Optimistic For Phillies Opening Day

There is a lot of speculation going on right now about what to expect of the Phillies in the upcoming 2012 season.  According to Angelo Cataldi of 94 WIP: "The Phillies will not win the World Series in 2012. They will not win 100 games. The five-year run of division titles will end. And, despite the new expanded format, they will not even make the playoffs."

Cataldi titled his article: It Was Fun While It Lasted.  Cataldi brings up some good points namely about the status of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.  He also says that the only bright spots on the Phillies are Halladay, Hamels, Lee, Papelbon, and Pence.

I personally feel that Cataldi is extremely flawed in his prediction because he is remembering only the pain of game 5 last year against the Cardinals and completely negating the whole 2011 regular season campaign.  Phillies fans and experts are quick to forget that the Phillies won a franchise record 102 games last year.  While game 5 was certainly painful, it doesn't take away from what the Phillies did in the regular season.  They were the best team in baseball and unfortunately got caught off guard by a very hot Cardinals team.

I have to admit that I'm somewhat worried about the Phillies.  I don't expect both Utley and Howard to be back fully healthy until late July, but ultimately I still think they have what it takes to win the division.  The starting rotation is in tact, the bullpen is improved with the addition of Papelbon, and the bench is much much deeper.

I know that last year's early playoff exit was extremely painful.  But we can't let last year's playoff defeat affect our hopes for this year.  The starting rotation is still the best in baseball, and the Phillies' bench is now arguably one of the deepest and best in the game.

What's more is I think the Phillies now realize that they have to play small ball in order to be successful.  The Phillies have been stressing the fact of taking pitches and getting on base all through out spring training.  And the addition of Juan Pierre who is a contact hitter who can steal bases, tells me that the Phillies are committed to manufacturing runs in the upcoming season.

When the Phillies and Pirates play tomorrow, the pain of last year will be forgotten and the excitement of a brand new season will give hope to all Phillies fans.    

Eagles Sign Offensive Tackle Bell

Today the Eagles signed free agent Demetress Bell, tackle from the Buffalo Bills to a 5 year deal.  Bell was drafted in 2008 in the 7th round by the Buffalo Bills.

After sitting out for the 2008 season, Bell was named the starting left tackle in 2009.  Bell got hurt midway through 2009 and only played in 8 games.  In 2010 he started and played in all 16 games for the Bills, but played in just 7 games last year.

Bell took over when Jason Peters signed with the Eagles in 2009, and now he will once again be attempting to replace Peters.  Although he has been injured, Bell was still considered one of the better offensive linemen available in free agency.

Reid had this to say on the signing: “Demetress was one of the top free agent offensive linemen available this year and we are happy to be able to add him to our squad. We had a chance to meet him over the weekend and study him extensively on tape and we came away quite impressed with what we saw and heard. He’s a great athlete.” 

I really like this signing because it enables the Eagles to go ahead and bolster their defense in the draft.  When Peters got hurt last week, it seemed like maybe the Eagles would have to change their plans of drafting a linebacker or defensive tackle and instead go after an offensive lineman.  Now with a suitable replacement, the Eagles can go ahead and look into drafting a safety, linebacker, or defensive tackle.

It will be interesting to see how Bell fits in with the rest of the line.  Toward the end of last year the offensive line really started to gel.  Herremans, Watkins, Kelce, Mathis, and Peters eventually came together and provided Vick with some good protection.  The Eagles certainly recognized the improved play of the offensive line by re-signing both Mathis and Herremans to long term deals.  So when Peters went down, it was a crushing blow to the offensive line.  Hopefully Bell can come in and fill in nicely for Peters while he is out.

Peters underwent successful surgery yesterday, and while no official timetable has been set for his return, it looks like he will miss over half of the 2012 season.  The Eagles will have to do without the pro bowler and hope that Bell will be a suitable substitute.

Looking ahead to the rest of the off season, in the draft the Eagles need to focus on defense, defense, defense.  In addition, the Eagles should also look to lock up Lesean McCoy and not have his contract status be a distraction in training camp.      

