Doug Collins, Coach Of The Year?

Doug Collins has made the Sixers relevant again. After a disappointing 2009-10 season in which the Sixers went just 27-55, Collins has turned this team into a solid 500 club, and a team that is starting to gain some respect around the league. Collins has installed a winning formula that includes a strong focus on defense, and a strong system to operate effectively in the half court offense. During Mo Cheeks' time as coach, the Sixers relied heavily on the fast break to score a lot of their points. With a young and athletic team, the fast break was a good option to get easy high percentage shots. The only problem was that the offense stalled in the half court, and the Sixers struggled greatly. Now, Doug Collins has the Sixers spreading the basketball around and getting double figure contributions from 5-8 guys a night. Around the league, players and coaches are also starting to take notice of just how great a job Doug Collins is doing. Doc Rivers, head coach of the Boston Celtics had this to say about Collins, “He is Coach of the Year. I don’t think anyone has done a better job then Doug Collins. They didn’t make a lot of moves. This is virtually the same team, but they play different, they play together." Rivers brings up a great point on how this is virtually the same team. All the Sixers really did during the past off season was get rid of Dalambert and add Hawes, Turner, Meeks and Nocioni. I think the biggest and best move the Sixers made during the past off season was bringing in Doug Collins. He has this team playing together and playing at an extremely high level. If the Sixers can finish the season strong, I think Doug Collins is a lock for coach of the year.

Sixers Reach 500 Mark

After a pitiful 3-13 record to start the season, the Sixers finally reached the 500 mark Friday night beating the Pistons by a final of 110-94. After heading into the All-Star break just 2 games under 500 at 27-29, the Sixers knew that they needed to come out this week and take care of business at home vs the Wizards and Pistons. The Sixers crushed the Wizards on Wednesday night getting contributions from just about everyone. 7 guys were in double figures for the 76ers including Jrue Holiday and Thad Young. The Sixers controlled the whole tempo of the game and didn't let the Wizards any breathing room and eventually won by a final of 117-94. On Friday night it was more of the same from the Sixers who continued their strong all around play. Thad Young led the scoring with 24 going 12-15 from the field. Andre Iguodala also contributed by stuffing the stat sheet with 21 points, 11 assists and 7 boards. The Sixers also got help from the Pistons coach who decided to bench some of his guys after an incident at a team shoot a round earlier today. The Sixers won by a final of 110-94. Right now the Sixers are 29-29 and just 1 game behind the 6th seeded Knicks who lost tonight to Cleveland. Looking ahead to next week, the Sixers will visit Cleveland on Sunday and then return home on Tuesday for a 3 game home stand vs Dallas, Minnesota and Golden State. I expect the Sixers to continue their strong play with some very winnable games in the upcoming week.

Roster Breakdown: Catchers

The final stop on our roster breakdown is the all important and yet sometimes forgotten catcher position. The Phils have 2 great catchers in Carlos Ruiz and veteran back up Brian Schneider. Let me tell you a little bit about them and what you can expect from Ruiz and Schneider in 2011.

Carlos Ruiz: On a team that features possibly the best starting rotation in all of baseball and some of the best hitters in the game, it's sometimes easy to forget about a guy like Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz is quiet, and is not a guy who is going to draw a whole lot of attention to himself. Instead Ruiz lets his game do the talking. Last year Ruiz led the Phillies in hitting with a .302 batting average. He also had 8 HR and 53 RBI's to cap off a solid year offensively. While guys went on and off the disabled list and battled slumps, Ruiz remained consistent and was the one guy on this team who you could always count on offensively. Defensively Ruiz had an excellent year behind the plate. He called Roy Halladay's perfect game as well as his post season no hitter. Looking ahead to this year, I expect Ruiz to have another solid year offensively. I don't expect him to lead the team in hitting again as I expect other guys like Rollins, Utley and Victorino to have very high averages. Defensively I can't stress enough the importance of a guy like Carlos Ruiz. He has experience with all these guys including Cliff Lee. He knows what they like to throw in certain situations and he knows how to get the most out of everyone. He may be quiet, but he's one of best players on the Phils and probably the most under rated players in all of baseball.

