Bright Phuture

I'm still in shock. Even after having a full week to digest the news of the Cliff Lee signing, I still can't believe it. After the Phillies traded Lee last year, there was an uproar from the fans. The Phillies front office was criticized heavily and the trade just didn't make sense on any level. Now a year later, the Phils have managed to assemble one of the greatest starting rotations in baseball history. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels will all be pitching for our Phils next year. Just thinking about it gets me excited. Cliff Lee and the Phillies agreed on a 5 year 120 million dollar contract with a vesting option for a possible sixth year. The future of this team looks extremely bright, let's go through player by player and see who will be here and for how long.

Roy Halladay: Roy Halladay's new contract with the Phillies will go into effect this season. Halladay was still under his Toronto contract last year, and his 3 year 60 million dollar deal with the Phils will keep him in Philadelphia through 2013 with a vesting option that could keep in Philly through 2014. Before signing Lee, Ruben called Halladay to make sure he would be OK with the length of the Lee contract. Halladay responded,"Ruben, this is completely different. This is a totally different circumstance. Do what you think you've got to do to put the best team on the field. ... All I want to do is win." Roy Halladay is a true gamer and a true teammate and the fact that he is commited to winning makes me extremely happy that he will be in Philly for a long time.

Cliff Lee: Word of advice to Yankees fans: If you want a pitcher to come play for your team, don't spit on his wife. Although there are reports that the "spitting" incident had no impact on Lee's signing with the Phils I'm sure it didn't help the Yankees cause. Lee turned down the Yankees offer of 148 million over 7 years, and a huge offer from the Rangers as well. So why Philadelphia? After all they are the team that traded you last season, why want to come back? Lee said he loved the area and he loved the energy that the fans give. He also said that his family loved it here and that it's just the best fit. Cliff Lee's 120 million 5 year contract will keep him in Philly through 2015 with a vesting option that could keep him in Philly through 2016.

Roy Oswalt: The Phils acquired Roy Oswalt midway through the season last year from the Houston Astros. He is due 23 million this year and the Astros will pay 11 of that and the Phils will pay 12. His contract will be up after this season, but there is a mutual option that could keep him in Philly through 2012.

Cole Hamels: Hamels was given a 3 year 20.5 million dollar contract after the 08 season. Hamels is due 9.5 million this year in the final year of his contract.

Joe Blanton: Blanton was given a 3 year 24 million dollar contract that will keep him in Philly through 2012. The Phils may look to trade Blanton as opening day approaches.

Ryan Howard: Howard signed a 5 year 125 million dollar extension that will keep him in Philly through 2016 with a club option for 2017. Howard will make $20 million each in 2012 and 2013 and $25 million annually from 2014-16. The option for 2017 is 23 million and a 10 million buyout. The big man is here to stay, and aside from the last AB in the NLCS, the big man has been extremely productive.

Chase Utley: Utley signed a 7 year 85 million dollar deal that will keep him a Phillie through 2013. Utley will get 15 million in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Jimmy Rollins: The Phils exercised their club option last year to keep Rollins a Phillie, but this is his last year.

Placido Polanco: Polanco signed a 3 year 18 million dollar deal last year so he will be a Phillie through 2012.

Raul Ibanez: Rauuuul is in the final year of his contract. He signed a 3 year 30 million dollar deal after the 08 season.

Shane Victorino: He signed a 3 year 22 million dollar extension that will keep him a Phillie through 2012.

Carlos Ruiz: Ruiz is signed through 2012 with a club option for 2013.

Brad Lidge: He is in the final year of his contract, and he will get 11.5 million this year. The Phils have a club option for 2012.

I wanted to do all of this to show that the Phillies have a really good team now and into the future. Lee, Halladay, Howard, Utley, Victorino, Polanco, and Ruiz will all be here for at least the next 2 seasons. The Phils have a wonderful window of opportunity to win championships. After this year, Rollins, Lidge and Ibanez will be off the payroll. I expect the Phils to lock things up with Hamels with that money and possibly give Oswalt a solid short term deal as well. The Phils are in great shape for this year and years to come and I can't wait to see what this team will be able to do.

Eagles Enter Bye 4-3

Right now, things aren't all that bad for the Eagles. They are tied for second in the NFC East at 4-3, and they get a week off after a pretty impressive first half of the season. Going into the bye week 5-2 would have changed everything for this team, but after a poor performance in Tennessee in which the Eagles D was exposed, the team is now looking forward to their meeting against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Given Ried's past success in games coming off the bye week, I expect the Eagles to come out and win in a big way. Michael Vick will be back and healthy. By the time the Eagles play the Colts he will have had over a month of recovery time. For the second half of the season, the Eagles just need to take things one game at a time. The D needs to be more consistent and just give Vick and the offense a chance to win games. I am extremely excited for the second half and I can't wait to see what Michael Vick will be able to do. Looking past the Colts game the Eagles schedule looks like this for their final 9 games:
@ Washington
vs New York
@ Chicago
vs Houston
@ Dallas
@ New York
vs Minnesota
vs Dallas
The Colts game is going to be a tough game no doubt, but I think the Eagles can easily go 6-3 or even 7-2 in their final 9 which would put them at 10-6 or 11-5 and in great position to make the playoffs. When the schedule first came out, everyone saw this as a near impossible second half. But let's go through it game by game.
vs Indianapolis:
Just going on Reid's success after the bye, and the fact they are home, I think that Eagles can beat the Colts. Vick is going to come out gunning and hungry and I expect big things from the offense.
@ Washington:
If Vick had played the entire game vs the Skins earlier this year, the Eagles would have won, plain and simple. Providing that Vick stays healthy, I say the Eagles go into Washington and give their old friend Donovan a little treat.
vs New York/@ New York:
The Eagles still have to play the Giants twice, and the Giants look pretty good. Right now they are 5-2, but they have had some awful losses. The Eagles seem to be able to beat the Giants in important games so I say the Eagles split with the Giants.
@ Chicago:
The Bears don't scare me, I say the Eagles put up a huge number offensively and win big.
vs Houston:
I think this game is going to be a tough one. The Texans have a pretty good run game and I don't know that the Eagles can stop it. For me this one is a toss up.
vs Minnesota:
The Vikings are 2-4, Andy Reid isn't going to lose to his former offensive coordinator, and their home. As long as AD doesn't put up 400 yards rushing, I say the Eagles win this one.
vs Dallas/@ Dallas:
The Eagles got torched by the Boys last year and it was embarrassing. Now Dallas is the embarrassed team sitting at 1-5 in the basement of the league. I say the Eagles take the series and beat them in both by large margins of victory.
The Eagles are a good team, they just need to be consistent and take this second half one game at a time. I'm not worried about the offense, but the D definitely scares me. It's the inconsistency that really scares me because they can look so good one game and then just come out flat the next. All in all this second half is going to be exciting with a lot of good football to be played.

The End Of The Road

When the Phillies are winning, it's easy to update the blog. I get to write about the Phils steam rolling teams with their high powered offense and tell about how the Phils starting staff continues to shut other teams down. But when the Phillies lost in game 6 of the NLCS last week, I couldn't bring myself to write about it. The pain associated with the early playoff exit was tough enough, and retelling the story was just out of the question. I figured I would wait till early February and then maybe start up again. Everything changed last night when I turned on the first game of the World Series and saw that the Giants were beating up on Cliff Lee when it hit me. Maybe this year is just the Giants year. 2008 was our year and everything just seemed to click and go right, remember the Joe Blanton home run? Maybe it just wasn't meant to be this year not because the Giants are the better team, (which they clearly aren't) but because it's just their year and everything is going right for them. Think about it, Cody Ross? Who the hell is he? If the Phillies were to play the Giants again I would bet the house that Ross doesn't have nearly as good of a series as he did. And there are countless plays and calls that went to the Giants. I also felt the Giants were the hungrier team in the series. I think that the playoff experience the Phils have maybe worked against them and that drive and hunger that was there in 2008 just wasn't there this post season. At the end of the day the Phillies definitely had a good year. They finished with the best record in baseball and made it to their third consecutive NLCS. The pain of the loss hurts but I think it was just meant to be for the Giants. Looking ahead to the off season, the Phillies have many question marks. I will try to cover all of the moves for you as best I can in the upcoming weeks and get you ready for next season. Look on the bright side, February is just a few short months away.

