Bleacher Report - Articles by David Halpren

Philadelphia Sports Summer Recap & Analysis: Part One, the Phillies

David Halpren — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:51:59 -0400

Note: This is part one of three in discussing the biggest sports news of the summer in Philly. Next up is the Sixers, followed by the Eagles.

It's been a very entertaining summer so far in the city of Philadelphia, in terms of sports news. There have been many stories concerning the Phillies; some are over six-weeks old and some are still ongoing. Let's recap all the drama and analyze the results.

A little before summer began, June 13 to be exact, the Phillies stood 13 games over .500, which was their high-water mark of the season. And at that time, they held a four-game lead over the Marlins and a 7.5-game lead on the Mets.

Since that time, the Phillies have been very inconsistent. They dropped to as low as only five games over .500 three different times since then, along with losing streaks of six games and four games (twice).

As a result, they find themselves now in second place, two-and-a-half games back of the Mets. Their summer swoon has mostly been driven by a struggling offense, although there have been a variety of issues that this team has dealt with in the last two months.

BRETT MYERS

Recap

On July 1, a struggling Brett Myers accepted a minor-league assignment to basically clear his head and find himself again. Prior to his demotion, Myers was 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA.

After his first start on the farm, which was unimpressive, Myers made a comment about how it felt to be a closer and said it was like “being a rockstar.” Myers apparently still wanted to be a closer, but the Phillies all but shut that door when they re-signed Lidge to a three-year contract extension a few days later.

Myers settled down during his next few minor-league starts, striking out a good amount of batters in the process. He returned to the majors on July 21 and since then has gone 3-1 with 1.94 ERA and is looking more and more like the No. 2 starter the Phillies had pegged him for this season.

In his last start, he pitched a complete-game shutout, fanning nine in the process and lowering his season ERA to a more respectable 4.71.

Myers' turnaround did not come without incident however. On Aug. 9, Myers was taken out of a game in which he had pitched seven-and-two-thirds good innings, and he and Charlie Manuel exchanged words as Brett came off the mound. Manuel then confronted Myers in the dugout, apparently chastising him for showing up the manager.

Analysis

If you’re going to play in this town, you have to be a man. You have to be accountable for your actions, work hard, and play to win. Like him or not, Brett Myers does all of those things. He didn’t have to accept his demotion to the minors (he’s been in the league over five years, so he could have just asked for his release), but he did.

He didn’t have to willingly move into the closers role last year or move willingly back into the rotation this year, but he did. He did those things because he’s a team player and true competitor. He regained his swagger in the minors and showed everyone he’s here to stay.

Did he show up Charlie Manuel that night he didn’t want to come out of the game? Perhaps. Could he have handled it a bit better? Yes. Should we vilify him for it, like much of this town did afterwards? Absolutely not.

Brett has the fire and desire to be a great pitcher, and if he’s going to be annoyed that he’s being taken out of the game, I’m fine with that. I want my pitcher to have that competitive spirit. I like Brett Myers, and I’m glad to see he’s finally starting to pitch up to his potential. He’s definitely one reason why the Phillies still have hope the rest of the way.

Jimmy Rollins

Recap

Charlie Manual has two rules for his players: hustle and be on time. Jimmy Rollins has managed to break both this season. He broke the hustle rule on June 6 when he failed to run out an apparent inning-ending pop-up in the third inning of a game against the Reds.

In the next inning, Manual removed Rollins from the game. Jimmy took the benching well and basically said he deserved it.

On July 24, Rollins arrived late for a day game at Shea vs. the Mets. He was benched by Charlie, although he did use Jimmy as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. Rollins took a different stance in this incident, saying he disagreed with the punishment.

Jimmy had decided to drive his own car to the game that day instead of taking the team bus. He left about 10 minutes after the last team bus left the hotel but apparently ran into traffic.

Then, last week, while the Phillies were in L.A., Rollins appeared on the Best Damn Sports Show and when asked what he thought of the fans in Philadelphia, he used the words “front-runner” to describe them.

This caused a huge backlash in Philly. The next day, Rollins tried to clarify his statements, but all he really said was that he didn’t like how the fans booed players like Carlos Ruiz, Tom Gordon, and Eric Bruntlett.

On Tuesday, Rollins was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos as he made his first appearance back in Philly since his comments.

Analysis

Rollins is a huge disappointment to me for many reasons this year. Not only has he had a very average offensive season, compared to his MVP season of last year, but he just looks emotionless out there.

I haven’t seen too many smiles on his face, and his play reflects that. His biggest problem has been his lack of patience at the plate. Yes, he’s not driving the ball like last year, but I’m ok with that. What kills me, and the team, is his inability to work the count. He’s swinging at too many first pitches, and more often than not, he’s popping out.

It wasn’t bad enough that he’s struggled with the bat, but then to be labeled as someone who isn’t on time or who isn’t hustling just doesn’t sit well with anyone in this town, especially me.

Rollins is supposed to be the veteran leader of this team, and he’s the reigning NL MVP. Unfortunately for everyone, Jimmy has done a 180. Plainly said, he’s running on MVP fumes from last year, and it’s simply unacceptable.

So what does J-Roll do for an encore? He rips the fans. Maybe in his mind he wasn’t insulting them, but he clearly did. It was a poor choice of words for Rollins, and considering the season he’s having, he should just shut up. Being MVP doesn’t make you immune for life.

Ironically, the fans have been nothing but tolerant of him up to this point. The chanted "MVP-MVP" down the stretch last season for him, and they haven’t really booed him this year prior to his “front-runner” comment.

So what prompted him to even say such a thing? Only Jimmy can answer that, but as long as he hits, I don’t care what he says. But he’s not hitting, he’s broken simple team rules, and he’s mouthing off, not a good combo in my book, and I’m certainly not going to tolerate it.

Incidentally, Jimmy is 3-33 since making his comments. Way to go J-Hole!

Trade Deadline

Recap

Heading into July, the Phillies were dealing with a struggling rotation, as Adam Eaton was pitching like Adam Eaton, and Brett Myers was pitching like Adam Eaton. During this time, the Cleveland Indians had fallen so far off the pace in the AL Central that they decided to officially put the reigning AL Cy Young CC Sabathia on the trading block.

Sabathia, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, was rumored to be going to a variety of teams, including the Phillies.

It was rumored that the Indians wanted Shane Victorino, J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, (the Phillies' best pitching prospect), and their best catching prospect, Lou Marson. We’ll never know if the Phillies really had an offer on the table, or if the Indians presented these guys as the ones they wanted.

Rumors swirled for days, but all the smoke ended pretty quickly as the Brewers acquired Sabathia on July 7for five prospects, including the seventh-overall pick in the 2007 draft, prized prospect Matt LaPorta.

A few days later, the Cubs nearly matched their division rivals in acquiring A’s pitcher Rich Harden. Feeling the heat of not getting their own stud pitching via trade, the Phillies started negotiating with the Blue Jays to acquire A.J. Burnett and with the Mariners to get Eric Bedard.

However, instead of landing one of those second-tier starters, the Phillies made a lesser move on July 18 and acquired Joe Blanton from the A’s. The move was received with little enthusiasm, and, as it turns out, it was the only deadline move the Phillies wound up making.

Analysis

The Phillies take a lot of heat at the trade deadline every year, sometimes rightfully so. However, this year, I really don’t think they could have done much more. Just because Sabathia and Harden were there to be had doesn’t mean the Phillies had enough minor-league talent to acquire them.

I think that was, without a doubt, the case with Sabathia, as his price tag was very high, and there was really no way they could have outbid the Brewers.

As for Harden, he has a long history of injuries, and the Phillies were somewhat reluctant to give up minor-league talent for him. With that said, I don’t think a deal was even being discussed and that alone is a bit alarming.

However the Cubs had the players the A’s wanted, and once again, I don’t think the Phillies had enough to land Harden.

The Joe Blanton deal was a no-brainer for the Phillies. They didn’t give up their top prospects, and they got back a pitcher who is locked up through next season and has had some success over the last few years.

Yes, he’s struggled this year, but he’s certainly an upgrade over Adam Eaton. With the A’s, he was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA. In six starts with the Phillies, he’s 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. Not overly impressive, but serviceable.

The bottom line is that other than Sabathia and Harden, the remaining SPs out there were not worth trading for. Bedard wound up getting hurt, and Burnett was taken off the block.

