitchers. It's long been said that the hitters are ahead of the pitchers during the spring, and by the time the season starts the pitchers are caught up.

Still, these numbers are concerning. It will be interesting to see what the Phillies decide to do, if all four pitchers continue to struggle. Kris Benson will probably be the next option down the road, and it will be interesting to hear how he did in his simulated pitching experience today. He's got to do better than Adam Eaton, right?

Cardinals not interested in Eagles offer for Fitzgerald

The Cardinals apparently aren't all that enthusiastic with what the Eagles have to offer them for their 2-time Pro Bowl receiver. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Cardinals won't be able to pay Larry Fitzgerald what he is owed, and unless his contract can be restructured, the Cards will be forced to trade him.

The Eagles have reportedly offered Lito Sheppard and Reggie Brown for Fitzgerald, but the Cardinals aren't biting. They are said to have "little interest in either player" the Eagles are offering. Taking a look at the Cardinals roster, they already have a pretty good secondary, but Lito would be an upgrade over anything they have at the cornerback position. They would need a receiver to replace Fitzgerald, so that is why Reggie Brown is thrown in. The Eagles could easily upgrade their offer by tossing in some high draft picks, but then they might be overpaying for Fitzgerald.

It is great to see the Eagles continue to be aggressive in getting another receiver. The way things are looking, though, they are going to have to give up a ton to get one. Matt Millen has publicly stated that Roy Williams is not available, so Fitzgerald might be the last option they have.

The Eagles will have to do something completely out of character if they want Larry Fitzgerald. They are going to have to mortgage the future to win now with a player who has a huge contract. The last time they did something so out of character, bringing in a locker room cancer like T.O., they ended up in the Super Bowl. Let's hope they can find a way to get this thing done.

What to do with Adam Eaton?

The Phillies really screwed up with Adam Eaton. He's in the second year of his 3 year contract worth 24.5 million dollars, and he stinks. Because of his huge contract, Eaton is the front runner for the Phils number 5 spot in the rotation, despite having an ERA of 15.75 in two spring appearances. Now he is using the lame excuse that he has a bad back that has been affecting his performance since July.

So what are the Phillies supposed to do? Despite how bad he has been, the Phillies have no other choice but to trot him out every fifth day. They can't trade the guy because no one would want him. They won't release Eaton because the Phillies aren't in the habit of giving away money. He would be terrible out of the bullpen because of the way he gets rocked in the early innings of his starts.

The other fifth starter options aren't all that appealing, either. J. D. Durbin has shown flashes of what made him a prospect a few years ago, but he looked awful last September. Chad Durbin is very average and would be better suited in a long relief role. Travis Blackley is also an option, although he had an ERA over 7 last year with the Giants.

Prospect Carlos Carrasco has been a long-shot option, and he has the best stuff out of any of these back-end guys, but he won't be ready for at least another year. By the way, I know that everyone in the Phillies organization is high on Carrasco, but before we get our hopes up, Baseball Prospectus projects him to be only a "solid, mid-rotation innings-eater". Doesn't sound like glowing praise for a guy the Phillies are counting on to be a stud.

So, getting back to Eaton, it looks like the Phillies are stuck with him. Expectations couldn't be lower. If the Phillies could get 6 innings out of Eaton and he only gives up 3-4 runs, they will be ecstatic. The Phils are probably hoping to get about a month of decent pitching out of Eaton until Kris Benson is healthy. They can then stick Benson into the rotation and then figure out what to do with Eaton.

Of course, if it was me, I would sign Kyle Lohse for the 1 year, 4 million dollar contract he is seeking, and then cut my losses with Eaton. It would be tough to swallow that huge contract and admit they made a mistake, but the Phillies can't afford to have such an inept pitcher in their rotation. The Phillies have an amazing offense that can pile up runs in a hurry, but they still can't risk using a starting pitcher who consistently spots the other team 5 runs in the first two innings. Hopefully a few more awful spring performances will force the Phillies to get rid of the dead weight known as Adam Eaton.

Randy Moss still hasn't signed with Patriots?

Maybe this Randy Moss story isn't over just yet. As of Monday, it was reported that Moss was set to re-join the Patriots and would sign a 3 year, 27 million dollar contract. The Eagles made their pitch to get Moss to Philly, and he almost came here, but he chose to stay in New England, and the Eagles were left to look elsewhere to find a number one receiver.