World Series Or Bust

Since day 1 the mission has been the same: win the World Series. By bringing in guys like Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt, the Phillies made it very clear to the city, the team and the entire organization that they will not settle for anything less than another championship. On Wednesday night the Phillies will begin another playoff journey by taking on the Cincinatti Reds. I could get into the matchups and the offense and pitching of the Reds by I really don't think that's necessary. Let's stop and face the facts for a minute. This team coasted all year, and there is no denying that. The offense was inconsistent and while many may blame it on injuries, I simply don't see it that way. I think that this is a veteran ball club, and when August and September came around they stepped on the gas. When they needed to they got it done, and they got it done in a big way. Not only did they manage to put together a 21-6 record in the month of September, but they also managed to become the best team record wise in baseball. The Phillies are the hottest team in baseball and their veteran leadership and experience are really going to show this year in the post season. This year the Phillies have the offense, the pitching, the swag and the experience to bring this team another championship. Anything less, even if they make it back to the World Series, will be a major disappointment to the team and the fans. On Wednesday night, Roy Halladay will begin the Phillies 2010 quest towards anther World Series and I can't wait. This team is dangerous and I think everyone is ready for another parade.

Rollin With Vick

Coming off Sunday's 28-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Eagles are now gearing up for a division game against Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins. The offense is really clicking on all cylinders, and the defense is coming off an outstanding performance in which they only gave up 3 points. So what does this mean for our good friend Donovan? It means that you are going to lose, and you are going to lose big. I really don't care if you get cheered for, or if you get booed, it really doesn't matter that much to me. All I care about is the outcome of the game and I expect the Eagles to not only come out and win, but also win in a big way and make a statement to the rest of the NFC East. By obliterating McNabb and the Redskins this weekend, the Eagles can say that they are over and done with the McNabb era and they are looking forward to the bright future of the Michael Vick era. Michael Vick has jumped into the role of starting quarterback, and after throwing 3 TDs and running for 1 against Jacksonville, I only expect him and the rest of the offense to get better as the season progresses. Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson are developing right in front of our eyes and this offense can take this team far, very very far. On Sunday, there will no doubt be a lot of emotions and feelings surrounding the game. The Eagles need to forget that they are playing Donovan, and focus on winning the game. They need to rally behind Michael Vick, and show Donovan that they have moved on.

Bring On October

After all the ups and downs, the inconsistent offense, and the at times streaky pitching, the Phillies clinched the N.L. East Division title for the 4th consecutive season on Monday night with 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals. After dropping 2 out of 3 to the Mets, the Phils entered the Washington series with their magic number at 1. The stars aligned on Monday night for a magical division clinching game. Roy Halladay would be pitching and with the Braves game delayed due to rain, all the Phils had to do was win and the division title would be theirs once again. Roy Halladay didn't mess around. He pitched a 9 inning, 2 hit, complete game shutout. The offense didn't mess around either as they exploded for 8 runs, 4 of which came in the top of the 9th. When Halladay threw the final strike to secure the victory, it really occurred to me just how good this team truly is. This team has been able to win 4 consecutive division titles, 2 consecutive pennants and 1 world series title. They have been able to accomplish all of this through their offense and the scary thing this year is that not only do they have offense, but they also have the best pitching staff in the MLB. When you look at the past post-season pitching staffs, they look like this. In 2007, when the Phillies got swept in the NLDS by the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies started Hamels, Kendrick, and Moyer. Not the best staff in the world. In 2008, the Phillies were able to win it all behind Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton. Even though Cole Hamels was unreal during the entire post season, the Phils once again did not have that great of a staff. They won by their offense, plain and simple. Last year the Phils starting staff was Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, and Joe Blanton. Cliff Lee was outstanding, Pedro and Blanton were ok, and Hamels was non-existent, once again not the greatest staff. Now flash forward to post-seson 2010. The Phils will send Roy Halladay, a hot Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, and Blanton as your fourth to the mound. The Phils have a great pitching staff during the regular season, but in the post-season they have an unreal pitching staff. Every night in a series your either going to be facing Oswalt, Halladay or Hamels, an ace every night. The playoffs are set up so that you can get by with only 3 starters, something the Phils definitely plan on doing. This post season, the Phils finally have the offense combined with the pitching. If the Phils were able to win the world series in 2008 with Moyer, Myers, Blanton and Hamels, there is no doubt in my mind that the 2010 Phils with the killer 3 will be able to bring us a parade down Broad Street. Get ready Philadelphia, it's going to be another exciting October.

Call Me Super Vick

Throughout Andy Reid's career as Eagles head coach, he has always been loyal to his quarterback. He stuck by McNabb during his 11 years here, and through out all of the criticism and tough playoff losses, McNabb was still his starting quarterback at the end of the day. When the Eagles decided to trade McNabb during this past off season, it wasn't a shock to anyone. Although McNabb gave the Eagles 11 great seasons, he never won a Super Bowl, and it was definitely time for the Eagles and Donovan McNabb to go their separate ways. With McNabb gone, Kevin Kolb was named the starter by Andy Reid. This is where Big Red really screwed up. With both Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick as quarterbacks on your roster, Andy should have gone into the offseason with the quarterback position up for grabs. If he had done this, there would be no quarterback controversy right now and the Eagles for all we know might be 2-0. But he didn't, he simply named Kolb the starter and didn't open up the position for competition because Kolb was a guy that he drafted, and he wanted him to succeed so he didn't look like an idiot. Sometime during the past week Andy finally woke up and realized that he has an incredible talent in Michael Vick and he named him the starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. Now, Andy looks like the bad guy because he ripped the starting spot away from Kolb and now Kolb's feelings are hurt. But this is football, and feelings don't matter. The only thing that matters is winning, and Michael Vick at quarterback gives you the best chance to win football games. With a shaky offensive line, Vick can get out of the pocket and make plays on the run. He can break off a 30 yard run, and he can rocket a pass way down field for a 50 yard play. Michael Vick is the better player, plain and simple. Looking ahead to the future, it will be interesting to see what the Eagles do. Do you let Vick play the remainder of the season and then go with Kolb next season? Do you resign Vick, who is in the last year of his contract, to a big deal and make him your quarterback of the future? These questions will be answered in time, but I expect big things from Vick and the Eagles this season. Coming into this year, people saw this season as a rebuilding year with Kolb and expected an 8-8 season. Now, with Vick under center, this offense is extremely dangerous and will put up enormous amounts of points week in and week out. This Sunday, I expect the Eagles to run all over the Jaguars and put up another 35 points. As a sort of closing statement to my post I will leave you with this thought to ponder. When Michael Vick was in Atlanta, he had no weapons to throw to on offense. He had no Desean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin or Lesean McCoy, and yet the Falcons still managed to contend. How did he do this? Because Michael Vick is Super Vick, and he is a freak of nature. He can make other defenses look silly, and with weapons on offense, and a solid defense behind him, the sky is the limit for this Eagles team.