They could have used another lefty out of the 'pen, but the price tags were ridiculous for guys that may pitch to one batter every other game. As it turns out, the Phillies got former Cubs lefty Scott Eyre off waivers, and he’ll be filling that role.

Another bat off the bench was also mentioned, especially so they can release So Taguchi, but so far nothing has materialized. I fully expect the Phils to get someone in the next nine days.

Overall, I really don’t think the Phillies could have done much more at the deadline.

The Phillies Secret Weapon: Aaron Heilman

David Halpren — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:41:28 -0400

How many leads can you blow before you are officially anointed a member of your division rival?

While this may sound like a hypothetical question, Mets reliever Aaron Heilman is coming dangerously close to becoming an honorary member of the Phillies.

Heilman, serving as the "we had no choice closer" due to a disable Billy Wagner came into the ninth inning at Shea this afternoon holding onto a 5-4 lead vs the Pirates. After getting Nate McLouth to strikeout, it all went downhill from there.

The next four batters went single, walk, single, hit by pitch and Heilman exited stage left with the game tied at 5-5 and the bases loaded. Scott Schoeneweis relieved him and although he got a second out without a run scoring, he added the finishing touches by giving up a two-run single that gave the Pirates the eventual 7-5 win.

Heilman took the loss and dropped to 2-7 and his ERA spiked to a disgusting 5.74. The Mets pen, lead by Heilman's disastrous season is one of the main reasons why the Mets are underachieving and will cause them to miss the playoffs this year.

On the bright side for the Mets, Pedro Martinez went six innings and didn't get hurt.

Jason Smith Tears ACL, Could Miss Most of Season

David Halpren — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:03:00 -0400

As stated here the other day, the Sixers were potentially looking to add another big man to fill out the roster. Now, they undoubtedly will need one.

Yesterday the Sixers confirmed that second year backup center Jason Smith has torn his ACL in his left knee. The injury could potentially cause Smith to miss most of the 2008-2009 season.

Smith injured the knee while participating in an approved camp in Las Vegas during a standard five-on-five drill. No contact had been made with Smith when the injury occurred. Smith's agent, Marc Bartelstein, said that Smith planted his left leg going up for a layup when the injury occurred.

Smith had averaged 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in his rookie season last year. He averaged 14.5 minutes per game, although his playing time slowly decreased as the season wore on.

While losing a player is never a good thing, this will open up more opportunities for Sixers rookie Marreese Speights who had a good summer league showing last month.

Look for the Sixers to put a big man at the forefront of their focus now with names such as Theo Ratliff, Jamaal Magloire, and Francisco Elson at the top of the list.

Philadelphia Sixers' 2008-'09 Schedule Released: Final Game at Spectrum Included

David Halpren — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:03:00 -0400

The NBA released its 2008-09 schedule yesterday, and along with it the Sixers announced an interesting subplot.

On March 13, 2009 the Sixers will host the Chicago Bulls, but it will not be played in their usual home at the Wachovia Center. For one potentially magical night, the Sixers will move across the street and play a final game at the Wachovia Spectrum, the place that they called home for almost 30 years.

The Sixers played their final home game at the Spectrum at the conclusion of the 1995-96 season before moving into the newly built Wachovia Center in October of 1996. The Flyers followed as well. The Spectrum has since been used by Indoor Soccer, Minor League Hockey, as well as many kids related concerts and events.

It was officially announced last month that the Spectrum would be condemned in the Spring of 2009 to pave the way for a major real estate project that would include restaurants and shops in order to attract more people to the area.

There are many fond memories of the Spectrum for the Sixers, with their '82-'83 championship season being the best. Sixers Chairman Ed Snider adds, "In this, the last year of the Spectrum, we're thrilled to bring the Sixers back home to play one more time in the Spectrum. This night is designed for our fans to relive the great Sixers memories there and for those fans who were never able to see them play at the Spectrum."

As for the rest of the Sixers' schedule, they will open up their season at home on October 29 vs the Raptors, kicking off the Elton Brand era.

Allen Iverson will make his second return back to Philly on February 18.

As for National TV appearances, the Sixers will appear on TNT for visits to Orlando on November 6 and Chicago on April 9, as well as a home game against the NBA Champion Celtics on April 14. They'll also appear on ESPN for four home games against Orlando (Nov. 26), Cleveland (Dec. 10), Denver (Feb. 18), Detroit (April 4).

Their last seven games of the season could be brutal, as five will be on the road, with the two home games being against the Cavs and Celtics.

NFL Code of Conduct Policy Could Prove Costly to Fans

David Halpren — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:33:01 -0400

In case you were too caught up in this whole Brett Favre circus, the NFL decided to choose yesterday as its day to drop a bombshell on the season ticket holders of all 32 NFL teams. In the process, it rekindled thoughts about the NFL standing for No Fun League.

In a release by the NFL, they have extended their "code of conduct" to the fans.

No longer will a fan be able to curse, taunt an opposing fan, appear drunk, or be unruly at a game. If you are in violation of any of these things you could be subjected to losing your season tickets without refund. You will also never be allowed to purchase tickets ever again.

And these rules even extend to the parking lots and tailgating.

Another hard-line stance is that even if a guest or some random person is occupying your seats, the season ticket holder will be held accountable.

I don't know how the NFL is going to enforce that, but fans will definitely see more security in the parking lots as well as in the stadiums.

As a passionate Eagles fan, season ticket holder, and tailgater, I am very disturbed by this latest policy. While the Philadelphia Eagles already have their own policies in place that could lead to season ticket revocation, this latest news is too over-the-top.

I understand that the NFL wants to create an environment that is friendly and safe. I understand that women and children shouldn't be scared to enter a stadium. And I totally respect the fact that an opposing fan should be allowed to cheer for his or her team at a road game without being harassed.

However, let's keep things in perspective.

Not being able to use "foul language" is almost a violation of my rights. I say almost because obviously I'm in their stadium, so I have to abide by their rules, but come on!

There are eight regular season home games each year. Each game is an event. You tailgate with friends, you get pumped up for the game and you are passionate. Cursing is second nature.

Are you telling me if the Eagles run a five-yard out pattern on 3rd-and-12 I'm supposed to sit on my hands? Hell no. I'm going to tell Andy Reid to go %$&@ himself. Not because I'm mean, but because I'm into the game and I'm expressing myself.

If the Eagles are playing the Cowboys and I have a guy sitting behind me wearing a Dallas TO jersey and he's cheering like crazy for his team, do you think I'm going to keep my mouth shut when the Eagles score? No. I'm going turn around and rub it in.

Do I have to be mean about it? Certainly not, but what does the NFL considering "taunting?"

These new rules are very subjective and I hate the fact that some stadium security guard has the right to pick me out of a crowd and get my tickets revoked because I said "@#%hole" as some moron wearing an Eli Manning jersey walked up the steps.

I have an idea; how about they just play the games in the stadium with no fans and we'll all watch the games in our own houses while we sip tea?

National Football League...no, it's definitely No Fun League.

Philadelphia 76ers Look to Add a Big Man Despite Limited Cap Space

David Halpren — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:31:00 -0400

With the official signing of Lou Williams yesterday, the Sixers' roster sits at 11. The inevitable re-signing of Andre Iguodala would give the team the maximum allowed for an NBA game. However, league rules allow for you to carry up to 15 players, and declare three inactive for each game.

Therefore, the Sixers will need to sign three more players in addition to Iguodala prior to the start of the season. Yesterday, Sixers GM Ed Stefanski hinted that he'd like one of those players to be a big man.

When the Sixers signed Elton Brand to that five-year, $82 million contract, it maxed out the Sixers salary cap for players not currently on the team. (The Sixers still could resign their own free agents without affecting the cap number, like Lou Williams.)

Therefore there are only two ways in which the Sixers can sign players from this point forward for the '08-'09 season. They can offer the veteran minimum amount (up to two years, based on number of years of service) or the Biannual Exemption, which is roughly $1.93 million for the upcoming season.

Last week the Sixers signed both Royal Ivey and Kareem Rush using the veteran minimum rule. Four-year vets' minimum salary is set at $854,957 and that's what Royal Ivey received. The minimum for a five-year vet is $926,678, which is what Rush signed for.