Or are they? Ron Jaworski, on the Jody Mac show on Sports Radio 950, and GCobb.com have reported that Randy Moss has yet to actually sign a contract with the Patriots. Jaworski stated that the deal might be "falling apart" and that both sides are still haggling over the final numbers of the deal. Jaws says that Andy Reid and the Eagles are ready to swoop in and try to pry Moss away if he is having second thoughts. This all sounds like good news to the Eagles, who would have to be the front runner for Moss if he doesn't stay with the Patriots.

However, the rumor may not have any validity. ProFootballtalk.com, which is usually a pretty reliable source, emphatically refutes the story. They say that the deal has been signed, and if you go to the NFLPA web site, it is posted that Moss is signed with the Patriots through 2010.

Ron Jaworksi is not usually the type to make up rumors, but I think in this case we have to assume that Randy Moss is a Patriot. The chances that he didn't actually sign the contract are slim, and even if he hasn't, they could be simply hammering out the final details. If there is truth to these rumors, the Eagles better be on the phone and ready to give Moss whatever it is he wants that the Patriots won't give him. If there is any chance they can sign him, they better be putting all of their efforts into trying to get it done.

To listen to audio from the Ron Jaworski interview, click here.

One last question for Eagle fans to discuss in the comment section: If both were available, which receiver would you rather have, Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss?

Cote, Flyers Knock Out Lightning

The Flyers defeated the Lightning 3-2 in what proved to be an exciting contest. The Flyers were led offensively by Jeff Carter, who scored a pair of goals, the second one the game winner in the final two minutes. Martin Biron had a nice game in goal, stopping 23 shots. The win kept the Flyers in the 8th seed, and moved them within one point of the Bruins for the 7th spot.

The highlight of the game was Riley Cote and his two-punch knockout of Andre Roy. Cote and Roy scrapped twice in the game, with the first match-up ending in a draw. The second fight lasted about 5 seconds when Cote landed two massive lefts that folded Roy up like an accordion. Roy was shown on the bench later in the game jawing and making throat slashing gestures at Cote. Roy was visibly shaking and so agitated that Lightning coach John Tortorella screamed at him and shoved him onto the bench. Luckily for him, Roy was benched for the remainder of the game, or Cote would have kicked his butt again.

Round 1 Fight Footage


Round 2 Fight Footage

The Freak is a Titan Once Again

Jevon Kearse is going back to the team he started his career with. The Titans signed Kearse to a 2 year, 6 million dollar deal. The Eagles cut Kearse last week in a move to free up the money needed to sign Asante Samuel. Kearse never lived up to the huge contract the Eagles gave him, but he should settle nicely into a complimentary role in Tennessee. Hopefully the Titans aren't counting on much more from the injury prone veteran.

Eagles Cut Takeo Spikes

In a move that will free up 5 million dollars in cap space, the Eagles released linebacker Takeo Spikes. Spikes spent only one season with the Eagles after he was acquired from the Bills for Darwin Walker. This move is surprising, because Spikes was looked at as the veteran leader of an otherwise young linebacking group. Spikes was injured at the end of last year, so he could also not be recovering at the rate the Eagles had hoped.

This move had to be done to clear up enough space for the Eagles to acquire a number one receiver. Could Larry Fitzgerald be on his way to Philly soon?

Sifting Through the Eagles Rumors

There are a ton of Eagles rumors flying around the internet. There are any number of trade scenarios and free agent signings that have been "sure to happen" according to a number of different sources. The Eagles have been linked to nearly every available wide receiver, and Lito Sheppard has been traded to about ten different teams already. So what are we to believe? What are the Eagles really going to do? I am not going to pretend like I know what's going to happen, but I want to run down what we know and try to figure out what rumors might actually have some merit.

What we know:
*The Eagles want a top flight receiver The Eagles went after Randy Moss. That's a fact. Going after Moss proves that the Eagles want a number one receiver. Andy Reid knows that if the Eagles go through next season with a receiving group led by a pair of number two receivers, Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, their offense will remain stagnant. They need a true number one receiver who can either help to stretch the field or draw a double team as he goes across the middle. Going after Moss was a declaration to the league that the Eagles want a number one receiver, and they are willing to do what it takes to get one.