Phillies Sweep Braves

There is a pattern developing in the titles of my recent posts. The titles have read like this: Phillies Sweep Marlins, Phillies Sweep Nationals, and Phillies Sweep Braves. Quite frankly, these titles are starting to get a little boring, but I don't mind. I don't mind titling my posts, "Phillies Sweep (insert team name here). I don't mind going to my closet to get out the broom every 3 days, which is quickly becoming a habit. And I certainly don't mind the fact that the Phillies who have had a season of ups and downs now find themselves with a 6 game lead over the Braves with just 9 games left to play. The Phillies are currently playing scalding hot baseball. They are 18-3 in the month of September and in the midst of their current 10 game winning streak, have propelled themselves to one of the best teams record wise in baseball. Coming into this week's series against the Braves, the Phils were riding a 7 game winning streak coming off of sweeps of both the Marlins and Nationals. The Phils treated this series like a playoff series and sent Hamels, Halladay, and Oswalt to the mound. On Monday, the series started off as planned as Hamels pitched a gem going 8 innings and giving up just 1 run. Although there wasn't a ton of offense in the game, the Phillies managed to manufacture 3 runs and gave Brad Lidge a 2 run lead to work with as he closed out the game and gave the Phillies the all important first game of the series. On Tuesday, the Phils dealt their second ace of the series and sent Roy Halladay to the mound. Halladay pitched a solid game going 7 innings and giving up 3 runs. The Phils brought their bats on Tuesday and managed to score 5 thanks in part to a 3 run bomb from Jayson Werth, and a 2 run double from Raul Ibanez. Madson pitched a scoreless 8th, and once again Lidge was phenomenal as he picked up his 25th save and secured the win for the Phils. On Wednesday, the Phillies could smell the sweep. They could almost taste a monumental 6 game lead that a win would bring them. To secure the sweep the Phils sent Roy Oswalt to the mound. He pitched 7 innings and gave up 0 runs in a game that saw very few hits, and very few runs. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless 8th, and finally after a Jayson Werth walk, Raul Ibanez hit a double into the left field corner that broke the scoreless tie. With a 1-0 lead, Brad Lidge was called upon to get the save. After getting the first 2 batters out, you could really feel the tension in the stadium building. Lidge then walked Heyward and got the next batter Martin Prado to fly out to right field and secure the win, the sweep, and the 6 game lead for the Phils. Right now the Phils are in a very good position to win the divison. With just 9 games left, the Phils can see the finish line and now have to gear up for an all important post season run. The Phillies showed in this past series that they are next to unbeatable in a playoff series by sending the big three to the mound. This weekend, the Phils will finish up their homestand against the Mets and if things go the Phillies way, the Phils could have the division wrapped up by the end of the weekend.

Phillies Sweep Nationals

I'm getting a little tired of having to make the trip to my closet. For the second consecutive series, I had to go to my closet and get out the broom because the Phillies just keep on winning. The Phils cruised through the first 2 games of the weekend series against the Nationals. On Friday night the Phils got a gem from Roy Oswalt and the offense exploded for 9 runs as the Phils won 9-1. On Saturday the offense just kept coming, especially from the long ball as they posted 5 runs. Kendrick gave the Phils a strong outing and the Phils won on Saturday by a final of 5-2. On Sunday Joe Blanton got roughed up a little and the Phillies found themselves down 6-3 in the bottom of the 9th. Polanco got the inning started with a single and Chase Utley followed with a double. Ryan Howard followed with a single that scored Utley and Polanco and Werth stepped to the plate trailing by just a run. Werth hit a shot to dead center and the Phils walked off in victory and swept their second consecutive series. Right now the Phils are scalding hot. They are on a 7 game winning streak and they are locked and loaded for this crucial series against the Braves. The Phils have Hamels, Halladay and Oswalt scheduled to pitch in this series and I think the Phils can sweep their third consecutive series. The offense is also revved up and come Wednesday night, I hope I will be getting out my broom once again.

A Win Is A Win

A win is a win, it's as simple as that. Sometimes a win is not pretty or flashy, but in the end if you score more points than the other team than you did something right. On Sunday the Eagles escaped with a narrow 35-32 victory over the Detroit Lions. The Eagles fell behind early but their offense kept them in the game and the Birds went into halftime with a 24-17 lead. In the second half the Eagles scored 14 unanswered points, and when I saw Shady McCoy running into the end-zone to give the Eagles a 35-17 lead, I thought for sure that the game was over. Boy was I wrong. The Eagles defense fell asleep from that point on and after a two touchdowns and a 2 point conversion, the Lions were ready attempt an onsides kick down by just 3. On occasion, when I am sitting at home and I see a dropped pass or a botched play I tend to yell at the T.V. I could have caught that, or I could have made that play. The botched reception that rookie Riley Cooper made on the onsides kick is definitely a play that I could have made. The ball was kicked and it popped up right into the hands of Riley Cooper, and as we all know, the hands is the worst place for the ball to hit you when your trying to make a catch. Sarcasm aside, Riley Cooper did not make the play and the Lions recovered and had the ball at around their own 40 with just under 2 minutes to go. Thankfully, the Eagles defense clamped down, the Lions went 4 and out, and the Eagles were able to escape with a victory. Like I said it wasn't pretty but a win is a win. Overall, the offense played very well behind Michael Vick who went 21 of 34 passing with 284 yards and 2 touchdowns and made Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson two of his favorite targets as they both got touchdowns. LeSean McCoy also had a big day as the Eagles finally decided to run the football. He rushed 16 times for 120 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defense gave up some big plays early but they looked pretty good at the end of the first half and into the third quarter. At the end when they went into a prevent defense is where they really got burned. Looking ahead to next week, the Eagles will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stay tuned to the blog for a preview to the game which will include info on the QB controversy and the status of Stewart Bradley for next week.

Eagles - Lions Preview

The big question all week has been who will get the start? Will it be young Kevin Kolb who has a concussion and barely through for 20 yards last week? Or will it be explosive Michael Vick who has the ability to make plays with his arm and legs, and can make this offense one of the most dangerous in the NFL? To me the decision is easy, start Vick and watch him do work. He showed last Sunday why he was a 3 time pro bowler as he confused the Packers defense throughout the second half. As much as I want Vick to start, I am in no way shape or form jumping off the Kevin Kolb band wagon. You saw what he did last year in his 2 starts, and having to face one of the best teams in the NFL in your first official start as new quarterback is by no means an easy task. But this weekend, this Sunday, you have to give the start to Vick, I am pleading with you Andy. Let Kolb sit out a week and get healthy, and watch one of the most dangerous players in the NFL run all over the Lions defense. And for all you Vick-haters out there, please grow up. I'm not saying that what Vick did to dogs is ok, I am simply saying that he went to jail, paid the price, and sincerely apologized for his horrific actions. If you still can't forgive him then you have issues. This Sunday is going to be so exciting because Vick is going to put his past behind him, and show the nation and the whole world, that he is still one of the best players in the league. I can't wait to see what he does, and I just hope that Andy makes the right decision.

Phillies Sweep Marlins

As we head into the final few weeks of the season, the Phillies remain red hot. They are hitting the ball, getting good pitching, and they are winning games while the Braves continue to lose. After completing the sweep against the Marlins, the Phils currently have a 3 game lead over the Atlanta Braves, who seem to be folding under the pressure of the division race. It was so important for the Phils to sweep the Marlins and finish the road trip strong because now they have a crucial home stand where they will face the Nationals, Braves, and Mets. With just 15 games remaining, the Phils can finally see the finish line. After a frustrating and inconsistent season, the Phils have really put it together during the month of September, and have put themselves in a very good position to not only make the playoffs, but also go deep into October. Roy Oswalt will get the start tomorrow night in the first game of a very important stretch of games. Now is the time for the Phillies to really put some pressure on the Braves, and increase their lead in the N.L. East race. The Phillies have battled hard all season, and now they need to buckle down and get ready for another exciting October.

Sizzlin September

It has been 10 games since my last posting, and the Phillies have put together a sparkling 7-3 record during that span, and a 10-3 record overall in the month of September. After taking 2 out of 3 from Milwaukee behind brilliant pitching performances from Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, the Phillies capped off their homestand by taking 3 out of 4 from the always dangerous Florida Marlins. The series began last Monday with the Phillies splitting the double header. The offense was non existent in the first game, but the Phils really came out swinging in the second game as they won by a final of 7-4. The last 2 games of the series were highlighted with alot of offensive power, from both teams. The Phils won on Tuesday by a final of 8-7. Not only did the win provide the Phils with yet another high scoring win, it also put them in first place because the Braves lost to the Pirates. The Phils stood their ground in first place by winning on Wednesday by a final of 10-6, and finally provided Cole Hamels with run support. After a very successful homestand, the Phils headed up to Queens to take on the Mets. The Phils continued to roll as they took 2 out of 3 behind fabulous starts by Halladay on Friday, and Oswalt on Sunday. Last night the offense exploded for 11 runs. Blanton was solid and the Phils eventually won by a final of 11-4. Right now the Phils are hot and the Braves know that the Phils mean business. The Phils currently have a 1 game lead in the N.L. East and after the series in Florida, the Phils will host the Nationals, Braves, and Mets in a pivotal 9 game homestand. The Phils need to take care of business in Florida, and then come home, focused and ready to secure their spot at the top of this divison.