Brian Schneider: When the Phillies first signed Brian Schneider during last year's off season I was extremely happy. For years the Phillies had tried to find a suitable backup to starter Carlos Ruiz by bringing in guys like Sal Fasano and Rod Barajas. I really like Schneider and I think he is the perfect backup catcher for this team. He is a veteran guy who knows how to do the little things to win games. He also has a great understanding of the game and knows how to call an effective game for any given pitcher. Although he didn't have a statistically strong year last season, he did manage to contribute when Ruiz needed a breather. Schneider is a great clubhouse presence and a guy I really like as the backup for this year and in the future.

Ruiz was the unsung hero last year for the Phils. Hopefully this year he will not go under the radar as much and people will begin to appreciate him as one of the best players on this team. As for Schneider, hopefully he can bounce back and have a little stronger year at the plate. I really like the catchers that we have and I think it is so important to have smart catchers that can deal with a highly talented starting staff like the one the Phillies have.

Roster Breakdown: The Outfield

The next position featured on our roster breakdown is the outfield. The loss of Jayson Werth to the Nationals certainly hurts the team offensively as well as defensively. Werth was a five tool player who could get it done at the plate and in the field. But the guys that are still here like Victorino and Ibanez as well as the emergence of young players like Dom Brown, make this position still a very strong and dangerous group of guys. Let me break down the outfield for you player by player.

Shane Victorino: Victorino is one of my favorite players on the Phillies. He is a class act on and off the field, and he is a leader who plays hard every night. Last year Victorino hit .259 with 18 HR and 69 RBI's. From a power standpoint, Victorino had his best year last year but his batting average of .259 was a career low. I really like Victorino with his agressive approach at the plate but you simply can't hit .259 in the lead off position, it's not good baseball. I think that Charlie needs to find a better spot in the lineup for Victorino by possibly placing him in the 5th spot. Victorino showed last year that he can hit for power and I think he could fit nicely into that 5th spot behind Ryan Howard. If you look at Victorino's numbers last year compared to Werth they are not that far off. Werth had 8 more HR and 14 more RBI's but Werth also played in 9 more games than Victorino. The only significant difference in their numbers is Werth hit .296 compared to Victorino's .259. I think that if Victorino can get his average up, then he will be a likely candidate for the all important 5th spot in this line up. Defensively, Victorino continues to amaze me. He is a speed demon who can get to just about any ball hit his way. Victorino is an important part of this team and I think were gonna see a big year out of the Flyin' Hawaiian this season.

Raul Ibanez: Ibanez is heading into the final year of his contract with the Phillies. Ibanez has a solid couple of years in Philadelphia including an All-Star game appearance in 2009. Although Ibanez didn't match his 2009 All-Star season, he did mangage to hit .275 with 16 HR and 83 RBI's last year for the Phils. In addition to having a solid year offensively, Ibanez was also one of the few Phillies last year who did not see significant time on the disabled list. Other than that there's really not all that much to say about old Raul. He is a solid player offensively and defensively but a guy the Phils will probably not re-sign due to his age. While some people could possibly see him batting 5th in this line up, I like him to continue to hit 6th where he has had a lot of his success. I think that his average in the .270's is a little low to be hitting 5th. I expect Raul to have another solid year for the Phils and continue to help his team win ball games.

Domonic Brown: If it were up to me, Domonic Brown would start every game in right field. He is a young explosive guy who has the talent to be a super star in this league, and all he needs is the time and the at-bats to show what he can do. And with the best starting rotation in baseball, this Phillies team can certainly afford to have a guy in their line up who maybe doesn't do so well in the early parts of the season. Unfortunately, the decision is not up to me. The decision is up to Charlie who will likely go with a platoon of Ben Francisco and Dom Brown in right field. Don't get me wrong, I really like Ben Francisco. I think that he has the potential to be a solid player in this league and people don't realize how good he truly is. But on the other hand, Dom Brown has star potential written all over him and I want to develop him and get him as many pro level AB's as he needs. In 35 games last year, Brown hit just .210 with 2 HR and 13 RBI's. But in just 93 minor league games last season between AA Reading and AAA Lehigh, Brown managed to hit .327 with 20 HR and 68 RBI's. And when the Phils called him up from Lehigh, Brown was hitting a whopping .347. So how does a guy go from hitting .347 to a dismal .210? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that he wasn't playing everyday for the Phils. I think that it messed up his rhythm and timing and to get the most out of Dom Brown you have to play him everyday. Getting Brown a solid amount of playing time is crucial during the early stages of his career. I know Brown is not going to win the starting position outright, but hopefully Brown can have a strong spring and maybe take over as starter as the year progresses.

