Kendrick To Start On Saturday

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Kyle Kendrick will get the start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Phillies needed to fill Kendrick in for the fifth spot due to sending down Vance Worley.  The Phillies have a day off Thursday and many wondered whether they would skip the fifth spot in the roatation, but that will not happen.  Pitching coach Rich Dubee would like to give his starters as much rest as possible, he would like to give them extra rest whenever possible. 

One problem with Kendrick starting would be his limited innings.  He has been a bullpen pitcher for most of the year, besides making two spot starts and hasn't really been stretched out.  Since he hasn't been stretched out Kendrick believes he will only be able to throw around 65 pitches.  The Phillies seem to be happy if he can log that many pitches on Saturday.

Kendrick has made two starts this season, one went well and the other not so much.  In two starts he is 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA.  He threw five scoreless innings against Atlanta, but in his other start he allowed five runs in three innings against the Rockies.  He has been solid out of the bullpen, which has given the Phillies confidence in him.  The Phillies will hope to see the Kyle Kendrick that started against Atlanta and not Colorado when he makes his third start of the season Saturday. 

Worley Sent Down

The Philadelphia Phillies sent down rookie pitcher Vance Worley to Triple-A after today's game against the Washington Nationals.  The Phillies will fill Worley's roster spot before Tuesday night's game, but they would not comment on who they are thinking of. 

Worley, 23, was coming off of two difficult starts in which he allowed eighteen hits and eight runs in eight innings pitched.  He pitched very well in his first two starters when he was called up, but these two starts didn't go so well.  Worley then spent sometime in the bullpen, the Phillies believe going from starter to reliever back to starter might be the reasons for his struggles of late.  Worley will go back to Triple-A where he will be stretched out just in case another starter goes down. 

He took the news in stride saying that he wasn't right physically.  He hasn't been stretched out in awhile, so logging some innings in the minors will be good for him.  He will be able to get his arm back to where it should be for a starter. 

The Phillies will have an off day on Thursday allowing them to skip the fifth starters spot for a week.  So with that said they are expected to call up a reliever for now and use Kyle Kendrick to start if they need him.  The Phillies will announce who they will call up sometime tomorrow. 

New to the Nest: Casey Matthews

Draft Pick: 4th Round (116th overall)
College: Oregon
Height/Weight: 6-2, 237

The Eagle spent one of their two fourth round picks on a player I love, Casey Matthews, the LB from Oregon. Matthews joins the family business, becoming the sixth member of his family to be a player in pro football. The Eagles are expected to see Ernie Sims, Omar Gaither, and Akeem Jordan all to depart during free agency so they had need at all three linebacker positions. Matthews is not going to begin his career as a starter but his non-stop motor presents great value as a backup at all three positions, and we should all expect to see him tearing it up on special teams.

Matthews’ biggest strength is his athleticism. He’s also been highly regarded as an intelligent football player reading and reacting well to the offensive play at hand. Like his brother, the Super Bowl champion, Clay, he has a non-stop motor, playing sideline-to-sideline football and is very fundamentally sound, a great tackler. He has also been highly regarded as a great coverage guy; he has a knack for the ball and is patient in his zone. He is however, considered small for the linebacker position, as he is not the biggest or strongest player on the football field. Also his playing in Oregon’s loose defense, which highlighted his athleticism, may have taken away from the football player he really is.

The bright side is these weaknesses were similar to those that were attached to his brother Clay coming out of college and look what happened to him. Hard work skyrocketed Clay into superstardom and it could do that same for Casey. He won’t have the same opportunities Clay had in his first year but hard work runs in the family and with the youthful line backing corps, Casey may see his career be greeted with the same success Clay’s has. If all else fails, the kid nonetheless has a great head of hair.

OKC Success, Good Sign For Sixers

As a huge basketball fan I have been trying my best to keep up with the action of the NBA playoffs. The big three, Derrick Rose and Dirk Nowitzki are plenty to keep any basketball fan entertained. But the team that has captivated my attention is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A young and explosive team led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder have caught my interest primarily because they remind me so much of the Sixers. Both teams are young and athletic with very bright futures and they both use their speed and athleticism to score in transition. While the Sixers don’t have a superstar like Kevin Durant they do have a great young point guard in Jrue Holiday who is comparable to Russell Westbrook.

In this year’s playoffs the Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets in 5 games and then edged out a 7 game series against the Memphis Grizzlies. Now the Thunder are currently facing off against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals and their success could be a good sign for the Sixers.

While I’m not saying that the Sixers are currently on the same level as OKC, the Sixers should look to follow in their footsteps in the upcoming years. When the Sixers lost to the Thunder in overtime back on March 10th, coach Doug Collins discussed using the Thunder as a model to follow as they build their team for the future.

"That's a damn good team," Collins said. "I want to use that as a blueprint for us. I want us to build like Oklahoma City has built. They built through the draft. Their younger players have gotten better. That's what I want us to continue to do. We think we have some good, young pieces. The difference they have right now is they have that shot-blocking in the lane.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder have drafted well and have groomed their young guys into solid NBA players. The Thunder have laid out a recipe for success that the Sixers need to follow next year and in the future.

Phils Offensive Party

There was a buzz Monday night in South Philadelphia; you could feel it. When Chase Utley's name was announced, the sell-out crowd at Citizens Bank Park exploded into wild applause and cheers. The 5-time All Star, the unsung Phillies leader, the man Chase Utley was back in Phillies pin-stripes. Although Utley went 0-5 in his season debut, his presence alone clearly made a difference.

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a single to right field. After Chase Utley flew out to center, Placido Polanco fisted a homerun into the left field seats to give the Phils a 2-0 lead. The Phils then exploded for a 7 run 3rd capped off by a Jimmy Rollins 3 run homerun. Raul Ibanez added a solo shot in the 4th to give the Phillies 10 runs on the night.

On the mound Hamels looked strong early on. He had his cutter and change up working and his fastball was consistently in the mid 90's. The only hiccup in Cole's outing came when he allowed a 3 run homerun to Jay Bruce in the 4th. After that Cole settled down and pitched well. In relief Stutes, Bastardo, and Baez all pitched a scoreless innings. The Phils would eventually win by a final of 10-3 to take game 1 of the 4 game set.

Back from his knee injury Utley had some hard hit balls and looked pretty mobile in the field. I feel that it is no coincidence that the Phils exploded for 10 runs on the same night as Utley's season debut. Utley is a leader and overall he makes everyone around him better. Cole responded nicely after giving up a 3 run homerun and really settled down to earn his 6th win of the year. Overall a great welcome home party for Mr. Utley.

Last night was a different story. Vance Worley got the start in place of the injured Joe Blanton. The Reds scored first on a Scott Rolen RBI single in the first inning. The Phils responded with 2 runs in the 2nd off a Raul Ibanez RBI double and a Dom Brown sac fly. Carlos Ruiz hit an RBI double in the 4th to give Worley a comfortable 3-1 lead. Worley gave up 2 freak runs in the 5th and the Reds tied the game at 3. No runs were scored by either team until the top of the 9th. Ryan Madson came into the 9th to try and preserve the tie. Unfortunately he and Polanco both had throwing errors and the Reds loaded the bases. Jay Bruce then hit a bases clearing double to give the Reds a commanding 3 run lead. Unable to battle back in the bottom of the inning the Phils lost by a final of 6-3.