Eagles Rally, But Fall To The Packers

After Sunday's dissapointing 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers, there are alot of questions surrounding this team. First, let's start with the big question at quarterback, Kolb or Vick? After an awful first half in which Kolb went 5 for 10 passing with just 24 yds and no touchdowns, the Eagles offense only managed 3 points. The offense could not put together a solid drive, there was no rhythm, and it seemed like Kolb was trying to force way too many throws. You can blame the poor play on Kolb, but I fault the coaching staff. Instead of running short routes and letting Kolb throw little screen passes and slant routes, they tried to force the issue and make big plays down the field, not one of Kolb's strengths. The Eagles should have called more short pass plays to get Kolb some confidence, and then try to go for some big throws. Another thing the Eagles failed to do offensively in the first half was establish the run game, something that is going to be so important this year especially with Kolb at quarterback. Aside from a few running plays from Vick, the Eagles did very little to really establish the run. So you had new starter Kevin Kolb trying to force the ball down field with no run game, it was a recipe for disaster. The Eagles went into the half trailing 13-3. Kevin Kolb did not return to the game due to a concussion and Vick was called upon to play quarterback. Vick performed brilliantly with his arm and legs. He kept the defense on their heels and led the Eagles to 2 touchdown drives and a field goal. The Eagles were really pushing the issue late in the 4th trailing 27-20 with just about 2 minutes remaining. It was 4th and 1 and the Eagles called a designed Vick run who fell short of the first down. The Packers then knelt the ball and sealed the victory. Defensively, the Eagles looked solid. Although they gave up 27 points, they got good pressure on Rodgers and you really can't look to the points to tell the whole story. The special teams gave up 3 big kick returns and it gave the Packers great field position on 3 seperate occasions. The big concern coming away from this game is the offense. The offense lost pro-bowler Leonard Weaver to an ACL injury and Jamaal Jackson to a torn bicep, both look to be out for the rest of the season. With a roughed up offense, can the Eagles afford to give Kolb another start? Providing that Kolb is healthy enough to go on Sunday against the Lions, my answer is yes. Although Vick look awesome and Kolb not so great, you can't just give a guy 1 half and then call it quits. If however say after week 3 or 4 Kolb is still not performing, then I think you give the job to Vick. But let's not jump the gun too quick. Right now we have to be patient with Kolb. He is young, and like any young quarterback he needs time. Having Vick as a backup option is definitely a positive for the team right now. The Eagles need to forget about Sunday's loss to the Packers and focus on the Lions. They have to look at the film from the loss and figure out what went wrong, and they need to figure out how to get better for next week.

Are They Ready?

After an Ok pre-season in which the Eagles went 2-2, the Eagles are scheduled to open their season on September 12th at home vs the Green Bay Packers. The only question is, are they ready? The offense has been mediocre at best and although the defense has looked pretty good, the Eagles don't seem like they are ready for the start of the season, especially a home opener against the Packers. I think the biggest thing that this offense needs is chemistry. They have to get used to playing together, and get used to how Kolb plays. Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb are two completely different quarterbacks. They have different styles of play-calling, different styles of throwing, and they are different leaders as well. It's gonna take some time for Maclin, Jackson, Celek, and especially the offesnive line to get used to how Kolb plays. In terms of the defense, I think that they are so deep that they are going to wreak havoc for opposing offenses all season long. They will constantly be throwing fresh defensive lineman into the mix, and linebackers Ernie Sims and Stewart Bradley are going to swarm to the ball. The secondary has looked OK, and I will trust that Sean McDermott knows what he is doing. For the first game, I think it's going to be a high scoring affair but in the end I think the Eagles are going to put more points on the scoreboard than the Packers. My prediction: Eagles win 37-23. I think the offense will come out with alot to prove and take care of business in week 1.

Closing In On The Braves

Last night was a big night for the Phillies. Not only did they win, but the Braves and Giants lost as well. So with the 1-0 victory last night thanks in large part to the brilliant pitching of Cole Hamels, the Phils moved to within 1 game of the Braves in the divison race and increased their lead in the wild card to 3 games over the Giants. After taking 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers, and winning a wild one in Colorado, the Phillies have put together a 4 game winning streak, and have really put the pressure on the Braves and especially the Giants. The week begin in Los Angeles where the Phillies dropped the first game of the series. Halladay gave up some early runs and the Phillies got shutout and lost by a final of 3-0. The week would only get better. On Tuesday, the Phils bounced back behind the offense. Ryan Howard had a homerun and so did Brian Schneider. Chase Utley also came around with 2 hits of his own. In the end the Phils won by a final of 8-4 and set up a rubber match for Wednesday. Roy Oswalt got the start on Wednesday and he had a very strong outing. He pitched 6.1 innings and only gave up 0 runs and the Phils went on to win by a final of 5-1 behind 3 doubles from Chase Utley, and homeruns from Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins. The Phils took the series and then headed out to Colorado for a make up game. In Colorado, it looked the Phillies were tired and that they were just going to take the loss and head back to Philly. Joe Blanton got roughed up early, and the offense looked like they were asleep. They were trailing 7-3 heading into the top of the 7th when the offense exploded for 9 runs. Placido Polanco hit a double and Chase Utley hit him in with a single. Ryan Howard then hit a 2 run shot scoring him and Utley, and Jayson Werth followed with a homerun of his own. After Raul Ibanez flied out, Shane Victorino and Brian Schneider hit singles and Ben Francisco singled home Victorino. With 2 runners on Rollins singled and that loaded the bases for Polanco. After Polanco struck out, Chase Utley came to the plate with bases loaded and 2 outs and he took care of business and hit a grand slam. At the end of the inning the Phils finished with 9 runs, and Utley finished with 5 rbis. Although the Rockies scored 3 more runs, the Phils were able to hold on and win by a final of 12-11. On Friday, the Phils once again did not provide any run support for Cole Hamels. He pitched 7 innings and gave up 0 runs, and when he left the game the Phils clung to a 1-0 lead thanks to an rbi by Carlos Ruiz. Jose Contreras pitched a scoreless 8th, and Ryan Madson closed out the game for the Phils who won by a final of 1-0. Not pretty, but we'll take it. Aside form last night, the Phils are really clicking. They are getting great pitching from their starters and bullpen, and Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are finally coming around. Right now, the Phils know it's crunch time and they are doing everything they need todo to get to October.

The Truth About Carlos Ruiz

Fans chant his name every time he comes to the plate, and he is undoubtedly a fan favorite. Still, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, better known as Chooch, does not get the credit he deserves. This year he is having his best season offensively. With a .291 average, he is third on the team in batting behind Jayson Werth and Placido Polanco. He also has 6 home runs and 35 rbis, not to mention a lot of clutch hits. He has really come through for the Phils this year in pressure situations and delivered key hits. While guys like Howard, Utley, Victorino, and Rollins have all been struggling at the plate, Ruiz has consistently batted at .290 or better. He has picked up the slack for the Phils offensively. Another thing that people don't realize about Ruiz is how good he is defensively. Not only does he have the ability to gun out runners trying to steal, but he is also very good at calling games for the pitchers. He knows what pitch to call at the right time. This past Thursday, the Phillies honored Roy Halladay for the perfect game he threw back in May. The Phillies presented him and his family with a lot of gifts. Halladay presented Ruiz with the home plate from the game and a ring inscribed with the message: "We did it together" The perfect game wouldn't have happened without Ruiz. He called a perfect game for Halladay, and the accomplishment speaks volumes about how great a catcher Ruiz is. I think this season Ruiz is really coming into his own as a big league catcher. He is proving that he can get it done offensively and defensively and is quickly becoming one of the best catchers in the MLB. So let's give it up for Chooch, the most underrated player on the Phillies. You deserve all the credit in the world.