*The Eagles are willing to trade Lito As good as the Eagles secondary would be next year with Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard, one of them is likely to go. While keeping three starting caliber corners would help them shut down opposing teams who like to run spread offenses, there are potential issues that could arise. The main problem is that all three think they are starting corners, so whoever plays nickel corner will be upset. Reportedly, the Eagles are willing to move Lito Sheppard, and have already begun fielding offers from other teams. Rumors are swirling as to possible trading partners, with the Redskins, Lions and Cardinals as the rumored suitors. What they might get for the oft-injured former Pro Bowler is another story. I have heard everything from draft picks to star receivers. Of course, the Eagles can't overplay their hand and show other teams they are desperate to move Lito, so they won't let it be known that they want to dump him. If other teams know the Eagles can't wait to get rid of him, they won't get anything good in return.

The rumored moves:
*Free Agent Receivers There isn't much left in the free agent market. Bryant Johnson and D. J. Hackett are the best available, but they wouldn't be an upgrade over what the Eagles currently have. They would be more of the same. A receiver would have to be acquired through a trade.

*Larry Fitzgerald As I said before, the Eagles are going after a top receiver, and there have been grumblings that the Cardinals won't be able to pay Larry Fitzgerald, so they want to move him to another team. Obviously, if Fitzgerald is available, he has to be someone the Eagles are pursuing. If they would really trade Fitzgerald, which is very unlikely, what would the Cardinals want for him? They could use help in the secondary, so Lito Sheppard could be an option. The Eagles would also need to throw in a few first day draft picks as well. If Lito isn't a part of the deal, I don't think the Eagles have enough to offer to get it done.

The other problem with the Eagles acquiring Larry Fitzgerald is the same problem the Cardinals are having: his contract. Fitzgerald is set to make a total of 31 million over the next two seasons. The Eagles already spent a ton of money on Samuel so they are no going to be happy having two guys taking up a huge chunk of their salary cap. The Eagles would likely try to get Fitzgerald to restructure his contract, but if he is willing to do that, the Cardinals would be able to keep him.

*Roy Williams The Lions receiver has been rumored to be on the trading block, so again, you can bet the Eagles are showing interest. While Williams is not on the level of a Larry Fitzgerald or Randy Moss, he's in the next tier of receivers and would be a definite number one option on the Eagles. So if the Lions are willing to trade, does Philly have anything they want? They have an awful defense, and need help at corner and on the defensive line. They would certainly want Lito, but the Eagles don't have any tradeable pieces along the D-line. While it would be great to get rid of Darren Howard, even Matt Millen isn't dumb enough to pay Howard's contract for his minor contributions. A deal for Roy Williams seems more likely than for Fitzgerald, but it would also take Lito and a high draft pick.

*Chad Johnson I am not sure why he keeps popping up in trade possibilities. Even if he wants to get out of town, the Bengals have no interest in trading him. If they did, they would ask for way more than the Eagles would be willing to give up. Johnson has more of a chance of going to a team with a top 5 pick in the draft.

To sum it up, we know the Eagles want a top flight receiver, and that receiver has to come through a trade. Their best trading chip is Lito Sheppard, but he alone will not get them a great receiver. A package of draft picks with Lito included might get it done. So, what will the Eagles do? The Eagles have let a lot of information leak recently, which has allowed fans to be in on their pursuit of Asante Samuel and their attempts to bring in Randy Moss. I have a feeling they will work under the radar on the next move.

You can get excited that the Eagles are working hard to improve their club, but don't get too excited by every rumor you hear. If you hear about a trade that is too good to be true, it is, because if the Eagles had an offer like that, they would have already accepted it. By the time many of these things become rumors, they are no longer possible. We just have to trust that the Eagles will be able to pull something off, because if they don't get another playmaker on offense, we may be looking at another season out of the playoffs.

Phillies Split Pair of Games

The Phillies split up their squad today and played two exhibition games, one against the Tigers, which they lost 6-2, and the other against the Blue Jays, which they won 6-1.

