The Phillies have added a name from their past today, claiming pitcher Nelson Figueroa off waivers from the Mets. Figueroa, who played for the Phils back in 2001, figures to be added immediately to the major league roster, likely to be replacing Andrew Carpenter.
In his seven seasons in the majors, Figueroa, 35, has split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen. With the Phillies, he figures to be a long relief guy who will get inconsistent work at best. He got a lot of innings over the last two years with the Mets due to their injuries but I would only count on him to pitch in games that are basically already decided. What happens to Figueroa when Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero are healthy again is anyone's guess.
The Phillies needed another veteran arm in the bullpen and Figueroa fits that bill. He won't blow anyone away with his pitching numbers but he can give a quality inning or two when needed. Definitely another low-risk, medium reward move by Ruben Amaro.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Nelson Figueroa returns to the Phillies
Brian Boucher saves the Flyers season
I wish I could say I always believed in Brian Boucher. The Flyers default starting goaltender has been nothing but average since taking over for Michael Leighton and has been a big reason why the Flyers playoff hopes began to fade.
Well, with one play tonight against the Maple Leafs, Boucher proved me wrong by basically saving the Flyers season with this amazing save with the Flyers leading 1-0 late in the third:
Boucher went on to lead the Flyers to a 2-0 shutout win which, coupled with losses by the Canadiens, Rangers and Thrashers, basically guaranteed that Philly will make the playoffs.
A few more saves like this one tonight and the Flyers might actually make some noise in the playoffs.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Why we must all vote for Donovan McNabb to be a Pro Bowler in 2011
(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)As we knew, the Eagles will receieve the Skins second round pick this year (37th overall) and they will also get either a 3rd or 4th round pick in the 2011 draft. For the Eagles to get a third rounder next year, McNabb has to do one of two things:
1. Make the Pro Bowl
2. Help the Redskins win at least 9 games while taking 70% of the snaps
While it seems obvious that if McNabb hits the second achievement he will likely be a Pro Bowler, smart Eagles fans will realize that stuffing the ballot box in McNabb's favor, even if he isn't a deserving Pro Bowler, would be a great benefit to the Birds. Of course, given how many NFL players opt out of the Pro Bowl every year, McNabb could just as easily back his way into a spot on the team just like he did this year.
Be prepared next season, Eagles fans, to vote early and often for Donovan McNabb in the 2011 Pro Bowl! As painful as it might be to vote for McNabb, it could mean the Eagles get a significantly better draft pick.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Phillies start 2010 season best way possible
(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)I think I can get used to this Halladay guy. Doc went 7 strong innings and struck out 9 as he cruised through the Nationals lineup after a slight hiccup in the first inning. If the game wasn't so out of hand, Halladay, who threw 88 pitches, could have stayed in the game longer and showed no signs of slowing down. Cliff who?
As for the offense, Polanco provided the biggest hit amongst many, hitting a grand slam in the 7th inning to blow the game open. The Phils knew what they were getting in Polanco, a professional hitter who makes contact and advances the runners, but the 6 RBI's he had today were just a bonus. Ryan Howard also hit his first jack of the season as every Phillie starter had a hit and scored a run.
Sure, it was just the Nationals, but the Phillies had just about the perfect start to the season. Hot starts are not a given with the Phillies, and it was just one game, but this could portend to a good April as they play the Nationals 5 more times and the Astros 3 times before they play any real competition.
With all that has gone on with the Flyers and Eagles, I'm glad the Phillies are back in action. It's nice to see a Philly sports team take care of business in a game they should win. 162-0, here they come!
2010 National League Predictions
Yesterday, I made my predictions for how the American League would shake out in 2010, where picked the Yankees to get back to the World Series. Now, it's time to take a look at the NL and see who they will face in the World Series. Can the Phillies get there for a third straight time?
NL East
1. Phillies
As Phillies fans, we follow this team every day and make a big deal out of all the 
little things that go wrong. Sure, the Phils have some issues in the back end of the rotation and their bullpen isn't quite where it should be, but you do realize how insanely good the lineup is, right? How this lineup goes 1-7 like an American League team and even the 8th hitter is known to swing a clutch bat? And, you do understand they have the best pitcher in baseball and he's licking his chops about facing NL lineups? Make no mistake about it, despite their minor flaws, this Phillies team is loaded and ready to get back to the World Series.
2. Braves
While I'm not going to enjoy seeing Jason Heyward destroying Phillies pitching in the years to come, let's hold off placing the crown on the kid just yet. The Braves do have a good rotation and some great hitters in the middle of the lineup but you have to be a fool to think Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus are going to give Atlanta 162 games this season. This is a team on the rise, not a team that has arrived.
3. Marlins
Florida seems locked into the middle of the NL East. They don't quite have the pitching or the hitting to keep up with the big boys but they certainly aren't going to fall back to the bottom. The jury is still out as to whether their latest crop of young guys can be counted on.
4. Mets
Remember when these guys used to be a threat? Before I regret my words, the Mets could still make some noise if they somehow avoided the injury bug, something they have already succumbed to this season. Their pitching is a joke, though, with their bottom three of Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese being abysmal. It's going to be another long year for the Mets and I wouldn't be surprised so see them compete with the Nats for last place.
5. Nationals
Why do the Nationals keep bringing in useless veterans? What do Adam Kennedy, Matt Capps and Tyler Walker bring to the team that someone from Triple A can't? Bring on Stephen Strasburg already and sell some tickets.