Takin Care Of Business

As I watched the Phillies game on Fox Saturday afternoon, I had to suffer through the awful commentary of the broadcasters. They kept going on and on about how great the Padres are and how the longest losing streak they have had this season is just 3 games. That is an impressive feat no doubt, but as they continued to praise the Padres, they forgot about the team the Padres were playing; the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have won the N.L. East 3 years in a row, have made 2 consecutive World Series appearances, and won the World Series in 2008. The Padres have only made it to the playoffs 5 times in franchise history, have never won a World Series, and the last time they had a winning record was 2007. So correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't they have been praising the Phillies who have actually accomplished something? The Padres have definitely had a great regular season. They are 76-52 and are the division leaders in the N.L. West. But this past weekend showed just how great this Phillies team is. After being 4 game swept at home by the lowly Houston Astros, the Phils did not panic. They simply came out to San Diego, played good baseball, and took care of business by sweeping the Padres in a crucial series. The Phillies gave the Padres a taste of October baseball and sent a message that they are still the best team in the National League. It was important for the Phils to bounce back after being swept and they did what they needed to do against San Diego. They got strong starts from Oswalt, Blanton and Hamels, and offensively they did what they needed to do to win ball games. Although they did not get a lot of production from Utley and Howard, other guys like Victorino, Werth, and Sweeney contributed offensively in the series. The Phillies showed this weekend why they are such a great team and showed that they are not only capable of making it to the playoffs but also making it to the World Series and winning it again. Even though the Phillies have looked bad at times this season, don't forget about how great this team is. And when Utley and Howard get going, this team is going to be unstoppable. So the next time the Phillies are on national TV, I hope those stupid broadcasters give them the credit they deserve. Enjoy your 4 game losing streak San Diego.

Phillies Win Crucial Game In San Diego

After getting 4 game swept by the Houston Astros, the Phillies desperately needed a win on Friday night against San Diego. The Phillies got extremely good pitching in the Houston series aside from the start by Kyle Kendrick, but they just weren't hitting the ball. When you only score 1 or 2 runs a game, chances are your going to lose and the Phils proved that in the Houston series. The Phils looked to Roy Oswalt on Friday night to get them back on track and he did not dissapoint. Oswalt pitched 8 solid innings, only giving up 1 run. Once again, the Phils offense did very little and the Phillies clung to a 2-1 lead as the game headed into the bottom of the ninth. With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Brad Lidge didn't even throw a pitch and he gave up the tying run. He balked in the tying run, and for the second time in 1 week the Phils went into extra innings. After a scoreless 10th and 11th, the Phils got a leadoff double from Jimmy Rollins in the top of the 12th. Placido Polanco then hit a single to right field and after an amazing slide by Jimmy at the plate, the Phils took the lead. Chad Durbin came in for the bottom of 12th and closed out the game for the Phils. The win came on a night where both the Braves and Giants lossed and the Phils moved to within 2 games of the division lead and are currently sitting a half game atop the wild card. Right now it is vital that the Phillies start winning games because the wild card and division races are way too close. Tonight, the Phillies send Joe Blanton to the mound tonight who will look to have another successful start.

Eagles Offensive Troubles Early

So far this preseason, the Eagles first string offense has yet to score a touchdown. That means that Kevin Kolb, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek, and Shady McCoy aren't getting it done in the redzone. In the past few seasons, the Eagles have had a lot of trouble once they get down to those last 20 yards. It seems that the offense runs perfectly fine when they have a nice open field to work with, but when the defense clamps down and the field gets smaller, the Eagles offense comes to a stand still. With the departure of Donovan McNabb, I expected the Eagles offense to be much more effective in the redzone. The problem that I am seeing so far is Kevin Kolb is forcing it once he gets down inside the 20. The offense is too crammed together leaving not too many options for Kevin Kolb. What the Eagles need to do is open the offense up. Do more play action in the red zone and let Kolb throw it on the run. I have seen Kolb make a lot of good throws this season on the run and the Eagles need to utilize that talent. The Eagles also need to have a more effective run game in the redzone. Give the ball to Leonard Weaver and let him run over people. Most importantly, the Eagles have to utilize their tight end Brent Celek in the redzone. Set him up to block at first and then have him run a quick post route and get the ball to him where he can fight for those all important extra yards. The Eagles have all the tools to be successful in the redzone, its just a matter of putting it all together and using those tools properly. As for the defense, I like what I am seeing. The secondary has played pretty good with guys like Dimitri Patterson getting picks. They did a pretty good job last game of shutting down B.O. and Ochostinco which was a good test for this shaky secondary. There is still a lot of improvement for this team on both sides of the ball.

Phillies, Fighting To Stay In The Race

Right now, the Phillies are fighting just to stay in the race. They are not swinging the bats too good, and when they have an opportunity to pick up a game on the Braves, they lose. After my last posting, the Phillies welcomed the San Francisco Giants to town in a crucial 3 game series. The Phils took care of business in that series by winning 2 out of 3. Oswalt and Blanton got wins in the first 2 games, and the offense supported them with a ton of runs. In the third game of the Giants series, Cole Hamels had an OK outing but the Phils couldn't generate enough runs and they lost the final game of the series. The Phils next welcomed the pesky Washington Nationals to town. It always seems that at the end of the year when the Phillies really need wins the Nationals are always so pesky and play them really hard. This year the Phils took 2 out of 3 from the Nats and got outstanding pitching performances from Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. Although the Phils didn't score too many runs, it was enough to take 2 out of 3. Then the Astros came to town and with everyone back fully healthy, you would expect the Phillies to come out swinging. On Monday, after a great game by Joe Blanton, the Phils tried to cling to a 2-1 lead and eventually lost that lead late in the game and eventually lost the game. And on Tuesday night after yet another terrific outing by Cole Hamels, the Phils failed to score runs and eventually lost in 16 innings. They lost on a night that the Braves lost once again. Right now is not the time to push the panic button by any means. Right now the Phils are tied with the Giants for a tie in the wild card and are just 2.5 games behind the Braves in the division. The Phils are in good shape as we head into September. But if they don't start picking up games on the Braves or putting distance in the wild card they could find themselves on the outside looking in come October. Like I said it's not time to push the panic button, but the Phils need to start swinging the bats and scoring some runs. Tonight we got Roy Halladay pitching who will get the Phillies back on track.

Phils Stay Hot Down The Stretch

So far for the Phils, the month of August has been a very good month. The Phils are 10-3 in August, and they have won 6 of their last 7 series. Even with injuries to Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino, the Phils in their absence, have managed to play some of their best baseball all year. After a tough series loss in Washington, the Phils have won every series since and with the return of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard scheduled for sometime this week, the Phils look more dangerous than ever. The Phils have played awesome in the last 2 weeks, let me recap each series for you.

The Phils opened up their series in Washington by sending new pitcher Roy Oswalt to the mound. Oswalt clearly had some jitters as he went only 6 innings and gave up 4. Not a bad start, but not one that I and others were expecting. The Phils offered very little run support and lost by a final of 8-1. Joe Blanton got the start on Saturday and he too pitched 6 and gave up 4 runs. Although the Phils countered with some offense from Raul Ibanez and Carlos Ruiz it was not enough as they lost by a final of 7-5. In the fianl game of the series, Cole Hamels started and pitched 7 giving up 4 runs. The bullpen was able to hold on long enough as the Phils edged out an extra innings win thanks to an rbi single from Placido Polanco and an rbi double from Jayson Werth in the top of the 11th. Although the Phils did not win the series they were at least able to salvage a victory in the final game. The negative that came from Sunday was Ryan Howard got hurt and would later be placed on the DL.

After a dissapointing series in Washington, the Phils traveld to Florida to take on the Marlins. The Phils started out the series by sending ace Roy Halladay to the mound. Halladay pitched a gem, going 7 and giving up just 1 run. The Phils got a lot of help on offense from Carlos Ruiz who had a 4 hit night, and Roy Halladay who knocked in a pair of runs. The Phils won the game by a final of 6-1. On Wednesday, the Phils sent Kendrick to the mound. Kendrick had a very strong outing, pitching 6 and giving up only 1 run. The Phils generated a lot of their runs from the top of their order. Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Raul Ibanez combined for 6 hits and 2 rbis. Domonic Brown also helped out by knocking in 3 runs. The Phils won by a final of 7-2. On Thursday the Phils completed the sweep. Roy Oswalt pitched 6.1 innings and gave up 2. Although the bullpen gave up another 2 runs, the Phils offense managed to produce and the Phils won by a final of 5-4.