The Phillies didn't evenly split their teams, so it was nice to see the "A" squad, which had Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Brett Myers, was the team that beat the Blue Jays. Myers pitched lights out, going four innings and scattering three hits. Utley added a double, his fourth of spring training, and 2 RBI's. Howard also had a hit, and his average sits at a robust .421. Howard would have to be considered the top contributor for the Phillies so far for the exhibition season, and Beerleaguer agrees. Looks like the big guy is riding the wave of winning his arbitration case to a productive season.

The "B" squad featured Shane Victorino, Pedro Feliz, Pat Burrell and J.D. Durbin starting against the Tigers. Very little happened offensively for the Phils, and Durbin gave up three home runs in his four innings pitched.

Tomorrow, Adam Eaton will make the start for the Phillies against the Rays. I hope he gets shelled again and forces the Phils to sign Kyle Lohse.

Phillies don't want Lohse

It's a surprise to most people around baseball that former Phillie Kyle Lohse still hasn't signed on with a team. Lohse was originally seeking a five year contract that would pay him 10 million a year, which was way too much for a pitcher coming off a 9-12 season where he posted a 4.62 ERA. Lohse has since come down from his demands of a multi-year contract, and is currently seeking a one year deal worth 4 million. According to Phillies Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle, the Phillies aren't interested in Lohse even at that seemingly bargain price.

Lohse is the definition of a league average pitcher, and he hasn't posted a sub 4.00 ERA in his career, but signing him to a one year deal for 4 million seems like a steal. Lohse is realizing that the season is creeping up on him, and he needs to find a team fast. If he can't get his mega deal this offseason, then he is willing to sign for cheap, have a productive season, and try again for a big contract.

So why aren't the Phillies interested? 4 million is a small price to pay for a little piece of mind at the back end of the rotation. The Phillies are set in the first four spots in their rotation, but battling for the number 5 spot are Adam Eaton, J.D. Durbin and Chad Durbin. None of those guys gives the Phillies much of a chance to win, so why wouldn't they bring in Lohse for insurance? Maybe the Phillies are hoping that recently signed Kris Benson can eventually be the number 5 starter, but that wouldn't be for at least a month or two into the season. Can they really rely on Eaton until then?

Kyle Lohse would be an upgrade over anything the Phillies have at the back end of their rotation, and for 4 million dollars, he seems like cheap insurance. I know the Phillies have their self-imposed spending limit, but for a team that wants to win it all right now, why wouldn't they sign this guy? If anything, we need to keep him away from the Mets, who are desperately seeking a fifth starter. We know they would be willing to spend far more than 4 million for another pitcher. It's tough to be a fan of the only team in baseball with a salary cap.

Raiders Sign Javon Walker to Monster Contract

Cross another receiver off the Eagles list, not that they were interested anyway. Javon Walker signed with the Oakland Raiders for 6 years, 55 million. That's a ton of money for a guy who is always injured. I'm glad the Eagles didn't pay that much for a mediocre receiver.

So that definitely rules out any free agent receivers coming to the Eagles, although D.J. Hackett is still out there.

Flyers Blow Chance to Solidify Playoff Spot

The Flyers just can't stay healthy, and they can't play consistently. The Flyers lost 5-2 to the Sabres, the team chasing them in the Eastern Conference standings. The game was close for the first two periods, until the Sabres pulled away with three third period goals. It was a penalty-filled game, but the Flyers could not convert on any of their 5 power play chances. Scottie Upshall and Steve Downie each scored a goal.

Shortly before the game, the Flyers learned that Danny Briere has a slight shoulder sprain and would miss the game. It is unknown at this point how long Briere is out, but he joins injured Flyers Joffrey Lupul, Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, and Derian Hatcher on the bench. That group includes arguably the four best scoring options the Flyers have, so it is no surprise the team produced very little offense tonight. There is word that Hatcher and Lupul will be back for Saturday's game against the Islanders, so that should help solidify the line-up.

The loss allowed the Sabres to pull within one point of the Flyers for the 8th seed, and it kept the Flyers from gaining any ground on the Rangers, who lost tonight in a shoot-out to the Islanders. With 15 games left, the Flyers need to find some health and some consistency, otherwise they may once again be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

Sixers Eyeing the 6th Seed?

