High Hopes For 2011

Ever since the Phillies won the World Series in 2008, they have been adding different players in an effort to bring this city another championship. The Phillies have shown they are dedicated to winning by signing the right players and making the necessary trades in order to improve the team. This was first seen in the middle of 2009, when the Phillies traded for ace Cliff Lee to help them in the playoffs. The Phils lost to the Yankees in the series and came up short of a championship even with the addition of Cliff Lee. The Phils continued their dedication to winning during the off season between 2009 and 2010 when they traded Cliff Lee for prospects and brought in Roy Halladay. The Phils also signed Placido Polanco, and at the All Star break traded for Roy Oswalt but still came up short in the playoffs falling to the Giants in the NLCS. During the past off season the Phils signed Cliff Lee and with Lee's return come extremely high expectations for the upcoming season. Although the Phils will be without the services of Jayson Werth this year, they boast one of the best starting rotations in the history of baseball. The amount of injuries during spring training is an obvious concern, but the Phils showed last year that they can battle through injuries. The Phils were able to overcome injury after injury last season and still recorded the best record in baseball. The Phils bats are going to get their runs and this rotation is going to come through. I expect the Phils to win 110 games plus and of course win the World Series. Tomorrow at 1:00, the Phils will begin their quest towards another World Series title. Roy Halladay will take the mound against former Phillie Brett Myers. Hopefully the Phils can get a victory and start this season on a high note.

Possible Playoff Matchups For Sixers

As the playoffs quickly approach, this young Sixers team is gaining a lot of confidence thanks in part to two consecutive wins against the Bulls and Rockets. With just 7 games remaining, the Sixers are currently 5 games behind the 5th seeded Hawks and in all likelihood, the Sixers will end and as the 6th seed and end up playing either the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics in the post season. If I could choose who to play I would pick the Heat in a second and here is why. I was listening to sports radio the other day and a caller brought up a great point about why a matchup against the Heat would favor the Sixers. He brought up the fact that the Heat have all the pressure in the world on them and expectations are extremely high. Anything short of a championship for a team that consists of super stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wayde and Chris Bosh would be a major disappointment. The Sixers on the other hand weren't even expected to make the playoffs, and after a 27-55 record last year, this season has been a major improvement. Providing they don't have an epic fall out in these last 7 games, I think it's fair to say that this season for the most part has been a successful year for the Sixers. The Sixers will have absolutely no pressure on them in the playoffs, and will be able to play the role of the underdog and spoiler against the Heat. Imagine this scenario: the Sixers are able to edge out a very close 97-95 victory in game 1 of the series. They were able to overcome a 15 point 4th quarter deficit, and Lou Will won it at the end off a wild 3 point shot at the buzzer. Can you imagine the media coverage and overall circus that would ensue if the Heat dropped game 1 to the Sixers? It would only add pressure to the Heat who already have too much pressure to begin with. If the Sixers could somehow edge out a game in Miami, the series would return to Philadelphia tied and then anything can happen. I realize that the Heat have 3 super stars, but LeBron comes up short in the playoffs and I just feel that there is something special about this Sixers team. I truly believe that if the Sixers can steal game in Miami then they have a realistic shot at winning the series. And ask anyone on the Heat and I'm sure they will tell you that they have absolutely no desire to face this potentially dangerous Sixers team in the post season.

Flyers Thrashers Preview

The 5-2 victory over the Penguins on Tuesday was hopefully the spark that this Flyers team has been looking for. A crucial win like that not only helps in terms of overall points and playoff implications, it also helps with confidence and it raises the overall morale of a team. Tonight at 7:00, the Flyers will look to build on Tuesday night's victory when they take on the Atlanta Thrashers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Thrashers are a long shot to make the playoffs, but they should not be taken lightly and the Flyers need to come out with the same intensity that they played with in the Penguins game. This will be the third time the Flyers have faced the Thrashers this month. The Thrashers beat the Flyers both times first on March 12 in a shootout and then again on March 17th in yet another shootout. Although the Flyers did get points in both games, it would be even better if they were able to get 2 points out of tonight's game and put some more distance between them and the Caps and Pens in the standings. Currently, the Flyers have just a 3 point lead over the Capitals and a 4 point lead over the Penguins.

Sixers Blast Rockets

After coming off a great win against the Eastern Conference leading Bulls, the Sixers followed that performance tonight with a 108-97 victory over the Houston Rockets.

It was important for the Sixers to come out focused after such an emotional win on Monday night in Chicago. The Sixers did a good job of taking care of business against a mediocre Rockets team. The Sixers were led by Jrue Holiday and Thad Young who had 24 and 22 points respectively. Thad Young had his second strong game in a row after a bad game on Sunday against the Kings. Jrue Holiday continues to play well and did a good job tonight of driving to the basket and getting high percentage shots. Holiday also did a great job of getting his teammates involved and finished with 12 assists enough for a double double. Tonight the Sixers also did a real nice job of getting Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes involved offensively. Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks both reached double figures for the Sixers tonight.

It was important that the Sixers not come out flat and this win shows that the veteran leadership of guys like Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala is definitely strong and that is so vital especially to such a young team.

Looking ahead, the Sixers will host the New Jersey Nets on Friday night at 7:00 PM.

Flyers Win Crucial Game

The month of March has been a very streaky and inconsistent time for the Philadelphia Flyers. They have won and lost a lot of tough 1 goal games and have struggled to stay consistent and put together good quality wins. Throughout the entire month the Flyers have failed to get a big statement win, but tonight the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 and finally got the big win that they have been searching for all month.

Coming into tonight's game, the Flyers had just a 2 point lead over the Penguins in both the Eastern conference and Atlantic division standings. The game was crucial with major playoff implications and the Flyers knew they had to come out and play strong.

In the first period, the Pens jumped out to an early lead thanks to Alex Kovalev who burried a wrist shot past Sergei Bobrovsky on a break away. Quickly after, the Flyers tied it on a goal that was originally awarded to defenseman Braydon Coburn but later given to Jeff Carter, his 35th goal of the year. In the 2nd period, the Pens made it a 2-1 game but the lead was short. With about 6 minutes left in the period the Flyers scored a power play goal from Scott Hartnell who crashed the net and a minute later, Claude Giroux wristed a nasty shot past Marc Andre Fleury to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Villie Leino then added 2 goals in the third to secure a 5-2 win for the Flyers.