After the sweep in Florida, the Phils returned home for a series against the Mets. In the opening game of the series, Joe Blanton pitched a solid game, pitching 7 and giving up 2 runs. Unfortunatley for Joe, the Phils offense was quiet all night and trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the 8th. In the 8th, the Phillies scored a flurry of runs. The Phils started off the 8th with 5 consecutive singles. In the end, the Phils finished the wild inning by scoring 6 runs and they took a 7-2 lead into the top of the 9th. After J.C. Romero gave up a 3 run home run, Brad Lidge came in and secured the 7-5 victory over the Mets. Cole Hamels got the start in the second game of the series but even after pitching 7 and giving up just 1 run, he suffered the loss. The Phils could not score a run off of Santana and Jeff Francour's solo shot off of Hamels turned out to be the ball game. In the rubber match of the series, the Phils sent Roy Halladay to the mound. Although Halladay did not have his best outing, it was in the end enough because the Phils roughed up the Mets starter R.A. Dickey. Raul Ibanez had a 3 run homer and helped the Phils win by a final of 6-5.

The Dodgers came to town next and after a football score loss of 15-9 in the opening game of the series, the Phils went on to win the next 2 and the series. The Phils were able to win the 2nd game of the series behind a gem from Roy Oswalt. Oswalt continued his successful ways at CBP by pitching 7 and giving up 0 runs. The Phils won by a final of 2-0. In the rubber match of the series, Joe Blanton got roughed up and the Phils offense struggled all night. The Phils trailed 9-2 going into the bottom of the 8th. I will try to recap the next 2 innings as best as possible. Placido Polanco and Mike Sweeney started out the inning by singling. After a wild pitch when Jayson Werth was up they both moved up a base so it was runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Jayson Werth then hit a single and the Phils cut the lead to 9-4. After Belisario balked, Werth moved to 2nd and Francisco hit a double to score Werth. After Ruiz grounded out, Wilson Valdez hit a single and knocked in Ben Francisco. Even after a 4 run 8th the Phils still trailed 9-6 going into the bottom of the 9th. Luckily for the Phils, Joe Torre decided to put in Johnathon Broxton in to save the game, bad decison. After hitting Polanco, walking Sweeney and walking Werth, Ben Francisco reached on an error Polanco and Sweeney scored, and with Werth and Francisco on 2nd and 3rd with no outs Chooooch stepped to the plate. With a 1-1 count, Ruiz hit a double to score Werth and Francisco and the Phils completed the comeback. They erased a 7 run defecit in just 2 innings.

The Phils then traveled to New York where they got shutout again in the first game but managed to win the final 2 games of the series. Although Hamels pitched a gem in the opening game he suffered the 1-0 loss because R.A. Dickey pitched a 9 inning complete game 1 hit shutout. In the second game the Phils got a gem from Halladay and finally scored some runs at Citi Field. And last night the Phils won behind a solid outing from Kyle Kendrick and good base running. They won by a final of 3-1.

It has been a wild month of August for the Phils. They have battled through injuries and they have fought their way to a tie in the wild card and just 2 games behind the Braves. The Giants come to town next, and with the return of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley slotted for sometime this week, the Phils are going to provide us with a lot more exciting baseball as we head into September.

Eagles Sign Graham and Allen

With the official start of training camp scheduled for today, the Eagles will have everyone present in Lehigh. Earlier this week, the Eagles signed 2nd round pick safety Nate Allen to a 4 year deal, and yesterday, the Eagles made sure everyone would be at camp by signing Brandon Graham to a 5 year deal. Andy Reid throughout the week, kept stressing how important it was for Graham to be in camp. Now, with his contract worked out, Graham will be at practice on Friday and will be present for the real practices with the veterans. Veterans reported to camp Thursday, among them DeSean Jackson. Jackson has made it clear that he wants a new contract worked out, but he still was among the earlies veterans to report to camp on thursday which is a very good sign. There is a lot of youth this year at training camp. This team is young, exciting, and very hungry to win. Although many people see this as a rebuilding year I don't. I think this team is young and has a lot of potential to win games this year. This team has a new look and there are a lot of new faces that will be looking to compete. This team is going to surprise a lot of people this year and it's going to be a very exciting and interesting year.

High Times For The Phils

Right now, life is good for the Philadelphia Phillies. They are on an 8 game winning streak, they have young outfielder Domonic Brown, and tonight Roy Oswalt will make his Phillies debut in Washington. Life for the Phils doesn't get much better. The Phils are also closing in on first place in a hurry. After last night's 3-2 extra innings win over the Diamondbacks, the Phils are now just 2.5 games out of first place, and a game and a half out of the wild card. The Phils were able to extend their winning streak last night by getting a solid game from Kyle Kendrick, and getting just enough runs to finish the sweep of the Diamondbacks. Tonight the Phils will look to extend their winning streak to 9 games as they send new addition Roy Oswalt to the mound. With the addition of Roy Oswalt, the Phils starting rotation is now extremely scary. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, and Kyle Kendrick. Just having those top 3 guys in a playoff series makes it extremely difficult for other teams. But first, the Phils have to secure a playoff spot. As well as they have been playing this past week, if the season were to end tomorrow, they would be on the outside looking in. With the new additions to this Phillies team, I expect them to have no trouble extending their winning streak and securing a playoff spot. All eyes will be on Roy Oswalt tonight, as he makes his debut for the Phillies.

Phillies Get Roy Oswalt

For the second straight year, the Phillies made a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline to bring in a top notch pitcher. Last year the Phils brought in Cliff Lee to help the rotation and today the Phils made a move to bring in pitcher Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros. The Phillies traded pitcher J.A. Happ, outfield prospect Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar to the Astros. In addition to getting Roy Oswalt, the Phils also get 11 million in cash from the Astros. Oswalt's contract has him due for 16 million next year and a clup option for 2012. As much as I hate to see a pitcher like J.A. Happ go, I love who the Phils got in return. Although Oswalt is only 6-12 this year, he is on a very bad Astros team that doesn't give him a whole lot of run support. Oswalt's era of 3.42 will be perfect for this Phillies team that is centered around it's offense. Oswalt has had an amazing career. He has had 2 20 win seasons, and he has 143 career wins with a 3.24 era. If you compare his numbers with Cliff Lee, they are significantly better and you know that people are going to make the comparison. Roy Oswalt will make his debut for the hot Phillies tomorow night. Last night, the Phils extended their winning streak to 7 games by beating the Diamondbacks 7-1. The Phils got another gem from Roy Halladay, and got help on offense from Domonic Brown who got called up from the minors after Shane Victorino was placed on the 15 day DL. Brown went 2-3 with an rbi double, a single, and a sacrifice fly. Right now, with the newcomers Domonic Brown and Roy Oswalt, the Phillies are extremely dangerous. They are hot right now, and they are only going to get hotter as we get deeper and deeper into August. We got our new pitcher Roy Oswalt and our coveted prospect Dom Brown so look out, here come the Phillies.