I expect the Sixers to be scouring the free agent list over the next couple of weeks to bring in one or two more of these types of players who are willing to sign for the minimum in hopes of having a great season and getting a larger contract next season. I would imagine they will have at least one open roster spot available heading into training camp, where someone will surprise the team and get a minimum contract offer.

Breaking down the Sixers' Roster as of now, assuming Iguodala comes back, Andre Miller will fill the point guard spot with Lou Williams and Royal Ivey behind him. Three point guards should be plenty, although neither Williams nor Ivey should be considered true point guards. It's also possible that the Sixers will look to bring back Kevin Ollie if they feel their depth at PG is not sufficient.

The shooting guard spot is interesting, because it's unclear as to whether the Sixers will start Willie Green there, or if Thaddeus Young will start at SF and move Iguodala down to the two. Either way, AI can play there, with Green and Kareem Rush as backups. Lou Williams and Royal Ivey could also move over there if needed. I think this position is set.

The small forward slot has Young and Iguodala manning the majority of the minutes here. Kareem Rush could slide in there in a pinch. I think we'll see one of the final roster spots filled by another small forward.

Power forward will see Elton Brand gobbling up the majority of the minutes, with Reggie Evans backing him up. We could see Jason Smith slide in here on occasion, along with rookie Marreese Speights rounding out this spot.

Samuel Dalembert is the obvious man in the middle for the Sixers. Jason Smith will back him, up and we could even see Speights here as well. With Smith and Speights having limited experience, I would expect the Sixers to bring a veteran to help fill out this spot.

Some of the available names out there that the Sixers could possibly sign to a minimum deal or the Biannual exemption are:

Jamaal Magloire 6'-11", 265 - He's just 30, but plagued by injuries the last few years.

Theo Ratliff 6'-10", 235 - He's 35, and would be a nice guy to bring back to the team.

Francisco Elson 7'-0'', 235 - He's 32, and played in 63 games between theSpurs and Sonics last year

Stay tuned for some articles in the coming weeks profiling every player on the Sixers roster.

Favre Changes Mind (Again), Says It's Time to "Part Ways"

David Halpren — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:23:56 -0400

Are you kidding me? I mean, seriously, are you kidding me?

Within the last hour Brett Favre has said that he has reached a "stalemate" with coach Mike McCarthy and has basically said he wants to move on.

I have sat back and watched this ridiculous drama unfold over the course of the last few weeks and all I could think was, I'm glad I'm not a Packers fan. Well after the latest news to come out about the topsy-turvy quarterback, I'm really glad.

I'll let our friends at ESPN.com fill you in on the details, but the bottom line is that Favre, who retired, then wanted to come back, then wanted to play elsewhere, then was going to retire for a marketing deal, then got reinstated, then said he was ready to play for the Pack, is now going to be trade, most likely to the Vikings.

This guy is a joke. He has turned this situation into a nightmare for everyone involved. He's a self-centered, egotistical baby, and he's doing nothing but tarnishing his once-sterling reputation.

Sorry Brett, but you've officially reached "loser" status with this latest news.

Freddy Garcia to the New York Mets....I sure hope so

David Halpren — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:13:22 -0400

I'm sure its not easy being a Mets fan the past ten days. Sleepless nights, unhappy endings, MRI's, blown saves, non-existent clutch hitting. All of these things can turn even the most homerish fan into a bowl of jelly.

Well, fear not. Help is on the way.

Remember Freddy Garcia? Of course you do. He was good on Seattle, decent on the White Sox, and terrible on the Phillies last year (1-5 5.90 ERA). He actually ended his '07 season on June 9th with shoulder surgery. But now he's getting healthy and looking for a team.

Hello, New York Mets.

The Mets tried to trade for Garcia after the '06 season, but the Phillies got him instead. That was actually a good thing for the Mets, as Garcia turned out to be a real stiff. But now the Mets want to see him first-hand.

The icing on the cake will be if they could also pick-up the recently released Livan Hernandez. It would be as if the trade deadline fiasco never happened and the city could start making plans for the ticker-tape parade.

Let's Go Mets!

Lou Williams, Sixers Agree on Deal: Three Down, One to Go

David Halpren — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:12:00 -0400

The Sixers went into this offseason with four main objectives:

1. Get a low-post power forward, preferably Elton Brand. Check.

2. Re-sign restricted free agent Andre Iguodala. Any day now.

3. Re-sign restricted free agent Lou Williams. Check

4. Sign one or more outside shooters at a low price (Ivey and Rush). Check.

The latest objective is the announcement that the Sixers and Lou Williams have agreed on a five-year contract. Terms have not been released.

Recently it had been rumored that the Cleveland Cavaliers would make Williams an offer. But before that happened the Sixers got down to business and inked the 22-year-old guard. This is just one more piece of an exciting puzzle the Sixers are putting together.

Look for Iguodala to be signed soon, probably in the neighborhood of six-years at $72 million, which the Bobcats recently gave to Emeka Okafor.

Phillies and Royals talking about Mahay trade; Happ Officially Re-Called

David Halpren — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:28:11 -0400

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark is reporting that the Phillies are the front-runners for acquiring Royals lefty reliever Ron Mahay, although a deal is not close at this point in time. The Royals have had as many as ten teams contact them about Mahay, but it appears the appeal of acquiring Phillies minor league prospect Jason Donald is what is swaying them towards the Phils.

Mahay, who turned 37 last month, is having an outstanding season. He's 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA. He's pitched 54 2/3 innings this year striking out 42 while walking 21. Opponents are only hitting .222 off of him, .213 against lefties. For his career, he's 24-10 with a 3.63 ERA. He is signed thru '09 and slated to make four million next year.

Mahay would provide the Phillies with a much needed second left-handed option out of the pen to compliment J.C. Romero. Donald, a shortstop, is a member of the US Olympic Baseball team and considered one of the Phillies best non-pitching prospects. The Phillies have Jimmy Rollins entrenched at that position for many years to come, so the deal would be a no-brainer.

Within the last hour, the Phillies officially recalled J.A. Happ from Lehigh, taking the recently demoted Adam Eaton's spot. However, if the Mayah trade does occur, I suspect Happ would be sent right back down.

The best left-handed reliever on the market was the Rockies Brian Fuentes, but in recent days it appears as if the Rockies have taken if off the trade blocks as the team has gone 9-2 since the All-Star break and finds themselves just six games out of first. Therefore, Mahay seems like the best the Phillies could do anyhow.

Getting a lefty reliever was one of the two goals the Phillies set for themselves before Thursday's trade deadline. The other void they are looking to fill is a right-handed bat. The team has already squashed rumors about going after Manny Ramirez. One other note of interest is that one of the Phillies top scouts is currently in Pittsburgh.

Perhaps the Phillies are looking at Jason Bay or even catcher Ryan Doumit. With the deadline less than 51 hours away, this could just be the first of a few moves the Phillies make.

Eagles OL Shawn Andrews Proves '08 NFL Soap Opera Goes Beyond Favre

David Halpren — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:48:22 -0400

With personalities such as Deion Sanders, Terrell Owens, and Chad Johnson, the NFL over the years has started to resemble a soap opera. You could probably give out an award each year for biggest drama queen, most bizarre story, most annoying story, most over-hyped story...etc.

So for fun, let's take a look at one particular player who is in the running for most intriguing preseason storyline.

While Brett Favre is the clear front-runner, you have to look no further than Eagles Pro Bowl offensive lineman Shawn Andrews for his closest competition. Andrews failed to show up for the start of Eagles training camp last Thursday night and can been fined $15,000 per day.

The Eagles' official statement on the matter is that, "Shawn is not in camp for personal reasons but his absence is not excused," meaning it is not like Shawn is dealing with a death in the family or the birth of a child.

Coach Andy Reid added that it has nothing to do with his contract or his weight.

Shawn has also released a message of his own through the local media saying that his reasons for not being there are not contractual. He added that he's working on the issue, but when asked if he'd be back soon, he responded with "that's tricky."

Andrews missed mini-camp back in June with the same "personal reason." What on earth was plaguing him back in June that still plagues him now? He knew he had to be in camp by July 24th. He's known that for the last five months.

So what's going on? The lack of information available to the general public has stirred all kinds of rumors.

Is he back to being 400 pounds? Is he depressed again? Is he going to fail a drug test? Is he hurt? Is he just being his usual immature self? The list goes on and on.