Even after the loss, the great thing about this pitching staff is that the Phillies will throw Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in the final 2 games of the series. Roy Halladay will pitch tonight and be opposed by Travis Wood. Wood is a righty and as a result Chase Utley and Dom Brown will have the night off.

Contreras Ready To Return

The Philadelphia Phillies disabled list is starting to clear up and now Jose Contreras is expected to be activated either today or tomorrow.  Contreras pitched in his final minor league game yesterday recording 2.0 innings on 20 pitches. 

The Phillies are expected to activate Contreras sometime over the next two days all depending on if he is ready to pitch in back to back games.  After pitching yesterday it seems more likely that the Phillies will give Contreras the day off today and activate him on Thursday.  He was at Citizens Bank Park last night and is waiting to be activated. 

With Ryan Madson locking down the closer job, Contreras will be asked to pitch in the setup role.  Look for him to see time in the 7th and 8th innings a spot that Contreras pitched very well in last year.  The bullpen has been solid this year and with Contreras coming back the bullpen can hopefully continue their success. 

Dom Brown Needs To Play Everyday

Ever since Domonic Brown has been with the Phillies he has been part of a platoon. Last year he was a sub for Werth and this year he is expected to be part of a platoon with Ben Francisco.

When Brown was called up to the Phillies last year he was hitting .346 with 5 HR and 21 RBI’s for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. So how does Brown go from hitting .346 for the Pigs to just .210 for the Phils? First off there is clearly a difference between the pitching in the minors and the big leagues. But I think Brown’s struggles were mainly due to the fact that he didn’t play everyday. He goes from playing everyday in Triple-A to being in a platoon where he is playing every other day or pinch hitting where he can’t get into a rhythm.

This year Charlie needs to realize that Brown is unsuccessful coming off the bench and being part of a platoon. In order for Brown to be a successful player he needs to play everyday where he can get his timing down and get into a baseball rhythm. Also playing Brown exclusively against right-handers could hurt the Phils down the line when he goes up against big league lefties in the future.

With the absence of Shane Victorino and the struggles of Ben Francisco, this would be a perfect time to get Brown a ton of plate appearances. So Charlie will you play him everyday? Will you give Dom Brown the opportunity that he needs to succeed?

“At first, he won’t play against left-handers,” Charlie Manuel said. “Eventually, he will. We’ll monitor him, we’ll bring him along.”

That quote alone tells me that eventually Charlie will set Brown loose. It will take some time but eventually Brown will get the at-bats he deserves and become an impact player for this team.

And in case you didn’t know, Brown hit .341 with 2 HR and 10 RBI’s this year during his time with the Iron Pigs. If he struggles with the Phils [3 games still too early] I think it will be very clear to the Phillies front office that Brown needs to be in the lineup everyday.

Welcome Back Chase

Chase Utley has officially been activated from the disabled list and will be in the Phillies lineup on tonight against the Cincinnati Reds. Pete Orr will be sent to the minors to make room for the All-Star second basemen. Utley will be monitored and will reportedly be slowly integrated into the Phils everyday lineup.

“We might do one on, one off for a while, or two on, one off, I think that Utley and I will communicate, I think he will let me know," Charlie Manuel said on Utley's return.

Along with Utley's activation the Phillies have also recalled Vance Worley from the minors who could pitch on Tuesday night for the injured Joe Blanton. Blanton was placed on the DL today and after Kendrick's awful start on Thursday night I think Worley is the next best option.

Finally there is some positive news surrounding the injured Phillies and I'm extremely excited to see how Chase and Worley do this week against the Reds.

Phils Win Series Against Texas

Today the Phillies wasted a great outing from Roy Oswalt and got shutout in the series finale by a final of 2-0. Oswalt pitched 7 innings and only surrendered 1 run. But with a non existent offense, he unfortunately suffered his first career loss at Citizens Bank Park. For the Rangers Matt Harrison was just a little better pitching 8.1 scoreless innings. The Phils got a base runner in the 9th against Neftali Feliz but Raul Ibanez and Ross Gload grounded out and flew out to end the game in a 2-0 defeat.

The Phils were able to win the series on Saturday night behind an outstanding pitching performance from Cliff Lee against his former team. Lee pitched 8 scoreless frames and Madson picked up his 9th save as the Phils won by a final of 2-0. Offensively Howard hit a solo homerun in the 2nd and John Maybery Jr. hit an rbi single in the 6th and that was all they would need. Lee was cruising and Madson came in and threw his 9th inning cheese once again to hang on to the tight victory.

Although the Phils bats didn't show up today and the Phils were unable to sweep, I'm sick and tired of hearing everyone complain about this Phillies offense. First off the Phils are without Shane Victorino and Chase Utley two critical members of their offense and Ben Francisco is slowly proving to be no Jayson Werth. But despite the offensive struggles they are still winning. They are winning even when they are in an offensive drought which is the true mark of a great team. Hopefully when Utley returns tomorrow this offense will recieve a jolt and I won't have to listen to all of these ill-informed front running Phillies fans whine and complain about how the Phillies aren't hitting homeruns. Please get a clue. Once the Phillies are 5 games back in the division maybe then we can talk about this offense.

Until then we just have to ride this slump out and watch this brilliant pitching staff carry this team. This past weekend Halladay and Lee did exactly that. They came in and stopped the bleeding by going deep into games and giving the Phillies a great chance to win. Looking ahead the Phillies will open up a 4 game set against the Reds tomorrow in what will hopefully be Chase Utley's 2011 debut.

Phils Injury Update

So far this year the disabled list has been a popular destination for many players on this Phillies team. There is no question that the Phils have been hit hard with the injury bug but slowly they are beginning to return to full health. Here is a little update on the injured Phils.

Domonic Brown
Dom Brown is back with the Phillies after being side lined with a broken hand. Brown was in the Phillies line up last night and went 0-4. Hopefully with the struggles of Francisco and absence of Victorino, Brown will see more playing time and assume a more everyday role where he will be more effective.

Chase Utley
Chase Utley is back in Philadelphia and will sit down with Phillies trainers and personnel tonight to discuss a possible return tomorrow. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNphilly.com, "He [Chase Utley] reported to Citizens Bank Park Sunday morning but is not in the Phils' lineup for their series finale against Texas." There will definitely be a buzz in South Philadelphia tomorrow night in Utley's possible season debut.

Shane Victorino
Victorino was placed on the 15-day DL back on May 20th with a strained right hamstring. Look for Victorino to begin rehab in early June.

Brad Lidge
According to many reports, Lidge could rejoin the Phillies in mid-June. Charlie Manuel reported, “Brad is going to Florida on Sunday, and will likely throw on Monday." With Madson pitching strong, there is no rush right now for Brad to return.

Jose Contreras
Contreras worked his way out of a bases loaded jam Saturday night in Reading. Contreras was placed on the DL on April 25th and the Phils will monitor Contreras' progression and probably recall him in the near future.