Hot Streak

When I wrote my last posting, there was no way that I could have predicted that the Phils would go on to win their next 5 games and get to only 3.5 games out of first place in the N.L. East. I always try to keep a positive attitude when writing about the Phillies, and try to look on the bright side, but last week there really was no bright side. The Phils had just finished a road trip with a record of 2-6 and found themselves 7 games behind the Braves. After a 4 game sweep of the Rockies and taking a wild one last night from the Diamondbacks, the Phils are now back in the hunt and look more dangerous than ever. The series began on Friday night with a strong outing from Roy Halladay. He pitched 8 innings and gave up 0 runs. The Phillies offense was led by Raul Ibanez, and they managed to put up 6 runs and secure the win by a final of 6-0. Ross Gload also contributed with a 2 run homer. On Saturday, the offense continued it's hot hitting by rocking Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez pitched just 2 innings and gave up 6 runs. It was the shortest outing of his career. Kyle Kendrick pitched well with all the run support. He pitched 7 innings and gave up just 1 run. The Phils won by a final of 10-2. On Sunday, the game was a lot more interesting. J.A. Happ pitched 5 innings and gave up 3 runs in his first game back. The Phils trailed 3-2 in the 7th, but scored 2 runs and took the lead 4-3. The bullpen held the Rockies scoreless and in the 9th, Brad Lidge was called upon to make the save. Brad, with 2 outs and the bases loaded, worked his way out of the jam by getting a called 3rd strike to end the game. The Phils had extended their win streak to 4, and their home win streak to 7 games. On Monday in the final game of the 4 game series against the Rockies there was more Lidge drama. Joe Blanton had another solid outing, and the Phils offense scored runs when they needed to. When it came to the top of the 9th, the Phils were leading 5-2, and Brad Lidge had a 3 run lead to work with. After giving up a 2 run home run, the score was 5-4. Shortly after that, Brad managed to load the bases. Ryan Spilborghs hit a weak groundball just to the right of the mound and Brad picked it up and fired to first to end the game. The Phils had 4 game swept the Rockies and had brought themselves to just 4.5 games out of first place. The Phillies looked to continue their hot streak as the last place Diamondbacks came into town. The Phils got an OK performance from Hamels last night, and fought from behind many times before getting the win by a final of 9-5. The Phils got key homeruns from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Right now, this team is really hitting the ball hard. Guys like Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, and possibly even Jayson Werth are finally waking up. If they continue to play like this, I expect them to be back in first place very soon. Everything is clicking right now for the Phils, and it is important to keep winning every series as we head into August.

Roster Breakdown: Recievers

The Eagles are young, explosive, and very dangerous at the reciever and tight end positions. Guys like Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jasan Avant and Brent Celek make up a very young recieving corps with a lot of potential. Avant at age 27, is the oldest reciever of the Eagles top 4 recievers. Jackson is 23, Maclin is 22, and Celek is 25. New starting quarterback Kevin Kolb definitely has a lot of weapons and will have all the tools to be successful this year.

Desean Jackson: He is the Eagles secret weapon. He is lightning fast, he makes plays after he catches the ball, and he can break open a game with a big play. His play on special teams also helps out this team. Desean does it all and I expect him to see a lot of quick slant routes this year with Kolb as starter. As much as I love Desean, he was very ineffective last year in the Dallas games mostly because they had him in double coverage. The Cowboys were able to do this by gambling and using single coverage against Maclin. Basically, Jackson's success depends largely on the play and development of Maclin. If Maclin can further improve and become a pro bowl reciever, then teams can't double both of them and it opens up the entire offense.

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin was a pleasant surprise last year. With the Eagles terrible track record of drafting bad recievers in the early rounds, nobody expected too much from Maclin. Maclin had an outstanding rookie season catching 56 for 773 yards and 4 touchdowns. If Maclin can have another big year, him and Jackson can make up one of the best recieving groups in the NFL.

Jasan Avant: Drafted in 2006, Avant is slowly becoming a solid everday reciever for this team. He is the number 3 reciever and he is a true team player doing more than just catching footballs. He also is a very good blocker and is very valuable in the red zone. Behind Avant the Eagles have Hank Baskett, Riley Cooper, and Jordan Norwood who will all look to compete for playing time.

Brent Celek: Celek had an outstanding 2009 season where he had 76 catches for 971 yards and 8 touchdowns. Celek is the main part of this young Eagles group of weapons and I expect him to get even better this season. Celek is going to be Kolb's favorite target and I am excited to see what he will do this season. Celek has the talent to be a pro bowler and he will be given the opportunity this season to showcase what he can do.

This Eagles offense is extremely young and exciting. LeSean McCoy, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and Kevin Kolb make up this young nucleus that will put a lot of points on the board every night. If the offensive line can hold up, the Eagles have one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. With the start of training camp scheduled for Monday, the birds will finally start their journey towards getting ready for the 2010 season. People are predicting that with the Eagles tough schedule that they may not even make the playoffs. One thing that a lot of people forget about this Eagles team is that it is a completely new team from the 2004 Super Bowl squad. David Akers is the only player on the current roster who played in the 2004 Super Bowl. This is a new team, and they are young, fast, and they have a new leader in Kevin Kolb. I think this team has a lot of potential and they are going to surprise a lot of people this year. Stay tuned to my blog throughout training camp and throughout the entire season to stay updated on all the Eagles news, scores and analysis. The work starts Monday, and the new look Eagles will look to train hard for the 2010 season. Football is just over a month away and I can't wait.

Phillies Struggles Continue In St. Louis

After taking a beating in Chicago, the Phils took their poor play to St. Louis where they lost 3 out of 4. The series started on Monday with a pathetic performance from Kyle Kendrick. Even after the Phils gave him a 3 run lead before he took the mound, Kyle responded by pitching 5 innings and giving up 7 runs. The Phils eventually lost 8-4. After the game, the front office sent Kendrick to triple A lehigh and called up Andrew Carpenter. On Tuesday night, Carpenter was called on to pitch because Jamie Moyer left the game after the first with a sprained elbow. Carpenter pitched the next 3 innings and gave up 3. The Cardinals Chris Carpenter kept the Phils offene silent all night. He pitched 8 innings and gave up just 1 run. The Phils lost by a final of 7-1, their 3rd straight loss. Meanwhile the Braves kept winning and the Phils were falling further and further out of first place. On Wednesday, Joe Blanton pitched a solid game, but the Phils bats were silent once again. In their defense they were facing another great pitcher in Jamie Garcia. He pitched 8 strong innings and only gave up 1 run. The Phils lost their 4th straight game by a final of 5-1. On Thursday in the final game of the 4 game series, the Phils salvaged a victory by winning by a final of 2-0 in extra innings. Cole Hamels was spectacular once again. He pitched 8 innings, gave up 0 runs, and only allowed 1 hit. Although he himself didn't get the win, the Phils did and hurried home after a disastrous road trip in which they went 2-6. After another series in which the offense was unproductive, the Phils responded by firing hitting coach Milt Thompson. As much as I don't think that the Phils struggles are Thompson's fault, I still like the move because it will be a wake up call to the guys on this team and it could provide a spark. The Phils replaced Thompson with Greg Gross, and the Phils responded. In his first game as hitting coach, the Phils offense produced behind Roy Halladay and won by a final of 5-0 against the Rockies. The Phils have won 2 straight and I am going to try to put a positive spin on these last 9 games. The way they played in Chicago is inexcusable but as for the series in St. Louis, the Phils faced their top 3 pitchers in Carpenter, Garcia, and Wainwright. I know that a lot of people are starting to push the panic button, but take a step back and analyze the situation. As of right now, the Phils are 6 games out of first place in the N.L. East, and 3 games out of the Wild Card. And remember, it's July 23rd, not August 23rd so there is still tons of time left, over 2 months in fact. And here is something really positive for all you doubters, the Phils have 66 games left, 38 of those are at home. The Phils have won their last 5 at CBP, so there is hope, you just gotta believe.

Sixers Sign Big Man Battie

Today the Sixers announced that they had agreed to terms with center Tony Battie, a guy who until today, had never even heard of. In my mind, the Sixers still need to make a real move before the start of the season, and try and trade for or sign some real talent. Although I am not all that excited by this signing, I am happy that they got some size. Battie is 6-11, and if nothing else, he can stand out there and block shots on defense. I still have this feeling that the Sixers are lacking something, and they still need another player. There are still free agents available, and the Sixers definitely need to make some moves if they want to start winning games this year. If the Sixers don't want to make moves via free agency, they definitely have options if they want to make a trade. Andre Igudola, has been the subject of many trade rumors over the past few years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got traded. The Sixers need to make a move, because the teams in their own division are starting to get better.

Roster Breakdown: Offensive Line

The offensive line has always been something that Andy Reid has focused on. In his mind, games are won and lost in the trenches, and the more battles you win inside, the greater chance you have of winning games. Since Andy Reid became coach/GM in 1999, he has drafted 18 offensive lineman including Shawn Andrews, and Winston Justice. With the departure of Jon Runyan and William "Tra" Thomas last year, the Eagles offensive line struggled greatly. Shawn Andrews injury also hurt the Eagles offensive line and it showed especially at the end of the season against the Cowboys. This season, the key to the Eagles success depends largely on whether or not the offensive line can stay healthy throughout the course of the season. The Eagles definitely have a lot of talented offensive lineman, here are a few.