The win puts the Flyers 4 points ahead of the Penguins and 3 points ahead of the pesky Capitals. The win couldn't have come at a better time for this team that has been searching for a big statement win for a very long time. Individually, Sergei Bobrovsky looked great in net and that was good to see especially in a big game like tonight. Villie Leino also played great with a 2 goal game that secured the win.

Looking ahead the Flyers will take on the Thrashers on Thursday night at 7:00 PM.

Sixers Bulls Preview

Tonight at 8, the Sixers will play the Eastern conference leading Chicago Bulls. The game will be played in Chicago and should prove to be a good test for the Sixers who are coming off a tough overtime loss on Sunday to the Sacramento Kings.

In order to win tonight, the Sixers need to have a short memory, put Sunday's loss out of their heads and come out focused and ready to play. For the Sixers to have any chance tonight, the bench needs to play a lot better. In Sunday's overtime loss to the Kings, Thad Young, Evan Turner and Lou Williams combined for just 14 points and were a pitiful 4-25 from the field. The bench needs to contribute more and help out the starters. Also, Jrue Holiday and Jodie Meeks need to get more touches and extended minutes. They are both playing extremely well right now and coach Doug Collins needs to find different ways to get the ball into their hands. In tonight's game, look for Andre Iguodala to play a more limited role. Iguodala continues to nurse a sore leg and Collins doesn't want him to play back to back games. Last weekend Collins sat Iguodala when they had back to back games.

Playing against the best team in the conference is not all that intimidating of a task for this team. Although the Sixers are coming off a loss to a lousy team, they have shown in the past they have what it takes to hang with the big boys. Back in February, the Sixers beat the Spurs and earlier this month they edged out a victory over the Celtics.

I think that tonight's game could possibly come down to the final 2 minutes. If it does come down to the wire, I hope that Collins puts the ball into the hands of either Meeks or Holiday and not Andre Iguodala. As we head into the final games of the regular season, it would be great for the Sixers to pick up a road win against a very good team. A win tonight could be a real confidence booster for a young team heading into the playoffs.

Holiday & Rose Lead New Point Guard Era

Back when basketball was first invented, the point guard was relied on for ball handling and to distribute the ball to his teammates. Traditionally, a point guard was not expected to score 20 plus points a night or even be considered a serious threat to score.

But basketball has changed drastically over the years and today's point guard is now relied on to not only pass and dribble, but also to score as well. Guys like Derrick Rose, Jrue Holiday, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Russel Westbrook and John Wall are all a part of a new young generation of point guards that can do it all. They can score, they can find the open man, and they all can collect a decent amount of rebounds as well. To help prove my point, I have created a table listing the 7 top point guard's and their 2010-2011 points per game, assists per game and rebounds per game, take a look:





Although Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo's PPG are slightly lower than that of Paul, Williams, Westbrook, Wall and Rose, clearly you can see that the new NBA point guard can distribute the ball and put up a high amount of points every night. John Wall, Jrue Holiday, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose are the youngest out of the group and they represent the new generation of the point guards that offer the complete package. Rondo, Paul and Williams are slightly older than the rest of the group but are still considered key members of this new point guard generation. Derrick Rose is at the top of the class as he is a strong candidate for this year's MVP award.

Tonight Derrick Rose and Jrue Holiday will go head to head in what is sure to be a great point guard match up. Guys like Holiday and Rose make the game of basketball more exciting to watch. They are not super stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant who rely on offensive isolation, but are rather playmakers who can score and get their teammates involved as well. Look for Rose and Holiday to have big games tonight.

Sixers Lose In OT

Doug Collins is a great coach and what he has been able to do with the Sixers this season is a truly remarkable feat. But in today's loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings, Collins made a big mistake by giving the ball to Andre Iguodala on 3 separate occasions to win the game and each time Iguodala came up short. I don't mind Iguodala having the ball in the pressure situations, but when you have a guy like Jrue Holiday who was 7-7 from the field in the second half, I think you have to give the ball to the guy with the hot hand. Too many times I have seen Iguodala come up short when the game is on the line. He tries to do way too much and instead of playing smart basketball, he usually ends up forcing up a lousy shot. With under 2 minutes left in today's game, Iduodala forced a jump shot, missed a high percentage lay up, and on the third occasion missed a free throw that would have tied the game. I like Iguodala and I feel that he is under appreciated in a city that expects him to be a super star. He does a lot of the little things well and plays an extremely balanced game, stuffing the stat sheet night after night. But when Jrue Holiday and Jodie Meeks are both knocking down shots, you have to go with who ever gives you the best chance to win the game and not just the guy who everyone expects to have the ball. Luckily Lou Williams was able to bail Iguodala out by knocking down a 3 at the buzzer that sent the game into over time. It was a back and forth game in the extra session but eventually DeMarcus Cousins and the Kings' outstanding 3 point shooting were too much for the Sixers. The Kings won by a final of 114-111.

The bench did not come through for the Sixers today which is extremely rare. Thad Young, Evan Turner and Lou Williams combined for just 14 points and were a dismal 4-25 from the field. All 5 starters reached double figures including Jrue Holiday and Jodie Meeks who combined for 50 points and were 19-30 from the field and were 4-7 from 3 point range.

Looking ahead, the Sixers have little time to rest as they travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls tomorrow night. The Bulls are in first place in the Eastern conference and it will be interesting to see how the Sixers rebound from this ugly loss.

JVR Leads Flyers To Victory

Before Saturday night's game vs the New York Islanders, the Flyers had played in 4 consecutive shootouts, 3 of which they lost. To win in regulation seemed like an almost impossible mission to the Flyers who have recently been involved in some extremely close games.

But on Saturday night, James van Riemsdyk lead the Flyers to a 4-1 victory marking their first win in regulation since March 15th. JVR had a hat trick, and Bobrovsky had another strong game as he continues to bounce back from that ugly performance against the Capitals last Tuesday. Jeff Carter also scored his 34th goal of the year.

It was important for the Flyers to not only get the 2 points but to also win by a large margin. The last time the Flyers won by more than 1 goal was on March 8th when they beat the Oilers 4-1. The 2 points puts the Flyers at the 100 point mark on the season and 2 points ahead of the Capitals. Hopefully this win will be a confidence builder and give the Flyers some much needed momentum as we head into the final 8 games of the season.