So guess what Shawn? I like you, I'm sensitive to whatever you're going through, but honestly I'm sick and tired of prima donna athletes and how much money they make. So I'm going to punk you out. I hate to do it because I'm an Eagles fan, but enough is enough. So I'm releasing the information to the public, I apologize in advance.

OK, so the real reason that Shawn Andrews has not shown up is that he recently had rhinoplasty surgery, which is the fancy term for a nose job. This was actually Andrew's second operation, his first came in June, which was not to Andrew's liking.

Board Certified surgeon Jeff Doyle performed the second operation last Tuesday and has advised Shawn to avoid any type of contact for two weeks.

So that explains his absence from physical contact, but apparently he doesn't want to even face his teammates until the bandages are off and he's fully healed.

Shawn could be looking at over $100,000 in fines by the time he finally reports to camp, but at least he'll have the nose he always wanted.

As the Drama Turns......

Mike Tannenbaum Opens Up about Brett Favre Rumors

David Halpren — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:16:01 -0400

New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum was a guest on New York Sports talk radio station WFAN this morning with Boomer (Esiason) and Carton (jerk Craig "Pompous Carton"). The hosts grilled Tannenbaum on many topics and here is an excerpt from the interview:

Carton: Mike, thanks for joining us this morning. Let's get right to it. Brett Favre is being actively shopped around by the Packers and reports have the Jets and Bucs as the most likely destinations. Can you please tell us where the Jets are at in negotiations?

Tannenbaum: Craig, I can honestly tell you that we love the competition we have at the quarterback position this year. Chad looks great so far, Kellen looks just as good, and Eric is extremely excited about the competition.

Carton: Mike, don't be a jerk.

Boomer: Mike, I know you committed in the offseason to have these two guys battle it out, but what about Favre? Will we see him in a Jets uniform before the start of the season? And you can piss Craig off all you want, but you better be straight with me.

Tannenbaum: Boomer, as you know, I have utmost respect for quarterbacks and I look forward to seeing our guys battle it out this year.

Carton: Okay, Mike, I can see you're holding your cards pretty tight to the vest so I'm just going to put this out there. I'm a die-hard Jets fan and I want Favre. The fan base wants Favre. Mangini would kill to have Favre instead of the dogs he's got to work with.

So, I beg you, give me something. Is Brett Favre going to be a Jet?

Boomer: And Mike, before you respond, let me just say that Craig is literally crying, so please be straight with the poor bastard.

Tannenbaum: Guys, I can offer you this. Favre would be willing to come here, but the conditions he has laid out are pretty intense at the moment.

Carton: Mike, that's enough. If you don't bring this guy in here, you will be vilified for the rest of your life. You will be hunted down wherever you go and will be tortured and beaten by Jets fans all over the country.

So with that said, tell me what condition has Favre given that could possibly make you hesitate given the alternatives that we have at QB right now? Tell me!

Tannenbaum: Craig, Brett's only condition is that we would have to fire Mangini and bring back Rich Kotite as head coach. So you tell me, how do you feel about it?

[dial tone]

Carton: Okay, Tony from Manhattan is on the FAN, what's up Anthony...?

Phillies set to recall J.A. Happ; Eaton accepts minor league assignment

David Halpren — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:16:05 -0400

(this artilce was written prior to the official announcement, but the Phillies have now officially confirmed that Adam Eaton has accepted a minor league assignement)

Within the next 24 hours, the Phillies will officially announce that they have recalled LHP J.A. Happ from Lehigh Valley. Happ was pitching yesterday for the AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and after two-and-two-thirds innings, he was pulled from the game.

Happ reported no injuries and had not given up any runs in the game. He was later seen getting congratulations from teammates, further evidence that he had been called back up to the big club.

With Happ's recall, many questions are raised. Questions such as: Whether or not he'd move into the rotation, or if he will become the Phillies' second lefty-option out of the pen? If he were moved into the rotation, who would be the odd-man out?

Obviously, Hamels and Moyer are safe, and Myers is slated to make just his second start tomorrow night since being recalled himself. Kendrick has struggled in July, but pitched six solid innings on Friday night vs. the Braves.

Joe Blanton has not looked impressive in his two starts, although he only pitched two innings in his second start, yesterday, due to a rain delay.

Ok, so maybe he's headed to the 'pen.

Happ could essentially be the trade the Phillies were looking to make to add a lefty reliever. The Yankees already nabbed one of the best lefty options on the trade block over the weekend, acquiring Damaso Marte from the Pirates, along with OF Xavier Nady in exchange for four prospects.

The Rockies' closer, Brian Fuentes, still remains the crown jewel for most teams seeking a left-handed reliever. The Royals' lefty, Ron Mahay is another option as well.

Another theory as to why Happ is being brought up is that perhaps he's being used a trade bait, and teams want to see him pitch up here one or two times prior to Thursday's trade deadline.

Or perhaps he has already been traded?

Either way, with Happ's arrival (or an acquired pitcher), the Phillies most make a roster move. While releasing Rudy Seanez wouldn't surprise me, the most likely scenario would be that Adam Eaton will no long be in a Philadelphia uniform.

Eaton was seen meeting with GM Pat Gillick after the game yesterday, and it's possible they asked him to accept a minor-league assignment. Because Eaton has at least five years of major-league service time, he can refuse assignment to the minors, at which point he'd become a free agent. Eaton is in the middle of a three-year contract, paying him $24 million.

Personally, I'd love for the Phillies to eat Eaton's contract and have him walk. Not only has he been a huge disappointment, he's just bad karma at this point. The Phils definitely need a second left-hander out of the 'pen, but is Happ the answer?

He's only made two relief appearances in his minor-league career. I'm not so sure I like him coming up here out of the 'pen during a division race like this. The Phillies have three days to make a significant move, adding pitching or a right-handed hitter, and I don't think adding Happ is it.

But getting rid of Eaton would be a start.

Sixers Reach Deal With Free Agent Guard

David Halpren — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:06:22 -0400

As the Sixers continue their contract negotiations with restricted free agents Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams, they have reached an agreement with four year NBA free agent guard Royal Ivey. Ivey played for the Milwaukee Bucks last year and spent the first three seasons of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, who drafted him in the second round in '04 out of the University of Texas.

Ivey is a 6'4" guard who played inconsistent minutes with the Bucks last season. He averaged less than 20 minutes per game, appearing in 75 games, and even started 20 of them. He averaged 5.6 points per game and shot under 40 percent.

He brings a certain toughness defensively and coaches have called him an underrated offensive player. He will most likely serve as the third point guard behind Andre Miller and Williams, but also could see some minutes behind Willie Green at the off-guard spot as well.

Ivey, whose contract won't be officially signed until Monday, is expected to be getting a two year deal at the league minimum for a four year player, $854,957. Signing Elton Brand earlier this month has put the Sixers at the cap max, meaning they can only sign free agents to the league minimum based on their NBA experience.

With this signing the Sixers now have nine players under contract, with Iguodala and Williams expected to be resigned shortly. NBA teams are allowed to carry 15 players (with only 12 being active for the game) so expect the Sixers to sign four more players before training camp begins in late September, hopefully getting a veteran shooter with a bit more experience than Ivey.

Personally this move doesn't do much for me, but they have to fill out the roster and who knows, maybe this guy will turn out to be more than they bargained for. I don't think we'll see any name veteran get signed until closer to training camp.

NOTE: Ivey was suspended for three games prior to the final game of last season after punching Chicago's Aaron Gray in the groin. Therefore he will miss the first two games of the upcoming season. What's great is that the Sixers now have two players who have been suspended for groin related punches; Ivey joins Reggie Evans in this exclusive club.

Open Mic: Which Athletes Retired in Their Prime?

David Halpren — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:48:53 -0400

There is a fine line in sports between going out on top and hanging on for too long. All this Brett Favre talk (besides making me nauseous) has gotten me thinking about athletes who called it quits before their time.

Let's take a look:

Barry Sanders

At the very top of this list has to be Sanders. At the age of 30, he already rushed for over 15,000 yards and promptly retired in his prime. He was about 1,500 yards shy of Walter Peyton's all-time rushing record (now owned by Emmitt Smith).

Barry was extremely elusive and never seemed to get hurt. In his final year in the NFL, he rushed for nearly 1,500 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He shocked us all when he hung up his cleats and undoubtedly had a few good years left in him.