Brian Schneider
Schneider was placed on the DL back on May 13th and will most likely head to Clearwater with Lidge this week to begin his rehab.

The Phils are slowly but surely returning to full health. The Phils have played strong even with their long list of injuries, and once they are completely healthy they will be extremely dangerous and very difficult to beat.

Chase Utley Where Are You?

This slumping Phillies offense just received a bit of help as Domonic Brown was called up from the minors on Friday. While Dom Brown could provide a possible spark, the real secret weapon for the Phillies and possible cure to all of their offensive problems is Chase Utley.

Utley has been rehabbing with the Single A Clearwater Threshers since May 10th and reports are coming in that Utley could rejoin the Phillies in the very near future. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNphilly.com, he feels that after Chase plays Friday and Saturday in Clearwater he could rejoin the Phillies Monday night against the Reds.

Unfortunately Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has continually stated that there is no official time table for Utley's return. "Everyone wants a timetable for Chase but he’s really going to make his own timetable with where he is timing-wise and fielding-wise and with all of those things he needs to do to play at the major-league level,” Amaro said.

"Of course, it is (tempting to speed up the process), but I think we've got to do what's right for Chase and what's right for the long haul," Amaro went on to say. "We gotta make sure he's physically well, physically right. In addition, we gotta get him at-bats."

While I don't want the Phillies to rush his rehab just because the offense is struggling, I feel that Utley will definitely rejoin the Phillies sometime in the upcoming week. Utley is a great player who can definitely breathe some life into this offense. Even if Utley struggles in his first few games, I think just having him in the line up will motivate this team to start getting some hits. Stay updated to the blog as we will continue to report any more news about Utley's return.

Offense Slowly Waking Up

It wasn't pretty and it certainly wasn't flashy, but the Phils were able to gut out a 3-2 victory tonight over the Texas Rangers.

Roy Halladay got into a jam in the first, but worked his way out of the inning giving up just 1 run. After the first Halladay seemed to settle down and get into a groove. He got ahead of hitters and was almost impossible to hit.

The offense finally came alive in the 2nd when Ben Francisco smacked a 2 run HR to left center to give the Phils a 2-1 lead. In the 4th the Phils added to that lead when Raul Ibanez belted a HR to straight center field to make it a 3-1 game and give Halladay a comfortable 2 run lead.

Halladay continued to deal and did a great job of pinning the Rangers into 0-2 counts where he was then able to dictate the at-bat. In the end Halladay pitched 8 strong innings and only surrendered 2 runs. Madson came into the game in the 9th and dealt his mid 90's fast ball to get the save and secure a 3-2 Phillies victory.

Although the offense only scored 3 runs off of 4 hits and didn't exactly break out, it was good to see the Phils hit some home runs and provide a decent amount of run support for Halladay. With little run support in his last few outings, I think we quickly forgot just how dominant and overpowering Halladay can be. Tonight Roy had 7 strike outs and walked just 1 batter and aside from the 1st and 8th inning was absolutely lights out.

Cliff Lee will get the start tomorrow night as the Phils look to win the series. Domonic Brown should see some action as the Phils will be facing the right-hander Colby Lewis.

A Soggy Split

The game was wet, cold, and extremely boring. Last night my brother and I had the privilege of sitting in the pouring rain and watching our beloved Phillies get pounded by the Rockies by a final of 7-1.

Joe Blanton who was recently placed on the 15-day DL, was a late scratch from last night's game due to elbow problems. Kyle Kendrick got the start and he surrendered a 3 run HR to Jason Giambi in the top of the 1st and a 2 run shot again to Giambi in the 3rd. After just 3 innings of work Kendrick had managed to give up 5 runs which in my book is quite an accomplishment.

With a pitch count around 70 Kendrick was replaced by Danys Baez in the 4th who pitched 2 innings giving up another 2 run shot to Jason Giambi. Here is a stat that will make you sick to your stomach: Giambi's 7 rbi's last night is the same rbi total of the Phils in their last 5 games.

The Phils lone run came in the bottom of the 4th when Raul Ibanez hit a ground rule double to score Placido Polanco from 2nd. Aside from that the Phils' offense was non existent and the game ended in a sloppy 7-1 defeat.

Fortunately the Phils edged out a 2-1 small ball victory on Wednesday to split the 2 game set against the Rockies. Looking ahead the Phillies will host the Rangers this weekend in a 3 game inter league series. If you're overly worried about the Phiilies offense and stressed about their upcoming schedule let me try to put things into perspective for you.

The Phillies are currently 26-17 and hold a 1.5 game lead in the NL East and are still tops in the NL. The offense is due to break out soon especially with the return of Domonic Brown who was recently called up from the minors. And I've stated before that the Phillies are a streaky team that goes through offensive droughts from time to time, so there really is no need to panic. Plus this year they have their pitching staff to rely on and I expect starters Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt to all have big starts this weekend against the Rangers.

Flyers Sign Hovinen, Reportedly Interested In Brzgalov

Recently the Flyers signed Niko Hovinen to an entry level contract.

At 6-7 200 pounds, Hovinen is a big goalie from Finland and was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2006 but never saw any NHL action. If anything Hovinen will add depth to the Flyers goalie staff and could compete with Bob for a starting spot next season. I like the signing because the young 23 year old has a lot of potential.

With the signing it has become evident that the Flyers are probably not going to re-sign veteran goalie Brian Boucher. Boucher did a solid job this year but he is probably on his way out due to his age. The acquisition mostly like means an end to Brian Boucher's time in Philadelphia but does it mean the Flyers have ruled out signing a big name goalie?

I'm still on the fence on whether or not I want the Flyers to go into next season with Bob as their starter or go out and trade for a big time goalie. If the Flyers stick with Bob they run the risk of another goalie carousel which could be detrimental to their hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup. Also I'm not so sure that at Bob who will turn 23 in September is a Stanley Cup caliber goalie.

One possible goalie the Flyers are reportedly interested in is Ilya Bryzgalov of the Phoenix Coyotes. A source on CSNphilly.com stated that:

“He would love the adulation he’d get in Philadelphia,” the source said. “This is a big guy, who plays back in the net and can play a lot of games for the Flyers. Phoenix and the Flyers have had some talks this season about trades, including Jeff Carter."

But in order to trade for Bryzgalov the Flyers would possibly be forced to part ways with Carter. Even though Carter is at times inconsistent he still scored 36 goals this past year and would be greatly missed.

And does the addition of a number 1 goalie really make the Flyers significantly better?

Geoff Detweiler of broadstreethockey.com wrote an excellent article about why the Flyers shouldn't waster their money on a big name free agent goalie. If you haven't read the article I strongly recommend that you read it HERE.

The Flyers goalie situation is going to be hot topic of debate during the off season. Stay with Bob or go out and sign a top free agent? Ultimately time will tell.

Stay updated to Broad Street Marching for continued Flyers off season/goalie coverage.

Offense Slowly Waking Up

It wasn't pretty and it certainly wasn't flashy, but the Phils were able to gut out a 3-2 victory tonight over the Texas Rangers.

Roy Halladay got into a jam in the first, but worked his way out of the inning giving up just 1 run. After the first Halladay seemed to settle down and get into a groove. He got ahead of hitters and was almost impossible to hit.