Tonight at 7:00, the Flyers will take on the Boston Bruins at home in another important Eastern conference game. The Bruins lost yesterday 1-0 to the Rangers and will definitely be hungry to get a victory. Although the Bruins are 8 points behind the Flyers in the conference standings, they are still a good team and will be a good test for the Flyers tonight.

5th Spot Showcase: Raul Ibanez

Rauuuuuuuuul is in the final year of his contract with the Phillies. He has had an interesting 2 years in Philly including an All-Star 2009 season in which he hit .272 with 34 HR and 93 RBI's. With an always solid batting average and ability to hit for power, could Ibanez possibly bat 5th for the Phils?

Pros: Ibanez is a .284 career hitter and he has hit 20 plus HR in 6 of 10 seasons in which he's played 100 games or more. And in 8 of those 10 seasons, Ibanez hit 80 plus RBI's. Statistically, Ibanez clearly has what it takes to bat 5th and protect Ryan Howard. One thing Ibanez has over a lot of the guys on this team is experience. Ibanez will be heading into his 16th year in the big leagues this season and the Phillies know they can count on him to stay calm in the 5 hole.

Cons: Unfortunately there are a lot of negatives to putting Ibanez in the 5th spot the first of which is the fact that he is a left handed batter. If he were to bat 5th it could potentially be 3 even 4 lefties in a row depending on who the Phils decide to put in the 6th spot. And although last year was a very strong year for Ibanez in which he hit .275 with 83 RBI's, his HR numbers dropped drastically from 34 in '09 to just 16 last year. 16 HR's is decent, but Ibanez would have to get that number back up to at least 20 if he wants to bat 5th. Also is age a factor with Ibanez? After all this is his 16th season and he will turn 39 in June.

I think Ibanez is the most qualified hitter on this team to hit 5th, but with Utley's injury not getting any better I think the Phils are going to look to bat him in the 3 hole. Ibanez will hopefully do a solid job in Utley's absence and it will be interesting to see how they shuffle the line up when he returns. Where ever the Phils decide to put Raul, if he can have another year like 2009, it will really help this team that has so many question marks heading into opening day.

5th Spot Showcase: Carlos Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz through out his career has always been known as a solid hitting catcher who does a good job at turning the lineup over in the 8th spot. Up until last year, Ruiz never would have been considered for the 5th spot. But after an outstanding 2010 season, many people are beginning to think that he could be a very good choice to protect Ryan Howard in 2011.

Pros: There are many reasons why Carlos Ruiz should be considered for the 5th spot. The first one and probably most obvious reason is he is a right handed bat which would break up a heavy left handed line up. Also, Ruiz lead the Phils last year in hitting with a .302 average. He also showed reasonably strong power numbers last year with 8 HR and 53 RBI's, not bad for a guy batting 8th. If Ruiz were to bat higher in the order when more runners on base, he could drive in 70 plus runs for the Phils which would be right where Jayson Werth's numbers were last year. Anyone that hits above .300 should be taken into serious consideration for the 5th spot position. In addition to hitting for a high average, Ruiz also proved last year that he can come through in the clutch. Having a guy that come through in pressure situations in the 5th spot could benefit this team greatly.

Cons: While last year was a big year for Chooch, in years past Ruiz hit at or around the .250 mark which simply won't cut it in the 5th spot. It may be extremely risky to put Carlos Ruiz in the 5 hole as he only has one statistically strong year.

I really think the Phils should give Ruiz an opportunity to bat 5th. Some of the other guys I've showcased are long shots, but I feel that Ruiz has a reasonable shot at the 5 hole. Ruiz had a great year last year and could have an outstanding year in 2011 if the Phils give him the opportunity.

Flyers Lose In Shootout

After a devastating loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, the Flyers were back on the ice tonight in yet another tough Eastern Conference game. The Flyers hosted the Penguins in a game that ended in yet another shootout defeat for the Flyers.

Mike Richards scored first for the Flyers off a goal that deflected off multiple Penguin defenders, popped over the head of goalie Marc Andre Fleury, and eventually found the back of the net. The goal came late in the first period, and the Flyers went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. After a disappointing performance on Tuesday, it was good to see goalie Sergei Bobrovsky come out and have a strong first period. The 1-0 lead was short as the Pens came out and scored early on the power play in the second period. After a scoreless third, the Flyers went into overtime for the 4th consecutive night.

In the extra session the Pens got a lot of opportunities and Bobrovsky had some key saves as the defense struggled at times to get the puck out of the zone. After yet another scoreless overtime, the game went to the shootout where the Flyers eventually lost.

Although the Flyers lost, they managed to pick up another point which is crucial as they continue to compete with both the Capitals and Penguins for the top spot in the East. The win puts the Flyers 2 points ahead of the Caps for first place in the conference, and 4 points ahead of the Pens for first place in the Atlantic division.

The Flyers will head to New York on Saturday to take on the Islanders. The game should be an easy win for the Flyers, and hopefully they will be able to pick up 2 desperately needed points.

Sixers Down Hawks

People are finally starting to respect the Sixers. Last night the Sixers beat the 5th seeded Hawks 105-100 in an important Eastern conference game with playoff implications. The win puts the Sixers just 2.5 games behind the Hawks for the 5th seed. Lou Williams, Thad Young, Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks, Spencer Hawes, Elton Brand, and Andre Iguodala were all in double figures for the Sixers. Thad Young provided a late game spark for the Sixers getting things done offensively and making plays on defense. The Sixers also got a lot of production out of Jodie Meeks who was on fire from 3 pt land. Meeks had 15 points and was 5-6 from 3 point range. Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams also shot the 3 ball well, and as a team the Sixers were 10-18 from 3 point range. After having a day off on Saturday due to his leg inury, Andre Iguodala logged a lot of minutes and battled through ending up with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Overall it was a good win for the Sixers who are starting to gain some respect around the league. The Sixers showed their resilience in the victory battling back from an 11 point 3rd quarter deficit. Hopefully the Sixers can keep up the strong play as we head into the final stretch of the season.

The next test for the Sixers will come tomorrow night as they travel to Miami to take on the Heat. If the season were to end today, the Sixers would play the third seeded Heat in the playoffs. Tomorrow night could be a playoff preview and a good opportunity to see how the Sixers compete with the boys from South Beach.