Michael Jordan

His first retirement shocked the world. At the age of 30, he was fresh from winning back-to-back-to-back NBA titles and the guy tells the world he's going to play baseball. Huh?

As we all know, the experiment for the White Sox's AA team failed and he was back in the NBA a few years later, winning three more titles in the process. That initial retirement probably cost him and the Bulls a few more rings, but he definitely gave up the game way too quickly.

He then retired again at age 36, once again, going out off a three-peat.

This retirement was probably the right timing for him, although it was not permanent, as he came back two years later to play with the Wizards (he was co-owner as well).

Jim Brown

Widely considered the best running back in the history of the game, Brown opted to retire at the age of 30, in order to begin his movie career.

He departed the NFL as the record holder for both single-season and career rushing yards, as well as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and all-purpose yards.

All of these feats accomplished without playing a single game past the age of 29. Remarkable!

Annika Sorenstam

Annika called it quits earlier this year at the young golfing age of 37. Her 90 international tournament wins as a professional make her the female golf player with the most wins to her name.

She's the LPGA's career money-list leader, with earnings of over $22 million, over $8 million ahead of the next closest golfer. She had won three tournaments this year as well.

Bjorn Borg

Retired at the age of 26 after losing consecutive tournaments to John McEnroe. Borg cited he was no longer the No. 1 player in the world, and hence, called it quits.

During a nine-year career, Borg won 41 percent of the Grand Slam singles tournaments he entered (11 of 27) and 90 percent of the Grand Slam singles matches he played. Both are men's tennis, open-era records.

He was the only player in the open era to have won both Wimbledon and the French Open in the same year more than once, as he won both in three consecutive years.

This list could undoubtebly be added upon, feel free to bring your own names to the table

Is Rooting Against USA Basketball in the Olympics Un-American?

David Halpren — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:10:52 -0400

Let me set the record straight. I am only a citizen of the United States. I live in the United States. I was born in the United States. My parents were born in the United States. My grandparents were born in the United States. And the same applies to my wife and children. I love the United States.

I rooted for Rocky over Drago, I'm glad we won WWII and there is no country I'd rather spend the next 50 years of my life in than the United States of America. I bleed Red, White and Blue (okay, figuratively) and I refuse to acknowledge that the Euro is taking over for the dollar as the best currency in the world.

Oh, and one other thing, I LOVE basketball.

Okay, I hope you get my point. Because now I'm going to say something a bit absurd. I am rooting against Team USA Basketball in the Olympics. In fact, I rooted against them in 2006 when they lost to Greece in the World Championships and I rooted against them in the 2004 Olympics when they won the Bronze.

Ok, so why the hate you ask? Well, I guess it comes from the cocky nature that these guys give off. The "we're Americans so we're the best" mentality just drives me nuts. Its the reason why we haven't been the best team in the world since 2000.

Not to mention, I can't stand Coach "K," Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd or Carmelo Anthony. I don't love LeBron, Wade or Prince either, but to see Kobe smile with an Olympic gold medal as if he's some sort of American hero just makes me sick.

The guy's a selfish pr*ck, always has been, and I just don't wanna see him win. I mean he backed out of the '04 Olympics cause he had a "scheduling conflict." Yeah, he had to get his toe nails done.

The make-up of the team is obviously better than in the past. Having Deron Williams and Chris Paul there helps a lot. I know they really focused on the team concept this year, getting rid of guys like Marbury, Iverson and Odom.

Having Kobe and LeBron seemingly gives them way more talent. But we'll have to see if they really get it. Can they really compete on the International stage?

The Europeans and Argentina play great team defense, and you gotta still think this American team, on some level, is still too cocky. Also, Kobe and LeBron's high-wire acts will not play out here. Shooting from the outside will be critical going against the zone defenses they will see.

In no other Olympic event would I even think about rooting against the US, but for the reasons I've mentioned, I just want to see them lose at basketball.

I want to see Kobe dejected, I want to see Coach "K" cry and I want to see Carmelo fall to the floor and never get up. Am I Un-American? Or are these guys just unlikable?

Phillies vs. Mets: Who's Better?

David Halpren — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:06:51 -0400

There's been a lot of debate (and hate) going on since the middle of last year between the Phillies' fans and Mets fans. Obviously both sides think they are "the team to beat" and no one is backing down.

From Jimmy Rollins to Carlos Beltran, everyone has weighed in on it and now it's "our turn." What you're about to read may sound one-sided (yes, I'm a Phillies fan), but my intent here is to construct a very fair and rational discussion.

As we all know, the Mets blew a seven-game lead in 16 days in September last year and the Phillies won the division. In the offseason the Mets went out and traded for seemingly the best pitcher in baseball, Johan Santana, and were immediately anointed front runners in not only the NL East, but the entire National League.

On top of that, they also acquired OF Ryan Church and C Brian Schneider from the Nationals, parting ways with the enigmatic Lastings Milledge.

Despite a quick start from Church, things didn't exactly go as planned for NY, as they started off a bit slowly.

They saw their first basemen Carlos Delgado age five years right before their eyes, Carlos Beltran suffered through another slow April, and Jose Reyes looked like he picked up right where he left off last season, which was a bad sign.

Sitting below .500 for most the season, rumors swirled on a daily basis about manager Willie Randolph's job. Despite the talent in the clubhouse, many sources cited the Mets' biggest issue was team chemistry.

Some even went as far as saying that the problems were a result of a clash of diverse cultures in the clubhouse (Puerto Rico—Feliciano, Castro, Delgado, Beltran, Pagan; Dominican Republic—Martinez, Castillo, Reyes, Sanchez, Burgos, Tatis; Venezuela—Santana, Chavez; Mexico—Perez; and Cuba—El Duque).

Eventually, with a 34-35 record, trailing the division-leading Phillies by 6.5 games, Randolph was fired and replaced by Jerry Manuel. Since the firing, the Mets have compiled a 19-11 record, including a 10-game win streak, and have moved into a tie for first place with the Phillies.

They also have seen Pedro Martinez come off the DL, a nice turn around from Delgado and Beltran, surprising results from baseball scrapheaper Fernando Tatis, and pitcher Mike Pelfrey coming into his own.

As for the Phillies, their story has been just as uneven. They too came out of the gates a bit slow, and despite Ryan Howard sleeping through April and their opening day starter Brett Myers being sent to the minors, they have managed to spend the last 51 days in first place.

They have compiled the best bullpen ERA in the Majors (a huge weakness last year) and have hit a ton of homers, with three players (Howard, Utley, Burrell) on pace to eclipse 40.

But less than stellar play by reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and the inability to play "small-ball" in crucial situations have hurt the Phillies in many games this season.

As a result, they head into the start of a three-game series tonight at Shea looking to find themselves and put some space between them and the Mets.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's breakdown these two teams and see who really is the better team:

HITTING

1B: Phillies....Much more production from Howard than Delgado. Despite Delgado hitting better recently, Howard has been putting up massive numbers despite the low batting average.

Howard .236 AVG 29 HR 87 RBI .325 OBP .512 SLG%

Delgado .261 AVG 18 HR 57 RBI .343 OBP .472 SLG%

2B: Phillies....Clearly Utley has outperformed Castillo and Easley (they have 50 more combined ABs) and is a much better player in any given season. Really nothing to debate here.

Utley .296 AVG 25 HR 70 RBI .379 OBP .584 SLG% 10 SB 69 Runs

Castillo .261 AVG 3 HR 26 RBI .365 OBP .331 SLG% 13 SB 42 Runs

Easley .277 AVG 3 HR 24 RBI .321 OBP .364 SLG% 0 SB 21 Runs

SS: Mets....Jose Reyes is a very good player, Jimmy Rollins is also very good and was a great player last year. But this season Reyes definitely gets the nod here. (Note: Rollins was on DL earlier in the season and has over 100 fewer ABs)

Rollins .271 AVG 6 HR 32 RBI .336 OBP .431 SLG% 25 SB 41 Runs

Reyes .300 AVG 10 HR 43 RBI .364 OBP .482 SLG% 33 SB 71 Runs

3B: Mets....David Wright is the future of this team and he is one of top third basemen in the league. Pedro Feliz, acquired in the offseason, has been OK, but nowhere near Wright's production.