Ben Francisco: As a right handed hitter in a lefty dominated batting order, Francisco is sure to see a good amount of at-bats this season. The platoon of Francisco and Brown will likely hinge on whether the Phils are facing a left handed or right handed pitcher on any given night. In 179 at-bats last year, Francisco hit .268 with 6 HR and 28 RBI's. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Francisco gets with young Domonic Brown right behind him eager to make his mark. I really like Ben Francisco and I think he has the ability to surprise a lot of people.

Others: John Mayberry Jr. and Ross Gload will be used as outfield reserves and pinch hitters through out the course of the season. Ross Gload had a pretty solid 2010 and he can also be used at first base if Ryan Howard needs a day off. As much as I like John Mayberry Jr., I see him as potential trade bait in July if the Phils want to add more depth to their bull pen.

In the long run, I think the departure of Jayson Werth is going to benefit this team. Domonic Brown is young and has the potential to be a superstar which really excites me. I expect big things from Victorino this year who is really developing into a leader. All in all I'm very excited about this outfield and I look for them all to have a strong spring and a successful 2011.

Roster Breakdown: The Infield

The infield is the next position up on our Phillies roster breakdown. Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard make up one of the best infields in all of baseball. Offensively and defensively, these guys get it done. Let me break down each player for you and list some guys who can step in when needed.

Placido Polanco: Last year Polanco battled through nagging injuries and managed to hit .298 with 6 HR and 52 RBI's. Polanco had an elbow injury that plagued him all last year. During the off-season, Polanco had surgery to repair his elbow and now it seems that he is back and healthier than ever. Polanco will look to be the number 2 hitter again and do the little things that he does so well. Defensively, Polanco made the transition from 2nd to 3rd base look easy and I really like him defending the hot corner. Although Polanco had a solid year statistically last season, I expect a healthy Polanco to hit a cool .315 and possibly hit 10 HRs.

Jimmy Rollins: “We’ll win 100 games.” Bold words from a guy who statistically over the past 2 seasons has not had the game to back his words. Rollins has a history of making bold predictions like his "Team to beat" comment directed solely at the New York Mets. As Rollins enters into the final year of his contract, he knows that this is a critical year and that all eyes are going to be on him. Maybe this most recent comment is a self motivator for Rollins who knows that he needs to have a big year if he wants to remain a Phillie. In 88 games last year, Rollins hit .243 with 8 HR and 41 RBI. Rollins needs to have a bounce back year and he needs to produce offensively. I don't know where Charlie is going to put Rollins in the lineup. It's possible that he could bat 5th behind Ryan Howard or even lead off as that is his natural spot. The right spot in the lineup is crucial for a guy like Rollins. Defensively, Rollins is still one of the best shortstops in the league. But this year is all about offense for Jimmy, and he needs to prove to this organization that he still has what it takes to get it done at the plate.

Chase Utley: Utley is a 5 time All-Star and has quietly played a big role in the success of this team. Last year Utley was sidelined for a large part of the season with a thumb injury. In 88 games last year Utley hit .275 with 16 HR and 65 RBI's, but he never seemed to be able to get his timing back once he returned from his injury. Although Utley has been an outstanding player during his time in Philadelphia, he has not had that break out MVP season that I always expected he would have. This year Utley is healthy and ready to go. I expect him to have a big year offensively if he can manage to stay healthy. If Utley can limit the number of errors and put together big numbers at the plate, I easily see Utley winning the MVP award. I know it's a bold prediction but I think this is going to be his year.

Ryan Howard: Forget about the called third strike for a moment and look at what Ryan Howard has done so far in his career. Howard's numbers are solid and consistent year after year and he is an extremely important part of this team. Howard hit .276 with 31 HR and 108 RBI's last year, a bit of a down year for Howard. I expect Howard to bounce back and have another 40 HR 120 RBI season. Defensively, Howard is putting in the extra work and it is certainly paying off. Last year he looked great making big plays and solid throws. Howard is very under appreciated in this city primarily due to the high number of strike outs that he records. But with power comes a great number of a strike outs and that should be expected. Howard is a great player and this city better start appreciating this guy because he's going to be here for a very long time (until 2016 to be exact).