Flyers Lose To Rangers, Again

If tonight's game were to be decided after the first two minutes of the game, the Flyers would have won.  The Flyers came out in the early going with a ton of energy and generated lots of shots and traffic in front of Lundquist.  Early on, Simmonds had an excellent shot out in front but Lundquist made a dazzling save to keep things scoreless.

Soon after the Rangers struck first thanks to a wrist shot goal by Ryan McDonagh in front.  The Rangers scored a few minutes after, this time thanks to Brian Boyle.  Bryzgalov made a nice save but the rebound scooted out in front of the net and Boyle was able to slap it home.  The Rangers then scored two more goals in the period but we really don't have to get into the details.

After a devastating first, the Flyers were finally able to solve Lundquist late in the second period.  The Flyers were able to score in front thanks to Jakub Voracek who finally put one past the veteran goaltender.  Ultimately the Flyers were never able to mount a comeback and lost by a final of 5-3.  With the loss the Flyers got swept in the season series by the Rangers losing all 6 games.

Ultimately the game halts any playoff excitement that the Flyers may have built as a result of Sunday's big victory over the Penguins.  Tonight's loss brings back the crushing reality that the Flyers simply can't beat the Rangers.

While I certainly like the Flyers' chances against the Penguins in the first round, anything beyond that seems extremely doubtful at this point.  For some reason the Rangers flat out intimidate the Flyers and as a result the Flyers typically get off to bad starts against them.

While the Flyers were clean swept in the regular season by the Rangers, the playoffs literally are completely different.  The Flyers could very easily sweep the Rangers in the postseason because NHL playoffs are just that peculiar where anything can happen.

To add insult to injury, tonight the Penguins are beating the Bruins and in all likelihood will hold a 3 point lead over the Flyers with just two games remaining for both teams.  The Flyers will host the Sabres on Thursday night as they continue to pursue the fourth seed and try to build momentum as the playoffs draw ever closer.  

Flyers Building Excitement As Playoffs Near

Today the Flyers beat up on Sidney Crosby and the Penguins winning by a final of 6-4.  Even without the services of Ilya Bryzgalov, the Flyers still had a pretty nice weekend picking up 3 points in the process.  The Flyers are now just 1 point behind the Penguins for fourth place in the Eastern conference. 

Needless to say, Tuesday's game against the Rangers is going to be the first of three important games this week as the Flyers try to get home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Barring any serious last minute shakeups, it looks right now as if the Flyers will be facing the Penguins in the first round.  But it still remains to be seen who will come away with home ice.  

In addition to playing the Rangers on Tuesday, the Flyers then host the Sabres on Thursday, and travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday in what could very easily end up being the deciding factor for home ice.  The Penguins have a very tough final three games as well as they travel to Boston on Tuesday, host the Rangers on Thursday, and then host the Flyers on Saturday.  

Hopefully Bryzgalov can return on Tuesday and play well in the final three games to help the Flyers get home ice for the first round.  I'm definitely excited by the Flyers offensive surge in past few games, but I will be even more excited if they can at least put up a fight against the Rangers.  

The Rangers have beaten the Flyers five times this year, and the Flyers faithful at the Wells Fargo Center need to come out completely fired up on Tuesday night.  

All in all I think we are in store for a very exciting week of hockey.  Keeping track of the Flyers progress and the Penguins is all going to culminate in a Saturday match-up that could have major playoff implications.  

While I would love for the Flyers to win on Tuesday against the Rangers, ultimately I think they are going to drop one of the two during the week.  The Rangers scare me because they are the Rangers, and the Sabres scare me because right now they are just two points behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.  They are going to be absolutely clawing and scrapping for any type of victory on Thursday, and the Flyers are definitely going to have their hands full.  

The Penguins also have a tough schedule as they will be facing the Bruins and Rangers during the week.  While it would be nice for them to drop both games, like the Flyers I think they will win at least one.  Ultimately I think it's going to come down to Saturday's game to see who gets the fourth seed.  

We can only hope that the offense stays hot, and that Bryzgalov can return healthy and ready to go for the important week of hockey.  One thing is for certain: playoff hockey is almost here.  