NL Central
1. Cardinals
It's hard to pick against the Cardinals given the weakness of the rest of the division. They lost a whole lot more than they gained this offseason, though signing Matt Holliday was huge. The rotation doesn't look great with Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse in there but the Cardinals always seem better on the field than they are on paper.
2. Reds
This pick might be a bit of a reach but Cincinnati looks like they are poised to make a move. They have four guys coming off 20 homer seasons (Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, Jonny Gomes) and have some good young pitchers that are coming along nicely. Them finishing second might tell you more about the rest of the Central.
3. Brewers
The Brewers never seem to quite get over the hump. We are now entering the years where their young guys like Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are supposed to be carrying the team to multiple division titles. Unfortunately, neither Braun nor Fielder can pitch, so while the Brewers will score a lot of runs, their aging, mediocre pitching staff is going to give up more than their fair share.
4. Cubs
On paper, the Cubs should be better than 4th in the division. When you look a little deeper and realize that they are counting on Marlon Byrd to be a big part of the offense and that Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukodome are pretty awful, you realize that this team just isn't that good.
5. Astros
The team where former Phillies go to die is going to be a joke this year with only the perennially awful Pirates keeping them out of the cellar. With Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence in the middle of the lineup, why are they so bad? Take a look at their starting rotation. Bud Norris? Brian Moehler? Brett Myers as the number three? Yikes.
6. Pirates
Do I have to give a reason why I picked them for last place?
NL West
1. Rockies
The Rockies have become the trendy pick to make the World 
Series by industry experts who are desperately trying to pick someone besides the Phillies. While I agree that the Dodgers have fallen off and that has allowed the Rockies to take over the division, I don't take them seriously as World Series contenders. They are pretty solid all-around, with an always dangerous lineup, a reliable bullpen and a deep rotation, but they don't do any one thing that separates them from the rest of the NL, especially the Phillies.
2. Dodgers (Wild Card)
An offseason of no moves has kept this team stagnant. They are still a good team with the bats but I really don't see how their rotation is going to hold up the whole year. When Vicente Padilla is your Opening Day starter, it's hard to pick them to go far.
3. Giants
New year, same old Giants. They still have a great rotation but their lineup just has nothing going for it. The Giants are perennially a bat or two away from contention and this year won't be any different.
4. Diamondbacks
Another team with major rotation questions starting at the top, where Brandon Webb looks like he can't be counted on to pitch this year. While they still have Dan Haren, Arizona really has no one else they can count on. Oh, and Adam LaRoche is their clean-up hitter.
5. Padres
Poor Adrian Gonzalez, he has to play for a team that has Jon Garland on the mound on Opening Day. Expect Gonzalez to account for like half of the teams runs on offense and for the Padres to be out of contention by June.
NLDS:
Phillies over Dodgers
Cardinals over Rockies
NLCS:
Phillies over Cardinals
World Series:
Phillies over Yankees
Revenge made sweet with the help of Doc Halladay.
MVP: Albert Pujols
The award is his as long as he stays healthy. I would love to see Chase Utley finally put together a full season of great numbers and steal it away.
CY Young: Roy Halladay
Brace yourselves, NL, Halladay has been freed from the AL East and is ready to mow down all in his path.
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 predictions.
The aftermath: more thoughts on the McNabb trade
A day later and I'm still surprised. Not at the thought of Donovan McNabb being traded, rather, the thought that the Eagles would trade him to a division rival like the Redskins. It really shows how confident the organization is that they would deal him away to a team that they have to play twice a year.
As Easter night went on, I posted a bunch of different thoughts on Twitter about the McNabb trade and I thought it would be good to round them all up here and expand on them past the 140 character limit. Here were some of the things running through my head last night:
-The Redskins offer must have been by far the best offer the Eagles received if they were willing to trade McNabb within the division. The Eagles must value Donovan a lot more than the rest of the league.
-Of course, Andy Reid did make it clear in his press conference that he wanted to do right by Donovan, meaning he was going to trade him to a decent team. While it's unclear whether the Eagles asked McNabb about where he preferred to be traded, it seems that Reid made an effort to keep him happy. It seems pretty clear that the Eagles wanted McNabb to go out on the best terms possible and that Donovan might have even been asked before they made the deal with Washington.
-On the other hand, really, Andy Reid, the Redskins? Do you really want to deal with that media circus twice a year? Reid seemed to have no issue with playing against McNabb, in fact, I'm guessing he has put together a pretty good gameplan on how to stop #5. Of course, McNabb will also know everything there is to know about the Eagles offense and he will readily share with the Skins.
-The Eagles won't be a better team in 2010 with Kevin Kolb at quarterback. Maybe by 2011, but not next year. With all of the youth on the offense, the good thing is that this team will have some time to grow together.
-With all of their offseason moves, the Eagles have cleared over 20 million dollars from their payroll. What exactly they plan to do with all that money, well, who knows? I'm sure an extension for Kolb is in the works.
-It was also a smart move by Reid to make it clear that Kolb is the starter next year; Michael Vick would have had delusions that the job was his. Of course, I do expect we see a lot more Vick next year.
-The Eagles now have 11 picks in the 2010 draft. Given Andy Reid's middling draft history, I wish I could be more confident in how those picks are going to be used. One thing is for sure, the Eagles will be doing plenty of wheeling and dealing on draft day. I won't be surprised if they move up into the top half of the first round if there is someone they are really high on.
In the end, the deal is done, McNabb is a Redskin and the Eagles are moving forward with Kevin Kolb. I hope all the fans take a minute to remember McNabb for the good things he did for this team rather than focus on the bad; despite not winning the big one, he was the best quarterback this franchise has ever known.