Wilson Valdez: Valdez is the unsung hero of this Phillies team becaus he can do it all. He can play 3rd, he can play short, he can play 2nd and rumor has it they he can even play some outfield. Last year Valdez filled in for Utley, Rollins and Polanco when they were injured. His strong arm and ability to make plays helped him get playing time through out the whole year. Valdez played in 111 games last year for the Phils and managed to hit .253 with 4 HR and 35 RBI's. This year Valdez is going to remain as the main utility guy for this team. Valdez may also see some time in the outfield because of the vacant position left by Jayson Werth.

The key to the success of this infield is staying healthy. Polanco, Rollins, Utley and Howard all saw time on the disabled list last year, and staying healthy is a top priority. If they can stay healthy I expect all of these guys to have better years at the plate and to continue to play strong defense behind this starting rotation.

Roster Breakdown: The Bullpen

Even with the best starting rotation in all of baseball, the Phils starters are unfortunately not going to pitch complete game shutouts every night. There are going to be games in which the starters will be off and when that happens the Phils bullpen needs to be ready to respond. Whether its coming into a bases loaded jam or closing out a tight 1 run game, the bullpen is going to be crucial to the Phils' success. Let me break down each pitcher for you.


Brad Lidge: Lidge has certainly had an interesting few years in Philadelphia. From his perfect season in 08 to his debacle in 09, Brad has struggled to stay consistent during his time in Philadelphia. I think it's safe to say that Brad is the key to the bullpen. Brad had a solid year last season recording 27 saves in 31 opportunities with a 2.96 ERA. Statistically last year was a good season for Lidge but I expect him to have a dominant year this year similar to his famous 2008 season. With such a great starting rotation, Lidge is going to have a limited number of opportunities which will force him to make the most of every game he pitches in. Plus, this is a contract year for Lidge, so from a financial standpoint Brad needs to be on top of his game.


Ryan Madson: Madson is the future of the Phillies bullpen. With a rapidly growing pay roll that includes large future salaries to Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and soon Cole Hamels, the Phils are unlikely to resign Brad Lidge to a new contract at the end of the season. Ryan Madson will most likely be the closer of the future providing he has a solid year this year and is able to show the Phils that he can perform when the game is on the line. I expect Madson to have a solid year in his role as 8th inning set up man.


J.C. Romero: Romero played a big role in the Phils' World Series title in 2008. He was the lefty out of the pen who could be called upon to pitch in the toughest situations. Romero posted a 2.75 ERA in 81 games in 08, and was called upon a lot especially in late game situations. But after a 50 game suspension due to substance abuse Romero appeared in just 21 games in 2009 and was not the 2008 Romero. Romero didn't do all that well last year posting a 3.67 ERA in 60 games for the Phils. One of the big question marks during the past off season was whether or not the Phils would re-sign the feisty left-hander. The Phils and Romero agreed upon a 1 year deal worth 1.35 million. Romero has certainly shown in the past that he has the talent to be a dominant set-up man. He just has to keep his emotions in check and try his best to return to his 2008 form. Having a healthy and effective Romero will certainly help this team throughout the course of the season.


Others: A healthy and effective Lidge, Madson and Romero are crucial to the success of the bullpen. Still, other pitchers are needed for specialty situations and long reliefs. The next most important pitcher in the pen is Jose Contreras. Contreras has made a smooth transition from starting pitcher to reliever. Last year Contreras was a solid option out of the pen for the Phils posting a 3.34 ERA in 67 games. Look for Contreras to have another solid year and be a guy who Charlie can confidently call on. Antonio Bastardo is another option out of the pen. He is a young lefty who is going to be given a lot of opportunities through out the season. Danys Baez and David Hernodon need to have bounce back seasons. Posting ERAs above 4 are simply unacceptable on this team. Other guys that will be given opportunities to compete are Vance Worley, Scott Mathieson and Mike Zagurski.


If Romero, Lidge and Madson can pitch the way they are capable of pitching, the Phils will certainly have a dominant pen. The problem for these guys has been consistency, and they need to prove that they can pitch at a high level in both the regular season and deep into the post season. Other guys like Contreras and Bastardo need to contribute and help out when that bullpen phone rings.

Roster Breakdown: The Starting Rotation

With the reporting of pitchers and catchers just a few days ago, I though it appropriate to start my roster breakdown with the starting rotation. This starting rotation was excellent last year. The addition of Cliff Lee makes the rotation down right scary this year. This is one of the best rotations ever put together in the history of baseball, let me break down each pitcher for you.