The offense finally came alive in the 2nd when Ben Francisco smacked a 2 run HR to left center to give the Phils a 2-1 lead. In the 4th the Phils added to that lead when Raul Ibanez belted a HR to straight center field to make it a 3-1 game and give Halladay a comfortable 2 run lead.

Halladay continued to deal and did a great job of pinning the Rangers into 0-2 counts where he was then able to dictate the at-bat. In the end Halladay pitched 8 strong innings and only surrendered 2 runs. Madson came into the game in the 9th and dealt his mid 90's fast ball to get the save and secure a 3-2 Phillies victory.

Although the offense only scored 3 runs off of 4 hits and didn't exactly break out, it was good to see the Phils hit some home runs and provide a decent amount of run support for Halladay. With little run support in his last few outings, I think we quickly forgot just how dominant and overpowering Halladay can be. Tonight Roy had 7 strike outs and walked just 1 batter and aside from the 1st and 8th inning was absolutely lights out.

Cliff Lee will get the start tomorrow night as the Phils look to win the series. Domonic Brown should see some action as the Phils will be facing the right-hander Colby Lewis.

A Soggy Split

The game was wet, cold, and extremely boring. Last night my brother and I had the privilege of sitting in the pouring rain and watching our beloved Phillies get pounded by the Rockies by a final of 7-1.

Joe Blanton who was recently placed on the 15-day DL, was a late scratch from last night's game due to elbow problems. Kyle Kendrick got the start and he surrendered a 3 run HR to Jason Giambi in the top of the 1st and a 2 run shot again to Giambi in the 3rd. After just 3 innings of work Kendrick had managed to give up 5 runs which in my book is quite an accomplishment.

With a pitch count around 70 Kendrick was replaced by Danys Baez in the 4th who pitched 2 innings giving up another 2 run shot to Jason Giambi. Here is a stat that will make you sick to your stomach: Giambi's 7 rbi's last night is the same rbi total of the Phils in their last 5 games.

The Phils lone run came in the bottom of the 4th when Raul Ibanez hit a ground rule double to score Placido Polanco from 2nd. Aside from that the Phils' offense was non existent and the game ended in a sloppy 7-1 defeat.

Fortunately the Phils edged out a 2-1 small ball victory on Wednesday to split the 2 game set against the Rockies. Looking ahead the Phillies will host the Rangers this weekend in a 3 game inter league series. If you're overly worried about the Phiilies offense and stressed about their upcoming schedule let me try to put things into perspective for you.

The Phillies are currently 26-17 and hold a 1.5 game lead in the NL East and are still tops in the NL. The offense is due to break out soon especially with the return of Domonic Brown who was recently called up from the minors. And I've stated before that the Phillies are a streaky team that goes through offensive droughts from time to time, so there really is no need to panic. Plus this year they have their pitching staff to rely on and I expect starters Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt to all have big starts this weekend against the Rangers.

Sixers Report Card: Lou Will

Lou Williams, better known by his team mates as Lou Will, had a great year for the Sixers averaging 13.7 points as the Sixers 4th leading scorer.

Through out the season the Sixers went to Williams in clutch situations and he consistently came through. Probably the biggest shot he made came in Game 4 of the series against the Heat when he drilled a 3 in D-Wade's face to force a Game 5 in Miami.

A pure and natural scorer, Williams found ways to drive to the hoop or get fouled when the Sixers were in desperate need of a bucket. Coming off the bench Lou was at times a great spark and momentum shifter.

Williams reminds me a lot of Allen Iverson in that they are both natural scorers and both have the ability to knock down tough off balanced shots. But like Iverson, Williams also struggles to get his team mates involved which is something he needs to get better at for next season.

Williams has the potential an overall natural ability to be a great player in this league. He just needs to become more polished and work on becoming a more balanced player.

Grade: B+

Flyers Sign Hovinen, Reportedly Interested In Brzgalov

Recently the Flyers signed Niko Hovinen to an entry level contract.

At 6-7 200 pounds, Hovinen is a big goalie from Finland and was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2006 but never saw any NHL action. If anything Hovinen will add depth to the Flyers goalie staff and could compete with Bob for a starting spot next season. I like the signing because the young 23 year old has a lot of potential.

With the signing it has become evident that the Flyers are probably not going to re-sign veteran goalie Brian Boucher. Boucher did a solid job this year but he is probably on his way out due to his age. The acquisition mostly like means an end to Brian Boucher's time in Philadelphia but does it mean the Flyers have ruled out signing a big name goalie?

I'm still on the fence on whether or not I want the Flyers to go into next season with Bob as their starter or go out and trade for a big time goalie. If the Flyers stick with Bob they run the risk of another goalie carousel which could be detrimental to their hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup. Also I'm not so sure that at Bob who will turn 23 in September is a Stanley Cup caliber goalie.

One possible goalie the Flyers are reportedly interested in is Ilya Bryzgalov of the Phoenix Coyotes. A source on CSNphilly.com stated that:

“He would love the adulation he’d get in Philadelphia,” the source said. “This is a big guy, who plays back in the net and can play a lot of games for the Flyers. Phoenix and the Flyers have had some talks this season about trades, including Jeff Carter."

But in order to trade for Bryzgalov the Flyers would possibly be forced to part ways with Carter. Even though Carter is at times inconsistent he still scored 36 goals this past year and would be greatly missed.

And does the addition of a number 1 goalie really make the Flyers significantly better?

Geoff Detweiler of broadstreethockey.com wrote an excellent article about why the Flyers shouldn't waster their money on a big name free agent goalie. If you haven't read the article I strongly recommend that you read it HERE.

The Flyers goalie situation is going to be hot topic of debate during the off season. Stay with Bob or go out and sign a top free agent? Ultimately time will tell.

Stay updated to Broad Street Marching for continued Flyers off season/goalie coverage.

Sixers Report Card: Andre Iguodala

I want to first start out this article by stating I'm not an Andre Iguodala basher. As a Sixers fan that actually understands the game of basketball I realize all that Iguodala does for this team.

Still Iguodala can at times be such a frustrating player to watch. Probably the most frustrating aspect of Iguodala's game is the fact that he doesn't play to his strengths. Iggy is so great when he drives to the basket and pushes the ball in transition. But many times Iguodala tries to be a super star and shoots the ball too often and tries to force up difficult shots. He is also pathetic in the clutch and he came up short for the Sixers many times in the final seconds of close games.

But there are a lot of things that I like about Dre's game. He does a lot of the little things well like rebounding and distributing the ball and overall he is probably one of the most well balanced players in the league. And when he pushes the ball in transition he becomes one of the most dangerous players on the court. In all honesty if it hadn't been for his outstanding performance in Game 5 of the playoffs I probably would have given Iguodala a B-. But Iguodala was simply unreal and had 22 points in the game in one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen from him. The key to his success in that game was he drove the ball to the basket which led to open jumpers later in the game.

For next season if Iggy does return to the Sixers, he needs to realize that driving to the basket opens up the rest of his game. Iguodala can be a great player, he just needs to play to his strengths.