5th Spot Showcase: Shane Victorino

Shane Victorino is next up on our 5th Spot Showcase. Victorino is not your typical 5 hole hitter, but still a guy the Phils should take into consideration to protect Ryan Howard.

Pros: One reason why Shaner should be considered for the 5th spot is he is a career .279 hitter. In addition to hitting for a solid average, he has also shown in the past three years that he has the ability to drive in runs. In 2008 Victorino had 58 RBI's to go along with 14 HR's. Victorino followed 2008 with an even more impressive 2009 in which he had 62 RBI's and 10 HR's. Last year the Flyin' Hawaiin had his best power year with 18 HR's and 69 RBI's. With a power trend that is slowly increasing, wouldn't it be wise to at least consider Victorino for the 5th spot? Also Victorino is a leader who could really pick things up should the Phillies have an offensive drought. He can spark the middle of the line up and really get things going for this team offensively.

Cons: First off Victorino is a switch hitter, so having him in the 5 hole behind lefties Utley and Howard could mean 3 consecutive left handed bats on any given night. Also Victorino's power numbers are improving but, does Victorino have the consistency to bat 5th? After all he did hit .259 last year, so he may not have the consistency needed to bat in the 5 hole.

I think Shane Victorino brings a lot of versatility to this team. He can bat lead off, he can bat in the 2 hole, and he could possibly bat 5th. I don't think the Phils are going to put him in the 5 hole due to the fact that he is a switch hitter and he hit just .259 last year. I think Victorino is going to bat 6th where he will still have the opportunity to drive in a lot of runs for this team.

Flyers Fall To Caps

In a game with playoff implications and a playoff atmosphere, the Flyers lost a thriller to the Washington Capitals by a final of 5-4. The Flyers battled back from a 3-0 deficit and eventually took the lead late in the 3rd period before falling to the Caps in the shootout.

It looked like the Flyers were going to get blown out after falling behind early. Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky didn't play well, giving up a cheap goal that squeaked by him midway through the first. Bobrovsky gave up another goal late in the first off of Mike Knuble who aggressively crashed the net. In Bobrovsky's defense, Flyers defender Sean O'Donell was late getting back and he allowed Knuble to skate right past him and at the net.

The Caps continued to pour it on in the second when they scored on the power play off another goal that again "squeaked" by Bobrovsky. After the goal, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette pulled Bobrovsky and veteran Brian Boucher entered the game. Down by 3, the Flyers easily could have packed it in and given up. But this team is resilient, and they played hard despite the 3 goal deficit. Versteeg made it a 3-1 game after he sent a puck into traffic that deflected off a Caps defender and eventually found the back of the net. After the Versteeg goal, the Flyers had a lot of momentum and brought a lot of pressure. The Flyers upped the intensity and it eventually paid off when Claude Giroux banged home a one-timer to make it a 3-2 game.

In the third, the Flyers continued to play strong hockey. Boucher looked strong in net, and guys like Briere, Giroux and Nodl continued to create opportunities. With 10 minutes left in the third, Andreas Nodl scored off of a turnover to tie the game at 3. Nodl was in the right place at the right time and he burried a wrist shot to knot things up at 3. But the Flyers weren't satisfied with simply evening the score. With 5:45 left, Danny Briere redirected a slap shot in the back of the net to give the Flyers the lead. The goal came right off a face off, and it looked like the Flyers were going to be able to hang on to win it. But with 3:19 left, Caps center Marcus Johansson banged home a one-timer to tie the game at 4. For the third game in a row, the Flyers headed to over time.

Danny Briere and Jeff Carter created a lot of scoring opportunities for the Flyers in the extra session. Villie Leino also played well offensively for the Flyers. Boucher came up with some big saves to help out defensively. Unfortunately neither team was able to score and for the third game in a row, the Flyers needed a shootout to settle things. Leino and Briere were able to score but Giroux got tripped up. The Flyers would eventually lose in the shootout as Boucher was unable to get a stop.

Although the Flyers lost, they did pick up a point and still have a 1 point lead over the Capitals in the Eastern conference. And although it may seem like the Flyers are getting stuck in a string of very close losses, they are playing hard and are continuing to pick up very much needed points. The Flyers are playing hard and scratching and clawing their way to the finish line.

Looking ahead, the Flyers will travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday to take on the Penguins in what should be another great game.

5th Spot Showcase: Placido Polanco

While it may seem crazy at first to envision Placido Polanco in the 5^th hole, think about how nice it would be to have a career .303 hitter hitting behind Ryan Howard. Although Polanco has always been a number 2 hitter, I think he may have what it takes to be a solid 5^th spot hitter.

Pros: Polanco knows how to do the little things to win games. He can hit the ball wherever he wants in order to move the runners along. Having a guy that truly understands the game in the 5^th spot could really benefit the Phillies in the long run. Less runners would be stranded and more runs would be potentially scored for the Phils as a result. Also his high career average of .303 has to bode well for him. A guy that is going to put the ball in play and hit for a high average is a guy I want hitting 5^th on my team. Also Polanco is a right handed batter and having him bat behind the lefty Howard could also help the Phillies.

Cons: Polanco is one of the best 2 hole hitters in all of baseball and taking him away from his position could hurt his overall production. Also Polanco is a small ball kind of player different from the power type hitter that a team normally wants in the 5^th spot.

Polanco is a guy that can get runners over and get guys into scoring position. I think it would be best to leave him in his natural 2 hole position where he can do the little things to help this team win. Still, Charlie should at the very least consider Polanco as he is one of the best hitters on this team.

Ovechkin Out

In tomorrow night's crucial Eastern conference match up between the Flyers and Capitals, the Capitals will be with out their star player Alex Ovechkin who will be sidelined for the next 7-10 days due to nagging injuries. With 29 goals on the season, Ovechkin is the Caps' leading scorer and a major part of their offense. Tomorrow night is going to be a big statement game for the Flyers who haven't had a real decisive win since March 8th. The Flyers are 4-6 in their last 10 games and the surging Capitals have been taking advantage. The Capitals have been playing extremely well going 9-1 in their last 10 and are currently just 2 points behind the Flyers for first place. It will be interesting to see who the Flyers will start in goal in tomorrow night's playoff like game. Will they choose Sergei Bobrovsky who had an outstanding game Saturday night? Or will they side with veteran Brian Boucher who played well in the big games last year? Defensively, look for Andrej Meszaros and Braydon Coburn to step up in Pronger's absence. Both defensemen are playing extremely well and will need to continue to play strong tomorrow night in order for the Flyers to win. Look for Briere, Carter and Giroux to keep things going offensively. Hopefully they can be aggressive early and give this defense a lead to work with. Tomorrow night is going to be a great opportunity for the Flyers to reaffirm their spot at the top of the Eastern conference. They have been struggling since the All-Star break and many hockey fans and experts are beginning to doubt the Flyers chances. If the Flyers can come out and get a big decisive win, they would be sending a message that they are still the best.