Roy Halladay: First up is Roy Halladay. Halladay went 21-10 last year with a 2.44 ERA. He won the NL Cy Young award and pitched a perfect game and a playoff no-hitter. He had quite the year to say the least. You know what your going to get from Roy night in and night out. Your getting a work horse who will take you deep into games and work his tail off on and off the field. Although Roy has 2 career Cy Young awards, a no-hitter, a perfect game and 7 All-Star appearances he still does not have a ring. I think this is going to drive him to play even harder this year and try and help his team win a world championship.

Cliff Lee: I think I'm still in shock. I can't believe that I am typing about Cliff Lee as a Phillie once again. Believe it or not Cliff Lee is back in Philly and he too brings an extreme hunger for a World Series title. He has reached the world series the past 2 years only to come up empty handed both times. Now Lee is teaming up with Roy Halladay and the rest of this pitching staff to try and bring this city a championship. Lee is going to battle every time he takes the mound. Whether he is down by 8 or winning by 12, Lee is going to play hard no matter what the circumstance. Lee is a true gamer and that is one of the reasons he is so beloved in Philadelphia.

Cole Hamels: Cole Hamels had his best year last year hands down. Although he only went 12-11, Cole managed to put together a 3.06 ERA a career best. Don't let the win total fool you, Cole received very little run support last year and he easily could have won 18 games + last year if he had gotten some offense to back him. I think Cole is going to be the pleasant surprise of the year. He is entering into a contract year at the prime of his career and I think those factors coupled with a new work ethic will make him the ace of this staff. Cole has the ring, the confidence, and the talent to be the ace of this staff he just has to go out there and execute. And a little run support would be nice too.

Roy Oswalt: When the Phillies acquired Roy Oswalt last year at the trade deadline there wasn't an overwhelming sense of excitement. It's understandable because at the time the Phillies acquired Oswalt he was 6-12. I think that Oswalt still isn't appreciated even after going 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA last year during his time with the Phillies. Oswalt is the guy on this staff who is not going to do anything flashy. He's not going to win the Cy Young award or win 30 games but he is going to be the silent workhorse that is vital to this team's success. Oswalt will keep his team in the game every night and providing that he gets run support Oswalt will easily win 15 games + this season.

Joe Blanton: Don't forget about Joe. It's understandable that Blanton is getting forgotten as he is on the staff that features 4 of the game's best pitchers. But don't forget Joe Blanton is a solid number 3 on any other team and he is one of the most consistent pitchers in the game. Joe Blanton is going to keep you in the game and that's all you can ask for. As long as he gets out of the early innings he can be a very effective pitcher. I do expect the Phils to move Blanton before the start of the season. If not, Blanton will be a solid number 5 and will look to compete all season long. If Blanton does get traded I expect Kendrick to get the nod for the 5th spot. The 5th spot isn't all that important when you have one of the best staffs in the history of the game. It's truly going to be a luxury this season sending an ace to the ace to the mound 80% of the time. Just stay healthy, score a few runs here and there, and let the pitching staff do the rest.

Vick Named AP Comeback Player Of The Year

Michael Vick was named The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year on Saturday night.  He becomes the first Eagles to ever win the award.

At this point, Vick’s miraculous and controversial story is known far and wide.  Signed by the Eagles in 2009 after missing two seasons due to the prison term he served for his role in a dogfighting operation.  Vick was a role player in his first season and was expected the same role in 2010.  In the season opener against the Green Bay Packers however, starter Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion.  Michael Vick stepped in and well, the rest is history. 

Vick is only the second player in league history to throw for 3,000 yards, rush for 500 yards and post a passer rating of 100 or more in a season.  The highlight of his season would probably be the historic Monday night win over the Redskins when he became the first player to ever throw for 300 yards, rush 50 yards, throw four touchdowns and run for two touchdowns in the same game.  His game jersey was promptly shipped to Canton to be enshrined in the hall of fame. 

In addition to this award Vick’s other awards include: started for the NFC team in the Pro Bowl, named NFC Offensive Player of the Week three times, NFC Player of the Month for the first time in his career, and earlier this week came in second behind Tom Brady for Offensive Player of the Year award.  The Eagles just recently placed the franchise tag on Vick.