The Sixers just keep on winning. They handily defeated the Clippers last night, 106-80 for their 10th win in their last 13 games. The win moved them into sole possession of the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. They also currently sit two games behind the Wizards for the 6th seed. The Wizards, who recently lost 8 straight games, have turned things around lately, winning 4 of their last 5.

The only way the Sixers do any damage in the playoffs is if they earn the 6th seed. If they end up 7th or 8th, they will have a first round match-up with the Pistons or Celtics, which would guarantee a quick exit. If the Sixers somehow get that 6th spot, a match-up with Dwight Howard and the Magic awaits, which would be no easy task, but at least the Sixers would have a shot at winning a couple games.

So, is there any chance the Sixers can move into that cherished 6th seed? Given their remaining schedule, and the fact that they are as close to dropping out of the playoffs as they are of moving up, it looks unlikely. The Sixers have 21 games left to play, and 7 of those games are against the Celtics, Pistons, Magic and Cavs, the top four teams in the East. They also have games against the Spurs and Suns, two elite Western teams. That is 9 games right there they have little business winning. If they can somehow win 3 of 9 against those top opponents, they might still be in play for the playoffs. Frankly, the Sixers would be lucky to play .500 basketball for the rest of the season, which wold have them finishing with a record of 39-43. 39 wins would get them into the playoffs, probably as the 7th seed.

The 6th seed may be a pipe dream, but at this point of the season, wherever the Sixers end up, the season has to be viewed as a success. They have improved all season long, and the young guys have stepped in and contributed. Andre Iguodala has continued his ascension into superstar status. Andre Miller have flourished in the leadership role. Thaddeus Young has shown flashes of brilliance. They are a team that really has no business competing for the playoffs, and if they were in the Western Conference, they wouldn't be. This stretch run should be looked at as great experience for the young team, and any possible playoff games should be viewed as a bonus.

My prediction is that the Sixers squeak into the playoffs in the 8th seed, and lose the first round series to the Celtics 4-1.

Brett Favre to Retire

Coming off one of his best seasons in the last few years, Brett Favre is reportedly going to announce his retirement. This comes as a bit of a shock, as the Packers are a young team that has a good shot at getting to the Super Bowl next year. One would think that if Favre thought he could win the big one again, he would keep playing. Of course, this comes in the wake of Randy Moss signing with the Patriots, and we all know Favre was lobbying for Moss to come to Green Bay. When that didn't happen, maybe he decided to hang it up. Of course, he can always change his mind, just like last year when he waffled back and forth for months.

The gunslinger will be missed. Let the Aaron Rodgers era begin in Green Bay.

Joe Savery Bounces Back

His first outing was horrific, giving up 5 runs in one inning, but Phillies rookie Joe Savery made a statement today by pitching two innings of no-hit ball against the same Pirates team that shelled him a few days earlier. Fellow prospect Josh Outman also pitched three scoreless innings today to help lead the Phils to a 3-1 victory over the Pirates. Neither Savery nor Outman figures to be pitching in the big leagues any time soon, but it's nice to see they can hold their own, even if it is just the Pirates.

On offense, Eric Bruntlett had 3 singles and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Phillies. Ryan Howard also had a pair of hits to raise his batting average to .462. He did strike out again, though.

The Phils continue to gear up for the season, and most of the key players have had at least one good game so far. They played adequately in two games against the Yankees over the weekend, losing one and coming from behind to tie the other. Things will start to pick up in the next few weeks, as more players are sent to the minor league camps and the roster whittles its way down towards 25.

Moss Almost an Eagle

Randy Moss was very close to coming to Philadelphia. Various sources are reporting that the Eagles offered Moss more money, but Moss was simply more comfortable remaining in New England. ProFootballtalk.com has the story on just how close it was:

"...it was a day of high drama. The process went back and forth between the Eagles and the Patriots. At one point, the Eagles thought they had him. Then, it looked like the Pats had him. Then the Eagles. Then the Patriots.

One source said that the Pats won Moss "at the wire."

Moss, as we're told, was afraid to leave a place where he's happy after being unhappy for so many years before that."

Wow. To this point I thought Moss was just gathering offers from other teams to try to get the Patriots to step to the plate, but this report seems to show that Moss was seriously considering coming to Philly.