Grade: B

Madson The Closer

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson struggled in the past when asked to close out games for the Phillies, but that is all in the past.  Maybe it was a matter of confidence or maybe it was a matter of experience, but all we know is Madson has figured it out.  Coming into the season with 26 career saves in 50 chances Madson needed to get on a role and build confidence.

Last night Madson recorded his seventh save in seven opportunities, building his case to be the closer of the Phillies now and in the future.  If Madson continues his success this year there is almost no doubt he will be closing for the Phillies now and in the future.

There was never doubt that Madson had the stuff to be a closer, it was just a matter of putting it all together.  Madson throws a hard fastball which reaches the mid to high 90's and a knee buckling changeup, the combination of these two pitches are always keeping hitters off balance.

With the previous injured closers Jose Contreras and Brad Lidge working their way back what is going to happen to Madson.  The closer for now is in his final year of his contract and is showing major improvements as a closer.  Maybe he is now slated to be the closer for the future (meaning next year) with Lidge most likely gone after this year, or maybe the future is now.  Madson has been successful for now and if he continues this success should the Phillies keep him there for the rest of the year, I believe they should and I believe they will.  

Offensive Struggles

I'm an avid sports radio fan and I love listening to Mike Missanelli on 97.5 The Fanatic. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to sports and very entertaining to listen to. I was listening to Missanelli the other day when he started talking about how the Phillies should trade for a bat to try and improve the offense. Personailly I think the Phils are fine and I think Mikey Miss is pushing the panic button to early when it comes to the offense.

I'm fully aware that the Phils are struggling at the plate and that they are in the midst of a season long 4 game losing streak.

But this is what the Phillies do year after year. They go through offensive slumps but they always seem to turn it on after the All-Star break and make a run. Take this fact into consideration: last year after 41 games the Phils were 26-15. The Phils went 6-15 in their next 21 games and at one point their record was 32-30. Yet the Phillies still managed to finish with the best record in baseball and more importantly they made it back to the NLCS for the third straight year.

This year after 41 games the Phils have an almost identical record at 25-16 and I don't see them going 6-15 in the next few weeks. At 25-16 they are still tops in the NL and they still have one of the best records in all of baseball.

In order to break out of this slump and not repeat last year's 6-15 run the Phils need a spark on offense. A possible cure to their offensive struggles could come in the form of Chase Utley. Utley is currently rehabing in Single-A Clearwter and could rejoin the big league club in the near future. Even though the Phils are currently in desperate need of another bat the Phillies are smart in not rushing his rehab. Speeding along Utley's rehab process just because the Phillies need him could have long term negative affects on Utley in the remainder of the season. Utley needs a proper rehabilitation period to fine tune his swing and get back into baseball shape especially considering he missed a good portion of Spring Training.

Domonic Brown could also help the offense but the Phillies should also give him a substantial amount of time to rehab.

Ultimately a baseball season if full of ups and downs and right now the Phillies are at an all time low. The important thing is for them to remain calm and focus on getting out of this slump one at bat at a time. They need to try and get into 2-0 and 3-0 counts and focus on playing small ball. The Phils need to fight for any runs they can get and scrap and claw their way out of this slump.

The Phillies will prevail, they always do. For now try to remain calm and try not to push the panic button just yet.

Sour End To Road Trip

The Phils ended their road trip on a sour note with a dissapointing 2-1 loss tonight to the Cardinals. The Phils again failed to produce at the plate and as a result dropped both games of the 2 game set against the Cardinals.

Last night it was basically the same story as the Phils lost 3-1. Cliff Lee walked a career high 6 batters and struggled with his command through out the game. Lee got pretty animated after not getting a call in the 4th inning which is rare for Lee who is usually calm and collective on the mound. Luckily Lee was able to keep his composure and put together a decent outing pitching 6.1 innings and giving up 3 earned runs.

Unfortunately the Phils failed to provide run support for Lee. They scored an early run off a Ben Francisco RBI single but that was it. They had bad at-bats against Jake Westbrook a pitcher they definitely should have roughed up.

Tonight Roy Oswalt appeared in his first game since April 26th and he looked strong early on. Oswalt had great command of his fastball and he was also getting guys out with his curveball.

Jaime Garcia for the Cardinals was just as good. Garcia at one point retired 10 straight and it looked like it was going to be a real pitcher's duel.

The duel didn't last long as Oswalt gave up a run in the 4th on a play at the plate. Yadier Molina laced a single to left and John Mayberry fielded the hit cleanly and threw a nice one hop right to the plate. But Dane Sardinha failed to apply the tag on Lance Berkman who slid cleanly across the plate and the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead.

The Phillies again struggled at the plate. They failed to produce anything against Jaime Garcia who is a very good pitcher. To emphasize just how good Garcia was, he had a 4 pitch inning in the 7th and was absolutely cruising.

But something fianlly happened in the 8th. Michael Martinez laced a single to right center and Jimmy Rollins went from first to third to put runners on the corners with 1 out. Placido Polanco then hit a sac fly to score Rollins and tie the game at 1. It wasn't pretty but the Phils were able to buckle down and manufacture a much needed run. Antonio Bastardo worked his way out of a jam in the bottom of the 8th and was able to pitch a scoreless inning and preserve the 1-1 tie.

In the 9th the Phils offense failed to score. In the bottom of the inning Danys Baez put runners on first and second with no outs and Albert Pujols at the plate. Baez fell behind 2-0 and eventually Pujols hit a weak flare to shallow right to load the bases with no outs. Baez forced Matt Holliday to hit a ground ball right to Rollins who fired it home to get the force at the plate. Charlie then brought in J.C. Romero who threw one pitch to Lance Berkman who hit a fly ball to center over the head of Michael Martinez to give the Cardinals a 2-1 victory and a 2 game series sweep.

The Phils have now lost 4 straight and have ended the road trip with a 3-5 record. Now they will return home for a 9 game homestand beginning tomorrow night against the Colorado Rockies.

Hopefully by returning home the Phillies will be able to find some answers at the plate. The Phils offense right now looks stagnant and dead and they need to do something to break out. Charlie needs to do some line up shuffling to bring some life back to the Phils' bats.

Right now I think it's too early to panic with the Phillies offense. The Phillies are a great veteran team who will eventually figure things out.

New To The Nest: Danny Watkins

Draft Pick: 1st Round (23rd overall)
College: Baylor
Height/Weight: 6-3, 310

With their first round pick the Eagles selected Danny Watkins a guard from Baylor.

"We felt he was as good a football player as there was in the draft," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. "It's not a glamour position, but it's a position that is crucial to us. He's got a toughness and a blue collar attitude."

Prior to attending Baylor, Watkins earned that blue collar attitude as a part time firefighter in Canada. Watkins then attended Butte College in California to study fire sciences but wound up playing and starting for the football team in his freshman and sophomore years. From there his Butte coaches sent game tapes to many schools including Baylor.

Watkins transferred to Baylor in 2009 and was a standout star in his junior and senior years. He started in all 25 games while at Baylor and won all Big 12 offensive lineman honors and started in the 2011 Senior Bowl.

While Watkins played tackle during his time at Baylor he is expected to shift to guard for the Eagles. Watkins is great on the run block and should add depth to this depleted Eagles O-Line.