Feliz .262 AVG 12 HR 46 RBI .311 OBP .434 SLG% 0 SB 36 Runs

Wright .286 AVG 19 HR 76 RBI .386 OBP .513 SLG% 12 SB 65 Runs

LF: Phillies....Pat Burrell is quietly having a career year and has been the Phillies' most consistent hitter throughout this season. The Mets, with Alou on the DL most of the year (and is now out for the year), have used Fernando Tatis and Angel Pagan (out for the year) here as well, among others.

They have gotten decent output, but nothing close to Burrell's numbers. (Alou/Pagan/Tatis have about 50 ABs less than Burrell)

Burrell .280 AVG 25 HR 59 RBI .406 OBP .594 SLG%

Tatis .295 AVG 5 HR 22 RBI .338 OBP .455 SLG%

Pagan .275 AVG 0 HR 13 RBI .346 OBP .374 SLG%

Alou .347 AVG 0 HR 9 RBI .389 OBP .388 SLG%

CF: Mets....Carlos Beltran is the better player here. His season has been sub-par in ratio to Mets fans' expectations, but he still gets the nod over Victorino. I will note that Jayson Werth has seen many ABs in CF this year, but we'll look at him purely in RF. (Beltran has 50 more ABs than Victorino)

Victorino .276 AVG 5 HR 29 RBI .345 OBP .402 SLG% 22 SB 59 Runs

Beltran .271 AVG 15 HR 68 RBI .363 OBP .477 SLG% 16 SB 69 Runs

RF: Phillies...The Phillies have basically used a platoon here with Jayson Werth and Geoff Jenkins, and the results have been mixed. The Mets had Ryan Church playing well, but migraines have sidelined him and have forced them to use the much less productive Endy Chavez (and Marlon Anderson) in his place.

As a result, the slight nod here goes to the Phillies. (Phillies combine here with 40 more ABs than Mets)

Werth .268 AVG 12 HR 36 RBI .352 OBP .468 SLG% 11 SB 32 Runs

Jenkins .236 AVG 8 HR 26 RBI .291 OBP .389 SLG% 1 SB 24 Runs

Church .307 AVG 10 HR 36 RBI .370 OBP .512 SLG% 1 SB 40 Runs

Chavez .255 AVG 1 HR 10 RBI .300 OBP .302 SLG% 4 SB 22 Rins

C : TIE....Chris Coste has basically seen more ABs than Carlos Ruiz in the last two months and has been slightly above average. Ruiz has been awful. For the Mets, Brian Schneider has been unproductive and back-up Ramon Castro is a better hitter, but doesn't see the playing time.

Coste .276 AVG 7 HR 22 RBI .330 OBP .476 SLG%

Ruiz .204 AVG 2 HR 20 RBI .304 OBP .269 SLG%

Schneider .243 AVG 2 HR 20 RBI .335 OBP .294 SLG%

Castro .289 AVG 4 HR 16 RBI .359 OBP .494 SLG%

PITCHING

Here's where the debate gets interesting because, up until now, it's pretty cut and dry.

SP No. 1 (Hamels vs Santana) - TIE...The Mets will cry about this one cause they spent all that money on Santana and he's giving them Hamels' numbers. Not that those aren't good, they aren't the numbers the Mets envisioned when they traded away their farm system for him and then signed him to all that money.

The fact is they both are good No. 1 starters and based on this year (and in my opinion going forward), they are extremely close in talent.

Hamels 9-6 3.11 ERA 150 IP 133 SO 38 BB WHIP 1.01

Santana 8-7 3.10 ERA 131 IP 116 SO 36 BB WHIP 1.22

SP No. 2 (Myers vs Maine) - Mets.....While Maine has underachieved this year and has severely struggled with his command, Myers has been downright bad. Now that he's back from the minors with potentially improved mechanics this comparison has the potential to change.

But for now, the edge has to go to Maine and the Mets.

Myers 3-9 5.84 ERA 102 IP 88 SO 44 BB 1.56 WHIP

Maine 8-7 4.22 ERA 113 IP 98 SO 54 BB 1.35 WHIP

SP No. 3 (Blanton vs Perez) - TIE....Joe Blanton was just acquired from the A's and while his numbers to date have been less than appealing, he will now move to the NL where the guideline is to drop the ERA by 1/2 a run.

His record is more of an indication of lack of run support from the weak A's offense as well. So looking at it that way, I have to call this one a tie as Perez has been very inconsistent and has put a ton of runners on base with walks.

Blanton (w/Oakland) 5-12 4.96 ERA 127 IP 62 SO 35 BB 1.42 WHIP

Perez 6-6 4.36 ERA 109 IP 95 SO 63 BB 1.43 WHIP

SP No. 4 (Moyer vs Pelfrey) - TIE....you can call Jamie Moyer a lot of things, but an average starter is not one of them. He has exceeded everyone's expectations this year, throwing gem after gem.

Meanwhile, Mike Pelfrey, after struggling at the start of the season, has really turned it on and has put up very similar numbers. The question will be whether Pelfrey can keep this up and be able to handle the pressure of a pennant race.

Moyer 9-6 3.90 ERA 120 IP 73 SO 34 BB 1.36 WHIP

Pelfrey 8-6 3.81 ERA 116 IP 68 SO 44 BB 1.44 WHIP

SP No. 5 (Kendrick vs Martinez or minor league call-up) - Phillies...Kyle Kendrick in his first full season has been mediocre. He's thrown some decent games, but has also gotten lit up. However, his numbers are still better than anyone the Mets can put out there in this spot.

Pedro Martinez came off the DL, pitched OK in a few starts and poor in the rest (struggling after four innings), and is now hurt again. He can't be relied on here and there is no way we can assume he's Pedro from the Red Sox.

Kendrick 8-4 4.87 ERA 109 IP 49 SO 33 BB 1.50 WHIP

Martinez 3-2 6.25 ERA 45 IP 34 SO 18 BB 1.63 WHIP

BULLPEN - Phillies...With the offseason acquisition of Brad Lidge the Phillies have given the back-end of their bullpen the stud they've needed since Billy Wagner left for NY. Ironically, Wagner is now struggling a bit and has complained of soreness (in his arm area I presume, but you never know with him).

The Phillies lead the Majors in bullpen ERA at 2.72 and Lidge has not blown a save this year. The Mets' bullpen has an ERA over a run higher at 3.82 and Wagner has blown six saves already (the most since '02).

SUMMARY...Wow, it's really close, and as a result this race will probably go down to the wire.

I know this will sound biased but if you have read everything I wrote, looked at the numbers, and understand baseball, you will see that the Phillies are the better team and have more of an upside than the Mets from here on out.

With the return of Myers, the addition of Blanton, and the potential for MVP Jimmy Rollins to wake up, the fightin' Phils should come out on top.

I'd love to hear your comments......

Shockey has become a SAINT - Former Giant TE rejoins Payton in New Orleans

David Halpren — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:13:19 -0400

BREAKING NEWS

The New York Giants have reached an agreement to trade Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints. Shockey will be re-teamed with Saints head coach Sean Payton who called the plays in New York during Shockey's most prolific years. This will definitely give a boost to the Saints TE corps and should put Shockey back into the upper echelon of pass catching TE's.

Shockey, who missed the Giants wild Super Bowl run last year with a broken leg, will be replaced by Kevin Boss, who stepped up big-time last year as the Giants starting TE.

Because of Boss' emergence, Shockey was widely rumored to be traded before the draft in April. He repeatedly had run-ins with QB Eli Manning and was more of a headache for the Giants then a help in the last few years.

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies Need to Wake Up! What the FUNK?

David Halpren — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:46:54 -0400

I'm sitting here on a Monday morning wondering where it all went wrong. When did this once promising season turn into fool's gold?

How in the world does the team with the second most runs scored in the NL seem to put up minuscule numbers more often than not?

The Phillies also have a run differential of +75, once again second best in the NL, yet they are only seven games over .500 and are tied in the loss column with the division rival Mets and Marlins. What in the world is going on here?

Well, as Charlie Manuel so eloquently put it in a post-game tirade yesterday, "Our situational hitting is absolutely terrible," he said. "Absolutely off the chart, really."

I can't argue with him in the least. This team scores in bunches and then doesn't score in bunches.

Once again, the Phillies wasted a superb effort by Cole Hamels, who gave up two runs in eight innings, while the Phillies bats came up empty time after time, mustering just two runs of their own.