Discovering Clearwater: Bright House Networks Field

The main attraction of Clearwater, Florida is Bright House Networks Field.  Since 2004, Bright House Networks Field and the surrounding facilities have been home to Phillies Spring Training.  BHN Field is a state of the art facility with something to offer everyone.  The stadium itself has a ton of great features including the outfield berm, the tiki bar, the full circle walk around, and the close proximity seating.

The tiki bar is a great feature of BHN Field.  Formally known as Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion, it offers fans a great place to hang out and grab a drink before and after the game.  Most of the time, there is live entertainment after games.  Perhaps the coolest aspect of the tiki bar is that after games, some of the players come up to have a drink and talk with fans.  I once got to meet Ryan Madson and Placido Polanco who happened to be hanging around the tiki bar after the game.  If you really want autographs or just the opportunity to meet some of your favorite players, the tiki bar is a great place to do just that.

Another great aspect of BHN Field is the full circle walk around.  Sometimes spring training games can get hot and boring.  BHN Field offers a full circle walk around that allows fans to walk around the entire perimeter of the stadium similar to how Citizens Bank Park is structured.  The full walk around allows fans to get up and go for a walk before, during, and after games.

Probably one of the coolest features of BHN Field is the outfield berm.  Located in left center and right field, the outfield berm is basically just a grassy hill where fans can stretch out and watch the game. The berms are a great place to catch batting practice before the game, and also hang around after the game as well.  On weekend games, the berms fill up pretty quickly.  But during the week, you should have no problem getting enough room.

The best part of BHN Field is the close proximity seating.  BHN Field is home to the Single A Clearwater Threshers during the summer, and the minor league stadium offers seats that get you extremely close to the action.  Being such a small stadium, there really aren't any bad seats.  Personally my favorite place to sit is in the upper section along the first base line.  The advantages to sitting in the upper section include shade from the sun, less crowded concourse, and a better view of the game.  Don't get me wrong, I like sitting close to the action as much as anyone else.  But games at BHN Field can get really hot, and relaxing in the shade beats burning in the sun for me personally.

Overall Bright House Networks Field truly is a gem.  As I stated in a previous article, I've been to other team's spring training stadiums, and none of them even compare to BHN Field.  BHN Field is truly an awesome place to watch Phillies Spring Training.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed reading this mini series that I have put together over the past month.  It is my hope that you use these articles to help in your enjoyment of Phillies Spring Training trip either this year or in the future.  And now that spring training is all but over, let the countdown to opening day officially begin!

Discovering Clearwater: Where To Eat

Part of the experience of a Phillies spring training trip to Clearwater is enjoying the fantastic food.  I've broken my breakdown of great Clearwater restaurants into breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For breakfast there is no better place than Lenny's.  Located right near the stadium, Lenny's has everything that a Phillies fan needs.  Not only do they have great food, but the entire restaurant is literally covered in Phillies posters and memorabilia.  The atmosphere may be great, but I think the food is even better.  They bring you tons of food and bring you little tarts and pastries before your meal.  The menu also offers Philly favorites like scrapple.  Lenny's is famous in Clearwater and a place that all Phillies fans should go to.  The only problem is just that; literally every Phillies fan tries to eat at Lenny's. If you do decide to go, expect long lines.  Lines are even longer on game days, so try going on a non game day to avoid a long wait.

For lunch, it's probably easiest and cheapest to eat in the stadium.  Maybe grab a hot dog, or a bag of peanuts and a pretzel.  Bright House Networks Field has some pretty good places to eat, and it's a quick and easy thing to do for lunch.

For dinner, you have tons of options.  Not only does Clearwater offer tons of commercial places, but it also offers tons of local restaurants as well.  Two of my favorite would have to be Pete & Shorty's and Shephard's.  Pete & Shorty's is kind of like a sports bar, but you can also grab a great meal as well.  It's relatively close to the stadium, and a great place to enjoy a meal before or after the game.  I also remember going to a place called Shephard's.  Shephard's is a hotel located on Clearwater Beach but it also offers a buffet and outside eating area.  The buffet is jam packed with all kinds of food from seafood and burgers, to soft serve ice cream.  You also have the option of eating outside and enjoying a nice burger while over looking the Gulf of Mexico.