Many people were frustrated with the selection of Watkins primarily because of his age. At 26 years old, Watkins is the oldest rookie drafted since 1980. Also Watkins only has 4 years of football experience. He first started playing in 2007 while at Butte, and is still relatively new to the game of football. But I think his age is a good thing because he is fresh. He started in all of his games in college and should be reliable and injury free for the Eagles.

Watkins' agent Joe Panos had this to say about his client:

"Every football player's body can only take so many hits. Danny hasn't had any surgeries," Panos says. "The kids he's competing against have had at least twice as many hits."

"He'll come to training camp and start immediately. You coach him once and he picks it up."

Overall I like the addition of Danny Watkins. By drafting an offensive lineman in the first round the Eagles know that the protection of Michael Vick is a top priority. The Eagles can't afford to have Vick get banged around game after game. Watkins should do a good job of helping to protect Vick and overall adding depth to this Eagles team.

Phils Cards Preview

Tonight the Phillies will take on the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:05 on ESPN in game 1 of a quick 2 game series. The Phils will be looking to finish their road trip strong while the Cardinals look to rebound after being swept by the Reds.

The Phils will send Cliff Lee to the mound tonight who hasn't won in over a month. Lee's last win came on April 14th when he threw a complete game shutout against the Nationals. Since then Lee has had games where he has struggled and other games where the Phils failed to score runs for him. The Cardinals will counter with Jake Westbrook who is coming off an awful start in which he went 2.1 innings and gave up 5 runs.

Roy Oswalt will get the start tomorrow night in his first game back since April 26th. Roy first left the Phillies for personal reasons and then was placed on the 15 Day DL for back problems. Oswalt will be opposed by Jaime Garcia who has been dominant thus far for the Cardinals. The young lefty is 5-0 with a 1.89 ERA. Unfortunately I expect the Phils are to have a tough time against this guy.

Overall this quick series should be a good test for the Phils. I think the Phils will take both games partially because this is a homecoming for Ryan Howard. Howard always seems to do well in his hometown and he could be the difference maker of this series. And as a former Astro, I expect Oswalt to have success against a former division rival.

Phils Finish Stretch Of Division Games

Way back on April 29th, the Phils began a stretch of 15 games vs all N.L. East opponents. The Phils were given a great opportunity to put some distances between themselves and their division rivals.

Let's first start with the 9 game home stand. The Phils opened up the home stand by taking 2 out of 3 from the Mets. The offense looked good and the only loss came in 14 innings on a Sunday night prime time game. The Phils then swept the Nationals behind the offense that put up 18 runs in 3 games. The Phils were 5-1 and looking strong. But the Braves came into town next and behind their stellar starting pitching they took 2 out of 3 from the Phils. Derek Lowe and Jair Jurgens both pitched great games and the Phils simply couldn't figure them out.

After a solid 6-3 home stand the Phils traveled to Florida for a 3 game series. The Phils offense backed up Blanton in the first game and the Phils won 6-4. But in game 2 of the series Ryan Howard scored the only run off of Josh Johnson and the Phils failed to support Roy Halladay who pitched a great game. The Phils battled back in the rubber match and scored some late runs off an RBI single from Jimmy Rollins. They managed to win the game 5-3 and win the series. This past weekend the Phils again struggled against the Braves. On Friday the Phils edged out a 5-4 victory but dropped the final 2 games as their offense put up a pitiful 5 runs. Jair Jurgens had a perfect game in tact going into the 6th inning on Saturday before Michael Martinez broke it up with a single. Yesterday Tim Hudson pitched 7 innings and surrendered just 2 runs.

So in case you haven't been keeping track the Phillies went 6-3 at home and 3-3 on the road to cap off a pretty successful 9-6 stretch against the N.L. East. That's a pretty solid record and the only real concern I have is how the Phils did against the Atlanta Braves. The Phils went 2-4 against the Braves and need to start playing better against them. The Braves are a very good team with outstanding pitching and they have recovered nicely from a poor start and are now starting to play some great baseball. Something tells me the Phils will be seeing the Braves come October.

Back on April 29th the goal for the Phillies was to gain a comfortable lead in their division. Before the 15 game stretch the Phils were 0.5 games ahead of the Marlins and after the stretch the Phils now have a 2 game lead. Although the Phils could have done better I'm not going to complain. They played above .500 baseball and are still in first place.

At 25-14 the Phillies are the best team in the NL and second in all of baseball to the Cleveland Indians who are 24-13.

Looking ahead the Phils will travel to St. Louis tonight for a quick 2 game series. The Cardinals are 22-19 and will start Jake Westbrook and Jaime Garcia vs the Phillies. The Phils will counter with Cliff Lee tonight and Roy Oswalt tomorrow night. The Phils will look to finish their road trip off on a high note while the Cardinals look to rebound after being swept by the Reds.

After the 2 game series against the Cardinals the Phils will return home for another 9 game home stand. The Phils will face the Colorado Rockies, the Texas Rangers and the Cincinnati Reds. While many have pointed to this stretch as being a "difficult" spot on their schedule, the best team they will be facing will be the Reds who are 23-17. The Rockies and Rangers are currently just 2 games above .500.

Overall you have to love what the Phillies are doing. The offense could be doing better but the Phils are steadily winning games and at the end of the day they are still the best team in the National League.

Stay updated to the blog for continued Phillies coverage.

Sixers Report Card: Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday is a young player with a very bright future.

This year Holiday developed right in front of us and is quickly becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA. A lot of Holiday's success this past year was due to Doug Collins. Collins believed in the young point guard and stuck with him even when he struggled. The soon to be 22 year old averaged 14 points and 6.5 assists and shot 44.6% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. Although there is still room for improvement on his shot, Holiday knocked down countless jumpers and was a legitimate 3 point threat. In addition Holiday did a great job of pushing the ball in transition and was the Sixers leader on the fast break.

For next year I would like to see the young point guard take better care of the ball. Holiday needs to limit his turnovers and make better decisions with the ball if he wants to be a premiere point guard in this league. Overall this season was a vast improvement for Holiday. He just needs to work hard this off season and continue to work at becoming an even better player.

Grade: A-

Iggy Trade Rumors

Rumors are beginning to swirl that Sixers guard Andre Iguodala could be on his way out.

A 9th overall draft pick in 2004, Iguodala's time in Philadelphia has been interesting to say the least. Iggy has recieved heavy criticism mainly because of his mega 80 million dollar 6 year contract he signed back in 2008 and his inability to perform as a superstar.

Now with 3 years and 56 million remaining on his contract the Sixers have appaerently been trying to shop the 27 year old guard to various teams. There are many possible destinations for Andre. He could go to a veteran team like Lakers, Celtics or Spurs or he could go to a young team like Memphis or Oklahoma City and fit right in.

I understand the value that Iguodala brings to this team but at the same time the amount of money he is making for his production is simply absurd. Last year he made well over 12 million and averaged just 14.1 points per game. In my opinion Iguodala is simply not worth 12 million and the Sixers would be better off without him. Relieving the remaining 56 million of Iguodala's contract from the Sixers payroll could open up some possibilities for the Sixers in the future. They would be able to go out and fill some needs as well as resign guys like Thad Young who is now a free agent.