5th Spot Showcase: Jimmy Rollins

Jimmy Rollins through out his career has always been at the top of the Phillies batting line up. But last year due to injuries, Rollins found himself in the sixth spot of the line up away from his natural lead off position. So with the experience Rollins has a 6 hole hitter, is it really that crazy to consider him as a possible candidate for the 5th spot?

Pros: One of the pros of having Rollins in the 5th spot is that he has proven in years past that he can hit for power. In his 2007 MVP season, Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI's. Again in 2009 Rollins hit 21 HR with 77 RBI's which are very solid power numbers for a lead off hitter. If Rollins were given the opportunity to hit 5th, he could potentially put up some big numbers. He would see a lot more pitches which could be good for a guy who is trying to have a rebound year. Rollins could also be a great spark in the middle of this lineup, and he could be the guy to ignite the flame if this team goes cold offensively. I think Rollins' solid power numbers as well as his potential "spark" make him a great candidate to bat 5th.

Cons: Who would bat lead off? If Rollins were to bat 5th, would you automatically put Victorino in the lead off spot? I have said this and I will say it again, I like Victorino but I don't think he has what it takes to bat lead off. Rollins' natural spot is lead off and I think putting him in the 5th spot would be holding him back so to speak. Also, do you really want to put a guy who hit .243 last year into one of the most crucial spots in the line up? While I do think that Rollins will have a rebound year, his batting average has steadily dropped since his 2007 season. If the trend continues, Rollins would hit less than .243 and you simply can't have that in the all important 5th spot.

Overall I think the negatives outweigh the positives. It is simply too risky to put a guy who hit .243 last year into the 5 hole. Also I feel that the best chance that Rollins has at having a productive year is going to come at his natural lead off position. Rollins has had success at lead off in the past, and I expect him to produce for the Phillies as lead off hitter this season.

Flyers Win Another Close One

With a 3-2 shootout victory tonight over the Dallas Stars, the Flyers have clinched a playoff berth. No matter what happens from here on out, the Flyers will be playing in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. To seal the playoff berth the Flyers had to gut out an extremely close game. Jeff Carter got things started late in the first period with his 33rd goal of the year. The Flyers went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. Early in the second Mike Richards made it a 2-0 game, and the playoff berth was in sight. Mid-way through the second period, Dallas Stars' Alex Goligoski cut the lead in half making it a 2-1 affair. In the third the Flyers got a lot of physical play especially from Braydon Coburn who stepped up big for the Flyers defensively. Coburn was a brick wall for the Flyers and really helped out Sergei Bobrovsky. Unfortunately, Stars defender Stephane Robidas tied the game late in the third with an uncontested slap shot in the slot. After killing off a late game Stars power play, the Flyers headed into overtime for the second night in a row. In the extra session the Flyers killed off the remaining few seconds on the Stars' power play and relied heavily on Bobrovsky to keep the puck out of the net. Bobrovsky had some unbelievable saves in OT and he was a big reason the game went into a shoot out. In the shoot out it was Claude Giroux and Villie Leino who came through for the Flyers. Bobrovsky also came up huge with some acrobatic split saves, keeping the puck out of the net at all costs. The shoot out went 6 rounds and finally ended when Villie Leino back handed the puck past an overly aggressive Kari Lehtonen. The win keeps the Flyers 2 points ahead of the second place Capitals and 6 points over the Penguins who are in second place in the Atlantic division. The win also seals a playoff berth for a team that didn't secure a playoff spot until the final game last season. Looking ahead, the Flyers will return home on Tuesday to take on the Capitals at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers will have two well deserved days off but need to come out ready for an extremely important game come Tuesday night.

Sixers Take Sixth Seed

On Friday night, the Sixers buried the Sacramento Kings 102-80 and in doing so captured the sixth seed in the Eastern conference. Just about everyone got in on the action as Doug Collins used his bench and balanced offensive attack to down the Kings. Jrue Holiday lead the Sixers with 15 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Andre Iguodala also had a big night with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Now that the Sixers have a half game lead over the Knicks for the 6th seed, they will now focus their efforts on catching the Atlanta Hawks who have a 3 game lead over the Sixers for the 5th seed. The Sixers have little time to rest as they get set to face the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at 10:00 pm. At 39-29, Portland is a solid team and should prove to be a good test for the surging Sixers. The Sixers will have to contain Lemarcus Aldridge who is leading Portland in scoring this season with over 22 ppg. The Sixers will also face former Sixer Andre Miller who is averaging 13 points and 7 assists per game this year. If the Sixers can pull out a victory tonight they will end this road trip at 3-2. The Sixers started this road trip 0-2, losing to the Bucks and Jazz, but have rebounded nicely in their last 2 games. I think the Sixers will play hard tonight and have just enough left in the tank to grind out a close win. The Sixers will be without Iguodala tonight who will not play due to his injured leg.

The Race For Home Ice

As we head into the final 12 games of the season, the Flyers are currently in first place in both the Eastern conference and Atlantic division standings. The Flyers have home ice advantage in their sights and will have to play extremely well in these last few games as the Capitals and other teams continue to threaten. Although there are currently 6 teams including the Flyers who have a legit shot at home ice, only 3 of those teams have 90 points or more. The Flyers are in first with 94, followed closely by the second place Capitals with 92, and the Penguins with 90 who are in 4th place in the conference standing behind the division leading Boston Bruins. So for all intensive purposes let's just say that this is a 3 team race for home ice between the Flyers, Capitals and Penguins. The Capitals are definitely going to give the Flyers a run for their money. They are 9-1 in their last 10 and are playing at an extremely high level. Although the Capitals are playing well they do have a lot going against them. For one thing, they are running out of time as they only have 10 games remaining compared to the Flyers' 12. Also the Capitals remaining schedule doesn't bode too well for them as they will play 7 of their final 10 against teams with a .500 record or better and 6 of their last 10 will be played on the road. The Penguins also have a lot going against them as they too have fewer games remaining in 11. They also have a tough remaining schedule in which 8 of their final 11 will be played against .500 teams or better including 2 games against the Flyers. In addition, 6 of their final 11 will be played on the road which doesn't help a team trying to compete for home ice advantage. The Flyers are in the drivers seat in terms of securing home ice advantage. Although they have a somewhat difficult final 12 games in which they will face 8 teams with a .500 record or better, they also have a balanced 6 games at home 6 games on the road which should help them down the stretch. Time is on the Flyers side, and as long as they continue to play hard and do the little things, they should have no problem staying in first and securing home ice advantage.