Knowing where to eat can really add to the enjoyment of your spring training trip.  Clearwater literally has tons of places to eat, but the places mentioned above definitely won't disappoint.  

Discovering Clearwater: Where To Eat

Part of the experience of a Phillies spring training trip to Clearwater is enjoying the fantastic food.  I've broken my breakdown of great Clearwater restaurants into breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For breakfast there is no better place than Lenny's.  Located right near the stadium, Lenny's has everything that a Phillies fan needs.  Not only do they have great food, but the entire restaurant is literally covered in Phillies posters and memorabilia.  The atmosphere may be great, but I think the food is even better.  They bring you tons of food and bring you little tarts and pastries before your meal.  The menu also offers Philly favorites like scrapple.  Lenny's is famous in Clearwater and a place that all Phillies fans should go to.  The only problem is just that; literally every Phillies fan tries to eat at Lenny's. If you do decide to go, expect long lines.  Lines are even longer on game days, so try going on a non game day to avoid a long wait.

For lunch, it's probably easiest and cheapest to eat in the stadium.  Maybe grab a hot dog, or a bag of peanuts and a pretzel.  Bright House Networks Field has some pretty good places to eat, and it's a quick and easy thing to do for lunch.

For dinner, you have tons of options.  Not only does Clearwater offer tons of commercial places, but it also offers tons of local restaurants as well.  Two of my favorite would have to be Pete & Shorty's and Shephard's.  Pete & Shorty's is kind of like a sports bar, but you can also grab a great meal as well.  It's relatively close to the stadium, and a great place to enjoy a meal before or after the game.  I also remember going to a place called Shephard's.  Shephard's is a hotel located on Clearwater Beach but it also offers a buffet and outside eating area.  The buffet is jam packed with all kinds of food from seafood and burgers, to soft serve ice cream.  You also have the option of eating outside and enjoying a nice burger while over looking the Gulf of Mexico.

Knowing where to eat can really add to the enjoyment of your spring training trip.  Clearwater literally has tons of places to eat, but the places mentioned above definitely won't disappoint.  

Discovering Clearwater: Where To Stay

In Clearwater, you have four basic options of where to stay: Clearwater Beach, Clearwater city, right by the stadium, and Tampa.  You will want to stay in certain parts depending on who you're going with and what your interests are.

If you are taking your family with you, Clearwater Beach is your best option.  Although it's a bit of a ride from Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater Beach offers tons of stuff to do outside of baseball.  There is the beach itself, mini golf, and even a pirate ship ride that offers tours of the beach.  The only downsides to staying in Clearwater Beach is that it's more expensive, and the ride back and forth from the stadium can get a little annoying.  But overall the beach is your best bet if you have the money to spend and a family to entertain.

Although during my years in Clearwater I never stayed in the actual city, I'm sure it would be a great place to stay.  After all you would be sort of in between the stadium in the beach, and you wouldn't have to worry about long rides back and forth.

During my trips to Clearwater, I remember staying on the beach one year, and right next to the stadium another year.  In my opinion, if you're headed to Clearwater strictly for baseball, staying the near the stadium is your best option.  It's cheaper, more convenient, and there are some quality hotels within walking distance of Bright House Networks field.  I guess the downside would be you are so far away from the beach that it can kind of take away from the Florida atmosphere of your trip.  Also if you want to go to the beach, it's a 15-20 minute car ride depending on traffic.  But for the pure baseball fan, staying within walking distance of the stadium is a great experience.

The fourth and final option of where to stay would be in Tampa.  I've never done this, but Tampa is such a great city, and there probably would be more things to do in Tampa.  Also you would be in a great position to go to other team's spring training stadiums like the Tigers and Yankees.  A huge downside would be the ride.  Depending on where you stay in Tampa, it could take you upwards of a half hour to get the stadium.

Ultimately you want to find a place that best suits both you and the people you're traveling with.  Staying in Clearwater Beach if you're there strictly for baseball wouldn't be smart.  Likewise, if you bring your family and stay right by the stadium, you could wind up shuffling back and forth between the hotel and the beach your entire trip.  The key thing for people to understand about Clearwater is that it's relatively big composed of three main parts: the beach, the city, and then the stadium is located kind of back by the bay.  Pick a place that best suits your needs to prevent yourself from being in the car for an extended period of time.  After all, you're supposed to be kicking back and watching baseball, not sitting in traffic.