What Happened To The Flyers?

This Flyers team was supposed to be great. They were supposed to return to the Stanley Cup and bring this city a championship. They weren't supposed to get swept by the Bruins in one of the franchise's most embarassing playoff defeats.

Heading into the All-Star break the Flyers were 33-17 with 71 points and standing tall as the best team in the NHL. But something happened after the All-Star break. The Flyers unexpectedly fell apart and struggled greatly down the stretch especially in the final week of the regular season. The Flyers literally stumbled into the playoffs and barely survived their first round match up against the Sabres. They then got rocked by the Bruins and found themselves with an early playoff exit and a sour taste in their mouths. Now Flyers fans are left scratching their heads wondering what went wrong. I have a few theories as to why the Flyers fell apart and what could have possibly caused this team to completely self destruct.

Chris Pronger- Chris Pronger is the key to the Flyers power play, a top line defender and overall the main leader on this team. After the All-Star break and in the playoffs Pronger was not fully healthy and not as effective. Also having him in and out of the line up during the second half could have disrupted the team chemistry and definitely could have played a major role in the Flyers collapse.

Sergei Bobrovsky- While I don't think that Sergei Bobrovsky was the reason for the overall Flyers downfall, Bob was definitely inconsistent during the second half of the season which led to many Flyers losses. His streaky play in the second half could have been a result of the heavy work load he was given. The rookie appeared in 54 games this year for the Flyers which is 19 more than the amount of games he played last year for his KHL team in Russia. The intense NHL schedule as well as the fast pace North America style of play could have been tough for Bob to adjust to.

Injuries- In addition to Pronger's injury, Carter, Betts, Richards, Nodl and Meszaros were all hurt during the playoffs. Read more about the Flyer injuries HERE and the Flyers off season surgery plans HERE.

Lost Playoff Drive- Last year the Flyers clinched a playoff spot in the very last game and entered the playoffs hot with a ton of momentum. This year the Flyers had pretty much clinched a playoff berth at the All-Star break so besides a top seed and home ice advantage, the Flyers had very little to play for in the second half. As a result the Flyers lost that drive that was present during last year's Stanley Cup run. When the Flyers finally decided to turn it on it was too late and they were unable to flick that switch.

Overall it was a very disappointing season for a team with such high expectations. Hopefully the Flyers will make the necessary off season upgrades and be ready to go for next year.

Sixers Report Card: Jodie Meeks

Jodie Meeks came out of nowhere this year and was easily the Sixers best jump shooter.

With his high arching shot and quick release Meeks became the Sixers main threat from beyond the arc. He also became a starter and shot the ball well through out the year. The young sharp shooter did a good job all season of knocking down open 3's and hitting shots off of screens. Jodie averaged 10.5 points and was a solid scoring option. He made some clutch shots and at times provided the dagger when the Sixers clung to a slim lead.

But like any shooter Meeks was at times inconsistent. In order to gain even more playing time next year Meeks needs to be more consistent and find other ways to contribute when his jump shot isn't falling. Jodie also needs to do a better job of on defense if he wants to be a legitimate starter in this league. Overall Jodie was a pleasant surprise and I expect him to work had and have another strong season next year.

Grade: B+

Utley Update

Probably the most impressive aspect of the Phillies 23-11 start is the fact that they are playing well even without their star second basemen Chase Utley. Utley has been on the DL since the start of the season with a knee injury and will begin his rehab tonight with Single-A Clearwater. According to Jim Salisbury of CSNphilly.com, Utley could return to the Phillies line up as early as their next home stand which begins on May 18th. I'm excited that Utley will be back in the Phils line up soon but I am a little worried about the actual extent of the injury. It seems kind of strange that Utley showed up to camp injured. He had to have known that something was wrong during his off season workouts. I hope that he will be able to make a full recovery and have a significant impact once he returns.

Phillies Take Game 1

Maybe the Phillies should start doing split starts with Joe Blanton and Vance Worley. Baltnton can pitch the first few innings and Worley can come in and finish the rest of the game. It may be a bit unconventional but if it works you have to at least give it a try.

Last night the Phillies executed the split start to perfection. Joe Blanton pitched the first 5 innings and gave up 3 runs. Behind Blanton the defense turned 4 double plays and helped him get out of difficult spots.

The Phils jumped all over Marlins' starter Javier Vazquez and posted 4 runs within the first 3 innings. The Phils then tacked on 2 more runs in the 5th for a total of 6 runs off of 12 hits.

In relief Vance Worley pitched a scoreless 6th and 7th and only surrendered a solo home run in the 8th inning. Madson then pitched a scoreless 9th and secured a 6-4 Phillies victory.

Last night was a big game and a game that the Marlins definitely wanted. The Phils did a good job of winning a tough division match up and taking the first game of the series. Now the Phils are in great position to sweep after taking the opener and will send Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee to the mound in the final 2 games.

Sixers Report Card: Elton Brand

For the first time in a long time Elton Brand played in an injury free season.

After dealing with knee injuries in Los Angeles and in recent years with the Sixers, Brand managed to stay healthy and consistently contributed all year. He averaged 15 points and 8.4 rebounds and was the Sixers go to guy especially in the post season.

Brand did a good job this year of getting in position to knock down mid range jumpers. He also played well in the paint and created opportunities for himself and his team mates. Elton was the only real presence on the boards on a team that definitely lacks size down low.

A lot of people overlook the consistency of Elton Brand probably because of the large amount of money he is making. But Brand was consistent all year and was a great leader for this young team. The young guys on this team really look up to Brand who has a strong work ethic and a strong desire to win. B+ is a deserving grade for the hard working veteran Elton Brand.

Grade: B+

Phils Get Chopped

Although the Phillies are an elite team and playing at an extremely high level they are still going to lose a series every now and then. And unable to solve the stellar pitching of Derek Lowe and Yair Jurgens the Phils dropped 2 out of 3 this past weekend to the Atlanta Braves.

On Friday night the series started with an outstanding pitching performance by Derek Lowe. Lowe had a no-hitter intact going into the 7th inning until Shane Victorino laced a single to left field. But the Phils simply couldn't get anything going against Lowe who was absolutely over powering. Cliff Lee had 16 K's in 7 innings of work but he gave up 3 runs all in the third inning. In Lee's defense Raul Ibanez probably should have cought a ball hit to the wall and Rollins should have caught a line drive hit right at him. The 2 misplays resulted in 3 runs. The Braves then tacked on 2 runs in the 9th and the Braves went on to win 5-0.

Roy Oswalt was scheduled to start Saturday night but after he was placed on the 15-Day DL for lower back problems Kyle Kendrick got the call. Kendrick was surprisingly dominant and kept his pitches down in the zone which is a key to his success. At the plate Shane Victorino had an RBI triple and Ryan Howard belted a home run to give the Phillies a 3-0 victory.

In last night's rubber match the Phils bats could do little against Braves starter Jair Jurgens. Cole Hamels looked good but he missed on a few pitches which resulted in Atlanta home runs. The Phils battled back in the later innings but eventually lost by a final of 5-2.