Since June 13, when the Phillies beat the Cardinals 20-1, they have been held to two or fewer runs an amazing 11 times.

Eleven. That's unreal.

Everyone wants to focus on their pitching. They are whining about Eaton and Myers and Kendrick and Gordon, and even complaining about the Blanton trade, who hasn't even pitched in a Phillies uniform yet.

But if you are truly watching this team day in and day out, then you know they are not losing because of their pitching.

I mean seriously, the pitching they are getting is more than okay. Only the Cubs, Dodgers, and Braves have a better team ERA than the Phillies do, which is 3.93. Are you telling me this offense can't score four runs a game? Come on.

Howard, Burrell and Utley are all on pace to hit 40 homers, which incidentally has never happened before. But maybe that's precisely the problem. Are they just a long-ball oriented team and can't, as Charlie says, hit in certain situations?

If we look deep enough, the root of the problem is Jimmy Rollins. No one wants to talk about it because he's the reigning MVP, great fielder, great guy, was on the DL early in the season..etc, but its late July now and this guy is just not getting it done.

That's right, Jimmy; I'm calling you out.

I'm putting it on you. You lead off, you set the table, and frankly right now, you stink. You have Shane Victorino stats, and we certainly don't need two of you in the lineup.

Yes, congrats on stealing 25 bases this year without being caught, we are all really impressed, but you're only hitting .271 with six homers.

Looking back at your pre-All Star break numbers in 2007, you had 16 homers were hitting hitting 15 points higher and scored twice as many runs. Yes, twice.

You are stealing more bases this season; once again, congrats.

Look Jimmy, we love you, we want to love you and we're sitting and waiting for you to break out. Well guess what, you're in luck. Cause starting tomorrow you open a three-game set in New York.

That's right, they love you there and maybe a few boos will wake you up. I wanna see a triple, I wanna see you tap your hips after a big hit, I wanna see you get fired up...you listening, Jimmy? Bring it...bring it NOW, before that team in New York starts rolling.

Jamie Moyer, Philadelphia Phillies Kickoff a Big Series with the Florida Marlins

David Halpren — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:20:50 -0400

After a four-day layoff, with an All-Star Game mixed in, the Phillies finally return to action tonight as they take on the Florida Marlins, down in Miami. The Phils head into play tonight in a dead heat for first with the Mets, who scored four runs in the ninth last night against the Reds to win their 10th straight.

The Marlins have been hanging around the top of the division all season long and sit just 1.5 games back of both teams.

Going for the fish tonight will be surprising RHP Ricky Nolassco, who is 10-4 with a 3.70 ERA. He'll be opposed by the guy with slowest fastball in baseball, 45-year old Jamie Moyer.

To everyone's surprise, Moyer continues to keep the Phillies in games and is 8-6 overall, with an ERA of 3.95. He has been dazzling in two starts so far in July. Not to mention, in his last start in Florida, he pitched eight shutout innings vs. the Marlins, allowing just two hits and a walk.

Ok, now that you're bored from the typical game-day preview, how about some PREDICTIONS!

Rollins and Burrell will have the biggest games tonight for the Phillies. Mike Jacobs will do the most damage for the Marlins.

Phillies win 5-3 and stay in first place, where they have been for the past six weeks.

Tomorrow is a late-afternoon game on FOX; with the typical 3:55 PM EST start time. Kyle Kendrick vs. Scott Olsen. On Sunday, Cole Hamels goes against Josh Johnson.

Is the Joe Blanton Trade Enough for the Phillies?

David Halpren — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:14:04 -0400

So as you may have seen, the Phillies just acquired Oakland A's RHP Joe Blanton for minor leaguers Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matt Spencer.

The deal was a no-brainer for the Phillies.

Cardenas, who is at Single-A Clearwater, is considered one of the Phillies better prospects. However, being a second baseman, there is no chance to play with the big league squad with Mr. Utley there for hopefully the next decade.

Spencer is an outfielder who also plays at Clearwater who was not putting up good numbers. He is hitting just .249 with six home runs and 41 RBI.

Outman was a decent starting pitcher at Double-A Reading, but was recently moved to the pen and was not considered an immediate pitching prospect. On the year, he is 5-4 with a 3.20 ERA and has recorded one save.

So anyway, as you can see, the Phillies got themselves a semi-name pitcher for three guys that you'll never miss.

However, Blanton is struggling this year, he's 5-12 with an ERA just under five. In his previous three seasons, Blanton was a combined 42-34 with an ERA under four. He also averaged over 200 innings in that time frame. He's just 27 and can't be a free agent until the 2011 season.

A chance of scenary helped Brad Lidge, perhaps it'll help Blanton as well. He'll most certainly take over in the rotation for Adam Eaton, who will most likely head to the pen, filling the open spot left by Tom Gordon who was placed on the DL last week.

Don't get me wrong, Eaton will by no means pitch in crucial roles, I assume he'll move to long relief, bumping Clay Condrey into a more prominent role. When Gordon returns, the Phils will have a decision on their hands.

Also factoring into the pitching is the return of Brett Myers, who is slated to make his final minor league start tomorrow night and then rejoin the Phillies on Wednesday night to face the Mets. Meanwhile, JA Happ gvae the Phillies two good starts during a brief stint in the majors and was sent back down so he wouldn't be sitting around while the Phils had open dates on their schedule.

So if Myers, Blanton, and Happ pitch well, you've got three quality starters to go along with Hamels, Moyer and Kendrick. This is certainly a good problem to have cause there will either be an injury or someone will under-perform.

So with this acquisition of Blanton, do you feel comfortable the rest of the way? Well, I still think they need to get another lefty reliever, but in a sense, maybe they did. As mentioned, JA Happ has shown some good stuff, but with Brett Myers coming back and Blanton now in the rotation, he would be the odd man out. However, being a LHP, Happ could slide right into that lefty bullpen slot for the Phils.

So for now, I think this move may have put to rest the Phillies questions on the pitching front, but are they done?

I'm guessing no.

Charlie Manuel has been hinting for weeks that the Phillies need another bat in the outfielder and I agree. Geoff Jenkins has been underwhelming, and both Shane Victorino and Jason Werth are hot and cold. So Tuguchi has been bad and would definitely be the guy to go if they were to add someone.

I think as we get closer to the deadline, there could be a veteran outfielder added, most likely from the right side.

Is Jeff Conine still alive?

Philadelphia: 100 Seasons of Losing...and Here's Why!

David Halpren — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:11:19 -0400

First off, I'm a 33-year-old diehard Philadelphia sports fan who has grown sick and tired of his hometown teams not being good enough.

As you all know, its been 25 years since this town has won a major sports championship and frankly, that's embarrassing considering we're the sixth largest city in the United States (we were fourth for most of this futility).

What makes it even sadder is that we have a team in all four major sports while cities like St. Louis (Rams/Cardinals), Baltimore (Orioles/Ravens) Tampa Bay (Bucs/Lightning), and Anaheim (Angles/Ducks) have not only won championships in that time frame, they did it in multiple sports!

But on top of all that, we have city rivals such as NY and Boston winning championships like its second nature. I mean it wasn't that long ago that I actually felt sorry for the city of Boston and now look at them...why can't that be Philly? WHY!

Actually, there are many reasons why it hasn't been us, and a lot of it starts with the ownership, especially with the Phillies and their unwillingness to spend money. But let’s focus in on something that has been bugging me for years...bad timing.

The Fly Guys
Since the Sixers won the NBA Championship in 1983, the Flyers have appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals three times. In both '85 and '87, they lost to one of the greatest Dynasties in hockey history, the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton advanced to the finals and won every year between '84 and '88, with '86 being the exception. Of course, that year the Canadians represented the Eastern Conference instead of the Flyers who did the year before and after.

Then in '97, the Flyers made it back to the finals only to be swept by the mighty Detroit Red Wings, a dynasty at the time, who went on to win again in '98.

It's now been a painful 10 years since the Flyers have even appeared in the finals and a dreadful 33 years since they have actually won a championship.

Bird Seed
Talk about championship futility and you have to look no further than our beloved Eagles. While they have managed to win three championships in their storied history, none have come since 1960, and they have never won a Super Bowl.