Tim Tebow To Philly?

On Monday when Peyton Manning officially instructed his agent to begin negotiations with the Denver Broncos, a whole Tim Tebow circus erupted directly after.  And yesterday Manning  officially became a Denver Bronco agreeing to a five year deal worth 96 million dollars, and it is now very clear that the Broncos now want nothing to do with Tebow.

So where will Tebow be traded to? Should he come to Philadelphia?  A lot of the sports talk radio shows are kicking around the notion of Tebow in an Eagles uniform.  For me personally it makes sense because of Vick's injury history, Tebow's track record of not turning the ball over, and his overall versatility on offense.

To start, let's look at Mike Vick's games played since he came into the NFL in 2001.  Vick saw limited action in his first year, but in 2002 he started 15 games for the Falcons missing just one with a shoulder injury.  In 2003, Vick started in just 4 games missing most of the season with a hurt leg.  Over the course of the next 3 years Vick missed a total of just 2 games.  But in 2010 with the Eagles Vick missed 4 games, and last year he missed 3 games.  Overall Vick is injury prone and the Eagles need a reliable backup to go to when Vick goes down.  With Vick's style of play, it's not a matter of if he gets injured, it's when and for how long he will be out.  Having a backup like Tebow who could possibly spark your team could really help the Eagles when Vick gets injured.  Instead of hoping that Kafka is ready to be the backup, having Tebow assures the Eagles that they have a guy ready to come in and win games.  Basically Tebow is the ideal backup quarterback because he has proven that he can win.

The Eagles should also consider bringing in Tebow because he takes care of the football.  In two years as Eagles starter, Mike Vick has thrown a total of 20 interceptions including 14 last year.  And as a team, the Eagles had a total of 38 turnovers in 2011.  In 11 starts last year for the Broncos, Tebow had just 6 interceptions.  Tebow takes care of the ball, and turnovers were a big reason the Eagles failed to make the playoffs last year.  If you remember a lot of the Eagles' turnovers came in the redzone.  If Tebow were used in a redzone package for example, it would almost be a guarantee that the Eagles would get at least 3 points every time they get inside the 20.  Games are won and lost because of turnovers and Tebow would certainly help in the turnover department.

Lastly, Tebow is extremely versatile on the offensive side of the ball.  While he may not be able to play linebacker or safety, he can lineup as a wideout/tight end, or even a half back who can throw.  In addition to being used as a backup quarterback, Tebow could be used in short down situations with Shady McCoy alongside him in the backfield, and in the redzone as well where he wouldn't be forced to use his arm as much.

Overall the Eagles take great pride in grooming quarterbacks.  While they certainly weren't successful with Vince Young, they did greatly improve Mike Vick and I think they could do the same with Tim Tebow.  Eagles fans have to remember that Vick is not exactly young.  Vick will turn 32 in June, and with his eratic style of play there is no guarantee that he will be starter two or three years down the line.  The Eagles have to prepare for the future and Tim Tebow in an Eagles uniform is a great option.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on Tebow mania and whether or not you think he should come to Philadelphia.

Update 12:54 
The New York Jets have traded a 4th round pick to Denver for Tim Tebow.  So much for Tebow in Philly.

Eagles Trade For DeMeco Ryans

Today, according to Jay Glazer, the Eagles traded a mid round draft pick for Pro Bowl middle linebacker Demeco Ryans.

Just some quick stats on 27 year old Ryans, he was named the Rookie Of The Year in 2006, recording 156 tackles.  He made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and was also named to the All-Pro team.  In 2009 he again made the Pro Bowl recording 123 tackles.

This guy is good and this is a great move for the Eagles.  They have been pretty silent in terms of free agent signings so far, but this move assures them of a stopper in the middle.

Ryans arrival in Philly will allow Chaney to move to his natural position of outside linebacker.  Ryans will also bring an identity to a defense that lacks character.

A great move by the Eagles.  We will have more on the trade later.