Life Without Jayson Werth

When Jayson Werth left for Washington D.C., he left a big void not only in right field, but in the batting line up as well. During his time in Philadelphia, Werth did an outstanding job in the 5th spot by protecting Ryan Howard. Having a guy like Werth in the 5 hole forced opposing teams to pitch to Howard thus making the Phils offense more productive. Werth had a big year last year hitting .296 with 27 HR and 85 RBI's. This year the Phillies are left with the monumental task of replacing Jayson and finding a guy who is up to the task of one of the most important spots in this batting line up. There are many possible candidates for the 5th spot among them are Raul Ibanez, Ben Francisco, Domonic Brown, Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz and Shane Victorino. Although some of the guys listed may not seem like your average 5 hole hitters, everyone can and should be taken into serious consideration by Charlie Manuel and the rest of this coaching staff. Over the next couple of days I am going to be writing a "5th Spot Showcase" breaking down each possible 5th spot hitter for you. I will express the pros and cons of having them in the 5th spot, and I will project who I feel will be the best hitter to protect Ryan Howard. The Phils can't rush into any quick decisions. They need to take into consideration everyone possible and really evaluate all of the talent at their disposal.

Sixers Kings Preview

Tonight at 10:00 the Sixers will look to win 2 in a row as they take on the Sacramento Kings. After beating the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night by a final of 104-94, the Sixers will look to go 2-2 on this road trip that will end tomorrow night in Portland. The Kings are the third worst team in the NBA with a dismal record of 16-50. Although the Kings are clearly a bad team, it’s important for the Sixers to not overlook this game. The Kings have lost 7 of their last 8 games, so they may be hungry for a victory especially at home. It’s important for the Sixers to win the easy games especially as they continue to fight for the 6^th seed. In Wednesday’s victory, Jodie Meeks got a lot of minutes and contributed with 22 points. Tonight, look for Meeks to have another good game as he continues to see more time. Also since the Sixers are playing a poor team, look for rookie Evan Turner to get increased minutes. Doug Collins loves to get Turner playing time, and tonight would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Flyers Get Thrashed

The Flyers traveled to Atlanta tonight with one thing on their minds; revenge. After an embarrassing home loss on Saturday in which the Flyers gave up 4 goals to the Thrashers in the 3rd period, the Flyers wanted to redeem themselves. The first period ended in a 1-1 tie thanks to Claude Giroux who continues his strong play and recent points streak. He had a nice goal by banging home a shot in the slot mid-way through the 1st period. The Thrashers took a 2-1 lead early in the 2nd but the Flyers responded with Danny Briere who came from behind the net and caught the Thrashers goalie napping to tie the game at 2. Late in the 2nd, Thrashers Nikolai Antropov made it a 3-2 affair by wristing a nasty shot past Brian Boucher. The 3rd period was mostly uneventful and looked like the Flyers were going to drop their second straight to Atlanta until Danny Briere tied it at 3 with his second goal of the night. In overtime, both teams got a lot of chances but neither team was able to find the back of the net. The Atlanta Thrashers eventually won 4-3 in the shoot out as the Flyers dropped their second game in a row to the Thrashers. Although the Flyers lost they did pick up a point which is crucial as we head down the home stretch of the race for home ice advantage in the eastern conference. The Flyers will look to rebound on Saturday night as they travel to Dallas to take on the Stars.

Flyers Bounce Back

It's always tough to rebound from a tough loss, especially from one that you know you let slip away. But that's just what the Flyers did last night as they went into Florida, took care of business, and got a much needed 3-2 victory over the Panthers. After a rough first period, the Flyers trailed 2-1, and it looked as if they were going to drop their second straight. But the Flyers responded well in the 2nd period thanks to the strong play of Jeff Carter. Early in the 2nd, Carter found a rebound in the slot, and wristed a shot just past the outstretched glove of Panthers' goalie Tomas Vokoun. Carter's first goal of the night tied the game at 2. It was Jeff Carter again who scored making it a 3-2 game late in the 2nd period after a Peter Laviolette timeout. Danny Briere got the puck straight from the face off and skated past 2 Panthers defenders all the way down the ice where he made an unbelievable back hand pass to Jeff Carter who banged it home. It was the highlight of the night and it all happened in a matter of seconds as Danny Briere showed his ability to make plays even at a high speed. The Flyers had an overall strong 2nd period after a mediocre first. In the 3rd the Flyers played strong and got solid defense as they attempted to hold off Florida. The Panthers definitely got their share of opportunities, but goalie Brian Boucher shut the door behind strong defensive play. The Flyers made a crucial penalty kill after a double minor called against JVR for high sticking. The Flyers played extremely well in the closing 5 minutes and were able to secure an all important 3-2 win. The win not only gets the Flyers back on track, but it also keeps them in first place in both the Eastern conference and the Atlantic division standings. On a night when both Pittsburgh and Washington won, this was a big statement win for the Flyers who are still in first place. The Flyers will look to build on this win as they travel to Atlanta tomorrow night to avenge the Thrashers.

Flyers Panthers Preview

Tonight the Flyers will look to rebound from Saturday's home debacle as they take on the Florida Panthers at 7:30. The Flyers will be without Chris Pronger as they try to improve and get this thing turned around. After suffering a tough loss, it's important for the Flyers to come out tonight with a lot of energy and play strong throughout the entire game not just the first 2 periods. If you take away that awful 3rd period on Saturday, the Flyers would be in the midst of a 3 game winning streak and looking pretty strong. But the 3rd period happened, and now the Flyers are forced to rebound without one of their best players in Chris Pronger. The Flyers have a 2-1 season series advantage over the Panthers although the Panthers did beat them at home back in December 5-0. It's important for the Flyers to beat the mediocre teams as they enter into a tough final stretch of the month in which they will play 9 games in 15 days. Hopefully the Flyers can get a quick lead, build on it, and not let up. They need to play hard for 60 minutes and not let teams have any breathing room.