Since '83, they have made just one appearance in the Super Bowl and once again a Philly team was matched up against a dynasty. The Eagles faced the now hated Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX (39 for you non Romans) and narrowly lost, 24-21.

Of course, there are many areas to discuss here, but why they lost the game is not the point right now. It’s once again the timing. By defeating the Eagles the Patriots won back-to-back Super Bowls and their third in four years.

Phillies Phodder
With the distinction of losing more games than any other team in the history of baseball, at least this team has won a championship in my lifetime, which is more than I can say for the Eagles and Flyers (I was born three weeks after their '75 finals series ended).

But that's not saying much since I was merely five years old in October of 1980 when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson giving the Phillies their ONLY championship in their 124 year history.

Yeah, you read that right, one in 124 years. Anyway, the Phils have made one appearance in the World Series since '83 and that was in 1993 against the Toronto Blue Jays. While the Phils sported a very likeable team, they too were going up against a dynasty.

The Blue Jays won the World Series in '92 and took back to back titles in beating the Phillies. The best team the Phillies had fielded in years (and probably since, until maybe '07), and they happen to run into a team like the Blue Jays.

Six Shots
The franchise started off in 1939 as the Syracuse Nationals and did win one title in 1955. In 1963, they officially became the Philadelphia 76ers, and since then, have won just two titles, '67 and '83.

Since the '82-'83 Sixers, who are recognized as one of the greatest teams in NBA history, won the NBA Championship, the Sixers have fallen on hard times. They finally got their act together in the 2000-01 season under Allen Iverson and Larry Brown.

On a personal level, that was a great season for me as I had season tickets and attended every home playoff game.

With exciting victories over the Paces, Raptors, and Bucks, the Sixers reached the NBA Finals, only to face a Laker team with Shaq and Kobe (coached by Phil Jackson) who were in the middle of winning three straight NBA titles...yes, ANOTHER dynasty.

While the Sixers did manage to win game one of the finals, the Lakers won the next four and set a winning percentage record for a playoff season going 15-1.

So there you have it...every team a Philly Sports franchise has lost to in a final since 1983 has been to a team in the middle of winning at least back to back titles.

Unfortunate, bad timing, bad luck, sour grapes...whatever you want to call it, those are the facts and no matter how you twist them around, we're still winless since '83.

Philadelphia 76ers: A look back at the Pre Brand, Pre-Iverson Season of 1995-96

David Halpren — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:58:19 -0400

Life Before Iverson Much Worse than Life After : Looking back at the '95-'96 76ers

Now that the Sixers have made a major step forward in their quest back to NBA elite status by nabbing Elton Brand, lets take a look back at the 1995-96 roster just for nice laugh.

One of the worst teams I can ever remember, the pitiful 1995-96 Sixers (18-64)...look at these names (sorted by total pts scored that year). Classic roster!

Coach AND GM: John Lucas - obviously on crack that year. Fired after the season from both jobs and replaced with the classic one year duo of Johnny Davis and Brad Greenberg.

Jerry Stackhouse- Sixers' third pick in the draft that year (passing on Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett), leading scorer by default. Was a complete spaz trying to dribble. Traded away in '97 to Pistons after clashing with AI's posse. Currently on Mavs, but never amounted to what he was supposed to.
Clarence Weatherspoon - Sixers ninth pick in '92 draft. Poor man's Barkley, decent career, but nothing special. Traded to Knicks in '98, retired in '05.
Vernon Maxwell- John Lucas' sponsor, or was it vice-versa? After winning back-to-back titles with Rockets he brought his Mad Max routine to us for one year. Returned to us in 2000 and retired later that year.
Trevor Ruffin - fourth leading scorer? Is he still living? He played two seasons in the NBA, '94-'95 with the Suns and then this one. Goes from fourth leading scorer on this team to retired? Shocker.
Sharone Wright - Sixers' sixth pick in the draft in '94 draft, traded during this season to the Raptors, out of the NBA in '98. Total bust. He looked like Shirley from What's Happening, but she had a better low post game. MyMyMyMyMySharona.....
Derrick Alston - Who? Sixers second-round pick in 1994 (great draft of Wright and Alston). Followed up this season with a two game stint (yes two games) the following year in Atlanta and then never played again.
Sean Higgins - second-round pick of Spurs in 1990, Sixers were his 5th team in six years. Came to use from Nets as part of the Shawn Bradley trade. Played one season for us, skipped the '96-97 season and went to Portland for 2 games (must be a trend) in 1997 and retired?
Tony Massenburg- Also second-round pick of Spurs in 1990, but he ups Higgins as the Sixers were his eighth team in six years. Lone season here, acquired in Sharone Wright deal from Raptors. Finished his career in 2005 amassing 14 different jerseys. Classic journeyman who was a half decent player. I give him special props cause he went to Maryland (and didn't die).
Richard Dumas - I think this guy had crack issues too. Played two seasons for the Suns (banned from the NBA in 1994), then one for us and never heard from again. Good chance he's dead.
Greg Sutton - Where do we find these guys? '91 draft pick of Spurs, played a year, missed two seasons (probably overseas), half season with Hornets in '95-'96 and the other half with us (yeah!)—never played again.
Jeff Malone- Longtime shooting guard with Bullets (10th pick in '83 draft), later to went to Jazz. We acquired him from Utah in 1994 for Horny (Jeff Hornacek). He played two years and didn't do much for us. Went to Heat late in the season and then retired. Great trade.
Rex Walters- LOL. 16th pick by Nets in '93 draft. Came to us as part of the Bradley trade. Two seasons with us, he stunk. He took Tim Perry's 23 jersey when Perry was shipped to the Nets in that trade. He finished up his career with three more seasons in Miami, never amounted to anything. I'm sure Roy Williams was proud. He's now the head coach for the U of San Francisco (wow).
Ed Pinckney- 10th pick in '85 draft by Suns. Came to Sixers with Massenburg for Sharone Wright. Solid NBA career, went to Heat the following year then retired. Assistant to Jay Wright at Nova since '03.
Derrick Coleman - #1 pick in 1990 draft. Came here during the season along with Walters and Higgins in Bradley trade. Played just 11 games that year because of irregular heartbeat (yeah he had none). Played two more seasons with us, putting up solid numbers, but didn't coexist with Iverson's game. Returned to Sixers for three more lovely seasons from 2001-'04. Underachiever who often dogged it. Retired in 2005.
Shawn Bradley- #2 pick of Sixers in '93 draft. Highlight of the season was shipping his butt out of town (for Coleman and others). He invented "The Shawn," meaning a box score of less pts than fouls. Only contributed 12 games to the cause this season so he's fodder for another time.
LaSalle Thompson - Played 15 seasons in the NBA, just a half season with the Sixers at the end of his career....retired in 1997.
Scott Skiles- After nine seasons in the NBA, a few really good ones in Orlando dishing to Shaq, Skiles signs with the Sixers that year. Plays 10 games and then retires. How smart was he????
Greg Graham- Drafted 17th overall by the Pacers in the '93 draft and traded to the Sixers that year along with Dana Barros and for Hersey Hawkins. Played 2.5 yrs for us and then shipped to the Nets as part of the Shawn Bradley trade. Was a 12th man at best.
Greg Grant - Little 5-7 guy from Trenton played with six teams over eight seasons, this was his last in the NBA, for good reason.
Scott Williams- LOL...one of our worst free agent signings ever...He wins three titles with the Bulls (as a reserve) and we give him like an eight-year deal. He actually missed all but 13 games this year with a knee injury, so if he had played I'd have to think this team would have been worse. Eventually traded in 1998-99 to the Bucks (with Tim Thomas) for Tyronne Hill.
Mike Brown- who? Different Mike brown from current Cavs coach. Career backup, played just nine games, played six the following year for the Suns and then retired.
Trevor Wilson - five-year journeyman who signed to a 10 day contract with Sixers, played six games, never played another NBA game after that.
Tim Perry- Ah, one of John Chaney's finest. 7th overall pick in the '88 draft by the Suns, traded to Sixers in '92 in the Barkely deal. Played just eight games this season with the Sixers before being sent to the Nets in the Bradley deal, played 22 games for the Nets then retired. He wore 23 and tried to play like MJ but he was horrible, HORRIBLE.
Elmer Bennett- ???? Played eight games for the Sixers that year, four for the Cavs the year before, five for the Nuggets and four for the Rockets the year after and then never played again. Who cares?