I love how aggressive the Eagles are being this off season, it's a refreshing change. Perhaps the Eagles will now focus all of their energy on prying Larry Fitzgerald away from the Cardinals. Eagles fans will be clamoring for something to get done after they narrowly missed out on Moss.

Randy Moss Re-signs with Patriots

Looks like the pipe dream of seeing Randy Moss in an Eagle uniform is over. Moss re-signed with the New England Patriots for 3 years, 27 million. Moss was likely using other teams, like the Eagles, as leverage in getting more money from the Patriots. We will never know if the Eagles actually showed any real interest in signing Moss, but hopefully they at least inquired as to whether he wanted to come to Philly.

So where does the Eagles search for a top receiver go from here? All of the top free agent receivers have signed. They reportedly have no interest in Javon Walker. A trade for Larry Fitzgerald seems unlikely. Either the Eagles have something else up their sleeves, or we are looking at the same group of receivers again next year. Get used to hearing about Reggie Brown "taking it to the next level" again.

Hamels Calls Contract a "Low Blow"

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A player on the Phillies, coming off a solid season, has his contract renewed for way below what he believes he deserves, and he's upset by it. Sounds like Ryan Howard's situation. It's also the situation Cole Hamels has found himself in.

The Phillies renewed Hamels' contract, paying him $500,000 for this season, and Hamels calls the move a "low blow". He also went on to say he would remember this down the road, making it pretty clear he will be leaving town as soon as he's a free agent. Before you worry about Hamels bailing soon, he can't become a free agent until 2012, so the Phillies do have time to make amends.

This situation is disturbing from both ends. First of all, while Hamels is a special pitcher, he's a little young to be whining about his contract. His salary is pretty much in line with players of his age and skill level. He has a habit of making demands and having certain expectations, like his cry for a chiropractor last year. The guy won 15 games last year, which is impressive, but not Cy Young material. Let's see him go out and win 20 games, and lower his ERA below 3.00, and then he can start making contract demands.

On the Phillies end, this is the second player who feels slighted by their contract. The Phillies are working with a budget, and they know that the only way they can afford to bring in any free agents is if they give smaller contracts to their own players with less service time. It's a trend that won't go away, and hopefully it won't hurt them in the long run, with Hamels and Howard bolting the first chance they get. The Phillies have to learn to take care of their own.

I leave you with one last note: Adam Eaton will be making over 6 million this year, 12 times more than Cole Hamels. No wonder Hamels is upset.

Flyers Manage One Point Against Rangers

In a matchup that had a little bit of everything, the Flyers came up short, losing to the Rangers 5-4 in a game that was decided in a shootout. The game was a scoring fest in the first period, with both teams getting three goals. That led goaltender switches for both squads, with the Rangers removing Henrik Lundqvist after the first period and replacing him with the Flyer-killer Stephen Valiquette, and the Flyers removing Antero Niitymaki after he gave up his fourth goal and replacing him with Martin Biron. Once the teams switched goalies, the game settled down into a defensive struggle. Jeff Carter managed a goal in the third period to force overtime, but the Flyers, as they are prone to do, lost the shootout and the chance to pass the Rangers in the standings. Here are a few notes from the game:

*Valiquette owns the Flyers The Flyers make Stephen Valiquette look like the next Patrick Roy. That's now 164 minutes Valiquette has played against the Flyers this season, and he has only let up one goal. He also stopped both Flyer attempts in the shootout.

*Carter stepping up Now that the trade rumors are gone, Jeff Carter has turned his play up a notch. Immediately after Mike Richards got hurt, Carter raised his game, and has 6 points in his last 5 games, including 2 goals today. He was all over the ice, getting to loose pucks and making plays.

*Modry back on the ice Jaroslav Modry was back after missing the last few games and looked rusty. He finished with a plus/minus of -3. Lasse Kukkonen, who had been playing better, was benched in favor of Modry.

*Boulerice in, Downie out There is no word that Steve Downie is injured, so it was peculiar to see Jesse Boulerice replacing Downie in the line-up. Boulerice doesn't bring much to the team besides his fighting skills, but they already have Riley Cote to do that. Although Downie is prone to the bad penalty, he has way more offensive skill than Boulerice. A team that wants to make the playoffs shouldn't be suiting up guys like Boulerice.