Jason Peters: Starting at Left Tackle is second year Eagle Jason Peters. The Eagles acquired Peters via free agency last off season. Peters filled in nicely as William "Tra" Thomas's replacement, and I really like him as part of this offensive line. I expect him to have another solid year and contribute to this offense.

Todd Herremans: Herremans is the project starter at Left Guard this year heading into training camp. Herremans has been a starter since 2006, and he is another part of this offensive line that Im not worried about. Herremans is a great player and he and Peters make up a strong left side. It's the center and right side that have me worried.

Nick Cole: With Jamaal Jackson out with a torn ACL, Nick Cole will be the starter at center. Naturally, Cole is a guard so its up in the air as to whether he will be effective at center. Clearly he was ineffective last year in the last 2 games against Dalllas. Remember, Jamaal Jackson got hurt in the second to last game of the regular season last year against Denver. Nick Cole shifted from the guard spot to center to replace Jackson in both games against Dallas. The big question is can the Eagles be effective with Cole at center? And if Jackson comes back will he be able to come back fully healthy? I think the biggest question mark surrounding this Eagles offensive line has to be at the center position. Whether or not the Eagles can win without Jackson at center remains to be seen.

Stacy Andrews: Andrews is the projected starter at left guard this season. Andrews did not start a lot last season, but he is going to be called upon to step it up this season. Andrews had some great seasons with the Bengals, and he is an important part of this offensive line. If he doesn't perform, his back up, Max Jean-Gilles can step in and log minutes. I like Andrews a lot better though, because he definitely has more talent and potential.

Winston Justice: Starting at right tackle this season is Winston Justice. Forget about his game against the Giants in 2007 when he allowed 4 sacks, that is in the past. Justice has developed into a very nice young player with a lot of potential, and when healthy, has the stuff to be a pro-bowler.

The key to the success of the Eagles offensive line is staying healthy. You saw what happened last year when they got hit by injuries, the whole offense collapsed. Although this offensive line doesn't even compare to the other groups during the Andy Reid era, it is still a very good group. Just stay healthy and everything will be fine.

Roster Breakdown: Quarterbacks

For the first time in almost 11 years, the Eagles will have a new starting quarterback in Kevin Kolb. When the Eagles dealt Donovan McNabb to the Redskins, Kolb was given the starting spot, and stepped into the role of the face of this Eagles franchise. The Eagles have talent behind Kolb at quarterback in Michael Vick and 2010 4th round pick Mike Kafka. Although I probably should be worried about the Eagles quarterback situation, Im actually kind of excited to see what Kolb will be able to do. Plus, Vick showed glimpses of greatness at the tail end of last year so I think the Eagles have a lot of depth at quarterback and there is no need to worry. Let me break down the 3 guys the Eagles have at quarterback.

Kevin Kolb: Let me first start out Kevin Kolb's analysis with this: he is not a rookie. Kevin Kolb was drafted in 2007 and has been in the league for the past 3 seasons on the Eagles sidelines. Last year we got a little sneak peak of what Kolb is capable of. Kolb was called upon to fill in for an injured McNabb, and in his first start he was awesome. Although the Eagles lost to the Saints, Kolb had great stats going 31 of 51 with 391 yards passing. In his second game he was just as good going 24 of 34 with 327 yards passing plus the Eagles won 34-14. In my opinion, Kolb is ready to be a starter for this team, and he has the potential to be a great quarterback in this league.

Michael Vick: Michael Vick was given a second chance last year by Andy Reid, and he did not disappoint. He stayed out of trouble, and his play steadily improved as the year went on. I think that after training camp this year, Vick will be totally back and in football shape. Vick also knows that he is a starter and is not going to be satisfied just sitting on the bench. He will definitely compete with Kolb for the starting spot and will be ready to go if Kolb struggles.

Mike Kafka: Kafka was drafted in the 4th round by the Eagles out of Northwestern. Kafka is 6-3 225, and definitely has the physical tools to be a successful backup for the Eagles. I like what Im hearing about Kafka and happy to have him on the team.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the guys the Eagles have at quarterback. I am happy with Kolb as starter and I feel safe with Vick as an insurance policy. The thing that I think a lot of people aren't talking about is how Vick is going to look to compete for the starting spot. Although you don't want to be flip flopping quarterbacks all season, you always have to go with the best guy available. A storyline to pay attention to during training camp is the competition between Vick and Kolb. It will be interesting to see who the starter is come September.

Gagne Traded To Tampa

On Monday, after weeks of rumors that the Flyers were interested in trading him, Simon Gagne was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Walker and a 4th round draft pick. When I first heard news of the Gagne trade I was a little surprised. Although I had been hearing all the rumors that the Flyers wanted to deal Gagne, it still came as a surprise because Gagne has been a Flyer since 1999. He is the longest tenured player in Flyers history and I thought that the front office was going to find a way to keep Gagne on this team. Gagne will be missed but I really like the guy the Flyers got for him in defenseman Matt Walker. I have been saying this all off season long that the focus in all of their signings has to be defense. Walker definitely adds depth to this Flyers defense and will help keep pucks out of the net. Ultimately, the trading of Gagne means that the Flyers have some cap space and can make more moves. So far this off season Im happy with what the Flyers have done. Before the season starts though, I think the Flyers have to try and sign or trade for another top notch defenseman, and really solidify the defense as a whole.

Phils Get Blown Away At Wrigley

This past weekend, the Phillies did exactly what I said they couldn't afford to do: they came out flat after the break and dropped 3 out of 4 to the Cubs. Heading into this weekend, the Phils were just 4.5 games out of first, but after a poor effort in Chicago, the Phils now find themselves 5.5 games behind the Braves. The 4 game set started with a sense of hope and optimism for the Phils. They were coming off a wild 4 game sweep of a very good Reds team, and it just seemed like the Phils were finally ready to really start playing. On Thursday, in the first game of the series, the offense was not the problem, it was the pitching. Moyer pitched only 3 and gave up 6 runs in his 3rd consecutive loss. You have to think that at this point in the season maybe he is getting fatigued. I mean after all he is 47. You have to figure that he is going to get a few more starts but if he continues like this he may find himself in the bullpen come August and September. On Thursday the bullpen was not much better. Reliever Jose Contreras pitched 2 thirds of an inning and managed to give up 5. The offense produced behind 2 homeruns from Ryan Howard, but in the end could not score enough runs and the Phils lost by a final of 11-6. On Friday, Joe Blanton pitched a solid game going 7 and giving up 3. Unfortunately the offense, led by Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard who both homered were not able to produce enough. Ryan Madson gave up a run late in the game and the Phils dropped the second game of the series by a score of 4-3. On Saturday Hamels pitched his 4th consecutive solid outing going 7 and giving up only 1. In his last 4 outings, Hamels has been outstanding but only has 1 win to show for it because of the poor run support. The Phils headed into the top of the ninth down by 1. Brian Schneider worked a walk and so did Ross Gload, and with 2 runners on and 2 outs, Placido Polanco stepped to the plate. He fisted a hit into left and Schneider somehow scored on a wild play at the plate. The inning only got crazier from there. Ross Gload scored on a wild pitch, and Rollins worked a walk. The Cubs intentionally walked Ryan Howard and the bases were loaded for Werth. He too worked a walk and the Phils at this point led 3-1. Next up was Ibanez who hit a sharp ground ball to the first baseman Derek Lee who fielded it cleanly but had nobody to throw to at first and the Phils scored another crazy run. When the inning was finally over, the Phils had a comfortable 3 run lead for Lidge who came in and got the save. The Phils won 4-1 and looked to earn a split on Sunday. Unfortunately, Halladay got roughed up, and although the offense scored 6 runs, the Phils lost by a final of 11-6. Sunday night was a game that the Phillies really needed Roy Halladay to be the ace that he is. Taking a split in a 4 game series is a lot better then only taking 1 out of 4. The Phils could not get it done in Chicago, oh well. There is no time to sit around and be sad as the Phils next head to St. Louis in yet another imporant 4 game series. The Phils will send Kyle Kendrick to the mound tonight, and this Phillies team will look to start getting back on track. I know that it's still July, but 5.5 games can quickly become 10 games if the Phils continue to play like this.