Sixers Lose 2 In A Row

Following an attrocious loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, the Sixers followed that game with a heart breaking over time loss to the Utah Jazz last night. After being down 60-42 at half time, the Sixers had a strong second half to force over time but eventually lost by a final of 112-107. The Sixers were led by Andre Iguodala who had 7 of his 23 points in the final minutes of regulation and Lou Williams who had 22 points. The Sixers also got contributions from Elton Brand who had 19 points and Jodie Meeks who had 17. Jrue Holiday struggled greatly from the floor going 2-11 with just 4 points and Evan Turner was a non factor. The Jazz were able to hold off a late Sixers run thanks in part to Al Jefferson who led the Jazz with 30 points and 17 rebounds and Andrei Kirilenko who had 7 of his 16 points in OT. Overall it's a tough loss for the Sixers to take. They had an awful game Saturday and looked like they were going to get blown away again last night after they trailed by 18 at the half. But the Sixers showed a lot of resilliance and managed to take the lead in the final minute of the game. Unfortunately the Sixers were not able to close it out and are now 0-2 on this road trip. The Sixers listed Iguodala as day to day with a knee problem last night and could be without his services tomorrow night as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers. The Sixers shouldn't panic as they are still just a game behind the Knicks for the 6th seed, and 2 of their remaining 3 games on this road trip are against under .500 teams.

Sixers Jazz Preview

Tonight at 9:00 the Sixers will take on the Utah Jazz as they look to rebound from Saturday’s embarrassing 102-74 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Jazz are coming off 2 consecutive defeats to Minnesota and Chicago respectively, and will be sure to give the Sixers a good game. The game will be played in Utah where fans always come out to support the Jazz and make it a tough environment to play in for opposing teams. This is a very winnable game for the Sixers because the Jazz are a completely different team without Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. The Sixers only had 4 guys in double figures in Saturday’s loss so look for them to come out tonight and get a more balanced offensive production. It’s important that the Sixers take care of business on the road especially as they try to keep pace with the New York Knicks for the 6^th seed. After tonight the Sixers will play the Clippers, Kings and Trail Blazers all on the road. This is the last major road trip for the Sixers who play the majority of their remaining games at the Wells Fargo Center. I think Saturday’s game was a fluke and I expect the Sixers to rebound nicely tonight.

Pronger Out 3-4 Weeks

More bad news for Flyers fans. Today it was announced that Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger will be out 3-4 weeks as he under goes surgery to fix his injured hand. Although the news sounds bad, the Doctor performing the surgery believes that Pronger could be back skating as early as next weekend. And as for the playoffs? The Doctor believes that Pronger shouldn't miss any of the playoffs which start it in mid April. Pronger will be greatly missed as the Flyers head into the final 14 games of the season both on the ice and in the locker room. Pronger is a strong veteran leader who is a guy that you want to have around especially during this current tough stretch. The Flyers will have to rely on their current defensemen as well as newcomer Nick Boynton to pick up the slack in Pronger's absence. Also the goalies have to step it up and play stronger to fill the void. The Flyers next game is tomorrow as they travel to Florida to take on the Panthers.

The Return Of 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. Phillies short stop Jimmy Rollins has a history of making bold predictions like his "Team to beat" comment directed solely at the New York Mets back in 2008. 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 just .243 with 8 HR and 41 RBI. In addition to being injured last year, I think one of the reasons Rollins struggled so greatly was because he didn’t really know his role in the line up. In years past Rollins was always the lead off guy no matter what. But last year he jumped around a lot and he was taken out of his comfort zone and his production dropped dramatically. In order for Rollins to have a bounce back year and produce offensively, Charlie has to bat Rollins lead off. As much as I like Shane Victorino, he is not a natural lead off hitter. Rollins can get on base a lot more and when he is hot and clicking, this team is almost impossible to beat. He doesn’t need to have an MVP season like 2007, but he definitely has to get on base more and at least hit .280 or better. 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.

We Need A Hot Start

April 1st is just 3 weeks away and players and fans are beginning to countdown the days, hours, and even minutes until opening day. Opening Day is beautiful because it brings a new season, a clean slate, and an opportunity for every club to win the World Series. Every team has a spotless record and there is a sense of hope and optimism in the hearts of every baseball fan. But for some reason, every year in April, it seems that I am let down, and any optimism I may have had before the season began is quickly replaced with a tremendous amount of frustration. Why? Because I am a Phillies fan, and the Phillies for as long as I can remember, have always gotten off to extremely slow starts. Now when I say extremely slow, I am being generous. I remember rushing home from school one year on Opening Day only to watch my beloved Phillies lose to the lowly Pirates. And who can forget 2004 when the Fightins lost the Inaugural Game at Citizens Bank Park to the Reds. Let’s take a look back at the team's records in the month of April in the past 7 seasons so I can show you statistically how the team struggles in the opening month. In 2004 the Phils went 10-11 in April, in 05 they followed by going 10-14, and in 06 they repeated that performance by going 10-14 once again. Should I even go on? In 2007 they improved to 11-14 during the month of April and finally in 2008 they had a decent record of 15-12. In 2009 they did just about the same as 2008 going 11-9 in April. Last year the Phils looked like they had finally cured the slow season starts by going 7-1 to start the season. But the Phils slowed toward the end of the month going 5-9 in their last 14 games to end the month with yet another mediocre record of 12-10. And in Opening Days in the past 7 seasons the Phils have a record of 2-5 winning in 2005 and last year in a blow out against the lowly Nationals. I could go into batting averages and pitching stats but I think you get the picture. Basically the Phils suck in the month of April. The slow starts that the Phillies have put together in the past few seasons have resulted in big holes that can take practically the entire season to dig out of. In 2007, after starting the season 11-14, the Phillies were working all the way into the last weekend to secure a playoff spot. That’s why to save us fans from any anxiety in September, the Phils need to get it going from the very first pitch. A hot start is imperative for the Phils because they are a team already looking ahead to October. A hot start not only helps in the win column, but it also helps boost the morale of the players and fans. I’m not saying that the Phils have to go undefeated in the opening month but if you look at the Phils schedule for April this year it’s not all that intimidating. The Phils open at home against the Astros followed by the Mets. They then travel to Atlanta which could prove to be a good test and then on to Washington to face the Nationals. The Phils then return home to face the Marlins and Brewers. Finally the Phils close out the month on the road against both the Padres and Diamondbacks and then at home to face the Mets. Providing there are no rain delays, the Phils will play 27 games in April this year. Is a 20-7 record really out of the question? If the Phils could get off to a 20-7 record it would make the rest of the year so much easier. The Phils always seem to turn it on in the later months of August and September, so having a solid record going into those months would just be the icing on the N.L. East Title cake. I think this team, with their stellar starting rotation is capable of starting out 20-7 or better and carrying that momentum with them throughout the whole season.