The Flyers look to bounce back against Buffalo on Tuesday.

Javon Walker a Wanted Man.... or not?

As rumors continue to swirl about Randy Moss, with the latest involving the Minnesota Vikings, a cheaper option is drawing a lot of attention around the league. Javon Walker apparently has ten teams interested in his services: the 49ers, Bills, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, and Vikings. Notice thats the entire NFC East going after the oft-injured wide receiver.

If the Eagles can't get Randy Moss, then, barring a trade, Javon Walker would be the next best option. He would come at half the cost of Moss, although his price will be driven up since 1/3 of the league is in competition for his services. If healthy, Walker would be a great addition, and a serious weapon for Donovan McNabb. He can make catches across the middle, and has the speed to beat defenders deep. Dare I say, he is more versatile than Moss, who seems to only thrive on deep routes. Having started his career in Green Bay, Walker also already knows the West Coast offense.

Javon Walker might end up being the a better option than Randy Moss simply because he will be cheaper and he won't be a locker room distraction.

UPDATE: According to ProFootballtalk.com, the Eagles and Redskins are not interested in Walker. Apparently Walker's agent is trying to drum up interest for the receiver. It might only be the Cowboys with an interest in Walker, and his agent is trying to get a good contract by faking a market for him.

Surging Sixers down Suns

The Sixers playoff push continues. Winning their 9th game in 12 tries, the Sixers went on the road and beat the Phoenix Suns 119-114. It was the first time in six years that the Sixers won in Pheonix. The win pushes the Sixers into the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sixers bounced back nicely after a poor showing against the Golden State Warriors. Andre Iguodala led the way again with 32 points, while Andre Miller had 25 points and 12 assists. The Sixers played well as a team, with six players finishing in double figures.

Maybe the Sixers are too young to know they aren't supposed to be beating the Western Conference powerhouses. Maybe the Suns are struggling to work their latest acquisition, Shaq, into the mix. Whatever the case, the Sixers showed a lot of heart bouncing back in the second game on the road in as many days.

Up next are three winnable games for the Sixers, as they face the Clippers in L.A., and then they go home to play the Sonics, then back on the road to Milwaukee to face the Bucks. The Sixers better take two of their next three, because after those games, they will face the two top teams in the East, the Celtics and the Pistons. One of those two elite opponents will likely be the Sixers first round opponent should they make the playoffs. Even with the way they have been playing lately, it would be quite an accomplishment if they can manage a split against Boston and Detroit.

This is why we didn't want him: Forsberg still can't play

The Colorado Avalanche are quickly learning a lesson that the Flyers and their fans already knew: when healthy, Peter Forsberg is a great player, but when he's hurt, he's a real headache. In Forsberg's last few months with the Flyers, we never knew what we were gonna get from him. He would sit out a few games, play a few, and then sit out again. The Flyers were constantly asked the question of whether Forsberg was going to play, and it had to grow tiresome for the organization. Now the Avalanche are having the same experience.

Forsberg has yet to play for the Avs, and there is no timetable as to when he will suit up. When asked about when he will return, Foppa responded "how long it's going to take, we don't know yet". He thinks he needs more practice to get himself into playing condition. Forsberg says his foot feels better, but he has been saying that for weeks. How much better does it need to feel before he plays?

Good luck Avalanche. I hope you know what you got yourselves into.

*Flyers win third in a row The Flyers are putting their ten game losing streak behind them and starting to look like the team that went on a roll in January. Mike Knuble had another solid outing, getting his third goal in the last two games, and the Flyers won 4-1 over the New York Islanders. The win helps the Flyers start the long climb back up the standings in the Eastern Conference. It puts them one point behind the Rangers for the 7th seed, but they are still 7 points away from the Atlantic Division leader, the Devils. The Flyers can pass the Rangers if they can pull out a victory at Madison Square Garden tomorrow.

Two More Receivers off the Board: Donte' Stallworth and Bernard Berrian

Unless the Eagles can sign Randy Moss, it looks like the Birds will have to get a top receiver through a trade, because two of the best free agent wide receivers have just been signed. Donte' Stallworth signed with the Cleveland Browns, and Bernard Berrian was signed by the Minnesota Vikings. There is no way to know if the Eagles were interested in bringing in either player, but it's safe to say their focus on signing Asante Samuel probably cost them a chance at these two top free agent wide receivers.