What They Did Wrong

Cliff Lee- Although Cliff had 16 K's in his Friday night start he once again failed to have a dominant outing. I'm not too worried because I feel that Cliff will get better as the year goes on.

Offense- The Phils offense was streaky once again which is a definite concern. The Phils got shutout on Friday night and managed just 5 runs all weekend. With a tough schedule coming up the Phils need to be more consistent at the plate.

Raul Ibanez- After a breakout series against the Nationals Raul Ibanez went 2-10 against the Braves. The Phils need to figure out what to do with Raul if he continues to struggle.

What They Did Right

Kyle Kendrick- Kyle was a pleasant surprise pitching 6 scoreless innings in his spot start on Saturday. Going forward the Phils now know they have 2 young pitchers in Kendrick and Vance Worley that they can go to should any more starters go down.

Ryan Howard- Howard's HR on Saturday night put him in sole possession of second place on the Phils all time home run list. Howard passed Del Ennis and now has 260 career home runs. Ryan is a real pleasure to watch and is one of the best Phillies of all time.

Playing Hard- The Phils lost on Sunday but they fought hard and were threatening to score late in the game. It's good to see that comeback mentality in the Phils especially this early in the season.
The season sereies between the Phils and Braves is now tied 3-3. Both teams have great starting pitching and high powered offenses which will make for some great games down the stretch. Although I hate to admit it, the Braves are a good team and the Phils are going to have to play better against them starting this weekend when the Phils travel to Atlanta.

Sixers Report Card: Thad Young

During the past season when the Sixers were struggling or playing with low energy, Thad Young was always the spark off the bench to ignite a late game Sixers run.

Young came in third place for the Sixth Man of the Year award averaging 12.7 points and shooting 54.1% from the field. Thad is so much fun to watch because he consistently uses his speed and athleticism to get open looks. Young also does a great job on the boards and knocking down open long range jumpers. The Sixers are very fortunate to have a guy like Young on their bench. Young is a spark who can change the momentum and overall course of a game.

Young just needs to do a better job of finishing around the rim. There were too many times during the regular season when he would miss a shot from point blank range. But you have to #showyaluv to Thad Young who recieves a B+ in my book.

Grade: B+

Sixers Report Card: Evan Turner

As the number 2 overall draft pick, expectations for Evan Turner were extremely high.

Turner got some playing time early on but as the season progressed Turner's minutes and production dropped significantly. But Turner continued to work hard and contributed as best he could when Doug Collins gave him the opportunity.

The young guard steadily improved as the year went on. Turner averaged 7.2 points during the regular season turned it on towards the end of the year. In the playoffs Turner really stepped it up and posted 17 points in the Sixers Game 4 victory.

But even though Evan finished the season strong there are a lot of things he needs to work on. First and foremost Turner like Iguodala needs to do a better job of playing to his strengths. Turner is effective at driving and getting into the lane where he can knock down difficult and off balance shots. He needs to drive more and get into the paint where he has most of his success. Turner also needs to perfect his jump shot and if he can hit the gym and get 100 plus shots up everyday he should be in good shape for next season. I'm really excited about Turner's future and I expect a big season from him next year.

Grade: C+

Flyers Keys To Game 4

On the brink of elimination the Flyers will take on the Bruins tonight in Game 4. Although the Flyers came back from 0-3 last year I have to admit that doing it again is going to be extremely difficult. But the Flyers are resilient and will undoubtedly give it their all and at least go down with a fight. Here are the keys to tonight's game.

Good Start- The Flyers fell behind quickly in Game 3 and with 18:57 remaining in the first period the Flyers were already down 2-0. The Flyers need to get off to a good start tonight similar to Game 2. In Game 2 the Flyers scored 2 quick goals in the first period but failed to score in the remainder of the game. Tonight the Flyers have to jump out to an early lead and continue to build on that lead through out the game.

Defense- Sergei Bobrovsky will be in goal tonight and the defense needs to step up and help him out. The defense needs to step up and help out the young goal tender. The poor performance of the defense isn't helping this goalie situation and the Flyers need to step up and find a solution to stopping the Krejci line.

One Game At A Time- The Flyers need to focus solely on Game 4. If they get ahead of themselves and look ahead to Game 5 they will find themselves with an early playoff exit.

Veteran Leadership- The leaders on this team like Richards, Timonen and Briere need to rally these guys and get them fired up. Although they are down they are still in the playoffs and they need to continue to fight and play hard. The window of opportunity for Timonen, Pronger, O'Donnell, Betts and Briere is quickly running out. This is one of the most talented teams they've been on they don't want to lose this opportunity.

Bruins Mind Games- Does a 0-3 hole possibly favor the Flyers? Maybe the Bruins are starting to think about a possible repeat from last year, read about it HERE.

Solving Tim Thomas- The Flyers have got to find a way to put the puck past Thomas who has been outstanding thus far in this series. In order to beat him, the Flyers have to wait him out. Thomas is a goalie like Domonic Hasek in that he is very wild in the net and very aggressive. In order to solve that they need to be patient and wait for him to make the first move. Also he is playing with a lot of confidence right now so he is making saves at the top or just outside of the crease. If the Flyers can get him moving, he could be forced out of position which could result in a few Flyers goals.

Phillies Braves Preview

An 8-1 home stand is a lot to ask for but I think the Phillies can do it. If the Phils get out the brooms again this weekend vs the Braves it would cap off a very successful home stand and put the Phillies at 24-9 overall. The Braves are coming in hot and the Phils need to be on top of their game for this weekend series.

Phillies Last Series

The Phils swept the Nationals in Jayson Werth's return to Philadelphia. Cole Hamels, Vance Worley and Roy Halladay all made outstanding starts in the series. The Phils offense managed to score 18 runs and had 35 hits. Raul Ibanez was the man of the series breaking out of an o-35 slump and going 8-12 with 5 RBI's and 2 HR. The Phils have won 6 of their last 7 and are 5-1 on their current home stand.

Braves Last Series

The Braves 4 game swept the Milwaukee Brewers in a series that saw a ton of Atlanta runs. The Braves scored 24 runs in the series and got great outings from all of their starters. After starting the year 8-12 the Braves have won 10 of their last 13 and are really turning it on and starting to play like the team everyone expected them to be.

What To Look For

I would like to see Cliff Lee have a dominant start tonight. Aside from his complete game shutout earlier this year against the Nationals, Lee hasn't had that real lights out game. Offensively it will be interesting to see if Raul Ibanez has continued success at the plate. Look for the Phils to have a certain buzz this weekend as Chase Utley begins his rehab. I think the Utley news will excite the Phils and give them an extra boost.

Pitching Match Ups

Friday 7:05 PM Cliff Lee (2-2, 3.66 ERA) vs Derek Lowe (2-3, 3.72 ERA)

Saturday 7:05 PM Roy Oswalt (3-1, 3.33 ERA) vs Jair Jurrjens (3-0, 1.52 ERA)

Sunday 8:00 PM Cole Hamels (4-1, 2.66 ERA) vs TBA

Overall both teams are playing extremely well and this should be a series filled with very close games. I expect the Phils to take at least 2 out of 3 but of course a sweep will be welcomed.