Flyers Get Much Needed Win

On a night when the Flyers were without Chris Pronger, another defender, Andrej Meszaros stepped up big. Meszaros made his contribution early on in the game during a 5 minute major power play. The Flyers were awarded the power play thanks to Leafs defender Mike Komiserak who landed a cheap shot on Dan Carcillo. Komiserak was also ejected from the game for the illegal and dangerous hit. Although the Flyers were not able to further take advantage of the 5 minute major, they continued to play physical hockey through out the first period and really controlled the entire tempo of the game. In the 2nd period the Flyers continued to play strong. Meszaros again got involved offensively, especially on the power play. Midway through the 2nd the Flyers made it a 2-0 game thanks in part to a great play by Matt Carle. Carle made a great play at the blue line, keeping the puck in the zone which eventually set up Darroll Powe who caught the Leafs goalie off guard and scored on a weird angle. It wasn't pretty, but the Flyers were happy to take a 2-0 lead. Minutes later, the Leafs scored their first goal of the game on a power play. The goal was actually a slap shot that deflected off Mikhail Grabovski's shield. Although he got a shot to the face, Grabovski was awarded the goal which made it a 2-1 game. The goal was a big momentum shift in the game. The crowd started to get into it, and the Leafs started to play with a lot of energy. Flyers goalie Brian Boucher did a great job of keeping the puck out of the net. He made a lot of big plays and picked up the slack for his teammates stopping a rapid fire of shots. On the offensive end it was Andrej Meszaros who was again getting involved offensively. He wound up for a big shot and his rebound bounced back into the slot where JVR passed it to a wide open Claude Giroux who blasted it home to give the Flyers a comfortable 3-1 lead. In the 3rd period the Flyers did a great job defensively, especially on their penalty kill. With 15 minutes left, the Maple Leafs were awarded a power play but couldn't find the back of the net. The Flyers did a great job of not letting the Leafs set up, and didn't even allow a shot during the crucial penalty kill. Although the Flyers did a great job on the penalty kill, quickly after the power play they were lazy getting back and former Flyer Joffrey Lupul made it a 3-2 game. Luckily the Flyers were able to hold off a late rush from the Leafs and hold on to a 3-2 victory. Overall, the Flyers did a lot of good things in this game. Carter and Versteeg did a great job offensively, while new comer Nick Boynton did a great job filling in for Pronger on the defensive end. Goaltender Brian Boucher had a big night for the Flyers. There were times during the game when the Flyers simply couldn't get possession or clear the zone, and Boucher came up big stopping a flurry of shots in both the 2nd and 3rd periods. It was good that the Flyers were able to win their second in a row, and the Flyers will try to make it 3 consecutive when the take on the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday.

Flyers Leafs Preview

Tonight's game will sure to be a good test for the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers will travel to Toronto to take on a Maple Leafs team that is fighting for a playoff spot. The Leafs are currently the 10th seed in the eastern conference and are just 4 points behind the 8th seed Buffalo Sabres. Toronto is coming off 2 consecutive losses to the Black Hawks and Rangers and their last victory came last Thursday in Philadelphia. After the disappointing 5-3 home loss to the Maple Leafs just a week ago, the Flyers will surely be seeking revenge tonight in Toronto. And although the Flyers successfully snapped their 4 game losing streak on Tuesday night by beating the Oilers, it will be extremely important for the Flyers to not overlook tonight's match up. They have to come out with a lot of intensity and set the tone early. The Flyers will be without Pronger tonight who has an injured hand. The game will start at 7 and can be see on Comcast Sports Net and heard on 610 AM WIP.

Manuel Signs Extension

He has led the Phillies to 4 consecutive division titles, 3 NLCS appearances, 2 Pennants and 1 World Series Championship and today Charlie Manuel finally signed a new 2 year extension with the Philadelphia Phillies. Although it is technically a 2 year extension, the terms of this year's contract were re-worked and now Charlie is signed through the 2012 season. Charlie will reportedly be making between 3.5 to 4 million for this year and next year. When you think about all of the things Charlie Manuel has done for this city it would seem like a no-brainer to sign Charlie long term. But off season negotiations between the Phils and Charlie were extremely slow, and many questioned if the Phils were willing to pay Charlie the big bucks. But after today, Charlie is here to stay and I am extremely happy with the news. Charlie is not only a favorite among the fans and players, but he more importantly brought this city a long awaited championship. Charlie continues to win year after year, and he will continue to lead this team in the right direction. With all the distractions surrounding the team injury wise this spring, I am glad that this will no longer be a topic of conversation. Now the players and all the coaches don't have to worry about the contract status of their skipper because the deal is done. I'm glad the Phils were willing to pay Charlie the money that he deserves, and I think that this is something that will benefit the team and the entire organization in the end. Although Charlie may make some questionable calls at times he is ultimately the guy who won us a championship, and the guy who has the best shot at bringing this city another World Series title.

Ruiz, Quietly Making His Mark

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. Last year Ruiz had his best year offensively. He led the Phils in batting with a .302 average and also contributed 8 HR and 53 RBI’s. While guys like Howard, Utley, Victorino, and Rollins all struggled at the plate, Ruiz consistently batted right around .300 all year and picked up the slack for the Phils offensively. Ruiz also contributed defensively last year by gunning down runners left and right. Ruiz seemed to take it personal if you tried to steal on him, and would fire a frozen rope to second base within the blink of an eye. Ruiz not only has 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. Ruiz is the perfect guy for this pitching staff because 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 one of the most under rated players in all of baseball. I think this season Ruiz is really going to come 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 and most underappreciated player on the Phillies.