Stallworth would have been a nice pick-up, as he can spread the field and is familiar with the system. I wouldn't want to overpay for a guy who faded down the stretch like he did, though. Braylon Edwards and Stallworth will make an excellent one-two combination for the Browns. No terms of the deal have been reported as of yet.

Berrian signed a six year deal with the Vikings. He's another guy that can really stretch the field, but he was probably out of the Eagles price range.

No word on Randy Moss yet, though some rumors are circulating that the Cowboys and Eagles are showing major interest, and you can be sure the Patriots are still in the mix.

Eagles Officially Sign Clemons

As had been rumored, the Eagles have signed former Raider defensive end Chris Clemons to a five year contract. Clemons figures to slide into the defensive end rotation, replacing Jevon Kearse. He is a pass rush specialist, although he can also play some linebacker, so he could be another Chris Gocong-type hybrid player. Clemons had 8 sacks last season.

Although the value of the contract has not been announced yet, I would bet that the Eagles didn't break the bank with this deal. As long as they didn't overpay, I am fine with the signing. You always need depth along the defensive line, and Clemons appears to be on the upswing of his career. Of course, the guy couldn't find a team in 2006, and he played for the awful Raiders in 2007, so he could just as easily amount to nothing.

Two good moves in two days. Now let's go get a receiver.

UPDATE: The contract is 5 years, 18.5 million

What a Difference a Week Makes

Just one week ago, the Philly sports scene was grim. The Flyers lost ten straight games and their best player for the season, Mike Patterson of the Eagles got busted, the Phillies newly acquired closer got injured, and, while the Sixers were improving, they still were 7 games under .500.

Flash forward to today. The Flyers have turned the corner and won two straight games, the Eagles signed the best available player in free agency, the Phillies have won a few exhibition games with Ryan Howard hitting a bomb, and the Sixers, well, they are coming of a bad loss to the Warriors, but they are still holding on to a playoff spot.

The Flyers look alive again, and have fought their way back into the playoffs. They are coming off a victory over the Senators, one of the top teams in the league, and are currently sitting in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers made a good move in acquiring lightning fast Vinny Prospal, and they appear poised to make a run back towards the upper half of the conference. In a month or so, we may be looking back at Danny Briere's game winning shootout goal as the turning point of the season.

The Eagles have made the biggest news, solidifying their defense by signing Asante Samuel. Samuel may not be a superstar player in the Eagles system, but bringing him in signals that the Eagles are serious about getting back to an elite team. They can see that their window of opportunity is closing, and with the NFC being as weak as it is, a few solid moves could push them back to the top. The Eagles are likely to sign defensive end Chris Clemons, so they appear to be set on the defensive side of the ball. Fans are clamoring for an impact receiver, so we will have to wait and see what the Eagles do to address the offense in the coming weeks.

The Phillies have had a good start to their exhibition season. While wins and losses don't matter, they currently have a 2-1 record. More importantly, the offense has already shown its prowess, knocking the ball all over the field. There have been some offensive highlights already, including Shane Victorino's triple that could have been an inside-the-park home run, and Ryan Howard's mammoth home run that Phillies reporter Scott Lauber described as a "towering home run that cleared the right field berm and landed in traffic on Route 19". Of course, as I write this, Adam Eaton has given up three runs in the first inning against the Yankees, but hope springs eternal at this time of the year.

The Sixers, who had been red hot, came out ice cold against the Warriors yesterday. They couldn't make a shot in the first few minutes of the game. The Sixers missed their first 14 shots, with their first six points coming from the free throw line. They never recovered from the slow start, and were down by 15-20 throughout the game. Every time they made a small run, the Warriors would open the lead right back up again. The Sixers are still clinging to a playoff spot, but with a matchup with the Suns looming tonight, they may not be holding on for long.

Being a Philly sports fan definitely has its ups and downs, and as any longtime fan will tell you, there are plenty of downs. We should all enjoy this feeling of hope and possibility that we have right now, because just around the corner will be the next losing streak or crushing injury. We know that all the heart break will be worth it in the end when one of these teams breaks through and wins it all. It has to happen eventually, right?